Toddler-friendly eel restaurant in Nowon, Seoul: Cheonsanga Jangeoga

Nowon restaurant recommendation | Cheonsanga Jangeoga Hagae Branch A family outing review with our 30-month-old

I've been feeling so run down and tired lately, so my husband and I decided to go get some eel for a change — something we both love. Honestly, we're not really the type to seek out eel on our own, but after this visit to Cheonsanga Jangeoga Hagae Branch, I've started to think differently.

What stuck with me most was that our 30-month-old ate eel for the first time and ate it so well. She'd had a cold recently and had been in a real eating slump, but that day she dove straight into the eel and the janchi guksu (feast noodles). It made the whole meal so satisfying for us too.

Where is Cheonsanga Jangeoga Hagae Branch, and what are the hours and parking?

Cheonsanga Jangeoga Hagae Branch is located at 67 Hangeulbiseok-ro 1-gil, Nowon-gu, Seoul, and is open daily from 11:30 to 22:00. It stays open through the Chuseok holiday, and parking is available right in front.

• Location: 67 Hangeulbiseok-ro 1-gil, Nowon-gu, Seoul
• Hours: Daily 11:30-22:00 (open during Chuseok holiday)
• Parking: Available in front of the restaurant
• Naver Reservation available
• Can accommodate groups of up to 60
• Baby chairs and tableware available

Located in Hagae-dong, Cheonsanga Jangeoga Hagae Branch specializes in eel grilled over charcoal, using domestic Japonica freshwater eel. There's parking for several cars right out front, which made visiting with our toddler especially easy. It seemed like a great spot for a family meal with kids like us, or even for taking your parents out.

Inside Cheonsanga Jangeoga: a clean, comfortable dining room

When you hear "eel restaurant," you might picture an old-school, worn-in barbecue joint, right? The last eel place I went to was loud and not exactly spotless, so I came in expecting something similar.

But Cheonsanga Jangeoga Hagae Branch surprised me — the interior was cleaner and more comfortable than I expected. When dining out with a toddler, you can't help but pay attention to table spacing and overall atmosphere, and this time we got to eat comfortably and in a good mood.

We visited with our 30-month-old, and they had baby chairs and kids' tableware on hand, just so you know.

What we ordered at Cheonsanga Jangeoga with a 30-month-old

At Cheonsanga Jangeoga Hagae Branch we ordered the basic eel set for two, eel soup, janchi guksu, and handmade sausage. Rather than just having eel between the two of us, we thought about dishes our daughter could eat too and picked janchi guksu and the rest — and it turned out to be a great call.

• Basic eel set for two
• Eel soup
• Janchi guksu (feast noodles)
• Handmade sausage

The basic set arrived with quite a variety of dishes, and the table filled up fast.

Alongside sides that go well with eel, like scallion kimchi and pickled perilla leaves, the salted oyster in the set was really delicious — I hadn't had it in a while. *If you can't eat salted oyster, you can swap it for deodeok pickle instead. The basic side dishes were so good that it felt like a proper full meal with the eel as the centerpiece.

Charcoal-grilled eel at Cheonsanga Jangeoga: why it tasted better than expected

Having the staff grill the eel for us was really convenient, and it looked so appetizing as it turned golden brown — the first bite was tender and savory.

Eel can get heavy after a few bites if it has that strong greasy taste, but this one was lighter than I expected, so I could keep enjoying it. Maybe because it was grilled over charcoal, there was also a subtle smoky aroma that was really nice.

Cheonsanga Jangeoga uses domestic Japonica freshwater eel, domestic charcoal, and sun-dried salt.

How did our 30-month-old react to eating eel for the first time?

The biggest win of the day (haha) was our daughter. I'd never fed her eel before, so I honestly ordered the noodle dish assuming she probably wouldn't eat it.

But she took one bite and seemed to love it — she kept grabbing every piece we cut for her. I thought she'd have a piece or two and stop, but she kept asking, "Mom, more eel please~" — I was so surprised.

She ate the eel well, the rice well, and even the janchi guksu... she really ate so well. She practically had her face in the noodle bowl, haha, and my husband and I couldn't stop laughing.

When eating out with a kid, the food itself matters, but when your child eats well too, the satisfaction goes way up. In that sense, this was a truly successful family outing.

Eel soup and janchi guksu round out the meal

Eating just the grilled eel felt like it might be missing something, so we also ordered eel soup, and it was warm and delicious.

Eating it alongside the grilled eel made the meal twice as filling, and with the janchi guksu on top, it felt like a proper, complete meal. And if your child isn't as into eel, adding handmade sausage or Korean beef would work well too.

Looking for an eel restaurant in Nowon? Cheonsanga Jangeoga suits family meals

Cheonsanga Jangeoga Hagae Branch isn't just a place with good eel — overall, so many parts of the experience were satisfying.

• Clean restaurant atmosphere
• Friendly service
• Free parking available
• Baby chairs and tableware on hand
• Generous set portions
• Side dishes that are great for kids to eat too

If you're looking to try something different for a family meal with kids like we did, I'd really recommend giving eel a try, and I hope you get a chance to visit this Nowon favorite, Cheonsanga Jangeoga Hagae Branch! You'll definitely be satisfied. Our daughter ate the eel she tried for the first time so well, and my husband and I enjoyed it just as much — it's the kind of Nowon eel restaurant we'd happily bring our parents to next time.