Guro Second Round · 17 stories

Dinner, Then Drinks

I write about meals and drinks at restaurants and bars I visit in Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars · Shopping

PlaceGangnam, SeoulThings to do

Eonju Station house wedding lunch: abalone galbitang, affogato, Arbe

Arbe Wedding Hall is a single-hall house wedding venue on Bongeunsa-ro in Gangnam, Seoul, between Eonju Station and Seonjeongneung Station. A guest at a lunchtime ceremony tried the 2-cut photo guestbook, toured the fresh-flower wedding hall and bridal room, and enjoyed buffet abalone galbitang (short rib soup with steamed abalone added) and a cookies and cream gelato affogato. With flower decor, a ceremony slot of nearly 2 hours and a strong buffet, Arbe Wedding Hall was a very satisfying Gangnam house wedding to attend.

Written May 31, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongjak, SeoulRestaurants

Daytime pizza pub in Isu: nacho cheese and 3 craft beers, Raymond

Raymond Isu Branch is an American-style slice pizza and craft beer pub near Isu Station Exit 9 in Dongjak, Seoul. On a sunny afternoon the writer ordered a Big Pepperoni slice (₩7,500), a Big Spicy Fusilli slice (₩8,900), house-fried nacho cheese (₩9,900) and three Art Monster beers: Vienna lager, IPA and peanut butter porter. With thin, crisp, oversized slices and well-kept beer that recall New York street pizza, Raymond Isu Branch made for a very satisfying daytime pizza and beer.

Written May 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Haengdang-dong Korean BBQ after a musical: fresh wasabi, Pujutgan

Pujutgan Saenggogi-jeom (푸줏간생고기점) is a Korean BBQ restaurant specializing in fresh pork belly and beef in Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, near Exit 10 of Wangsimni Station. After seeing the musical 'Alsatang' with their child, the family returned at 3:30 pm for 3 servings of fresh pork belly and 1 of pork neck (₩20,000 per 180g), and ordering meat alone brought unlimited free sides such as doenjang stew, bibim naengmyeon, soy sauce egg bibimbap and nurungji. Verdict: with staff grilling the meat, looking after the child was easy, and Pujutgan Saenggogi-jeom's meat quality and value made the return visit worth it.

Written Oct 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Late tonkatsu with my kid near Irwon Station: mini yubu udon, Sioldon

Sioldon Irwon Branch (시올돈 일원점) is a tonkatsu restaurant in Irwon-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, right across from Samsung Seoul Hospital. Arriving with a child 10 minutes before last order, the writer had no wait and ordered a sirloin katsu set (12,900 won) with a mini yubu udon add-on (3,000 won) and a tenderloin katsu set (14,900 won); the child, who usually only eats tenderloin, loved how tender the Sioldon sirloin was. The best dish of the day was the juicy sirloin katsu with its nutty, savory fat.

Written Oct 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHaeundae, BusanRestaurants

Haeundae abalone restaurant with a baby: thick-cut abalone, Crab Peak

Crab Peak is an abalone and seafood restaurant on the 2nd floor of L7 Haeundae Hotel in Haeundae, Busan. For the blogger's first meal in Busan, Crab Peak's double-abalone pot rice and double-abalone porridge (₩33,000 each) delivered thick pan-seared abalone and crispy scorched rice, plus a fried tofu pouch dumpling the blogger's baby ate whole. Crab Peak doesn't skimp on abalone and gets every bit of flavour out of its abalone pot rice.

Written Jun 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHaeundae, BusanRestaurants

Haeundae Chinese restaurant, a Seoulite's light ganjjajang: Bueokgan

Bueokgan Chinese Haeundae Branch (부엌간 차이니즈 해운대점) is a stylishly designed Chinese restaurant near Dalmaji-gil in Haeundae, Busan. While in Haeundae on an errand, a visitor from Seoul ordered the poached-egg pork belly ganjjajang (dry black bean noodles, 10,000 won), the beef brisket jjamppong (spicy noodle soup, 12,000 won) and the black vinegar pork loin tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork, 28,000 won) with the sauce on the side, and none of the three was salty or greasy. Verdict: Bueokgan Chinese tastes clearly different from Seoul's Chinese restaurants, and at friendly prices it left the visitor very satisfied.

Written Jun 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwanak, SeoulRestaurants

Kid-approved udon restaurant in Bongcheon-dong: Sunday dinner at Kosi

Kosi Seoul National University Entrance Branch is a Sanuki udon and tonkatsu restaurant in Bongcheon-dong, Gwanak, Seoul, between Exits 5 and 6 of Seoul National University Station. On a late Sunday evening, the writer and a child who loves udon ordered zaru soba (10,500 won), kake udon (9,000 won) with a 5,000-won tonkatsu add-on, and tonkatsu (11,500 won); the child, usually uninterested in food, ate half the udon and half the tonkatsu. With good udon and tonkatsu under one roof at fair prices, Kosi is a restaurant worth a return family visit.

Written Oct 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGuro, SeoulRestaurants

Family jokbal in Sindorim after a kids café: last rear leg, The Jokbal

The Jokbal Sindorim Main Branch is a jokbal (braised pork trotters) restaurant between Sindorim Station and Guro Station in Seoul, also known as a spot for company dinners. After a kids café, the writer's family arrived around 8pm on a Sunday. With the front leg sold out, they had the day's last rear leg (42,000 won) and a small tray makguksu (buckwheat noodles, 9,000 won). The Jokbal Sindorim Main Branch is a place the family keeps returning to because their baby eats well there, and even the lean rear leg was tender and satisfying.

Written Oct 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongjak, SeoulRestaurants

Isu Station udon and tonkatsu spot, less salty than Japan: Kosi

Kosi Isu Branch is a Japanese restaurant serving Sanuki udon and tonkatsu, right in front of Exit 9 of Isu Station in Dongjak, Seoul. After a trip to Japan, the writer ordered toriten bukkake udon, kama bukkake udon, tonkatsu and a ₩5,000 add-on tonkatsu, and found the udon seasoning less salty than in Japan and the tonkatsu less gamey than the tonkatsu eaten in Japan. Kosi Isu Branch is an affordable place to enjoy udon and tonkatsu in one meal.

Written Oct 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Tteokbokki bar in Yeouido IFC Mall after sale shopping: Hyeonseonine

Hyeonseonine Premium IFC Mall Branch (현선이네 프리미엄) is a tteokbokki (spicy rice cake) and Korean snack bar on B2 of IFC Mall in Yeouido, Seoul. After a Saturday afternoon of sale shopping at IFC Mall, a couple ordered the ₩23,000 Hyeonseonine Set in mild and filled up on old-style wheat tteokbokki, sundae (Korean blood sausage) with liver and offal, gimbap (seaweed rice roll), fritters and peppery fish cake soup. Hyeonseonine Premium is a crowd-pleasing Yeouido tteokbokki spot where the know-how shows in the details, and the waiting line makes sense.

Written Jul 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGuro, SeoulBars

Guro izakaya grilled sablefish and vanilla ice cream: Robatayaki Sodam

Robatayaki Sodam Guro Digital Complex Branch is a traditional Japanese-style izakaya on the 2nd floor near Exit 2 of Guro Digital Complex Station (Line 2) in Guro, Seoul. Visiting after work with a friend, the writer ordered grilled sablefish for 29,000 won, a mixed skewer platter for 24,000 won and hangover ramyeon for 9,000 won, and received a free vanilla ice cream through the receipt-review event. Soft lighting and private rooms make Robatayaki Sodam an easy place for a quiet drink and a long conversation.

Written Aug 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGuro, SeoulRestaurants

Guro restaurant for medium jokbal and bibim makguksu: Daedu Jokbal

Daedu Jokbal Guro Digital Complex Station branch is a jokbal (braised pig trotter) restaurant on Kkalkkal Street near Guro Digital Complex Station in Seoul, run by an owner who holds a national jokbal master's certificate. After a movie outing, a family of three ordered a medium jokbal (38,000 won) and bibim makguksu (spicy buckwheat noodles, 12,000 won) and were served free sundubu soup and head meat as well — more than two portions of food in all. The jokbal was moist with no gamey smell, the makguksu came with a housemade sauce, and the lot behind the building made driving there easy.

Written Aug 17, 2026Sponsored