Hongdae Japanese rice bowl for salmon skeptics: Jongno Donburi Yeonnam

Today I'm bringing you a review of Jongno Donburi Yeonnam, a place in Yeonnam-dong that surprised me way more than I expected! Honestly, I'm pretty sensitive to fishy flavors, so I'm not really a salmon person. Even at spots salmon lovers rave about, I always pick up on that distinct smell and end up not seeking it out. But this was a place that even I, someone who doesn't really like salmon, ended up loving — so let me introduce it to anyone looking for a good Japanese restaurant in Yeonnam-dong :)

Where is Jongno Donburi Yeonnam, and what about parking and hours?

Jongno Donburi Yeonnam is a Japanese rice bowl restaurant that's easy to visit by walking from Hongik University Station toward Yeonnam-dong. There's no dedicated parking, so if you're driving, I'd recommend the nearby Yeonnam 3 public street parking (₩3,000 per hour).

• 📌Parking: No dedicated parking space; nearby Yeonnam 3 public street parking recommended (₩3,000/hour)
• 📌Hours: Weekdays 11:30–21:30 / Weekends 11:30–21:00

Once inside, they showed us to a seat :) True to its name, Jongno Donburi had a wide variety of Japanese-style rice bowls, but since it was my first visit, I decided to go with the signature menu.

It was a hot day, and the barley tea they served us was so tasty — instant bonus point.

What we ordered: the signature sake tarako-don

What I ordered at Jongno Donburi Yeonnam was the signature sake tarako-don. It's a limited menu that sells out some days, so there was no way I wasn't going to order it.

Sake tarako-don lets you enjoy salmon and pollock roe (tarako) together. Like I said, I'm not really into salmon, so I was slightly torn between this and another menu at first. But when I visit a place like this, I'm the type who can't rest easy without trying the signature dish, haha. So in the end, I ordered the sake tarako-don.

And then the sake tarako-don arrived! The visuals alone were pretty generous :) It looked insane... plenty of salmon piled on, and the white cod roe sitting right in the center. Honestly, at first I was more worried about the salmon than the roe — I'm really sensitive to fishy smells, so even a hint of that signature salmon aroma and I usually can't eat it well ㅠㅠ

Still, I took one bite — wait, this is good...? Took another bite — no, seriously this is good???? hahaha

If I'd already liked salmon, I probably would've just thought 'this is a tasty sake-don.' But the fact that I, someone who doesn't usually seek out salmon, kept eating it was kind of surprising, haha. Guess it's the signature menu for a reason...

The best bite of the day: the white cod roe

But the real star was something else. That premium white cod roe!!! If you asked me to pick the single best thing that day, I think I'd pick this roe. It was seriously delicious ㅠㅠ You put a little of the roe on top of your rice, and honestly this alone could carry a whole bowl of rice...

I thought the roe in sake tarako-don would just be a minor accent, but its presence was way bigger than expected. Eating the salmon, then the roe, then both together... switching up the combinations like this, I finished the whole bowl in no time. I came here looking for a good Japanese restaurant near Hongik University Station, and I definitely picked the right menu, haha.

The miso-style soup and assorted pickles served alongside paired so well with the salmon, which can get a little rich otherwise!!

A Yeonnam-dong date when you want Japanese food

Honestly, when people come for a Yeonnam date, they usually end up eating pasta or some kind of meat dish, but for those days when you want something clean like Japanese food, Jongno Donburi Yeonnam is a great option. It's also easy to hit up a Yeonnam café afterward :)

If you're looking for a good Japanese restaurant near Hongik University Station or a date spot in Yeonnam, save this one! I think next time I come back, I'll order the sake tarako-don again just for that white cod roe, haha.