Self-grill eel restaurant in Gwangyang, late weekend date: Deokeun
In short
Deokeun Jangeo Gwangyang Branch is a self-grill eel restaurant on Hangman 9-ro in Gwangyang, Jeonnam, right next to Rakhui Hotel, where you buy eel on the 1st floor and grill it yourself over charcoal on the 2nd. Already a fan of the original Gwangju restaurant, the writer and her boyfriend waited for a table on a late weekend evening, grilled two eels costing just under 40,000 won, and finished with eel soup. Eel wrapped in pickled perilla leaves and an unexpectedly rich, nutty eel soup made Deokeun Jangeo Gwangyang Branch a satisfying summer stamina-food date spot.
Good to know
- Address
- 101 Hangman 9-ro, Gwangyang-si, Jeonnam (1814-7 Jungdong), right next to Rakhui Hotel
- Hours
- 11:00–21:30 (break time 14:00–16:00)
- Parking
- Private parking lot, plus the empty lot across the street
- How it works
- Buy eel on the 1st floor, then grill it yourself on the 2nd floor
- Order
- Two-eel bundle for two people, just under 40,000 won
- Side menu
- Naengmyeon (cold noodles), flying fish roe rice balls, eel soup, eel tteokgalbi (grilled eel patties) and more
- Takeout
- Eel sold to take away; pre-grilling available
- Self-serve bar
- Free refills of side dishes and lettuce wraps
- Price reference
- ₩40,000 ≈ $30 (2026-10-17)
as written by the visitor on Jun 29, 2026
Where is Deokeun Jangeo Gwangyang Branch, and is parking easy?
Deokeun Jangeo Gwangyang Branch (더큰장어 광양점) is at 101 Hangman 9-ro, Gwangyang-si, Jeonnam (Jungdong 1814-7). It's right next to Rakhui Hotel, so it's easy to find. It's open 11:00–21:30, with a break time from 14:00 to 16:00.
With the weather getting hotter, I visited for some stamina food. It's already famous in Gwangyang as a huge local favorite! Deokeun Jangeo also has its main branch in Gwangju, and it was so good that I stopped by again while traveling in Gwangyang. 😊
There's a big parking lot, and you can also use the empty lot across the street, so no need to worry about parking. 😊
Is there a wait for eel on a late weekend evening?
On the 1st floor there's an area where you pick your eel. We came on a late weekend evening, so there wasn't much eel left, and there was even a wait. But I wanted stamina food badly enough to wait for it. 🥹
My boyfriend and I figured two eels would be enough for the two of us, so we got the two-eel bundle.
They also sell eel for takeout, and pre-grilling is available too. If you like grilling at home, I recommend taking it home for an eel party with your family!
The 2nd-floor self-grill area and self-serve bar
After picking your eel, you go up to the 2nd floor, where the grilling space is. It was a weekend, so of course it was really crowded!
There's also a self-serve bar, so you can bring back as many extra side dishes and wraps as you like. Love it ❤️
The eel is very reasonably priced, but in exchange you grill it yourself. That's why there are instructions on how to grill eel well posted all over the walls. Even beginners can grill it easily, so take note! 😆
What's on the menu at Deokeun Jangeo Gwangyang Branch?
The main menu is grilled eel, so there are meals and side dishes that go well with it. There are also eel patties (tteokgalbi) that kids like, so for children who can't eat eel yet, ordering the patties would be perfect!
Side menu items include cold noodles (naengmyeon), flying fish roe rice balls and eel soup, so I recommend finishing with dessert-style sides too.
What side dishes and wraps come with the eel?
When we went up to the 2nd floor with our eel, the basic side dishes were already set out!
- Perilla leaf pickle (kkaennip jangajji)
- Kimchi
- Pickled onion
- Pickled myeongi (wild garlic) leaves
- Soybean paste (doenjang)
- Ginger
- Green onion kimchi
Everything is neat and so tasty, and they only prepare sides that go well with eel.
There are also wrap vegetables and pickled radish slices (ssammu) to wrap everything together!
How many eels are enough for two people?
My boyfriend and I picked two eels for just under ₩40,000 at Deokeun Jangeo. Maybe because I don't eat a lot, it wasn't too little! If you're two grown men, I'd recommend picking two big eels over ₩40,000.
The eel is fresh and so well prepared, right! Not a single bone to chew on while eating! It was very clean and fresh eel.
Grilling eel yourself over real charcoal
That's my boyfriend ❤️ who worked hard grilling. He's grilled at the Gwangju main branch, so he's very good at it! Even beginners can grill it easily like this.
Maybe because the charcoal is so good, the eel cooked up beautifully golden. A charcoal-grill restaurant really is the best.
Top pick: eel wrapped in pickled perilla leaves
We ate the golden grilled eel however we liked: dipped in sauce, or neatly wrapped in vegetables. 😆
But above all, my number one pick was eel wrapped in the perilla leaf pickle. The fragrant perilla scent was so good! It goes so well with eel. 😆
Is the eel soup at Deokeun Jangeo Gwangyang Branch worth ordering?
I recommend ordering the eel soup. As we were nearly done with the eel, we ordered it, and with the soup they brought stir-fried zucchini and stir-fried anchovies as side dishes.
Honestly I ordered the eel soup as dessert without expecting much, but the more I ate, the richer and tastier it got. Please, please order it and eat it with white rice mixed in!
My boyfriend also raved that the eel soup gets better the more you eat. It had been a long time since we visited Gwangyang, and we had a happy meal and got our stamina boost. If you're looking for a Gwangyang eel restaurant, recharge at Deokeun Jangeo Gwangyang Branch and get through this summer! 😍
Where it is
101 Hangman 9-ro, Gwangyang-si, Jeonnam, South Korea전라남도 광양시 항만9로 101 더큰장어 광양점
Deokeun Jangeo Gwangyang: hours, menu and prices →
