Solo lunch at a Seonleung Station eel restaurant with 4-top seating

I had a reason to eat alone near Seonleung Station, so I went to Manmok for eel rice bowl! On a trip to Japan I really wanted to eat eel rice bowl but never got the chance and came home disappointed ㅠㅠ So I visited Manmok with even higher expectations, and it turned out to be a great location — only a 5-minute walk from Seonleung Station.

Manmok's location and hours

• 📍 Address: 서울특별시 강남구 선릉로82길 9 1층
• 🕓 Hours: 11:00–22:00 (break time 15:00–17:00, last order 14:20 / 21:20)
• 🚘 Parking: Available in front of the restaurant (2 cars)

My heart was already racing just looking at the standing menu board outside. There are nabe dishes and a special grilled eel on the dinner menu too — would be delicious with a drink in the evening ~ 🥰 But I visited at midday, so I decided on the eel rice bowl!

Eating alone at an upscale Japanese restaurant — how was it?

It was my first time eating alone at such an upscale Japanese restaurant, so I was a little nervous, but the staff were so kind and made sure I could dine comfortably even solo ☺️ There are window seats for solo diners, so eating eel rice bowl alone is absolutely no problem. There's also group seating, so it looks like a great spot for gatherings too! I was seated at a 4-top table and got to enjoy a spacious table all to myself.

The menu is on the table, and lifting it up reveals a call bell hiding underneath 🔔

Eel portions range from half to one and a half

I liked that you could choose the eel rice bowl portion from half to one and a half servings according to your taste 👍 I agonized between half and full, but since I don't eat that much, I ended up ordering the half portion! In the back of the menu there's a drinks list and a review event — write a review and get a free draft beer 💛 How great would it be to have a daytime drink with eel rice bowl… Sadly I had plans afterward, so I just had the meal without the beer ㅜ

Order: Half portion eel rice bowl (₩26,000)

What comes with the half-portion eel rice bowl set

A neatly arranged eel rice bowl set arrived, and when I opened the lid, the eel was grilled so well it made my mouth water ~~ 🍱

The set included a salad with sesame dressing, sides to go with the eel, chawanmushi (savory steamed egg custard), and the rice bowl topped with a half portion of eel plus a clear soup. The chawanmushi was soft and had shrimp inside, making it a great appetizer.

Kanto-style eel texture and the half portion amount

They said the eel is Kanto-style — steamed once then grilled — but honestly I'm no eel expert haha. However it's grilled, as long as it suits my taste that's what matters, and the eel skin was crispy while the inside was moist, so it disappeared in no time. When I first got the dish I thought the portion might be a bit small, but as I ate, my stomach filled up more and more, so a half portion seems just right for a woman.

Underneath the eel is rice with sauce and seaweed, seasoned just salty enough — perfectly balanced so I enjoyed it from start to finish. Putting the eel on the rice with a little wasabi on top was the best bite. All my disappointment from not getting to eat eel rice bowl in Japan disappeared completely. I finished the eel rice bowl in no time and moved on to dessert.

Dessert: choice of tea-flavored or matcha-flavored ice cream

For dessert, you get ice cream, choosing between tea flavor and matcha flavor. Since it was my first time trying tea-flavored ice cream and it seemed unusual, I asked for the tea flavor. Even the ice cream was served on a plate, so it felt like being treated well right to the very end. I'm not usually a fan of strong tea flavor, but this wasn't too intense and had just the right sweetness, so I finished the ice cream happily too!

If you want to dine alone near Seonleung Station and be treated with style, I recommend the eel rice bowl at [Manmok].