One of the most popular health foods enjoyed by Koreans is eel dishes,
Eel is known to be good for restoring energy and improving health, so it is especially loved during the hot summer season.
Today, I’d like to introduce ‘Yeongdong Eel,’ a popular restaurant known for its eel dishes, located in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam, Seoul.
Especially here, thick cuts of fresh domestic mudflat eel are grilled to perfection, boasting a firm texture and rich flavor.
A major advantage is that you can enjoy your meal comfortably thanks to the premium service where staff grill the eel for you and the pleasant, upscale interior.
‘Yeongdong Jang-eo’ is the place to truly enjoy Korea’s summer stamina food, eel dishes. Don’t miss this content!
👇 Check more details below! 👇
[Spot] Gangnam Restaurant | Yeongdong Jang-eo
Why We Recommend It
- 'Yeongdong Eel' located in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam, is the only place in Seoul where you can taste the finest and rare 'Gangwa Island Mudflat Eel' that you can't find anywhere else, and is also a representative eel restaurant in Korea.
- It has been featured on many popular TV shows and YouTube programs, and is already recognized by locals, as world-famous celebrities like GD, BTS, and BLACKPINK have visited.
- You can enjoy a convenient and satisfying meal in a pleasant, upscale interior along with premium service where the staff grills the eel for you, and especially, unlike regular freshwater eel, you can experience a thick cut, firm texture, and deep flavor.
- When you order three or more servings of mudflat eel, you can also try unique items such as liver, stomach, and gall juice, which are special parts served with the eel and offer a chance to experience traditional Korean food culture.
Our Visit
Today, I visited 'Yeongdong Eel' located in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam.
This place is already really famous among Koreans as a great eel restaurant,
It has been featured on popular TV programs several times, and celebrities often visit this place.
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As I entered the store, the pleasant and luxurious interior left a strong impression.
In addition to open table seating, there are also completely private rooms available, making it a great place to enjoy a quiet and comfortable meal with friends.
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On one side of the first floor of the store, there was a large tank with eels swimming around that caught my eye!
As a restaurant specializing in eel dishes, seeing how they keep everything fresh made me even more excited.
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Next to it, you could directly see the initial grilling of the eel,
I felt reassured because I could see the process of adding a smoky flavor while keeping the freshness.
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And on one side of the store, there was a trophy on display certifying that it was selected as a top restaurant by Blue Ribbon Survey.
Blue Ribbon is a famous Korean restaurant guide that introduces only trustworthy restaurants based on strict evaluation standards,
The very presence of this trophy shows that the excellent taste and service of ‘Yeongdong Jang-eo’ have been proven.
We offer a wide selection of Korean dishes, featuring fresh seafood sourced directly from all over the country, including Ganghwado mudflat eel, giving you plenty of choices.
Not only cuisine, but also a variety of alcoholic beverages such as wine, champagne, whisky, traditional liquor, and sake are prepared, making it really great for pairing.
For your information, mudflat eel can be ordered 'for a minimum of 2 servings,' and if you order '3 or more servings of mudflat eel' for your initial order,
They say they will show you live mudflat eel and also offer the eel’s special parts (liver, stomach, gall bladder juice) for free along with a bottle of soju!
Freshwater eel can be ordered starting from one serving, but please note that the eel will not be shown to you and special parts will not be provided.
The basic table setting has now been served.
Various side dishes that go well with eel were neatly arranged, raising my expectations for the meal.
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One of the signatures here is that if you order three or more servings of mudflat eel, they'll personally give you a 'live show'!
Since we also ordered three servings, we were able to enjoy that special live show before the main dishes came out.
It was really amazing to see the lively, energetic eel right in front of my eyes, and it was a fun experience you don't often get to have.
After the live show ended, the cleaned and initially grilled eel was served directly to the table.
I was surprised at how much bigger it was than I expected, so I even compared it directly with my hand.
Also, because we ordered more than three servings of mudflat eel, we were served special parts like liver, stomach, and even bile juice together.
The ones on the skewers are stomach and liver, and the one in the syringe is bile.
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Now they placed the mudflat eel on the brazier and rubbed it with sansho salt to remove any unpleasant odor.
Here, the staff grills the eel for you from start to finish,
I was really satisfied because I could sit comfortably and enjoy eel cooked to the most delicious state.
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While the eel was grilling, we were able to try the special parts first,
They recommended lightly dipping the top in salt to enjoy the chewy texture, and since the seasoning is already applied, they suggested eating it as is.
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I tried the special parts of eel for the first time, and the stomach had a savory yet chewy texture that was impressive, while the liver offered a soft texture that made it an interesting experience.
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If you order for three or more people, you'll also receive one free bottle of soju to mix with the gallbladder juice!
They personally mixed bile into soju and handed it to us, so while the eel was cooking, we had a unique experience without a moment of boredom.
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The staff member kindly cut the half-cooked eel into bite-sized pieces for us.
The really thick and plump appearance made me immediately think it was top-quality eel.
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The cut eel was neatly placed back on the grill and cooked a little longer.
The sight of it ripening more and more deliciously and the savory aroma tantalized my nose, making me naturally want to taste it right away :)
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They cut the almost fully cooked eel into bite-sized pieces, making it easy to eat in one bite.
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When the eel is nicely grilled to a golden brown, they make sure it doesn’t burn and even divide it up so it’s easy to eat.
Take a look at the plump and glossy eel! Doesn't it look really delicious~?
The green onions to eat with the eel were also grilled to a delicious golden brown.
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First, I tried it with salt as recommended by the staff.
The moment I put it in my mouth, I was amazed as the plump and tender texture, along with the savory and mild flavor of the eel, spread throughout.
From the very first bite, I could truly feel why this place is so popular, especially why the mudflat eel is so well-loved.
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This time, I tried dipping it in ginger and the special sauce—the classic pairing for eel.
Adding ginger to the sweet soy sauce base that perfectly complements eel,
I was really satisfied because I could enjoy it clean and refreshing without any greasiness.
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This time, I enjoyed it with gochujang pickles and fresh garlic, accompanied by ssamjang.
You can enjoy eel in various ways depending on the sauce, making eating it even more fun.
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The side dishes also paired really well with the eel!
First, I wrapped a piece of eel in fresh kimchi and ate it in one bite.
The refreshing and clean taste blended well with the savory flavor of the eel, leaving my mouth feeling pleasantly refreshed.
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This time, I tried eating eel together with rinsed aged kimchi.
The deep flavor of well-fermented aged kimchi met the savory taste of eel, creating a whole new charm.
Since it's not spicy kimchi, it seems like it would be good for those who can't handle spicy food to enjoy without worry.
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In addition, there are a variety of delicious basic side dishes like geotjeori, pa-kimchi, and oi-naengchae.
It was really nice to enjoy eel in a cleaner and less overwhelming way.
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This time, the freshwater eel for two that we ordered came out.
After whetting your appetite with mudflat eel, it's time to enjoy freshwater eel with its own unique charm.
The fun of comparing and tasting two types of eel was quite enjoyable.
They also grilled the freshwater eel with sancho salt, just like the mudflat eel.
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After it was about half-cooked, they even carefully cut it for us, so we were able to enjoy our meal comfortably the whole time.
All the freshwater eel has been grilled to perfection, making it look delicious!
The one on the left is freshwater eel, and the one on the right is mudflat eel. Looking at them like this, don't you see a bit of a difference between the two eels?
If tidal flat eel is known for its thick, plump, and chewy texture,
The freshwater eel was thin but had a tender texture.
Both types have their own distinct charm, so you'll be satisfied no matter which one you choose :)
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When it comes to eel, you can't leave out the tail section!
The tail is rich in protein and fat, so it contains more nutrients.
Especially, its high collagen content is good for skin health, and its chewy yet savory taste is exceptional.
Even though I was already quite full after eating the mudflat eel, I was still able to enjoy the freshwater eel, which has its own unique charm, to my heart's content :)
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This time, fish soup noodles were served.
The noodles made with an eel soup base simmered with eel head and bones, dried radish greens, and radish had a refreshing yet deep flavor—they were outstanding!
If you add the green onion that comes with it, minced garlic, and a small amount of Sichuan pepper powder, you can enjoy an even deeper and richer flavor.
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Noodles were included too, so it was perfect as a finishing meal!
Here’s an editor’s tip: try wrapping the eel in the fish soup noodles and eating them together!
The savory eel and the spicy, rich noodles make an amazing combination, so be sure to give it a try :)
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This time, clam clear soup with lily noodles was served,
It looked so pretty that it was almost a shame to eat it.
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After lightly mixing the noodles so they're easy to eat, enjoy them with the napa cabbage kimchi served on the side for a truly perfect and refreshing finish!
The kimchi was also very fresh and delicious, which enhanced the flavor of the noodles even more.
Today, I tried eel dishes at ‘Yeongdong Eel’.
The taste and service made it clear why this is a top eel restaurant representing Korea.
If you want to truly enjoy Korea’s representative health food, grilled eel, I confidently recommend ‘Yeongdong Eel’!
How to Get There
[스팟] Gangnam Restaurant | Yeongdong Eel
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