Gojan-dong eel buffet weekday lunch with free potato side: Songnim Bok

If you've ever hesitated about eel all-you-can-eat because you figured it must be frozen, or that you'd only manage a few bites before it got too greasy — I get it.

I used to think the same way, but after coming here with my mom for a weekday lunch — this place is famous as an eel spot near Ansan City Hall — that worry completely disappeared! Honestly I was so happy with my last visit that I came back: this is Songnim Bok Jangeo Freshwater Eel All-You-Can-Eat Ansan City Hall Direct Store, the eel buffet favorite in Gojan-dong.

Where is Songnim Bok Jangeo in Gojan-dong, and where do you park?

Songnim Bok Jangeo Freshwater Eel All-You-Can-Eat Ansan City Hall Direct Store is on the 2nd floor of the Ansan Praum City building in Gojan-dong, Ansan. It's open daily from 11:20 to 22:00 (last order 21:00), and if you park in the building's basement lot, the restaurant covers 2 hours of parking. The public parking lot out front is also an option.

Take the mall elevator up to the 2nd floor, head right, and you'll spot the entrance right away ˊᴗˋ

Inside Songnim Bok Jangeo: interior and atmosphere near Ansan City Hall

Since it opened in June, the interior is spacious and clean throughout. Black-toned decor paired with wood tables gives it a casual yet upscale feel!

The place is really roomy, so it'd be perfect for a company group dinner too. Going on a weekday lunch meant my mom and I could sit comfortably and eat at a relaxed pace, haha.

And yes, they have baby chairs available!

How much is the eel buffet? Songnim Bok Jangeo menu and prices

• All-you-can-eat, adult ₩29,900
• All-you-can-eat, child (elementary school) ₩14,000
• Table setting fee (excluding children) ₩3,000 per person
• Eel soup / Galbitang ₩10,000 each
• Buckwheat noodles, cold or spicy ₩9,000
• Rice ₩1,000

The all-you-can-eat time limit is 2 hours. They also sell freshwater eel to take home (₩35,000 per 1kg).

What's on the self-bar: eel, whole pork belly and chicken neck

Staff bring out the first plate, and after that you're free to refill as much as you like at the self-bar.

Besides eel, the self-bar also has whole pork belly and chicken neck, plus plenty of wrap ingredients like ginger, white kimchi, pickled perilla leaves, green onion kimchi, lettuce and perilla leaves!

They're giving out a free bottle of bokbunja (Korean black raspberry wine) to celebrate the opening, but since it was a weekday lunch, my mom and I sadly had to pass ㅠㅠ

The freshwater eel: domestic and prepped the same day

Since it's domestic fresh eel prepped fresh every morning from the Yangman-jang eel farm's direct market, there's zero fishy smell or off-taste.

I wondered if the all-you-can-eat format meant frozen eel, but the flesh was noticeably thick and springy. Grilled over charcoal skin-side down first, browned on both sides, then sliced into bite-sized pieces and grilled once more on the cut side — the outside gets slightly crispy while the inside stays juicy!

Dipped in teriyaki sauce with shredded ginger on top, the sauce cuts through the richness cleanly while the eel's distinctive savory, hearty flavor fills your mouth ෆ

The pickled onions here are seriously good...? Eating them with the eel was genuinely delicious!

Wrapping it in lettuce is amazing too, and raw garlic beats grilled garlic here, don't you think...?! My mom took one bite and immediately went back to the self-bar for more, lol.

Pork belly and chicken neck to reset your palate

When you need a little break from eel, alternating between grilled whole pork belly and chicken neck resets your palate right away!

The chicken neck was tender with a slightly chewy texture and a nice salty seasoning, making it perfect to alternate with the eel. It's genuinely a specialty item, so definitely try the chicken neck!

The pork belly also had a good ratio of meat to fat, so it wasn't greasy and was easy to enjoy.

The free stir-fried potatoes nobody expected

And here's something I really didn't expect — the server brought us a free plate of stir-fried potatoes ෆ Salty and fluffy, it went perfectly with the rich eel! It tasted like it had just been made... totally my style of stir-fried potato.

It's been a while since a single side dish moved me this much, lol. My mom kept saying "these potatoes are so good" and honestly seemed to eat more of them than the eel, lol. The generous hospitality made the whole meal that much more enjoyable ˊᴗˋ

This is a great place to bring your mom because even someone who can't eat eel can still eat plenty of other meat, plus you get these little extra touches like the potato side, haha. If you're looking for an all-you-can-eat eel restaurant in Gojan-dong, Ansan for a family meal or gathering, I genuinely recommend Songnim Bok Jangeo's City Hall branch! Next time I definitely need to try the eel soup. 100% would revisit ˊᴗˋ