Weekday eel dinner date in Seongsu: Songnim Bok Jangeo unlimited

Bringing you my unlimited-refill review of Songnim Bok Jangeo, a go-to spot for eel in Seongsu, from a weekday date!!

When you're brainstorming a Seongsu date course, you've probably had the thought at least once: "I want to eat eel, but it's too expensive, so I hesitate." I've had that exact same debate every time my boyfriend and I picked a weekday dinner spot. I know eel is supposed to be great for stamina, but with each one costing tens of thousands of won, I never quite reached for it.

To cut to the chase, this whole dilemma got solved in one visit at Songnim Bok Jangeo Unlimited Freshwater Eel Seongsu Branch. For ₩29,900 per adult, you get unlimited refills of freshwater eel, pork belly, and even chicken thigh, and on the weekday evening we went, they gave every table a free bottle of bokbunja (black raspberry) wine. If you've been searching for a good eel restaurant in Seongsu, this post covers the location, price, and my actual experience.

Location and hours of Songnim Bok Jangeo Seongsu Branch

Songnim Bok Jangeo Seongsu Branch is at 148 Seongdeokjeong-gil, 1st floor, Seongdong-gu, Seoul. It's within walking distance from both Seongsu Station and Ttukseom Station, so it's an easy stop even if you're specifically looking for restaurants near Ttukseom. It's open daily from 11:50 to 23:00, which gave us plenty of time for a weekday dinner date like ours. Just keep in mind there's no parking at the restaurant itself, so you'll need to use a nearby public parking lot.

Surprisingly clean for an unlimited-refill spot

When you hear "all-you-can-eat grill," you probably picture thick smoke and lingering grease smell. That worry vanished the moment we stepped into Songnim Bok Jangeo. It's not huge, but the tables are spaced out well, and there's no grease residue on the floor or around the grills, so it felt totally fine for a date. Even on a weekday evening, the place was fairly full with what looked like company dinner groups and families.

Price and menu for unlimited eel in Seongsu

The price is ₩29,900 per adult, plus a ₩3,000 per-person table setting fee. We ordered for two and got eel served together with pork belly and chicken thigh as the base setup — after that, it's all self-serve, grab as much as you want from the bar. They also have dishes like eel soup and spicy ramyeon to round out the meal, so you don't have to think too hard about how to finish. Beyond eating in, takeout is available at ₩35,000 per kilogram, which seems handy if you'd rather grill it at home some day.

As soon as we sat down, the charcoal came out first, followed by a plate loaded with eel, pork belly, and chicken thigh all set together. And then, to our surprise, along with the table setup they brought us a free bottle of bokbunja wine.

Is there even any profit left for them at this point

That's how generous the spread felt — enough for my boyfriend to say that. I'd secretly worried that "unlimited eel" might mean lower quality, but once it arrived, the flesh was thick and plump, so that concern was completely unfounded.

The side dishes were varied too — ginger, perilla leaves, green onion kimchi, braised onions, and more — and even though it's all-you-can-eat, refills came right away when we asked, so we never felt awkward about eating our fill.

What I especially liked was that lettuce, eel, pork belly, and chicken thigh were all self-serve from the bar, so my boyfriend and I took turns going back for refills — it turned into its own kind of fun.

The charcoal heat did weaken a bit over time, but as soon as we mentioned it, staff added more charcoal right away, so we could keep grilling on strong heat until the end.

How to grill eel well, and good pairings

The owner personally showed us how to grill it: the key is to crisp up the skin side first, then flip it over and cook the inside through.

Once it's fully cooked, you just trim off the fin section before eating. Dipped in teriyaki sauce with a bit of julienned ginger, the eel had no fishy smell at all and tasted clean and light, and it went really well with the bokbunja wine.

The pork belly and chicken thigh also came out crispy outside and juicy inside, so my hand reached for them almost as often as the eel.

Common mistakes people make with unlimited eel in Seongsu

Even though I'd read through several reviews beforehand, once I got there in person I noticed a few common mistakes people make. First, assuming a weekday means no wait, and showing up without a reservation — plenty of people end up waiting. We ourselves nearly got caught in a queue if we'd been a bit later.

Second, the timing for flipping the eel. If you flip it too soon, before the skin side is crisp enough, the flesh tends to fall apart.

Third, forgetting the table setting fee when budgeting — for two people, it's more accurate to factor that fee in from the start.

Fourth, not realizing the restaurant has no parking and driving there anyway, then scrambling to find a nearby public lot — I'd recommend checking the location of the Seongsu 2-ga 1-dong public parking lot ahead of time.

Summary

• Unlimited freshwater eel, pork belly, and chicken thigh for ₩29,900 per adult
• Free bottle of bokbunja wine per table even on a weekday visit
• Better to book ahead before securing a seat
• No in-store parking; check nearby public lots beforehand

The worry that eel is too expensive to eat often — I've definitely put that to rest this time. My doubts about quality with an unlimited-refill place turned out to be needless once I actually tried it, and being able to enjoy pork belly and chicken thigh alongside it meant both my boyfriend and I left the date thoroughly, satisfyingly full — something we hadn't felt in a while. If you're planning a Seongsu date or looking for restaurants near Ttukseom, I'd recommend filling up on unlimited eel at Songnim Bok Jangeo. If it's on your list for a future date, I'd suggest booking ahead before you go. It gets fairly busy even on weekday evenings, so if you want a more relaxed meal, aiming for opening time is also an option.