Seonleung eel nabe hot pot dinner with drinks at Manmok, Gangnam

Had a dinner plan near Seonleung Station and went looking for where to go — ended up at Manmok.

Why Manmok for a dinner near Seonleung Station?

The dish I picked at Manmok that day was eel nabe (hot pot). I usually go for familiar stuff like meat or sashimi, but this time I wanted something a bit different, and eel nabe caught my eye while searching. When you think of eel, grilled eel comes to mind first — eating it as a hot pot isn't common, so I was curious, and it also seemed like a good fit for a light drink alongside dinner, so I went.

It's close enough to Seonleung Station that dropping by after work isn't a hassle at all! With so many offices around Daechi-dong and Seonleung, a lot of people must be looking for dinner or team dinner spots, and the location itself is convenient for office workers.

Inside Manmok: the space and seating

Walking in, the atmosphere was cleaner than I expected. It's not really a full-on drinking-spot vibe — more like a place good for enjoying a meal with drinks on the side, so it works for dinner with a friend or a casual after-work drink with coworkers. It wasn't too loud either, so it was comfortable to eat slowly while chatting.

Ordering the eel nabe and the side dishes it comes with

Looking over the menu, I went with what I was most curious about that day — the eel nabe. I usually eat eel grilled, so the combo of eel in a warm broth felt a bit unfamiliar at first. Still, I figured coming to Manmok meant I had to try the eel nabe at least once, so I ordered it right away.

The side dishes came out neatly arranged — this looks like a good place to bring important guests or elders ✨✨

Especially loved that myeongi namul (wild garlic leaves) was included!

Acorn jelly too — nice 👍

What does Manmok's eel nabe taste like?

After a short wait, the eel nabe arrived. As soon as it hit the table, it caught my eye for being more generous than I expected. Warm broth with eel in it, plus other ingredients to eat alongside — it looked pretty filling as a full meal.

The steamed egg was such a refined taste — the kind of taste even fancy restaurants can't quite pull off, haha, seriously.

The eel pieces weren't skimpy either — you could really feel their presence in each bite, which I liked. I usually love grilled eel, but eating it as a hot pot was noticeably different. With grilled eel, the savory eel flavor really stands out, while eel nabe, eaten with the warm broth, felt softer and easier to eat.

Why Manmok's eel nabe goes well with a drink or two

Eel can get a little greasy the more you eat, even when it's delicious, but having the broth alongside cut that feeling down a lot. With warm broth constantly going in, it paired really well with a drink too. You know those days when you want a proper dinner but don't want to skip drinks entirely? This felt like a great spot for exactly that.

Does Manmok work as a Seonleung team dinner spot?

Eel nabe itself isn't a common dish, so it felt like a nice change from the usual restaurants around Seonleung Station. When making plans near the office, you tend to end up at the same kind of places over and over — meat, sashimi, izakaya — so having a dish like this alone made it feel refreshingly different. It's also easy to share with several people around the pot, so it could work well as a Seonleung team dinner menu.

Personally, this felt less like a place to go for heavy drinking and more suited to days when you want a good dinner with a drink or two on the side. I think I'll think of it again when planning dinner with a friend or a casual meal-plus-drinks with coworkers. Good pick for a Seonleung team dinner.

If you like eel but have been wanting to try it a different way besides grilled, Manmok's eel nabe is worth a shot. Getting to eat the broth along with it made the meal feel filling, and I liked being able to handle both dinner and a light drink in one place. If you're looking for somewhere to eat dinner near Seonleung Station, or want something a bit different around Daechi-dong, this was a decent place to check out.

Ended up at Manmok almost by chance while looking for a Seonleung dinner spot, and the eel nabe was better than expected — pretty satisfied. Next time I've got a dinner plan or team dinner around Seonleung, I'd like to try something else on the menu.