Gangseo Seoul Japanese restaurant for birthday eel rice bowl: Una Magok

Una Magok across from One Grove Mall: location and space

For my birthday, I was looking for somewhere delicious and visited Una Magok, a popular restaurant in Magok-dong. It is a spot for enjoying eel rice bowls, a nourishing summer meal!

Una Magok

Una Magok is on the first floor of K Square Magok Tower 2, directly across from One Grove Mall. You can park in the underground lot, which has plenty of spaces, so it is convenient to drive. Public transportation around Magok Station is also good, so getting there by transit should be easy too. Beyond the nearby restaurant district, you can shop at One Grove Mall, making this a nice place to meet up or add to a date itinerary.

Una Magok felt modern right from the entrance. The word hitsumabushi was written beside the restaurant name, making it clear that this is a specialist in grilled eel rice bowls.

Once inside, you can see them grilling eel over charcoal like this. The charcoal-scented eel rice bowls looked so tempting—I was curious to taste them!

The restaurant was roomy and had plenty of tables. It also has several private rooms, so it felt like a good place for a group dinner too!

Ordering hitsumabushi and the mentaiko set

The signature dishes are hitsumabushi (grilled eel rice bowl) and the mentaiko set, which comes with white pollock roe. You can also order à la carte dishes such as eel, mero fish, and grilled chicken thigh. We ordered one hitsumabushi and mentaiko set.

The hitsumabushi arrived so neatly arranged. I was told that all the bowls had been brought directly from Japan. Perilla leaves, scallions, wasabi, and crushed seaweed came alongside the hitsumabushi, together with side dishes to enjoy with it. There was also a clean-tasting soup that seemed to be made with chicken stock.

How to enjoy hitsumabushi

Instructions for enjoying your meal at Una Magok even more were placed at every seat. First, taste the eel as it is; then add the toppings as you eat. Leave about one-third to have as ochazuke (rice in green tea broth), and you can enjoy several flavors in one meal.

The eel was plump and meaty. It was grilled just right, and the seasoning had soaked in well. Eating that wonderfully fatty eel made me feel properly restored.

Eel tail is supposedly the best thing for stamina...! It may just be an old saying, but I gobbled it up anyway haha. The mentaiko (seasoned pollock roe) that came with it was pleasantly salty, adding a savory-salty note that paired harmoniously with the rich eel.

After eating about half, you can also enjoy the rest as ochazuke. Personally, I thought the hitsumabushi was tastier on its own than as ochazuke (the issue is that I do not like green tea).

A thoughtful birthday touch and dessert

We brought a birthday cake to the restaurant, and the owner thoughtfully took a Polaroid photo for us too! The food at Una Magok was delicious, but the owner's little thoughtful touch really stood out as well.

As we were finishing the meal, the owner also prepared dessert. It was matcha ice cream, and the balance of gentle bitterness and sweetness was absolutely delicious. Overall, the dishes were neatly presented and tasted excellent.

They said rice, side dishes, and soup can be refilled anytime during the meal if you need more, so it is a place where you can eat until you are full and satisfied. With private rooms and a calm atmosphere, Una Magok also seemed like a great choice for a date or group dinner. It is fairly pricey, so I think it would be nice to visit once in a while for a special occasion. Since One Grove Mall is right across the street, I recommend stopping by after a date at the mall.