Couple's eel buffet in Seongsu with buckwheat noodles: Songnim Bok

Songnim Bok Jangeo Seongsu Branch: the basics

Songnim Bok Jangeo (송림복장어) is an all-you-can-eat freshwater eel place at 148 Seongdeokjeong-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul (1st floor). The eel buffet is ₩29,900, and it's open every day from 11:50 to 23:00.

• Menu: freshwater eel buffet ₩29,900
• Hours: daily 11:50–23:00
• Parking: no lot of its own, so you need a nearby paid public lot
• Other: takeout, delivery, group seating, baby chairs, and an indoor restroom

Why we went for all-you-can-eat eel in Seongsu

It's hot summer weather, and I wanted a stamina meal out with my husband, so we headed to Songnim Bok Jangeo in Seongsu. Maybe it's the heat, but I've felt drained lately and figured I needed a pick-me-up.

We'd thought about eating dinner at home, but decided to go out together for the first time in a while. While we were wondering what to eat, eel came to mind. It's delicious, but pricey enough that we can't eat it often, right? Then I heard there's a place in Seongsu where eel is all-you-can-eat, and we went straight over.

This time we visited Songnim Bok Jangeo. It sits in a Seongsu side street, and apparently it's already pretty famous among locals. We went on a weekend evening, and with families, friend groups and office dinner crowds streaming in, I could see why it's called a Seongsu local favorite.

What the two of us ordered, and the prices

We ordered the buffet for 2 adults, plus the table setting, buckwheat bibim makguksu (spicy mixed cold noodles) and Sejong bokbunja (Korean black raspberry wine). Here's the order:

• Buffet, adult ₩29,000 × 2
• Buckwheat bibim makguksu ₩9,000
• Table setting ₩3,000 × 2
• Sejong bokbunja wine ₩9,000

The buffet runs 2 hours, so we could eat at a relaxed pace without watching the clock. When we sat down, the side dishes and wrap vegetables were set out first, and they looked clean and neat, which I liked.

How was the freshwater eel?

The freshwater eel at Songnim Bok Jangeo was mild and nutty, with no fishy smell. Pickled onions and assorted vegetables that go well with eel were set out too, and you could grab more if you ran low. Soon the eel we'd been waiting for arrived. It started grilling on the plate, and the nutty aroma was really lovely.

Watching the eel cook, my expectations kept rising. I picked up a nicely browned piece, and it was mild and nutty with no fishy smell. Eel really is best with wrap vegetables.

I put eel on a lettuce leaf with garlic and pickled onion, and the texture and flavor were both much better. The eel's soft texture and nuttiness filled my mouth, and I could see why people turn to eel as a stamina food.

The best part of all-you-can-eat is eating as much as you want, right? It doesn't end after one round; you can keep adding as much as you like, so we enjoyed it without any pressure. If you love eel, I think this setup will really satisfy you.

Are pork belly and chicken neck all-you-can-eat too?

At Songnim Bok Jangeo's buffet we grilled pork belly and chicken neck along with the eel. After enjoying plenty of eel, we tried the pork belly, and as a menu everyone loves, it was a sure thing.

Watching it turn golden on the grill, my chopsticks got busy on their own. The fat-to-lean ratio was just right, so it was nutty without being heavy, and wrapped in lettuce it was great, of course. Eating only eel can get a bit rich, so having pork belly alongside gave it a different charm. And the item that impressed me most personally was the chicken neck.

I don't usually eat chicken neck much, but the texture was honestly better than I expected. It was chewy yet mild, and I kept reaching for more. It has a different charm from pork belly, and I ended up ordering it several times.

Alternating eel, pork belly and chicken neck, we never got tired of it. With buffets, sometimes there are lots of choices but only a few worth eating, but at Songnim Bok Jangeo all three were satisfying, so we enjoyed it right to the end.

Sejong bokbunja wine with the eel

Midway through the meal we also ordered a bottle of Sejong bokbunja wine (₩9,000). Its sweet, subtle aroma went really well with the eel. Having a glass with the meat made the mood even better and the meal more fun. It was a small but happy time, talking about this and that with my husband while eating slowly for the first time in a while.

It's all-you-can-eat, but is the food quality okay?

What I liked most is that being all-you-can-eat didn't mean lower food quality at Songnim Bok Jangeo. The eel was fresh, and the pork belly and chicken neck felt cleanly handled too. Ordering more was no hassle, so we could eat as much as we wanted, and the staff were friendly, so we ate comfortably.

The finisher: buckwheat bibim makguksu

The buckwheat bibim makguksu (₩9,000) we ordered to finish was satisfying too. The sweet-and-sour sauce went well with the buckwheat noodles and cleanly cut the richness after all the eel and meat.

The chewy noodles had a savory depth, and even though we were full, we kept eating, so we finished the meal on a high note. 😊 Seongsu has so many famous restaurants, but places where you can eat eel all-you-can-eat don't seem common.

Who is Songnim Bok Jangeo good for?

It's not only eel: you also get pork belly and chicken neck, so I thought it would work for a family meal, a friends' get-together or an office dinner. If you need a stamina boost, want to enjoy eel at good value, or are looking for a different kind of all-you-can-eat spot, it's worth a visit.

Overall verdict

Songnim Bok Jangeo, a Seongsu local favorite, was very satisfying: an appealing all-you-can-eat eel setup, plus pork belly and chicken neck. We could eat at a relaxed pace for 2 hours, and it was generous for the price, so the value was good too. If you like eel, I recommend stopping by once. It was a dinner that made me feel the "Seongsu local favorite" label is not for nothing.