Magok eel restaurant with free corkage and a private room: Kikukawa
In short
Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa One Grove Branch is a Nagoya-style grilled eel restaurant in One Grove Building A, 347m from Magok Station Exit 2 in Gangseo, Seoul. Seated in a private room with a friend, the writer ate a mentaiko-topped hitsumabushi (eel rice bowl) three ways — plain, with toppings, then as ochazuke with broth — and the food stayed warm through a long conversation, with rice and side dishes refilled for free. With a free corkage event running as well, Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa suits a meal where the talk matters as much as the eel.
Good to know
- Location
- 1F E101–E102, Building A, 165 Gonghang-daero, Gangseo-gu, Seoul (347m from Magok Station Exit 2)
- Hours
- Mon–Sun 10:30–22:00 (last order 20:50)
- Parking
- Available
- Seating
- Private rooms can be assigned
- Main menu
- Yondaime Kikukawa Ilpum Hitsumabushi
- Rice bowl set
- Chopped green onion, wasabi, seaweed flakes, gungchae (stem lettuce), yuzu pickled radish, dashi broth
- Refills
- Unlimited rice and side dishes
- Event
- Free corkage
as written by the visitor on Sep 21, 2026
It had been a while since I'd caught up with a friend properly, and I wanted somewhere private near Magok Station to actually talk — so I decided on Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa.
It's a traditional Nagoya-style eel restaurant, but with such a bright atmosphere that talking with my friend felt even more relaxed. Let me walk through the eel rice bowl and the dishes I'd recommend.
How to get to Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa from Magok Station Exit 2
Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa One Grove Branch is easy to find, just 347m from Magok Station Exit 2 on Line 5. It's connected to One Grove, so it was great being able to grab dessert with my friend right after eating.
Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa is known for its Michelin-recognized eel rice bowl, built on four generations of a craftsman's stubborn dedication.
My first impression walking in was how open the space felt, and the staff were incredibly kind.
I went a little before lunch rush, and the food came out quickly. The staff explained how to eat the dish before we started.
Is the private room at Kikukawa right for a formal meal or meeting?
At Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa One Grove Branch we were seated in a private room, and a staff member walked us through exactly how to eat neatly.
The room felt very clean and well-kept — the kind of place I'd recommend for an important work meeting, a family gathering, or even a formal occasion like meeting a partner's parents. I thought it'd be a great spot to come for something that matters.
My friend loved it too, which made me feel like I was really treating them well. Here's the basic info on the restaurant.
Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa One Grove Branch: hours, parking and location
- 1F E101, 102, Building A, 165 Gonghang-daero, Gangseo-gu, Seoul
- 347m from Magok Station Exit 2
- Parking available
- Mon–Sun 10:30–22:00 (last order 20:50)
What to order: traditional Nagoya-style hitsumabushi
With hitsumabushi (grilled eel over rice, eaten three ways), I could taste it in three different ways. First, I enjoyed the eel's own natural flavor.
Second, I'd recommend eating it with the toppings mixed in.
Third, after portioning out some eel and rice, try finishing it as ochazuke with the dashi broth poured over.
I always like to mix things up when eating hitsumabushi — I set aside some eel and rice on a side plate, pour dashi over it, and finish with ochazuke as a palate cleanser at the end.
By the end, I felt like I'd had a truly satisfying meal. As soon as the lid came off, the eel and mentaiko (seasoned pollock roe) were right there — the eel grilled golden over charcoal and cut into easy-to-eat pieces.
I'd scoop up a spoonful of rice with eel on top, sometimes with the mentaiko too — the food was neat and the savory smell was appetite-stirring. Every bite felt like it was giving me energy back, and the clean flavors put me in a good mood.
Even while chatting with my friend for a long stretch, the food never felt cold, so we could still enjoy the taste properly after all that talking. The traditional Nagoya charcoal-grilling method gave it a crisp outside and moist inside, and there were several ways to enjoy the meal.
Unlimited rice and side dishes, and what comes with the eel bowl
If I'm judging the taste, it wasn't salty at all — clean and neat, with tidy side dishes, and since rice and side dishes are refilled for free, I think it'd be great to bring kids too. The bowl came with chopped green onion, wasabi, seaweed flakes, gungchae, yuzu pickled radish, and dashi broth — and tasting it, I understood why the Yondaime Kikukawa Ilpum Hitsumabushi is the signature dish.
People often drink alcohol with a meal like this, and since there's a free corkage event running, it seems like a great pairing for an important occasion or anniversary.
Final verdict on Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa in Magok
The day I visited with my friend, we ended up having a somewhat heavy conversation, but being seated in a room meant we could speak honestly, and the food never went cold while we talked, so we could still enjoy it properly. From the neat, sleek exterior to the calm dining experience, the eel was thick, chewy, and full of juice.
The tare sauce stuck with me long after — it's the kind of flavor that lingers. I'm planning to try the ilpum hitsumabushi, which lets you enjoy a whole eel, at a future family gathering. I visited because I'd heard this 90-year-old Nagoya-style eel restaurant from Japan had opened in Magok, and it turned out to be one of the best eel rice bowls I've had in the area. It was a time that left me feeling treated, recharged, and closer to my friend.
Where it is
1F E101, E102, Building A, 165 Gonghang-daero, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 강서구 공항대로 165 A동 1층 E101호, E102호
