Choryang, Busan eel restaurant Gyeongbuksan: half salt, half sauce

I recently visited a truly touching old-school restaurant and wanted to share my review. I ate really well, and the owner was so warm and kind — this is Chorang's undisputed Busan kkomjangeo (grilled eel) landmark, running unchanged since 1963: "Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo."

Where is Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo, and where do you park?

Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo is at 25 Choryang-ro, Dong-gu, Busan. It's 300m from Chorang Station Exit 1, and about a 10–12 minute (roughly 700–750m) walk from Busan Station Exit 7, so it's easy to reach on foot.

<Delivery, reservation, and takeout available>

Sintaeyang Parking (24 Jungang-daero 251beon-gil, Dong-gu, Busan) charges ₩1,500 for the first 30 minutes, then ₩500 per additional 10 minutes.

This Chorang restaurant and bar has been listed in the Blue Ribbon Survey for two consecutive years and is also designated a "gage together with the community" business that gives back locally — so they're practicing warm values of sharing too. Famous celebrities have found their way here through word of mouth as well, and you can tell how popular this place is the moment you walk in, from the wall packed with signatures near the entrance.

How long is the wait, and which of the two entrances do you use?

On weekends or during peak hours the wait can get long, so I'd recommend registering for remote queueing through the Tabling app before you set out or while you're on your way. I visited around 6pm on a weekday and was lucky enough to walk right in with no wait.

There are actually two entrances at Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo, one on each side, and no matter which one you go through, the inside connects into one space — a quirky, charming layout. Not knowing this, I tried the left entrance first, found no seats, walked back out, and went in through the right side, only to be told they connect inside anyway, haha.

Menu and how to order the half salt, half sauce eel

Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo's menu has seasoned grilled eel, salt-grilled eel, and a half salt/half seasoned option.

• Seasoned grilled eel — the signature dish, packed with smoky char and a special seasoning that whets your appetite, perfect even as a side to rice.
• Salt-grilled eel — recommended if you want to properly taste the eel's own natural cleanness, savoriness, and chewy texture.

You order through the tablet installed at each table, and since I wanted to try both the seasoned and salt versions, I ordered a medium size half-and-half.

With the half-and-half option, you can adjust the ratio to your taste — more salt-grilled or more seasoned — and you can also ask for extra spicy or no green chili. I chose extra spicy with more of the seasoned side. This place is well known enough among drinkers that it's even been featured in the essay collection <Anyway, a Bar>, which covers true "drinking spot" gems from each region — so of course, drinks were a must! I ordered beer too.

While going to grab an apron, I checked out the wall covered with info about the health benefits of kkomjangeo, plus photos and autographs from famous celebrities.

Side dishes, the self-serve corner and silkworm pupae refills

The side dishes come out right when you order.

My favorite — beondegi (silkworm pupae) ❤️❤️❤️ I got a refill and just spooned it right in. Protein loaded before the eel even arrived, haha, so good.

Mint leaf and various other vegetables are set up in the self-serve corner, so help yourself to as much as you need. For more top shell, quail eggs, or pupae, just ask a staff member and they'll bring it right over.

Medium half salt, half sauce kkomjangeo, seared over open flame

Kkomjangeo half salt half seasoned, medium (extra seasoning)

Finally the half-and-half eel arrived, a full spread beautifully laid out. My mouth was watering. Honestly, I was already floored the moment I walked in the door by the deep smoky aroma teasing my nose, and then floored a second time by how it looked laid out on the grill.

The owner pre-sears it over intense flame together with vegetables, browning the outside while keeping the inside moist, and the deep smoky char soaks into every joint of the eel — the moment it hits the table, all you can think is "this calls for a drink." So I had a sip and got started.

Now, silently, mukbang time.

There was so much eel that I scooped up a full spoonful with hot pepper, garlic, and vegetables together. Dipping the salt-grilled version in sesame oil and popping it in my mouth — it practically "pops" with a bouncy, chewy texture that wraps around your whole mouth.

Not a hint of fishy smell or off-taste — only freshness and deep smoky char filling your mouth. The more you chew, the more a pleasant sweetness and savoriness comes through.

The balance of rich fattiness and spicy seasoning is fantastic — wrapping a big piece of eel in a perilla leaf with onion, garlic, and mint leaf on top and eating it as a wrap just blows all your stress away instantly.

The seasoned version hits you first with smoky char. Not an artificially aggressive spiciness, but a deep, rich savory heat that wraps around your mouth — I couldn't stop reaching for more with my chopsticks. I'd asked for extra spicy, and it really was spicy.

Why the fried rice finish is a must at Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo

And to finish it all off — fried rice~~~!!! Even though the two of us were so full we thought we'd burst from the huge portion, skipping the fried rice would've been a shame. We were told to eat mostly the meat and leave a bit of onion so there'd be enough for the fried rice, but of course we ended up picking out only the meat.

The fried rice finally arrived. The presentation was no joke!!! Fried rice here is a must, must, must add-on. Huge portion, and the taste needs no explanation — it's just so good.

We wrapped it in the seaweed they gave us, sprinkled on some roasted seaweed flakes too, and ate our fill happily.

With corn kernels mixed in too, every bite had a great crunch. Thank you so much for the delicious, filling meal! I'll be back. What a lovely evening.

Post a receipt review with a photo and get a 100%-win, no-blank lottery draw.

• 1st prize: size-up eel
• 2nd prize: one bottle of soju or beer
• 3rd prize: one serving of fried rice
• 4th prize: one drink

Is Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo in Choryang worth a visit in Busan?

• A Chorang restaurant running since 1963, now in its third generation
• An unmatched, incomparable smoky pre-sear on the grill
• Selected in the Blue Ribbon Survey two years running & a proven reputation
• Thoughtful custom ordering that lets you adjust everything to your taste
• Touching kindness and convenience

If you want to feel Busan's old-school charm and the perfect kkomjangeo from a 60-year-old restaurant, be sure to stop by "Gyeongbuksan Kkomjangeo" in Chorang. The food is great, but the mood that lifts your spirits every time you visit is also why so many people come back again and again. The taste, the kindness, and the clean atmosphere were all perfect — I had such a genuinely good evening here, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.