# Mapo hotel omakase birthday kaiseki course: Danya, Seoul Garden Hotel - By Doyun Baek (https://superchart.com/en/@yeonnam-back-shelf/) - Written Sep 15, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Mapo, Seoul - Sponsored: This is a visit record written after receiving a complimentary meal from the restaurant. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@yeonnam-back-shelf/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@yeonnam-back-shelf/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/index.md) ## In short Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel is an omakase restaurant on the basement floor of Seoul Garden Hotel, right in front of Mapo Station in Seoul. For a birthday dinner with her mother, the writer ordered the premium kaiseki course at 120,000 won per person, which ran through steamed abalone, 7 kinds of sashimi, 8 pieces of sushi, a lobster kataifi roll, conger eel udon and rare cheesecake. The otoro negitoro sushi and the dessert stood out most, and Danya is worth booking for a milestone meal with parents. ## Good to know - **Location**: 58 Mapo-daero, Mapo-gu, Seoul — B1F of Seoul Garden Hotel (in front of Mapo Station) - **Premium kaiseki course**: 120,000 won per person - **What the course includes**: 1 draft beer, 5 appetizers, steamed abalone, 7 kinds of sashimi, 8 pieces of sushi, 2 cooked dishes, a rice or noodle course, dessert - **Seating**: L-shaped counter for 10 plus 2 tables (8 seats) - **Reservations**: Reservation only; the lineup can change with each day's ingredients - **Parking**: 3 hours free in the hotel's own parking lot *as written by the visitor on Sep 15, 2026* ![Premium kaiseki course dishes at Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-01-13epb-966.webp) > A cozy Mapo sushi omakase spot I visited with my parents to celebrate my birthday 👉🏻Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel👈🏻 > > A luxurious premium kaiseki course that won me over first with its quality, then with its taste! > > A feast for both the eyes and the mouth — a strongly recommended, honest review perfect for treating yourself on a special day. Let's get started 💗 ![Plate from the Mapo sushi omakase course at Danya](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-02-otioh-1200.webp) My birthday comes around every year, but I wanted this one to feel a little more special, so I went with my mom to Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel for a cozy time together. I wanted to properly treat my parents at a classy, atmospheric place, and spoil their taste buds with delicious Mapo sushi omakase 🥺❤️ ![Entrance view of Danya on the basement floor of Seoul Garden Hotel](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-03-1yhbg-966.webp) ## Where is Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel, and where do you park? Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel is an omakase dining spot located on the basement floor of the Seoul Garden Hotel building in front of Mapo Station. The hotel has its own parking lot with 3 hours free parking, so it's easy to visit by car, and public transit access is great too 👍 Just take the elevator down to B1 from the hotel's first-floor lobby, and turn the corner to the right — it's right there! ![Entrance signage and chef introduction at Danya](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-04-cu6l9-966.webp) ![Entrance corridor of Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-05-1eoic-966.webp) I heard Danya's chef was the first Korean ever to place runner-up at Japan's national culinary competition, which only raised my expectations before we even walked in >< ![Commemorative photo in front of the entrance mirror at Danya](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-06-rab6w-m-966.webp) Before going in, my mom and I snapped a quick photo together in the entrance mirror 📷 ## A 10-seat counter: is Danya comfortable for dinner with parents? The interior of Danya consists of an L-shaped counter (10 seats) and 2 table sections (8 seats). Overall it's quiet and calm, so even without a private room it was plenty cozy for a family meal. The restroom is only accessible from inside the restaurant, but since it's in the hotel building, it was kept clean and tidy! ## What's in Danya's 120,000 won premium kaiseki course? Danya operates on a 100% reservation-only basis, so we booked the premium kaiseki course ahead of our visit. > ♥️Premium Kaiseki Course (₩120,000 per person) > > 1 draft beer > 5 kinds of appetizers > Steamed abalone > 7 kinds of sashimi > 8 kinds of sushi > Main dish 1 > Main dish 2 > Meal > Dessert > > ⋈ Reservation-only > ⋈ Menu composition may vary depending on daily ingredient supply > ⋈ Served at a pace matched to the party's eating speed ![Counter seating setup at Danya](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-07-18gzk-966.webp) We arrived about 20 minutes early, and they kindly got everything ready right away, which I really appreciated 🙌🏻 ![Draft beer included in the course with a wasabi pretzel snack](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-08-1xa9z-966.webp) Since I don't drink, I passed my included draft beer over to my mom instead 🍺 They also thoughtfully gave us a wasabi pretzel snack. ## The welcome bite and Danya's five appetizers ![Welcome appetizer of melon, jamón, and balsamic](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-09-1jf66-966.webp) 1 kinds of appetizers — the welcome appetizer. Not listed on the menu, but the first thing served was a melon + jamón + balsamic sauce combo! ![Close-up of the melon and jamón appetizer](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-10-1q017-966.webp) The sweet fragrant melon, salty jamón, and tangy balsamic came together perfectly to whet the appetite before the meal. ![Full platter of Danya's 5-kind appetizer set](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-11-1vw9x-966.webp) 5 kinds of appetizers — the 5-kind appetizer platter - Braised whelk - Fig yogurt cream cheese - Fried flounder with pollack roe - Cherry tomato compote - Japanese-style castella egg roll ![One-bite-sized appetizer plate](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-12-rku7p-966.webp) Each piece was exactly one bite, and the colors were so varied it was a treat for the eyes too ♥️ Overall they were light dishes, so nothing felt heavy before the main course. ![Fried flounder with pollack roe and Japanese-style castella egg roll](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-13-mig0q-966.webp) The pollack roe tucked inside the flounder gave a fun texture, and the Japanese-style castella egg roll had this memorable texture reminiscent of rainbow rice cake! ## Steamed abalone so tender you could chew it with your gums Steamed abalone — steamed abalone with innard sauce, topped with fried leek. ![Steamed abalone with innard sauce and fried leek topping](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-14-981ze-966.webp) Maybe it was the plate, but it looked so luxurious I felt like I had to eat it reverently haha I've had a lot of abalone, but wow,,, Danya's steamed abalone was seriously so tender. It was so soft it felt like you could chew it with your gums.😮 The sauce wasn't overly seasoned either, so the natural flavor of the abalone really came through. ## Seven kinds of sashimi at Danya, with striped jack the standout One thing I love about counter seats when eating omakase — you get to watch the chefs make the next course right in front of you. Guessing what's coming next is a small but fun bonus 👀 7 kinds of sashimi — the 7-kind sashimi platter - Mantis shrimp - Striped jack (shima-aji) - Flounder fin - Mullet - Sea bass - Flounder - Bluefin tuna akami Please note the types of fish can vary depending on the day's supply. Well,, you already know how good sashimi from an omakase tastes, right? It just melts in your mouth💜 The striped jack in particular had firm flesh fully infused with fat — the nuttiness was explosive. The knife work on the flounder fin was also a work of art. That distinctive crunchy texture speaks for itself (*/ω＼*) I love sashimi so much that it was a bit sad watching each piece disappear — I made my 'this is so good' face with every bite. ## Eight pieces of sushi: otoro negitoro takes the top spot 8 kinds of sushi — true to sushi omakase style, each piece was formed and served fresh right in front of us! Flounder sushi — starting with white fish first. The rice portion was just right, making for a mild, easy start. Sea bass sushi — a bit more delicate than the flounder. ![Close-up of white fish sushi](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-15-mi57t-966.webp) Danya's shari (sushi rice) already has base seasoning built in, so the umami is excellent even without dipping in soy sauce. Croaker sushi — even in sushi form, this was my second croaker of the year ♥️ Every time I have it I notice there's no off-flavor and it's just clean. Not oily at all, yet full of nutty flavor! Red seabream sushi — this one truly melted in my mouth,, cue the 'this is so good' face. ![Red seabream sushi with miso soup](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-16-jz5np-966.webp) ![Miso soup with crab, seaweed, and fried tofu](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-17-c6zqe-966.webp) During the sushi course, miso soup came alongside it, packed with crab, seaweed, and fried tofu — refreshing and delicious! Taking a sip in between bites was a nice palate reset. Striped jack sushi — I never knew striped jack could taste this good,, ![Striped jack sushi](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-18-4t510-966.webp) It brought back that same feeling from the sashimi course. As the fish got progressively fattier, I realized I must really like fish with more fat. ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Genuinely amazing — the nutty flavor spreading through my mouth was the best of the best. The distinctive crisp texture of the flesh was great too. Bluefin tuna akami sushi — being tuna, it was so tender it disappeared the moment I bit into it. Bluefin tuna medium fatty (chutoro) sushi — a slightly fattier cut than the akami. I'm someone who loves chutoro and otoro among tuna sushi. It had been a while since I'd had sushi, and they gave us only the best cuts, so my mouth was thoroughly spoiled! Not a trace of fishiness, so fresh it went down easily. ![Bluefin tuna otoro and negitoro sushi](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-19-1fyf0-966.webp) Bluefin tuna otoro + negitoro sushi — hands down my favorite dish of the whole meal. I don't usually love negitoro so I wasn't expecting much, but it was just insanely delicious. The seasoned laver wrapped around it combined with the subtle hint of scallion was amazing. If there had been an encore sushi option, this is what I would have asked for. Giant futomaki — ironically, I'm not usually a big fan of futomaki either, but I guess I'd only had it at mediocre places before. Danya's futomaki was insanely good; it was packed with thick slices of fish, and somehow the combination worked in perfect harmony with nothing overpowering. The texture was top-tier too, bb ## Two cooked dishes: fried chicken tenderloin and lobster kataifi roll The sushi course had ended and it was time for the main dishes >< This is around where I hit my limit, but with 4 more dishes to go, I pushed through a little more. Main dish 1st — fried chicken tenderloin with taco sauce. Apparently it's a tribute to a traditional Okinawan dish. With what looked like paprika mixed into the chicken tenderloin, there was a nice contrast of crunch and tenderness, so it never felt one-note. Crispy on the outside with a rich cheesy flavor wrapped around it. The sauce tasted familiar from somewhere, but despite being called 'taco,' it wasn't heavy on spices, so I think most people would enjoy it. Anyway, super tasty~ ![Fried chicken tenderloin with taco sauce main dish](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-20-u1xpd-966.webp) Main dish 2nd — lobster kataifi rolls with bisque sauce. ![Lobster kataifi rolls with bisque sauce](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-21-1n9bs-966.webp) I'd been craving shellfish so much lately, and then lobster shows up!!!!!!!!! The crispy kataifi against the thick, springy lobster meat was a perfect match — impossibly good. The sauce was so good I scraped the plate clean ♥️ Give me another plate please.. ## The closing course: Tokyo-style udon with conger eel tempura ![Tokyo-style udon topped with fried conger eel](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-22-dc5hc-966.webp) Meal — the final dish of the kaiseki course. Tokyo-style udon topped with fried conger eel. Right as I was starting to feel a little full and greasy, I wanted something soupy, and this came out right on cue as the closing dish. The broth, made from bonito and clam stock without any seasoning additives, was completely refreshing and soothing. Not salty, with a deep, elegant seafood flavor. The conger eel was also light and delicious. The noodles looked soft but had a slightly firm bite — the kind of texture that seems like it wouldn't go mushy no matter how long you leave it soaking! I enjoyed it a lot :) Since it genuinely had no added seasoning, I drank the broth down completely, and I didn't feel thirsty from saltiness even by the time I got home. ![Rare cheesecake and matcha dessert](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-23-n58lg-966.webp) ## Dessert at Danya: rare cheesecake and matcha Dessert — rare cheesecake + matcha. The matcha can be chosen hot or iced. ㅡㅡ????? There's rarely a place that nails dessert too, but what is going on with Danya,, I'm not exaggerating, it was genuinely delicious. Even my mom, who doesn't usually care for dessert, finished every last bite saying it was good. The lotus crumble at the bottom paired insanely well with the rare cheese, and the torched fig on top was the perfect finishing touch for the dessert. I was blown away. ![Final dessert plate closing out the Danya course](https://img.superchart.com/images/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday-24-eoo1k-966.webp) ## Is Danya worth it for a birthday or anniversary dinner in Mapo? Visiting Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel with my parents for my birthday, the chef's clear skill, the thoughtfully built course, and the cozy atmosphere all came together perfectly, so my mom couldn't stop praising it throughout the meal 💗 (plus some fun chatting with the chef in between courses ><) If you're near Mapo/Gongdeok looking for a spot for a special occasion, your parents' 60th birthday, a birthday, or an anniversary date, I'd strongly recommend Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel👍💜 ## Where it is - Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel (서울가든호텔 단야) - 58 Mapo-daero, B1F, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea - 서울특별시 마포구 마포대로 58 지하 1층 - 37.540838, 126.9482894 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EC%84%9C%EC%9A%B8%EA%B0%80%EB%93%A0%ED%98%B8%ED%85%94%20%EB%8B%A8%EC%95%BC/@37.540838,126.9482894,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@yeonnam-back-shelf/seoul-garden-hotel-danya-premium-kaiseki-birthday/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt