Paper Menu Keeper · 7 stories

Four Cities, One Open Door

Writes about restaurants, bars and cafes visited in Seoul, Incheon, Daegu, Gyeongbuk and Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars · Cafés

PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Daeheung burger joint: Triple Burger and 1+1 beer at Bored & Hungry

Bored & Hungry Mapo (보어드앤헝그리 마포) is a handmade burger joint right by Daeheung Station, on Gwangseong-ro 6-gil in Mapo-gu, Seoul. During Burger Week, the writer had the three-patty Triple Burger, basic fries and beer, which is 1+1 after 5pm; the patties had no gamey smell, the seasoning was just right and the portion was generous. For a good-value handmade burger near Daeheung Station or Gyeongui Line Forest Park, Bored & Hungry Mapo is a satisfying choice.

Written Jun 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGuro, SeoulBars

Guro izakaya terrace seats: skewer set and mixed fried plates, Sodam

Robatayaki Sodam Guro Digital Complex Branch is a robatayaki-style izakaya (Japanese pub) near Gudi Station in Guro, Seoul, open daily from 17:30 to 01:30. On the outdoor terrace, the writer had the free fried egg starter, the grill & skewer set, and shrimp tempura, chicken, gyoza and fried squid with Kirin beer priced in the ₩7,000 range, though cigarette smoke from outside drifts up to the terrace seats. With a well-rounded set and good event perks, Robatayaki Sodam Guro Digital Complex Branch is worth recommending for a work dinner or a second round.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

BYO wine brunch near Daeheung Station: fig jambon sandwich at HUG HAUS

HUG HAUS is a brunch and pasta restaurant on the second floor along the Gyeongui Line Forest Park, near Daeheung Station in Mapo, Seoul. Corkage at HUG HAUS was free at the time of the visit, so the writer brought a bottle of sauvignon blanc, had it chilled, and paired it with a fig jambon sandwich and anchovy oil pasta. With big windows, a stylish interior and genuinely good food, HUG HAUS is a strong pick for an anniversary date or a blind date.

Written Jun 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulBars

Hapjeong Station bar open until 3 AM with sofa seats: Gyepan-ui Bam

Gyepan-ui Bam Hongdae is a bar on a street of cafés and bars near Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul, open daily from 16:00 to 03:00. On a sofa seat in the spacious interior, the writer had seafood pasta, Buldak (spicy fire chicken) risotto, cheese sticks, honey tomato and french fries, all well seasoned and generously portioned. Gyepan-ui Bam Hongdae is a good-value Hapjeong bar for a long night of drinks with friends.

Written Jun 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDong-gu, DaeguRestaurants

Dongdaegu raw beef restaurant, ₩50,000 mungtigi: Haepumsosaeng Gogi

Haepumsosaeng Gogi (해품소생고기) is a raw beef restaurant near Dongdaegu Station in Dong-gu, Daegu, serving mungtigi (thick-cut raw beef), yukhoe (beef tartare) and sashimi. On a visit right at opening, the medium raw beef plate (₩50,000) came with complimentary sushi-style rice, miyeok-guk (seaweed soup) in an earthenware pot, a dipping sauce and plenty of side dishes, enjoyed with Chamsoju. Thick, chewy beef and a generous included spread make Haepumsosaeng Gogi well worth the money.

Written Jun 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, DaeguRestaurants

Jungangno, Daegu hangover soup: dogani-tang & ttaro-gukbap, Hanwoojang

Hanwoojang (한우장) is a 24-hour gukbap (rice soup) restaurant on Gukchaebosang-ro in Jung-gu, Daegu, serving seolleongtang (ox bone soup), ttaro-gukbap (beef soup with rice on the side), dogani-tang (beef knee cartilage soup) and boiled beef suyuk in the evening. After a night of drinking, the writer came to Hanwoojang for a hangover meal and ordered the special ttaro-gukbap, packed with garlic and seonji (beef blood curd), and a dogani-tang with whole pieces of knee cartilage served with onion sauce and wasabi; both were generous and delicious. Hanwoojang is a good Daegu gukbap spot for a hangover cure, an office lunch or suyuk with a drink.

Written Jul 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulCafés

City Hall Station café: big Earl Grey lemon tart | Center Coffee

Center Coffee Gwanghwamun is a spacious café on basement level 1 of a building on Sejong-daero in Jung-gu, Seoul, close to City Hall Station. The writer ordered an iced americano and a ₩10,000-range Earl Grey lemon tart at the kiosk. The americano was nutty with no acidity, and the tart was big and tasty enough to be worth the price. For a coffee-and-dessert stop near City Hall Station, the desserts at Center Coffee Gwanghwamun are well worth trying.

Written Oct 12, 2026Sponsored
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