Near Yeoksam Station: eel rice bowl at bar seats after work, Chisot

This time I went to Chisot Yeoksam Main Branch to eat solo after work! The vibe was comfortable enough for a relaxed meal alone, so it seemed great for both an after-work dinner and an office lunch. I ordered the hitsumabushi sang, and the eel was plump and tender with barely any bones I could feel, making it easy to eat. Honestly I enjoyed it more than the eel rice bowls I've had in Japan — I was so satisfied with this place!

Chisot Yeoksam Main Branch: location and hours

• Location: 1st floor, Unit 102, 59 Bongeunsa-ro 30-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (8-minute walk from Yeoksam Station)
• Parking: Not available
• Hours: Mon–Fri 11:00–21:30 (break time 15:00–17:00)
• Saturday 11:00–15:00
• Closed Sundays

Tucked into an office-worker alley, with a Japanese feel

Chisot Yeoksam Main Branch is about an 8-minute walk from Yeoksam Station, sitting inside an alley full of office workers' spots. The surrounding atmosphere felt like a charming little Japanese alleyway, which I loved. It's a popular place, so it was crowded even in the evening and I couldn't get a shot of the interior 🥲 There are quite a lot of 4-person tables, plus bar seats and group seating, so it seems good for any occasion.

I sat at the bar seats. Since I was eating alone, the bar seats were actually more comfortable, and I liked being able to watch the cooking happening right in front of me.

This is the 6-person group table. Seems good to come with a group after making a reservation — works for both lunch and dinner get-togethers.

This is the inside of the restaurant. Posters with a Japanese feel. All these little touches added up to make it feel like a brief trip to Japan. The main dish here is eel, so I'd definitely recommend trying the hitsumabushi.

Menu lineup — hitsumabushi sizes and lunch box sets

Hitsumabushi comes in different sizes — mini, sang (regular), and teuksang (large). I had the sang, and it was extremely filling and satisfying 👍 The lunch menu especially looked great — a lunch box combo with egg, eel, and salmon all together. If I worked nearby, I would absolutely come here for lunch — the composition and the price are both reasonable 🥹✨

Good news for people who can't eat eel — there are plenty of other options too, like sakedon, chashudon, and salmon sashimi. From the salmon I got through the review event, I can say this place is also amazing for salmon.. 👍👍

Beyond that, there are nabe-style hot pots, yaki-udon, chicken nanban and other dishes good for drinking snacks in the evening, plus a nice range of sake to pair with them.

And of course, no missing the cold draft beer and the cute animal-labeled sake! Even when I'm not in the mood to drink, they catch my eye anyway. The capybara sake is so cute 🥹

There's also an eel soup and eel grill set full of nourishing goodness, and a review event that gives out salmon jang!

Ordering the hitsumabushi sang, starting with the basic setup

So I went ahead and ordered ✔️ one hitsumabushi sang!

The basic setup includes carefully prepared barley tea and a neat utensil holder. This kind of attention to detail is genuinely touching.

Ochazuke furikake and sansho pepper powder, good for adding on.

While waiting for the food, I watched the eel being grilled right in front of me. Grilling eel that large over charcoal — there's no way it wouldn't taste good. The grilling style was completely Japanese-style too, making it as good as most solid Japanese eel restaurants.

Finally, the neat set arrived ✨✨✨ With the lid still on and an instruction card placed on top, it looked extra refined.

Three ways to eat hitsumabushi

There were instructions on how to eat it deliciously. First, a bite of eel and rice together. Then, mix in scallions and seaweed flakes for another bite. Finally, add ochazuke and eat it with the warm broth. It's laid out so you can eat it exactly the traditional hitsumabushi way — just follow along ✨

There's a little thrill in opening the lid;

Two big chunks of eel packed in. The amount of eel felt like more than the rice — it was thick and generous.

Really thick and large. The rice was seasoned too, so with the savory-salty sauce and the eel, the pairing was just right.

Overall, the set comes neatly arranged with steamed egg, soup, pickled ginger, scallions, seaweed flakes, and tea.

The steamed egg was so soft it went down without even needing to chew. That distinct steamed egg flavor pairs really well with the eel.

First, rice and eel only

Following the instructions, I tried it with just rice and eel, to taste the eel on its own! Eating a whole piece of eel in one bite fills your mouth wonderfully, and the flesh is soft and springy — genuinely delicious.

Second, mixed with scallions and seaweed flakes

Next, I mixed in scallions and seaweed flakes for a more layered flavor. Personally, this was the tastiest way to eat it. I loved the crunchy bite of the scallions.

Last, poured over with ochazuke

Finally, I poured warm tea over it and ate it soaked and moist like this.

It goes down more gently this way. The broth picked up the eel sauce and umami — genuinely rich and satisfying.

This is the salmon jang I got from the review event ✨ Salty, soft, and well-aged — really delicious.

Why it worked both for solo dining and an office lunch

The eel was plump and tender, and I genuinely enjoyed the hitsumabushi. It's an easy, low-pressure spot to eat alone, and it also looks great as an office lunch option — if you're looking for a clean, well-made eel rice bowl near Yeoksam, this is a place I'd recommend.