Gimhae eel grill where the owner cooks as baby plays: Ildeung

I heard a new freshwater eel place had opened in Gimhae, so I went to Ildeung Chamsutt Jangeo (일등참숯장어). It's near Yeonji Park Station, so you can stop by Yeonji Park and then enjoy grilled eel. It's good for a meal with your parents in Gimhae, and with a kids' room, it works for visiting with little ones too.

Ildeung Chamsutt Jangeo location, hours and parking

Ildeung Chamsutt Jangeo is at 7 Gusan-ro 19beon-gil, Gimhae, and it's open 14:00–23:00 (last order 22:00). It's closed every Monday and opens at 12:00 on weekends.

It's near Yeonji Park Station, so the light rail works well, and since the restaurant sits in a quiet area, parking around it was easy. They also support parking at the nearby Yeonji Plaza Building lot, so keep that in mind.

Inside Ildeung Chamsutt Jangeo: can it handle group gatherings?

As soon as you walk in, there's a wide, airy hall with generously spaced tables, so the whole place feels relaxed. Next to it is another large area that can hold big groups.

From standard 4-person tables to a separate group room that can handle large family gatherings or company dinners, it looked perfect for a year-end get-together.

A kids' zone for families with children

I was especially glad to see a safely set up kids' zone, a separate play area for children. While the eel is being grilled and eaten, kids can play freely, so the waiting doesn't feel boring, and I could focus on my meal without worrying about the baby getting bored and noisy.

There's also a self-serve bar where you can help yourself to more side dishes.

Ildeung Chamsutt Jangeo menu and what I ordered

They use 100% domestic Japonica eel, so you can eat with confidence, and the owner prepares and grills it himself, so all you have to do is eat. The menu has the Ildeung Alchan Set (recommended for 2–3 people) and the Ildeung Family Set (for 3–4), plus main dishes like grilled eel and eel hot pot.

I ordered 1kg of eel and a table setting for 2.

The table is set as soon as you order and the charcoal comes in, and it's not just any charcoal, it's real chamsutt (oak charcoal)!!

Fried eel bones and sungnyung (toasted rice tea) came out as side dishes, so I ordered a bottle of soju before even touching the main dish, haha.

Grilled eel with a baby: can you really eat comfortably?

This is the 1kg of eel. Look at how thick it is! The owner trims it right beside the table and then grills it, so all you have to do is eat.

Honestly, since it's charcoal-grilled eel, I worried a lot before visiting about whether I could focus and eat well with a baby. One person grills while the other looks after the baby, and that's not as easy as it sounds. But at Ildeung Chamsutt Jangeo, the owner grills the eel himself while we play with the baby in the kids' playroom, so I could enjoy the eel far more comfortably than I expected.

How does the charcoal-grilled eel at Ildeung Chamsutt Jangeo taste?

The eel is grilling up golden brown. Grilled eel is famous as a stamina food, and it comes to mind even more in cold winter weather. One bite of the golden, rich, savory flavor and I thought, this is a great place to bring your parents.

Thick, crispy outside and tender inside, it's excellent. Eel is food that restores energy when you're run down, and I heard the Donguibogam (a classic Korean medical text) records it as helping recovery of strength. With year-end coming up, I should bring my parents back again.

Side dishes made in-house

The side dishes are all made by hand in the restaurant, I was told. From pickled chili peppers to pickled perilla leaves and shredded ginger, everything pairs well with grilled eel, so you never get tired of it bite after bite.

Well-grilled eel without a drink would be a shame, right? A bite with soju was pure heaven, haha.

Ildeung Chamsutt Jangeo verdict and dessert

For dessert, Ildeung Chamsutt Jangeo has coffee and ginger-jujube tea ready.

I came to this newly opened Gimhae eel restaurant for a health boost. The charcoal grilling makes it even tastier, and there's a kids' zone for the baby, so I'll definitely come back with my parents this year-end.