Sagajeong eel pub: wild ginseng liquor mixed with soju at Cheonsangae

I'd been craving eel for days and kept wondering where to go. My Super Members tier also went up in October, so I finally headed out for eel after a long while 😆 The place was Cheonsangae Jangeoga Myeonmok Sagajeong Branch (천상애장어가 면목사가정점) near Sagajeong Station.

Where is Cheonsangae Jangeoga Myeonmok Sagajeong Branch, and what about hours and parking?

Cheonsangae Jangeoga Myeonmok Sagajeong Branch is an eel restaurant at 370 Myeonmok-ro, Jungnang-gu, Seoul (1st floor), a 6-minute walk from both Myeonmok and Sagajeong stations. It's open daily 11:30 to 21:30, with a break from 15:00 to 17:00 and no regular days off. Free parking isn't available.

The restaurant sits between Sagajeong and Myeonmok stations. It's about 6 minutes from Exit 1 of Sagajeong Station, so getting there by public transport for eel isn't a hassle. It's right on a main road, so it's easy to find. If you're driving, there's no dedicated lot, so check nearby paid parking beforehand.

What are the atmosphere and seating like?

Inside, the mood is Korean traditional, inspired by a toenmaru (a traditional wooden porch). Seating ranges from tables for 2 to family tables for 4-6 and group seating for up to about 36.

The lighting isn't too bright or cold. It feels cozy, a nice atmosphere for eating eel slowly.

Wrap vegetables at the self-serve bar

At Cheonsangae you can grab as many wrap vegetables as you like from the self-serve bar to eat with your eel. Eel is oily, so sides like ginger or perilla leaves definitely give you more ways to eat it. Since you fetch them yourself, people who eat lots of wraps can relax 👍

What did we order? The 2-person set and restorative wild ginseng liquor

• 2-person set ₩79,000
• Restorative wild ginseng liquor (보양 산삼주) ₩15,000

Rather than just dipping eel in salt or sauce, I prefer wrapping it with shredded ginger or pickled perilla leaves, so these sides suited me perfectly.

Do they grill the eel for you?

Yes. At Cheonsangae Jangeoga Myeonmok Sagajeong Branch, a staff member grills the eel over charcoal, so you don't have to keep flipping it yourself. Our eel went onto the charcoal and wow, look at the size!

When the eel hits the charcoal, a nutty aroma rises and the meal really begins, so the anticipation builds 🔥 Grilled eel's texture changes depending on how long it's cooked, so it's nice not to have to do it yourself.

Cheonsangae specializes in charcoal-grilled freshwater eel. They use domestic Japonica freshwater eel grilled directly over charcoal, which will catch the eye of eel lovers. Best of all, it isn't just eel on its own: you also get stone-bowl sushi, doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), roasted potato and other sides.

Wild ginseng liquor instead of bokbunja

Adding the wild ginseng liquor changes the mood of the meal. I'd planned on bokbunja (Korean black raspberry wine), but then I spotted ⭐restorative wild ginseng liquor⭐️ on the menu. Eel is good for stamina too, right? Add good liquor and it's perfect.

What's the best way to eat the eel?

Well-cooked eel is good cut into bite-size pieces and lightly dipped in salt, and eating it with shredded ginger and sauce cuts the eel's richness even more. The ginger worked especially well for me. The ginger's sharp aroma on top of the eel's nutty flavor leaves your mouth feeling a bit cleaner.

The surprising Tongyeong salted oyster wrap

What surprised me most this time at Cheonsangae was the Tongyeong eoligul-jeot (salted fermented oysters). With eel you normally think of sauce or salt first, but eating it with the salted oysters is a fresh twist.

Put a piece of eel on a wrap, add a little salted oyster, then ginger or perilla leaf, and the salty, sharp flavor goes really well with the eel. I actually liked this wrap better than dipping in the eel sauce. I wanted to buy the salted oysters separately, they were that good 😋

Stone-bowl sushi topped with freshly grilled eel

You can't skip the stone-bowl sushi that comes alongside. Topping it with just-grilled eel, the warm eel and rice go together beautifully. Forget eel sushi, this is the real deal!

What does wild ginseng liquor mixed with Chamisul taste like?

After finishing the restorative wild ginseng liquor, I mixed in Chamisul (a popular soju brand), and it tasted surprisingly similar to the first wild ginseng liquor. Maybe the liquor was just strong in flavor from the start? And so we drank two more bottles...

What else comes besides the eel?

Grilled wood ear mushrooms

You don't just eat eel nonstop at Cheonsangae: you can grill wood ear mushrooms too. Grilled, they turn tender but keep a slight chew, which is fun. Having them between pieces of eel changes the texture, so they're nice to eat in between.

Free nurungji sungnyung: ask ahead

Nurungji sungnyung 🍚 (scorched rice tea) to finish the meal is a free service item at Cheonsangae. It's best to ask ahead, about 10 minutes before you finish eating.

After eel and rice I was quite full, but the scorched rice tea goes down smoothly and works well as a closing meal. The hot tea also felt like it reset my mouth after the oily grilled eel, and it feels good to wrap up the meal properly.

Roasted potato hiding under the charcoal

There's one more item I secretly look forward to: the potato roasted beneath the charcoal. I really love potatoes 🥔

While eating eel I'd forgotten there was a potato under the charcoal, so pulling it out at the end was another small fun moment. Cooked under the charcoal, it's fluffy and nice for finishing the meal.

Is it worth going back?

I went because I'd been craving eel for days, and at Cheonsangae Jangeoga Myeonmok Sagajeong Branch I filled up on charcoal-grilled freshwater eel with plenty of sides. I'll go back on days I want eel, when I need a family dinner or a gathering spot in Sagajeong, or when I want a stamina boost 🫶