Hongdae sushi lunch date, 26-piece Couple A Plus set: Yu Iksang Sushi

Today I visited Yu Iksang Sushi (유익상스시), a Hongdae sushi restaurant where you can get really high-quality sushi at a reasonable price!! It's already famous among sushi fans for the touch of its skilled chef. Okay, let me start my honest review right away!!

What are Yu Iksang Sushi's hours and closing day?

Yu Iksang Sushi in Hongdae is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 to 21:00, with last order at 20:00. It's closed every Monday.

• Tue–Sun 11:00–21:00
• Last order 20:00
• Closed Mondays
• ✅ Takeout available
• ✅ Delivery available
• ✅ Wi-Fi available

Is the atmosphere at Yu Iksang Sushi good for a date?

The inside of Yu Iksang Sushi was cozy with a Japanese-restaurant feel. It's quiet and clean, so it's nice for a meal with a partner or friend. Quite a few people were dining solo too.

What's in the 26-piece Couple A Plus set?

I ordered the Couple A Plus set at Yu Iksang Sushi. It's a generous set combining raw and seared sushi for 26 pieces.

• Red drum 4
• Salmon 2
• Tuna 4
• Grilled roll 2
• Garlic mecha aburi 2
• Garlic shrimp aburi 4
• Tamago (egg) aburi 2
• Beef 2
• Baby octopus aburi 2
• Scallop aburi 2

The lineup is so varied that you never get bored, and since the pieces come in even numbers, it's perfect for two people to share.

How to eat the sushi at Yu Iksang Sushi

Yu Iksang Sushi even has a guide on how to eat it best. I followed it and it did seem tastier, so I'd recommend it to you too.

• ☑️ Brush soy sauce onto the long-tailed sushi instead of dipping it
• ☑️ Eat salmon and seared sushi on the spoon
• ☑️ Eat the fried shrimp first

Before the main dishes, they brought out a basic salad and the drink I ordered.

First impression of the Couple A Plus on a huge plate

After a short wait, the Couple A Plus sushi set arrived on a huge plate, looking gorgeous! It was honestly overwhelming. The plate felt too small for all the colorful sushi, so neatly arranged, and I thought this would be great as a date course.

The clear soup and cold soba (buckwheat noodles) that came with it went nicely with the sushi, and I enjoyed them too.

Starting with the fried shrimp

Following the eating guide, I tried the fried shrimp first. It was piping hot and crispy, so good, and perfect for cleansing the palate before the real meal.

Long-tail sushi with brushed-on soy sauce

For the long-tailed sushi at Yu Iksang Sushi, I brushed the soy sauce on, which was fun and also a convenient touch. Because the tail is long, your mouth gets filled with fish, so soft and delicious. It was so fresh that there was no fishy smell at all. I'd give it 100 points for freshness! Every sushi on the plate was tasty.

Smoky seared sushi and beef sushi

The seared sushi at Yu Iksang Sushi has its surface lightly charred for a smoky flavor, and the smokiness hits strongly when you put it in your mouth. It's a flavor I love, so it was totally my taste. You can't easily get that smoky flavor at home, so I highly recommend it.

The beef sushi stood out even among the seafood pieces, with juicy meat and a sweet-salty sauce in harmony. Every piece had its own charm and personality, so I never got bored.

Is Yu Iksang Sushi good value?

With such an overwhelming quantity of high-quality food, I'd say Yu Iksang Sushi delivers on both value for money and emotional satisfaction. If you go to Hongdae, I really recommend stopping by.

Free grilled eggplant sushi

They also gave us eggplant sushi as a freebie, lightly seared too. It didn't taste like eggplant at all, more like meat? or fish? It melted in my mouth.

• When you want to enjoy neat, fresh sushi with a varied lineup and a generous 26 pieces!
• When you want to taste carefully made Japanese food in a clean, quiet mood in Hongdae!

I'm confident that a visit to Yu Iksang Sushi in Hongdae will leave you with above-average satisfaction.