Dog-friendly Japanese restaurant in Songjeong, Busan: Yuok

For the first meal of my Busan trip, I visited Yuok in Songjeong, known for its Osaka-style eel rice bowl :) I love eel rice bowls so I'd looked it up before the trip, and since it's dog-friendly and close to the route I'd planned, I decided to stop by haha.

Close to Songjeong Beach and Haedong Yonggungsa Temple

It's about 5 minutes from Songjeong Beach, and Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is nearby too, so it's a great spot to stop for a meal before or after sightseeing — perfect if you're looking for restaurants near Songjeong Beach or Haedong Yonggungsa. The exterior has a quiet hanok (traditional Korean house) feel, but it also gives off a strong Japan-like atmosphere haha.

What about parking?

There's a dedicated parking lot, and if it's full, they say you can use the nearby parking line!

There's an outdoor space and a pond by the entrance, so if there's a wait you can look around while you wait. You can even spot otters floating around in the water 🤣🤣

Can you bring your dog inside?

Since I was traveling with my dog, I mostly searched for dog-friendly restaurants, and this Songjeong spot Yuok allows dogs indoors! That said, dogs can't stick their heads out, so a bag or carrier is a must haha. Anyone traveling to Busan with a dog, take note 😆

Interior mood and seating

Inside, the wood-tone interior felt calm and warm. There are both table seats and dachi (counter) seats — I visited after the weekday lunch rush so I could eat at a relaxed pace haha. There are only 3 tables, so if you want a table seat, it's a good idea to book through Naver Reservations beforehand~! With the dachi seats available, it also looks like a fine spot for solo dining.

Menu and order

The menu has set meals like unaju, ochazuke, salmon rice bowl, and tori-don, plus à la carte items like mazeudon, tempura udon, and karaage. I'd already decided before going that I had to have the eel rice bowl, so I ordered the jumbo unaju set and the salmon rice bowl set.

While waiting for the food, I read through the instructions for how to enjoy it properly! Though honestly, even if you don't read it, the staff explains it again when they bring the dishes out.

Salmon rice bowl set

The salmon rice bowl set looked absolutely stunning 🤤 The bowl was piled generously with salmon, so just looking at it, the portion seemed huge!

The salmon itself had a good thickness with a proper chew, yet it was soft enough to melt in your mouth! You could really taste the salmon's savory, clean flavor, and squeezing lemon over it added a refreshing touch, so I could eat it cleanly without any fishy taste. If you like salmon, I think you'll be satisfied! With crackers and tempura included as a finishing touch, it was a satisfying set all the way to the end haha.

Jumbo unaju set

The jumbo unaju set I'd been totally looking forward to! A whole big eel laid right on top of the rice — that visual alone is a total win.

The eel was large and glossy, looking delicious even before I took a bite +_+ A visual worthy of being called one of Busan's best eel rice bowl spots! The eel had no fishy taste at all, and the sweet-savory sauce paired really well with it. Sometimes sauces that are too sweet or oily get tiring, but Yuok's unaju stayed light enough to enjoy fully. Underneath the eel was a thick rolled omelet, so soft that eating it together with the eel made for an indescribable combination..

How to turn unaju into ochazuke

Unaju isn't just a rice bowl — after eating some of it as-is, you can scoop rice, eel, scallion, and seaweed into a side dish, pour tea over it, and enjoy it as ochazuke (tea-poured rice), and this was genuinely a delicacy! It tastes completely different from eating it as a rice bowl, so getting two dishes out of one menu item was hugely satisfying~!

Finishing off with plum tea to cleanse the palate completed a hearty meal 👍

Just looking at the guestbook(?) hanging by the entrance, you could tell how many people have visited.

Clean food, great atmosphere, and delicious taste — if you're looking for a good restaurant in Songjeong, Busan, this one's a recommendation!! If you're after a Japanese restaurant with good vibes or a great eel rice bowl in Songjeong, Busan, give Yuok a try!