Eel restaurant in Buk-gu, Gwangju for group dining: Deokeun Jangeo

This was already our second visit to Deokeun Jangeo with my parents! It was totally delicious, and the atmosphere felt upscale too, so I highly recommend it!

Deokeun Jangeo Main Branch Address: 596 Haseo-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, South Korea Hours: 11:00–22:00 Last order: 20:30

Choose your eel downstairs, then eat upstairs

Deokeun Jangeo is spacious, and the first floor has the feel of a direct sales market where you can buy your eel. You purchase as much as you want downstairs, get assigned a table, then head up to the second floor to eat! Parking is incredibly easy too, with a huge lot, so I think it is such a great place for groups.

I came with my family and bought enough for four people, and we ate until we were full with about ₩50,000 worth! The eels were seriously big and neatly packaged by price, so you can just choose what suits your budget!

Charcoal tables and a self-service spread

Once you order, they set up your place and tell you your table number. You sit at that table and grill the eel, and I loved that it was over charcoal! Everything on the table was so clean and neatly arranged too!

I have been to quite a few eel restaurants, but all of the side dishes here were cleanly presented and delicious. The napa cabbage kimchi was especially amazing, so I ate it together with the eel! Every side dish was good, and because the place runs a self-service bar, it was nice to take as much as we needed!!

Grilling big, plump eel over charcoal

The eel quality was so good, and the pieces were large, beautifully colored, and plump—just totally delicious. Best of all, the price was affordable, so the whole family could enjoy a nourishing meal without feeling burdened! It became my parents' favorite restaurant, and they were practically ready to go every weekend..!!

I think eel really tastes best grilled over charcoal. The eel here was seriously huge, and the grill was large too, so it was easy to cook. My husband grilled it so well that the whole family could eat comfortably. Best husband 🤍

True to its name, Deokeun Jangeo's eel was really large, plump, and full of meat, with such a wonderfully chewy texture!

Deokeun Jangeo's self-service bar was so well stocked, with lots of vegetables, side dishes that went beautifully with eel, and fruit! They kept refilling it right away, which was great, and there was so much variety that the table-setting fee did not feel wasteful at all!

The eel was excellent overall and so easy to enjoy without feeling burdened. The charcoal heat was strong, so I was nervous it might burn, but it cooked surprisingly well and tasted wonderful. My partner grilled it beautifully golden brown!

Just cut it into easy-to-eat pieces and cook both sides until moist, and your grilled eel is ready. The atmosphere felt upscale, it was good for family groups and larger gatherings, and the restaurant itself is spacious.

Vegetable wraps and eel soup for dessert

It was delicious simply dipped in sauce, but personally I loved wrapping it with vegetables, and it was such a good combination with myeonginamul (pickled garlic leaves) too.

We also ordered eel soup for dessert, and it was seriously rich, with a delicious broth and a generous portion—just perfect to finish the meal!