Weekend wait and tempura udon at Songjeong eel restaurant, Busan: Yuok

Maybe because Busan is so close to Japan, there seem to be a lot of famous Japanese-style eel bowl restaurants around. My husband and I love eel so much that we've made a point of trying out every well-known spot in Busan. This time we went — for the fourth or fifth time, honestly — with my parents and a friend to Yuok, a Songjeong, Busan restaurant that really nails eel bowl.

From wait-time tips to an honest taste review of the eel bowl to other dishes I tried and would recommend — I'm going to write this up carefully so first-time visitors can pick a menu with ease.

Where is Yuok, and how far is it from Songjeong Station?

Yuok is located at 47 Songjeonggangbyeon-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan. It's close to Songjeong Station too, so you can take the Donghae Line, get off at Songjeong Station, eat eel bowl at Yuok, go surfing at Songjeong Beach, grab a Moon Toast, and call it a perfect Songjeong trip.

There's a parking lot for Yuok in Songjeong, Busan. The restaurant has its own lot inside the building, and if it's full, street parking nearby is fine too.

Once you arrive, you get this feeling like you've stepped into Japan. Running into a slice of Japan in Busan — thanks to the interior, you get even more curious about how the Japanese-style eel bowl will taste.

A queue even at 2pm on a weekend: how to time your visit to Yuok

There used to be no wait at all, but now it's become a must-wait restaurant. On weekends we usually go around 2pm, after the lunch rush, but even at 2pm this time there was a line. If you get bored waiting, I recommend watching the goldfish.

Step inside and it's packed with customers! We even ran into a couple from my husband's company here — this is a genuinely popular eel bowl spot in Busan. There are counter seats and table seats, and parties of two are mostly seated at the counter.

What to order at Yuok: the eel bowl is a must

The obvious recommendation is the signature dish, the jumbo unaju set — the eel rice bowl. We always order that without question, and then debate between salmon and tori-don (chicken rice bowl), but this time, because of the chilly weather, we suddenly went with udon instead — and that turned out to be a genuine stroke of genius.

Jumbo unaju set, 28,500 won

Order the jumbo unaju set and, true to its name, it comes as a full spread — a great option when you're bringing guests along.

It includes eel rice bowl, miso soup, salad, braised tofu, and plum tea.

Starting with the salad as an appetizer really wakes up your appetite, probably thanks to the tangy yuzu dressing.

Last time I sat at the end of the counter and watched them grill the eel. It's grilled carefully over charcoal, and maybe because of that care, the eel comes out full of charcoal aroma. The eel looks small but it's thick, so finishing the whole set leaves you stuffed.

Cut into the eel with the wooden spatula and a fluffy tamago (rolled omelette) appears underneath. Eel, tamago, and rice together in one bite — that's the best combination. Texture, flavor, all of it nailed.

Eel bowl can easily go fishy if done wrong, but Yuok's has zero fishiness. The tare sauce isn't overdone either, seasoned just right so it's perfect with rice.

On top of that, the fluffy, thick tamago adds a savory richness that makes the eel bowl truly delicious. The eel's natural richness and savoriness get balanced out by the charcoal aroma and tare sauce — a flavor that immediately makes you understand why there's a wait.

To finish, pour the broth that comes with the set over the rice for ochazuke (rice steeped in broth) — the perfect ending.

Even my husband, who doesn't usually like ochazuke, says Yuok's is delicious and always enjoys it. It's made with bonito flake broth instead of plain green tea, so the umami is off the charts.

The final touch is plum tea.

Tempura udon, 13,000 won

I think I actually had the udon back when Yuok was newly open, but somehow I never realized how good it was... We ordered it this time just because the table next to us ordered it... and it turned out to be genuinely delicious. Turns out Yuok is also an udon place worth knowing about.

It comes generously topped with shrimp tempura and vegetable tempura, and the savory oil from the tempura soaks into the warm broth, making the soup taste even richer and more umami.

The udon noodles have just the right plumpness with a springy bite, and they soak up the broth so well that every bite brought a big hit of umami.

There are a full two pieces of shrimp tempura soaked in broth on top, and it was almost a shame I hadn't realized the true value of Yuok's udon until now. Even the moms at the next table got hooked, saying, 'Wow, the udon here is legit.'

The fish cake in Yuok's tempura udon is on a different level — it genuinely tastes like real seafood, with a strong ocean flavor, making the fish cake the final piece that makes this tempura udon perfect.

Why I'll order the eel bowl and tempura udon again

There's a reason we keep coming back to Yuok, an eel bowl restaurant in Songjeong, Busan, again and again. At this point, whenever I think of eel bowl in Songjeong, Busan, Yuok is the first place that comes to mind. If you love Japanese-style eel bowl with that smoky charcoal aroma, this is an unconditional recommendation.

Personally, the tempura udon was so good this time that eating it alongside the eel bowl made for a really great combination. In a few months, when my husband says he's craving eel bowl again, I'll be heading back to Yuok. For anyone looking for a good restaurant in Songjeong, I recommend Yuok.