Suwon all-you-can-eat eel barbecue: Songnim Bok Jangeo

Location and parking at Songnim Bok Jangeo in Suwon

The mornings and evenings have gotten cooler, but it is still hot during the day, so I was really craving something nourishing🤔 After work, I went to Songnim Bok Jangeo with my husband for dinner💗

It is open daily from 10:50 to 22:00, and you can park underground or behind the restaurant. Takeout, reservations, and group visits are available, and there are high chairs too.

Inside the restaurant and the self-serve stations

The space inside was bigger than it looked from outside🥺 We visited late in the evening, but customers kept coming in❗️

There are high chairs too, so it seems like a nice place to eat with a baby😜 I also saw people visiting for family gatherings❗️

The eel is Korean-grown, no less, and I liked that the country-of-origin labels were clearly displayed❤️

The self-serve area was split into two sections; just note that the ssam vegetables, for wrapping bites, are at the inner station❗️ They promptly refilled things like ginger, thin-sliced kimchi, and pickled onions whenever they ran low, so it was easy to eat without wanting for anything😘

I loved that the meat at the self-serve bar was unlimited, so you could take as much as you wanted without feeling burdened🙆🏻♀️ Since it is an eel restaurant, you get eel of course, but being able to enjoy pork belly, ribs, and chicken neck meat all at once is the biggest advantage😉

All-you-can-eat menu and sides

We ordered the all-you-can-eat option for two adults, and there is an additional table-setting fee except for children☺️ They also sell great sides: eel soup, galbitang (beef short-rib soup), yukgaejang (spicy beef soup), buckwheat makguksu, and ramen✨

Charcoal-grilled eel and meat

Basic accompaniments that go well with eel or meat came out, including green-onion kimchi, ginger, and pickles😉 I especially thought the green-onion kimchi paired so well with it that I added it every time I made a wrap💖

At first, eel, pork belly, and chicken neck meat are served as the basic set, and you can get refills yourself at the self-serve bar❗️ The eel came out fresh and un-parboiled, so I liked being able to see its color and thickness for myself⭐️

The eel was the first thing we grilled. It was neither too thick nor too thin, so once grilled it was crisp outside and moist inside☺️ A subtle charcoal aroma added more flavor, and eating it with ginger kept it from becoming tiring at all🥺

It was delicious dipped in sauce, but it was also tasty plain, with a lovely chew🤓

It definitely tasted better than grilling at home: charcoal made the outside crispier, and the subtle smoky scent made it even more delicious🤣

The chicken neck meat, which I was not expecting much from, was so chewy and tasty that I kept reaching for it💗 I fell for that signature chew and kept thinking about it. It was also, of course, nice that the meat had no off smell🙆🏻♀️

The pork belly was not overly fatty, so it was perfect for picking at piece by piece while eating eel💖

Even though we were full, we made the most of it right to the end and had a hearty meal with the pork belly too🥺

The ribs were something I could not give up even once I was fairly full. The quality was better than expected and they were not tough; I think they would be even more delicious with rice❗️ It is a great place for a family gathering, so I recommend it if you have children❗️