Eel buffet revisit with my husband in Jijok-dong, Daejeon: Songrimbok

I went back to Songrimbok in Jijok-dong, Daejeon, the all-you-can-eat eel place, with my husband! For ₩29,900 you get domestic freshwater eel, pork belly and chicken neck, all unlimited for 2 hours. Was the second visit as good as the first? I'll give you my honest review, including the bokbunja wine service and parking info.

Where is Songrimbok, and what about hours and parking?

Songrimbok is at 60 Jijokbuk-ro 66beon-gil, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, on the first floor of a building near the Jijok-dong food alley. It's open daily 11:50 - 23:00, and the parking lot is free for 2 hours.

• Address: 60 Jijokbuk-ro 66beon-gil, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon (1st floor)
• Hours: daily 11:50 - 23:00
• Parking: 2 hours free in the restaurant's lot
• Main menu: unlimited freshwater eel, adult ₩29,900 / child (elementary school) ₩14,000 / table setting fee ₩3,000 per person

It's on the first floor of a building near the Jijok-dong food alley, and since I'd been once before, it was much easier to find this time.

There's a free parking lot behind the restaurant with 2 hours covered. That matches the 2-hour buffet time exactly, so people coming by car can relax. We left our car at home again because we wanted bokbunja wine :) Eel with a glass of bokbunja wine? Can't give that up!

Inside Songrimbok: seating, and is it good for a group dinner?

The Jijok-dong branch has a big hall with generously spaced tables, plus sofa seats, group seating and even private rooms. That makes it a good pick for family meals, company dinners in Jijok-dong and get-togethers.

A wide hall, roomy table spacing and comfy sofa seats. Because the place is so big, we could eat without being bothered by the noise from the next table. With group seating and rooms too, it works for family meals, company dinners and gatherings. It's a big venue, so it's perfect for group get-togethers.

What's at the Songrimbok self-serve bar

The self-serve bar has eel, pork belly, chicken neck, ssam vegetables (leaf wraps), ginger, garlic, aged kimchi and lots of side dishes. It was handy that we could just fetch whatever we ran short of. This photo was taken on our way out, so a lot of the eel is gone, but while we were eating we could refill with no shortage at all.

Songrimbok unlimited refill price and how it works

The unlimited refill includes freshwater eel, pork belly and chicken neck: ₩29,900 per adult, ₩14,000 per child (elementary school), plus a ₩3,000 table setting fee. You can enjoy the eel unlimited for 2 hours.

Songrimbok says it brings in fresh domestic eel every morning from fish farms and a direct-sales market and prepares it in-house. A staff member brings the first plate, and after that you fetch as much as you like from the self-serve bar.

Order details: ₩65,800 for 2 people

• Unlimited refill, adult ₩29,900
• Table setting ₩3,000 per person
• Total for 2 people ₩65,800

Once you order, the staff brings a first plate with a good mix of eel, pork belly and chicken neck. Eel is the star, of course, but when you start getting tired of it, it's nice to switch to pork belly and chicken neck. And they gave us Sejong bokbunja wine as a service again this time! Eel and bokbunja wine really are the best match..

Was the eel quality the same on the revisit?

On my second visit, Songrimbok's freshwater eel was thick and neatly prepared again. The worry that an all-you-can-eat place might cut quality was unnecessary once more. Maybe because it's brought in fresh every morning, the first plate and the refill plates tasted equally fresh.

How to grill eel crispy outside, juicy inside

Start with the skin side, cook both sides, then stand the eel on its edge to grill the sides too. You get eel that's slightly crispy outside and juicy inside! No fishy smell, just a nutty richness of oil that spreads, so I kept reaching for more.

Side dishes that go with eel

Songrimbok's side dishes include aged kimchi, pickled onion, green onion kimchi and shredded ginger, all good matches for eel. Whenever it felt greasy, a tangy, sharp side dish reset things, so I never got sick of it until the end.

Sejong bokbunja wine at Songrimbok: does it go with eel?

Sejong bokbunja wine is ₩6,000 a bottle, and one bottle is just right for two, a price that's easy on the wallet. I had a glass with a golden-grilled piece of eel, and honestly, eel and bokbunja wine go together sooo well. The wine cleanly cuts through the rich, oily flavor!

Home-grilled eel vs Songrimbok in-store: what was different?

We grilled a couple more rounds that day too. After enjoying Songrimbok last time, I ordered eel online and grilled it at home, but it didn't taste like the restaurant's, you know? I guess it's the same-day freshness and the difference in heat power.

As I wrote in my last review, wrapping eel in aged kimchi is a combo I recommend again. Even just dipping it in the sauce is really tasty.

Even the last eel was great quality, so the second visit was a big win too! When I want to recharge with eel and a glass of bokbunja wine, I'll come back. If you're looking for an all-you-can-eat eel place in Daejeon, I recommend Songrimbok in Jijok-dong :)

Songrimbok in Jijok-dong: overall verdict

• Great value: unlimited domestic freshwater eel, prepared fresh each morning, for ₩29,900
• Eel and Sejong bokbunja wine are a perfect match
• A big hall, rooms and group seating suit family meals and company dinners