Jeongwang-dong all-you-can-eat eel with no fishy taste: Songrim Bok

As the seasons change, my energy has really been dropping lately. My complexion looked so bad that people actually asked if I was sick.. T_T At times like this, eating something delicious and nourishing to recharge is the answer, right?? Right around when a close friend of mine, who was also feeling low on energy, and I were wondering what to eat to get our strength back.. someone next to us recommended eel!!

Let me share my real review of Songrim Bok Jangeo's unlimited refill at the Jeongwang branch — I fell head over heels for the taste and felt my energy come back.

• Daily 11:30–22:00
• Parking available in front of the store and in the building

My friend who recommended eel told me Songrim Bok Jangeo's Jeongwang branch was delicious and I'd definitely be satisfied, so I ate a pretty light lunch beforehand haha. I had no idea just how much I'd end up eating lol.

I've had other nourishing foods like grilled meat, samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup), and chueotang (loach soup), and even eel sushi at sushi restaurants, but I'd never actually gone somewhere myself for grilled eel, so honestly this felt like a bit of a challenge for me ^^

Arriving at 4 p.m.: inside Songrim Bok Jangeo in Jeongwang-dong

We arrived at Songrim Bok Jangeo Jeongwang Direct Branch a little after 4pm — an awkward time for a meal, haha. So actually, even better!! Walking in, the interior was surprisingly tall and spacious. That ceiling height gives off proper eel-restaurant grandeur lol.

The space is generously open both vertically and between tables, so grilling eel and meat never felt stuffy, and there was plenty of room between tables so using the self-serve bar wouldn't feel crowded even with lots of customers. Seeing it with my own eyes, I'd say this place can handle everything from small get-togethers to large group gatherings. Turns out Songrim Bok Jangeo's Jeongwang Direct Branch in Siheung can seat over 100 people, so group gatherings are totally possible!!

Self-serve bar and price: eel, pork belly and chicken neck for 29,900 won

At the self-serve corner you can help yourself to as much eel, pork belly, chicken neck, and various side dishes as you want. And speaking as someone who inspects things with a housewife's critical eye, you could really tell they cared about hygiene. Looking at how the eel, pork belly, and chicken neck were laid out, everything was neatly arranged and kept fresh — it genuinely looked appetizing.

It's been a while since I went to an unlimited-refill place, so I made sure my stomach was ready lol. I always thought eel was an expensive ingredient, but ₩29,900 is actually pretty reasonable?? And it's unlimited refill on top of that!!! There's also a separate ₩3,000 table charge, which I didn't quite understand at first, but it turns out it comes with pork belly, chicken neck, and basic side dishes in addition to the eel. So there's another unlimited refill besides the eel!! Whoa @_@

At this point let me share a bit about the health benefits of eel, haha.

These are the side dishes included in the table setting: pickled onion, pickled perilla leaf, green onion kimchi, white kimchi, and ginger. A lineup that pairs well no matter what the main dish is.

Live eel cleaned daily: how good is all-you-can-eat eel?

Whoa~~ eel, real eel!! Haha. Plump eel, thick pork belly, and this oddly unfamiliar-looking chicken neck lol. My quality expectations for an unlimited-refill place were honestly low, but this was a total reversal!! First of all, everything was cleaned so neatly and looked obviously fresh. I couldn't believe pork belly and chicken neck of this appearance were included in just the table charge.

Apparently Songrim Bok Jangeo hand-preps live eel fresh every day. No wonder the freshness was visible to the naked eye!! Anyone here able to prep a live eel themselves??? I can't... I'll just eat mine at Songrim Bok Jangeo's Jeongwang unlimited-refill branch lol.

Grilling eel for the first time? Ask the staff at Songrim Bok Jangeo

I laid the eel down first, then arranged the pork belly and chicken neck neatly next to it. Not gonna lie, I was a little nervous grilling eel for the first time lol.

I got a bit confused about how to trim the fins, so I asked a staff member and they cut it for me while explaining. If you're also an eel beginner, just ask haha.

Lining them all up neatly~ and cooking the sides too.

Chicken neck meat was the surprise, and the eel had no fishy taste

While the eel was slowly browning, I first tried the chicken neck and pork belly.. wow, what is this chicken neck?? Haha. I'd never had a chance to try chicken neck grilled like this, and I wondered what it would be like, but after tasting it I understood — 'so this is why people eat chicken neck.' Wow, it was such a unique treat. The pork belly was obviously delicious too, given how thick and fresh it was. Honestly a bit stunned that food this good comes with the unlimited refill lol.

The eel was cooked to a beautiful golden brown!! I was so curious about the taste. I tried a bite without dipping it in sauce and — wow, so savory and clean-tasting lol. So this is what eel tastes like!!! >_< Genuinely not fishy at all, I mean it seriously!! No need to worry about a fishy taste.

At most unlimited-refill BBQ places you're supposed to stick to just meat, but at Songrim Bok Jangeo's Jeongwang branch you can totally switch back and forth between eel and pork belly or chicken neck lol. Since it's unlimited, you can grab more without any hesitation, which makes the whole meal feel so much lighter ^^

They say you should eat the eel's tail, right? Haha. I tried a piece of the tail too. Wonder if my energy will pick up ^^

Wrapping meat in lettuce, grilling the amazing chicken neck, grilling eel lol — I really came home well nourished, haha.

Is Songrim Bok Jangeo good for group dinners and family meals?

By the time we were leaving, around 5:30, a group of customers was coming in. There were quite a lot of them, but since the space is so spacious, they barely made a dent lol. This is a solid spot for family gatherings, small or large group meetups, or work dinners, so I hope more people check it out. I can genuinely vouch for both the taste and hygiene!!!

• Siheung and Jeongwang-dong locals looking for a good-value eel restaurant
• Family outings with kids (kids' pricing makes it easier on the wallet)
• Meat lovers who feel eel alone isn't enough (since pork belly and chicken neck are also included)

How the writer felt the next day

Is eel actually this delicious a fish?? Haha. I figured there'd still be at least a little fishy taste, but nope! It was genuinely not fishy at all and really tasty. My close friend who came with me has a pretty sensitive nose, so she assumed she wouldn't be able to eat it either. She was planning to just eat meat or something else instead, but she ended up saying 'oh, turns out I like eel~' and really dug in.

Since Songrim Bok Jangeo's Jeongwang branch was my very first grilled-eel restaurant, it left me with a really positive impression of eel overall, haha. Being able to stuff yourself full of eel, pork belly, and chicken neck, all unlimited, for around ₩30,000 feels like a blessing these days with prices going up lol.

The next day, we compared notes on how we each felt after eating the eel. Turns out neither of us could fall asleep lol. Was it because of the eel??? Haha. I thought I'd be exhausted after putting the kids to bed and just pass out, but I felt surprisingly energetic — made me think this is exactly why people seek out nourishing foods. Highly, highly recommend Songrim Bok Jangeo Jeongwang branch as your go-to unlimited eel restaurant in Siheung!!!!