Slow Evening Diner · 15 stories

Slow Bites, Seoul

Writes about small restaurants and everyday meals found around Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Bars · Things to do · Cafés

PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae teppanyaki izakaya: Kansai-style okonomiyaki set, Gusa Yeonnam

Gusa Yeonnam is a Japanese teppanyaki izakaya on basement level 1 of Yeontral Tower in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul, about a 4-minute walk from Hongik Univ. Station Exit 3. At opening time the writer took a bar seat and ordered the Daily Set for 2 (39,000 won) with a beef brisket topping, plus green grape and cherry ades; the mentaiko cheese rolled omelet, the stretchy-cheese Kansai-style okonomiyaki and the yakiudon with a spicy kick were all satisfying. Gusa Yeonnam's Daily Set for 2 is a good way for two people to try three teppanyaki dishes at once.

Written May 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBucheon, GyeonggiBars

Yeokgok Chinese pub date with beef noodle soup: Yongyong Seonsaeng

Yongyong Seonsaeng Bucheon Yeokgok is a Hong Kong alley-themed Chinese pub near Exit 2 of Yeokgok Station in Bucheon. The writer went with her boyfriend for dinner and ordered chili crispy yuringi (fried chicken in a tangy soy sauce, 21,400 won), beef noodle soup (14,900 won), soy sauce egg fried rice (5,900 won) and Saero Salgu apricot soju. The yuringi, down to its lettuce, and the beef noodle soup's clean broth were the highlights. Under its red lighting, Yongyong Seonsaeng Bucheon Yeokgok is a good Yeokgok bar for dinner and drinks in one stop.

Written May 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Gyukatsu date at Seoul Station, wood decor & itame sauce: Ichigyu

Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch is a Japanese gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) restaurant on B1 of the LG Seoul Station Building in Jung-gu, Seoul, near Seoul Station Exit 10. After a short weekend wait around 1 p.m., the writer ordered Set 4 (41,000 won) and grilled the striploin gyukatsu and striploin steki on a cast-iron plate with Isigny butter, switching between salt, wasabi, chili sauce and itame sauce so the meal never felt too rich. With a crisp crust and juicy striploin, Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch is a solid pick for a date meal near Seoul Station.

Written May 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Euljiro bone grill pub, cabbage salad refills for two: Eulji Baektan

Eulji Baektan Ppyeogui (을지백탄뼈구이) is a bone grill pub in Euljiro, Jung-gu, Seoul, right outside Euljiro 3-ga Station Exit 11, that grills pork neck bones over white charcoal (baektan). The writer and her boyfriend shared a small level-2 baektan bone grill, said to be spicier than Shin Ramyun, for 38,000 won and a rice ball for 5,000 won, enjoyed the bones with whole grilled scallions and cabbage salad, and her boyfriend liked the salad dressing enough to ask for a refill. With smoky, sweet-spicy bones and a spacious dining room, Eulji Baektan Ppyeogui works for a couple or a group.

Written May 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulThings to do

Perfume workshop in Bukchon, Seoul: boyfriend's birthday date at UMTM

UMTM (움틈 북촌향수공방) is a reservation-only perfume workshop in Jongno, Seoul, tucked into an alley between Anguk Station and Jeongdok Library. For her boyfriend's birthday, the blogger worked with a perfumer and 45 fragrance materials to make a 50ml eau de parfum and two 5ml mini samples. She handled every step, from choosing image keywords and adjusting ratios to naming the scent and picking the label and cap. UMTM makes an easy, unusual date in Seoul, even for couples making perfume for the first time.

Written May 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulBars

Jongno Korean pub for a date: yakgwanmun highball, Ari Gyegok

Ari Gyegok Jonggak is an East Asian-style Korean pub near Exit 4 of Jonggak Station in Jongno, Seoul, with teal art walls across its 1st and 2nd floors. At Ari Gyegok Jonggak the writer ordered a yakgwanmun (bush clover herb) highball for 5,900 won, Kelly beer for 6,000 won, chicken neck yuringi (fried chicken in soy-vinegar sauce) for 13,900 won and clay-pot cheese buldak (spicy fire chicken) for 23,900 won, with udon noodles added for 3,000 won. Thanks to the East Asian mood and mild, not-too-spicy dishes, Ari Gyegok Jonggak is a safe pick for a date or group night near Jonggak Station.

Written May 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBucheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Bucheon Korean BBQ: ₩4,000 kimchi stew & minari pork belly at Golmok

Golmok Sottukkeong Samgyeopsal Sinjungdong branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant near Sinjungdong Station in Jungdong, Bucheon, where staff grill low-temperature aged whole pork belly on a cast-iron cauldron lid for you. The writer and her boyfriend had the minari (Korean water parsley) aged whole pork belly platter (600g, 34,000 won) and the meat-packed kimchi stew (4,000 won) for dinner, and found the minari fire show and side dishes like seasoned garlic chives satisfying. Because the minari platter costs only 2,000 won more than the plain one, the minari pork belly is the one to order at Golmok Sottukkeong Samgyeopsal.

Written Nov 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiCafés

Suwon date café: Orange Bianco & Real Choco Latte at Orange Bagel

Orange Bagel is a large bagel café on Omokcheon-ro in Gwonseon-gu, Suwon, with a 1st floor, a 2nd floor and a rooftop. On a date with her boyfriend, the writer ordered a scallion cream bacon bagel (8,500 won), a potato bagel (6,900 won), an Orange Bianco (8,500 won) and a Real Choco Latte (7,500 won), then explored the New York-style interior, the Halloween decorations and the different seating on each floor. With a spacious parking lot and a wide range of bagels, Orange Bagel is an easy pick for a date in Suwon.

Written Nov 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Daehangno Chinese spot, wood-toned date & mild noodles: Cheonghwawon

Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch (청화원 대학로점) is a Chinese restaurant in Daehangno, Jongno, Seoul, about a 3-minute walk from Hyehwa Station Exit 4, with vintage wood-toned interiors on both the 1st and 2nd floors. The writer and her boyfriend ordered the signature beef knife-cut noodles (₩10,500), shumai (₩9,500) and guobaorou (₩17,000), and the beef noodles, her first ever, were mild and not heavy on spices. Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch is worth a visit for an atmospheric Chinese date or lunch in Daehangno.

Written May 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBucheon, GyeonggiBars

Bucheon after-work pub for Hanmaek & shrimp pizza: People & Peoples

People & Peoples is a pizza-and-beer pub in the food alley near Exits 7 and 8 of Sangdong Station in Bucheon, Gyeonggi. After work, the blogger and her boyfriend shared the shrimp pastry pizza set with 2 bottles of Hanmaek beer (32,000 won) and the basil fresh pasta (19,000 won), and both the shrimp-loaded pastry-crust pizza and the chewy fresh noodles satisfied them. With 2 large screens and an outdoor terrace, People & Peoples is a good Sangdong bar for pizza, beer and watching sports.

Written May 31, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBucheon, GyeonggiHair & beauty salons

Bucheon hair salon trims dry ends + bouncy jelly perm: Levia Hair

Levia Hair Bucheon Branch is a hair salon of about 100 pyeong (roughly 330 m²) on the 3rd floor of the City Office building, near Exit 5 of City Hall Station in Bucheon, Gyeonggi. The writer had dry, tangled ends trimmed at Levia Hair Bucheon Branch, then got a jelly perm with protein care that left bouncy curls and natural volume. With thorough tips on blow-drying the curls at home, Levia Hair Bucheon Branch suits anyone who wants a low-maintenance perm.

Written May 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Sangsu Station rib spot: Cheongyang level 3 kimchi ribs, Bongmaruji

Bongmaruji Hapjeong (봉마루집 합정점) is a Korean restaurant specializing in galbi-jjim (braised ribs) on Yanghwa-ro 6-gil in Mapo, Seoul, between Sangsu Station and Hapjeong Station. At Bongmaruji Hapjeong, the aged kimchi galbi-jjim for two (₩32,000) at spice level 3 (Cheongyang chili) came with pork ribs tender enough to slide off the bone and a deep, tangy, savory aged kimchi broth. Even when you're full, Bongmaruji Hapjeong's ₩3,000 finishing fried rice is a must.

Written Mar 31, 2026Sponsored