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

- By Sihyeon (https://superchart.com/en/@window-mug-seoul/)
- Written Sep 18, 2026
- Local places › Restaurants › Jung-gu, Seoul
- Sponsored: This visit was made with a meal provided by the business.
- English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@window-mug-seoul/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/
- Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@window-mug-seoul/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/index.md)

## In short

Tawa is a Nagoya-style hitsumabushi (grilled eel over rice) restaurant on the basement level of a building right in front of Exit 10 of City Hall Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. Booked ahead and visited early, the ₩30,000 hitsumabushi at Tawa was split into servings eaten plain, then with condiments, then as ochazuke, and the charcoal-grilled eel was nutty outside and moist inside. Tawa is an easy meal stop to pair with a Deoksugung Palace date.

## Good to know

- **Hitsumabushi**: ₩30,000
- **Kaisendon (sashimi rice bowl)**: ₩25,000 (flounder, salmon, tuna, squid, monkfish liver and more)
- **Samsaekdong (three-fish rice bowl)**: ₩25,000 (flounder, salmon, tuna)
- **Location**: Right in front of City Hall Station Exit 10, basement level of the building
- **Hours**: 10:00–21:00, break 15:00–16:00, last order 20:20
- **Closed**: Sundays
- **Reservations**: Accepted
- **Parking**: Available, first hour free (extra charge after that)
- **Seating**: Regular tables, bar seats, private room
- **Price reference**: ₩30,000 ≈ $21.5 · ₩25,000 ≈ $18 (2026-09-19)

*as written by the visitor on Sep 18, 2026*

![Vertical photo of a full Tawa hitsumabushi set](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-01-q3lon-1200.webp)

![Eel rice bowl table setting at Tawa, a Japanese restaurant near City Hall Station](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-02-buexj-966.webp)

![Close-up of Tawa's hitsumabushi rice bowl](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-03-lwgkb-966.webp)

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.

![Hitsumabushi topped with charcoal-grilled eel](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-04-1btk2-966.webp)

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.

![Sign guiding to Tawa's entrance in front of City Hall Station Exit 10](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-05-mg3jw-966.webp)

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.

![Exterior of Tawa's basement-level storefront](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-06-rwol1-966.webp)

![Entrance to Tawa with its Japanese-style atmosphere](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-07-wiu3e-966.webp)

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

![View of the regular table seating inside Tawa](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-08-1895g-966.webp)

![Interior of Tawa showing the private room](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-09-c8fgo-966.webp)

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

![Tawa's bar seats with a view toward the kitchen](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-10-1p2ce-966.webp)

![Bar seating with a view of eel being grilled](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-11-en6vu-966.webp)

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.

![Cooking area seen from Tawa's bar seats](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-12-lxl87-966.webp)

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 menu showing hitsumabushi and kaisendon](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-13-b73jw-966.webp)

![Tawa's price list including samsaekdong](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-14-1yl8q-966.webp)

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

![Instructions for how to eat hitsumabushi](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-15-w75i7-966.webp)

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

![First quarter of the divided hitsumabushi eaten plain](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-16-1i9s8-966.webp)

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.

![Eel rice bowl with seaweed and wasabi condiments added](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-17-1yyhs-966.webp)

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.

![Hitsumabushi ochazuke with broth poured over it](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-18-1km17-966.webp)

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.

![Finishing the last portion again as ochazuke](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-19-lb5vr-966.webp)

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.

![An emptied hitsumabushi bowl](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-20-8sy4d-966.webp)

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

![Signage about reservations and parking at Tawa](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-21-1rrip-966.webp)

![Sign noting the first hour of parking is free](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-22-3bxhb-966.webp)

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.

![Final interior shot of Tawa's dining space](https://img.superchart.com/images/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten/tawa-city-hall-hitsumabushi-exit-ten-23-1h3bk-966.webp)

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

## Where it is

- Tawa (타와)
- 115 Seosomun-ro, Hansan Building B1 Unit 102, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
- 서울특별시 중구 서소문로 115 한산빌딩 지하1층 102호 타와
- 37.5634157, 126.973652
- Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%ED%83%80%EC%99%80/@37.5634157,126.973652,17z

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