Eel buffet in Cheongna, Incheon with side-crisped eel wraps: Jangsodam

It got so hot that my energy was dropping, so I went for a stamina boost at Jangsodam Eel and Beef Buffet Cheongna Main Branch (장소담 청라본점), where eel, beef and pork are all-you-can-eat. The buffet spread is great, and the quality of the eel and meat is a real bargain for the price, so I'd happily go back.

Where is Jangsodam Cheongna, and what's the parking and atmosphere like?

Jangsodam Cheongna is in the center of Cheongna in Seo-gu, Incheon, so it's easy to reach, and you can park comfortably in the building's parking lot. Easy parking made the visit stress-free, which I really liked.

Once inside, you really feel how big and airy the restaurant is. The tables are spaced out and everything is well kept, so it suits family gatherings and dates.

Jangsodam B Set price and time limit

The B Set ticket at Jangsodam Cheongna includes eel + beef (chuck rib) + marinated crab + self-bar for ₩34,000 per person. There are set tickets with unlimited eel, beef, pork, yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) and crab, plus à la carte items too, and we chose the B Set.

Good to know: the time limit depends on the meat you order.

• 120 minutes when ordering eel or beef
• 100 minutes when ordering pork

With the set, once you've finished the eel and beef served at the start, you can order just the cuts you want as single items. You can refill as much as you like, which I appreciated, and the crab can be ordered on the kiosk at the table.

Jangsodam Cheongna self-bar and pork corner

The self-bar has a really wide variety: tofu with stir-fried kimchi, fried chicken, tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork), pizza, fries, tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), pasta, japchae (glass noodles), sundae (Korean blood sausage) and more!! While the main dishes were on their way, I loaded a plate from the self-bar, and the lineup is something everyone from kids to grandparents would like, so it was basically a full-on buffet.

There's also a separate pork corner with pork galbi (marinated ribs), pork belly, chicken, pork neck and duck, and you can bring over and grill as much as you want. The pork galbi plate is different from the eel grill, so I'd recommend saving it for last.. The dessert lineup is perfect too, with soda, ice cream and coffee haha.

On one side there's a separate ssam (wrap) vegetable corner, where you can help yourself to lettuce, shredded scallions, onions, garlic, ssamjang (wrap sauce) and more.

How should you grill Jangsodam's eel?

Jangsodam's eel is cut into bite-size pieces and stood side by side so even the sides get crisp, and the flavor is much better with the special eel sauce and shredded ginger. While I was sampling the self-bar, the side dishes and the mains, eel and beef chuck ribs, arrived!

As you'd expect from a famous Cheongna eel spot, the eel is really thick, and you can tell it's fresh just by looking at it. They put the eel on first and set out the eel sauce and vegetables.

While grilling it golden, they cut it into bite-size pieces and stood them side by side to crisp the sides too. The flesh is plump, so it's crisp outside and tender inside, with a springy texture! It's mild and savory on its own, and even better dipped in the eel sauce with shredded ginger.

Eel and scallion kimchi wraps

Put pajeon-kimchi (scallion kimchi) on a wrap vegetable and wrap it up with the eel, and the savory umami just explodes. A perfect match.

How are the beef chuck ribs and Yeonpyeongdo marinated crab?

The chuck ribs in Jangsodam's B Set were tender and juicy, and the beef quality was better than I expected. Once I'd eaten a fair amount of eel, I put the chuck ribs on the grill, and my mouth filled with juices. Alternating with the eel keeps the rich flavors from overlapping, so you don't get tired of it.

I also ordered the domestic Yeonpyeongdo ganjang/yangnyeom gejang (marinated raw crab) to go with it, and it cuts the greasiness right away. Maybe because it's Yeonpyeongdo blue crab, it's packed with meat and roe and tastes great.

One more eel, and round two with chuck ribs

The eel was so good that I ordered one more.

I added more chuck ribs too and grilled them with garlic for round two.. In summer, recharge with Cheongna's eel!

Grilled golden outside, the eel's nutty flavor goes so well with the scallion kimchi, which is excellent here. I was too full for the Hangang ramyeon (instant noodles cooked in the pot), so as a consolation I had ice cream for dessert haha.

Who is Jangsodam Cheongna for?

For the price, Jangsodam Cheongna has a great lineup of eel, beef and pork plus an unlimited self-bar, and I left totally satisfied with this Cheongna eel specialist. The variety, starting with the wrap vegetables, kept me from getting bored, and I feasted happily. It's good for a date, and I'd also recommend it for a family gathering with your parents :)