Late-night gyudon and salmon sashimi in Yeonnam-dong: Jongno Donburi
In short
Jongno Donburi Yeonnam is a Japanese rice bowl restaurant in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul, near Exit 3 of Hongik Univ. Station and the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail. Ordered late in the evening as a light meal, the thick-cut salmon sashimi had the firm, springy texture of aged sashimi, while the gyudon (beef rice bowl) was mild with the onion and beef still distinct. The calm, café-like room at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam suits a date, and the bar seats in front of the open kitchen make solo dining easy.
Good to know
- Address
- 387-18 Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul (9 Donggyo-ro 46-gil, B1)
- Location
- 589m from Hongik Univ. Station Exit 3, in the alley beside Daemyung Vivaldi Apartments on the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail
- Hours
- Mon–Fri 11:30–21:30 / Sat–Sun 11:30–21:00
- Break time
- Weekdays 16:00–17:00, none on weekends
- Last order
- 30 minutes before each closing time
- Ordered
- Gyudon (beef rice bowl), salmon sashimi (special)
- Menu categories
- Seven: rice bowls, donburi, nabe, specials, noodles, sides and drinks
- Seating
- Bar seats in front of the open kitchen, fine for solo diners
as written by the visitor on Sep 19, 2026
Wanting a light meal somewhere with a good atmosphere, I stopped by Jongno Donburi Yeonnam while walking along the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail in Yeontral Park, Yeonnam-dong — a Japanese restaurant known for its café-like interior, perfect for a date.
Where is Jongno Donburi Yeonnam, and what are its hours?
Jongno Donburi Yeonnam is located at 387-18 Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, 589 meters from Hongik Univ. Station Exit 3 (Line 2, Airport Railroad, Gyeongui-Jungang Line). If you know Yeontral Park well, it's easier to find by walking the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail and turning into the alley beside Daemyung Bivendi Apartments.
Hours are Mon–Fri 11:30–21:30, with a weekday break time from 16:00–17:00, and Sat–Sun 11:30–21:00 with no weekend break time. Last order is 30 minutes before closing.
Café-like room and bar seats for solo dining
A Yeonnam-dong Japanese restaurant with a calm, comfortable atmosphere
The entrance of Jongno Donburi Yeonnam is really clean and tidy, greeting you with large plants like olive trees and nandina first ♡ Inside, it felt just like a café, great for a date. In busy, crowded Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong, this calm, comfortable atmosphere really won me over, and the bar seats facing the open kitchen — where you can small-talk with the chef — were also great for eating solo.
What's on the menu at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam?
The menu has roughly seven categories — rice bowls, donburi, nabe, specials, noodles, sides, and drinks. I ordered the gyudon (beef rice bowl) from the rice bowls and salmon sashimi from the specials. I usually go for fried options like ebi-don or tendon, but since it was a late evening I wanted something light, and the staff mentioned the salmon was especially good that day, which turned out to be exactly what I was in the mood for.
Clean Japanese-style barley tea... the crunchy dakuwan (pickled radish) had a great texture, and the garlic scape chili pickles and miso soup were neat and slightly salty, giving me a feeling of having traveled to Japan. Jongno Donburi Yeonnam is a Japanese restaurant in Yeonnam-dong, but it exceeded my expectations in both style and taste — nothing to complain about, and I loved it.
Salmon sashimi: thick cuts with a firm, aged texture
The color of the salmon was excellent, and the thick, generous size of the sashimi added to the chewy bite.
With just a bit of fresh wasabi on top, one bite tasted like aged salmon sashimi. It had that texture that's both soft and firm at the same time, different from raw salmon. It immediately brought back the vivid memory of salmon sashimi aged wrapped in kelp by a well-known chef I once tried.
One piece fills your mouth completely, and the chewy salmon sashimi has that happy flavor only people who've had it truly know.
The gyudon (beef rice bowl) at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam
A rice bowl of softly cooked beef with sautéed onions and rice grains still holding their shape. I set the Japanese-style pickled ginger aside and gently mixed the bowl with chopsticks.
One spoonful of the gyudon at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam — such a mild, comforting flavor! The sautéed onion and beef were seasoned well and each kept its own texture, which really brought out the bowl's flavor. I added the pickled ginger I'd set aside onto a spoonful of gyudon, and since it wasn't too spicy, it blended really well with the bowl.
The crunchy Japanese-style pickled radish had a really unique texture. The chili pickles were tasty too — the care put into the side dishes was so obvious, it really fit a Yeonnam-dong Japanese restaurant. The side dishes cleansed the palate, which made the main dishes even more enjoyable at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam!
Is Jongno Donburi Yeonnam worth a late-evening visit?
A café-like restaurant near Yeontral Park that's great for a date, and a Yeonnam-dong Japanese restaurant where you can enjoy salmon sashimi with an aged texture. Jongno Donburi Yeonnam works whether you're going with a partner, with friends, or eating alone in quiet! Five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Where it is
9 Donggyo-ro 46-gil, B1, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 마포구 동교로46길 9 B1
