Holiday eel & pork belly buffet for two in Incheon: Songrim Bokjangeo

I finally went out for eel with my partner after a long while. We wanted somewhere we could eat our fill and treat our bodies a little, and we ended up at Songrim Bokjangeo Inha Univ. Hakik-dong branch (송림복장어 민물장어 무한리필 인하대학익동점) in Hakik-dong, Incheon. Eel is pricey, so it's not something I can eat often. When I heard it was all-you-can-eat, I went in with high hopes.

Where is Songrim Bokjangeo in Hakik-dong, and where do you park?

The restaurant is on the 1st floor at 248 Soseong-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon. It's open Monday to Sunday, 10:00–22:00, and parking is available. Use the lot behind the Songrim Bokjangeo building.

It's a convenient spot near Inha University. If you take public transport, get off at the nearby Hakik-dong bus stop and walk over.

Parking is behind the building, so for anyone driving, keep that in mind.

Inside Songrim Bokjangeo's Hakik-dong branch

The restaurant is on the ground floor, so it was easy to find.

It's a space where you grill eel and eat right there, and it was lovely to sit back and take our time with my partner.

Since you can enjoy both eel and meat, it also looked fine for a family meal or a get-together with friends. It's a good place when you want to eat eel to your heart's content near Inha University.

How much is the all-you-can-eat freshwater eel in Hakik-dong?

The all-you-can-eat price at Songrim Bokjangeo is ₩29,900 per adult, plus a separate table setting fee of ₩3,000 per person. Two adults, me and my partner, paid ₩59,800 for the buffet and ₩6,000 in setting fees, ₩65,800 in total.

I'm told the setting fee isn't charged for small children and kids, so keep that in mind if you're coming as a family.

Eel and pork belly, but chicken neck sold out over the holiday

At first, eel and pork belly came out together. I liked that you get meat as well as eel. Eating eel and then switching to pork belly gave us a nice variety of flavors.

However, because of the long holiday, the chicken neck was sold out when we visited. Sadly we couldn't try it, so I'd like to taste it next time.

How was the freshwater eel at Songrim Bokjangeo?

We grilled the freshwater eel on the grill until golden. The outside was nicely browned and the inside was tender. Watching the eel cook just right, I felt like I was properly restoring my energy for the first time in ages.

The well-cooked eel had an appetizing crust outside and a soft inside, with a great texture.

We could taste that rich, nutty eel flavor too.

Adding sides like perilla leaves and ginger gave it a different taste from eating the eel alone.

Wrapping a piece of eel with vegetables made it feel clean and fresh.

Best of all, it's all-you-can-eat, so if we ran short we could just get more. For eel lovers, it's a relief not to worry about the amount.

Side dishes that go well with eel

Songrim Bokjangeo had sides that go well with eel, including kimchi, perilla leaves, garlic and pa-kimchi (scallion kimchi). You can't have eel without the sides, right?

A piece of eel with a side made a great balance of flavors, and eating vegetables in between kept the meal feeling clean. Alternating eel and pork belly also meant we got less tired of it than eating just one thing.

Verdict on the Hakik-dong, Incheon eel buffet

Songrim Bokjangeo Inha Univ. Hakik-dong branch let us enjoy eel and pork belly together. The adult buffet is ₩29,900 per person, with a separate ₩3,000 table setting fee. For two adults it came to ₩65,800, so keep that in mind before you go.

I was sorry I couldn't try the chicken neck because it was sold out that day, but we ate plenty of eel and were happy. If you're looking for a good eel spot near Inha University, or a place for a family meal or gathering in Hakik-dong, put Songrim Bokjangeo on your list.