Bongmyeong-dong group dinner spot for hagfish and chicken: Jinppaei

Jinppaei is a charcoal-grilled hagfish bar located in the building next to Mad Block in Bongmyeong-dong, Daejeon, tucked inside a dining alley. Did you know there's a hot charcoal-grill bar famous near Mad Block in Bongmyeong-dong? Today I'll introduce Jinppaei, currently a hot spot known as one of Daejeon's best hagfish restaurants. I'll give you an honest review, so stick with me until the end haha 😁

Jinppaei hours and group bookings

• Hours: Tuesday–Saturday 18:00–02:00
• Regular closed day: every Sunday
• Reservations accepted
• Group visits welcome

How to find Jinppaei near Mad Block in Bongmyeong-dong

Jinppaei is located near Mad Block in Bongmyeong-dong, and even though it's tucked into a dining alley, it was easy to find. Since they catch the fresh seafood themselves, the quality really stood out.

Jinppaei menu: wild hagfish, chicken and combo sets

Jinppaei's menu features their signature wild hagfish along with conger eel, grilled shellfish, and more. There are also set menus for reasonable pricing, and they even have seasoned grilled chicken, so people who aren't into hagfish can still enjoy the meal together.

They also have grilled pig's feet or seasoned pig tail, and raw sea squirt, with origin labeling posted for reference. There were also detailed notes on how to eat the food and info on a review event.

Inside Jinppaei: is it good for a company dinner?

The interior at Jinppaei had a strong retro feel, and true to a hot-spot bar near Mad Block, hygiene management was solid. With plenty of tables, it was perfect for gatherings or company dinners ❗

A closer look at the Jinppaei order

Table setting and the complimentary bean sprout soup

Jinppaei's basic table setting included seasoned vegetables, quail eggs, tomato, baek-kimchi (white kimchi), lettuce wraps, and sauces, plus a complimentary bean sprout soup served in a hot stone bowl. They also gave out one heotgae (Hovenia dulcis) stick per person — a really thoughtful touch.

Grilled wild hagfish, 3 servings (1 salted + 2 seasoned)

We chose the grilled wild hagfish and requested a mix of salted and seasoned versions.

For the main dish, a staff member came around and grilled it for us directly, so we could eat comfortably 🤞 It was so fresh it was still wriggling.

The grilled wild hagfish was cooked just right — the texture was chewy and the savory flavor was excellent. It was great wrapped in lettuce or eaten plain, either way it was pure deliciousness. It also seemed approachable enough for first-timers to try without hesitation.

Whole-garlic seasoned grilled chicken, 14,000 won

After eating for a while we still felt a bit short on food, so we ordered the whole-garlic seasoned grilled chicken. The portion was really generous for what was supposedly a single serving.

The flavor was spicy-sweet with a distinctive smoky char that left an impression. There was no unpleasant smell, just clean flavor — an amazing pairing with drinks.

Drink prices: soju 5,000 won, beer 5,500 won

We ordered soju and beer to drink, which paired nicely with the food for a light drinking session. If you're looking for a gathering spot, this place would be perfect.

Final verdict on Jinppaei

👀Jinppaei, one of Daejeon's best hagfish restaurants, has decent accessibility being located near Mad Block in Bongmyeong-dong. True to its status as a hot-spot bar, the atmosphere was genuinely stylish and the staff were kind, which I really liked. The grilled wild hagfish and seasoned chicken we had that day matched surprisingly well 👌 I think I'll come back whenever the craving hits. I'd recommend it to anyone wanting high-quality food, anyone searching for one of Daejeon's best hagfish restaurants, or anyone wanting a reasonably priced meal 😊