# Yeonnam-dong Japanese restaurant lunch with salmon don: Jongno Donburi - By Daeun (https://superchart.com/en/@napkin-lunch-log/) - Written Sep 11, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Mapo, Seoul - Sponsored: This visit was sponsored by the business. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@napkin-lunch-log/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@napkin-lunch-log/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/index.md) ## In short Jongno Donburi Yeonnam is a Japanese rice-bowl restaurant in Mapo, Seoul. Its tender, clean-tasting salmon don and thick, crisp hirekatsu don made this a lunch spot I would absolutely return to. ## Lunch with a friend after 3 months at a Yeonnam-dong donburi spot I was cycling through Hangang Park... then had surgery because of a collarbone injury and did nothing but recuperate, so I finally met up with my friend after three months! I’ll bring you the story of that injury in the next tale.. Anyway!! We met in Hongdae for lunch, but there are just sooo many restaurants in Hongdae that choosing is really hard. We went, “What should we eat, where should we go?” Since it was lunch, I looked for the most delicious-looking rice place—somewhere perfect for a proper meal. And after much, much deliberation, I picked this donburi place!! ![View before visiting Jongno Donburi Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-01-bsr3z-1200.webp) ![Jongno Donburi Yeonnam exterior](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-02-cdzcc-900.webp) ![Jongno Donburi Yeonnam entrance](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-03-120jy-900.webp) ## A warm wood-toned space half a floor down Ta-da.... The layout takes you slightly half a floor down, and somehow it looks even more atmospheric from outside because you’re heading down a level. Anyway~ this is what the exterior looks like. Clean, modern interior design, with a warm wood-toned feel too. Maybe that’s why the food felt warmer and more delicious haha. ![Wood-toned interior at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-04-j2s2c-900.webp) Aren’t the tables sooo pretty... The interior is done so well, and the food was soooo good too..... How can those two things coexist.. + the staff were incredibly kind too..ㅠㅠ Why is there nowhere like this near my office... Seriously, if there were a place like this near work, I’d come every other day,,,? Haha, for real~ future regular!! Bang bang, crash bang! ![Table seating at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-05-g0pqt-900.webp) ## What about the solo seats and open kitchen? What I love here is that there are lots of seats for eating alone! Maybe because I came on a weekend, but I think this would be a much-loved spot for nearby office workers on weekdays. I eat alone often too, and this place has delicious food AND solo dining seats, so why wouldn’t you come? Haha, there’s no way not to come here. If making eye contact with the kitchen staff feels awkward, there’s a wall view. A wall view, haha. But I think I’d eat while watching the staff work. As someone who dines alone often, this is seriously the best~ Owner, please open one in Mapo too haha. ![Solo dining seats at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-06-16lz3-900.webp) The restroom was inside too, which was convenient. And of course it was clean and didn’t smell. (It should be, but haha.) ![Restroom inside Jongno Donburi Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-07-4p975-900.webp) With the open kitchen, you can definitely see how much attention they pay to hygiene. The female staff member smiled brightly and was so kind! The kitchen staff made seriously delicious food... I want to kidnap them and make them the uncle who cooks meals at my house hahaha. Ah, the salmon was really good ㅠㅠ drool. ![Open kitchen at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-08-sijdd-900.webp) ![Kitchen area at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-09-7ebni-966.webp) ![Open kitchen at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-10-1fj27-966.webp) ![Interior kitchen at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-11-l310e-966.webp) ![Dining area at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-12-ervlk-966.webp) ![Inside Jongno Donburi Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-13-1b9g5-966.webp) ![Kitchen at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-14-yhdxp-966.webp) ![Open kitchen at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-15-fvrxu-966.webp) ![Kitchen view at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-16-1uy4n-966.webp) ![Interior view of Jongno Donburi Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-17-87z0c-966.webp) ![Restaurant interior at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-18-3cs12-966.webp) ![Open kitchen view at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-19-unt55-966.webp) ![Interior seating at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-20-hjphr-966.webp) ## Ordering salmon don and hirekatsu don The menu! ![Menu at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-21-8c8jo-900.webp) Once you order, they bring miso soup, jangajji (pickled vegetables), and soy sauce like this. The miso soup was generously portioned and tasty. ![Miso soup and jangajji side dishes](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-22-1vvsq-900.webp) ![Salmon sake don and hirekatsu don meal set](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-23-gnxe9-900.webp) ### Tender salmon sake don without any fishiness Salmon sake don! Wow, this was so good. There wasn’t even a trace of fishiness in the salmon. The texture was so tender, yet somehow? It clung to the mouth with a pleasant bounce? Not exactly chewy, but it just coated your mouth so nicely. My friend ordered it, and after one bite I liked it so much that I ordered salmon delivery today—but wow... it really didn’t have that flavor from back then. You absolutely, absolutely have to try the salmon here. The salmon I’d eaten until now wasn’t salmon. This is true salmon. I’m genuinely going back for it. This place is a must-save!!!! ### Thick and crispy hirekatsu don Hirekatsu don. The meat was really thick and tender, while the outside was crisp. The rice had just the right texture, and the meat and egg white added a clean, mild taste. And the chili pepper on top is the kick. That little bit of heat seems like the kick that wakes up your appetite even more. Both were so, so good. But I think the salmon is the real star. If I went back, I’d want to try every kind of salmon dish. ![Egg and meat in hirekatsu don](https://img.superchart.com/images/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi-24-2oz9c-900.webp) The soft, tender egg and meat went so well together—mild + nutty + soft, all coming together beautifully in one bite with the rice’s sweetness. I haven’t tried every menu item, but this was a restaurant where you could feel the freshness of the ingredients, and where they used each ingredient and the foodstuffs well to turn them into excellent dishes. It was really delicious. If you come to Hongdae, you won’t regret stopping by at least once. I don’t think anyone comes only once when they could come twice. Haha. ## Where it is - Jongno Donburi Yeonnam (종로돈부리 연남) - 9 Donggyo-ro 46-gil, B1, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea - 서울특별시 마포구 동교로46길 9 B1 - 37.562598, 126.925406 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EC%A2%85%EB%A1%9C%EB%8F%88%EB%B6%80%EB%A6%AC%20%EC%97%B0%EB%82%A8/@37.562598,126.925406,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@napkin-lunch-log/yeonnam-sakedong-hirekatsu-jongro-donburi/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt