Evening Glass Regular · 26 stories

Dinner and a Glass

I write about restaurants and bars I visit in Seoul. · Writes about: Bars · Restaurants · Things to do · Hair & beauty salons · Cafés

PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jongno seafood pub, catching up over aged sashimi: Parang Haenyeojip

Parang Haenyeojip Jongno Branch (파랑해녀집 종로본점) is a Korean izakaya-style seafood pub specializing in aged sashimi, near Exit 4 of Jonggak Station in Jongno, Seoul. On a weekday evening with an old friend, the blogger had the medium aged sashimi platter (₩69,000) and spicy seafood ramen piled high with mussels (₩12,000) with beer, and Parang Haenyeojip was packed even on a weekday. Prices run a little high, but the fresh ingredients make Parang Haenyeojip worth it for aged sashimi in Jongno.

Written Jun 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Blind-date Korean BBQ at Jonggak Station: 10-second cheese, Yukrab

Yukrab Jongno (육랩 종로점) is a charcoal-grill beef and lamb chop restaurant on the 3rd floor of a building near Exit 4 of Jonggak Station in Jongno, Seoul. For a birthday, the blogger ordered the 2-person Yukrab set (67,000 won) and grilled jingalbisal (beef rib finger meat), toshisal (hanger steak) and lamb chops in that order, with doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) and 10-second cheese included in the set. With separate private rooms and an open hall, Yukrab Jongno is a Jonggak Station Korean BBQ worth recommending for company dinners, anniversaries and blind dates.

Written Jun 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangneung, GangwonRestaurants

Gangneung noodle house busy on Monday: fish-broth makguksu at Gossi's

Gossi's Donghae Makguksu & Sundubu Kalguksu Main Branch is a second-generation restaurant for makguksu (buckwheat noodles) and sundubu kalguksu (soft tofu noodle soup) at the entrance to Gangmun Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon. On a 2-night, 3-day Gangneung trip, the writer arrived at 11:30 on a Monday, found the 2nd floor nearly full, and ate spicy sundubu kalguksu (12,000 won), perilla sundubu kalguksu (12,000 won), flying fish roe keto gimbap (6,500 won) and mul makguksu (10,000 won) by the window. Verdict: the fish-broth mul makguksu at Gossi's Donghae Makguksu, rich and deeply savory, was the writer's best mul makguksu ever.

Written Jun 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulCafés

City Hall café after a weekend shift: 3 drinks for 2 | Center Coffee

Center Coffee Gwanghwamun (센터커피 광화문점) is a specialty coffee shop on the B1 level of SFC Mall near Gwanghwamun Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, with Blue Ribbon recognition 8 years in a row. After a canceled Sokcho trip and a weekend shift, the writer and a friend ordered three drinks at Center Coffee Gwanghwamun (an iced Americano for ₩5,400, a café latte for ₩6,000 and a yuzu lemonade for ₩6,500) and talked for hours. Center Coffee Gwanghwamun is a City Hall Station café worth a weekend visit for easy conversation and premium coffee beans.

Written Jun 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangneung, GangwonRestaurants

Gangneung restaurant: tripe hot pot and pork cutlet at Matdeurin

Matdeurin Sundubu Haejangguk & Gamjatang is a locals' Korean restaurant in Gangneung, about a 3-minute walk from Ojukheon. The writer finally ordered the beef tripe hot pot they had craved for weeks (35,000 won), added a whole octopus (10,000 won) and a handmade pork cutlet (15,000 won), and found the tripe free of any gamey smell, the broth spicy and the cutlet thick and crispy. For a filling meal on an Ojukheon trip, Matdeurin's beef tripe hot pot is well worth ordering.

Written Jun 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangneung, GangwonCafés

Gangneung dessert café with a canned persimmon latte: Gangneung Sand

Gangneung Sand Main Branch (강릉샌드 본점) is the original shop of Gangneung Sand, a signature souvenir snack, near Ojukheon in Gangneung, Gangwon. The writer bought boxes of the Chodang corn and strawberry flavors (corn is ₩17,000 for 10 pieces), had a canned Neoegero dried persimmon latte (₩5,500) and an iced Americano (₩4,500) in the 3rd-floor lounge, then tried the Chodang corn sand at the office. Gangneung Sand is a Gangneung travel gift with no regrets, thanks to both its packaging and its taste.

Written Jun 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

New-job toast with monkfish stew in Yaksu: Yaksudong Haemul Teombeong

Yaksudong Haemul Teombeong (약수동해물텀벙) is a monkfish and seafood stew restaurant in the Yaksu Market food alley in Jung-gu, Seoul. To celebrate a friend's new job, the writer went at 7pm on a weekday and had Kelly beer, a spicy mitre squid salad side dish, a medium monkfish and seafood stew (62,000 won) and fried rice (3,000 won), and Yaksudong Haemul Teombeong was packed even on a weeknight. With generous octopus, roe and monkfish meat, Yaksudong Haemul Teombeong is a filling monkfish stew spot for drinks near Yaksu Station.

Written Jul 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Nowon eel restaurant: beat-the-heat set for 2 and somaek, Cheonsanga

Cheonsanga Jangeoga Hagye Branch is an eel restaurant in Hagye-dong, Nowon, Seoul, where staff grill Korean-farmed Japonica freshwater eel over hardwood charcoal at your table. To recover energy lost to the summer heat, the writer came by public transport and ordered the set for 2 (69,000 won) with Kelly somaek (Kelly beer mixed with soju), then added one more eel, mul naengmyeon (cold noodles) and nurungji (scorched rice). Cheonsanga Jangeoga Hagye Branch is a Nowon eel spot with no greasiness or fishy taste, where you feel well looked after to the last bite.

Written Jul 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangneung, GangwonRestaurants

Gangneung Korean set meal with raw flounder salad & shrimp: Saimdang

Saimdang Bueok (사임당부엌) is a Korean set-meal restaurant a 3-minute walk from Ojukheon in Gangneung, Gangwon. The writer ordered the Yulgok Hansang set for 2 (₩30,000 per person), choosing steamed stingray and Chodang soft tofu, and found the handmade soft tofu, a first taste of raw flounder salad and the soy-marinated shrimp so good that they ate two bowls of rice. With varied, neatly prepared side dishes, Saimdang Bueok is a solid pick for family or group gatherings and lunch in Gangneung.

Written Jun 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Hyehwa pasta restaurant after the play Flirting: cheese poured at Omil

Omil Hyehwa Daehangno is a pasta and omurice restaurant on the 2nd floor at 35 Daemyeong-gil in Jongno, Seoul, about a 5-minute walk from Hyehwa Station Exit 4. After seeing the play 'Flirting' in Daehangno, the writer had the sizzling iron-plate cheese katsu (19,900 won), gochujang butter pasta (18,900 won) and the Halloween! Rubber Duck Omurice (16,900 won). The highlights were staff pouring cheese over the katsu at the table and a rubber duck hidden inside a pumpkin. Omil Hyehwa Daehangno is a fun Daehangno restaurant for families with kids and for couples.

Written Oct 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulBars

Sindang Station izakaya: ₩62,000 sashimi and pasta set, Nuridam

Nuridam (누리담) is an aged-sashimi izakaya near Sindang Station Exit 1 in Jung-gu, Seoul, where the shutter doors open onto outdoor-style seating that strong air conditioning keeps cool even in summer. On a Friday day off with a friend, the aged sashimi platter + abalone liver cream pasta set (₩62,000) and a Suntory Premium Malts draft beer (₩8,900) were ordered at Nuridam, and the hanwoo beef sashimi was the best bite of the day. For sashimi and drinks for two or a group dinner near Sindang Station, Nuridam is a satisfying choice.

Written Jul 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Nowon sushi buffet before Psy's Soaked Show: tuna mulhoe, Kuu Kuu

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is a sushi buffet of over 300 pyeong (about 990 m²) on the 6th floor of 247 Nowon-ro in Nowon, Seoul. Before heading to Psy's Soaked Show 2026 concert in Uijeongbu, the writer booked through Naver Reservation, walked in on a weekend without waiting, and ate Norwegian raw salmon sashimi, fish sushi, mulhoe (cold raw fish soup) topped with tuna sashimi, 8 gelato flavors and bead ice cream. The writer's verdict: at 35,900 won per person on weekends, Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is not expensive at all once you look at each dish.

Written Jul 6, 2026Sponsored