Weekday lunch eel buffet self-bar in Anrak-dong, Busan: Songnim Bok

With places now selling gimbap (seaweed rice roll) by the half-roll, the economy clearly isn't great, and it seems like more people are hunting for genuinely good value when eating out.

Especially these days, people seem to prefer spots where you can enjoy several different dishes at once rather than just one menu item, and a lot of folks care a lot about generous portions relative to price.

All-you-can-eat spots and Korean buffets in particular have gotten really popular lately, so today I'm posting about a restaurant in Anrak-dong, Busan where you can eat your fill of freshwater eel along with pork belly and chicken thigh.

Where is Songnim Bok Jangeo in Anrak-dong, and where do you park?

The place I'm introducing is Songnim Bok Jangeo Unlimited Freshwater Eel, Busan Dongnae Branch. It's on the 1st floor at 146 Myeongjang-ro, Dongnae-gu, Busan, South Korea, close to Wondong Station on the subway. Unfortunately there's no dedicated parking lot, so if you're driving you'll need to use a nearby parking lot.

I visited on a weekday afternoon, so I was able to eat quietly. The place was well kept and the staff were really friendly.

How much does the eel buffet cost per person?

The per-person price at Songnim Bok Jangeo Busan Dongnae Branch is ₩29,900, plus a separate ₩3,000 table charge. Besides the all-you-can-eat menu, you can also order meal items like eel soup or noodles.

The basic table setting is made up of side dishes that go well with the eel and meat, and it's a nice touch that a bottle of bokbunja (Korean black raspberry) wine is included.

What's on the self-bar: eel, pork belly and chicken neck meat

Eel, pork belly, and chicken thigh come out as a basic serving at first, and after that you can help yourself at the self-bar. Being able to freely grab as much as you want of whatever you're craving made it great for enjoying a variety of meats evenly, and it was convenient being able to add more the moment something ran low.

At some all-you-can-eat places you have to ask staff every time you need more, which can feel a bit awkward, but here being able to grab it yourself was a nice plus.

Since everything gets grilled on a hot plate, the server directly deboned the eel for us to make it easier to eat, and also showed us how.

The heat was strong so the food cooked quickly, and the staff swapped out the grill plate at just the right moment without us even having to ask, which was convenient.

When you keep grilling meat, oil and sauce build up on the plate and it often needs changing — having them swap it out quickly on their own kept the meal flowing without interruption, making the whole experience more comfortable.

How did the freshwater eel taste?

Being a freshwater fish, it did have a bit of that heavier taste unlike saltwater eel, but the flesh was thick and had a satisfying chew. The meat wasn't too thin or mushy — it was firm enough that each bite really let you feel the eel's distinctive texture.

Eating it together with the sauce or seasonings helped tone down that heavier flavor, and it was fun pairing it with the other side dishes.

You can enjoy the eel's own flavor as is, but depending on your taste, adding sauce or pairing it with other side dishes made it a bit easier to eat. It went well with the other side dishes and sauces too, so it seemed like it would appeal to kids as well as adults.

The surprise hit: chicken neck meat on the grill

I honestly didn't have high expectations for the pork belly and chicken thigh, but the chicken thigh surprisingly suited my taste really well. The staff said that on some days it's even more popular than the eel.

Unlike a typical eel buffet, being able to also eat pork and chicken feels like a real strength — honestly, if it had been just eel, I probably would have gotten sick of it quickly and not eaten much.

The price is reasonable and it's close to the subway station, so it's worth a visit if you're in the area.