Repeat visit for jumbo unaju at Songjeong, Busan eel restaurant: Yuok

What kind of restaurant is Yuok? Osaka-style eel bowls in Songjeong

Yuok is a Japanese rice bowl restaurant on the 1st floor of 47 Songjeong-gangbyeon-ro, Haeundae-gu, near Songjeong Beach in Busan. Let me introduce you to a place where you can eat Osaka-style eel rice bowl without flying to Japan!! I first visited a few months ago, and this is my second time back ☺️☺️💕

• 📍 1F, 47 Songjeong-gangbyeon-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan
• ⏰ Daily 11:00 – 22:00 (break time 15:00–17:00)
• 🚘 Parking (behind the building, roadside parking available)

Parking and the exterior: a mini Kyoto in Busan

There's a dedicated parking lot right behind Yuok, and they said roadside parking on the street next to it is also fine.

Walking toward the entrance, doesn't it already feel very Japanese? Like a mini Kyoto tucked inside Busan^_*~

The weather was a bit cloudy, but somehow that made the mood even better~ The wood-and-tile exterior has that quiet, tidy hanok-like calm to it, so it felt like a little trip and I got to heal for a moment, haha. I'm an eel maniac normally lol, so I walked in with my heart already racing 😆🫶🏻

Waiting area, pets in carriers and high chairs at Yuok

If there's a wait at Yuok, there's a self-service café waiting zone on the 2nd floor! (Such a thoughtful owner...👍🏻) And pets are welcome if you bring them in a carrier. Whether you're grabbing an eel bowl after a walk on Songjeong Beach, or traveling Busan with your dog — since dog-friendly spots are limited — this could make a really nice stop on the itinerary!!

I sat at the bar counter, and they also have large tables for 3-4 people.

Yuok also has baby chairs ready, so families visiting with little ones can eat comfortably too 👶🏻 Even babies who love eel can enjoy a nice meal with mom and dad!!!

What we ordered: jumbo unaju set and fried shrimp

My order was the jumbo unaju set, fried shrimp, and orange juice :)

Check out the receipt review event too ><

After ordering, there were cute cat figurines on the wall so I looked around >< I love kitties so much 💕💕💕 I'm such a sucker for cute little cat props haha

Since I quit soda, I've been loving places that serve roasted barley tea these days.

The step-by-step instructions for how to eat it deliciously are so nice, even for first-timers.

How does the jumbo unaju taste? Eel bigger than a palm

The unaju set finally arrived, and it's seriously huge, right??? They didn't call it 'jumbo' for nothing. It's bigger than my palm. That Osaka-style eel bowl that was all over Instagram Reels a while back! Getting to have it in Busan without going all the way to Osaka is the best ㅠㅠ?

Time for the eel cutting ceremony 🤭 The moist eel flesh looked so appetizing my mouth was watering. The fluffy rolled egg on top made it look even more generous!

My favorite combo is piling on wasabi, chopped green onion, and seaweed!!lol The eel had zero fishy taste, the flesh was soft and moist, and the sweet-savory tare sauce was excellent 👍🏻 The sauce soaked into the eel so well that the more I ate it with rice, the more the umami kept building. I ate so much I lost count.

They even gave two kinds of sauce for the fried shrimp, so I alternated between them to my taste 🍤

Eating guide step 3: making ochazuke at the table

I followed Yuok's method #3 for how to eat it deliciously and made myself a pretty bowl of ochazuke. I used to love pouring water over rice as a kid, so making ochazuke is something I really enjoy too 🤤🤤🤤

Eel really makes everything better ㅠㅠ🖤🖤🖤

Verdict after a second visit to Yuok

Overall, Songjeong's Yuok satisfied me from the space to the food 💛 After a hearty bowl of eel rice, I genuinely felt nourished. It's a great dish for eel lovers, of course, but also easy to enjoy even for people who don't eat eel often ☺️

More than anything, since it doesn't have the typical Songjeong restaurant vibe but instead feels like a little trip somewhere else, the whole meal felt more special ^^ If you're looking for a restaurant with a different atmosphere in Songjeong, I recommend Yuok — you can see the sea, eat delicious eel, and soak in some Japanese ambiance for a while 🌿🤎