Unlimited eel near a Seongsu small theater, ₩29,900: Songnim Bok

What is Songnim Bok Jangeo Seongsu Branch?

Songnim Bok Jangeo Unlimited Freshwater Eel Seongsu Branch (송림복장어 민물장어 무한리필 성수직영점) is a restaurant in Seongsu where you grill all-you-can-eat freshwater eel, thick pork belly and chicken neck. I always thought eel was too pricey to eat often, but I found an unlimited eel spot in Seongsu! From fresh freshwater eel to pork belly and chicken neck, it's all unlimited with no pressure, and I was seriously happy with it.

📍 Songnim Bok Jangeo Unlimited Freshwater Eel Seongsu Branch — 148 Seongdeokjeong-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 1st floor 🕖 Hours: daily 11:50–23:00

Location and atmosphere

The Seongsu branch is near the Seongsu small theater. It's a bit of a walk from the subway station, but it turns out to be a well-known favorite among Seongsu locals.

The restaurant felt clean and tidy, comfortable for a relaxed meal. It works for a dinner with friends, a family meal, a date or a group gathering, no problem.

When I visited, it was packed with Seongsu locals. Even in Seongsu, where hot spots are everywhere, a place the neighborhood residents go to says a lot about how satisfying the food is.

How much is the unlimited eel in Seongsu?

The unlimited plan at Songnim Bok Jangeo Seongsu Branch is ₩29,900 for adults and ₩14,000 for elementary school students, plus a separate ₩3,000 per person table-setting fee (not charged for elementary school students).

• Unlimited plan, adult: ₩29,900
• Unlimited plan, elementary school student: ₩14,000
• Table-setting fee: ₩3,000 per person (elementary school students excluded)

Even a single eel is a pricey thought these days, so unlimited eel at this price is a steal, right? 😮 And it's not just eel: thick pork belly and chicken neck are unlimited too, which made it even more satisfying.

Eel is the food that naturally comes to mind for boosting your stamina, but the price often keeps you from eating as much as you'd like. At Songnim Bok Jangeo, you can eat as much as you want 👏

What's at the self-serve bar?

The self-serve bar has shredded ginger, pickled perilla leaves, white kimchi, green onion kimchi, pickled onion, garlic, chili peppers, ssamjang (dipping paste) and lettuce. The bar was well stocked too, one more plus for this Seongsu eel spot.

Everything you need for eel is there to help yourself: shredded ginger, a must with eel, plus pickled perilla leaves, white kimchi, green onion kimchi, pickled onion, garlic, chili peppers, ssamjang and lettuce.

How was the freshwater eel?

Songnim Bok Jangeo is said to be a partner business of the freshwater eel farming fisheries cooperative. Maybe that's why the eel looked really fresh. Being able to eat as much grilled eel as you want is great value 👏

Not just eel but pork belly and chicken neck are also unlimited, so you can enjoy things your own way. Eating only eel can get tiring, but switching between several kinds meant I never got sick of it until the end.

How to grill freshwater eel over charcoal

The freshwater eel at Songnim Bok Jangeo is grilled by yourself over charcoal. Start with the skin side facing down.

• Grill with the skin side down first
• Once golden on both sides, remove the middle of the back, the side fins and so on
• Cut into bite-size pieces and grill until more golden, and you're done!

The outside was slightly crisp while the inside stayed moist, so the texture was really good. It had that rich, nutty eel flavor without being too oily, so you keep eating without feeling weighed down! The eel was plumper than I expected, with a nice chew, and I couldn't taste any fishy smell.

Opening event: free bokbunja wine

Songnim Bok Jangeo Seongsu is a new place that opened on May 16 this year, and as an opening event, each table gets one free bottle of bokbunja (Korean black raspberry wine).

Eel plus bokbunja wine is love 🤍 Run over before the opening event ends!

Eel sauces: teriyaki and spicy

The eel sauces were teriyaki and spicy, and each had its own charm, so I alternated between them. And you can't have eel without ginger, right? Put shredded ginger on the eel, dip it in teriyaki sauce and wrap it in lettuce 🤤

After a proper stamina boost with eel, I moved on to grilling thick pork belly and chicken neck. They really soak up that charcoal aroma.

How are the unlimited chicken neck and pork belly?

The chicken neck at Songnim Bok Jangeo had a chewy texture and got nuttier the more I chewed, and even with just salt there was no gamey smell. I really love chicken neck. Unlimited chicken neck, which is hard to find normally... 🤍 It went well with the spicy sauce too, and I highly recommend it as a drinking snack 👍

The thick pork belly had a good balance of rich fat and clean-tasting lean meat, and it was so juicy and delicious.

I also made wraps with white kimchi,

and the green onion kimchi at Songnim Bok Jangeo Seongsu was crunchy, tangy and delicious. Eaten with the pork belly, it became an endless combo 🤤

Is Songnim Bok Jangeo Seongsu Branch worth recommending?

Grilled eel is hard to eat often because of the price, but at Songnim Bok Jangeo Seongsu Branch you can enjoy not only freshwater eel but also pork belly and chicken neck to your heart's content, which is excellent value! The staff were friendly and the self-serve bar was kept clean, so I felt good throughout the meal. Recommended 🤍