Haeundae, Busan eel rice bowl with ochazuke: Yuok

Let me introduce Yuok, a great restaurant in Songjeong, Haeundae, Busan.

Yuok Parking and Visitor Information

It is on the first floor at 47 Songjeonggangbyeon-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan, South Korea.

• Daily 11:00–22:00
• Break time 15:00–17:00
• Last order 21:00
• Groups welcome; takeout available
• Reservations available
• Pets welcome; high chairs available

There is a dedicated parking lot in front of the restaurant, so parking is easy. It fits four cars, and if the spaces right outside are full, I noticed a long stretch of parking along the riverside in front.

A Japan-Trip-Like Exterior and Seating

Isn't the Japanese-inspired exterior so pretty? It felt like I was on a trip to Japan, so I was excited before I even went in.

You can register for the waitlist on Catch Table and make a Naver reservation, too. If there is a wait, you can relax at the café on the second floor, and pets are welcome as well. A carrier is required.

There are three four-person tables, and two can be pushed together for a group table for eight.

There is also a long L-shaped bar table. I had reserved ahead, and even though there were two of us, they seated us at a four-person table, haha.

There are high chairs, Wi-Fi, and charging outlets, so it is convenient to visit.

Aren't the interior accessories so cute, too?

They clearly disclose the origins of their ingredients, and the open kitchen lets you watch the cooking. They use domestic eel. You can help yourself to ginger and rakkyō (pickled scallions).

How to Enjoy the Jumbo Unaju

There are detailed instructions for enjoying the Jumbo Unaju, Tori-don, saba ochazuke, and maze udon. They also offer your choice of a beer or soft drink for a Naver receipt review. They sell Ilpum Jinro, too.

There are plenty of snacks and drinks as well as meal options, so I recommend stopping by if you are looking for an izakaya (Japanese pub).

Jumbo Unaju Set

We ordered two Jumbo Unaju sets. Each generous set came with eel rice bowl, clear soup, salad, wasabi, scallions, seaweed, fried tofu, broth for ochazuke, and plum tea for dessert. Doesn't the eel look so appetizing? The pieces are huge, too.

Use the small paddle that comes with it to cut it once lengthwise and about three times crosswise. It was so, so delicious topped with wasabi and scallions, haha.

I am not very good with eel that has bones, and while there were a few, it was tender enough to eat comfortably. I also cannot eat eel when it tastes fishy, but this one was not fishy at all. The sauce brushed over the outside was so good, and it was grilled just right, so it went down smoothly.

Under the eel was a big rolled omelet. It was sweet and soft, delicious with just rice and also delicious with the eel.

Ochazuke with Broth

I added rice, eel, wasabi, scallions, and seaweed, then poured in the ochazuke broth. Mashing up the eel and egg and eating it almost like porridge made for a warm, delicious meal. It is good as-is, but this was my favorite way to eat it, haha.

They also give you kimchi, which was perfect when I wanted a change of pace. The fried tofu was nutty and so tasty, and the salad was fresh and delicious. Plum tea is served for dessert, and its cool sweetness was the perfect finish.

Head out toward the restroom and you will find a cute Totoro. Can a restroom be this pretty? There is mouthwash, too, so you can freshen up before leaving.

I went on a weekday evening, and it was nearly full—it is clearly a well-known neighborhood favorite. The owner and staff were so kind, and it satisfied even my picky taste in eel, so do stop by if you are ever in Songjeong, haha.