Yeoksam eel restaurant on a weekday 7:30pm reservation: Unagiwa
In short
Unagiwa is an eel rice bowl restaurant a 5-minute walk from Exit 7 of Yeoksam Station in Gangnam, Seoul. On a weekday reservation at 7:30pm, two orders of hitsumabushi (grilled eel over rice) at 38,000 won each were eaten the way Unagiwa instructs, in four steps: the eel on its own, then with scallions and wasabi, then as ochazuke, and finally with plum sauce. Nothing tasted heavy and both bowls were scraped clean, so Unagiwa is worth a return visit with family.
Good to know
- Menu & price
- Hitsumabushi 38,000 won × 2
- Menu options
- Two choices: hitsumabushi and unadon
- Included with the meal
- Side dishes, salad, steamed egg custard
- Hours
- Mon–Fri 11:00–21:00 (last order 20:00)
- Break time
- 15:00–17:00
- Closed
- Saturdays and Sundays
- Parking
- Search '25 Teheran-ro 27-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul' for valet parking, 5,000 won for 2 hours
- Location
- 5-minute walk from Exit 7, Yeoksam Station; 2nd floor, 71 Bongeunsa-ro 30-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
- Price reference
- ₩38,000 ≈ $28 (2026-09-15)
as written by the visitor on Sep 14, 2026
What's a date for office workers in their 30s if not a chance to boost health and stamina?!! This time I went with my boyfriend to a famous eel rice bowl spot in Yeoksam to get some nourishment! Here's my review of the hitsumabushi (grilled eel rice bowl) we tried.
Where is Unagiwa, and what are its hours and parking?
Unagiwa is a well-known eel rice bowl restaurant about a 5-minute walk from Exit 7 of Yeoksam Station. It's open Mon–Fri 11:00–21:00, closed on weekends, with a break time of 15:00–17:00 and last order at 20:00.
- Hours: Mon–Fri 11:00–21:00
- Closed: Saturdays, Sundays
- Break time: 15:00–17:00
- Last order: 20:00
- Parking: Search '서울 강남구 테헤란로 27길 25' in navigation for valet parking. ₩5,000 for 2 hours
Being so close to the station made it easy for a walking-only couple like us to find~!
We visited with a weekday 7:30pm reservation! Walk past the GS convenience store into the alley and you'll spot it right away. I burst out laughing at the eel neon sign outside. Isn't it so cute?!
The exterior overall is clean too! With expectations high, let's go eat some eel!!
Is Unagiwa's dining room good for a date?
Once you step into Unagiwa's dining hall, you'll notice the atmosphere is really bright! It's clean and calm — perfect for a date! Women who like tidiness can't help but love it.
The space is spacious and comfortable, so it seems suitable for group gatherings too. I think parents would like it as well.
The restroom inside is also nicely kept, so if that matters to you, keep that in mind~!
The table setting was already done haha. We were seated right away without waiting~
Hitsumabushi vs unadon: what's the difference at Unagiwa?
Unagiwa's menu is broadly divided into two: hitsumabushi and unadon. Hitsumabushi has a slightly crispy-outside, tender-inside feel, while unadon is said to be softer overall. Pick whichever suits your taste.
Hitsumabushi ₩38,000 × 2
Glistening with shine~ the eel spread makes its entrance haha
I want to eat it again just writing this... The eel was shining so brilliantly that just the look of it made my mouth water. The smell was so good too — even while taking photos, I just wanted to dig in right away!
It's genuinely amazing ^^ My boyfriend and I each got our own set!! Looks pretty hearty at a glance, right?! Basic side dishes, salad, and steamed egg custard came along with it.
The steamed egg custard was so soft — I think it's perfect to eat lightly right before the eel!! Almost like an appetizer, it was a great way to start!!!
Unagiwa's four-step method for eating hitsumabushi
Eating eel can get a bit greasy, right?! Turns out there's a proper method for it. Let me try following the way the restaurant guided us!
Step one: divide the eel rice bowl into quarters
Step two: eat the eel with scallions and wasabi
I added all sorts of extras lol!!
With the side dishes laid out like that, you just eat it with scallions and wasabi? I just threw in perilla leaves and some seaweed too~ basically added everything! Eat according to your own taste!!
This way of eating was honestly the most delicious for me!! Adding more things definitely cuts the greasiness, and you keep wanting more bites!!!
Step three: add seaweed flakes and pour the tea for ochazuke
I just dumped everything in ^^ It's delicious no matter what you add~ The ochazuke was genuinely a delicious surprise. It didn't taste like green tea exactly, more like something savory, like drinking broth. Warm and easy to slurp down! Clean finish.
The rice is already seasoned a bit, so it's not bland at all!! It tastes totally different from eating it with wasabi, so it felt like enjoying several different dishes in one meal?!
I also added a little sansho pepper powder. Try every method one by one!
Step four: finish with Unagiwa's special bainiku plum sauce
You finish it off cleanly with Unagiwa's special bainiku (plum sauce). Between trying all these different methods, the hitsumabushi disappeared before I knew it. 😂
Would I go back to Unagiwa?
Would I go back again? YES / Yes.
Yes, I'm planning to go once more with my mom. She saw the photos and said she really wants to go. If you're in Yeoksam and craving something hearty and nourishing, and eel rice bowls or hitsumabushi come to mind, give Unagiwa a try!
Where it is
71 Bongeunsa-ro 30-gil, 2nd floor, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 강남구 봉은사로30길 71 2층
