Beef unlimited refill upgrade for ₩10,000 at Songrimbok Jangeo

As fall rolled in I started craving something hearty and filling, so I went hunting for a place in Cheongna where I could eat both eel and unlimited meat. I found Songrimbok Jangeo Cheongna Direct Branch, where instead of just one all-you-can-eat item you get to pick and choose from several — here's how it went!

Location and atmosphere at Songrimbok Jangeo Cheongna

Songrimbok Jangeo Freshwater Eel Unlimited Refill Cheongna Direct Branch sits in a large space right on the main road near Cheongna Lake Park, with a big sign that makes it easy to spot. It's open daily from 11:50 to 23:00, and you get supported parking in the building's B1–B3 garage.

Inside, the place was bigger than I expected, with plenty of seating. Every table had its own grill plate and ventilation system, so even with meat sizzling away, the dining space stayed fairly comfortable. I'd recommend it for a family meal, or as a spot for a work dinner in Cheongna.

What's at the self-bar

With the unlimited refill menu at Songrimbok Jangeo, you get freshwater eel, pork belly and chicken thigh as much as you like, so those three were the stars of the self-bar.

Beside that were lettuce wraps, side dishes and various sauces, so it was easy to top up whatever you were missing. There were also several baby chairs available, so it's a fine spot to bring little ones along.

Menu and prices — how much for the beef upgrade?

The basic unlimited refill lets you eat as much freshwater eel, pork belly and chicken thigh as you want, with pricing that varies by age, which makes it easier on the wallet for visiting with kids. Just note there's a separate table setting fee of ₩3,000 per person.

Add ₩10,000 per person to the eel unlimited refill menu and you get woo-samgyeop, galbisal and chuck eye roll thrown in too — the beef unlimited refill version of Cheongna Korean BBQ. For ₩10,000 to upgrade to a beef refill, there's really no reason not to 😆

They also sell fresh pine mushrooms to grill alongside everything else — I tried them and the subtle mushroom aroma and texture were great, so I'd really recommend giving them a try!

There are also solid, filling meal options like makguksu (buckwheat noodles) and a barley rice set, which would make a great lunch choice.

They also had bokbunja (Korean black raspberry) draft beer and bokbunja wine, which pair even better with grilled eel.

Tasting the eel and three cuts of beef

To do it properly, we upgraded from the basic eel unlimited refill menu to the beef unlimited refill. At first, staff brought out a generous plate of eel, pork belly and chicken thigh — after that, it's self-service, grabbing as much as you like from the self-bar.

Once we ordered the beef refill, staff brought out the three beef cuts right away — the color looked amazing and the very first plate was seriously generous. With beef, you tell staff which cut you want and they bring it to you, so you can eat exactly the cuts you're craving. There were even pine mushrooms placed on top of the beef so we could enjoy those together!

The eel and beef pieces were so big that even a small portion nearly filled the whole grill plate, and with the grill running hot, laying the eel and meat down brought both sizzling sounds and a savory aroma at once.

The eel pieces were thick, so even after grilling the flesh stayed plump — which made it look even more appetizing.

One bite in, the outside was golden brown, the inside soft, with a deep, savory flavor. There was teriyaki sauce ready at the self-bar too — dipping into it added a sweet-salty note that gave a whole different feel.

The beef had that rich, fatty savoriness you want, and the chicken thigh was chewy yet tender — really appealing. Every so often there was a bit of cartilage-like crunch too, which kept the texture interesting throughout.

It was so good that we cleared the first plate quickly and went back to the self-bar for more eel and meat.

Don't skip the pine mushrooms

The grilled pine mushrooms we tried along with the eel and meat exceeded expectations. Bringing one close to your nose, there was a subtle mushroom aroma, and biting in, that crisp yet chewy texture unique to pine mushrooms really came through. If you like mushrooms, definitely order these alongside your meal!

At the very end, we couldn't resist and refilled the eel one more time...! The eel was, as always, big and plump.

Wrapping it with lettuce leaves and ginger cut through the richness, so we could enjoy it fully right to the end. Being able to enjoy both a Cheongna beef unlimited refill and eel together in one place was genuinely satisfying at Songrimbok Jangeo.

In summary

If you're looking for hearty, restorative food in Cheongna, Songrimbok Jangeo Cheongna Direct Branch is worth a visit. Big, plump eel, the appeal of choosing beef cut by cut, and plenty of lettuce wraps and sauces to keep every bite enjoyable to the end all felt like real strengths of this place. With its spacious dining room and varied menu, it would also be great for a family meal or a work dinner in Cheongna. Since it's all-you-can-eat, you can eat as much as you like, so visit when you're craving something really filling 👍