Jongno Commuter Diner · 46 stories

Dinner Detour

I write about restaurants I visit in Seoul and the meals I have there. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés

PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Euljiro Thai restaurant: khao pad kung with leng saep sauce, Kkai 9

Kkai 9 is a Thai restaurant on the 2nd floor near Exit 9 of Euljiro 3-ga Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, cooking with broth simmered in-house, house-made sauces and recipes learned from the owner's Thai mother-in-law. On an after-work date night we ordered leng saep (spicy Thai pork spine stew, 35,000 won), khao pad kung (shrimp fried rice, 12,000 won) and spicy beef short rib rice noodles (14,000 won), and spooning the leng saep's spicy seasoning onto the khao pad kung turned out to be a delicious bonus. If you want a Bangkok-alley mood and authentic Thai flavors in Euljiro, Kkai 9 is a great fit.

Written Jun 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Hyehwa Indian restaurant for tangy chicken curry after tennis: Meono

Meono Kkameona Daehangno Branch is an Indian and Nepali curry restaurant on the 2nd floor of Ihwa Building, near Exit 4 of Hyehwa Station in Jongno, Seoul. The writer visited around 6 pm on a weekday with her husband after his tennis game, ordering Set B for two (regular-spice chicken curry, garlic naan, tandoori chicken and 2 lassis) plus gulab jamun for dessert. The chicken curry was tangy rather than sweet, so it never felt heavy. Meono Kkameona Daehangno Branch is a good fit for anyone who prefers a fresh, light curry over a sweet, rich one.

Written Jun 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Myeongdong jokbal restaurant after Lotte shopping: Miss Jokbal

Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch is a jokbal (braised pork trotters) and bossam (boiled pork wraps) restaurant on Myeongdong 3-gil near Euljiro 1-ga Station Exit 5 in Jung-gu, Seoul, open daily from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. with no break time. After shopping at the Lotte Department Store main branch, the writer and her husband ordered Original Jokbal (medium) for ₩42,000, steamed egg packed with cocktail shrimp and a rice ball they shaped themselves, and free kimchi kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and salads made it a generous spread. Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch is a safe choice for a hearty dinner after Myeongdong shopping or a group meal.

Written Jun 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Chungmuro Korean restaurant for a rainy date night: Nagwon-ui Soba

Nagwon-ui Soba Bossam Kalguksu Chungmuro Station Main Branch (낙원의소바) is a restaurant in Jung-gu, Seoul, about a 5-minute walk from Chungmuro Station Exit 1, specialising in house-made buckwheat soba, bossam (boiled pork slices) and pork cutlet. On a rainy Friday evening, a couple ordered one each of small bossam (350g) for 36,000 won, scallion pork cutlet for 16,000 won and house-made lemon soba for 13,000 won. The verdict: rich bossam followed by the bright lemon soba broth, plus a pork cutlet loaded with big pieces of scallion, made Nagwon-ui Soba a satisfying date-night dinner.

Written Jun 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Nostalgic weekend chicken hot pot for two in Jongno 5-ga: Sunhuine

Sunhuine Bindaetteok Dak Hanmari Dongdaemun (순희네빈대떡 닭한마리 동대문본점) is a Korean restaurant serving dak hanmari (whole-chicken hot pot) and bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes) in the chicken hot pot alley of Jongno 5-ga, Seoul, run by Sunhuine Bindaetteok of Gwangjang Market. Recalling their first days after moving to Seoul, a couple came on a weekend evening for chicken hot pot for two (33,000 won) with scallion and rice cake add-ons (2,000 won each), then finished with vegetable porridge and Gaboja old-style sikhye (sweet rice drink). With odor-free chicken, chewy rice cakes and scallion-scented porridge, Sunhuine Dongdaemun was a satisfying Korean restaurant near Dongdaemun Market.

Written Jun 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongsan, SeoulRestaurants

After-work date Korean BBQ in Samgakji, Seoul: minari yukhoe, Yukmong

Yukmong Yongsan Direct Store is a Korean pork (Handon) BBQ restaurant near Exit 1 of Samgakji Station in Yongsan, Seoul, close to Yongridan-gil. After work, the writer and her husband ordered the 550g Handon pork platter (69,900 won) and gochujang minari yukhoe (raw beef with water dropwort, 25,000 won), and staff grilled the meat so the couple could focus on talking. Verdict: the platter's varied cuts plus minari yukhoe wrapped in cucumber make Yukmong a filling dinner-date spot.

Written Jun 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Korean BBQ lunch near Jongno 3-ga jewelry street: Simin Sikdang

Simin Sikdang Main Branch (시민식당 본점) is a pork belly and kimchi stew restaurant in the Pimatgol alley at Jongno 3-ga, Seoul. After browsing the Jongno 3-ga jewelry street, the writer and her husband had a Sunday noon lunch of the Simin Half Pork Belly Set (70,000 won), using the staff's tip on when to flip the pork belly on the stone grill, wrapping it in grilled napa cabbage kimchi and finishing with heart-shaped cheese fried rice. Simin Sikdang Main Branch suits a Jongno 3-ga lunch when you want pork belly, stew and fried rice all at one table.

Written Jul 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Gwanghwamun unagi don spot: weekend date, eel you cut yourself, Ilpum

Ilpum Gwanghwamun (일품 광화문점) is a Japanese kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) and unagi don (eel rice bowl) restaurant on basement level 2 in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, a 5-minute walk from Jonggak Station Exit 1. On a weekend afternoon date in Gwanghwamun, the blogger and her husband ordered the premium kaisendon (₩37,000) and the whole-eel unagi don (₩40,000), which arrives with an entire eel to cut at the table, and were pleased with the generous uni (sea urchin), the large whole eel and the hearty portions. Ilpum Gwanghwamun is not cheap, but for the freshness and portion size it is a kaisendon spot in Gwanghwamun worth returning to.

Written Jun 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Half flounder, half salmon sushi in Gwanghwamun: Elephant Sushi

Elephant Sushi Gwanghwamun (코끼리초밥 광화문점) is a sushi restaurant serving board-style platters on the B1 floor of the KT Gwanghwamun building, connected to Gwanghwamun Station Exit 2 in Jongno, Seoul. After a Saturday evening walk along Cheonggyecheon Stream, the writer ordered the half flounder, half salmon 10-piece set with cold soba (35,000 won), the Elephant B 12-piece set with cold soba (28,000 won) and 2 pieces of monkfish liver (6,000 won), and the alternating flounder and salmon never got boring. With cold soba on the side, Elephant Sushi Gwanghwamun is a filling sushi meal worth recommending near Gwanghwamun Station.

Written Jul 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHaeundae, BusanRestaurants

Marine City Chinese after a film festival: ganjajang rice, Bueokgan

Bueokgan Chinese Marine City Branch is an ocean-view Chinese restaurant of about 100 pyeong (roughly 330 m²) on the 2nd floor of the Adelis building in Marine City, Haeundae, Busan. A couple in Busan for the Busan International Film Festival came around 8 p.m. They ordered poached-egg pork belly ganjajang (black bean noodles, ₩10,000), beef brisket jjamppong rice (spicy seafood-style soup with rice, ₩12,000) and a small black-vinegar pork loin tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork, ₩28,000), then mixed the leftover ganjajang sauce with the jjamppong rice to make ganjajang rice. The verdict: Bueokgan Chinese Marine City Branch pleases with ganjajang that is neither too salty nor too sweet and a spacious dining room, but visit in daytime to properly enjoy the ocean view.

Written Oct 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Gwanghwamun Chinese: boneless monkfish and jajangmyeon at Bobo Sikdang

Bobo Sikdang Gwanghwamun is a modern Chinese restaurant by Chef Jang Bo-won of Culinary Class Wars season 2 (Black and White Chef 2), in the KT Tower basement (B1) right at Exit 2 of Gwanghwamun Station in Jongno, Seoul. After work on a Monday, the writer and her husband ordered ganpung monkfish (38,000 won), Bobo-style jajangmyeon (15,000 won), cucumber salad (9,000 won) and mapo tofu rice (16,000 won), and the boneless monkfish in sweet-spicy ganpung sauce was the standout. Bobo Sikdang Gwanghwamun won over even her Chinese-food-picky husband and suits an after-work dinner, a date or a family gathering.

Written Jul 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuyeong, BusanCafés

Gwangalli brunch café at 3pm: salmon mushroom toast, Famous Benny

Famous Benny Gwangalli Branch (페이머스 베니 광안리점) is a two-floor brunch café in Millak-dong, Suyeong-gu, Busan. During the Busan International Film Festival, the writer and a friend stopped by around 3pm to share a grilled mushroom toast with added smoked salmon (₩15,000 + ₩5,000) and the writer's first-ever acai bowl (₩9,000), with lemongrass ginger tea by a quiet first-floor window. The acai bowl, ordered as something light, turned out more filling than expected, making Famous Benny an easy Gwangalli brunch to share between two.

Written Oct 11, 2026Sponsored