Sushi buffet date near Hagye Station: 11:30 booking, LA galbi, Kuu Kuu

I wanted to eat as much sushi as I could with my boyfriend at weekend lunch, so we went to Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch. I like sushi in general and visit all-you-can-eat sushi buffets once in a while, and this time I picked the Kuu Kuu in Nowon.

This time I booked an 11:30 a.m. slot on Naver, and it was a really good call. When we arrived we could start eating fairly relaxed, but before it even hit 12:00, people poured in. If you're planning a weekend lunch, I personally recommend booking on Naver in advance and going early, around 11:00 to 11:30 a.m.

And what I liked most this time was that it wasn't only the sushi, the braised LA galbi (marinated short ribs, stewed) was really good too! There are desserts like bead ice cream, and above all, even though it's all-you-can-eat, the quality of the sashimi and sushi was better than I expected. I'd introduce it to anyone looking for a Nowon spot for a family get-together or a sushi buffet in Nowon.

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch: location, directions and parking

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is on the 6th floor of the Seoul Onchun Building at 247 Nowon-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, about 800 m (804 m) from Exit 2 of Hagye Station on Line 7, so you can walk there. Hours are 11:00–21:30 on weekdays and 11:00–22:00 on weekends, and Naver reservations are available.

• Address: 247 Nowon-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 6th floor, Seoul Onchun Building
• Location: about 804 m from Exit 2 of Hagye Station
• Hours: weekdays 11:00–21:30 / weekends 11:00–22:00
• Reservations: Naver reservation available
• Parking: 2 hours free in the Seoul Onchun Building lot
• Facilities: group seating, private rooms, play room, baby chairs, waiting area, Wi-Fi
• Pets: not allowed

If you take public transit, you can also transfer to a bus. Near Exit 3 of Hagye Station, take bus 100, 1221 or 1224 from the Eulji Hospital stop and get off at the Seoul Onchun stop.

If you're driving, enter the parking lot behind the Seoul Onchun Building, though I heard it can get crowded on weekends because of the many visitors to the building. Parking is free for the first 2 hours, then ₩4,000 for every additional 30 minutes. On Saturdays in particular, it's posted that you can park free for up to 4 hours in the Hagye Techno Town underground lot, so that's worth knowing. Still, I recommend double-checking the parking benefits and conditions with the restaurant before you go.

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch prices and time limit

Prices at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch differ for weekday lunch, weekday dinner, and weekends and holidays; adults and middle/high schoolers pay ₩35,900 on weekends and holidays. Price is of course the first thing you check at a sushi buffet!

• Weekday lunch (leave before 17:00): ₩27,900
• Weekday dinner (leave after 17:00): ₩31,900
• Weekends and holidays, adults and middle/high schoolers: ₩35,900
• Elementary schoolers, weekday lunch: ₩16,900
• Elementary schoolers, weekday dinner: ₩17,900
• Elementary schoolers, weekends and holidays: ₩18,900
• Preschoolers (36 months and older): ₩9,900

We went at weekend lunch, so it was ₩35,900 per adult. For the two of us, that's ₩71,800 in total! It's not a cheap price for a single meal, but considering you can eat unlimited sushi, sashimi, meat dishes and desserts, it was a price I was perfectly happy with. I was even happier because I enjoyed the LA galbi jjim as well as the sushi.

The standard time limit is 2 hours, and I heard it can be limited to 1 hour 30 minutes if guests are waiting. Weekends are busy, so it's a good idea to check the time limit before you go.

Weekend lunch at Kuu Kuu Nowon: what time should you book?

For weekend lunch at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch, I most recommend a Naver booking in the early window, like 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. I went at 11:30 a.m. on a weekend with a Naver booking, and before it even reached 12:00, a lot of guests came pouring in.

I expected it to be crowded at weekend lunch, but in person it turned out to be even more popular than I thought. When we arrived, we could start eating fairly relaxed. Even among Nowon restaurants, I really felt that this is a place lots of families and groups visit.

At a buffet especially, when everyone rushes in at once, the flow of getting food gets complicated and choosing what you want takes time, right? So personally I thought going around 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. would be much better than a late lunch hour. Of course, even with a booking you can't always walk in without waiting, but on busy days like weekends, having a reservation gives you peace of mind.

Weekend tip for Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch! Check first whether Naver reservations are available, and if they are, I recommend booking in the 11 a.m. hour. Especially for a family get-together or a big group, it's better to fix the schedule in advance than to show up without a reservation.

All-you-can-eat, but how was the sashimi and sushi quality?

Even though it's all-you-can-eat, I personally found the sashimi and sushi quality at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch quite satisfying. I could pick from various sushi, rolls and gunkan (sushi wrapped in seaweed), and above all the sashimi was so good I kept reaching for more.

The biggest reason I went to Kuu Kuu was of course the sushi! A sushi buffet has the advantage of variety, but sometimes some places leave you disappointed with the fish or sashimi quality because it's all-you-can-eat, right? Yet even so, I could fully feel the joy of eating sushi here.

If you love sushi, another big plus is that you can bring back the kinds you like again and again. At a regular sushi restaurant, the bill climbs fast when you keep ordering your favorites, but at a buffet you can eat without worrying about extra charges. Especially when I go with my boyfriend, we sometimes want different things, and at Kuu Kuu each of us could pick to our own taste, which made it even easier.

Personally, this was also the part I liked best about this visit. It wasn't just a big variety of dishes, the sushi and sashimi were actually delicious! If you're looking for a sushi buffet in Nowon, I'd happily recommend this place.

The other star of this visit: LA galbi jjim

The dish that satisfied me unexpectedly at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch was the LA galbi jjim. I went for sushi, and I'm the one who came back happily full of LA galbi jjim too, that's me!

It's common for a buffet to have meat dishes, but when you actually try them they're sometimes below expectations, right? But the LA galbi jjim I had this time was really good. Personally I enjoyed it as much as the sushi, and I wanted to eat it again on my next visit. After several plates of sushi, you sometimes crave a warm meat dish, and pairing it with the LA galbi jjim worked really well.

Above all, I liked that at a sushi buffet you can get meat that satisfies you too. For this reason I thought Kuu Kuu would also be fine for a family gathering. In a family, some people like sushi and others prefer meat or Korean dishes, and since everyone can eat to their own taste, there'd be less worry about the menu.

That said, buffet menus can change depending on the time of your visit and the restaurant's operating situation, so if you really want the LA galbi jjim, check before you go.

Even bead ice cream! Desserts at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch

What I was happy to see at the dessert corner of Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch was the bead ice cream (tiny frozen ice cream beads). After a hearty meal of sushi and LA galbi jjim, it's dessert time! At a buffet, no matter how full I am, it's hard to give up dessert.

Maybe because it's a dessert I've loved since I was little, finding it at a buffet made me extra happy. I also liked being able to finish the meal with something sweet.

Kuu Kuu is a buffet where you can enjoy Korean, Chinese, Japanese and other kinds of food and desserts together, so you can take care of everything from the meal to the sweets in one place. Especially if you come as a family, I thought it'd be nice that adults can enjoy sushi and sashimi while kids pick their favorite foods and desserts. Isn't this kind of variety the biggest charm of a buffet?

Is Kuu Kuu Nowon good for family gatherings and group events?

According to the restaurant's information, Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is a large restaurant with more than 400 seats across more than 300 pyeong (about 990 m²) of space, so it's worth considering for family gatherings and group events. The food was satisfying, but the sheer size of the place was impressive too.

When you eat out with family or meet friends, seating and space matter as much as the taste, right? When the group gets big, it can be hard to get a table at a regular restaurant, but Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch has the advantage that you can consider it for groups.

Besides group seating, there are separate rooms, and I heard rooms for 40 to 60 people are available. It's also posted that spaces can be divided for groups of 50, 80 and 300 people, so it's worth a look for anyone searching for a company dinner spot or a large-event venue in Nowon. Availability for groups depends on the number of people and the date, so inquire in advance, a must! There are also baby chairs and a play room, which seems convenient for families with kids.

Above all, the biggest strength is the variety of food. From sushi lovers to people who like meat, warm dishes or desserts, everyone can choose to their own taste, so it eases the worry of picking a family dinner menu. If you're looking for a Nowon spot for a family get-together, it's worth considering these points.

Honest overall review of Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch

Weekend lunch at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch was a satisfying meal: the sushi and sashimi quality was better than I expected, and I also enjoyed the LA galbi jjim and the bead ice cream. I went because I wanted to eat as much sushi as possible with my boyfriend at weekend lunch, and what I liked was that, even though it's an all-you-can-eat buffet, it wasn't just a wide variety of dishes, the sashimi and sushi, which I personally care about most, tasted good.

And what this visit made me feel again is that on weekends it's better to go early! We booked on Naver for 11:30 a.m., and seeing guests flood in before 12:00, I thought, glad I booked. If you're planning a sushi buffet in Nowon, I recommend booking and going in the 11 a.m. hour if possible. Especially for a family gathering or company dinner with lots of people, it's even more worth checking for a reservation in advance.

The points I personally liked:

• Sashimi and sushi that were delicious even though it's all-you-can-eat
• LA galbi jjim that was more satisfying than expected
• A dessert lineup that even includes bead ice cream
• A spacious restaurant suited to family gatherings and group meals
• The option to use a Naver reservation

At ₩35,900 per adult on weekends it's not a very cheap meal, but you can eat a variety of dishes to your heart's content and the sushi quality was satisfying too, so personally I found it well worth it. A place I'd like to visit again whenever I crave sushi! If you're looking for a Nowon spot for a family get-together, a Nowon restaurant, or a sushi buffet in Nowon, I recommend Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch.

Photos: weekend lunch at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch