Yeonnam-dong donburi restaurant with a receipt review beer: Jongno
In short
Jongno Donburi Yeonnam is a Japanese rice bowl restaurant on the basement level of a Yeonnam-dong alley building in Mapo, Seoul, about a 7-minute walk from Exit 3 of Hongik Univ. Station. The writer ordered the aburi sake-don (seared salmon rice bowl) at 19,000 won and the tendon (tempura rice bowl) at 14,500 won, and the receipt review event adds a free drink for a text review or a drink plus a draft beer for a photo review. With bar seats and wood-toned tables for two or four, Jongno Donburi Yeonnam suits a solo meal as easily as a Yeonnam-dong date.
Good to know
- Aburi sake-don
- 19,000 won
- Tendon
- 14,500 won
- Location
- About a 7-minute walk from Exit 3 of Hongik Univ. Station, basement level down a Yeonnam-dong alley
- Seating
- Bar seats, tables for two and four
- Menu
- Sake-don, aburi sake-don, salmon belly don, katsu-don, gyu-don, buta-don, tendon, unagi-don
- Receipt review event
- One drink for a text review; one drink plus one draft beer for a photo and text review
as written by the visitor on Sep 22, 2026
If you're looking for a clean, satisfying Japanese meal in Yeonnam-dong, I recommend Jongno Donburi Yeonnam. They have all kinds of Japanese-style rice bowls, from sake-don to katsu-don to tendon, and the overall vibe of the place is so cozy it makes for an easy, comfortable Yeonnam-dong dinner date.
They say they prepare the salmon fresh every day and sell only what's made that day, and honestly, from the thick-cut salmon to the crispy tendon, the visuals were great and it was a really filling bowl. So let me share my abburi sake-don and tendon story from Jongno Donburi Yeonnam~
What kind of place is Jongno Donburi Yeonnam? Location and interior
Jongno Donburi started out in Jongno in 2010 as a Japanese rice bowl specialty restaurant, and they've kept up the daily-prep, same-day-sale principle ever since, offering all kinds of donburi like sake-don, katsu-don, and tendon. It's great for a hearty lunch and just as good in the evening for a beer in a cozy atmosphere.
It's about a 7-minute walk from Exit 3 of Hongik Univ. Station, tucked into a Yeonnam-dong alley, so it's a good spot for a walk or a café stop before or after your meal.
The restaurant is done in warm wood tones throughout, with warm lighting and wood materials blending nicely together. It felt like stepping into a small restaurant in Japan, honestly.
They have bar seats as well as tables for 2 and 4, so it looks good for solo dining as well as a Yeonnam-dong dinner date.
Menu and order: aburi sake-don 19,000 won, tendon 14,500 won
The menu is really varied — the signature sake-don, plus abburi sake-don, salmon belly don, katsu-don, gyu-don, buta-don, tendon, unagi-don, and more. We ordered the abburi sake-don and the tendon this time.
- Abburi sake-don ₩19,000
- Tendon ₩14,500
When the dishes came out, wow... both looked seriously mouthwatering >_< The abburi sake-don had thick salmon covering the whole bowl of rice, and the tendon was piled high with shrimp and various vegetable tempura — you could tell at a glance the portions were generous!
Aburi sake-don: thick salmon seared for a smoky edge
We started with the abburi sake-don! Abburi sake-don uses a leaner cut of salmon that's lightly seared on the surface for a hint of smoky flavor.
Since it's a dish that's only sold in the day's prepared quantity, I was even more excited >_< The slightly seared surface gave the salmon a glossy look that was really appealing.
The outside was lightly cooked while the inside kept that moist, raw-salmon texture, so each bite gave both softness and nuttiness at once. Eaten with rice, the savory-salty sauce paired really well with the richness of the salmon haha.
Tendon: shrimp and seasonal vegetable tempura piled high
Next up, tendon! This is a rice bowl loaded generously with seasonally selected vegetables and shrimp tempura.
The tempura was piled so high on the bowl that it caught my eye visually the moment it arrived. The shrimp tempura pieces were long and hefty, and with several kinds of vegetable tempura added on top, you could sense the crunch just by looking at it.
The batter wasn't too thick, so the outside was crispy while the texture of the ingredients inside still came through nicely! The shrimp in particular was crispy outside and plump and springy inside — the texture when biting into it was really good.
Each vegetable tempura had a different texture and sweetness, so it was fun to try them one by one. The sauce drizzled over the tempura wasn't too sweet or salty either, and it was just the right seasoning when eaten together with the rice.
How does the receipt review event work at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam?
If you're visiting, make sure to check out the receipt review event at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam too~ Let them know you'd like to take part when you order, pay in advance, and then write a Naver review with your receipt to get a service item. Write a text review and choose 1 of zero-sugar Pepsi / Sprite / Coca-Cola; write a photo + text review and you get 1 of those drinks plus a draft beer!
Where it is
9 Donggyo-ro 46-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea B1서울특별시 마포구 동교로46길 9 B1
