Jongno Japanese restaurant sashimi don with rice on the side: Ilpum

While looking for a good Japanese spot in Gwanghwamun, my husband and I went to Ilpum Gwanghwamun for dinner. I usually love sashimi and sushi, so I picked this place since it has everything from kaisendon to sushi to sashimi. We booked a 6pm reservation ahead of time, and when we arrived there were already people waiting. Let me show you the sashimi don and pressed mackerel sushi we ordered, plus everything else that came with it :)

Ilpum Gwanghwamun hours, address and closing days

• Address: 223, B2, Lemeilleur Jongno Town, 19 Jongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: Mon–Sat 11:00–21:30
• Break time: 15:00–17:30
• Regular closing: Every Sunday

How to walk from Jonggak Station, and the dinner wait

Ilpum Gwanghwamun is about a 3-minute walk from Jonggak Station Exit 1, so it was easy to find whether coming from Gwanghwamun or Jonggak. The location seemed convenient for office workers looking for a Gwanghwamun lunch spot too.

We had reserved for 6pm so we walked right in without waiting, but there were about 3 parties waiting ahead of us. Tables fill up fast in the evening, so if you don't want to wait, I'd recommend making a reservation.

Inside Ilpum Gwanghwamun: tables and kitchen-facing bar seats

Inside Ilpum Gwanghwamun there are table seats and bar seats facing the kitchen. From the bar seats you can watch the chefs prep the sashimi right in front of you, and the overall vibe was clean and tidy. It seemed like a good pick not just for dates but as a Gwanghwamun spot for dinner appointments nearby.

What is on the menu, and what we ordered

Ilpum Gwanghwamun has a wide range of Japanese dishes, from their signature kaisendon to sashimi don, uni don, and sushi. If you're looking for a good kaisendon spot in Gwanghwamun, there are plenty of options here.

We ordered 'sashimi don' and 'pressed mackerel sushi (shime saba bonzushi)' that day. The menu noted that the main dishes come with chawanmushi, noodles or a fried dish, and dessert included. Eating our way through it, it felt less like ordering two single dishes and more like having a simple course — which I loved.

Chawanmushi and miso soup to start

Before the main dishes arrived, miso soup and steamed egg (chawanmushi) came out first. The chawanmushi had gamtae (seasoned seaweed) on top and shrimp tucked inside. It was soft and warm, a nice light way to start before the mains.

Sashimi don: fish and rice served on separate plates

The sashimi don at Ilpum Gwanghwamun wasn't the usual style with sashimi piled on rice — instead the fish and rice came separately. It included a variety of cuts, from salmon to tuna to white fish, and the slices were on the thicker side.

I found it tastier wrapped in gim (seaweed) and gamtae rather than eating it plain. Piling on the fish, some rice, and wrapping it all in gamtae brought out a nutty aroma that made for the perfect bite.

How does the pressed mackerel sushi taste?

The dish I was most curious about — the 'pressed mackerel sushi (shime saba bonzushi).' The mackerel wrapped around the rice, with a savory topping on top. Each piece was pretty big, more filling than I expected.

One bite in, you could taste the distinct mackerel flavor without a strong fishy edge, and it paired well with the rice. If you want something a bit different from the usual sushi around Gwanghwamun, this is worth ordering.

The cold udon served midway through

While we were still working through the mains, a small cold udon showed up in between. It had a piece of chicken karaage on top, along with tempura crumbs and green onion.

Having a cool broth in between the sashimi and sushi felt like a nice palate reset. The portion wasn't huge, but having a dish like this included made the whole meal feel much more substantial.

Dessert at the end of the meal

At the end came a dessert with a refreshing yuzu flavor. After finishing the sashimi and sushi, it was a nice light bite to close things off — and with the mains, noodles, and dessert all coming out in order, the whole thing felt like a simple course meal for the price. We left pretty satisfied.

Is Ilpum Gwanghwamun worth a dinner reservation?

If you like kaisendon or sushi in Gwanghwamun, or want to try several kinds of sashimi at once, Ilpum Gwanghwamun is worth checking out. It's not just the main dish — chawanmushi, cold udon, and dessert all came together, which felt like great value for the price. If you're visiting in the evening like we did, there may be a wait, so I'd recommend booking ahead :)