Hitsumabushi by reservation at City Hall Station Exit 10, Seoul: Tawa

I was really craving hitsumabushi (Nagoya-style grilled eel rice bowl) today. Finding a proper hitsumabushi spot in Seoul actually takes some searching. I'd heard that Tawa, one of the good restaurants near City Hall Station, grills its eel over charcoal, so since I was already near City Hall, I decided to stop by.

Once I actually ate it, the portion of eel was generous, and I got to enjoy it in different ways, from eating it plain to finishing with ochazuke (rice steeped in savory broth or tea). It felt satisfying. It'd also suit anyone looking for a nice-atmosphere restaurant to end a Deoksugung Palace date.

Where is Tawa? Basement level right at City Hall Station Exit 10

Tawa is right in front of City Hall Station Exit 10, so accessibility was really good.

Once you come out of the exit, you just head down to the basement level of the building right there, so it's easy to find even on your first visit. It's also an easy walk from Deoksugung Palace, so it'd pair well as part of a date course.

Once you step inside, the place has a clean, Japanese-style atmosphere overall. Even though I'd made a reservation and arrived a bit early, there were already quite a few people dining.

Inside Tawa: bar seats, tables and a private room

Inside Tawa there are regular tables as well as bar seats and a private room you can use.

The bar seats stood out to me in particular. Sitting there, you can watch the eel being grilled over charcoal, which made waiting more entertaining.

If you're dining alone, the bar seats seem comfortable, and for a date, the regular tables look fine too. With the private room, it also seems like a good fit for family meals or gatherings near City Hall.

Tawa menu and prices: ₩30,000 hitsumabushi, ₩25,000 kaisendon

Tawa's signature dish is, of course, the Nagoya-style hitsumabushi. Hitsumabushi is ₩30,000, and the kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) with flounder, salmon, tuna, squid, and monkfish liver is ₩25,000. There's also a samsaekdong (three-color rice bowl) with flounder, salmon, and tuna for ₩25,000, so there's an option even if you're with someone who doesn't like eel. Since I came specifically for hitsumabushi, I ordered without any hesitation.

How to eat hitsumabushi: plain, with condiments, then as ochazuke

When you order hitsumabushi at Tawa, they kindly explain how to eat it.

First, you divide the whole bowl into four portions, and for the first one, I ate the eel and rice plain. Maybe because it was grilled over charcoal, the eel had a subtle smoky flavor, crisp on the outside and moist inside.

For the second portion, I added condiments like seaweed and wasabi. I liked how the wasabi cut through the eel's richness and made it taste cleaner.

For the third, I poured warm broth over it to make ochazuke. It's the same eel rice bowl, but the feel changes quite a bit depending on how you eat it—that seems to be the charm of hitsumabushi.

For the last portion, you eat it however you liked best, so since I loved the ochazuke, I poured the broth over it once more to finish.

More than anything, the amount of eel was more generous than I expected, so finishing the whole bowl left me pretty full. I understood why hitsumabushi is Tawa's signature dish. Next time I visit, I'd like to try the kaisendon too.

Reservations and parking at Tawa: first hour free

I visited with a reservation made in advance. The City Hall area has heavy demand from office workers on weekdays, plus visitors to Deoksugung Palace on weekends, so if you have a specific time in mind, it seems more convenient to book ahead. Parking is available too, with the first hour free according to the signage. Additional fees apply after that, so if you plan to dine for a while, I'd recommend checking the parking rates in advance.

Between the accessibility right in front of City Hall Station, the clean atmosphere, and most of all being able to properly enjoy hitsumabushi in several different ways, this place delivered. If you're looking for a good meal after a Deoksugung Palace date, or hunting for one of the good restaurants near City Hall Station for eel rice bowl, Tawa is worth a visit.

Tawa address, hours and store information

• Location: 115 Seosomun-ro, Hansan Building B1 Unit 102, Jung-gu, Seoul / right in front of City Hall Station Exit 10
• Hours: 10:00–21:00, break time 15:00–16:00, last order 20:20
• Closed: Sundays
• Reservations: Available
• Parking: Available, first hour free