Donggok eel restaurant for company dinners, 10% off to go: Yuil

Colds were going around again, and I wanted something to build my strength back up. So I went to Yuil Jangeo (유일장어), a well-known eel restaurant in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju. The place is huge and you choose your own eel, so it looked good for family meals and group gatherings in Gwangju too. Here's what I thought of the parking, the menu, the eel and the eel soup.

Where is Yuil Jangeo, and is parking easy?

Yuil Jangeo is in Donggok, between Gwangju and Naju (343 Donggok-ro, Gwangsan-gu, 1st floor). There's a big private parking lot behind the building, so parking was really easy. The building itself is very large, so you can spot it from far away. Even with a family gathering or a big group, you won't have to worry about parking. From the outside it had the feel of a large eel specialist.

Inside Yuil Jangeo: good for company dinners and groups?

Inside, there are rooms for groups and company dinners, plus hall tables split into meal-only and grill-only areas. You can reserve a room, and the tables were roomy. So it looked fine not just for family outings but also for company dinners and gatherings with lots of people, haha.

The self-serve bar at Yuil Jangeo has everything from sauces to lettuce wraps and all kinds of side dishes, so you can bring over as much as you want.

How do you order at Yuil Jangeo?

Ordering at Yuil Jangeo was a little different: you pick prepped, aged eel at the counter and pay first. The eel is laid out already cleaned and aged, so you choose the eel you want to eat and pay up front!

How much should two people pick?

We picked about ₩36,000 worth of eel for two at Yuil Jangeo, and it was quite a lot for the two of us, haha. Since you choose the amount yourself, just pick as much as you'll eat for your group size.

Once you've picked and paid, the kitchen pre-grills the eel and brings it to your table. So all you do at the table is grill it a little more and enjoy!

How was the grilled eel at Yuil Jangeo?

When you order eel at Yuil Jangeo, they set the table with basics to eat alongside: myeongi-namul (pickled wild garlic greens), green onion kimchi, lettuce wraps and more.

And here comes the pre-grilled eel!! You place the eel upright and grill it bit by bit. Eel changes in taste depending on how it's grilled, but it arrives pre-grilled so you only need to give it a light grill, which was convenient.

The eel at Yuil Jangeo was thick and plump, and clean-tasting with almost no fishy smell. It turned golden bit by bit!! Just looking at it, it was big and delicious-looking 🫢 I tried it once it was nicely grilled, and while eel can sometimes taste fishy if it's not done right, this was clean. The meat was soft and mild, so it was great even on its own 👍🏻👍🏻 And there were lots of sauces, from spicy to teriyaki, so you can dip it however you like.

Is the eel soup at Yuil Jangeo good for lunch?

The eel soup at Yuil Jangeo had a fairly spicy broth and, maybe because it has eel in it, tasted rich and delicious. Eel soup..! I couldn't not order it, and I liked it best with rice. I had one eel soup with rice before the eel came out and finished a whole meal before the eel even arrived..😌 I was so busy eating the moment I saw it that I never got a photo, sorry ㅜㅜ If you're stuck on a lunch idea in Gwangju, I recommend the eel soup at Yuil Jangeo, haha.

Takeout, courier delivery and after-meal coffee at Yuil Jangeo

For takeout at Yuil Jangeo, prepped eel gets 10% off and pre-grilled eel gets 5% off, I was told. As you'd expect from an eel specialist, takeout and courier delivery are both available, and delivery seems like a good way to send eel as a gift to family or friends who love it. After your meal, there's also a coffee machine in the restaurant, so you can have a cup of coffee ☕️

Yuil Jangeo location and hours at a glance

• Location: 343 Donggok-ro, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju (1st floor)
• Hours: daily 11:00-21:00 (last order 20:30)
• Parking: private lot behind the building
• Group and room reservations available
• Takeout and courier delivery available (takeout discounts apply)
• Table setting fee (per person)
• Lunch special menu available
• Naver Place and receipt events running
• Rating: ★★★★★ / Would revisit: ★★★★☆

Eating eel and then a hearty eel soup too made it a day where I felt properly restored 🙆🏻‍♀️ If you're looking for eel in Gwangju or a good place in Donggok or Gwangsan-gu, Yuil Jangeo is worth a visit!