Hongdae rice bowl restaurant: fresh sake-don & mix katsu-don, Jongno

Hi, this is DIDI! Today I visited Jongno Donburi Yeonnam, a great spot in Yeonnam-dong when you're craving a Japanese-style rice bowl. This time I ordered the mix katsu-don and the sake-don. The salmon was really delicious, and the mix katsu-don also satisfied me with its crispy fried toppings and generous portion.

Where is Jongno Donburi Yeonnam, and what are the hours?

Jongno Donburi Yeonnam is located on the basement floor at 9 Donggyo-ro 46-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul. It's open weekdays 11:30–21:30 (break time 16:00–17:00) and weekends 11:30–21:00, with no dedicated parking for the restaurant.

Jongno Donburi Yeonnam is a Japanese rice bowl restaurant tucked in a Yeonnam-dong alley. It's also within walking distance from Hongik University Station, so it's a great pick if you're looking for a place to eat around Yeonnam-dong. Since it's on the basement floor, you'll find the restaurant once you head down from the entrance.

What is the restaurant like inside?

The interior of Jongno Donburi Yeonnam has a warm wood-toned atmosphere. Once inside, it felt cozy — a nice setting for a meal with a friend or even a date in Yeonnam-dong.

What we ordered at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam and what it cost

This time at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam, we ordered two dishes: mix katsu-don for ₩13,500 and sake-don for ₩18,000. We picked the mix katsu-don, which lets you enjoy both pork cutlet and shrimp tempura together, and the sake-don, topped with fresh salmon.

Jongno Donburi offers a variety of menu items.

• Mix katsu-don ₩13,500
• Sake-don ₩18,000

Mix katsu-don: portion size and how crisp the cutlets were

The mix katsu-don (₩13,500) at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam came with a more generous portion than I expected, so one bowl alone was quite filling. Above all, the fried toppings were really crispy.

Some basic side dishes came neatly arranged alongside the rice bowl.

Eating the pork cutlet together with the rice kept that crispy texture alive, so it was really tasty. If you like fried food, this is a dish that would satisfy you.

Sake-don: was the salmon fishy at all?

The sake-don (₩18,000) at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam had thick slices of salmon piled on top, and there wasn't a single trace of fishy smell. This was actually the dish I enjoyed most — I could really taste the soft, savory flavor unique to salmon, and I ate it with real enjoyment.

Eating the rice together with the salmon was light yet savory, so I kept reaching for more. Even people who love salmon but worry about that particular fishy smell would probably be able to eat this comfortably.

Is Jongno Donburi Yeonnam worth a visit?

Jongno Donburi Yeonnam turned out to be a great place to visit in Yeonnam-dong when you want a filling Japanese-style rice bowl. I especially loved the sake-don — there was no fishy smell at all from the salmon, and the thick, soft salmon paired really well with the rice. The mix katsu-don had a generous portion and crispy fried toppings, making it satisfying and filling too.

If you like soft salmon, go for the sake-don; if you like crispy fried toppings and a hearty rice bowl, go for the mix katsu-don. If you're looking for Japanese food or a rice bowl in Yeonnam-dong, give Jongno Donburi Yeonnam a try!