Gwangju eel restaurant, 2-hour weekend wait for 1kg: Deokeun Jangeo

On the days I crave eel, I always have the same worries. It has to taste good, the price can't be scary, and parking has to be easy. Deokeun Jangeo (더큰장어) in Yangsan-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju, which I visited recently, ticked every box, so I want to introduce it. It works for family dinners, meals with your parents and company dinners, and I'd go back 100%.

Where is Deokeun Jangeo, and what are its hours and parking?

Deokeun Jangeo Main Branch is at 596 Haseo-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju (1st floor). It is open daily from 11:00 to 22:00, with last order at 20:30.

The restaurant is on Haseo-ro and has a large private parking lot, so it's easy to come by car. It's open from 11:00 to 22:00 and big enough for group visits too.

How long is the weekend wait at Deokeun Jangeo?

The writer arrived before opening on a weekend and still waited a whole 2 hours. It's called one of Gwangju's top 3 eel restaurants, and the writer felt there's a reason for that.

All of Gwangju is here! I went before the weekend opening time and still waited a full 2 hours.. The busiest place I've been to lately. No wonder it's called one of Gwangju's top 3 eel restaurants.

How much is the eel at Deokeun Jangeo? 1kg for ₩29,000

The biggest strength of Deokeun Jangeo is that you can enjoy fresh freshwater eel (pungcheon minmul jangeo) at a reasonable price. Like at a butcher shop, the weight and price are labeled so customers can see and choose, which made me trust it even more.

Don't be shocked, everyone! 1kg of eel for ₩29,000.. and takeout customers even get 10% off prepped eel and 5% off par-grilled eel. I seriously wonder if the owner makes any profit..

So do they use cheap eel? NO!! You can watch the eel being handled right in front of you, and they say they bring it directly from partner antibiotic-free fish farms. I felt Deokeun Jangeo is the only place in Gwangju where you can eat fresh eel this cheaply!

Deokeun Jangeo doesn't accept cash, card only. It's also a certified seller of domestic freshwater eel, which boosts the trust even more!

Besides eel, they also sell eel soup, tteokgalbi, eel extract, and Pororo drinks for kids. The eel extract would be perfect as a gift for parents who've run low on energy, don't you think?

How to use Deokeun Jangeo, and the table setting fee

The system at Deokeun Jangeo in Gwangju is simple: pick your eel at the ground-floor shop, then go up to the 2nd-floor restaurant and grill it yourself.

The table setting fee is ₩4,000 per adult and ₩2,000 per preschool child, so keep that in mind!

What's the 2nd-floor dining room like? Big windows and rice-paddy views

The moment you walk into the 2nd-floor dining room, big windows open onto a view of the rice paddies, and eating with such an open view was so nice.

It's not a stuffy space, so it's good for family gatherings and company dinners, and with high chairs available, it looked easy to visit with kids too.

Deokeun Jangeo's self-bar and basic table setting

Deokeun Jangeo also has a well-stocked self-bar. Ssam vegetables, pickles (jangajji), kimchi, various sauces and more are yours to take as much as you like, so you can enjoy the eel in all kinds of combinations. The side dishes were kept clean, and I was very satisfied.

The basic table setting comes with myeongi-namul (pickled wild garlic-like greens), ssam-mu (pickled radish wraps), scallion kimchi, napa cabbage kimchi, lettuce, ssamjang, garlic, ginger and pickled onions. Ask the staff if you want more scallion kimchi; the rest you get from the self-bar. Do you know what, everyone..? The scallion kimchi at Deokeun Jangeo is seriously amazing.

I read the tips for grilling eel well very carefully, then put the eel on the charcoal.

1kg of eel for 2 adults: how big was it?

There were two of us adults, so we ordered 1kg of eel. Can you see how overwhelmingly big it is? It was so heavy my arms shook while grilling. I need to make my husband do more upper-body workouts.

The eel was thick and plump, and you could feel the freshness even before grilling. Grilled golden over real charcoal, the first bite filled my mouth with rich, nutty flavor, crispy outside and moist inside, with that tender texture eel is known for.

Look at the eel cooking nicely! Staff walk around changing the charcoal and explaining when to eat, so grilling wasn't difficult at all.

A dreamy golden-brown look! Just looking at it, don't you feel it would restore your strength?

One bite and I was like, wow, this is the eel of my life! I love eel and have been to most of the well-known eel places, but the eel at Deokeun Jangeo was so good it makes my top 3.

The eel itself is so fresh and tasty that it's great on its own, and wrapped with ginger, garlic and scallion kimchi, it's pure heaven..!

How is the eel soup as a meal?

After enjoying the grilled eel, I finished with a spicy eel soup (jangeo-tang), and it was really satisfying.

The broth was rich but not heavy, with a deep, nutty flavor that kept my spoon going. The deep umami of the eel blended with the dried cabbage greens (ugeoji) and vegetables for a clean yet spicy taste.

There was plenty of eel meat with a good chew and almost no fishy taste, so even first-time eel eaters should be able to enjoy it. Adding a bowl of rice made it a filling meal, and a worthy health-boosting dish.

Pay the table setting fee and any extra menu items at the restaurant counter in front of the stairs!

This isn't an ice cream shop, right..? There was even ice cream offered as a review event! A truly perfect meal all the way to the end.

Overall verdict: so good I got takeout too

If you want to eat eel properly in Gwangju, Deokeun Jangeo was a thoroughly satisfying choice. Fresh eel, a spacious restaurant, easy parking and a tidy self-bar all scored high, and the quality for the price was excellent. I was so happy that I even took some home. If you need some strength-boosting food or are planning a special meal out, I recommend giving it a visit.