Ilsan sushi set for two with free kids' porridge: Hwangje Sushi

We went out with the family this weekend and stopped by Hwangje Sushi Ilsan Main Branch, well known as a go-to restaurant near Ilsan Lake Park!

It's right next to the park, so it's a perfect spot to duck into after a walk.

There's a banner outside showing the menu at a glance, so you can decide what to order before you even walk in — and the location right across from the lake park is a huge plus. The exterior was clean and sharp, easy to spot from a distance, and it was even more pleasant once we stepped inside.

Inside Hwangje Sushi Ilsan Main Branch and how ordering works

The interior has wood-tone accents, and every table has a tablet ordering system with prepayment. You can grab utensils and soup yourself from the self-serve bar, and there's signage for Catch Table reservations too.

True to its reputation near Ilsan Lake Park, the interior mixes wood-tone touches for a look that's upscale but still comfortable — really nice for a family meal. Honestly, I lose my appetite pretty fast if a restaurant is even a little messy, but this place was so spotless that I felt good the entire meal.

Every table has the tablet order/prepay system set up nicely, so ordering is easy. And they sell Ebisu and Sapporo draft beer here too!! Save this post, everyone!!!

On one side there's a neatly arranged display of drinks and a Catch Table reservation sign — popular places really are different, I thought!

The self-serve bar was well kept too, so I felt totally at ease grabbing utensils or soup when we needed them.

What comes with the assorted sushi set for two, plus the kids' porridge and croquettes

Order the assorted sushi set for two and grilled fish and abalone innard porridge come out first, with potato croquette and mini udon also included in the set. Since we came with the kids, the owner brought out a separate bowl of abalone innard porridge just for them, plus two extra croquettes.

We ordered the assorted sushi set for two, and grilled fish and abalone innard porridge (jeonbok naejang juk) came out first as part of the base set. What really touched me was that, since we came with kids, the owner set aside a separate portion of the abalone innard porridge for them. 'It'll be nice and nutty for the kids to eat,' he said kindly as he handed it over — and wow, the kids said it was delicious and cleaned the whole bowl.

There's also potato croquette included in the set, and the owner gave us two extra ones on the house so each kid could have one more to try! So we ended up with four croquettes total — crispy on the outside, fluffy inside, and totally a hit with the kids.

The mini udon that comes with the set had rich broth and chewy noodles, so much that our daughter drank the broth down to the last drop, haha.

On top of that, we got 2 pieces of fried shrimp through the Naver photo review event, and the batter was so clear it made me think the oil must be really clean.

Dipped in tartar sauce, the nutty flavor filled the mouth, and the kids ate it up so well it made me proud.

Aged flounder sushi: how good was the sushi at Hwangje Sushi?

The assorted sushi at Hwangje Sushi Ilsan Main Branch had thick slices of fish with just the right amount of rice, so you could really taste the fish itself. My husband asked, after one bite of the flounder sushi, whether it was aged — that's how satisfied he was.

And finally, the star of the show — the assorted sushi platter! Just look at that glossy shine, exactly what you'd expect from a top sushi spot in Ilsan, right?

My husband took the first bite of the flounder sushi and his eyes went wide — 'Whoa, this must be aged fish!' He said this aged flounder sushi was hands down the best he'd ever had, no holding back on the praise.

He savored the salmon and tuna one by one too, and said this quality at this price didn't make sense — the owner should be charging more, haha. The fish is thick with a good bite, and the rice portion is just right so you really taste the fish itself.

Looking at the origin labels posted on the wall, you could tell they pay close attention to every single ingredient — it made this Jeongbalsan Station-area restaurant feel even more trustworthy.

Why Hwangje Sushi works for a family meal near Ilsan Lake Park

At Hwangje Sushi Ilsan Main Branch you can help yourself to as much pickled radish and pickled ginger as you like from the containers by the table, and we also got 2 pieces of fried shrimp through the Naver photo review event. Next time, our goal is the VIP sushi set.

Beside the table, pickled radish and pickled ginger sat in neat containers, easy to help yourself to as much as you liked. Overall the food was refined and the owner's thoughtfulness stood out, so it felt like being taken care of the whole meal. My husband is already planning the next visit and says he's definitely trying the VIP sushi set then!

If you're looking for a restaurant near Ilsan Lake Park, or want somewhere easy to eat comfortably with kids, this is genuinely a no-fail choice. I think we'll be craving that chewy aged sashimi again soon and heading back with the family before long!