Gangnam eel restaurant for green-tea hitsumabushi: Unagiwa

Getting to Unagiwa, parking, and hours

🐟 Unagiwa in Yeoksam is on the second floor at 71 Bongeunsa-ro 30-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. There is parking at the restaurant if you drive, but it is a little tight. 🚗

🅿️ If you want an easier parking option, you can use the paid parking lot at nearby GS Tower. Personally, parking neatly at GS Tower and walking over seemed better than circling around looking for a space.

⏰ Hours are 11 AM to 9 PM, with a break from 3 PM to 5 PM; last orders are at 8 PM. It is regularly closed every Saturday and Sunday, so definitely keep that in mind if you are planning a weekend visit! 😊

A restorative meal at Yeoksam’s Unagiwa

🐟 I had been feeling a little run-down lately, and while searching with the thought, “This is when I really need eel!” I found Unagiwa in Yeoksam. I wanted to nourish myself and try a proper eel rice bowl, so I went straight over. 💪🔥

🏮 From the moment I entered, it really felt like I had arrived at an authentic eel rice bowl specialist. The thoughtful interior and calm atmosphere came together beautifully, and I liked the first impression quite a lot.

🍚 It was the kind of space that really put me in the mood to eat eel, so I was already looking forward to the hitsumabushi before even ordering! 😊✨

A polished, upscale interior

🏮 As you enter, there is an open kitchen on the left, where you can watch the food being prepared. At first glance, it felt very clean and hygienically maintained. ✨ Seeing the kitchen immediately gave it the atmosphere of an upscale Japanese restaurant, which was lovely.

🐟 The overall interior was calm and tidy too, naturally making me wonder, “How good is the eel rice bowl going to be here?” Even before the food arrived, I felt properly looked after! 😊

🪑 The tables are to the right of the entrance, and there were various seating options as well as a very generous amount of space. It looked great for a date, a family meal, or even a company dinner.

I especially liked that there was plenty of space between tables, so you could eat at ease without worrying about the people next to you. 👍✨

A menu worthy of an eel specialist

📋 Looking through the menu, Unagiwa really did feel like a place specializing in eel, true to its name. Along with its signature hitsumabushi (eel rice bowl) and unadon (grilled eel over rice), there were many eel dishes to choose from.

🔥 Beyond the rice dishes, there were also salt-grilled eel and sauce-grilled eel, giving plenty of options for anyone who wants to enjoy the eel’s natural flavor properly.

🍚 It is a great lineup for a filling meal, or for ordering grilled eel separately with a drink! As the menu of a specialist focused properly on one thing—eel—it made me even more excited. 😋✨

A generous, beautifully presented hitsumabushi

🍚 This time, I ordered Unagiwa’s signature hitsumabushi! The moment I lifted the lid, I saw eel covering the rice, and there was honestly much more eel than I expected. It looked filling just to behold. 😋🔥

🥢 It was not simply an eel rice bowl on its own—each side dish for enjoying alongside it was arranged neatly, making the entire setting feel very polished and upscale.

✨ Even before tasting it, the plating and composition clearly showed care. Rather than just eating a bowl of eel over rice, it felt as though I was being served a proper Japanese meal! It was a visual that really made the restorative outing feel worthwhile. 😊

① The eel’s natural flavor, just as it is

🥢 When the hitsumabushi was served, the staff member explained each way to enjoy it. First, divide everything into four, then eat the first quarter without adding anything at all! 🐟🍚

🔥 Just as they suggested, I tried the eel and rice on their own. From the first bite, I could fully taste the eel’s distinct savory richness, and it was so good. The sauce did not overwhelm the eel, so its own appeal really came through.

😋 The first portion was delicious enough even in its most basic form, before adding this or that! I was even more excited to see how the flavor would change afterward. ✨

② With seaweed flakes, wasabi, and scallions

🌿 For the second quarter, I added the prepared garnishes—seaweed flakes, wasabi, and scallions—on top of the eel. 🐟🍚

😋 The first way was all about the eel’s rich, savory flavor, but this was completely different, with the sharpness of wasabi, the freshness of scallions, and the nutty aroma of seaweed flakes added in!

The wasabi especially cut through the eel’s richness so nicely, making it a much fresher combination. Being able to enjoy so many flavors from one bowl of hitsumabushi was truly charming. 👍✨

③ Pouring in green tea broth for a gentle bowl

🍵 For the third quarter, you pour green tea broth over the eel and rice! I was told that the final remaining quarter can then be enjoyed again in whichever of the first three ways you liked most. 🐟🍚

But I already love eating eel rice bowls this way, so I ended up soaking the entire remaining half in green tea broth. 😂🍵 That is how overwhelmingly delicious this method was to my taste.

As the eel’s savory aroma and sauce gently spread through the warm, soft rice in broth, the moistened eel and rice seemed to melt in my mouth! 😋 Eel, which can sometimes feel rich, went down so much more easily that it was hard to stop spooning it up.

Personally, if I have Unagiwa’s hitsumabushi again, I would want to soak half of it in green tea broth from the start. It was by far my favorite way to eat it. 👍✨

Final thoughts

🐟 From the eel itself to the space and service, the whole meal at Yeoksam’s Unagiwa was so satisfying! The generously topped hitsumabushi was delicious plain, with garnishes, or soaked in green tea broth, so I never got tired of it to the last bite. The green tea broth version was especially exactly my kind of thing! 😋🍵

🏮 The clean, upscale interior and neat table setting made me feel well looked after throughout the meal, and the soft egg pudding at the end was a lovely finish! The flavor, atmosphere, and service were all satisfying—it is a place I would return to when I need a restorative meal or want to enjoy a special eel dish. 👍✨

I wholeheartedly approve of this as a great Yeoksam eel rice bowl spot!!!