Mapo Cup Wanderer · 26 stories

Daegu Cup Stroll

I write about cafés I visit around Daegu and Gyeongbuk. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeouido burger shop's grilled-onion bacon cheeseburger: Bass Burger

Bass Burger Yeouido is a handmade burger shop on the B1 floor of the Yulchon Building, near Exit 3 of Yeouido Station in Seoul. Two people had lunch there: a double bacon cheeseburger set with extra grilled onions, a wasabi mayo shrimp burger, chili mozzarella cheese bars and Bass Lager craft beer, plus free potato chips from the self-serve bar. Bass Burger Yeouido is an easygoing burger spot near The Hyundai Seoul, whether you're eating solo or as a pair.

Written Apr 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Gyukatsu restaurant in Gwanghwamun: no-wait weekend booking, Ichigyu

Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch is a gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) restaurant with tabletop braziers on the B1 floor of Le Meilleur Jongno Town, between Gwanghwamun Station and Jonggak Station in Jongno, Seoul. After booking a weekend table on Naver, the writer walked in with no wait and grilled Set 1 (2 tenderloin gyukatsu plus 2 drinks) in Isigny salted butter. The writer also enjoyed the yukiage from a review event and the ginger sauce. Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch is worth a visit for anyone who wants tender tenderloin gyukatsu with a rich butter flavor.

Written Apr 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Handmade burger shop in Mangwon: shrimp patty and coleslaw at Lazy Off

Lazy Off (레이지오프) is a handmade burger shop in an alley by Mangwon Market in Mapo, Seoul. Before a picnic at Mangwon Hangang Park, the writer took out a Hawaiian burger, a shrimp burger and chicken tenders from Lazy Off, and the handmade shrimp patty with whole shrimp, paired with coleslaw, stood out. For a Han River picnic burger, the Lazy Off shrimp burger is a sure bet.

Written Apr 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam Korean restaurant: yukhoe, pork bowl & fried egg, 1992 Deopbap

1992 Deopbap & Jjageuli Gangnam Main Branch is a Korean rice-bowl and jjageuli (spicy stew) restaurant near Exit 3 of Gangnam Station in Seoul. The blogger walked in 10 minutes before break time and ordered the Jeolla-style yukhoe (seasoned raw beef) rice bowl and the Jeolla-style gochujang pork rice bowl with an extra fried egg, plus steamed egg on the side; portions were generous and the gochujang yukhoe stood out. With its bar tables, 1992 Deopbap & Jjageuli is an easy place to eat alone near Gangnam Station without feeling out of place.

Written May 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Hongdae study café with a lamp-and-outlet Immersion zone: Naemyeonui

Naemyeonui Balgyeon (내면의 발견) is a large café filling a 3-story detached house on Woldeukeopbuk-ro 5-gil in Mapo, Seoul, about a 10-minute walk from Mangwon Station Exit 1. On a weekday visit, the writer worked in Naemyeonui Balgyeon's 2nd-floor "Immersion" zone and tried a Costa Rica Geisha lactic honey drip coffee and a corn bread pudding topped with pepper. Naemyeonui Balgyeon is a calm Hongdae café for working or taking a break, especially recommended if you love a Little Forest mood.

Written May 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Rainy-day LP café in Yeonnam-dong for an ice cream brownie: Sideway

Sideway is a small LP music café at the far end of a Yeonnam-dong alley in Mapo, Seoul, run single-handedly by its owner, who also sells wine and snacks. On a drizzly day, the writer had an ice cream brownie and an iced Americano at Sideway, and the nutty Americano and a brownie with genuinely good chocolate flavor stood out most. For a quiet day when you want one properly good dessert, Sideway's ice cream brownie is well worth ordering.

Written May 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeouido burger shop for Kiri cream cheese onion rings: Downtowner

Downtowner Yeouido is a handmade burger restaurant on the ground floor of the One Sentinel building, near Exit 3 of Yeouido Station in Seoul. Around 3 p.m., when the shop was quiet, the writer got a Double Cheese Truffle Burger, Hot Honey Chicken Bites and Kiri cream cheese onion rings to go. The burger had a rich, upscale flavor from its truffle sauce and cheese, and the cream cheese onion rings weren't greasy. For a handmade burger to take on a Han River picnic from Yeouido, Downtowner Yeouido is worth it, and so are the Kiri cream cheese onion rings.

Written May 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Hongdae café, butter cookie takeout after a pop-up: Butter & Shelter

Butter & Shelter Yeonnam is a dessert café specializing in butter cookies on Seongmisan-ro in Mapo, Seoul, between Hongik Univ. Station and Yeonnam-dong. After falling for Butter & Shelter's butter cookies at a department store pop-up, the writer took a bus there on a weekday afternoon and took home butter cookies, a Dubai butter cookie, a red velvet cream cheese cookie and a butter bar, then went back for more butter cookies to stock the freezer. For dessert lovers after butter cookie gift sets that keep in the freezer, Butter & Shelter Yeonnam is worth a stop.

Written May 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Gangnam Station bakery café: 3 financiers & takeaway, Upper and Under

Upper and Under is a large bakery café in Gangnam, Seoul, about a 10-minute walk from Sinnonhyeon Station Exit 6, on a sloping alley beside the CGV near Gangnam Station. On a weekend visit for baked sweets, the writer tried a vanilla canelé, plain, salted chocolate and yellow cheese financiers and an iced americano ordered light, then took the two best financiers home. If you pick just one thing at Upper and Under, go for the sweet-and-salty salted chocolate financier or the yellow cheese financier.

Written May 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Hongdae café solo: strawberry soufflé & bottled milk tea, Think Fruit

Think Fruit is a fresh-fruit soufflé dessert café on Wausan-ro 29-gil in Mapo, Seoul, within walking distance of Hongik Univ. Station. The writer visited Think Fruit alone around 5 PM, had the strawberry soufflé with an iced Americano, and took a Royal Blend milk tea bottle to go. Thanks to its fluffy, perfectly cooked soufflé paired with Häagen-Dazs ice cream, Think Fruit comes strongly recommended as a soufflé spot among cafés in Hongdae.

Written May 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Hongdae hair salon: mid-length layered perm + root perm, Juno Hair

Juno Hair Hongdae Entrance Branch is a hair salon on the 2nd floor of the building right outside Exit 2 of Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul. Bored of the same mid-length hair, the writer had light layers cut in, then got a mid-length layered perm and a root perm together, and Juno Hair Hongdae Entrance Branch finished it as a light, face-flattering style much like a high layered cut. If fine, thin hair that lacks volume is your worry, the layered perm plus root perm combination at Juno Hair Hongdae Entrance Branch is worth considering.

Written May 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Sinnonhyeon bakery café, matcha until 10 PM: Something About Coffee

Something About Coffee is a three-floor bakery café in Gangnam, Seoul, about a 5-minute walk from Sinnonhyeon Station Exit 6. Running low on energy while shopping, the writer stopped at Something About Coffee for a matcha cream choco latte, a salt choco financier, a pistachio matcha cheesecake and an iced Americano, and loved the nutty matcha with no bitterness and the financier that was crisp outside and chewy inside. With seating open until 10 PM, Something About Coffee is a good pick for anyone craving matcha desserts late in the evening.

Written May 22, 2026Sponsored