Best Japanese Omakase in Seoul Under W90,000
There are so many Japanese omakases in Seoul ranging from KRW 45,000 neighborhood omakase to the Michelin 2-star Kojima omakase costing KRW 380,000. The most expensive omakase that I have eaten at was Sushi Koji in Cheongdam at KRW 220,000. Was it worth it? I am glad that I ate there but I personally wouldn’t go back again for that price.
The origin of the KRW90,000 pricing threshold came about as a result of having repeatedly going back to my favorite omakase in Yeoksam Dong which was Sushi Shouki. I have been there countless number of times beginning in 2014. Shouki’s dinner sushi omakase is priced at KRW 88,000. I figured that rounding up to KRW 90,000 would be the appropriate benchmark.
I went about researching Naver and Instagram posts for Japanese sushi omakase eateries in Seoul. There are a few in Bundang but I made the decision to limit it to Seoul. This is by no means an exhaustive list.
Here are your Top 5 Omakase Sushi Restaurants in Seoul that are W90,000 and below.
1. 카메스시–Kame Sushi
Location: Gangnam District Office Station, Gangnam-Gu
Price: W90,000
Highlights: Quantity of food is almost at Sushi Zak levels. Quality is obviously there.
Lowlights: None
Reservation: Naver online reservations is available. If reservation is for 4 or more, then you have to pre-pay – W90,000 per person – for no-show fee.
2. 코스모스시– Cosmo Sushi
Location: Nokbun Dong, Eunpyung Gu
Price: W70,000
Highlights: The owner-chef. This place is famous because it appeared on the Korean TV food show – 수요미식회(Wednesday Night Foodie Roundtable) – for having black squid ink mixed in with the sushi rice for the tuna sushi pieces.
Lowlights: Location and the fact that they only serve traditional Korean liquor.
Reservation: Naver reservations. After booking time and number of people on Naver, you will receive text message asking you to pre-pay (wire) W20,000 per person for no-show fee
3. 스시소라 – Sushi Sora
Location: Daechi Dong (Seolleung Station) and Gwangwhamun
Price: W80,000
Highlights: The interior, atmosphere and quality of sushi. Open everyday including Sundays.
Lowlights: None
Reservation: They have two seatings – 6 PM (1부) and 8 PM (2부)
Here are the rest of the omakases visited in no particular order.
스시호센 – Sushi Hosen
Location: Gwangwhamun / Gyeongbukgoong Palace
Price: W85,000
Highlights: Quality of sushi. You can make reservations anytime for dinner. There is no 1st or 2nd seating.
Lowlights: None
Reservation: Strongly recommended. Call
스시아라타- Sushi Arata
Location: Yeongdeungpo, Yeoido
Price: W70,000
Highlights: Quality of sushi. It used to be W50,000 for the sushi omakase but he raised it in March 2018.
Lowlights: Cannot easily get reservations here. It’s booked 2 months out.
Reservation: Naver online reservations only. Their Naver online reservations open on the last Sunday of each month starting at 10 AM. They have two seatings –6 PM (1부) and 8 PM (2부).
스시강지문– Sushi Gang Ji Mun
Location: Maebong Station, Seocho Gu
Price: W70,000
Highlights: This is one of my wife’s favorite omakases. High quality.
Lowlights: Interior, place is small, cramped
Reservation: They have two seatings –6 PM (1부) and 8 PM (2부)
김수사- Kimsoosa
Location: Shinsa Dong, Gangnam-Gu
Price: W90,000
Highlights: Quantity and quality are absolutely there. It would have cracked the Top 5 if not for the lowlight. I would call Kimsoosa the Sixth Man. A truly valuable player. The chef-owner acknowledged that you will get a better dining experience eating at the counter than in the rooms. However, if you’re going there with 4 or more people, fuh-get ’bout it.
Lowlights: The omakase counter. This place is known for serving sashimi “Korean style” – serving all of the sashimi pieces on one giant big platter all at once. When I tried to make reservations for 4 people at the sushi counter, they kept on pushing us to make reservations in the private room.
Reservation: Call
히까리– Hikari
Location: Nonhyun Dong, Gangnam-Gu
Price: W90,0000
Highlights: Quantity and quality is up there.
Lowlights: The interior. It is a half-izakaya (with tables) and a omakase counter with 6 setas.
Reservation: Call
NOTE
As of July 25, 2019 (when I called to make reservations for August), there have been some changes at Hikari. (1) Omakase price went down from W90,000 to W75,000 (2) the sushi chef in my blog is no longer there (3) slightly different menu. Will visit and see if it is still worthy of Top 5 designation. Will provide updated blog post and review in mid-August.
스시작–Sushi Zak
Location: Bangi Dong, Songpa-Gu
Price: W90,000 sashimi omakase / W70,000 sushi omakase
Highlights: Quantity and quality are there. 30+ pieces of seafood delights served. It’s even open on SUNDAY!
Lowlights: Interior is not the fanciest one you’ve been to.
Reservation: Call They have two seatings – 6 PM (1부) and 8 PM (2부). Make sure you ask to be seated in front of 실장님 – the owner/head chef. Tell him SFP sent you and he may give you many “encore” pieces.
스시츠바키- Sushi Tsubaki
Location: Apgujungdong, Gangnam-Gu
Price: W80,000
Highlights: Interior. Love the wooden sushi counter top. Their cold matcha green tea in a tall cup is a nice refreshing touch.
Lowlights: None
Reservation: Call
스시쇼우키- Sushi Shouki
Location: Yeoksam, Gangnam-Gu
Price: W88,000
Highlights: This place was one of the OG of affordable sushi omakase in Seoul.
Lowlights: With the increased competition, Chef Um needs to up his game.
Reservation: Call
조리인– Jori In
Location: Shinsa Dong, Gangnam-Gu
Price: W90,000
Highlights: Nice quantity of food for the price.
Lowlights: None.
Reservation: Call
스시산원경– Sushi Sanwon Kyung
Location: Seolleung Station or Gwangwhamun
Price: W80,000
Highlights: Great interior space in the basement of an office building.
Lowlights: None. There was nothing special about this place – good or bad.
Reservation: Call
이요이요스시– E Yo E Yo Sushi
Location: Gongdeuck Dong (3 locations)
Price: W60,000
Highlights: Cheap value sushi.
Lowlights: None.
Reservation: Call. They have two seatings –6 PM (1부) and 8 PM (2부)
가네끼스시– Kanaeki Sushi
Location: Shindaebang Dong, Dongjak Gu
Price: W90,000
Highlights: Great interior and ambience. An oasis within an otherwise nondescript officetel building.
Lowlights: They have 4 omakase courses – W70,000, W90,000, W120,000 and W160,000. Two too many offerings. For what we got for W90,000 was non-inspriing. Relatively speaking, the rent can’t be all that expensive and for what we got for W90,000 was a head scratcher.
Reservation: Call.
스시오오시마 – Sushi OOShima
Location: Mokdong, Yangcheon Gu
Price: W35,000
Highlights: This is the temple, the benchmark, the gold standard for value omakase.
Lowlights: IMPOSSIBLE to get reservations here. Only 6 counter seats in the whole restaurant.
Reservation: Naver online reservations only. Their Naver online reservations open on the last Sunday of each month starting at 10 AM. They have two seatings –6 PM (1부) and 8 PM (2부). Better chance to get a lunch reservation mid-week.
스시쵸우– Sushi Cho-Wu
Location: Hannam Dong, Yongsan-Gu
Price: W70,000
Highlights: Decent quantity of sushi pieces that gets served. Cozy little omakase bar.
Lowlights: Factory assembly line speed. Eat, eat, get out.
Reservation: They have two seatings –6 PM (1부) and 8 PM (2부).
스시키– Sushi Ki
Location: Seolleung Station, Gangnam-Gu
Price: W90,000
Highlights: None. This is basically, almost the same menu as Sushi Shouki. The chef-owner started out as a sushi chef at Shouki.
Lowlights: Basically same menu as Sushi Shouki but W2,000 more.
Reservation: Call. I believe there was/is a small pre-pay deposit required.
오도루스시 – Odoru Sushi
Location: Daechi Dong, Gangnam-Gu
Price: W88,000
Highlights: Good, quality sushi.
Lowlights: It’s in strip mall across an apartment complex. It feels like a local restaurant in a strip mall with a window facing an apartment complex
Reservation: Call.
하얀스시–Hayan Sushi
Location: Sungnae Dong, Gangdong-Gu
Price: W69,000
Highlights: The white cheese dessert
Lowlights: I checked out this place because it is one of my Instagram food influencers that I follow – Songchelin – favorite and frequent sushi omakase place. I am not sure why. I felt like the sushi omakase course was over before it even started. Amazingly disappointed. I was shocked to see the tamago (egg custard cake) come out so quickly. It could be the fact that I had high expectations since it was recommended by Songchelin and given the price point and the neighborhood it was located in, I was expecting more.
Still hungry. Absolutely overpriced and overrated omakase joint. Why did I travel all the way out here to get this experience? Others in my group (4) also concurred. And yeah, this omakase joint had windows facing the street.
Reservation: Call.
스시모루- Sushi Moru
Location: Cheonho Dong, Gangdong-Gu
Price: W77,000
Highlights: None.
Lowlights: It was in the B1 level out an outdoor shopping complex next to an apartment building. I am sensing the common theme here. Japanese omakase restaurant with windows is no good.
Reservation: Call
기꾸– Ki-Goo
Location: Bangbae Dong, Seocho Gu.
Price: W70,000
Highlights: Decent quantity for the price.
Lowlights: Factory assembly line speed. Eat, eat, get out. No, seriously get out, If you order the more expensive W130,000 sashimi omakase (like the group next to us), then I don’t think you are rushed.
Reservation: Call.
스시야츠– Sushi Yatsu
Location: Moon Jung Dong, Songpa-Gu
Price: W45,000
Highlights: The price.
Lowlights: It’s in an outdoor shopping complex. Very difficult to find.
Reservation: Call. It’s only open during the weekdays – Monday – Friday
스시키노이–Sushi Kinoyi
Location: Sangam Dong, Mapo-Gu
Price: W70,000
Highlights: The interior and quality of service.
Lowlights: It’s been awhile since I have been here. Will have to check it out.
Reservation: Call
송하정스시– Song Ha Jung Sushi
Location: Sangil Dong, Gang Dong-Gu
Price: W45,000
Highlights: The price, price, price. Wow! For what you get for W45,000 was amazing and it was delicious.
Lowlights: Location, location, location. I felt like it was on the most eastern border of Seoul. If we went any further east, then I felt like we would have been in a different province.
Reservation: Naver reservations. After booking time and number of people on Naver, you will receive text message asking you to pre-pay (wire) W10,000 per person for no-show fee
오가와 – Ogawa
Location: Gwangwhamun, B1 Royal Building
Price: W70,000
Highlights: It’s still popular after 8 years since opening.
Lowlights: Impersonal. Tight seating.
Reservation: Call. They have two seatings –6 PM (1부) and 8 PM (2부).
To Be Posted Soon
스시키마에, Jongak Station (Jongno) W80,000
치카라, Hapjeong, W60,000