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Eel Rice Bowls: 5 Must-Try Spots
- Warm pot rice that captures the taste of Bogildo, Jamsil ‘Bogil’
- Nagoya’s famous specialty in Busan, Haeundae ‘Haemok’
- Authentic flavors imported from Nagoya, Seocho ‘Marushim’
- Soft rice paired with seasoned eel, Myeongdong ‘Seoseol’
- A refined, meticulously presented meal down to the tableware, Seoul Station ‘Hamru’
When sweet-and-salty glaze coats a piece of eel and releases its subtle aroma, eel rice bowls instantly seduce the senses. Tender flakes of eel mix with steaming rice to create a deep, toasty richness, and each bite delivers a pronounced, savory umami punch. Simple in composition but high on ingredient quality, this dish works as an elevated treat or a comforting everyday meal — easy to enjoy yet undeniably satisfying. Here are five restaurants where you can taste eel rice bowls at their best.
Warm Bogildo-style Eel Pot Rice, Jamsil ‘Bogil’
This spot is run by chefs who trained at the Walkerhill Hotel and bring ingredients from their hometown, Bogildo, to make soulful pot rice. The Abalone Pot Rice, featuring whole abalone marinated in kelp soy, is delightfully clean and delicate. The popular Eel Pot Rice layers lightly seasoned rice with salty-sweet glazed eel and a soft egg. The kaisendon arrives plated like a bouquet — pretty enough to feel like a gift. They also offer a variety of small plates that pair perfectly with drinks.
See ‘Bogil’ on Siksin
- ✔위치
10-8, Ogeum-ro 16-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul
- ✔영업시간
Daily 11:00-22:00 B/T 16:00-17:00 Closed Mondays
- ✔가격
Eel Pot Rice 29,000 KRW (approximately $21.75), Bogildo Abalone Pot Rice 19,000 KRW (approximately $14.25), Abalone & Octopus Tteokgalbi Pot Rice 21,000 KRW (approximately $15.75)
Nagoya’s specialty in Busan, Haeundae ‘Haemok’
Haemok in Haeundae specializes in hitsumabushi — Nagoya’s famed eel rice bowl. A whole, perfectly grilled freshwater eel crowns the dish, and the tidy presentation is impressive from the first glance. You get green tea broth, perilla leaves, roasted seaweed, and scallions; traditionally you divide the bowl into four portions and enjoy each in a different way — plain, with vegetables, with tea broth, and then your favorite finish. Their colorful kaisendon is piled high with fresh seafood and becomes exceptional when wrapped in nori.
See ‘Haemok’ on Siksin
- ✔위치
8, Gunam-ro 24beon-gil, Haeundae-gu, Busan
- ✔영업시간
Daily 11:00-22:00 (Last order 21:00)
- ✔가격
Hitsumabushi 39,000 KRW (approximately $29.25), Kaisendon 37,000 KRW (approximately $27.75), Tuna+Salmon+Negitoro 24,000 KRW (approximately $18.00)
Authentic Nagoya flavor, Seocho ‘Marushim’
Located on Gomore-ro in Seocho, Marushim’s team learned eel selection, trimming, grilling, and cooking while working in Nagoya’s eel kitchens, then brought those techniques to Korea. Their hitsumabushi comes with four classic ways to eat it: enjoy eel and rice as-is, add wasabi, pour in green tea broth, and sample each quarter to appreciate the range of flavors. If you want four distinct tastes in a single bowl, Marushim is the place.
See more about ‘Marushim’ on Siksin▶
- ▲위치
1F, Cheonggu Building, 10 Gomore-ro 10-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul
- ▲영업시간
Daily 11:00-22:00
- ▲메뉴
Hitsumabushi (Regular) 39,000 KRW (approximately $29.25), Hitsumabushi (Special) 53,000 KRW (approximately $39.75)
Soft rice and seasoned eel in harmony, Myeongdong ‘Seoseol’
Seoseol, already a favorite among office workers around Myeongdong, sits between Myeongdong and Hoehyeon stations. Aside from a few sides like a rolled omelet that pair well with the main dish, the menu focuses squarely on hitsumabushi — they’ve refined the Japanese recipe to suit Korean palates, balancing salty and sweet for an addictive umami that keeps you coming back. Curious about a bowl that sticks with you? Head to Myeongdong Station.
See more about ‘Seoseol’ on Siksin▶
- ▲위치
Shop 105, 46 Sogong-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
- ▲영업시간
Mon–Sat 11:30-21:00 (Closed Sundays)
- ▲메뉴
Hitsumabushi 39,000 KRW (approximately $29.25), Grilled Whole Pollack Roe 19,000 KRW (approximately $14.25)
Refined, carefully presented down to the tableware, Seoul Station ‘Hamru’
True to its name — which suggests serving food with heartfelt care — Hamru near Seoul Station shows attention to detail in every side dish. When an eel rice bowl arrives, glossy and perfectly colored on elegant tableware, the meal delights both the eyes and the palate.
See more about ‘Hamru’ on Siksin▶
- ▲위치
4F, Seoul Station, 405 Hangang-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
- ▲영업시간
Daily 11:00-22:00
- ▲메뉴
Hitsumabushi (Regular) 39,000 KRW (approximately $29.25), Hitsumabushi (Special) 48,000 KRW (approximately $36.00)
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