Placemat Regular · 33 stories

Busan Place Mat

I write about restaurants I visit around Busan and Gyeongnam. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars · Cafés

PlaceJung-gu, BusanRestaurants

Nampo-dong beef BBQ date: short rib and steamed egg, Bueongi Maeul

Bueongi Maeul (부엉이마을) is an old-school Korean BBQ restaurant with a street-stall patio feel in Nampo-dong, Busan, near Kkangtong Market and Gukje Market. On a return visit with her boyfriend, the writer shared one plate of Emperor Beef Short Rib (hwangje sogalbisal); the 400g first order was plenty for two, and steamed egg and salted pollock roe came free as side dishes. For good-value beef and a relaxed patio date in Nampo-dong, Bueongi Maeul is worth recommending.

Written Jun 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSasang, BusanRestaurants

Sasang Korean BBQ with buckwheat sprout salad: Sanseong Meat Shop

Sanseong Meat Shop Sasang Branch (산성식육점 사상점) is a pork belly and Korean beef (hanwoo) BBQ restaurant near Exit 2 of Sasang Station in Busan, where staff grill the meat for you. The writer and her boyfriend ordered the Pork A Set, bangah (Korean mint) soybean paste stew and Suhyangmi rice sotbap (hot-pot rice), and the pork rind from the receipt review event was as tasty as the main pork belly and pork neck. With parking, private rooms and personal lockers, Sanseong Meat Shop Sasang Branch is an easy Sasang BBQ pick for both dates and family meals.

Written Oct 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDong-gu, BusanRestaurants

Milky pork soup after a Gyeongju day trip at Busan Station: Yeongdong

Yeongdong Milmyeon & Dwaeji Gukbap Busan Station Branch is a dwaeji gukbap (pork soup) and milmyeon (wheat noodle) restaurant on the 2nd floor of the Asti Hotel, right next to Busan Station in Dong-gu, Busan. After a Gyeongju day trip, the writer stopped by Yeongdong on a Sunday evening for milky-broth pork soup and 10 dumplings, and was happy with the amount of meat and the napa cabbage kimchi, kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) and dried radish side dishes. On a 7th visit counting the main branch, this Busan local says Yeongdong is the go-to spot whenever eating gukbap at Busan Station.

Written Oct 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBusanjin, BusanRestaurants

Beef BBQ date spot in Seomyeon, Busan: brick-thick LA galbi at Sojay

Sojay Busan Seomyeon is a retro-style Korean beef BBQ restaurant in an alley behind Lotte Department Store in Seomyeon, Busan. On a weekday evening with her boyfriend, the writer had thick LA galbi grilled by staff, a tasting portion of braised oxtail with chives, yukhoe bibimbap (beef tartare rice bowl) and fried egg rice. She especially loved the generous yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) served as a side dish and the distinctive pairings like soy-cured egg sauce, herring roe and icy radish salad. Sojay Busan Seomyeon may seem pricey at first, but after eating there you understand why.

Written Jun 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSaha, BusanRestaurants

Beef BBQ in Dadaepo, Busan: two people, six bowls of rice at Hwarou

Hwarou Dadaepo is a beef BBQ restaurant in Dadaepo, Saha-gu, Busan, where every seat looks out over the sea. On a second visit to Hwarou Dadaepo, two of us ordered Hwarou Set A (500g of chuck flap tail, boneless short rib and premium hanger steak) with doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew), added more premium hanger steak and got through six bowls of rice. Hwarou Dadaepo suits dates and family dinners for anyone who wants ocean views, parking and good-value beef in one place.

Written Jun 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBusanjin, BusanRestaurants

Late weeknight date pork BBQ in Seomyeon, Busan: salad refills, Don J

Don J Busan Seomyeon is a retro-style pork belly BBQ restaurant grilling on cast-iron cauldron lids, right behind Lotte Department Store in Seomyeon, Busan. On a late weekday evening the writer and her boyfriend ordered a pork neck platter (₩38,000), a deodeok and minari set (₩12,000), perilla-oil buckwheat noodles (₩9,000) and Grandma's Meat doenjang bibimbap (₩5,000), and Don J staff grilled the meat on the lid for them. For the amount and quality of the meat, the writer found Don J Busan Seomyeon great value and is 100% coming back.

Written Jun 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, BusanRestaurants

Nampo, Busan burger shop: weekend opening with Mom at Downtowner

Downtowner Busan Lotte Gwangbok is a handmade burger shop in the Aqua Mall of Lotte Department Store Gwangbok in Nampo, Busan. On a fourth visit, the writer arrived with her mom and brother as the first customers at weekend opening and ordered the Avocado Signature, Chimichurri Avocado and Double Cheese Truffle burgers (₩12,400–12,900), and Mom said they were delicious too. Downtowner Busan Lotte Gwangbok is an easy, tasty Nampo stop for a quick meal while shopping with your parents.

Written Jun 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuyeong, BusanRestaurants

Late-night Korean BBQ in Gwangalli: French rack, roe rice at Donbegi

Donbegi Gwang-an Branch (돈베기 광안점) is a dog-friendly pork belly and aged pork BBQ restaurant about a 5-minute walk from Gwangalli Beach in Suyeong, Busan. The writer and her boyfriend phoned just before last order for a second round and had the 480-hour aged French rack, pollock roe rice (myeongnan-bap) and steamed egg; the staff-grilled meat and the roe rice, made with a whole handful of roe per serving, stood out. With wine corkage and a 2-person room serving a pork omakase (Donmakase), Donbegi Gwang-an Branch is worth recommending for dates and anniversaries.

Written Jul 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuyeong, BusanCafés

Gwangalli brunch café weekday date, spicy cream pasta: Working Holiday

Working Holiday Millak is a large brunch café with Gwangan Bridge views on the 7th floor of a building at the Millak Raw Fish Town end of Gwangalli Beach in Suyeong, Busan. On a cloudy weekday the writer and her boyfriend took a window seat and shared fricassée pasta, salmon eggs Benedict and a chicken avo sandwich; the fricassée pasta was the favorite of the three, and the portions were so big they nearly burst. With generous portions and a 9am opening, Working Holiday Millak is a Gwangalli brunch date spot the writer would 100% revisit.

Written Jul 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDong-gu, BusanRestaurants

Busan Station gukbap restaurant, a local's after-work pick: Yeongdong

Yeongdong Milmyeon & Dwaeji Gukbap is a dwaeji gukbap (pork and rice soup) and milmyeon (wheat noodle) restaurant in Dong-gu, Busan, a 5-minute walk from Busan Station. A Busan local came with her boyfriend after work on a weekday around last order, walked in with no wait, and enjoyed suyuk baekban (boiled pork set meal) and dwaeji gukbap with thick slices of pork, cool kimchi and kkakdugi (radish kimchi), all in a dining room that is roomier and cleaner after a remodel. Having tried nearly every gukbap spot around Busan Station, she rates Yeongdong Milmyeon & Dwaeji Gukbap as the best match for her taste and recommends the dwaeji gukbap for a first visit.

Written Jul 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGyeongju, GyeongbukRestaurants

Gyeongju hanok restaurant: Hip Hop Festa weekend day trip, Hyangtaek

Hyangtaek Gyeongju is a hanok Korean rice bowl restaurant on Sajeong-ro 57beon-gil in Hwangnidang-gil, Gyeongju. On a busy Gyeongju Hip Hop Festa weekend, the writer and her brother stopped at Hyangtaek on a car-free day trip and, after a wait, ate the eggplant doenjang (soybean paste) rice bowl and yukhoe bibimbap (seasoned raw beef bibimbap). If you like mild, clean Korean food that is neither salty nor sweet, Hyangtaek is a Hwangnidang-gil restaurant worth recommending.

Written Oct 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuyeong, BusanRestaurants

Gwangalli Indian restaurant date: spinach chicken curry at Bollywood

Bollywood Indian Restaurant (발리우드) is an Indian-run restaurant on the 2nd floor at 9 Gwangnam-ro 130beon-gil in Suyeong, Busan, about midway along Gwangalli Beach. On a date, a couple ordered lamb seekh kebab, spinach chicken curry and plain naan; the food took about 40 minutes to arrive, but the spinach chicken curry and freshly baked naan were the highlights. Bollywood's staff don't speak Korean, but it's a Gwangalli curry spot worth recommending if you want authentic Indian flavors.

Written Jul 11, 2026Sponsored