Seolleung Station Japanese restaurant: eel eaten like sushi, Manmok

What is Manmok near Seolleung Station like?

Manmok (만목) is a Japanese restaurant at 9 Seolleung-ro 82-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (1st floor), near Seolleung Station, known for hanwoo (Korean beef) nabe and eel dishes. It is open daily 11:00–22:00, with a break from 15:00 to 17:00, last orders at 14:20 / 21:20, and valet parking is available.

I was hunting for a Japanese place with a nice atmosphere around Seolleung Station and found Manmok!!! It's famous for hanwoo nabe and eel dishes, and I loved the food and the space too 🥹 The mood is perfect for a date or an important meeting, and I was excited from the moment I walked in.

Getting to Manmok and the exterior

Manmok is an easy walk from Seolleung Station, so it's convenient to reach.

The exterior already feels calm and upscale, so I was looking forward to it before even going in.

Is Manmok's atmosphere good for dates or eating solo?

Manmok has wood-toned interiors, soft lighting and generously spaced tables, like a high-end Japanese restaurant. The moment I opened the door, it felt like I'd stepped into one in Japan.

The wood tones make it warm yet calm, and the soft lighting is really nice for a meal. The tables are far enough apart to talk comfortably, and it isn't noisy, so you can take your time.

On one side there's a straight bar counter where you eat facing the window. It looks totally comfortable for dining alone, so solo visitors should feel at ease.

The kitchen is open, so you can naturally watch the cooking, and seeing how clean it was made me trust it even more. You can see every dish being prepared with care, which made the wait fun too 😲

What we ordered at Manmok

This day at Manmok we ordered hanwoo nabe, half a seasoned grilled eel and a bowl of Koshihikari rice ❕

• Hanwoo nabe (beef hot pot)
• Half a seasoned grilled eel (teukjangeo-gui)
• Koshihikari rice

A tiny little menu, hahaha. Isn't it adorable?! 😲

Seasonal side dishes and tableware

Before the main dishes arrive, Manmok brings neatly plated seasonal side dishes. They were really satisfying too. Each seasonal dish was tidy, not overly seasoned and went well with the food, so I kept reaching for them while waiting for the mains. You can feel the care even in the smallest side dish, and it lifts the whole meal.

Above all, you can tell they cared about every piece of tableware 🥢 The plates, small plates and chopstick rests were all neat and elegant, making the food stand out even more.

Chawanmushi to start

Before the meal began, chawanmushi (savory steamed egg custard) came out first 🥚 The texture melted softly in my mouth, and its gentle umami was just right to whet the appetite before the main meal.

Ta-da!!! Everything we ordered is finally here 💓 The side dishes were neat and the mains generous, so I was bursting with anticipation before even eating...

How does Manmok's hanwoo nabe taste?

Manmok's hanwoo nabe is a hot pot loaded with thinly sliced hanwoo, vegetables and mushrooms, with a broth that was deep and clean rather than harsh. Bubbling away, it looked really generous from the first glance.

It was packed with thin hanwoo slices, fresh vegetables and mushrooms, and the longer the broth boiled, the more the ingredients' umami naturally came through.

The broth isn't harsh, just deep and clean, so I kept spooning it up!

The hanwoo was tender and moist, nutty the more I chewed, and eaten with the vegetables it was light yet filling.

Half a seasoned grilled eel, eaten like eel sushi

Manmok's half seasoned grilled eel is golden outside and moist inside, with a sweet sauce that isn't overdone, and it was the most memorable dish of the day. Personally, it really stuck with me 🐟

The eel was grilled golden outside while keeping the moist texture inside, so it loosened softly in my mouth. The sauce wasn't too strong, sweet with real umami, and it brought out the eel's natural nutty flavor.

The skin was lightly crisp and the flesh plump, so the texture was great, and there was no fishy smell at all.

It's good with rice and good on its own, so I immediately understood why it's the signature dish. I ordered a bowl of Koshihikari rice and, like sushi, put wasabi and grilled eel on top, hahaha. It was totally eel sushi 😋

Dessert to finish: matcha and black tea ice cream

To end the meal, Manmok served matcha and black tea ice cream for dessert 🍨 It was sweet yet a clean palate cleanser, and the afterglow of the meal was really satisfying. The deep tea aroma spread gently, so I felt like I'd enjoyed a high-end course meal right to the end 🤎

Honest review of Manmok

Manmok satisfied me on the food, the space and the service. I enjoyed a tidy meal in an upscale Japanese-restaurant atmosphere, and the care put into everything from tableware to side dishes to dessert was impressive.

The hanwoo nabe charmed me with its deep, clean broth, and the grilled eel had a moist texture and umami that were truly excellent, so I'd happily order it again. If you're looking for a restaurant with a nice atmosphere or a place for a special day in Gangnam or Seolleung, I recommend Manmok!