Mapo Rest Stop · 63 stories

After a Walk

I write about meals and cafe visits in Seoul, sharing impressions from places I’ve visited. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants · Bars · Things to do · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceYangcheon, SeoulRestaurants

Mixed gopchang for 3 in Mokdong, too full for fried rice: Omokgyo

Omokgyo Gopchang Mokdong Main Branch is a gopchang (grilled beef intestine) restaurant near Omokgyo Station in Yangcheon, Seoul. The writer visited around 4 p.m. and shared a mixed gopchang platter for 3 with gopchang, daechang (large intestine) and makchang (abomasum), served with a fire show. The meat tasted rich and chewy with no gamey smell, but the portion was so big that the writer was too full for the fried rice. Omokgyo Gopchang Mokdong Main Branch is a good pick for gatherings and team dinners that want several cuts on one grill.

Written Jul 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hapjeong Korean BBQ date: yuja highball, bibim naengmyeon, Jeongyukdo

Jeongyukdo is a Korean BBQ restaurant serving aged Hanwoo (Korean beef) and Korean pork, in an alley off Exit 5 of Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul. On a date, the writer ordered the 500g pork set (49,000 won), which includes a Hanwoo doenjang (soybean paste) stew, and added bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold noodles) and a yuja (citron) highball. The thick pork belly, the juiciness and the tangy noodles all hit the mark. Jeongyukdo is a well-rounded date-night Korean BBQ spot in Hapjeong, satisfying from the meat to the meal to the highball.

Written Jul 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Gwanghwamun burger spot from a Jayang takeout regular: Reel Burger

Reel Burger Gwanghwamun is a newly opened handmade burger restaurant on Sambong-ro in Jongno, Seoul. A longtime takeout regular at the Jayang Station original shop visited Reel Burger Gwanghwamun with her husband on a weekend and dined in on the jalapeño mayo burger (₩13,500), a cheeseburger with extra Swiss cheese and crispy onion rings, and was won over when the staff added a generous heap of extra olives. Verdict: Reel Burger Gwanghwamun is a solid pick whenever you crave a proper handmade burger in Gwanghwamun.

Written Jul 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Mapo Station Korean BBQ at 5 pm: ₩66,000 ribs & yukhoe, Mapo Mokjang

Mapo Mokjang (마포목장) is a retro-themed charcoal-grill beef restaurant on Mapo-daero 4-gil near Mapo Station in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Arriving right at the 5 pm opening, the writer ordered the set of 450g bull beef rib meat (hwangso galbisal) and 200g yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) for ₩66,000, which came with free kimchi stew and a huge patbingsu (red bean shaved ice) for dessert. Mapo Mokjang is a good-value Seoul Korean BBQ spot that delivers from the meat right through to dessert.

Written Jul 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae pizza place with potato & margherita half-and-half: Sunny's

Sunny's Pizza Market (써니스피자마켓) is a second-floor pizza restaurant on Donggyo-ro in Mapo, Seoul, between Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong. The writer ordered an L half-and-half pizza with Smooth Potato and Sunny's Margherita and added a cheese crust; the Smooth Potato half went especially well with garlic dip, and Sunny's Margherita with grated Parmesan. For two flavors in one order, Sunny's Pizza Market's half-and-half pizza with an added cheese crust is the combination to get.

Written Jul 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulCafés

Yeongdeungpo salt bread bakery: red bean butter, Dubai, mango, BYWAY

BYWAY BAKERS Yeongdeungpo Branch is a salt bread bakery at Dangsan-ro 27-gil in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. On a bakery crawl, the blogger went looking for the fresh mango yogurt wakppu salt bread spotted on Instagram and also tried the red bean butter salt bread and the Dubai salt bread. The fresh mango yogurt wakppu salt bread beat expectations and was the most memorable, making BYWAY BAKERS a fun Yeongdeungpo salt bread spot where you pick by taste.

Written Jul 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae chicken feet bar, ₩45,000 set with corn cheese: Cheongnyeon

Cheongnyeon Dakbal 1987 Hongdae Branch (청년닭발1987 홍대점) is a pojangmacha-style bar on Donggyo-ro in Mapo, Seoul, specialising in boneless chicken feet in spicy broth. The day before a holiday, the writer and her husband ordered the ₩45,000 Cheongnyeon Dakbal Hansang set with added bunmoja (wide sweet potato noodles) and a ₩5,000 corn cheese. The level-1 boneless soup chicken feet came with kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), a tuna rice ball, fried chicken skin and muksabal (acorn jelly in chilled broth), so much food that it hardly seemed like a set for two. For a day when you want to eat your fill of spicy chicken feet, the Hansang set at Cheongnyeon Dakbal 1987 Hongdae Branch is just right.

Written Oct 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulCafés

Seoul Station bakery café, Dubai matcha baguette: Dance Dance Dance

Dance Dance Dance Seoul Station is a baguette sandwich bakery café on basement level 3 (B3) of Grand Central at Seoul Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. For lunch at Dance Dance Dance, the writer had the Dubai matcha tofu cream baguette, then took a chocolate chip scone to go after getting too full. The Dubai matcha tofu cream baguette is an unusual pairing with a rich matcha flavor, and the tofu cream keeps it light, so it is worth a stop for matcha and dessert lovers.

Written Jul 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangbuk, SeoulCafés

Mia-sageori low-sugar dessert café: 4 butter bars at Dangara Gwajajeom

Dangara Gwajajeom (당가라과자점) is a low-sugar dessert café on Ohyeon-ro 6-gil near Mia-sageori Station in Gangbuk, Seoul, with a small gift shop in the basement. We tried all four butter bars (classic, hwang cheese, Valrhona chocolate and matcha, 4,200–4,600 won) and an iced mint chocolate latte (5,500 won). They taste too good to be low-sugar and are never overly sweet. Dangara Gwajajeom suits butter bar lovers who are watching their sugar but still want a good dessert.

Written Jul 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHaeundae, BusanRestaurants

Dalmaji-gil pasta restaurant: thick-bacon carbonara for two, Bueokgan

Bueokgan Haeundae Branch (부엌간 해운대점) is a Western restaurant focused on pasta and pizza, on Dalmaji-gil in Haeundae, Busan. On a Haeundae trip, the writer shared a couple's set of pumpkin soup, garden salad, carbonara, basil margherita pizza and two juices, and the thick-bacon carbonara paired with the basil margherita pizza was the most memorable. Apart from the air conditioning cooling the pizza quickly, Bueokgan Haeundae Branch makes a satisfying, relaxed date meal while travelling.

Written Jul 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulCafés

Gwanghwamun bakery café for a rainy-day Dubai croissant: Lemangdoré

Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun is a three-floor bakery café on Mugyo-ro in Jung-gu, Seoul. With an hour free between plans on a rainy day, the blogger stopped by Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun around 4:30 pm for a Dubai croissant (15,000 won) and an iced americano, then rested in the third-floor Fritz Hansen lounge. Prices run a little high, but the crispy Dubai croissant paired with clean-tasting coffee makes Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun a memorable Gwanghwamun bakery café.

Written Jul 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGanghwa, IncheonRestaurants

Onsu-ri, Ganghwa duck restaurant: dropwort stir-fry for two, Deok Ori

Deok Ori Jumulleok Ganghwa Main Branch is a duck restaurant at 121 Manisan-ro in Gilsang-myeon, Ganghwa, Incheon, serving fresh duck pre-grilled over coal briquettes. On a Ganghwa day trip, the writer and her boyfriend ordered 2 portions of samchae duck roast (22,000 won per portion) and 2 portions of fried rice, and the briquette smokiness and the table-side stir-fry with dropwort, perilla leaves and samchae (a garlicky Korean herb) stood out. Deok Ori Jumulleok is worth recommending to Ganghwa travelers looking for clean, mild-tasting duck.

Written Jun 24, 2026Sponsored