Gwangyang eel restaurant, 850g for two men at ₩58,250: Deokeun Jangeo

On this Gwangyang trip I found an eel restaurant with seriously good value! It's Keun Jangeo (큰장어), officially Deokeun Jangeo Gwangyang Branch (더큰장어 광양점). Let's be honest, eel is one of those foods where the price makes you flinch. But at Deokeun Jangeo, two men ate their fill of eel for just ₩58,250 in total! And you can see Yi Sun-sin Bridge and the sea out the window... good price and a good view, isn't that cheating? haha. After this visit I totally understood why so many customers come here.

Is parking easy at Deokeun Jangeo Gwangyang Branch?

The restaurant is big and the parking lot is wide and neatly kept, so it's great if you come by car. I stopped by Keun Jangeo ("Big Eel") during my Gwangyang trip. The name is super straightforward, right? haha And the place really is as big as its name.

What I liked most was the wide, tidy parking lot. When you travel by car, how convenient a restaurant's parking is really matters. There was plenty of space, so it was easy to visit by car. With such a large restaurant and proper parking, it seems fine for families or bigger groups too.

How do you order at Deokeun Jangeo? Pick your eel on the 1st floor

At Deokeun Jangeo Gwangyang Branch, you choose prepped eel from the 1st-floor refrigerator by looking at the weight and price. It's a bit different from the usual eel restaurant, which I found fun.

Prepped eel is laid out in the fridge, and you can check the amount and price before choosing. Each piece is labeled with weight and price, so picking wasn't hard. At most eel restaurants you order 1 or 2 servings. Here you can see the actual amount of eel with your own eyes before buying, which I liked. You check the price first and choose just the amount you want, so it feels much more intuitive.

10% off if you visit before 2pm

When I visited Deokeun Jangeo Gwangyang Branch, a notice said you get 10% off if you arrive before 2pm. Good to know before you go!

The eel is already fairly cheap, and you can get a discount on top? Even better, right? If you can plan your timing, I recommend going before 2pm to grab the discount. That said, promotions and conditions can change, so check before you visit.

How much eel for two men? 850g for ₩50,250

The eel the two of us picked at Deokeun Jangeo Gwangyang Branch was about 850g, at ₩50,250. We chose that amount after wondering how much we'd need to eat.

Wait... this much for this price? haha Eel is never really a cheap food. But getting about 850g of prepped eel for around ₩50,000 was honestly amazing. Even compared with what two servings cost at other eel restaurants, it felt pretty attractive to me. Of course the price varies with the size and weight of the eel, but what we chose was a really satisfying spread. I could see why the place has so many customers.

How much is the table setting fee? The 2nd-floor dining area

Deokeun Jangeo Gwangyang Branch charges a table setting fee of ₩4,000 per person, separate from the eel. There were two of us, so ₩8,000 was added, for a total of ₩58,250.

Once you've bought your eel on the 1st floor, you head up to the 2nd-floor dining area, where tables are set up for grilling. Two men ate eel until full and it came to under ₩30,000 each! I think that's a really good-value eel restaurant.

Eel grilled over charcoal at your table

When you sit down on the 2nd floor of Deokeun Jangeo Gwangyang Branch, a staff member prepares the charcoal and sets out the basic side dishes. Eel really is best grilled over charcoal!

Putting the eel on the charcoal and grilling it yourself was fun too. While grilling I wondered if we'd picked too much at first, but before I knew it my hand kept reaching for more, haha. It was a satisfying, hearty amount for two men. If you love eel but haven't been able to eat it often because of the price, I think you'll especially like how purchasing works here.

Side dishes from the self-bar, as much as you want

Deokeun Jangeo Gwangyang Branch has a self-bar, so if the basic side dishes run low you can go get more yourself. Another thing I liked!

When you eat eel you pair it with all sorts of side dishes, and it's convenient not having to call a staff member every time you run out. You can take just what you need, so it's easy to finish without leaving waste. Small conveniences like this really raise how satisfying a meal feels.

Sea view of Yi Sun-sin Bridge from the window

While eating at Deokeun Jangeo Gwangyang Branch, look out the window beside you and you'll see the sea and Yi Sun-sin Bridge. What really surprised me at Keun Jangeo was this view out the window!

Wow... the view here is crazy too. haha I came to eat eel and never expected such a gorgeous sea view. Eating eel while looking at the sea and Yi Sun-sin Bridge spread out outside really gave me that travel feeling. With great food plus a great view, my satisfaction went way up. If you're planning to visit the Yi Sun-sin Bridge area on your Gwangyang trip, it's worth considering as a place to eat.

Why so many customers come

What I felt visiting Deokeun Jangeo Gwangyang Branch was that overall satisfaction is high, from the price to the facilities to the scenery.

• Wide, tidy parking lot
• Choosing the eel you want yourself on the 1st floor
• Reasonable eel prices
• 2nd-floor charcoal grill dining area
• Convenient self-bar
• Yi Sun-sin Bridge sea view

It's not just a place where the eel is cheap; it felt like many strengths come together well. For people like us who want to eat plenty of eel, the price appeal is probably quite big.

What's the best way to eat the eel? Ginger plus sauce is my top pick

I tried the eel at Deokeun Jangeo in a variety of ways, and my top pick was dipping it in just ginger and sauce!! Maybe because the eel is so fresh, the simplest way tasted best. Second was perilla leaf!! Third was myeongi namul (wild garlic-chive pickle)! haha Totally my personal taste.

Gwangyang eel restaurant Deokeun Jangeo: overall review

At Deokeun Jangeo Gwangyang Branch, two men paid ₩58,250 in total for about 850g of eel including the table setting fee, and the value really impressed me. Considering eating-out prices these days, simply getting a full eel meal for this price was satisfying. And with the sea view of Yi Sun-sin Bridge on top, it became an even more memorable meal.

Three points I'd personally recommend!

• First, you can see the weight and price of the eel and buy it yourself
• Second, even with the table setting fee, you can enjoy eel at a reasonable price
• Third, you can eat while looking out at Yi Sun-sin Bridge and the sea

If you're looking for an eel restaurant on your Gwangyang trip, give Keun Jangeo a visit. And be sure to check the before-2pm discount too~! This amount for this price, plus a sea view! I definitely want to go back. I ate really well again today. :) I really want to go again, T_T even while writing this post, it's a place I wanted to return to!!