Cheongdam date-night Japanese restaurant with unagi set: Tokyo Saikabo

Hello everyone!

On weekends, don't you just crave a proper meal instead of your usual weekday fare? Haha. This time I went to Gangnam with my partner for a weekend date, craving something hearty. It was also right before Malbok (the last of Korea's three hottest summer days), and on days like that I always find myself thinking about eel. So this time we headed to a Cheongdam spot — Tokyo Saikabo Cheongdam!

True to being a Japanese restaurant in Cheongdam, the exterior looked clean and polished, and the interior was calm overall. The address is 9 Dosan-daero 101-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, within walking distance of Cheongdam Station. We visited on a weekend, and the vibe felt more relaxed than the usual weekday office-lunch rush.

Inside Tokyo Saikabo Cheongdam: interior and private room seats

Stepping inside, the space was cleaner than I expected. Rather than feeling like a traditional Japanese eatery, it had a modern, tidy atmosphere. It worked well for sitting down to eat as a couple, and there's also a room available for anyone who wants a quieter meal.

When I pick a restaurant, taste matters, but I also quietly care a lot about atmosphere. Especially on weekends, I'd rather find a place where I can talk and eat slowly than rush through a meal. On that front, the first impression here was quite pleasing. If you're looking for a Cheongdam spot that's good for a date, this one's worth keeping in mind.

What two people ordered at Tokyo Saikabo Cheongdam, and what it cost

With my partner, the two of us ordered this:

• Eel rice bowl set — ₩45,000
• Salmon avocado bowl — ₩16,000
• Fried shrimp — ₩9,000

It felt like maybe a bit much, but since we both love eating and it was a weekend meal, we figured it was fine. The set already comes with fried shrimp included, so adding more fried shrimp on top seemed like overkill, but in the end that choice turned out great haha.

Eel rice bowl set, 45,000 won: appetizers through to ochazuke

Before the main eel rice bowl arrived, the appetizers came out first! Tofu salad, steamed egg, and other palate-opening cold dishes, along with fresh sashimi and crowd-pleasing tempura — a hearty spread all on its own.

Then the eel rice bowl arrived! The eel glistened with a glossy sheen, and the rice underneath had absorbed just a bit of the sauce — it looked hearty just from the sight of it. Taking a bite, the sauce was on the sweet and salty side. The eel and rice came together naturally rather than feeling separate, and the eel itself was soft, making it easy and comfortable to eat.

And there's one thing I always eat alongside eel — ginger! I topped a piece of eel with a bit of ginger, and sure enough, it worked beautifully. After the sweet richness of the eel, the ginger's crisp fragrance came through and reset my palate.

What I loved most was eating with my partner on a weekend rather than during a rushed weekday lunch — we weren't racing the clock. Normally I catch myself thinking about the next item on the schedule even while eating, but that day it was just eat, talk, eat some more haha. Isn't that exactly what weekend leisure is about? Finishing off cleanly with ochazuke made it feel like a proper course meal, lol.

How does the 16,000 won salmon avocado bowl taste?

And then, for someone who loves salmon and avocado — me — I ordered the salmon avocado bowl! Salmon and avocado sitting together over rice made for a completely different feel from the eel rice bowl. Where the eel bowl centered on a sweet, rich sauce, the salmon avocado bowl leaned softer and cleaner.

The pairing of soft salmon and avocado worked especially well. The avocado was so soft and rich that it matched naturally with the salmon's tender texture. Bite after bite, the rice, salmon, and avocado came together — pure comfort food!

And the fried shrimp we ordered as a side! Since the set already included fried shrimp, I wondered if adding more was overkill, but to cut to the point — for two people, adding it was the right call haha. True to a solid Cheongdam spot, the shrimp came out hot, crispy on the outside with a plump shrimp inside — the texture was on point!

Is Tokyo Saikabo Cheongdam worth a second visit?

What struck me about this Cheongdam spot wasn't bold, in-your-face flavor, but the chance to enjoy the food and the space comfortably. That calm atmosphere felt especially fitting for a weekend date. The menu isn't limited to eel rice bowl either — there's beef rice bowl, katsu curry, sukiyaki, and more, so I'd love to try other dishes next time.

If you've been looking for a good spot in Cheongdam, how about Tokyo Saikabo Cheongdam for your next weekend date meal? Haha. I'm thinking of trying the sukiyaki next time — between eel rice bowl and sukiyaki, which one would you pick? Haha.