Charcoal eel grill at Balsan Station: 1kg with Dad, Jangsuchon

Where is Jangsuchon Pungcheon Eel near Balsan Station?

The Balsan branch of Jangsuchon Pungcheon Eel (장수촌 풍천장어) is an eel grill restaurant on the eatery street toward NC Department Store, just out of Exit 3 of Balsan Station on Line 5. It's about a 2-minute walk, so it's easy to reach. So, today? Dad was watching TV and said he was desperate for grilled eel! So we headed to this eel spot near Balsan Station in Gangseo, Seoul^^ haha

The address is 27 Gangseo-ro 54-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 2nd floor (lot-number address: 674-9 Deungchon-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul).

Straight from the fish farm, a direct-sale shop for Jangsuchon pungcheon eel (eel from the Pungcheon river area)!! The menu and prices are posted big before you go in, which is handy^^

I hear this direct-sale eel shop also won a 2023 Customer Love Brand Award~

What is the atmosphere like at the Balsan branch?

The restaurant is on the 2nd floor, spacious inside and well ventilated, so it works fine for a group dinner too. You see the counter as soon as you walk in, and the owner greeted us kindly~

Wow, amazing! They have an eel tank~ It's full of live eel, and they follow a same-day prep, same-day serving policy!

The country-of-origin board is filled out carefully too^^

I took some shots of the interior too~ The restaurant is on the 2nd floor, and it's huge inside!! I was worried about eel smoke, but it's well ventilated and roomy, so I'd recommend it for a group dinner.

They set out the side dishes at first, but if you run short you can get more at the self-serve bar^^ It's kept hygienic and tidy, which is a plus!

They also showed us to a window table, and eating somewhere open and bright was nice^^

Jangsuchon Pungcheon Eel prices and tips

Besides the eel itself, there's a table setting fee of ₩3,000 per person! Good to know^^ I took photos of the menu and price list too~

They sell alcohol and drinks, and with such a wide selection of alcohol I'd recommend it as a stamina-boosting eel spot for group dinners around Balsan and Magok! Takeout is available too~ There's also a posted guide to grilling eel, but the staff grill everything for you, which was so convenient and nice!

Pungcheon eel, grade 1 domestic, straight from the farm, at a bargain!! They say they only use eel shipped directly from a fish farm in Gochang, Jeonbuk. It's plump, grade 1 domestic eel from a direct-sale shop, so you can eat with confidence haha The kitchen is open and looked clean~

An eel restaurant where staff grill and a robot brings the sides

At the Balsan branch, a staff member grills the eel at your table, and a serving robot brings the side dishes. Bokbunja salt (black raspberry salt) was set on the table, so I tried it haha It's delicious on grilled eel~ The color was so pretty~~

Staff grill the eel, but the robot does the side dish deliveries~ Neat, neat~

The eel is grilled over charcoal, and it tasted even better^^

Basic side dishes and the self-serve bar

These are the basic sides~ They serve a vegetable salad, lotus root dressed in yuzu chili sauce, fresh vegetable geotjeori (quick-salted salad), white kimchi, ginger, pickled perilla leaves, garlic, ssamjang (dipping paste), and eel sauce. The self-serve bar has green onion kimchi, lettuce wraps, dangui (angelica leaves), pickled chili peppers and green chilies, so help yourself!

Is 1kg of eel enough for two people?

1kg of eel was a very filling, just-right amount for two haha The meat is super plump~ This is what 1kg of eel looks like~

They cut it into three pieces so it cooks well~ Then they sprinkled bokbunja salt on it haha Having the staff grill it is so convenient~ They cook it golden on both sides haha

While it grills, eel soup comes out as a freebie, and it was rich and thick, the real deal~ A proper stamina boost!! We couldn't skip rice, so we ordered a bowl for ₩1,000!

They cut it into bite-size pieces and grill it nicely~ Golden brown, wowwwwww~ My mouth is watering again^^;

How did the eel taste?

The charcoal-grilled eel was plump with no fishy taste at all, and Dad and I were both amazed while eating. I made wraps with lettuce and dangui~ The eel just melted!

The eel meat is plump and there's no fishy taste at all, so Dad and I were amazed as we ate~ It's so good on its own, no dipping needed~~~~~

They grilled it so nicely and crisp, another big win ㅎ.ㅎ It's so soft and plump that a few pieces fill you up, and the taste is unforgettable! For an eel restaurant in Gangseo, I highly recommend fresh Jangsuchon Pungcheon Eel~

Free coffee after the meal and opening hours

After you finish eating, the Balsan branch offers free coffee so you can enjoy tea time^^ Such a thoughtful touch! Hours are daily 11:00–22:00, with last order at 21:00.