# Yeoksam eel rice bowl with zero fishy taste, whole-eel set: Unagiwa - By Yeoreum (https://superchart.com/en/@tiled-table-seoul/) - Written Sep 18, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Gangnam, Seoul - Sponsored: This post was written as part of a paid restaurant visit sponsorship. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@tiled-table-seoul/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@tiled-table-seoul/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/index.md) ## In short Unagiwa is a Nagoya-style hitsumabushi (grilled eel over rice) restaurant on the second floor by Exit 7 of Yeoksam Station in Gangnam, Seoul. On a weekday at 7pm, the writer and a friend ordered the hitsumabushi sang, the set made with one whole eel, and even with a low tolerance for fishy flavour found none at all in Unagiwa's eel. Moist, springy eel and four different ways to eat one bowl made it a restorative dinner worth the trip. ## Good to know - **Address**: 2nd floor, 71 Bongeunsa-ro 30-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul - **Nearest station**: Yeoksam Station Exit 7 - **Hours**: Mon–Fri 11:00–21:00 - **Break time**: Mon–Fri 15:00–17:00 - **Closed**: Every Saturday and Sunday - **Valet parking navigation address**: 25 Teheran-ro 27-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul - **Valet fee**: 5,000 won for 2 hours, then 1,000 won per 30 minutes - **Ordered**: Hitsumabushi sang (eel rice bowl made with one whole eel) - **Seating**: Tables for 2, 4 and 6, plus a private room for 6–12 people - **Event**: Receipt review gifts – matcha pudding, shio kombu squid, umeboshi ade - **Price reference**: ₩5,000 ≈ $3.6 · ₩1,000 ≈ $0.7 (2026-09-19) *as written by the visitor on Sep 18, 2026* Today I'm introducing an eel rice bowl spot in Yeoksam, Unagiwa. I've been running on empty lately and really needed to recharge, so I met a friend near Yeoksam Station after work to eat eel rice bowl! Unagiwa is an eel rice bowl restaurant where you can taste the real thing, made the authentic Nagoya way. It had been a while since I had eel, and I left feeling recharged and very satisfied! So let's get into my review of Unagiwa, a Yeoksam favorite! ![Exterior of the Unagiwa building near Exit 7 of Yeoksam Station](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-01-1huot-900.webp) ## Where is Unagiwa, and how does valet parking work? - Address: 71 Bongeunsa-ro 30-gil, 2nd floor, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea - Subway station: Yeoksam Station Exit 7 - Hours: Mon–Fri 11:00–21:00 - Break time: Mon–Fri 15:00–17:00 - Closed: every Saturday and Sunday Unagiwa, this eel rice bowl favorite in Gangnam, is located right by Exit 7 of Yeoksam Station. It also offers valet parking, so it's fine to drive there too! If you're using valet, search '25 Teheran-ro 27-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul' in your navigation. The valet fee is ₩5,000 for 2 hours, then ₩1,000 per 30 minutes after that. ## Inside Unagiwa: table seating and the private room Here's the inside of Unagiwa, this eel rice bowl favorite in Yeoksam. Walking in, I was struck by the bright, clean white-toned space with simple yet sophisticated interior design. Overall it felt fuss-free but had a quietly upscale atmosphere. ![Clean white-toned interior of Unagiwa](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-02-1k3zj-900.webp) ![Sophisticated interior view of Unagiwa](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-03-u29go-900.webp) We visited on a weekday at 7pm, and the place was already nearly full of guests enjoying their meals. No surprise for a top eel spot in Yeoksam, haha. It was hard to take photos of the interior with so many people around, so I grabbed shots later once the crowd thinned out and the restaurant quieted down. ![Unagiwa's dining hall quieting down after guests left](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-04-s0azv-864.webp) ![Unagiwa's 2-person and 4-person table seating](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-05-nak3l-900.webp) ![Unagiwa's aisle and seating layout](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-06-wdh7s-900.webp) Unagiwa has tables of various sizes — for 2, 4, and 6 people. There's also a room that fits anywhere from 6 to 12 guests. It's great for a weekday dinner after work like ours, but also looks like a good spot for a work dinner or gathering near Yeoksam Station. There were little Japanese-style decor pieces scattered throughout the restaurant, which was fun to look at. ![Unagiwa space decorated with Japanese-style decor items](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-07-gulvn-900.webp) ![Japanese-style decorations placed around Unagiwa](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-08-8z27z-900.webp) ## Unagiwa's menu and the receipt review gift Here's the menu at Unagiwa, this eel rice bowl favorite in Yeoksam. We ordered the hitsumabushi sang (whole eel rice bowl set). ![Unagiwa menu board listing hitsumabushi](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-09-1005a-900.webp) ![Table of Unagiwa's eel rice bowl menu options](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-10-1j9lj-900.webp) ![Menu listing Unagiwa's sides and alcoholic drinks](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-11-ar0op-900.webp) Please check the separate menu for sake, alcohol, and drinks! Unagiwa, this hitsumabushi favorite in Yeoksam, is currently running a receipt review event! With a variety of gifts on offer, it seems worth joining. Matcha pudding, shio konbu squid, umeboshi ade. ![Sign explaining Unagiwa's receipt review event](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-12-17zn7-900.webp) ![Board listing review event gifts including matcha pudding](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-13-dskhx-900.webp) ## What comes with the hitsumabushi sang, the whole-eel bowl Here's my review of Unagiwa, this favorite in Yeoksam. The hitsumabushi sang (whole eel rice bowl set) is a Japanese-style eel rice bowl featuring a whole antibiotic-free, flame-grilled eel, charcoal aroma, and ochazuke enjoyed together. The visuals are no joke... the moment the food arrived, both my friend and I gasped. ![Unagiwa's hitsumabushi sang, a whole eel rice bowl set](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-14-1qljw-900.webp) Unagiwa, this eel rice bowl favorite in Yeoksam, uses antibiotic-free eel farmed directly in Ganghwa-do. Only the finest healthy, well-textured Japonica eel makes it onto the table, and it's cooked over binchotan white charcoal. While the raw ingredient is domestic eel, the cooking method faithfully follows the Japanese way from hitsumabushi's home country. I especially loved that you can taste a Nagoya-style eel rice bowl made with domestic eel, haha. ![Rice bowl topped with domestic eel grilled over charcoal](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-15-1nvg2-900.webp) Order the hitsumabushi sang (whole eel rice bowl set) and it comes out as a neatly arranged individual set. (The set) hitsumabushi comes with 1 whole eel, steamed egg custard, salad, soup, pickled side dishes, seaweed flakes, wasabi, scallions, perilla leaves, and bainiku (plum sauce). The salad was drizzled with a tangy sauce, making it a perfect starter before the main dish. ![Unagiwa's pre-meal salad drizzled with tangy sauce](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-16-u1kqn-900.webp) The chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) had finely chopped mushrooms mixed in, and the chewy texture of the mushrooms paired really well with it — delicious. ## Does Unagiwa's eel taste fishy at all? The eel at Unagiwa, this Yeoksam favorite, had a moist, tender yet chewy texture, with just the right amount of fattiness — really good. I'm especially sensitive to fishy taste in fish, and I often notice it when eating freshwater eel, but Unagiwa's eel rice bowl had absolutely no fishy taste at all, which genuinely surprised me. I jokingly asked my friend if this was even real eel, it was that fishy-taste-free!! It was so delicious!!!!!!!!! ![Close-up of Unagiwa's moist, chewy eel](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-17-106t7-1200.webp) Next time I visit Unagiwa, I'm ordering the hitsumabushi teuk (one and a half eels)... the eel was just that good. ![Unagiwa's eel piled generously over rice](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-18-1v3tv-900.webp) ## Four ways to eat hitsumabushi at Unagiwa As the staff served the food, they kindly explained how to eat hitsumabushi. Unagiwa's hitsumabushi, which also works well for a Yeoksam work dinner, is meant to be divided into 4 portions from one bowl, each enjoyed a different way. - 1) Try the eel's natural flavor on its own - 2) Or eat it with scallions and wasabi - 3) Or pour broth over it with seaweed flakes to enjoy as ochazuke - 4) Or add bainiku (plum sauce) and eat it that way ![Guide showing 4 ways to eat hitsumabushi](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-19-1b6ao-966.webp) ![Hitsumabushi toppings including scallions, wasabi, and seaweed flakes](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-20-1652w-900.webp) Following the instructions, I divided it into 4 portions. ![Hitsumabushi eel rice bowl divided into 4 portions](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-21-16yav-900.webp) There were many ways to eat it, but I liked eating the eel in its natural form the best. The eel itself was so good that eel with rice alone was the best of the best! My friend preferred eating it as ochazuke among the 4 methods. In the end I gave up my dokkuri (sake flask) of broth to her too. Eating it with the warm broth definitely made it go down more smoothly. ![Eel rice bowl enjoyed as ochazuke with broth poured over it](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-22-plcs7-900.webp) ![Hitsumabushi ochazuke eaten with warm broth](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-23-4gl2c-900.webp) The red sauce might look like it's gochujang, but it's actually plum sauce. It has a slightly sweet-and-tangy taste, and eating it dipped in near the end added the plum's distinct refreshing flavor, which paired better with the eel than I expected! Being able to enjoy Unagiwa's hitsumabushi in these 4 different ways was great, since it let each person enjoy the eel rice bowl to their own taste. ![Final portion of eel rice bowl served with plum sauce](https://img.superchart.com/images/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste-24-1wp7o-900.webp) ## Who should book a table at Unagiwa? Today I introduced Unagiwa, an eel rice bowl favorite in Gangnam. The interior is clean and sophisticated, so it looks great for a lunch meeting with a business contact near Yeoksam Station, or for an evening gathering. More than anything, this was personally the best eel rice bowl I've had in a while! There was absolutely no trace of eel's typical fishy taste, and the moist, tender yet chewy texture was truly satisfying. If you're looking for a great eel restaurant near Yeoksam Station, Unagiwa is worth a visit! ## Where it is - Unagiwa (우나기와) - 71 Bongeunsa-ro 30-gil, 2nd floor, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea - 서울특별시 강남구 봉은사로30길 71 2층 - 37.5030197, 127.0370094 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EC%9A%B0%EB%82%98%EA%B8%B0%EC%99%80/@37.5030197,127.0370094,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@tiled-table-seoul/unagiwa-yeoksam-hitsumabushi-no-fishy-taste/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt