# Yeoksam eel restaurant near GS Arts Center with valet parking: Unagiwa

- By Yeobaek (https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-table-notes/)
- Written Sep 17, 2026
- Local places › Restaurants › Gangnam, Seoul
- Sponsored: This post was written as part of a sponsored restaurant visit.
- English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-table-notes/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center/
- Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@seoul-table-notes/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center/index.md)

## In short

Unagiwa is a Nagoya-style hitsumabushi (eel rice bowl) restaurant on the second floor near GFC and GS Arts Center in Yeoksam, Gangnam, Seoul. The writer ordered the hitsumabushi full set and ate it in order — the eel and rice plain, then with scallions and wasabi, then as ochazuke — with the house plum sauce and chawanmushi on the side. Unagiwa has no on-site parking, but valet costs 5,000 won for 2 hours, which makes it easy before or after a show, for lunch, or for a team dinner.

## Good to know

- **Location**: 2nd floor, 71 Bongeunsa-ro 30-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
- **Hours**: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- **Regular closing days**: Saturday, Sunday
- **Parking**: No on-site parking; valet available (5,000 won for 2 hours)
- **Valet address**: Search 25 Teheran-ro 27-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
- **Ordered**: Hitsumabushi eel rice bowl full set
- **Seating**: Tables for 2, 4 and 6, with wide spacing between tables
- **Price reference**: ₩5,000 ≈ $3.6 (2026-09-18)

*as written by the visitor on Sep 17, 2026*

These days the mornings and evenings are turning cool, and it really feels like that in-between season. Whenever it gets like this, I feel like I need to eat something hearty to keep my energy up, so this time I went out for eel rice bowl to build up my strength.

![Visiting Unagiwa, an eel rice bowl restaurant near Yeoksam Station](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center-01-1o61p-899.webp)

This is Unagiwa, near GFC by Yeoksam Station. It's close to Yeoksam Station and right by GS Arts Center, so it's also a great spot for a meal before or after a show. Most of all, I was excited to visit because it's a place where you can properly experience Nagoya-style hitsumabushi.

## Where is Unagiwa and what are its hours?

- 📍 Location: 71 Bongeunsa-ro 30-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 2nd floor
- ⏰ Hours: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM (Closed Saturdays, Sundays)
- 🚗 Parking: No in-house parking / valet parking available

### Parking at Unagiwa: valet for 5,000 won for 2 hours

Unagiwa doesn't have easy in-house parking. If you're driving, search '25 Teheran-ro 27-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul' on your navigation for valet parking. (Valet fee is ₩5,000 for 2 hours.)

### A short walk from GS Arts Center, before or after a show

Unagiwa is fairly close to GS Arts Center near Yeoksam Station, so it seemed like a good option for anyone looking for a meal before or after a performance.

## Inside Unagiwa: a clean, Japanese-style dining room

As soon as I arrived out front, the strongly Japanese-feeling exterior immediately gave me the sense that I'd come to a proper eel specialty restaurant.

![Unagiwa's Japanese-feeling storefront exterior](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center-02-pc1mr-m-966.webp)

Stepping inside, the whole place was decorated cleanly around a white tone. From the moment I walked in, it felt tidy and well-organized.

![The clean, white-toned interior of the restaurant](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center-03-1eqot-966.webp)

There were tables in a range of sizes, from tables for two up to four and six, and the spacing between tables was wide, which made for a comfortable meal.

![Unagiwa's tables with wide spacing between seats](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center-04-z0l6c-900.webp)

It seemed like a good atmosphere for a date, and just as fitting for a blind date or an important meal.

![An atmosphere suited for dates and dining occasions](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center-05-1hmrk-m-966.webp)

Given how many office workers are around Yeoksam Station, I thought it would also work well as a lunch spot or a dinner get-together venue.

## Unagiwa's menu

True to being an eel rice bowl specialty restaurant, the menu was built around eel in various forms. From the signature hitsumabushi to unadon (eel rice bowl), grilled eel, and eel rolled omelet, there were a lot of options.

![Unagiwa's menu board listing hitsumabushi and unadon](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center-06-qo5qg-900.webp)

![Menu items including grilled eel and eel rolled omelet](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center-07-13hqc-900.webp)

In the evening they also had charcoal-grilled eel, which looked good for a group visiting together to share grilled eel along with their meal. We ordered Unagiwa's signature menu, the hitsumabushi eel rice bowl.

## What comes with the hitsumabushi full set

After ordering, it wasn't long before tea and a wet towel were neatly brought out first.

![Tea and a wet towel served first](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center-08-k4njw-966.webp)

And then, finally, the hitsumabushi arrived!

![Unagiwa's hitsumabushi eel rice bowl full-course set](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center-09-1dhgu-1200.webp)

It was clearly a generous spread at a glance, so the moment the food landed on the table I already felt good. Centered on the eel rice bowl topped with a whole freshwater eel, it came neatly arranged as a full set with chawanmushi (Japanese steamed egg custard), salad, soup, pickled side dishes, seaweed flakes, scallion, wasabi, and perilla leaves.

![Eel rice bowl topped with a whole freshwater eel](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center-10-1l7uh-966.webp)

![Chawanmushi, pickled side dishes, and other accompaniments](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center-11-12nm1-966.webp)

Rather than just a single bowl of eel rice, having everything laid out so neatly, piece by piece, made me feel properly taken care of. Especially with the eel piled generously on top of the rice, it looked hearty just by sight!

## How to eat hitsumabushi at Unagiwa

First, I carefully read through the instructions on the kiosk for how to enjoy it best.

![Kiosk instructions for how to eat hitsumabushi](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center-12-1w97r-966.webp)

The staff also kindly explained how to eat it, so even as a first-timer I could follow along without any trouble. What's great about hitsumabushi is that you're not stuck eating it just one way — you can enjoy the eel and rice plain, then with toppings, then as ochazuke, in several different styles.

### Step one: the eel and rice on their own

For the first quarter or so, I tried the eel and rice with nothing added.

![First bite of eel and rice with nothing added](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center-13-ziwih-966.webp)

The eel was really tender. The outside was grilled to a golden brown with a faint smoky aroma, while the inside was moist and soft — it practically fell apart with just a light touch of the chopsticks! Rather than the eel's characteristic richness feeling heavy, what I noticed first was a savory, clean flavor.

The sauce wasn't too sweet or salty either — just moderately sweet and savory in a way that brought out the eel's savoriness. Eaten with the rice, the eel's flavor and the sauce soaked naturally into the rice, so it was satisfying and delicious from the very first bite.

### Step two: with scallions and wasabi

For the second round, I added a bit of scallion and wasabi. The flavor really changes compared to eating it plain. The scallion adds a sharp, refreshing aroma, and the wasabi cleanly cuts through the eel's savory, rich flavor, leaving the palate much fresher!

![Eel rice bowl topped with scallion and wasabi](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center-14-1urs4-966.webp)

Since the eel itself is soft and savory, adding just a tiny bit of wasabi worked surprisingly well. Personally, out of all the ways to eat it, the scallion + wasabi combo is my favorite. You still get the eel's full flavor, but without any heaviness, so I kept going back to eating it this way — haha.

### Step three: ochazuke style with broth

And of course, no talk of hitsumabushi is complete without the ochazuke style! I poured hot tea over the eel and rice and ate it warm, mixed together.

![Eel rice bowl made into ochazuke style with poured tea](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center-15-nojlr-966.webp)

Having fully enjoyed the eel's rich flavor beforehand, the moment you pour the tea over it, the taste shifts to something much softer and cleaner. The warm tea seeps between the grains of rice, blending with the eel's savory-salty taste, going down moist and smooth — a great way to cleanly finish off the meal.

At first, pouring tea over an eel rice bowl felt a little unfamiliar, but after actually trying it, I understood why it's eaten this way.

### The house plum sauce between bites

In between, I also tried Unagiwa's special sauce. I was curious since I heard it's made from plum, and adding a little to the eel brought a tangy, subtly sweet note that gave it a whole different feel. Adding a slight touch of brightness to the eel's savory, rich flavor felt refreshing to the palate — this was a treat too.

Eating it plain, then with toppings, then as ochazuke, then with the special sauce — even though it's a single dish, it felt like tasting a series of different flavors. That's what made me think hitsumabushi is a genuinely fun dish to eat.

## Soft chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) on the side

I also enjoyed the chawanmushi that came with the meal.

![Japanese-style steamed egg custard chawanmushi topped with minced shiitake mushroom](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center-16-1hhmk-966.webp)

Chawanmushi is Japanese-style steamed egg custard, and this one had softly steamed egg topped with minced shiitake mushroom. With a smooth, moist texture like pudding, a savory and clean egg flavor, and the subtle umami of shiitake mushroom on top, it paired well alongside the eel rice bowl.

If the eel is rich and savory, the chawanmushi is soft and clean, so eating them together in between made for a nice combination.

## One eel rice bowl, three different ways to taste it

I don't usually eat eel rice bowl that often, but trying hitsumabushi this time, it turned out to be more approachable and enjoyable to eat than I expected.

![Hitsumabushi eel rice bowl enjoyed in several different ways](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center-17-1eiyz-966.webp)

What I especially liked was that you don't eat the eel the same way from start to finish — going from eel and rice plain → scallion and wasabi → ochazuke means you can keep enjoying it without getting tired of it, right to the last bite.

The eel was golden-brown outside and tender inside, with a savory richness, and the sauce wasn't overly sweet or salty, making it easy to eat with the rice. Above all, the food came out so clean and neatly arranged overall that it felt like being treated to a proper Japanese-style full course.

## Unagiwa for a Yeoksam lunch or team dinner

Unagiwa has a calm atmosphere and food that comes out clean as a full set, so it seemed like a good fit for all kinds of occasions — from dates and blind dates to office workers' lunches and dinner get-togethers.

![Unagiwa's full-course set, also fitting for lunch or a get-together](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-gs-art-center-18-1v598-966.webp)

Being near GFC by Yeoksam Station, in particular, it's a good location for office workers to visit at lunch, and since there's also grilled eel on the evening menu, it seemed like a good option for a group to visit and share grilled eel together.

If, like me, you find yourself craving something hearty during this in-between season and want to properly treat yourself with a full eel rice bowl set, hitsumabushi is a dish worth trying at least once. Getting to enjoy so many different flavors from a single bowl of eel rice bowl made for a distinctive and fun meal. :)

## Where it is

- Unagiwa (우나기와)
- 71 Bongeunsa-ro 30-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 2nd floor, South Korea
- 서울특별시 강남구 봉은사로30길 71 2층
- 37.5030197, 127.0370094
- Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EC%9A%B0%EB%82%98%EA%B8%B0%EC%99%80/@37.5030197,127.0370094,17z

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