Cheongna eel buffet for team dinners with bokbunja wine: Jangsodam

Wouldn't you be curious about a place where you can eat eel and beef without limits? This time I visited Jangsodam's Cheongna branch, an eel and beef buffet where you can enjoy everything from Japonica freshwater eel to beef and pork.

Is Jangsodam Cheongna good for company dinners and family gatherings?

Jangsodam Cheongna is big and has plenty of seats, so it works well for going with a lot of people. When we arrived, the tables were already almost full. Entrance seats, window seats, even the group seating in the back were all taken. There's also a kids' playroom, so it looks fine for families too.

A large hall plus a kids' playroom: great for family meals, and it looked good for company dinners and group get-togethers too!

Bokbunja wine event for groups of 10 or more

Right now Jangsodam Cheongna is running an event where groups of 10 or more who reserve ahead get bokbunja (Korean black raspberry wine) as a free service. It's one bottle per table, not one per group, so if you're looking for a company dinner spot in Cheongna, it's worth knowing.

What are the A Set price and contents at Jangsodam Cheongna?

We ordered the A Set, ₩39,000 per adult (table setting fee included). The A Set includes the following:

• Freshwater eel
• 6 types of beef
• Yukhoe (beef tartare) and gejang (marinated crab)
• Pork
• Special dishes
• Hangang ramyeon (instant ramyeon cooked in a pot)
• A drink and a bowl of rice
• Soft-serve ice cream

So many dishes in one set! After we ordered, the table was loaded with fresh freshwater eel, beef and side dishes. Honestly, the amount surprised me.

I'd planned to eat dakgalbi (spicy stir-fried chicken) and samgyeopsal (pork belly), plus Hangang ramyeon and fried food, but the main dishes alone were plenty. The table was already so full that I hardly needed to fetch anything else.

How was the all-you-can-eat beef?

Once the charcoal was in, we grilled the beef first. If you go in without big expectations because it's all-you-can-eat, you'd probably be surprised. It was satisfying even compared with a regular beef restaurant.

The galbi-sal (rib meat) especially was nutty and chewy in a good way, and the other cuts weren't tough either. I enjoyed the beef so much even before the eel that my expectations for the main dish went up.

How big is the jumbo Japonica freshwater eel?

Each Japonica freshwater eel at Jangsodam Cheongna is so big that it comes out in two pieces. The eel was the dish I was looking forward to most! The size was already enormous, and once it went on the grill there was almost no empty space left.

The charm of a big eel is the thick cut of meat. Thanks to the plump flesh, it was nicely chewy and I could really taste that eel flavor.

A thickness that grills crispy outside, juicy inside

My partner likes eel grilled golden and crisp, while I grill it moderately because if it cooks too long the meat shrinks and feels greasy. But Jangsodam's eel is so thick that you can brown the outside and still keep the inside moist. If you like eel that's crispy outside and juicy inside, you'll probably be even happier.

It's still super thick even after grilling, right? The meat stays juicy 🫶🏻

Two eel sauces: soy sauce and spicy

There were two sauces made for eel, soy sauce flavor and spicy. You can alternate depending on your taste, so you don't get tired of it until the end.

It was so big that I cut one in half to eat…🥹

3 strengths of Jangsodam Cheongna

1. All-you-can-eat, yet the food quality is good

When you visit an all-you-can-eat place, you tend to think the quality might be a bit disappointing given the variety and amount. But Jangsodam Cheongna handles lots of ingredients and still, each dish was satisfying, which impressed me. There was jumbo freshwater eel that would stand out even at an eel specialist, plus several kinds of beef, pork and chicken. You get the all-you-can-eat perk of eating a wide range as much as you like, with satisfying food on top.

2. A much wider menu than expected!

If you thought it was only eel and beef, the lineup would surprise you. Jangsodam Cheongna has freshwater eel, 6 types of beef, yukhoe, 3 kinds of dakgalbi, 5 kinds of pork, and Western, Chinese and Korean dishes too. With drinks, coffee, ice cream and Hangang ramyeon on top, you can cover everything from meal to dessert in one go. Some made-to-order items and special dishes can also be ordered, so there's lots of room to mix things up to your taste.

Another plus is that you can choose a menu by price tier. If you want a big amount or mostly eel and beef, just pick the set that fits.

At places like this I always vow to taste everything on offer, but once I start eating, the main dishes alone fill me up. This time too, forget refills, I couldn't even try all the other dishes. 🥹🤣

3. The self-bar isn't crowded, so it's comfortable

At buffets with lots of dishes, going back and forth to fetch food is secretly a hassle. But at Jangsodam Cheongna, many dishes, including the mains, are brought to your table, which was convenient. The freshwater eel and beef are brought to you fresh, and the basic side dishes are set up on the table too.

The 14 special dishes are also cooked after you order and brought to the table, so I didn't need to walk back and forth often. Only wrap vegetables needed fetching, so I could focus more on eating, which I liked.

Overall verdict on Jangsodam Cheongna

Being able to enjoy eel and beef together was appealing enough, and I was also happy with the wider-than-expected menu and the convenient table service at Jangsodam Cheongna! The jumbo freshwater eel and the nutty, chewy beef stood out most. There were many dishes I wanted to try, but the mains alone filled me up, and it was a shame I couldn't taste them all.

With its spacious hall and kids' playroom, it looked good for family meals and group gatherings. Next time I want to go with my family and try the dishes I missed this time, one by one!

Recommended for

• People who want to enjoy eel and beef to their heart's content in one go
• People who want Korean, Chinese and Western dishes as well as meat
• People looking for a family dining spot that works with kids
• People planning a gathering or company dinner in a spacious place
• People in Cheongna looking for an all-you-can-eat spot that balances menu variety and food quality