Changwon eel restaurant for a weekday lunch date: Daedo Jangeo

Why we picked Daedo Jangeo in Paryong-dong for a couple's lunch date

My husband took a day off, so we chose Daedo Jangeo (대도장어) in Paryong-dong, Changwon, for a weekday lunch date. It's getting hot out, so we wanted a stamina-boosting dish, and eel fit. I'd also heard there's a famous Changwon eel place right in Paryong-dong, so off we went.

We usually eat out with the kids, so it had been a while since it was just the two of us.. We decided to spend this rare weekday eating something good. So here's my Daedo Jangeo review in Paryong-dong :)

Daedo Jangeo hours, closing days and location

Daedo Jangeo is at 12 Uichang-daero 70beon-gil, 1st floor, Uichang-gu, Changwon, and it's open every day from 11:00 to 21:30. It closes on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays of each month, and there is parking in front.

Is parking easy at Daedo Jangeo?

There's room for about 4 cars in front of the restaurant, and a public parking lot right next door. Finding a spot near Changwon Station in Paryong-dong is surprisingly hard.. but we had no parking worries at Daedo Jangeo. We parked easily and walked in for our meal :)

The public lot costs ₩500 per 30 minutes, and Daedo Jangeo also gives a 1-hour parking discount ticket, so it was no burden at all.

A charcoal-grill eel restaurant from Jinju: what's the atmosphere like?

Daedo Jangeo is said to be an eel restaurant that was loved in Jinju for 32 years before moving to Changwon. I heard the eel is grilled over charcoal the traditional Jinju way, which got me even more excited. It's apparently quite well known among eel lovers, and I was curious how good it would be! Half expectation, half flutter, we stepped inside :)

Inside, Daedo Jangeo was clean and pleasant overall. The tables are spaced generously, so it never felt stuffy and was comfortable for eating. With such a tidy interior, it looked fine for family meals, for bringing your parents, or for gatherings.

There's also a room in the back for groups, which would suit company dinners and all kinds of get-togethers.

Sea eel, freshwater eel and the lunch special: the menu

Daedo Jangeo sells both sea eel and freshwater eel. Many eel places carry only one kind, so I liked that you can choose by taste here. Sea eel is known for a light, clean flavor, while freshwater eel has a chewier texture and richer taste, I heard.

On weekday lunchtimes, Daedo Jangeo also runs a lunch special. It isn't just grilled eel: it comes with sea eel, eel soup, rice and side dishes, so it looks like a filling meal. You can enjoy eel at a reasonable price, so it seemed easy to drop in at lunchtime too. We wanted plenty of eel, so we ordered the medium (中) seasoned grilled sea eel!

A self bar and sterilized baby tableware: hygiene you can see

Daedo Jangeo has a self bar, so if you run out of side dishes you can simply help yourself.

What caught my eye next to the self bar were the baby tableware and baby chairs. The baby dishes were neatly kept inside a sterilizer, and each baby chair was covered in plastic so dust can't get in, which impressed me. As a parent, seeing this makes me feel the restaurant really cares about hygiene, so I trusted it even more.

How are the side dishes at Daedo Jangeo?

Once we ordered, Daedo Jangeo neatly set out side dishes first: salad, water kimchi (mulkimchi), fresh kimchi (geotjeori), seasoned bean sprouts, stir-fried anchovies and more. I was surprised at how varied they were for an eel restaurant :) Each was nicely presented and not too strongly seasoned, so they went well with the eel.

The geotjeori in particular was crunchy, and the vegetables were in great shape.

Medium seasoned sea eel: how does it taste?

The seasoned sea eel at Daedo Jangeo arrived already grilled and placed on a warm hot plate, so we could eat it right away without grilling anything ourselves. While we were tasting the side dishes, the eel came out faster than expected. Waiting while you smell the grilling is nice, but when you're hungry, being able to dig in right away is even better, haha. The hot plate kept it warm all through the meal.

On the first bite, the eel was really soft and chewy. There was almost no fishy smell and the sauce wasn't strong, so it was the kind of dish you keep eating! I could see why it's famous.

Eel on a lettuce leaf with shredded ginger on top is the best ♡ We were enjoying it so much that we forgot to talk for a while, and my husband and I both just inhaled it :)

Adding eel soup as dessert and a meal

At Daedo Jangeo we also ordered eel soup as a finisher and a meal. It was packed with ingredients, and the broth was rich yet clean, so my spoon kept going back. Mixed with rice, it works as a hearty meal on its own.

There was also jepi powder (Korean pepper powder) at the table, and I added plenty to taste; it lifted the flavor of the soup even more. I cleaned out the whole bowl, haha. After everything from grilled eel to eel soup, even a lunch felt like being properly treated. Tasty eel, tidy side dishes and a filling meal: overall a satisfying meal :)

Sikhye after the meal and a review event

After we finished eating, Daedo Jangeo even served us cold sikhye (sweet rice punch). Sweet but clean-tasting, it was just right for rinsing the mouth after eel :)

At the time of writing, a Naver review event was also running: write a receipt review and you get 1 bottle of sikhye, so if you visit, do join in.

Restroom and counter extras: the owner's thoughtfulness

The restroom at Daedo Jangeo was stocked with cotton swabs, hair ties, dental floss and even toothbrush items. I stopped by after eating, and the owner's careful consideration showed here too. It's a small thing, but it tells you how much they care about running the place! I guess details like these add up to a restaurant that so many people visit, haha.

When I paid, I saw candy, dental floss and lens cloths ready in front of the counter too. The owner's sense is no joke!!

There's also a coffee machine at the entrance of Daedo Jangeo, so we could have a cup of coffee after the meal. Eel, sikhye to rinse the mouth, then a coffee: a perfect finish :)

Our couple's lunch date at Daedo Jangeo in Paryong-dong: overall

It was a relaxing, healing time, just the two of us eating at leisure :) Eating tasty eel and getting a proper stamina boost made me feel energized, haha. The grilled eel was great, and the eel soup was clean-tasting too, so we were very satisfied with it as a meal. If you're looking for a good Changwon eel restaurant, give Daedo Jangeo in Paryong-dong a try. It's the place I'll think of when I need a stamina boost, and we ate very well 💛