Midnight Bookmark · 38 stories

Dinner Bookmark

I write about restaurants I visit in Seoul and the meals I have there. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars · Things to do · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Sangsu Indian curry house for a date: chili prawn curry, Deli India

Deli India (델리인디아) is an Indian curry restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building on Dongmak-ro 9-gil in Mapo, Seoul, a 6-minute walk from Sangsu Station Exit 1. The writer went with her husband and ordered chili prawn curry, butter chicken (chicken makhani), a Nepali-style potato appetizer, plain naan and white rice, and the wide spacing between tables and cute decor made for a relaxed meal. For Sangsu and Hapjeong couples tired of pasta and ramen, Deli India is an unusual date-night option that suits Korean tastes.

Written Jun 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae fusion restaurant: couple's dinner and pineapple-cup ade, Omil

Omil Hongdae is a cute fusion Western restaurant on the 2nd floor near Exit 8 of Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul. The writer and her husband visited around 5:30 pm on a weekday for the sizzling cheese katsu (₩19,900), the spicy seafood oil pasta (₩17,900) and the Oh! Pineapple Ade served in a pineapple-shaped cup (₩6,900), and the cream sauce poured at the table impressed them most. Omil Hongdae suits couples in Hongdae who want a cute atmosphere and distinctive dishes.

Written Oct 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Seonyudo Station Korean BBQ: pork belly, then hagfish & beer at Gamgol

Gamgol Yeontan-jip Seonyudo Station Branch is a retro Korean BBQ restaurant grilling meat over coal briquettes, near Exit 5 of Seonyudo Station in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. On a Saturday evening, two people had pork belly with soju for round one and kkomjangeo (grilled hagfish) with beer for round two, and the flat bibim noodles and complimentary seafood doenjang jjigae were just as satisfying. Gamgol Yeontan-jip fills up almost completely on weekends, so book ahead and budget about ₩50,000 for two before drinks.

Written Jun 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Italian date after work in Sangam-dong: mushroom pasta, Pizzeria Snug

Pizzeria Snug is a wood-fired pizza and pasta Italian restaurant in Sangam-dong, Mapo, Seoul, a 4-minute walk from Exit 9 of Digital Media City Station. The writer and her husband went to Pizzeria Snug for an after-work date and shared mushroom cream pasta, a margherita pizza and the Snug salad for 55,000 won for two, with the plant-filled, softly lit interior and the cream pasta topped with raw button mushrooms standing out most. Pizzeria Snug is a recommended after-work date spot in Sangam-dong for both atmosphere and flavor.

Written Jul 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceEunpyeong, SeoulRestaurants

Eunpyeong ramen shop that won over a tsukune skeptic: Oreno Ramen

Oreno Ramen Eunpyeong is a Japanese ramen shop near Saejeol Station in Eunpyeong, Seoul, known for tori paitan (rich, creamy chicken-broth ramen). On a weekend lunch visit, two people ordered tori paitan, karai paitan (spicy chicken-broth ramen) and tsukune chashu (chicken meatball topping) for ₩29,000 in total. Oreno Ramen Eunpyeong's tori paitan ranks among the best of its kind, worth a wait of up to 30 minutes.

Written Jul 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Sangam-dong pork bone stew: a small pot for two, Jeonjuok Gamjatang

Jeonjuok Gamjatang is a gamjatang (pork bone stew) restaurant near Digital Media City Station in Sangam-dong, Mapo, Seoul. Around 5 p.m. on a weekday, the writer and her husband ordered a small soybean pulp gamjatang for ₩35,000 plus one extra bowl of rice, ₩36,000 in total. The pot came with 4 large bones and generous sujebi (hand-torn noodles), wheat rice cakes and glass noodles already included. A small soybean pulp gamjatang at Jeonjuok Gamjatang is enough to fill two people without ordering any extra noodles.

Written Jul 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYangcheon, SeoulRestaurants

Mokdong seafood restaurant, summer whelk sukhoe: Jumak Haemulchon

Jumak Haemulchon (주막해물촌) is a seafood restaurant in Mokdong, Yangcheon, Seoul, serving sukhoe (lightly boiled seafood) and seafood dishes about a 13-minute walk from Mokdong Station. On a hot summer weekend evening the writer ordered octopus and whelk sukhoe for ₩45,000, added sea squirt from the tank, and the owner made all three ₩60,000. The sweet whelk with creamy innards, thinly boiled octopus and mild sea squirt left Jumak Haemulchon as the writer's best-ever whelk and sea squirt spot.

Written Aug 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Beef BBQ near Mapo Station that won over a pork lover: Usijang Hoegwan

Usijang Hoegwan (우시장회관) is a beef restaurant in an alley near Exit 3 of Mapo Station in Seoul. After 8pm on a weekday, a couple shared the assorted 3-person set (116,900 won): yukhoe (seasoned raw beef), grilled beef rib finger meat, jin-galbi and marinated LA galbi, and fresh clam beef gukbap (rice soup). The beef tasted fresh and never greasy, enough to win over the pork-loving writer, and the husband promised to come back to Usijang Hoegwan for his birthday.

Written Oct 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYangcheon, SeoulRestaurants

Saturday gopchang for two with oil dip in Mokdong: Omokgyo Gopchang

Omokgyo Gopchang Mokdong Main Branch is a beef gopchang (grilled beef intestine) restaurant in an alley a 3-minute walk from Omokgyo Station Exit 1 in Mokdong, Yangcheon, Seoul. Around 5pm on a Saturday, the writer ordered 2 servings of mixed gopchang (₩27,900 per person) and a pan of Omokgyo fried rice (₩6,900). The garlic-studded gopchang, packed with rich filling and almost free of gamey smell, tasted best dipped in the oil dip rather than the punchy seasoned sauce. With grilled green onion kimchi, complimentary soft tofu stew and free bean sprout refills, Omokgyo Gopchang is a gopchang spot worth coming back to.

Written Jul 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Bone-in pork belly Korean BBQ near City Hall Station: Geumseong

Geumseong Hoegwan Seoul City Hall Direct Branch is a bone-in pork belly Korean BBQ restaurant in Jung-gu, Seoul, a 5-minute walk from Exit 7 of City Hall Station. On a Saturday visit at around 5pm, the order was galbi bonsamgyeop (bone-in pork belly) at 19,000 won for 200g and steamed egg at 3,000 won, and the free kimchi jjigae served with any main dish was so generous it hardly seemed complimentary. With a hot grill that makes the pork easy to cook and meat that is fun to pick off the bone, Geumseong Hoegwan is a solid choice for a group dinner near City Hall Station.

Written Aug 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongdaemun, SeoulRestaurants

Jegi-dong raw fish restaurant: ₩40,000 flounder set, Simdo Hoetjip

Simdo Hoetjip is a live-fish sashimi restaurant a 2-minute walk from Exit 3 of Jegi-dong Station and 6 minutes from Gyeongdong Market in Cheongnyangni, Seoul. A small plate of flounder sashimi costs 40,000 won, with jiri-tang (clear fish soup) at 13,000 won and fish roe rice at 9,000 won, plus free side dishes including mukbap, steamed egg, kimchi pancake, grilled herring and maki rolls. Thick-cut flounder and a soup full of fish meat make Simdo Hoetjip a solid spot for an evening drink.

Written Aug 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Budget Korean BBQ in Mapo, Seoul: 600g pork belly, Gui Madang

Mapo Gui Madang Yonggang Direct Branch is a budget Korean BBQ restaurant serving frozen pork belly, a 9-minute walk from Exit 1 of Mapo Station in Seoul. Arriving around 8pm on a Friday after work, the writer ordered 3 servings (600g) of frozen pork belly at 9,900 won per 200g, plus doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) and jjagyechi (ramyeon with egg and cheese), with three kinds of kimchi — green onion, regular and white — served free. Three servings was more than enough to fill two people at Mapo Gui Madang.

Written Aug 20, 2026Sponsored