Korean restaurants in South Korea
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A
Bonjuk
Big bowls of tasty and healthy rice porridge feature in this chain of small, neat restaurants - try ginseng and chicken, mushroom and oyster, seafood, sweet pumpkin, or red bean.
reviewed
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Pungmi Chueotang
This scruffy-looking restaurant draws people from great distances for the chueotang (추어탕; loach soup). Made from ground loach and leafy cabbage, the dark green soup has a mild taste. If it's too mild, dip into the plastic tubs of seasoning, which includes sancho (산초), a brown spice that adds a rich, earthy flavour when used sparingly.
With a self-serve counter of unlimited side dishes like baked fish and seaweed, it's an outstanding meal and one of the city's best deals. Getting here is not easy, though. Take a taxi from Seomyeon or Sports Complex station, Exit 11, and go to the main gate of Children's Park. Walk along the road to the right of the park entrance…
reviewed
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B
Beomtae Sonjjajang
Here's a sterling example of a successful restaurant owner who won't update, modernise or even clean up the shop interior. According to superstition, the good fortune a successful shop enjoys could be lost if the interior were changed. Consequently, some shoddy-looking restaurants, like this one, serve great food. The jjambbong (짬뽕; spicy seafood soup), gunmandu (군만두; fried mandu) and tangsuyuk (탕수육; sweet-and-sour fried pork) are all excellent.
reviewed
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Podo Cheong
It's not the best sutbul galbi (숯불갈비; charcoal-fired barbecue) restaurant but it is very good. The main draw of this busy restaurant is the backyard barbecue feel in the outdoor patio. Lean moksal (목살; pork chop) tastes great though most Koreans choose samgyeopsal (삼겹살; bacon). Unless you're hoping to accelerate the likelihood of a heart attack, avoid this cut, which is essentially a slab of fat with a hint of pork.
reviewed
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C
Geumsu Bokguk
Do you remember the Simpson's episode when Homer ate blowfish and was told he had 24 hours to live? This restaurant serves that fish. A worthwhile restaurant for anyone who wants to experience a seafood delicacy and earn bragging rights: I ate poisonous fish and survived. Stay on the 1st floor for relatively inexpensive dishes. Head upstairs and join the Japanese tourists who have a strong yen for the pricey sets. Located on a small lane across the street from the Paradise Hotel in Hae·undae.
reviewed
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D
Tobang
A white sign with two Chinese characters above a doorway leads the way to this small nine-table traditional restaurant, where you sit on floor cushions under paper lanterns. Order the sundubu jjigae or doenjang jjigae for some Korean home-cooking flavour and excellent side dishes that include bean sprouts, fish, cuttlefish and raw crab in red-pepper sauce, plus a minimalist soup, rice and lettuce wraps. Authentic home cooking for W4000 – no wonder queues build up at lunchtime.
reviewed
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Kkwong Memil Guksu
A tiny five-table eatery near the bus terminal, it has one staff member and two items on the menu: the kkwong-gui (꿩구이) is simple and highly recommended - half a pheasant is grilled at your table. Order rice to go with it as the side dishes are nothing to write home about. The other option is kkwong memil guksu (꿩메밀국수) - pheasant pieces share a soup with homemade noodles wide enough to drive along.
reviewed
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E
Tosokchon Samgyetang
Despite the crowds, the samgyetang arrives fast and still bubbling. Tip some salt and pepper together into a small saucer and use it as a dip. This 30-year-old icon is housed in a sprawling hanok (traditional house), and for many locals – and even ex-presidents – it’s the best in Seoul. Black chicken samgyetang is W19,000. Walk straight for 100m from Exit 2, turn left at the GS25 convenience store and it’s on your left.
reviewed
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F
Tosokmaeul
Are you ready for full-on, full-flavoured Korean peasant fodder? Gamjatang is served up in this cluttered diner. Pick out the chillies to make it less spicy. The uncompromising side dishes are salty-and-fishy-as-hell shrimps, radish and cabbage kimchi drenched in gochujang, raw onions and raw chillies. Thankfully the rice is plain, and there are plenty of paper tissues to deal with runny noses and sweaty brows.
reviewed
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G
Grandmother Lee's Raw Fish House
Stop by for raw fish and you might end up partying until sunrise. It's a small restaurant with ground-floor fish tanks and space for groups upstairs. The affable Mr. Lee speaks English well and takes the time to explain the features of each fish. Walk to the eastern end of Hae·undae beach, turn left at the first street past the Mipo ferry terminal and then a quick right turn. It's the first restaurant on your right.
reviewed
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H
Chilgapsan
This convivial, sit-on-floor-cushions restaurant’s specialty is excellent neobiani ( 너비아니 ), a beef patty the size of a small pizza. Meant for sharing, it comes with a dressed green salad. The barley and rice bibimbap is original – you mix in doenjang jjigae rather than gochujang. Look for a building with a white frontage covered with ivy.
reviewed
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I
Gio
The ladies in this shack serve up unique cheap food. There is no need to order as they only do two dishes that are both cooked at your table. First is a bowl of mushrooms and homemade noodles, which are the widest in Seoul. Remove some of the red pepper sauce if you want to make it less fiery and cook for 15 minutes. Next up is the pre-cooked rice, dried seaweed and herbs, which is mixed together in the same pot.
reviewed
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J
Nolboojip
Down the steps in front of Pizza Hut is this special restaurant that serves a reasonably priced banquet to the sound of live traditional music, played throughout the day. Sit on floor cushions in the large eating arena and order sangcharim (minimum two people), which includes 20 dishes including steamed egg, fish, chicken, octopus, japchae, galbi, soup, quail's eggs and burnt-rice tea.
reviewed
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K
Minsokchon
A popular barnlike but attractive and cheery restaurant that echoes to beef (소갈비; so galbi) and pork (돼지갈비; dwaeji galbi) sizzling on table barbecues. The galbitang (갈비탕) is excellent with chunky lean meat and 'wellbeing' additions. If this restaurant has a long queue outside, try its branch in Gwangsan·gil.
reviewed
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L
Sadongmyeonok
This bright and breezy eatery is hidden away, but is usually busy and has a long menu. It’s famous for manduguk – because the dumplings are the largest you’ll see (three make a meal). Also famous is the platter of haemul pajeon (seafood pancake), known for its size, crispiness and the big chunks of octopus. Use the onion and soy sauce side dish as a dip for both.
reviewed
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Haenggungjeongwon
A popular lunch is galbitang – meaty bones in a meaty broth served with rice and side dishes (it’s the best in the world). Opposite Haenggung’s information centre, the restaurant is easy to spot – three storeys high with large balconies. For a drink try the refreshing cheongha – Japanese sake -style rice wine. Free self-serve coffee.
reviewed
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M
Pyeongandochapssal Sundae
Squeeze yourself into this popular mouthful of a restaurant to take up the sundae challenge. We’re not talking fruit sundae, but Korean sundae, which is a black noodle sausage. It looks worse than it tastes – the flavour is bland although the skin is chewy. Order pyeongando jeongsik for a spicy soup and a plate of sundae and pork hocks (W9000).
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Haryu
If you don't need to pick a fish, walk up to the 2nd floor of the Millak town raw fish centre to a restaurant run by the English-speaking owner, Mr Jeon. Line 2 to Gwang·an station, Exit 5. At the top of the stairs, turn 180 degrees and then right at the first street. Walk 600m and turn left at the beach. The raw fish centre is the large brown building 300m down the road.
reviewed
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Halmae Jaecheopguk
Hungover in Gwang·an beach? Do what many Koreans do and stumble over to this restaurant respected for hangover remedies disguised as food. Jaecheopguk (재첩국; marsh clam soup) is a clear shellfish broth. Located on Gwang·an's one-way street opposite the Giant Step jazz bar; look for the 24-hour restaurant with a blinding yellow interior.
reviewed
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N
Solmoemaeul
Sit on the floor or on chairs on the narrow balcony to enjoy an excellent multicourse meal for W20,000 that includes bulgogi. The gujeolpan is a speciality with pink radish wraps, as is the pajeon and the sprouty version of bibimbap. A bit of a walk from the subway but customers tend to need some exercise after this generous Korean feast.
reviewed
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O
Jirisan
A popular, authentic restaurant and a great place to try dolsotbap (hotpot rice, W10,000). Various ingredients are added to the rice, and you mix it all up in a separate bowl with the sauces and side dishes – a do-it-yourself bibimbap. Pour the weak burnt-rice tea from the kettle into the stone pot and put the lid on, then drink it at the end of the meal.
reviewed
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P
Hyangnamusegeuru
No English is spoken but if you dig pig then just say moksalsogeumgui!. This is pork barbecued at your table, wrapped in lettuce with sauces and side dishes; you can cut some of the fat off the pork with the scissors provided. It's a good deal, as is the doenjang jjigae (soy-bean paste stew). The restaurant is recently renovated and surrounded by trees.
reviewed
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Q
Sannaedeullae
Hidden away on the 3rd floor (above Pho Hoa), this restaurant serves up royal court cuisine such as sinseollo (steam boat) and gujeolpan (eight tiny snacks wrapped in minipancakes). Although just a starter, gujeolpan comes with sweet pumpkin porridge, soup, a salad bar of healthy greens, rice cakes and tea, and makes a right royal light lunch.
reviewed
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R
Yongsusan
This stylish traditional restaurant is colourfully decorated with mother-of-pearl panels and serving staff wear hanbok (traditional Korean clothing). The food contains elements of royal cuisine and varies with the seasons but is always interesting from the dragon firepot to the five-grain rice cooked in bamboo and the always delicious omijacha tea.
reviewed
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S
Gaemi Jip
The speciality is nakji bokkeum (낙지볶음; octopus stew) a fiery dish that can cause customers to sweat profusely, so keep a good supply of beverages close at hand. Located on a small lane in Nampodong near the steps to Yongdusan Park, it's worth the effort to find this place if you want to try something different.
reviewed
