Incheon eel & BBQ buffet for group dinners: Songrim Bokjangeo

These days a proper eel meal can get pretty pricey, so when I heard about a place where you can eat everything from eel to other meats as much as you like, I had to go.

What is Songrim Bokjangeo in Hakik-dong like?

Songrim Bokjangeo is an all-you-can-eat freshwater eel restaurant in Hakik-dong, Michuhol-gu, Incheon. Besides eel, you can also eat pork belly, pork neck and chicken neck. The one I visited this time is the Hakik-dong branch of "Songrim Bokjangeo."

With pork belly, pork neck and chicken neck on top of the eel, it's a great Hakik-dong pick for days when you want both eel and meat.

Songrim Bokjangeo basic info

• Name: Songrim Bokjangeo
• Address: 248 Soseong-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon, South Korea (1st floor)
• Hours: 10:00-22:00
• Closed: Every Tuesday

Is Songrim Bokjangeo big enough for a group dinner?

The Hakik-dong branch is bigger and cleaner than I expected, and that was the first thing I noticed walking in. The tables aren't cramped, and the big hall has large windows, so it feels open. The salad bar and meat refill bar are placed conveniently near the tables, so you can grab more whenever something runs out.

Go further inside and there's a big separate space apart from the regular hall.

It looked roomy enough for a big party, so it seemed fine for family gatherings and group meetups, and for anyone looking for a Hakik-dong group dinner spot.

The restroom is inside the restaurant too, so you don't have to step outside mid-meal. That's my favorite kind of restaurant perk.

What comes with the all-you-can-eat at Songrim Bokjangeo?

We ordered the all-you-can-eat adult set for 2 at Songrim Bokjangeo.

Once you order, the basic spread comes out first, with eel, pork belly and chicken neck together,

and they also set out side dishes to go with it.

My personal favorites among the side dishes were the green onion kimchi (pa-kimchi) and the white kimchi (baek-kimchi)! Keep eating eel and meat and it can get a little greasy, but having green onion kimchi or white kimchi in between cleaned up my mouth nicely.

How do you grill the eel at Songrim Bokjangeo?

At Songrim Bokjangeo I put the eel on the grill first. It was thicker and bigger than I expected, and putting it on the grill gave me that "okay, I'm here for real eel" feeling.

First I slowly grilled the skin side, then flipped it to cook the other side,

and at the end I stood the eel on its edge to grill the sides evenly. Watching it turn golden brown, the waiting was honestly the hardest part.

The well-cooked eel was nutty on the outside and tender inside, so good. Eating it with green onion kimchi or white kimchi cut the richness, so I kept reaching for more.

Do eel, pork belly and chicken neck go well together?

At Songrim Bokjangeo I didn't stick to eel; I grilled pork belly and chicken neck too, and the combination worked better than I expected. A piece of eel, then pork belly, then some chewy chicken neck in between, so it was far more varied than eating just one thing. Best of all, of course, was how easy the refills are!

Using the meat refill bar and salad bar

The meat refill bar at Songrim Bokjangeo has eel, pork belly, pork neck and chicken neck, so you can bring back whatever you want, as much as you want. Coming for eel and getting a variety of meats too seems to be Songrim Bokjangeo's strength.

At the salad bar you can bring side dishes and vegetables yourself, as much as you need, so it felt comfortable and no one is watching you. Also, if one person loves eel and another loves meat, you don't have to agonize over the menu.

Is Songrim Bokjangeo a good Hakik-dong spot for a group dinner?

If the price usually keeps you from eating all the eel you want, Songrim Bokjangeo is a Hakik-dong restaurant worth a visit. The restaurant is large, there's a separate group room, and refills are easy, so it seems well suited as a Hakik-dong group dinner spot for a crowd. It's the place I'll think of when I want to be full of eel, pork belly, pork neck and chicken neck.