Family eel restaurant in Yuseong, Daejeon: Songrimbok

When I feel like a little restorative meal these days, eel is always the answer. This time, we went to Songrimbok Jangeo (송림복장어) Unlimited Freshwater Eel Daejeon Direct Store in Jijok-dong, Daejeon, for a family dinner. It is not just the eel that is unlimited here. Unlimited Korean freshwater eel, fresh pork belly, and chicken neck meat, too! I thought it could work even with kids who do not really eat eel, and in fact, the kids ate the chicken neck meat more enthusiastically than the eel. Haha.

Unlimited Korean Freshwater Eel: What Is Included and What It Costs

We had the unlimited eel option for two adults and one child, plus table setting fees for two people.

• Adults: ₩29,900
• Children: ₩14,000
• Table setting fee: ₩3,000

The unlimited option has a two-hour time limit. Preschool children eat free, and there is no table setting fee for children, so it felt like a pretty good choice for a family dinner with kids.

More than anything, I liked that the eel was fresh, never-frozen freshwater eel rather than frozen eel. They said they bring in live eel from eel farms and direct outlets every morning, then prepare it.

Maybe that is why there was hardly any of that distinctive fishy eel smell, and the flesh was nutty yet clean-tasting.

It was even better grilled nice and crisp.

We grilled the eel until golden and crisp. The outside was crispy while the inside stayed moist, with just the right nutty flavor. It was delicious with a dab of salt, but I kept reaching for wraps with a piece of eel, green onion kimchi, pickled perilla leaf, and shredded ginger.

I thought eel might be too rich to eat much of, but with all these sides, I ate more than expected. Eel really is best with shredded ginger. Haha.

How Should You Grill Fresh Eel?

At first, I wondered how to grill fresh eel, but following the instructions posted at the restaurant made it easy. Start by grilling it skin-side down, cook both sides well, then cut it into bite-sized pieces.

Then stand the eel pieces up and grill the cut sides until golden, and that is it!

Grilling the cut sides crisp really brought out the nutty flavor.

Why It Worked Even for Kids Who Do Not Eat Eel

Honestly, the kids are not big eel eaters, so I hesitated a bit when choosing a place for our family dinner. But Songrimbok Jangeo also has unlimited pork belly and chicken neck meat, so it worked out well.

The kids only had a tiny taste of eel, then practically inhaled the chicken neck meat. Haha. I loved not having to worry separately about what the kids would eat—it was such a good setup for going out for eel as a family.

A Spacious, Comfortable Restaurant with Group Seating

The restaurant was fairly spacious, so the gaps between tables did not feel cramped, and the whole place felt comfortable.

There is group seating as well, so it looked suitable not only for family dinners but also for gatherings or company dinners with a larger group.

Bokbunja Wine Service and Eel Takeaway

Having a glass of bokbunja ju (Korean black raspberry wine) with the eel really made it feel like we were treating ourselves to a restorative meal that day. Haha.

They also sell takeaway eel, not just meals to eat at the restaurant. Takeaway is ₩35,000 and is about 650 g after trimming from 1 kg. If you want to grill eel at home, it seemed like a nice option to take home and share with family.

For a Family Dinner in Jijok-dong, Daejeon

If you have been hesitating because you want eel but are worried about the kids, I totally recommend Songrimbok Jangeo. You can have unlimited Korean freshwater eel, fresh pork belly, and chicken neck meat, and preschool children eat free, so it is great for a family dinner! Even kids like ours who do not eat much eel ate really well thanks to the chicken neck meat.

My husband and I were happy to finally have a proper eel meal after a long time, and it felt like a satisfying, restorative evening.