Bongnyong-dong eel restaurant, pay with Gwangju's Sangsaeng Card: Yuil

Lately my weather and my energy have both been all over the place~ My body was sending out alarm signals like "Hey... I'm running low on energy...", so I immediately ran off to take down the king of stamina food: eel! 🏃💨💨

Today's place is Yuil Jangeo (유일장어), a Gwangsan-gu restaurant with a great reputation by word of mouth! It's called a holy land for eel lovers, so I walked in full of expectations, and I really did eat until my belly burst and walked out fully recharged, haha?!⚡🔋 This is my visit to Yuil Jangeo, a worthy Gwangsan-gu eel restaurant and Korean meal spot! Beware of drooling, and shall we go together?! Go Go! 🚀💥

Where is Yuil Jangeo and is parking easy?

Yuil Jangeo is at 343 Donggok-ro, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju (1st floor; Bokryong-dong 365-11), open 10:00–22:00 (checking on Mondays is recommended!). The whole yard is a spacious private parking lot, so you don't need to worry about parking if you drive.

As you drive along Donggok-ro, a big, neat Yuil Jangeo sign greets you 🏢✨ What's the most stressful part of driving to a restaurant?! Parking, right?! 😱 But Yuil Jangeo's private lot is wide, so even beginner drivers can park smoothly in one go 🅿️👍 I pulled in and walked inside very comfortably!

How do you order and pay at Yuil Jangeo?

At Yuil Jangeo you see the prepped domestic freshwater eel packs at the seafood counter, choose one with your own eyes, and pay. It's a cashless restaurant, so you pay by card or local currency (Sangsaeng Card, Gwangsan Sarang gift voucher). Onnuri gift vouchers are not accepted ❌

Choosing the eel with your own eyes is one of Yuil Jangeo's best points 👁️✨ The moment you step in, a fresh aura comes blasting out~ whoosh!! 🌟 I headed straight to the seafood counter and greeted the freshly prepped freshwater eel packs, like "So who's coming home with me today~?" 🐍💖 Pick the one you love, then pay 💳📱

After you pay, the eel goes straight to the kitchen for a first round of charcoal grilling 🔥 An expert gives it a golden first grill with charcoal aroma... and all we have to do is sit back and wait! My heart is already pounding?! 💓

What's on the Yuil Jangeo self-serve bar?

The Yuil Jangeo self-serve bar was neatly stocked with fresh vegetables, lettuce, perilla leaves, pickled onions, kimchi, garlic, ginger and other side dishes 🥗✨ While the eel is being pre-grilled, it's perfect to fetch salad and greens for wraps.

That golden time while the eel is pre-grilled! Sitting still? Not for impatient Koreans, right?! ⚡ I dashed to the self-serve bar at the speed of light 🏃‍♀️💨 I grabbed salad and wrap greens, brought them back to the table, and just in time the pre-grilled eel made its entrance, ta-daa! 😲🎉

How does Yuil Jangeo's charcoal-grilled eel taste?

Grilling Yuil Jangeo's pre-grilled freshwater eel on the charcoal grill, the outside was crispy and the inside moist and tender, with no fishy smell at all. A staff member kindly cut it for us and showed us how to grill it, so we could get it golden without burning it ✂️🔥

Wow... did you see the look of the pre-grilled eel lined up over the charcoal?! 📸💥 The plump freshwater eel sizzled away on the charcoal grill, and my mouth was literally a waterfall 🤤💦

I dipped it lightly in salt and took one big bite with perilla leaf + ginger + pickled onion... "Aaah~~~ THIS is the taste!!! The eel is dancing in my mouth, dancing!!" 🕺💃 The nutty richness exploded 💥 And that's not all!! We shamelessly ordered all the extra dishes too 😋✌️

Are the eel tteokgalbi, nurungji and eel soup worth ordering?

Eel tteokgalbi (grilled eel patties)

Yuil Jangeo's eel tteokgalbi (grilled short-rib-style patty) is a patty made from eel. Grilled golden over charcoal, one bite and the juiciness and the nutty eel flavor burst out 🍖 Kids would absolutely love it!

Nurungji (scorched rice)

After the rich grilled eel, slip a spoonful of hot, toasty nurungji (scorched rice) into your mouth and it cleans everything up and resets your palate! ✨

After-meal eel soup

Everyone, Yuil Jangeo's after-meal eel soup is truly not optional, it's a must...⚡ The broth was so deep and rich, thick with perilla seed and eel, and it felt like the energy was soaking into my whole body! I mixed in a bowl of rice and polished it off 🍚🔥

Verdict: why Yuil Jangeo in Gwangsan-gu is worth a visit

Yuil Jangeo in Gwangsan-gu isn't just a place for grilled eel, it's a Korean restaurant in Gwangsan, Gwangju where you can fully settle a whole meal! 🏆 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Freshness & value: You pick it yourself at the seafood counter and they even pre-grill it, so freshness is a given and the crispy-outside, moist-inside taste is top-notch 💯
• Menu: From grilled eel to eel tteokgalbi, after-meal eel soup and toasty nurungji, the balance rivals a course meal! 🍲
• Cleanliness and kindness: A wide, pleasant space, a salad self-serve bar you can use without feeling awkward, and friendly service, all three fit perfectly 👍

When you need a stamina boost, want a nice Korean meal to take your parents to, or want to taste properly grilled eel, I totally recommend Yuil Jangeo! Chance of returning: 10000%!! 💖🔥