Hongdae Japanese lunch by a sunny window: sake-don, Jongno Donburi

What is Jongno Donburi Yeonnam like?

Jongno Donburi Yeonnam (종로돈부리 연남) is a Japanese restaurant near Hongik Univ. Station, in the Yeonnam area. Donburi means "Japanese rice bowl." It started in Jongno and has now settled in Yeonnam too, a whole 17 years in business 🍥

The restaurant says it sells ingredients and dishes on the day, and for salmon in particular, it serves salmon aged fresh every dawn! I'd recommend it if you're looking for a place with a nice atmosphere and good Japanese food.

Jongno Donburi Yeonnam hours and info

• Mon–Fri 11:30 - 21:30
• Sat–Sun 11:30 - 21:00
• Break time 16:00 - 17:00
• Takeout and delivery available
• No parking
• Groups welcome (2-6 people)

What are the exterior and interior like?

Jongno Donburi Yeonnam is a quiet Japanese restaurant with wood-toned interiors, soft lighting and gentle music. The exterior really catches the eye. Isn't it so pretty,,, 🌟 The moment I stepped in, I felt like I was in Japan.

The inside was all wood tones, and the soft lighting was really charming. The atmosphere was so good. I remember the music being calm, not loud :) We visited at lunchtime, and quite a few guests had come in pairs.

Are there solo seats, two-person tables and group seating?

There were seats for solo diners and quite a few two-person tables. The window seat where I sat got warm sunlight, which made it even better! Groups are welcome too, so keep that in mind (up to 6 people).

How do you order at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam?

There's no kiosk here; the staff take your order in person. These days almost everywhere uses kiosks, right? Here you just look over the menu, decide, and tell a staff member.

On the staff's recommendation, and as a salmon lover, we ordered the sake-don (salmon rice bowl). (They recommended the salmon dishes because the salmon that came in at dawn was really fresh!) The menu is wide: rice bowls / nabe (hot pot) / salmon / udon / tempura / sides.

What side dishes come with the meal?

The basic sides are danmuji (pickled yellow radish) and spicy pickles, and instead of water you get cold tea. They come out neatly on cute little plates. The pickles were quite a bit spicier than I expected.

I also loved that you get tea rather than plain water 🍵 While you sip the cold tea and wait, the sake-don comes out quickly!

How was the sake-don (₩18,000)?

The sake-don is ₩18,000, and the salmon was thick and really fresh. Can't you feel the freshness just from the photo?! They say the salmon is aged by hand every dawn. I truly love salmon, and it was so thick and delicious that I was happy.

How the staff told us to eat the sake-don

A staff member kindly explained how to enjoy it! The rice underneath is already seasoned, so you don't need soy sauce, and they recommended wrapping the salmon around the rice like sushi 🍥

Can you see that plump salmon,,,, It's good with the rice, good on its own, and good with a little wasabi on top 🤍

Verdict: is Jongno Donburi Yeonnam worth visiting?

I give Jongno Donburi Yeonnam a big 5/5 🌟 Some places serve salmon that isn't fresh, but here the salmon was so fresh and delicious!

The mood was quiet, with everyone chatting softly over their food, which I personally loved. And I think staff matter as much as the food: here the staff took our order so kindly, explained how to eat it, and were just so sweet 🥹 I recommend it to anyone looking for a good Japanese restaurant near Hongik Univ. Station :)