Reservation-only weeknights at a Seongsu eel buffet: Songnim Bok
In short
Songnim Bok Jangeo Unlimited Freshwater Eel Seongsu Branch is an all-you-can-eat freshwater eel restaurant on Seongdeokjeong-gil in Seongdong, Seoul. On a weekday evening every table was taken by groups, families and couples, and walk-ins without a reservation had to turn back; adults pay 29,900 won to grill eel, pork belly and chicken neck over charcoal for two hours. With a self-serve bar of pickled perilla leaves and green onion kimchi included, Songnim Bok Jangeo delivers quality well beyond its price.
Good to know
- Hours
- Daily 11:50–23:00, open year-round
- All-you-can-eat price
- 29,900 won adults / 14,000 won children
- Table setting fee
- 3,000 won per person
- Time limit
- 2 hours
- Takeout
- 35,000 won for 650g, cleaned
- Getting there
- 15-minute walk from Seongsu Station Exit 3; no parking
as written by the visitor on Aug 15, 2026
A Seongsu eel buffet spot with quality on another level: Songnim Bok Jangeo Unlimited Freshwater Eel Seongsu Branch. A clean-looking exterior befitting a newly opened place, and prices low enough to flex on expensive eel to your heart's content — here's my honest review of this Seongsu eel buffet.
Where Songnim Bok Jangeo Seongsu Branch is, and its hours
- ⏰ Daily 11:50–23:00
- ⛔️ Open year-round, no closed days
- 📍 15-minute walk from Seongsu Station Exit 3
- 🚘 No parking
Songnim Bok Jangeo Seongsu Branch says it does its best to serve good quality eel at a reasonable price so everyone can eat happily. Drawn in by a poster out front that already looked trustworthy, I walked in. Here's my honest review of my first-ever visit to an all-you-can-eat eel restaurant!
Full house on a weekday evening: why you need a reservation
Even on a weekday evening, the inside of Songnim Bok Jangeo Seongsu Branch was packed with people — groups, families, couples, all of it. Eel really is perfect for restoring energy on bok-nal (dog days of summer).
Tables ranged from square to round, all a good size for grilling eel together in a cozy group. As word has already spread about this Seongsu eel buffet spot, every table was full, and I saw people without reservations turned away. Definitely book ahead before you visit.
What's on the self-serve side bar
A self-serve bar that lives up to a proper Seongsu eel buffet — eel, pork belly, and grilled chicken neck all set out, plus lettuce, pickled perilla leaves, green onion kimchi, garlic, chili peppers and ginger, all great pairings for eel. Above all, the eel quality was excellent. Unlimited freshwater eel, really 🤍
Songnim Bok Jangeo prices and eel takeout
29,900 won for adults, 14,000 won for children, unlimited refills. Table setting fee is 3,000 won per person. In pricey Seongsu, getting this quality at this price is such a bargain to begin with. Pork belly and chicken neck are also unlimited alongside the eel, so you can grill whatever you like — a great Seongsu restaurant.
Takeout is even available. Cleaned eel costs 35,000 won per 650g.
How charcoal-grilled freshwater eel tastes here
They even gave us bokbunja wine (Korean black raspberry wine) on the house to mark the opening. Getting a free drink on top of such generous prices — pure gratitude. Sweet, tangy bokbunja wine pairs perfectly with eel.
The first plate they set out for us — piled high with thick cuts of eel, pork belly and chicken neck. Taste a bite of each first, then go back to the self-serve bar for more of whatever you like :)
Getting to grill it golden-brown over charcoal takes the savory flavor to another level! Even though it's a buffet, the eel was so meaty and thick that I kept gasping the whole time I was grilling.
The charcoal aroma soaks gently into the eel as it cooks crisp outside, tender inside. Throwing on garlic from the self-serve bar to grill alongside it too made for a dream combo 💕 A piece of eel wrapped up with a piece of garlic really is the law.
Cut into big bite-sized pieces with scissors, just the right size to eat in one go. Crispy skin, tender flesh, perfectly cooked eel. To be this thick even at an all-you-can-eat place — the visuals alone are stunning. A well-grilled, golden piece of eel with garlic on top is truly the ultimate combo.
How many refills fit into two hours
Delicious dipped straight into the special sauce, and just as good wrapped in lettuce or pickled perilla leaf. No need to hold back — a whole new plate of eel refilled as much as I wanted. The pork belly was great too, so I refilled it several times. With a two-hour time limit, you can really eat until you're stuffed at this Seongsu eel buffet spot.
Big, thick eel as ever. Since it's unlimited, you can even flex by grabbing two pieces at once with chopsticks. Nutty yet tender, with a slightly chewy bite. This is exactly the taste of eel 👍
Side dishes I helped myself to endlessly from the self-serve bar. The pickled perilla leaves and green onion kimchi especially went perfectly with the eel, so I ended up grilling plate after plate of eel alone. Not a hint of fishy smell, and the thick texture stayed exactly the same throughout. The quality was hard to believe for an all-you-can-eat place.
The more I ate, the more I marveled at the juiciness, and the thick texture stayed satisfying right to the end — a Seongsu eel buffet spot that delivers. Unbeatable quality for the price, and perfect for restoring your body on a hot day. Highly recommend Songnim Bok Jangeo Seongsu Branch as a Seongsu eel buffet spot 🙌
Where it is
148 Seongdeokjeong-gil, 1st floor, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 성동구 성덕정길 148 1층
