Buk-gu, Gwangju eel BBQ, second try after a lunch wait: Deokeun Jangeo

When the weather turns in the changing seasons, I start craving something hearty to restore my energy, and that something is eel! I went back to an eel place I've now visited again and again and again! It's Deokeun Jangeo Main Branch (더큰장어 본점) in Bonchon-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju. I'm sure everyone in Gwangju already knows it! It runs as a direct-sales shop: you pick your own eel, buy it, and then grill it in the restaurant.

Honestly, the first time I went at lunchtime, the wait was so long that I had to turn around and leave, sob. This time I really wanted to eat there, so I arrived early, right at opening time haha.

For anyone who wants a generous eel meal in Gwangju or is looking for a family outing spot, I'll walk you through everything one by one: location, parking, the interior and my eel review.

Deokeun Jangeo Main Branch: location, hours and parking

Deokeun Jangeo Main Branch is at 596 Haseo-ro, Bonchon-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju, and it's open daily from 11am to 10pm. Last order is said to be 8:30pm, and there are parking lots on the 1st and 2nd floors. The building is huge, so even first-timers can find it fairly easily!! haha I'd recommend checking the opening hours before you go!! Weekdays are less busy, but weekends and holidays are crazy!!

What I liked most was the parking. As you'd expect from a big restaurant, there's space on both the 1st and 2nd floors, so it's convenient if you drive. If you park on the 2nd floor, you just take the stairs down and you'll find the entrance. Eel is the kind of meal families go to together, usually by car, so with this much parking space I thought it would be a good place for a family outing.

How to pick your eel at the 1st-floor shop

Deokeun Jangeo Main Branch has the eel shop on the 1st floor and the restaurant on the 2nd. You take a number at the entrance, and when your turn comes you choose the eel yourself on the 1st floor. You can buy it for takeout or choose to eat in the restaurant. That's what sets it apart from ordinary eel restaurants.

The shop displays prepped eel, pre-grilled eel and more, nicely laid out. The eels looked big and plump, so I was excited from the moment I started choosing. For the two of us, we bought a little over 800g. You choose the amount yourself, so it's easy to order to suit your group size and appetite, which I liked. After you pick and pay, you head up to the 2nd-floor restaurant to eat.

Deokeun Jangeo prices and table setting fee

At Deokeun Jangeo Main Branch you pay for the eel first at the 1st-floor shop, and if you eat in the 2nd-floor restaurant, there's an extra table setting fee of ₩4,000 per adult. Good to know before you go.

The eel price varies by the type and weight you choose, so check at the shop and buy as much as you want. Two of us bought a little over 800g and we were seriously full afterwards. If you don't usually eat a lot, think about how much you'll share when you buy.

You buy the eel first and then pay for the table setting and any extras at the restaurant, which is a bit different from a typical restaurant. If it's your first visit, knowing this order will make things easier.

Deokeun Jangeo wait times: when to go for a shorter wait

Customers start arriving at opening time, 11am, so getting there at opening, before the lunch rush, was the surest way. The first time, I went around 12 noon, the wait was long, and I left without eating. This time I didn't want to repeat that mistake, so I came early at opening.

When you arrive, you take a number at the entrance and buy your eel in turn. At busy times there can be a wait, so I'd suggest leaving yourself some extra time. There's also a wide waiting area on one side, so you can wait comfortably. On weekends or at lunchtime, when it's packed, arriving a bit earlier is a good idea.

Deokeun Jangeo self-bar side dishes

Once you sit down, the basic table setting is ready, and you bring extra side dishes from the self-bar. It had ssam (leaf wrap) vegetables, kimchi, salad and other sides that go well with eel, and you can take as much as you need.

Eel tastes better wrapped in veggies, right? Personally I was happy to be able to eat plenty of vegetables haha.

Grilling eel at Deokeun Jangeo, even for beginners

At Deokeun Jangeo Main Branch you grill the eel yourself, but there's a detailed guide on one side of the restaurant, so even beginners can follow it. It may feel a little hard at first. I'm not used to grilling eel myself either, so I was slightly worried about whether I could do it well lol.

Luckily there was a guide I could refer to. First I sprinkled a moderate amount of pink salt on the eel and started grilling as instructed. After about 30 seconds you flip it so the skin side is showing, then grill it about 2 more minutes.

It's important to check now and then so the eel doesn't stick to the grill. Once it's cooked through, you cut it into bite-size pieces, then stand the pieces up and brown both sides. Since it was my first time the shapes were a bit clumsy, but I grilled with all my effort haha.

The texture of eel changes depending on how long you grill it, so it's good to keep checking as it cooks. Grilling it yourself can be a bit of a hassle, but watching it turn golden brown made me want to eat it right away.

Plump, rich grilled eel at Deokeun Jangeo

The eel at Deokeun Jangeo Main Branch is big and plump, so even a single piece fills your mouth quite substantially. You put the golden-brown eel on a ssam vegetable and eat it with whichever side dishes you like.

You can bring plenty of vegetables from the self-bar, so lettuce and assorted sides went well with it. Rather than eating eel alone the whole time, eating it with vegetables let me enjoy different combinations. Above all, grilling the eel I picked myself and eating it right away was fun. Being able to buy exactly the amount you want also felt like an advantage of the direct-sales style.

The two of us ate a little over 800g and got much fuller than I expected. If you don't usually eat much, consider your appetite when buying. When you want a hearty meal in the changing seasons, nothing is quite as satisfying as grilled eel.

Deokeun Jangeo dessert kalguksu: is it a must?

After finishing the eel at Deokeun Jangeo Main Branch, I definitely recommend the kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) for dessert. After the eel, I cleared the kalguksu perfectly too!! From broth to noodles, the portion and quality are just right, so it's a great dessert dish. Whenever I come for eel, I always finish with kalguksu!

If you want eel at a good-value price, a self-bar that makes eating easy, and kalguksu for dessert!! I highly recommend Deokeun Jangeo! It's such a good place for everyone from kids to grandparents to eat eel until they're full! I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a hearty, generous grilled meal!