Hongdae sushi restaurant lunch with extra-long fish: Yu Iksang Sushi

Today I went for extra-long sushi at Yu Iksang Sushi, a great sushi spot in Hongdae. I was seriously surprised because the fish on top of the sushi was so long and thick. It seems to be pretty famous among students too for having delicious sushi in Hongdae!!!

Open-run sushi in Hongdae

It’s near Hongdae. I was in Hongdae that day because of Yeonpece, put my name down for the waitlist, and came here for lunch. Looking at the reviews, the fish on top of the sushi looked seriously long, thick, and delicious. So I came right at opening time!!

I totally did an open run. There were a few tables and counter seats too. It’s nice for lunch and doesn’t feel awkward for dining alone, but I think it would also be great to have sushi and drinks at the counter in the evening.

Notes and letters left behind by students... They were covered with messages saying the food was really delicious and thanking the owner. The owner seemed genuinely kind and cheerful, so I could see why students would really like this place haha.

The 26-piece Couple Set A and its basics

The two of us visited together, so we ordered the Couple Set. It comes with 26 pieces, plenty for two people. I came after seeing this in reviews, so I ordered it without hesitation!!

They first brought us clear soup and soba, and the side dishes were salad, pickled scallions, pickled ginger, and soy sauce—plus a brush. Since the sushi has such long tails, you brush on the soy sauce before eating it, apparently. Hahaha, this is already fun.

They brought shrimp tempura as an appetizer first, and it was seriously so crunchy and delicious. Crispy on the outside and moist inside—definitely eat the shrimp tempura before the sushi.

Extra-long sushi with thick fish

Our Couple Set A arrived. The whole platter was filled with sushi~~ It was so abundant and there were so many varieties that I had no idea where to start.

I looked over everything. So many kinds, right!! They come with sauces drizzled on them too, and the long-tail sushi really did have long tails—but the fish itself was incredibly thick as well.

My favorite: halibut aged-kimchi sushi

This was the halibut aged-kimchi sushi that I enjoyed most. Maybe because I already love halibut, but the combination of halibut and aged kimchi was so harmonious. It was one of the sushi pieces I loved most. And because the tail was so long, I brushed on soy sauce with the little brush before eating it—like it added another layer of fun? Hahahaha. The halibut and aged-kimchi combination was just so harmonious.

Can you see how incredibly long that tail is? This was salmon sushi, and it was rich but had absolutely no fishy taste, so I really enjoyed it. Honestly, compared with the rice, the sushi topping was so big that it almost felt like I was just eating the fish bb.

The sauces that go with the sushi are drizzled on in advance. This one had tuna, maybe? Or a red fish on top—it was really delicious too. What I liked even more was that none of the sushi had any fishy taste at all. I can see why it’s famous as a Hongdae sushi spot..!!!

Even complimentary eggplant sushi

Partway through our meal, they gave us complimentary eggplant sushi. Taking care of customers like this... I guess that’s another reason it’s so popular with students. I haven’t been into eggplant for very long, but this eggplant sushi was completely delicious haha. I was surprised by how well it went together.

Gently patting the halibut with the brush. This was so fun hahaha. I brushed it onto the sushi without long tails too. The fish was so thick that I could fill my mouth with it. I’d recommend Yu Iksang Sushi, a sushi specialty restaurant near Hongik University Station.

If you’re looking for a good Hongdae lunch spot, try the extra-long sushi at Yu Iksang Sushi. It adds a bit of fun, and the thick fish makes for a seriously filling meal. The owner and staff were all so kind, and the restaurant was clean too—I definitely want to come back. The next time I’m in Hongdae for lunch or craving sushi, I think I’ll come here!!! Officially approved as a great Hongdae sushi spot haha.