Four O'Clock Table · 13 stories

Tables After Four

I write about restaurant visits around Seoul, often made in the late afternoon. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Bars · Shopping · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Gangnam Station café parking tip, flan & lemon cake: Upper and Under

Upper and Under is a large dessert café on Gangnam-daero 102-gil between Sinnonhyeon Station and Gangnam Station in Seoul, spread over three levels from the basement to the 2nd floor. On an autumn date the writer had an iced Einspänner, an iced Americano, a crème brûlée flan (6,900 won) and a lemon cake (8,500 won), and found that Upper and Under has no parking of its own, so the Yeoksam Cultural Park public lot is the easiest option. Alternating the rich crème brûlée flan with the zesty lemon cake was the most satisfying dessert pairing at Upper and Under.

Written Oct 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwanak, SeoulRestaurants

Udon restaurant at SNU Station: tori ten bukkake set with lemon, Kosi

Kosi Seoul National University Entrance Branch is a Sanuki fresh-noodle udon and tonkatsu restaurant on the Sharosu-gil side of Exit 5 of Seoul National University Station in Gwanak, Seoul. The writer ordered a tori ten (chicken tempura) bukkake udon set for ₩16,000, a ten bukkake udon on its own for ₩11,000 and 3 pieces of lotus root kushiage for ₩4,000. The noodles were tossed with tsuyu and lemon juice, and the tonkatsu was eaten two ways: with pink salt and wasabi, and with sesame sauce. For chewy noodles and a thick pork cutlet in one meal, the set upgrade at Kosi Seoul National University Entrance Branch is the best-value choice.

Written Oct 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Saenae hair salon root-volume jelly perm after 2 hippie perms: Anew

Anew Hair Songpa Jamsil Branch is a hair salon on the 3rd floor of a building near Exit 4 of Saenae Station in Songpa, Seoul. After two hippie perms left damaged hair in three uneven sections (straight roots, a tight mid-length perm and loose ends), the writer consulted the owner, had the damaged ends cut and got a jelly perm with root volume. The verdict: natural, not-too-frizzy curls from day one, with volume that held even after washing the next day.

Written Jun 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Bangi-dong gukbap restaurant with booth seats and jowl suyuk: Boseung

Boseung Hoegwan Bangi Branch is a gukbap (Korean rice soup) restaurant at the entrance to Bangi Mukja Alley in Songpa, Seoul, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. After a walk around the east side of Seokchon Lake, the writer had the sundae (Korean blood sausage) and pork jowl suyuk set for two (₩16,000 per person) in a partitioned booth. The set came with pork jowl suyuk on a burner, three kinds of sundae, beef-bone-broth suyuk gukbap, and sliced garlic and ssamjang (dipping paste) on request. Boseung Hoegwan Bangi Branch is a solid Bangi-dong gukbap spot for a hearty meal in quiet seating with friendly service.

Written Oct 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongjak, SeoulBars

Chicken feet pub at Isu Station: kimchi udon hotpot, Rainbow Pocha

Rainbow Pocha Isu Branch is a large two-floor Korean pub (pocha) in Dongjak, Seoul, a 2-minute walk from Isu Station Exit 11. On a second round with a friend, the writer ordered the value set of boneless chicken feet and sizzling corn cheese, added a spicy kimchi udon hotpot and finished with chocolate gelato. With a spacious 2nd-floor hall, 3 air-conditioned private rooms and hours until 4:40 a.m., Rainbow Pocha Isu Branch is an easy, relaxed pick for a second round of drinks.

Written Oct 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSangju, GyeongbukCafés

Sangju café near Gyeongcheonseom with pressed juices: Kkotgeureut

Kkotgeureut (꽃그릇) is a plant café near Gyeongcheonseom Island in Nakdong-myeon, Sangju, with a wildflower garden, a large greenhouse and fresh-pressed fruit and vegetable juices. On a drive to Gyeongcheonseom, the writer parked for free in Kkotgeureut's front yard, strolled the greenhouse, and tried the yellow and red fruit-and-vegetable juices (₩6,000 each). Kkotgeureut is a good Sangju café for anyone who wants sugar-free juice and a walk among plants.

Written Sep 29, 2026Sponsored
PlacePyeongtaek, GyeonggiRestaurants

À la carte trio at a Pyeongtaek kalguksu restaurant: Goryeo Mulchong

Goryeo Mulchong Kalguksu is a dongjuk clam noodle restaurant on the corner of Chukhyeop intersection in Bijeon-dong, Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi. Ordering three à la carte dishes — Goryeo Mulchong Kalguksu (12,000 won), baejip yaksun suyuk boiled pork (19,000 won) and goldongmyeon with perilla oil (12,000 won) — came to 43,000 won and covered the full course of clam soup, house-made kalguksu noodles and fried rice. The clean dongjuk clam broth, meljeot-dipped pork and nutty perilla oil buckwheat noodles worked well together on one table.

Written Sep 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulBars

Gangnam Station jazz bar parking tips and a ₩78,000 course: Flat Nine

Flat Nine is a live jazz dining bar on the 5th floor of a building on Gangnam-daero 65-gil in Seocho, Seoul, a 5-minute walk from Gangnam Station. The building has no parking of its own, so this visit used the nearby A-Prosquare and Seocho paid parking lots, then ran through the 78,000-won classic course for two: seven dishes from a welcome sparkling drink and crispy potato to basil tomato mille-feuille lasagna, Jeju black pork tenderloin steak and choco tiramisu, all with grand piano playing live. Sort out parking in advance and Flat Nine works beautifully for an anniversary date near Gangnam Station.

Written Sep 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Sinsa Chinese restaurant XO crab fried rice à la carte: Samsin

Samsin Garosu-gil is a premium fusion Chinese restaurant in Gangnam, Seoul, a 3-minute walk from Exit 8 of Sinsa Station, spread over the 2nd and 3rd floors at the entrance to Serosu-gil. Two of us ordered à la carte — Tokyo tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork), East Coast seafood jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) and XO crab fried rice — and the owner split the jjamppong into two bowls for us. With valet parking at 5,000 won for 2 hours and 7 private rooms, Samsin Garosu-gil works just as well for a group gathering as for a smart night out.

Written Sep 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Eel rice bowl lunch with on-site parking at Manmok, Seolleung Station

Manmok is a Kanto-style eel rice bowl restaurant in an alley near Seolleung Station Exit 2 in Gangnam, Seoul. Driving in, Manmok has 2 dedicated parking spots right in front and staff point drivers to nearby lots when those fill up, and the full eel rice bowl (39,000 won) arrives as a course with chawanmushi, matsutake soup and house-made ice cream. Grilled, steamed, then grilled again the Kanto way, the eel melts with no fine bones, making Manmok a satisfying tonic lunch in Gangnam.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Oreo & cream gelato with a taster scoop near Seolleung Station: Scoopy

Scoopy is a handmade gelato dessert shop in a Daechi-dong hagwon alley between Seolleung and Hanti stations in Gangnam, Seoul. On a weekend after lunch, ordering two single cups of Oreo and Cream and Fig Cream Cheese came with a free taster scoop on top of every size, so four flavors — including Apple Mango and Sicilian Pistachio — got compared in one sitting. Seating is a cozy 5-6 spots, but the low-sugar, natural-ingredient flavor is strong enough to make this a repeat dessert stop.

Written Sep 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Bangi-dong gopchang, Friday 5:30pm to beat the wait: Jinseong Hanwoo

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Bangi Direct Branch is a beef offal restaurant in the Bangi-dong food alley of Songpa, Seoul, about 8 minutes on foot from Exit 10 of Jamsil Station. Visiting on a Friday evening rush with a partner, the writer ordered two servings of beef gopchang (intestines) and one of beef makchang (abomasum), grilled tableside on a timer by staff, alongside minari (water dropwort) pickled garlic sauce, three house-made kimchis, and a finishing kkakdugi (radish kimchi) fried rice. There's no dedicated parking and the wait grows long by 6pm on Fridays, so arriving around 5:30pm is the move.

Written Sep 5, 2026Sponsored