Tawa Seoul City Hall: Top Hitsumabushi for Dates or Solo Meals

Why go all the way to Japan for hitsumabushi?

The path I take is the path itself,

a place that makes you feel like you're in Japan –

I visited Seoul City Hall's (서울 시청) famous restaurant, Tawa (타와) TAWA‼️

Tawa, Tadaima...

Seoul City Hall Station (시청역) Eel Rice Bowl Restaurant

Tawa

📍Location: 115 Seosomun-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul

B1F, 102 Hansan Building, Tawa

In front of Exit 10, City Hall Station

It's right on the left after getting off the elevator ‼️

So it's easy to find.

✅️Operating Hours: 10:00-21:00, Closed Sundays

15:00-16:00 Break Time

✅️1 hour free parking

After exceeding, ₩5,000 (~$4) per hour / up to ₩40,000 (~$30)

✅️Corkage available

✅️Private rooms available for reservation (for events/groups)

Seoul City Hall's Famous Restaurant

Featuring Nagoya-style Hitsumabushi

Tawa's Interior Ambiance

A vibe that truly feels like being in Japan...

This is the kind of feeling I distinctly saw

on my trip to Japan.

A trip to Nagoya

with just one tap of a subway card.

Tawa is famous as a Seoul City Hall restaurant specializing in charcoal-grilled eel rice bowls

and Nagoya-style hitsumabushi.

Hehe

I did an "open run" (arrived right at opening), so I got to enjoy this classy view

before anyone else...

There were quite a few staff members busy preparing for opening,

and the atmosphere was so warm and cheerful that

my mood brightened too!

(It also helped that I was about to eat something delicious)

There are single seats that aren't awkward for solo diners,

where you can watch the eel being grilled directly,

and the smoke is perfectly blocked, so I highly recommend those seats!

2-person and 4-person tables

And even private rooms are available,

making it a suitable place

for a hearty solo meal,

a date night,

or a gathering with good company!

Well, anything tastes good with great company,

but when you eat something truly delicious,

it just makes you feel even better!

^.~

A soldier on leave also came to eat alone,

and although I couldn't pay for him (like an adult, haha),

I felt a bit moved by the feeling of it being his last feast before returning to duty.

Salutations!

There's also Dassai, which my dad loves.

Seoul City Hall Station's Specialty Eel Rice Bowl Restaurant

Tawa Menu & Prices

I've been talking about eel rice bowls and hitsumabushi all along, but this place also does raw dishes excellently!

Kaisen-don, seasonal yellowtail just launched,

sashimi, and more...

With so many menu pages,

I almost gave up taking photos,

but your right to know is precious, so...

I diligently captured them all!

Hitsumabushi / Special Hitsumabushi

Unagi Kabayaki (grilled with sauce) Shirayaki (grilled with salt)

Special Don, Kaisendon, Sanshokudon, various other rice bowls

Tuna Sashimi, Uni Maki

And other set menu items.

For lunch,

for dinner,

there are so many delicious menu options no matter when you eat.

It was great that they aren't limited to just lunch or dinner!

In this chilly, shivering weather,

what do you need even more than a flu shot?

Perhaps a warm bowl of eel rice bowl (Jangeo-deopbap)...

Of course, good eel and quality ingredients are important,

but how and on what kind of fire the eel is grilled

is also a crucial point that determines the taste difference‼️

That's why Tawa (타와) pays meticulous attention starting from the grill used for the eel.

They've sought out and imported charcoal grills handmade by artisans in Japan,

and they grill the eel themselves right here in the restaurant.

And you can witness it firsthand right before your eyes!

Mastering the Eel Tycoon game!

The winning secret that works here too:

Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside!

I'll also confirm the origin.

Nagoya-style Hitsumabushi

Review of Tawa's (타와) Menu, a Must-Visit Restaurant near Seoul City Hall (서울 시청)

Ta-da! ❤️

The appearance of the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) eel rice bowl...

Four Ways to Enjoy Eel Rice Bowl

The staff member explained it one more time.

Eat the eel and rice as is.

Add accompaniments like seaweed, wasabi, green onions, and perilla leaves.

Pour in green tea broth and enjoy it as Ochazuke.

Finish the last portion however you like.

It's not "spin, spin, spin the roulette wheel,"

it's "spin, spin, spin the Hitsumabushi〰️"

Just as instructed! 😂

Me, carefully reading the menu instructions.

1. Eat eel + rice as is.

Wow, the charcoal aroma is incredible!

The rice is sweet too.

2. The wasabi is sweet too... hehe.

Wrap it in seaweed and gobble it up in one bite!

It's Ochazuke time〰️

They told me to finish it however I like,

but there's nothing left to finish!

It's all already gone down my esophagus... so good.

It's close to City Hall Station (시청역) and Seoul City Hall (서울시청),

making it easily accessible for office workers.

On weekends, after a date or outing at Deoksugung Palace (덕수궁),

it's an absolutely perfect spot for a meal.

It was truly a place well worth revisiting...

...and that's how I concluded, feeling completely recharged with happiness.