Corkage-friendly eel dinner for groups in Myeonmok: Cheonsangae

Today I went looking for a good spot to eat grilled eel near Sagajeong Station and ended up at Cheonsangae Jangeoga Myeonmok Sagajeong Branch. They grill domestic freshwater eel over charcoal, and it's not just eel — you also get stone sushi, doenjang jjigae, and grilled potato all in one spread, so I came away pretty full.

How to get to Cheonsangae Jangeoga in Myeonmok, and where to park

For anyone hunting for a grilled eel restaurant near Sagajeong Station, Cheonsangae Jangeoga Myeonmok Sagajeong Branch is at 370 Myeonmok-ro, 1st floor, Jungnang-gu, Seoul. It's about 379m from Exit 1 of Sagajeong Station (Line 7), so it's easy to walk to. It also sits between Myeonmok and Sagajeong stations, so both are convenient.

Parking near Cheonsangae Jangeoga

Cheonsangae Jangeoga Myeonmok Sagajeong Branch doesn't have its own parking lot, so if you're driving, it's worth checking nearby paid parking ahead of time.

Inside Cheonsangae Jangeoga: hours, seating and what's available

The seating is clean and the lighting is warm-toned. Haha.

Hours are weekdays 11:30–21:30 with a break time from 15:00 to 17:00; no break time on weekends.

• Birthday and anniversary perks
• Group bookings available, private hire available
• Takeout and reservations available
• High chairs and waiting area available
• Wifi
• Wheelchair-accessible entrance
• No pets allowed
• Corkage allowed

At the self-serve bar you could take as much leafy greens and other sides as you wanted to eat.

Cheonsangae Jangeoga menu and prices

The signature dish here is the charcoal-grilled wild ginseng freshwater eel. It's ₩79,000 for 2 people, ₩119,000 for 3, and ₩158,000 for 4. On weekday lunches there's also a charcoal-grilled eel lunch special for 2 at ₩59,000, and an eel soup set for ₩9,000!

There are actually seven different service perks and events.

There's a complimentary nurungji sungnyung (scorched rice tea) served after the meal — just ask for it about 10 minutes ahead.

See the potato over on the right? Haha, that's the grand finale. This time I visited in the evening and ordered the charcoal-grilled wild ginseng freshwater eel set for 2 at ₩79,000. They said they use domestic charcoal from Yeoju, so I was looking forward to seeing the eel actually grilled.

What comes with the charcoal-grilled wild ginseng eel set for two (79,000 won)

Here we go — the charcoal-grilled wild ginseng freshwater eel set for 2 at ₩79,000.

That thing that looks like a scallion root is actually cultivated wild ginseng root. It's served alongside the eel to eat together.

The 2-person charcoal-grilled wild ginseng eel set doesn't come with just eel — stone sushi, doenjang jjigae, and various side dishes all come out with it.

And the eel goes on the charcoal!

It's fine plain, dipped in salt, but eating it with shredded ginger cuts the richness so I kept reaching for more. Put a piece of eel on a pickled perilla leaf, add garlic and ginger shreds together... and it's maximum happiness!!!

Do you know what's on top of that wrap? It's that cultivated wild ginseng root from before! Haha.

The doenjang jjigae also comes as part of the service.

Stone sushi comes out too! I topped it with a bit of grilled eel. Oh, since the eel's fresh off the grill, it's so good — and it goes really well with the rice too!

They grilled wood ear mushrooms for us too. How good could that combo be, right? Haha. Grilled, the wood ear mushroom turns soft but still has a bit of bite, and paired with a piece of eel it worked really well together. It's such a letdown when the grilled eel isn't good at a place, but here — I overheard other diners saying they'd come after hearing about it from locals, and I thought to myself... yeah, I get it, honestly.

Finishing with nurungji sungnyung and grilled potato

That final nurungji sungnyung really rounds things off perfectly, doesn't it? I was already too full for rice, but the scorched rice tea went down so smoothly. And it's not even over yet?!

Finally pulling out the potato. This was the thing I'd secretly been waiting for at the end — I'd forgotten about it while eating the eel, but I pulled it out at the very end.

Cooked under the charcoal fire, the potato was soft and fluffy — a great way to end the meal.

Is Cheonsangae Jangeoga a good spot for a group dinner in Myeonmok?

I was also looking for a good place for a group dinner in Sagajeong, and stopped by in the evening to try the grilled eel. I liked that there was so much more than just thick freshwater eel grilled over charcoal — stone sushi, doenjang jjigae, wood ear mushrooms, and a salad bar to pair with it. What I especially liked was that staff grilled the eel for us, so we didn't have to worry about tending the fire and could just eat comfortably. And finishing off with nurungji sungnyung and grilled potato made the meal feel really complete. It's within walking distance of Sagajeong Station too, so it was easy to get to by public transit. I'm keeping this one in mind for the next time I'm craving grilled eel. :)