First eel buffet in Saesol-dong at a quiet hour: Songrim Bok Jangeo

Is there really an all-you-can-eat eel place in Saesol-dong?

Songrim Bok Jangeo is an all-you-can-eat freshwater eel restaurant in Saesol-dong, Hwaseong, and this was the writer's first eel buffet ever. Today I came for eel for the first time in a while. I actually like eel quite a lot, but I don't eat it as often as you'd think. The reason is simple: it's way too expensive.

There are plenty of all-you-can-eat places for pork belly or beef, but eel buffets still feel a little unfamiliar. I always thought it would be great to eat as much eel as I wanted, and when I looked it up, they really exist (?!). So today's stop is Songrim Bok Jangeo, an all-you-can-eat freshwater eel specialist. Since it was my first eel buffet, I was curious whether both the taste and the price would satisfy me.

Exterior and atmosphere of Songrim Bok Jangeo's Saesol Direct Branch

The Saesol Direct Branch has its name written big on the sign, so it isn't hard to find. This is what the exterior looks like. Outside, it says domestic freshwater eel and all-you-can-eat, and honestly, the words "all-you-can-eat eel" never stop being appealing.

Inside, there's a Songrim Bok Jangeo logo too. Personally, a logo like this makes a place feel like a real specialist. The design also has a homey feel, which I liked even more.

The interior was much bigger than I expected, tidy and unified with black tables and chairs. Every table has a grill for cooking eel. There are also huge ventilation hoods on the ceiling, probably because grilling eel makes a lot of smoke.

The tables have decent spacing and the place is clean, so it looked fine for families or bigger groups. But when I came, it was an in-between time of day, so it wasn't crowded.

How much is the all-you-can-eat eel at Songrim Bok Jangeo?

The all-you-can-eat freshwater eel is ₩29,900 for adults and ₩14,000 for elementary school children, and adults pay an extra ₩3,000 table fee. So the real price for an adult is ₩32,900.

At first I saw ₩29,900 and thought it was pretty cheap, but with the table fee the price went up more than I expected. Still, considering you can eat freshwater eel all-you-can-eat, it doesn't seem like a bad price. At a regular restaurant, eel often costs quite a bit after just a few pieces, so a buffet might even be better. Of course you have to eat a lot to come out ahead, but I'm fairly confident about that part.

They also have meal menus like eel soup, galbitang (beef short rib soup), yukgaejang (spicy beef soup) and buckwheat makguksu (cold noodles), plus drinks like bokbunja wine (Korean black raspberry wine), soju and beer. They also sell eel for takeout at ₩35,000 per 1kg, so it's worth knowing if you want to grill it at home.

What's at the Songrim Bok Jangeo self-bar?

The self-bar has basic sides that go well with eel, like chili peppers and leafy vegetables for wraps. After ordering, I came over to look around. Eel is tasty on its own, but I personally like it with ginger or in a wrap too. Eel is oily, so eating it with these sides makes it feel a bit cleaner.

They also said that because of fruit flies right now, the self-bar is kept covered and they refill things whenever you need.

Won't all-you-can-eat eel be thin? Thick eel with pork belly and chicken neck

The all-you-can-eat plate came with freshwater eel plus pork belly and chicken neck, and the eel was thicker and a decent size, more than I expected. The eel finally arrived! A huge plate came with eel and meat together, and the first thing that caught my eye was, of course, the eel.

I forgot to mention earlier that this place also serves pork belly and chicken neck, and eating them when things get greasy is a nice refresh. I'd worried that "all-you-can-eat" might mean thin eel, but the look of it passes for now. No matter how delicious something is, you get tired of it if you keep eating it, so being able to switch up your palate with meat in between is a pretty big plus.

Personally, I think eel is better cut into moderate pieces than very big ones. It's easy to eat in one bite and goes well with the different sides. Eating eel, then a piece of meat, then eel again let me enjoy it with more variety than just one food the whole time.

And above all, because it's all-you-can-eat, I loved that I didn't have to ration the eel. Normally you might eye who gets the last piece, but here there's no need, which is great.

Bokbunja wine from the Naver review event

At the time of my visit, the Saesol Direct Branch was running a review event: write a Naver review and get a bokbunja wine. While eating eel I felt like something was missing, so I ordered bokbunja wine too. Actually, I didn't order it. I got it from the review event, and it was an incredibly generous deal. I doubt any bar or meat restaurant gives bokbunja wine for a review, so this place is really generous.

Eel and bokbunja wine have long been a famous pairing, but come to think of it, I have no idea why it's eel and bokbunja wine specifically. Probably because both have a healthy image, but if anyone knows the exact reason, please tell me. The bokbunja bottle I got from the event is round and rounded all over, which is pretty unique. It looks really funny.

Is Songrim Bok Jangeo's all-you-can-eat eel worth a visit?

Songrim Bok Jangeo is appealing because you can eat freshwater eel all-you-can-eat, the eel is thicker than expected, and you can add pork belly and chicken neck. Just know in advance that there's a separate table fee, so it's ₩32,900 for an adult. Also, you grill the eel yourself, so it could be a bit of a hassle for people who don't like grilling.

Grilling tasty eel and having a drink put me in a great mood. Honestly, I love spending time eating good food and chatting about this and that. Delicious food matters, but who you eat with matters quite a bit too. That doesn't mean eating alone is no fun, though. When you eat alone you can even eat more without worrying what anyone thinks, so solo dining has its perks.

Anyway, if you usually like eel and want to eat your fill, it seems worth a visit at least once. October is already past the middle. Time flies. Not long ago everyone was complaining about the heat, and now there are only about two months left in the year. I hope everyone eats lots of good food and stays healthy for the rest of the year.

Location and hours of Songrim Bok Jangeo's Saesol Direct Branch

• Location: 60 Saesol-dong, Manse-gu, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi (12-2 Kkonnaeeum 2-gil, units 111, 112 and 113)
• Hours: Mon–Sun 11:50–23:00