Siheung unlimited eel and pork BBQ: Songnim Bok Jangeo

Lately, the seasonal change has been making me seriously sluggish.

On days like this, eel is just the thing for a restorative meal. It is hard to decide on because of the price, but this time I tried an unlimited meal with my sibling.

We both eat a lot, so a regular eel restaurant can easily run us over ₩100,000. Here, though, we enjoyed not only good-quality eel but also pork belly and chicken neck meat at a reasonable price, and left completely full.

Where is Songnim Bok Jangeo, and what are its hours?

Songnim Bok Jangeo Unlimited Freshwater Eel Siheung Baegot Direct Branch (송림복장어) is in the Baegot Central Shopping District. Its hours are 11:30–23:00. Since it is open from lunch through late evening, it seems like a good option for a family meal or a company dinner too.

A spacious interior with sofa seating

Once we went inside, the restaurant felt quite spacious. Along with regular chair tables, there were sofa-style seats, which made it comfortable for a meal.

Adult unlimited-meal price

We chose the adult unlimited meal at ₩29,900, with a separate ₩3,000 table-setting fee. As I mentioned, my sibling and I are both big eaters, so at a normal eel restaurant we can quickly spend ₩100,000–₩200,000. Here, I liked that the unlimited price was set from the beginning, so we could eat without worrying about the bill.

What is at the self-serve bar?

While getting eel, I had a look at the self-serve bar too, and I was surprised by how varied it was. There were fresh ssam vegetables (wrap vegetables) and side dishes, of course, as well as eel, pork belly, and chicken neck meat. I wondered if it might be a too-good-to-be-true selection, but after trying it, the quality of each item was quite good.

Basic side dishes to eat with eel

Once you sit down, the basic side dishes are set out for you. They are mainly things that go well with eel, including seasoned onions, pa-kimchi (green onion kimchi), perilla leaves, and shredded ginger. Since eel is rich, these palate-cleansing sides are essential.

How was the unlimited eel quality?

The biggest question was the eel quality. Since it was unlimited, I cannot say I had no concerns, but it exceeded my expectations. Because it was grilled over charcoal, the gentle charcoal aroma seemed to cut right through the eel's richness. It made the oily eel taste clean, so I could enjoy its own flavor without it becoming heavy.

The all-you-can-take wrap-vegetable combination

True to form as big eaters, my sibling and I ate an enormous amount of wrap vegetables too. At a regular restaurant, after asking for extra wraps a few times, I sometimes start to feel oddly sorry for the staff. At Songnim Bok Jangeo, it was so convenient to take as much as we wanted from the self-serve bar. I especially loved the perilla leaf and shredded ginger combination, so I took plenty of both and ate to my heart's content.

Chicken neck meat and pork belly that impressed me unexpectedly

The chicken neck meat and pork belly were unexpectedly satisfying on this visit. I went for the eel, so at first I wondered whether eating those meats would somehow feel like missing out. But once we grilled the meat served with the first table setting, it was clear the quality had been raised just as much as the eel. It paired especially well with sides such as pa-kimchi and pickled onions, so we went back for more several times.

My thoughts after visiting

At Songnim Bok Jangeo's Baegot Direct Branch, I was able to enjoy unlimited eel at a good value for ₩29,900. We ate not only eel but also delicious pork belly and chicken neck meat, plus unlimited wrap vegetables and side dishes. The interior is spacious, so it would be good for a company dinner or family gathering.

Since everything is charcoal-grilled, I loved it for the charcoal aroma, but keep in mind that people who dislike their clothes picking up smells may not. In this era of high prices, I recommend it to anyone who wants a generous eel meal at a reasonable price.