Charcoal salt-grilled eel for two in Sangam-dong, Seoul: Ryeok

Mapo, Sangam-dong | Digital Media City Station A grade-1 domestic japonica eel spot 📍Ryeok Minmul Jangeogui Jeonmunjeom (력 민물장어구이전문점)

8-minute walk from Exit 9, Digital Media City Station 11:00–23:00 14:00–16:00 break time Closed every Sunday

How long is the walk to Ryeok from Digital Media City Station?

Ryeok Minmul Jangeogui Jeonmunjeom is a salt-grilled eel specialist located at 37 Seongam-ro 15-gil, 1st floor, Mapo-gu — an 8-minute walk from Exit 9 of Digital Media City Station. Hours are 11:00–23:00, with a break time from 14:00–16:00, and it's closed every Sunday.

Let me show you the vibe of the place with a video first! A salt-grilled eel favorite in Sangam-dong, Mapo "Ryeok" Freshwater Eel Grill

Nature's Viagra: hagfish

I came here after hearing there was a great eel place near Digital Media City Station. Seeing the lively eels swimming in the tank out front already put me at ease — I had a strong feeling I was about to eat really fresh, delicious eel 🖐

After sweating so much all summer and feeling worn out, I've been sleepy and low on energy every afternoon lately. When that happens, the first thing I think of is always "eel." Before and after eating eel feels completely different, so if you're running low on energy these days, I definitely recommend it!

Eel caught and prepped the same day at Ryeok

When I asked the owner, they told me they prepare fresh eel every day and prep it right away for serving. That's why you can really taste the eel's natural clean flavor and chewy texture! Wow, I really found the right place. Same-day catch, same-day prep freshness 👍

It even appeared on SBS's Live Today morning show, recognized as one of Sangam-dong's top 3 eel rice bowl restaurants 📌

"Hojakdo" (tiger-and-magpie painting) — feels like you'll get an energy boost just looking at it!

Ryeok's signature eel dishes and prices

The signature menu at Sangam-dong favorite "Ryeok" includes the special hitsumabushi eel rice bowl (₩27,000), egg eel rice bowl (₩18,000), salt-grilled eel (₩27,000), soy-grilled eel (₩28,000), and seasoned-grilled eel (₩28,000).

• Special hitsumabushi eel rice bowl ₩27,000
• Egg eel rice bowl ₩18,000
• Salt-grilled eel ₩27,000
• Soy-grilled eel ₩28,000
• Seasoned-grilled eel ₩28,000

Why Ryeok uses grade-1 domestic japonica eel

They only use grade-1 domestic japonica eel, which gives the best chewy texture! Fresh eel, prepped the same day, is used.

The restaurant is clean and tidy. With plenty of tables, it's good for group bookings, and it's popular as a Digital Media City work dinner spot!

The place feels tidy and reassuring. The staff working there were also super kind :) When you ask for something, they help right away, quickly and efficiently. Thanks to that, I started the meal feeling comfortable and in a good mood.

Side dishes and the complimentary pollack stew

At Ryeok Minmul Jangeogui Jeonmunjeom, ordering grilled eel gets you a free pollack stew. As for the basic side dishes, there was a generous portion of shredded ginger to eat alongside the eel — great.

Cute, pretty plating

The pollack stew that comes free with the grilled eel order was packed with roe and had that spicy, keep-going-back-for-more flavor! There was even minariminari (water dropwort) placed nicely on top — a dish that shows care beyond just what you ordered :)

Full of fish roe and gonyi (soft roe)♡ It was so good I forgot I even came here for the eel.

There's even Japanese pepper powder!

Salt-grilled eel over charcoal, 27,000 won

Ryeok Minmul Jangeogui Jeonmunjeom's salt-grilled eel is 230g per person (2.5 eels) for ₩27,000, and grilled dishes have a minimum order of 2 portions. The eel comes already grilled to perfection, so you just warm it slightly on the grill and eat right away — so convenient and easy. No smell either, which I have to give credit for — a clean way to eat it 👍

Wow♡ Look at how plump the eel is! 230g per person (2.5 eels) is a generous portion. ✔️Grilled dishes have a minimum order of 2 portions

The garnishes you grill alongside are prettily arranged too, and especially the pineapple — grilled pineapple is even tastier :) Shishito peppers / oyster mushrooms / green onion / whole corn

They really use actual charcoal here. Details like this are exactly what set a place apart.

Quick hands at work! They even brought out cute scallops and grilled them for us.

The food is presented so neatly that it would work perfectly well as a date spot too. It's not a dish that requires a lot of hands-on fuss, so it's great for conversation, and the food is delicious too :)

Deliciously grilling: eel / pineapple / mushroom♡

♥️Wasabi is love♥️ I love wasabi, so I always eat it together with the eel.

Dipped deep into the rich brown special sauce, this place feels like paradise. I heard ginger is really good for women, so I've been eating even more of it :)

What is the special hitsumabushi eel rice bowl?

Ryeok Minmul Jangeogui Jeonmunjeom's signature dish is the special hitsumabushi eel rice bowl (₩27,000), made using the traditional Nagoya-style method of repeatedly steaming and grilling for an extra-soft eel rice bowl. It's also popular as a Sangam-dong lunch work-meal spot — and having come this far, there was no way I wasn't trying the hitsumabushi!

I ate the grilled eel plenty first, and then ordered the eel rice bowl as an extra. ✔️The egg eel rice bowl is also apparently popular as a lunch menu!

Wow, for a moment I thought I was on a trip to Japan! It's hard to find a place that really nails the eel rice bowl, and the visual alone gives off serious expert vibes. The eel is generously packed in, and there's plenty of rice too, so it's perfect as a full meal 👍

Would I go back to Ryeok? Final verdict

It's close to Exit 9 of Digital Media City Station, so accessibility is great, and it's popular for lunch and work dinners. The salt-grilled eel I had today was truly delicious — not the slightest bit greasy, and it paired so well with the special sauce! With a good energy boost and kind staff, I'll be back to Ryeok Minmul Jangeogui Jeonmunjeom for sure! 100% would revisit.