Palm-sized futomaki and crab croquette at Ilpum, a Yeouido sushi bar

The best kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) I've had in Korea, hands down — at Ilpum Yeouido Branch, a sushi restaurant near National Assembly Station! Premium kaisendon, futomaki, salmon belly sushi, and even a crab cream croquette from a review event. Bringing you the whole, generous review 🕺

Where is Ilpum Yeouido Branch, and what are its hours?

📍Location📍 25 Eunhaeng-ro, Anwon Building B1, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

⏰Hours⏰ Mon–Sat 11:00–21:30, break time 15:00–17:00, closed Sundays

Other: solo dining, group seating, takeout, reservations, parking support, free corkage

Getting there: 354m from Exit 3 of National Assembly Station

To get to Ilpum Yeouido Branch, a sushi spot in Yeouido, walk about 400m from Exit 3 of National Assembly Station — it's across from KDB Bank in the basement of Anwon Building, about a 5-minute walk!

Ilpum Yeouido Branch has been certified as an excellent Japanese rice-bowl delivery restaurant, and since it's a chain with several branches, I'd recommend checking one out if there's one near you 👍🏻

• Ilpum Magok Main Branch (1F, Leaders Tower Magok)
• Ilpum Gwanghwamun Branch (B2, Le Meilleur Jongno Town)
• Ilpum Gangnam Branch (B1, Seocho Town Trapalace)

Parking at Ilpum: 2 hours free for diners

At Ilpum Yeouido Branch, free parking is available for up to 2 hours when dining, on the ground floor, B2, and B3.

How to order and what the seating is like

One thing that made Ilpum Yeouido Branch really convenient was being able to order via QR code right at the table! I liked being able to browse high-res menu photos on my phone while ordering.

The dining space at Ilpum Yeouido Branch! The counter seats, bar table, and solo seats are perfectly placed and arranged for solo dining, and there are plenty of large tables too, so it can accommodate groups — anywhere from 1 to 62 people.

The dachi (counter bar) seats seemed great for solo dining or for a couple sitting side by side chatting over a meal. Since you're not seated face-to-face, it's also easier to focus on the food!

Every table at Ilpum Yeouido Branch comes set with a water cup, soy sauce, and utensils, and there's a baby chair too, making it a great sushi restaurant near National Assembly Station to visit with kids :)

Ilpum's menu: signature kaisendon and unagi don

The signature dishes at Ilpum Yeouido Branch, a restaurant near National Assembly Station, are the kaisendon and unagi don (eel rice bowl). The premium kaisendon in particular even got the approval of professional eater Lee Young-ja. 🏅 The unagi don features a whole top-grade domestic Japonica freshwater eel served with Japanese-style rolled egg — a dish that covers both flavor and stamina, and it was picked by Hwa Jung-min and Lee Young-ja on the show Baedallwasuda!

Beyond that, there's a wide range of sushi, futomaki, and à la carte sushi to choose from.

Sashimi, sea urchin sampler, seasonal sea urchin, croquettes — premium seasonal dishes and fried items that are perfect as evening drink pairings too 👍🏻

For drinks, Ilpum Yeouido Branch offers sake, highballs, draft beer, soju, and more — plenty of options that pair well with seasonal sashimi!

The new ankimo hosomaki looks striking just from its visuals — monkfish liver that must be incredibly rich, and I'd love to try it next time 🥹 It's also a nice touch that they'll swap ingredients for anyone with seafood or other allergies.

What we ordered at Ilpum and what it cost

• Premium kaisendon 37,000
• Futomaki half-roll 17,000
• Salmon belly 2p 6,000

Standard sides: chawanmushi and karaage cold udon

The standard sides at Ilpum Yeouido Branch! They bring out white kimchi that pairs well with sashimi, miso soup, and a pre-meal egg custard, which I gather is technically called chawanmushi?

The soft, pudding-like egg custard topped with gamtae (seasoned seaweed) had a light flavor with just a touch of seasoning — a nice, easy start to the meal! They also give you cold udon, topped with karaage for a heartier bite.

Inside the chawanmushi there was shrimp and, I think, ginkgo nuts! Adding ingredients with texture made it feel more special than a regular egg custard ✨

The cold udon that comes standard at Ilpum Yeouido Branch had broth seasoned just right, and the noodles were springy and delicious! The karaage had thick, meaty pieces that weren't dry at all — really tasty.

Salmon belly, 2 pieces for 6,000 won

The salmon belly at Ilpum Yeouido Branch, a restaurant near National Assembly Station! It's an à la carte item with 2 pieces — perfect for a taste 👍🏻 Comes with wasabi, pickled turnip, and the sushi itself.

The rice wasn't plain white rice but seemed to have a soy-sauce base — not ordinary at all, and it tasted even better for it. The salmon belly quality was excellent too, melting in my mouth so smoothly…

Premium kaisendon, 37,000 won

The kaisendon at Ilpum Yeouido Branch! I had high expectations coming in, and the gorgeous presentation didn't disappoint… It's a dish good enough to treat yourself with, and also great for a lunch gathering.

Isn't the presentation so pretty?? Calling it just a kaisendon feels like an understatement — the sashimi was arranged almost like a work of art. So much thick, seasonal sashimi piled on that you can barely see the rice underneath!

It comes with seaweed for wrapping the sashimi and rice together. The variety of seafood on top made for such beautiful colors, and the added gamtae made it even more special.

Scallop, abalone, thick egg, big chunks of squid sashimi, shrimp, yellowtail — every ingredient was top quality, and each bite tasted rich and savory in its own new way. Wrapping it up with salmon roe in the seaweed was also a fantastic combination.

From ankimo to sea urchin to tuna, the sashimi variety meant every bite felt fresh and never repetitive. And thanks to the generous portions, I got a good amount of quality protein too, which made the whole meal even more satisfying. I'd definitely order this again next time 🥹 I get why Lee Young-ja raved about it!

Futomaki half-roll, 17,000 won: one piece the size of a palm

The futomaki at Ilpum Yeouido Branch is the biggest I've ever seen. It's a half-roll but comes out as 5 pieces… and each piece is the size of my palm!!

Seriously impressive, right? I'm still amazed it doesn't just fall apart when sliced — thick egg, tons of cucumber, salmon, tuna, fried shrimp, pickled radish, burdock root, and more are all packed inside, with a thin layer of rice more like a topping, so you can really taste the fillings.

I barely managed to pick up one piece of futomaki without it falling apart… it's so packed inside that even an adult woman would probably be full after just the half-roll.

Crab cream croquette, a review event freebie

The crab cream croquette at Ilpum Yeouido Branch! Write a review and they'll give you a freshly fried croquette as a service — eat it right away and the hot cream flows out smoothly while the coating stays thin and crispy. Amazing.

Just be careful, since the cream can burst out and burn you! The accompanying sauce was nutty too, and the combination was great :)

Is Ilpum Yeouido Branch worth a visit?

• Colorful, fresh seafood kaisendon at Ilpum Yeouido Branch, a Yeouido sushi restaurant
• Generous, high-quality ingredients at Ilpum Yeouido Branch, a Yeouido sushi spot
• A great sushi restaurant near National Assembly Station to visit with kids: Ilpum Yeouido Branch

Reservations, events and prepayment at Ilpum

Reservations at Ilpum Yeouido Branch don't require a deposit, and there's no penalty for canceling the same day. If you request a free corkage event when booking on Naver, you can get free corkage for up to 1 bottle! There are also various coupons worth using — a birthday nigiri sushi set (2 pieces), a free corkage coupon, and a maternity support sushi selection (2 pieces) :)

If you prepay, you can use it freely at any branch, and apparently there's no expiration date!