Family-friendly Japanese restaurant in Haeundae, Busan: Yuok

While looking for a restaurant with a slightly special atmosphere near Songjeong Beach in Busan, I visited Yuok (유옥). The exterior and atmosphere, like a Japanese-style house transplanted here, made it feel as though I had arrived on a trip to Japan the moment I walked in. This time, we came for a family meal with two adults, a five-year-old, and even a four-month-old baby. Yuok is a popular restaurant near Songjeong Beach in Busan where you can enjoy Japanese-style dishes including eel rice bowls and toridon.

Yuok location and parking

There is parking beside the Yuok building for up to four cars. You can also park along the road, then head to the entrance.

A Japanese-style exterior space with a pond

The first thing that caught my eye when we arrived was the restaurant building.

The Japanese-style house atmosphere, so different from an ordinary restaurant, was striking, and even the outdoor space felt like a Japanese travel destination. It is a restaurant, but it is practically full of photo spots. There was a small pond in front of the restaurant, with actual fish, so it was fun to look at with the child. Our five-year-old spotted the fish and watched them for quite a while. Since there is a space to browse briefly before or after your meal, it is nice when visiting with children too. There were also lots of cute potted plants to admire.

There is a kiosk at the entrance where you can put your name down for the waitlist.

We had reserved in advance, so we went straight in! There were seats at weekday lunchtime, but a wait seems essential on weekends.

Yuok seating and family-friendly amenities

The interior was full of Japanese atmosphere too! Most seats are counter seats, with table seating further inside.

It was packed with Japanese-style charm, and there are baby chairs. The little decorative details were adorable too. With table seating available, it would also be nice for families or group gatherings! Reservations are possible as well. Near the entrance, there were candies, spray, and charging cables—one of those places where you can feel the small thoughtful touches.

Ordering jumbo unaju, toridon, and a children’s lunchbox

You order at the counter.

The menu and cool tea water arrived. The Jumbo Unaju Set, their signature Osaka-style dish, had me excited. There was a children’s menu too, and there were many family diners.

They also offer a receipt review promotion.

• Jumbo Unaju Set
• Toridon Set
• Children’s Lunchbox
• Sprite

Jumbo unaju set: clean-tasting eel with no fishiness

While waiting for the food, I studied how to enjoy unaju deliciously. I also helped myself to the rakkyo pickles and ginger on the side. Finally, it arrived! The owner kindly explained the dishes as they were served, which was lovely. The set came with fried tofu, salad, soup, and plum tea for dessert.

We ordered the Jumbo Unaju Set, Toridon Set, and Children’s Lunchbox. Naturally, the eel rice bowl was the dish I was looking forward to most.

The eel in the Jumbo Unaju Set was generously sized, and above all, it had none of the fishiness or off smell eel can sometimes have. I loved its nutty yet clean flavor, and it paired beautifully with the rice. I portioned it into my bowl, cut it into pieces, then placed it back over the rice to eat. Under the eel was a large rolled omelet, which I was told is Osaka-style.

I think eel lovers would be very satisfied, and even people who usually cannot eat much eel because of its distinctive aroma could enjoy this one without much hesitation. Personally, it was the dish that stayed with me most from this meal.

Following the guide on the table, I ate it plain, with wasabi, and as ochazuke (rice with green tea poured over it). Every version was good, so I kept alternating between them.

Toridon set with tender chicken thigh

The second dish we ordered was the Toridon Set. Toridon is a rice bowl topped with tender chicken thigh, and the chicken texture was soft while the sauce was truly delicious.

It had a charm completely different from the eel rice bowl, so ordering both dishes to share was a good choice. Personally, I think toridon is also a good option when visiting with children. The chicken thigh was tender, making it easy to share with a child.

A children’s lunchbox that was great with kids

We also ordered a children’s lunchbox for our five-year-old. It included tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet), and the child ate it well, so we were pleased.

Such an adorable rolled omelet~ When eating out with children, places with only adult dishes make choosing a menu tricky, but having a separate children’s menu made this an easy family dining choice. We even visited with our four-month-old baby this time, and the staff were so kind that we could eat comfortably. Drinks come with a large cup of ice. Kimchi is available on request. The cool plum tea we drank after finishing our rice was a refreshing, clean finish to the meal.

Weekend waiting space and a post-meal walk

The restroom is outside, accessible through an interior door. There is a path to the second floor on the right, so I took a quick look. Since it seems to be popular and have many waiting guests on weekends, there was also an unmanned café space upstairs. If you are visiting at mealtime, it may be best to allow plenty of time with the wait in mind. Just having a separate second-floor space made it feel like a place with lots of visitors. Not only the restaurant’s Japanese-style atmosphere but also the waiting space was distinctive and fun to look around. There was seating upstairs too, all table seating! The view directly in front is lovely.

Plus, there is a photo spot in front of the first-floor restroom! Totoro, whom I absolutely love >.< Snap a photo in front of the high-quality illustration! You have to take one~ After eating, it would be nice to walk along the stream right in front to help digest. The view is so, so good.

Yuok, a memorable family meal

Yuok was a place where both the food and atmosphere stayed with me. Thanks to the Japanese-style house setting, I came for a meal but felt as though I had briefly traveled to Japan, and it was fun to watch the fish in the pond in front of the restaurant too. The Jumbo Unaju Set was especially satisfying for its nutty, clean eel without any fishiness, while the Toridon Set also impressed me with its tender chicken thigh and delicious sauce. With a children’s lunchbox that a five-year-old could enjoy, it was a solid spot for a family meal too. More than anything, the staff were kind, which made the meal feel good throughout. Since it is close to Songjeong Beach, it would also make a nice meal stop paired with a visit to the sea. We came with family this time, but if I am in Songjeong again, I would like to stop by for the eel rice bowl. Delicious food with a great atmosphere really does stay in your memory. This was a very satisfying meal on our Busan trip—truly recommended!