Haseo-ro eel restaurant in Gwangju, leftovers to go: Deokeun Jangeo

Why Deokeun Jangeo for a summer stamina meal

Deokeun Jangeo (더큰장어) is an eel restaurant on Haseo-ro in Buk-gu, Gwangju, where you grill antibiotic-free Korean eel yourself over charcoal at a reasonable price. In summer you sweat just by moving, you get worn out easily and your energy drops, and the food I crave then is eel! I wanted it so badly that I went.

Deokeun Jangeo location, hours and parking

• Location: 596 Haseo-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju
• Hours: daily 11:00 - 22:00
• Parking: dedicated parking lot at the restaurant

The parking lot is big with lots of spaces, so you can visit without worrying about parking, which I liked. Next to the restaurant there's also an eel shipping facility with HACCP and Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries antibiotic-free certification! 100% Korean Japonica freshwater eel, so I was looking forward to it.

How does Deokeun Jangeo work?

At Deokeun Jangeo you pay for the eel and the restaurant separately. You pay for the eel first at the seafood counter, and settle the table setting and extra menu items on your way out.

• 1. Pick your eel at the seafood counter and pay. (If there's a wait, take a queue number, and pay for the eel once a table is assigned.)
• 2. Grill the eel you paid for at the restaurant and enjoy.
• 3. Pay for the table setting and extra menu items when you leave.

They say Deokeun Jangeo runs its own antibiotic-free farm in Muan to cut distribution margins, and that you grill the eel yourself to keep prices free of padding. Eel is exempt from VAT, so to supply it at wholesale prices they ask that the eel and the restaurant be paid separately. Outside food is not allowed ❌, and eel you've bought can't be exchanged or refunded.

Deokeun Jangeo eel prices and table setting fee

Live eel at Deokeun Jangeo is ₩29,000 per 1kg (600g after prep), and boneless eel is ₩4,830 per 100g (one serving is 300-350g). Takeout customers get 10% off prepped eel and 5% off par-grilled eel. They say they'll do their best to supply fresh, high-quality, antibiotic-free Korean eel.

After picking the eel you want at the seafood counter, go up to the 2nd floor, where a seating chart is posted, check it and head to your assigned table. There were really a lot of guests who came for eel, and it felt good to think, yep, this is a proper eel place, I came to the right spot. They also have high chairs, so it's good for a family meal, and if you bring your parents everyone can eat comfortably.

• Table setting (adult) ₩4,000
• Table setting (elementary school and under) ₩2,000

The tables are wide, and once you go up after getting your seat, the basic side dishes are already set. Meal items are ordered on the tablet at your table, and you pay afterward together with the table setting fee. There are tips for grilling eel well posted, and food tastes better when you know how, right?! I'm going to try it. 100% Korean Japonica eel, let's go!

What's at the Deokeun Jangeo self-serve bar?

The self-serve bar at Deokeun Jangeo has everything from wrapping greens like lettuce and perilla leaves to fruit. Since you pay a table setting fee when eating eel, the self-serve bar lineup matters, right?!

• Wrapping greens: lettuce, perilla leaves
• Side dishes: salad, pickled onions, pickled radish wraps (ssammu), myeongi (wild garlic) greens, kimchi
• Accompaniments: ginger, garlic, doenjang (fermented soybean paste)
• Fruit: tomatoes, oranges
• Takeout containers for leftover eel

You know to take only as much as you'll eat, right??? They say leaving food behind costs a ₩3,000 environmental fee!

814g for 39,310 won: how to grill the eel yourself

This time I bought 814g of prepped Korean eel from the Deokeun Jangeo seafood counter for ₩39,310. Can you see how huge and plump the eel is??? Just putting it on the grill looks amazing, and as it turned golden brown it looked so appetizing~

Put the skin (back) side on the grill first, lift it off the grate once after about 30 seconds so it doesn't stick, and sprinkle a good amount of pink salt on the white flesh side. I think nothing beats eel as summer stamina food, and since I love it, I get a little excited every time I eat it.

The eel is soft and tender, so I kept grilling it up for easy eating, and I was so busy, busy, busy! If grilling is hard for you, you can call a staff member. Once the skin (back) side turns golden, flip it and grill the white flesh side for about 2 minutes, then cut it into suitable pieces and stand them upright side by side so the cut sides cook evenly without burning.

Eel lettuce wraps with ginger, plus oranges and tomatoes

Wrapped up in a lettuce leaf in one big bite, the flavor in your mouth is insane, and I love dunking the ginger in the sauce and eating them together~ I brought more side dishes I wanted from the self-serve bar, and eating oranges and tomatoes along with the eel filled my mouth with sweetness, which I loved!

Can you take leftover eel home from Deokeun Jangeo?

At Deokeun Jangeo you can put leftover eel in the takeout containers at the self-serve bar. If you're full and have eel left, even better~ Don't force yourself to finish it just because it feels awkward and wasteful; box it up and you can easily make an eel rice bowl at home.

They took the grill away for us, and I ate more oranges for dessert.

The table setting fee is paid afterward, so you settle it at the restaurant's cashier on your way out. They say prepped eel ordered for delivery through the Naver Store is ₩26,900. You can easily enjoy healthy, tasty Korean freshwater eel at home too.

You can take leftover eel home in a container, and they even pack ginger and sauce like this, which was such a thoughtful touch that it made me even happier.

1,000 won ice cream bars by the counter

Next to the cashier at Deokeun Jangeo they sell ice cream bars for ₩1,000 to have after your eel, and if you write a review the ice cream is free.

And a relaxing cup of coffee at the Bareun Jangeo café too! On a hot summer day, get a proper stamina boost at Deokeun Jangeo, the charcoal self-grilling eel specialist that runs its own antibiotic-free farm in Muan, and have a lovely time~ I highly recommend the fresh, plump, tender Korean eel!!!