Charcoal-grilled eel at the bar seats near Yeoksam Station: Chisot Yeoksam

Today I'm sharing an honest review of Chisot Yeoksam, an authentic Nagoya-style freshwater eel rice bowl restaurant near Yeoksam where you can enjoy a refined, upscale bowl of restorative food.

I've had a heavy workload lately and my energy's been dipping, so I was craving a proper Japanese restorative meal, and this is where the search led me. Even before walking in, a bold line at the entrance — "Rising flames, rising strength, in every bite" — had me hyped up.

The space & the binchotan charcoal show

Walking inside, the warm yet sleek modern wood-toned interior stood out right away. Beyond the cozy group tables, there's a well-set-up straight bar counter where you'd feel zero awkwardness dining solo — perfect for Yeoksam office workers grabbing lunch alone.

Sitting at the bar gives you the best view in the house: through the kitchen glass, you can watch the chef grilling eel live over binchotan charcoal! Flames flare up dramatically as the eel turns golden-brown, and watching him brush on the special tare sauce for extra depth of flavor had me salivating on the spot.

Menu & ordering info

The menu centers on the signature hitsumabushi (freshwater eel rice bowl), alongside salmon rice bowl (sake-don), chashu-don, and a special bento available only for weekday lunch.

• Hitsumabushi mini: ₩25,000
• Hitsumabushi sang (regular): ₩37,000
• Hitsumabushi teuksang (premium): ₩48,000
• Sake-don: ₩16,500 / Shoyu sake-don: ₩17,500
• Chashu-don: ₩14,000

I went with the restaurant's signature hitsumabushi sang!

The ultimate in refinement: a single-serving full course

Shortly after, the staff brought out a beautifully arranged solo course on a neat wooden tray. It looked so clean and pampering I couldn't not take photos. Alongside the main hitsumabushi came chawanmushi (Japanese steamed egg custard) topped with shrimp and smooth as pudding, a refreshing salmon salad, yakumi made of scallion, wasabi and seaweed flakes, pickled ginger and chili, warm miso soup, and warm broth with a wooden paddle for ochazuke,

plus an empty bowl, all fully thought out. The chawanmushi as a starter melted the second it hit my mouth, like pudding, and was a lovely way to warm up my stomach.

They say the main eel is Grade 1 domestic Japonica freshwater eel only, brushed with Chisot's own tare sauce aged for 72 hours, and grilled three times over charcoal — and it truly was the textbook definition of crisp-outside, tender-inside. The outside had a satisfying crunch while the inside was plump and soft, with the charcoal aroma running deep, so there was none of that usual eel heaviness.

Four ways to enjoy hitsumabushi at 200%

Following the guide provided, I divided the rice into four portions with the wooden paddle and tried it in different combinations.

• First (as is): Scoop into the empty bowl and eat the eel and rice plain. You get the full depth of the charcoal aroma and the salty-sweet tare sauce.
• Second (with yakumi): Add scallion, wasabi and seaweed flakes and mix it through. The sharp wasabi and crisp scallion make the flavor more layered and clean.
• Third (ochazuke): Pour warm ochazuke broth generously over the eel and rice. The savory, nutty flavor explodes — personally my favorite combination of all!
• Fourth: I finished off the last of the rice with my favorite method from step three, the ochazuke style, for a clean and satisfying close.

Final thoughts & visiting tips

Top-grade Japonica eel, a lovingly made 72-hour-aged tare sauce, and a charcoal-grilling show unfolding right before your eyes — nothing was lacking in this meal.

If you're near Yeoksam Station wanting a hearty, proper restorative meal, or looking for a spot for an important gathering or date, I highly recommend Chisot Yeoksam.