Quick answer
- What: a Japanese lunch that starts with a parade of side dishes, then sashimi, in Yeouido.
- Price: about 35,000 won (about $25) per person for lunch.
- Getting there: about 370 m in a straight line from Exit 3 of National Assembly Station (Line 9).
Yeouido is Seoul’s office and finance district, and its lunch spots are built for people who eat here every weekday. Gwak Susan ("Gwak the Seafood Man") is one of the old guard, a Japanese restaurant on the first basement floor of the Dongwoo Building near National Assembly Station. Inside, it still feels like an old-school Korean-style Japanese restaurant.
Short version: very satisfying. I left full.
The side dishes come first
The best thing here is the skidashi (the small plates served before the sashimi). They keep coming: edamame, salad, chive pancake, and even grilled flatfish.
There was also a plate of braised fish. You pick at it slowly with chopsticks, so it suits a lunch where you want to talk.
The sashimi was excellent
After the small plates, the sashimi arrives. A generous plate of white fish, with pickled ginger on the side. The sashimi was excellent.
Spoon worm
What I remember most is the gaebul (spoon worm, a chewy sea creature). It is rare for a lunch sashimi set to include it as a side dish. If you like gaebul, you will be happy here.
Who it suits
- People looking for a slow, sit-down Japanese lunch in Yeouido
- Group lunches that need a reservation
- People who like old-style Korean Japanese-restaurant side dishes
If you need a quick lunch, it may not fit. The plates keep coming, so leave plenty of time.
Good to know
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Gwak Susan / 곽수산 |
| Address | B1, Dongwoo Building, 19 Gukhoe-daero 74-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul / 서울 영등포구 국회대로74길 19 동우빌딩 지하 1층 |
| Station / exit / walk | About 370 m in a straight line from Exit 3 of National Assembly Station (Line 9). A bit of a walk from Yeouido Station |
| Price | About 35,000 won (about $25) per person for lunch (as of October 2026) |
| Hours | Break time from 14:30 (per Naver Map; end time not confirmed). full hours not confirmed, check before you go |
| Reservation | The sign says reservations accepted |
| How to order | "점심 두 명이요" (jeomsim du myeong-iyo) = lunch for two |
| Seating | The sign says 100 seats |
| Phone | 02-784-0207 |
Map: search 「곽수산」 in Naver Map
If you want a proper skidashi-and-sashimi lunch near National Assembly Station, Gwak Susan is worth a visit. About 35,000 won (about $25), and I left full.