Gwangsan eel restaurant with baby chairs, 1,324g for four: Yuil Jangeo

With the weather warming up, I've been craving something hearty to build up my strength. So my family and I headed to Yuil Jangeo, a newly opened eel restaurant in Gwangsan that's been getting a lot of buzz.

At Yuil Jangeo, you pick your own eel, pay for it, and then eat it pre-grilled right at your table. Being able to check the weight and price yourself, plus the clean interior, made it a satisfying spot for a family meal out.

Parking and the dining room at Yuil Jangeo

Yuil Jangeo has a large parking lot, so it was easy to park even if you're driving. Food matters for a family dinner, but bad parking can wear you out before you even sit down — no such worries here.

Being a newly opened restaurant, the interior was clean and pleasant overall. The tables had a decent amount of space between them, and there were private rooms available for larger groups.

Baby chairs were also on hand, so families with young kids could eat comfortably. It seemed like a good spot for gatherings with parents or any kind of group meal.

Business hours run from 11 AM to 9 PM, covering both lunch and dinner.

How ordering works: picking your own eel at the counter

Yuil Jangeo's system is a bit different from your typical grilled eel restaurant. First you pick the eel you want from the seafood sales counter, pay for it, and staff will pre-grill it before bringing it to your table. From there, you just grill it a bit more to your liking on the tabletop grill.

I liked that the weight and price of the eel are displayed, so you can choose based on your headcount and appetite. That said, purchased eel may be hard to exchange or refund, so it's worth double-checking the weight and price before paying.

Just a heads-up — outside food isn't allowed inside.

Yuil Jangeo prices: 1,324g of eel for 63,990 won

Live eel at Yuil Jangeo runs ₩29,000 for 600g pre-trim, about 2 servings. Calculated by trimmed meat weight, that's roughly ₩48,333 per 100g.

We bought a 1,324g eel for ₩63,990 to share among the four of us. For an eel specialty restaurant, that felt like a relatively affordable price for a family meal.

On top of the eel price, there's a separate table setting fee of ₩4,000 per adult. There's also a 10% discount if you order the eel for takeout, so if you'd rather eat comfortably at home, takeout could be a good option.

With Parents' Day coming up, they were also selling eel gift sets. If you're thinking of a health-boosting gift for your parents, an eel gift set could be a solid choice.

Plump eel that arrives pre-grilled

After paying, we sat down, and before long the pre-grilled eel arrived. Since it's not raw eel from scratch but already partially cooked, grilling time is shorter and even people who aren't used to grilling eel can handle it easily.

You just lay the eel on the grill, brown it on both sides, cut it into bite-size pieces, and cook the edges too. The eel was so thick that just watching it cook on the grill looked appetizing.

Grilling the eel until the surface got slightly crispy really brought out its nutty flavor. The inside stayed soft and moist, and you could really taste that distinctive rich, oily flavor of eel.

It's tasty and clean-tasting on its own, but dipping it in sauce or adding a bit of ginger cuts through the richness and makes you want to keep eating. It also worked well wrapped in lettuce with a side dish or two.

The four of us ordered 1,324g, and it was a hearty amount for a family meal. Beyond just headcount, it's worth factoring in how much you usually eat when picking the size at the counter.

The self-serve side dish bar at Yuil Jangeo

Yuil Jangeo had a variety of side dishes prepared to go with the eel. It was convenient that you could just grab whatever you needed from the self-serve corner.

Eel is delicious, but eating a lot of it can start to feel heavy and oily — the side dishes helped cleanse the palate along the way. It was nice being able to mix and match combinations depending on your taste.

It's probably best not to pile your plate too high with sides at the start — just take what you'll eat, and go back for more if you need it.

Finishing with 2,000 won nurungji

After finishing the eel, we ordered two servings of nurungji (scorched rice soup) at ₩2,000 each. Ending the meal with warm, nutty nurungji nicely cleaned up that lingering oily feeling from the eel.

If just eating eel feels like it's missing something, try adding the budget-friendly nurungji. It's mild enough for kids and makes a great dish for the whole family to share.

Is Yuil Jangeo good for a family meal with kids?

At Yuil Jangeo, being able to check the eel's size and price yourself before choosing felt fair, and having it pre-grilled made it easy to finish cooking at the table.

Most of all, with a spacious parking lot, clean interior, private rooms, and baby chairs, it suited a family outing with kids or a meal with parents really well.

The 1,324g of eel we ordered came to ₩63,990, and the four of us enjoyed a hearty portion of thick, plump eel. Finishing off with warm nurungji rounded out a satisfying meal.

If you're in Gwangsan and want fresh eel at a somewhat lower price, or you're looking for a place to build up strength with family, give Yuil Jangeo a try. With its large parking lot and comfortable facilities, it's a spot I'd recommend for family gatherings too.