Restaurants in Seoul
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A
Gogung
Authentic Jeonju bibimbap is the star attraction here, together with the cheaper dolsot bibimbap. Waitresses are dressed in hanbok, and upstairs is nicer than downstairs. Order moju, a medicinal homebrew that also comes from Jeonju. Another bright, new branch is in Insadong.
reviewed
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B
Cheongsachorong
This well-known restaurant caters to Japanese tour groups but you can join in if you make a reservation (maybe with the aid of hotel reception). The food is a good deal and the hanjeongsik includes royal cuisine such as gujeolpan and sinseollo. Traditional dancing and drumming starts at 7pm daily.
reviewed
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C
Juk 1001 Iyagi
The unpretentious surroundings reflect this restaurant’s food. A large bowl of excellent chicken and ginseng rice porridge is served with four side dishes. There are 19 other options packed with healthy, natural ingredients, ranging from snails, mushrooms and seafood to good old pumpkin. Some choices are vegetarian.
reviewed
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D
Seommaeul Milbatjip
This modern, clean restaurant offers a simple no-fuss meal of kalguksu – lots of baby clams in a soup with thick, hand-cut long noodles that represent long life. A minimalist meal with subtle flavours, this makes for a change from the usually spicy Korean fare – a fact appreciated by the restaurant’s many fans.
reviewed
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E
Jilsiru Tteok Café
Enjoy beautiful gourmet rice cakes with unusual flavours at this café-cum-shop owned by a well-known tteok cooking teacher. The dry tteok go well with a cup of Korean tea. The tteok come in all colours, shapes and sizes, and ingredients include black rice, nuts, fruits, mugwort and chocolate.
reviewed
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F
Ali Baba
Authentic Egyptian food, coffee, music and surroundings are up here on the 3rd floor. Portions are small so sharing a number of dishes is the way to go. The freshly made pitta bread is particularly delicious. Afterwards, enjoy a sheesha (water pipe) – puffing on one of the 15 flavours costs W20,000.
reviewed
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G
Hwedra Ramyeon
This tiny, dark, prison cell of an eatery serves up the hottest ramyeon in Seoul. The ajumma (middle-aged working woman) in charge adds green chillies with a large ladle as if they were spring onions. Said to cure even the worst hangover, you can take up this fear-factor challenge for just W4000.
reviewed
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Eunhasoo Dinner Buffet
This long-running buffet is the perfect introduction to a wide variety of Korean food including beef ribs, barbecue pork, rice porridge, fish, oxtail soup, kimchi pizza, traditional desserts and tea. Some Western items are included and the green-themed classy surroundings add to the sense of occasion.
reviewed
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H
Samcheong-Dong Sujebi
A no-frills, no-nonsense restaurant that’s famous for its sujebi, big dough flakes in a mild soup of sliced vegetables and shellfish. Dongdongju (fermented rice wine) goes well with the meal – in fact, for some diners the sujebi is just an excuse to enjoy some dongdongju.
reviewed
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I
Samtong Chicken
This typically convivial beer-and-chicken joint is clean and modern. A tap beer costs W2500 and the chicken comes roasted on a spit or fried. Jeongiguidongdak is a whole barbecue chicken served with side dishes of pickled daikon (radish) cubes and shredded cabbage topped with mayonnaise.
reviewed
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J
Sale e Pepe
Up on the 2nd floor, the Gaudí-style dome adds a Mediterranean feel to this Italian fusion terraced Daehangno restaurant, which serves wines and soju (a Korean liquor similar to vodka) mixed with fresh juice – kiwifruit and pineapple are popular. Every evening the mood is enhanced by live music.
reviewed
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K
Samwon Garden
Popular enough to have its own multistorey car park, this galbi icon has a beautiful traditional garden and a sizeable waterfall. Samwon has been serving top-class galbi in this rural idyll for over 30 years, and plenty of business deals have been hatched in the private dining rooms.
reviewed
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Noodle X
Despite the name, inventive fusion food of all kinds is served in this dimly-lit modern eatery with red and black décor and music. This is a good place to try jajangmyeon, the classic Korean noodles and black bean dish that originated in China. There's even a baked potato on the menu.
reviewed
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L
Insadong Sujebi
Famous for sujebi, big dough flakes in a potato, seaweed and seafood broth, this rustic barn also serves up naengkongguksu, chewy noodles in cold soya milk, a popular summer dish, and oyster pajeon. Kimchi lovers can enjoy helping themselves from a large pot.
reviewed
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M
Jenny's
Verging on the funky, this laid-back café-style eatery plays good music, the bread is homemade and Jenny makes everything fresh to order, so expect to wait. Even the house wine (around ₩4000) is good. Try the mushroom sandwich and salad. Lunch sets include soup and a soft drink.
reviewed
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N
Nolboo
Come to this spacious 2nd-floor restaurant for budae jjigae (or Johnsontang ), which consists of baked beans, macaroni, rice cakes, ham, sausages, tofu, noodles and vegetable scraps, all thrown into a big wok, cooked at your table and served with rice and good side dishes.
reviewed
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O
Castle Praha
Hidden away down an alley is the most extraordinary facade in Seoul, with an equally bizarre dungeon-cum-cellar interior for the vintage restaurant, the homebrew bar, the bakery and café. Step inside this medieval fantasy for a limited but reasonably priced selection of European food.
reviewed
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P
Agio
Sit outside in the spacious courtyard under shady trees or inside this charming Italian restaurant that serves mainly organic salads and pastas, but specialises in large, thin-crust pizzas, freshly made in a wood-fired oven and served on a wooden platter. Drinkable house wine is W5500.
reviewed
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Q
Tobang Duck Restaurant
A pile of delicious sliced smoked duck is kept warm over a small cauldron of steaming water that cooks the chives and sesame leaves that accompany the meat. Two dipping sauces are provided, one mustard and the other a delicious local concoction. Order noodles afterwards if required.
reviewed
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R
Crown Bakery
Many bakeries have turned themselves into cafés by installing a coffee machine and providing a few tables and chairs. Baking is done inside the shop, which also sells the creamy-tasting Korean speciality ‘ice candy’, a round ice lolly on a round stick (W800).
reviewed
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S
Jongno Bindaetteok
Don’t let the scruffy and dingy decor put you off – the freshly made gourmet bindaetteok is crispy and golden and bursting with seafood (haemul) or meat (gogi). It goes perfectly with a glass or two or three of makgeolli.
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T
Soma 1095
If your Korean language skills are a little scratchy, the colour photos of the 40 well-presented meals available here will help you to choose what to eat, in this clean and busy budget eatery. Just remember to say maisseosseoyo ('it was delicious') when your done.
reviewed
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U
Chuncheonjip
This large and cheerful restaurant with music and paper lanterns never closes. Try its hot and spicy fusion dakgalbi with cheese and sweet potatoes or noodles, cooked at your table. Serve yourself side dishes from a buffet – a great idea that reduces waste.
reviewed
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V
Sosim
A small, rustic, home-cooking basement restaurant that serves mainly vegetables, including many types of mushrooms, in varied sauces. Fish is added for non-vegetarians. The W20,000 set course is the best meal, but is overpriced. The helpful owner speaks some English.
reviewed
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W
Baengnyeon Samgyetang
This well-known, rough-and-ready restaurant serves chicken and ginseng soup. Queues form as summer temperatures soar because locals claim the meal is restorative and this restaurant is the best in the area. Barbecue chicken (jeongigui dongdak) is another option.
reviewed