Treating mom to eel at a Suwon all-you-can-eat: Songnim Bok Jangeo

When your energy is running low like these days, you've got to eat some proper stamina food. So this time I went out to eat eel with my mom.

Rather than eating something good just for myself, I wanted to have a hearty meal together with my mom, so I went. This time I visited a newly opened eel restaurant in Suwon, Songnim Bok Jangeo Freshwater Eel All-You-Can-Eat Suwon Main Branch.

A lot of eel places make you nervous about the price before you even sit down, but here you can enjoy not just eel but charcoal-grilled pork belly, chicken neck meat, and even house-made seasoned pork ribs — all as much as you want, all-you-can-eat. Honestly one of the best restaurants in Gwonseon-dong.

Where Songnim Bok Jangeo Suwon Main Branch is and what it feels like inside

Songnim Bok Jangeo's Suwon Main Branch sits on Gwonjung-ro 50beon-gil in Gwonseon-gu, Suwon, and it's actually pretty close to my house. Walking in, the space felt roomier than I expected — a comfortable atmosphere for a family meal without feeling cramped.

Especially when eating with my mom, being able to sit comfortably matters just as much as the food itself. The table spacing and overall vibe were satisfying.

How to find the parking lot and the entrance

Having parking available was convenient, but the lot is located behind the restaurant, so I actually got a bit lost trying to find the entrance. If you come out of the parking lot and head to the far left end of the building, you'll find a hallway leading to the restaurant's front door — so don't wander around like I did, just head that way.

How much is the all-you-can-eat freshwater eel?

The biggest draw of this Suwon eel restaurant is, of course, all-you-can-eat freshwater eel. The all-you-can-eat price per adult is ₩29,900. On top of that, there's an additional table setting fee of ₩3,000 per person.

The table setting includes freshwater eel, various meats, and basic side dishes, so feel free to bring over as much of whatever you want. Just remember — you're not allowed to leave food unfinished.

At most eel places, you end up wanting just a few more pieces, secretly competing with your dining companion over the tail, and always keeping an eye on the price.

But here, for a set price, you can comfortably eat as much eel as you like — that definitely felt different from other places.

Best of all, it's not just eel — you can also stuff yourself with all kinds of meat. Whether you're an eel lover or a meat lover, everyone at the table can eat exactly what they like — that's the best part.

What charcoal-grilled freshwater eel tastes like here

Eel really does taste best grilled over charcoal. Putting the eel and various meats on the grill and cooking them until golden brown was absolutely delicious. The distinctive charcoal aroma added a savory, clean flavor. My mom ate so happily that I felt proud for bringing her here.

Rather than piling on too much eel at once, grill it in portions you can actually eat and enjoy the chewy texture. Cook the outside until golden and the inside until moist, and you can really feel the tender eel flesh.

My mom kept eating, saying the eel wasn't tough at all — just tender, savory and clean-tasting. If you're worried about the greasiness eel can sometimes have, pair it with vegetables or ginger from the self-serve bar to suit your taste.

Pork belly, chicken neck meat and seasoned pork ribs on the same grill

Honestly I thought eating only eel might get a bit greasy after a while, but grilling some pork belly completely changed the mood of the meal. When you grill pork belly over charcoal, the fat that renders out meets the flames and the charcoal aroma seeps in subtly — a completely different flavor from the eel. Eel, then pork belly, then some vegetables — before I knew it, my chopsticks kept reaching back for more.

So this is a place that'll satisfy not just eel-loving families but meat-loving families too, with little reason to argue over the menu. They also had chicken neck meat, which turned out to be more of a delicacy than I expected. Its texture is totally different from the eel and pork belly, so eating it in between felt refreshing.

The chewy texture was really appealing. When you're craving something different in the middle of eating eel, grilling this up revives your appetite. And with house-made seasoned pork ribs also included in the all-you-can-eat lineup, the variety felt noticeably different from single-item buffets.

Is Songnim Bok Jangeo good for a family meal or a work dinner?

Eating there, I thought this place would work well not just for family outings but for group gatherings or company dinners too. Since everyone can choose according to their own taste — eel for some, pork belly or chicken neck for others — I'd recommend it as a Suwon dinner spot for work gatherings. When everyone has different tastes, it's oddly hard to pick just one restaurant or settle on one menu, but being able to cover both eel and meat in one place is probably Songnim Bok Jangeo's biggest strength.

Above all, visiting with my mom, I appreciated being able to relax and grill up a variety of things rather than just eating a small portion of pricey eel and leaving.

• Those who want to eat eel to their heart's content in Suwon
• Those who want meat alongside their eel
• Those looking for a family dinner spot to bring their parents to
• Those near Suwon City Hall wanting to recharge with eel tail and bokbunja (Korean black raspberry wine) for some stamina
• Those scouting for a company dinner spot in Suwon

Being able to try a variety of foods rather than eating just one thing the whole time was another plus — from eel to pork belly to chicken neck, choosing whatever I wanted meant I never got bored. Above all, being able to eat freshwater eel plus several kinds of meat all-you-can-eat for ₩29,900 is definitely something worth noting when choosing Songnim Bok Jangeo Suwon Main Branch. This time I came with my mom, but next time I'd love to bring the whole family who loves eel.

※ Prices and business hours may change, so it's recommended to check before visiting.