Solo eel dinner in Buk-gu, Gwangju: 830g for ₩40,080 at Deokeun Jangeo
In short
Deokeun Jangeo Main Branch is an eel market-and-grill restaurant on Haseo-ro in Buk-gu, Gwangju. Diners pick their own eel at the direct sales market downstairs — 830g came to ₩40,080 — then grill it themselves on the second floor, with eel soup available as an add-on. The eel at Deokeun Jangeo is remarkably thick and the private lot fits 80 cars, making it an easy pick when you need an energy-restoring meal.
Good to know
- Address
- 596 Haseo-ro, 1st floor, Buk-gu, Gwangju
- Hours
- Daily 11:00–22:00 (last order 20:30)
- What was paid
- 830g of eel for ₩40,080
- Parking
- Large private lot with room for 80 cars
- How it works
- Pick and pay for your eel at the direct sales market → go upstairs to grill it yourself → pay the table-setting fee and any extra dishes after the meal
- Price reference
- ₩40,080 ≈ $29.5 (2026-09-15)
as written by the visitor on Sep 6, 2026
Today I want to introduce a seriously good restaurant that gave me a proper recovery meal. I've been feeling a bit run down lately, so I went looking for something good for the body and delicious too — and ended up at Deokeun Jangeo Main Branch, famous as an eel restaurant in Gwangju. I was completely won over by how big and firm the eel looked 😍🙌
Where is Deokeun Jangeo Main Branch, and is there parking?
Deokeun Jangeo Main Branch is on the 1st floor at 596 Haseo-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, South Korea, open daily from 11:00 to 22:00 with last order at 20:30. There's a large private parking lot 🚗👍
The storefront and the 80-car parking lot
Why is this place so grand and shiny? It's huge, spotless, and I loved it right away 👍
Wait... they're saying the parking lot fits 80 cars at once?
This is really an eel restaurant, right? I didn't come to the wrong place, did I...
How to order at Deokeun Jangeo: pick your eel and pay at the market
At Deokeun Jangeo Main Branch, after parking you walk into the direct sales market entrance and pick your own eel. Here's the process:
- Go down the stairs
- Pick your eel and pay
- Head upstairs to the restaurant and grill it yourself
Now that you've got the steps down, let's head in and place an order.
First you register a waiting number, then wait until it's called. You sit at a table here while waiting, and then go pick your eel.
The eel is prepped according to party size, so just pick as much as you need!
You can tell at a glance the eel condition is really good, and since they even run their own eel farm and have a sales certification posted, it feels even more trustworthy 💖
I paid ₩40,080 for 830g. The eel condition is really excellent!
Once you've paid, you take the elevator up to the restaurant to grill it yourself. You pay for the table setting fee and any extra dishes after you finish eating.
Inside the second-floor grill room and the side dishes
At Deokeun Jangeo Main Branch, you go to your assigned table number, and the space is very spacious and clean. The basic side dishes include green onion kimchi, myeongi namul (mountain garlic leaves), kimchi, pickled radish for wraps, pickled onion, garlic, ginger, and ssamjang (dipping sauce).
Once you arrive at the restaurant, just head to your assigned table number.
The restaurant is really spacious and clean. Plenty of room, so there's zero discomfort while dining.
These are the basic side dishes — green onion kimchi, myeongi namul, kimchi, pickled radish and onion, garlic, ginger, and ssamjang. There's a big self-serve bar in the middle so refills are easy!
Here's a tip for grilling eel nicely, and you can also tap the screen to order extra food or drinks!
How thick is the eel, and how does the eel soup taste?
True to its name, the eel at Deokeun Jangeo Main Branch was overwhelmingly bigger and firmer than at other eel restaurants. I grilled it myself, wrapped it in lettuce, and added an eel soup to go with it.
Finally, today's main event! Time to grill the eel. Wait, isn't this a shark instead of an eel? 🦈
Living up to the name 'Deokeun Jangeo' (bigger eel), the eel is really huge and firm. It's genuinely, overwhelmingly bigger than other eel restaurants.
And that's not all — the condition is really great. You can feel how fresh and high-quality it is.
I grilled it all up and tasted it, and all I could say was that it's insane. I immediately wrapped it up in a ssam. So nutty and luxurious 🔥
After one bite I couldn't help it and ordered an eel soup to go with it — the soup is really deep and the broth is killer too.
Topped with all sorts of vegetables and shredded ginger, dipped in the special sauce — pure honey flavor... I felt like I was truly restoring my energy, and I was happy the whole time eating it.
Ate the tail too, and wrapped up the very last bite in a ssam...!! Ah, truly, this eel restaurant in Gwangju absolutely deserves the recognition!!!!!!
Is Deokeun Jangeo worth it for a solo eel dinner?
If you're looking for a genuinely substantial, great-value eel restaurant in Gwangju, I absolutely recommend Deokeun Jangeo Main Branch!
Spacious, clean space, easy parking, and most of all overwhelming quality eel — everything about this place was perfect 💖 Take your parents here, or visit whenever you need to restore your energy 🔥
Where it is
596 Haseo-ro, 1st floor, Buk-gu, Gwangju, South Korea전남광주통합특별시 북구 하서로 596 1층
