Yeoksam eel restaurant packed right after break time: Chisot Yeoksam

Authentic Nagoya-style eel rice bowl (hitsumabushi) A Japanese restaurant near GS Art Center in Yeoksam — Chisot.

Yeoksam-dong restaurant Chisot means "a bite that makes your energy rise, over rising charcoal flames." Hope you fill up on energy at Chisot too ^^

Where Chisot Yeoksam Main Branch is and when it opens

• 🌱Address: 59 Bongeunsa-ro 30-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, ground floor 102 (361m from Yeoksam Station Exit 7)
• 🌱Hours: Mon–Fri 11:00–21:30, break time 15:00–17:00 / Sat 11:00–20:00, break time 15:00–16:30
• 🌱Closed every Sunday
• 🌱Parking: not available

It's near the GS Art Center in Yeoksam, so it's convenient to stop by before or after a show, and it's known as a favorite among Yeoksam office workers. I came a bit past 5pm, right after break time, when the area outside was quiet — but inside Chisot the vibe was completely different. Even at this hour it was already almost full ^^;

Domestic grade-1 japonica eel aged 72 hours in special tare — that's the hitsumabushi. Save the place on Naver Place and get one free drink! Write a review and get a refreshing mini salmon salad! And there's no limit on party size — everyone gets one each. Would be a shame to miss a deal this good, right?

The menu: hitsumabushi and the weekday lunch unagi bento

Chisot's signature menu, hitsumabushi, is cooked from eel aged 72 hours. Every hitsumabushi comes with the same set of components — only the bowl size changes. The unagi bento is only offered on weekdays from 11am to 3pm, served Japanese bento-style so you can enjoy the eel rice bowl alongside nanban chicken or salmon sashimi — perfect for office workers who want a single dish that's easy but properly filling. It's a real Yeoksam office-worker favorite ^^

Full at 5pm: a Yeoksam date at the bar seats

The moment I checked my watch again. Break time had literally just ended, and honestly I didn't expect many people to be eating at this hour — whoa, was I wrong. Only the bar counter seats were left, nearly everything else full. A weekday lunchtime wait must be a given here ^^; Chisot is a great spot whether you come together or solo — I came for a Yeoksam date, since good food is a must-have on any date~

Fully booked except for the group tables

What's this pretty little sake bottle? So pretty it makes you want a drink

Choosing your own sake cup and the rice and ochazuke self-bar

At Chisot, if you order sake, you can pick your own sake glass. Choose a glass that suits your food and enjoy a special drink in good spirits.

There's a self-bar with warm rice and ochazuke you can help yourself to as much as you like.

Since there were no other seats, I sat at the bar counter, right in front of where the eel was being grilled. The eel was extra thick and large, and watching it get grilled over and over, the food came out quickly. The eel is really thick and big. You could literally watch with your own eyes how that smoky, charcoal-grilled flavor of hitsumabushi comes together. A reputation as a hitsumabushi hotspot doesn't come from nowhere~

Authentic Nagoya-style rice bowl, hitsumabushi. There's a guide showing how to enjoy hitsumabushi the best way. My soul food — hitsumabushi!

The mini hitsumabushi set with baby ginseng for Mal-bok

The food arrives warm. The mini hitsumabushi set — and baby ginseng sprouts ^^ To mark Mal-bok, for two months in July and August, hitsumabushi orders come with baby ginseng sprouts for a boost of energy. Love it, love it so much.

Steamed egg custard, smooth like pudding

Three ways to eat hitsumabushi at Chisot

Glossy, plump, thick eel — hitsumabushi is a Nagoya-style eel rice bowl you can enjoy three different ways in one bowl. First, taste the eel rice bowl on its own. Then add yakumi (green onion, seaweed flakes, wasabi) for extra flavor. Finally, pour over ochazuke (green tea broth) and finish warm.

Yakumi (green onion, seaweed flakes, wasabi) — mix it into the eel rice bowl for a richer flavor.

Domestic grade-1 japonica freshwater eel, aged 72 hours in special tare, brushed and grilled three times over charcoal — Chisot's signature hitsumabushi. The hitsumabushi restaurant of Yeoksam-dong — Chisot!

Shall we try it bite by bite?

First, taste the eel on its own. Even just looking at it, you can tell it's thick and properly made. A soft eel rice bowl coated in smoky charcoal flavor and tare sauce — the seasoning is amazing. It's a little different depending on which hitsumabushi place you go to. Chisot's is less sweet-and-salty than typical Japanese food, which I like — it's tasty plain, and also good with wasabi on top. Wasabi does a great job cutting through the richness of the fatty eel. Thick texture with a savory kick that hits your palate — genuinely, really delicious.

Is the baby ginseng bitter?

The baby ginseng sprouts prepared for the Mal-bok event — I thought it would be bitter, but nope, not at all. It has a strong fragrant note, no bitterness at all, and a soft texture. If you've never eaten raw ginseng before, do you get the feeling? Lol. One bite in and — instant health boost! There's still time left, so I'd recommend stopping by while the baby ginseng Mal-bok event is running. Hope your visit to this Japanese restaurant near GS Art Center becomes an errand that covers both a good meal and your health!

Finishing the eel bowl with ochazuke

Pour the warm ochazuke over the rice and you get a whole different flavor. It's similar to how we pour green tea over dried yellow corvina rice. I've tried both, and both are delicious — dried corvina with green tea is clean and light, while hitsumabushi is more flavorful — that's the small difference. Chisot's hitsumabushi stands out for its stronger charcoal-smoky flavor and its bigger cuts of eel, which really makes you feel like you're eating a proper meal. The seasoning isn't too salty either, with just the right sweetness and balance, making it an even more appealing hitsumabushi. Seriously delicious.

Who should come to Chisot Yeoksam

With Yeoksam Station Centerfield, Chunghyun Church, and GS Tower all nearby, it's an easy stop, and it's also close to Eonju, Seolleung, and Sinnonhyeon stations, making it convenient for a Gangnam date or gathering. On weekdays it's popular as a lunch spot for office workers. I recommend Chisot's signature hitsumabushi.