Yongsan Japanese restaurant with eel and chicken rice bowls: Una

Una Yongsan Main Branch location and parking information

“Una Yongsan” is said to specialize in hitsumabushi in Yongsan, serving eel dishes prepared in an authentic style by a Japanese chef with 22 years of experience. I heard this was a place to properly enjoy Nagoya-style hitsumabushi, so I visited with so much excitement!

Una is on the second floor of Episode Yongsan 241 at 37 Hangang-daero, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. It is close to both Singyongsan Station and Yongsan Station, so getting there is fairly convenient. It is open daily from 11:30 to 22:00, with a break from 15:00 to 17:00 and last orders at 21:00.

There are so many good restaurants around Yongsan, Singyongsan, and Yongridan-gil, but parking is a real weakness in the area, so I always worry about it. Una offers one hour of free parking. If there are no spaces, you can use the mechanical parking system; EVs cannot easily use it, so they apparently arrange a separate space. Seeing all the expensive cars parked next to us was a little intimidating, though—secretly! haha 😱

Head up to the second floor and you will see the Una sign.

A hidden-feeling entrance and open dining room

Even once we entered, the space felt more secretive than I expected. There were several signatures near the entrance, and I kept looking through them because there were so many familiar, welcome names, haha.

Inside, unlike the discreet mood of the entrance, the dining room was more open than I expected. The overall space is dark, with soft accent lighting and daylight coming through the floor-to-ceiling windows, which made the atmosphere feel even lovelier. A sculptural feature in the center provides a subtle screening effect, so it does not feel completely open while still looking refined.

You can also reserve a private room, so it looked like a good option for different kinds of gatherings and meals. The amenities list included rooms, group seating, and reservations, making it seem well suited to family gatherings, dates, or anniversary meals too.

We sat by the window, and the atmosphere was wonderful.

Ordering the small Hatsumabushi and Torimabushi

My only goal was “eel!” so I ordered the small Hatsumabushi for ₩32,000 without hesitation. I also found the menu description really impressive. You know how food somehow tastes even better when you know more about it, haha. My companion cannot eat fish, so they ordered the chicken dish, Torimabushi, for ₩29,000.

By the way, there was also an event offering fresh ginseng liquor for a Naver receipt review. Seeing things like that makes me think I should be more diligent about reviews too, haha.

A generous eel rice bowl set with side dishes

At last, our generous spread arrived! The eel rice bowl I had been waiting and waiting for was finally here!

When you open the lunchbox-style container of small Hatsumabushi, ta-da—there are the side dishes and eel rice bowl. A layer of yellow egg crepe sits over the rice, with neatly arranged eel on top. The eel was thick, making it look delicious at first glance.

One bite in, I loved the springy, chewy texture. The eel’s characteristic tenderness came through nicely too, and eaten with rice, it reminded me that eel rice bowls are very hard to get wrong, haha.

I also tried the side dishes here and there. The seasoned konjac had such a nice texture. The pickles were also great alongside the meal, and having a bite between the rich eel flavors made my palate feel refreshed.

How to enjoy hitsumabushi as ochazuke

And with hitsumabushi, you cannot leave out ochazuke (rice in green tea)! I portioned out some rice, added the prepared toppings, and poured over green tea. The nutty, savory-salty flavor made it feel like a completely different dish. I think the charm of hitsumabushi is being able to enjoy one menu item in so many ways. 😊

Torimabushi for companions who cannot eat fish

The Torimabushi my companion ordered had a completely different feel from the eel. The lunchbox was filled with charcoal-grilled chicken, making it look quite generous from the start, and my companion enjoyed it too. I liked that there was an option for companions who cannot eat fish. Eel lovers can have Hatsumabushi while people who cannot eat fish choose Torimabushi, so it feels like there is one less menu decision to worry over, haha.

Matcha ice cream and the window view after the meal

After we finished, matcha ice cream arrived for dessert. It was not just overly sweet ice cream—the gently bitter matcha flavor came through, and it was really delicious. The meal was so satisfying that I did not even feel like having a separate dessert, haha.

As we slowly finished our meal and prepared to leave, the sun had already begun to set and the view outside was getting darker. Sitting by the window, eating slowly, and taking in the scenery outside made me feel unexpectedly relaxed.

Overall, Una Yongsan Main Branch satisfied me with not only its food but also its atmosphere! It seems like a great fit for anyone looking for a clean, upscale Yongsan restaurant with private rooms or a gathering spot, as well as anyone wanting a proper eel rice bowl in Yongsan. If I visit again, I would like to try another eel dish.