Uijeongbu Side Diner · 94 stories

The Side Table

I write about restaurants I visit around Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Restaurants · Things to do · Cafés · Bars · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Eel BBQ buffet in Seongsu with Mom after a Han River walk: Songnim Bok

Songnim Bok Jangeo Unlimited Freshwater Eel Seongsu Branch is an all-you-can-eat freshwater eel, pork belly and chicken neck BBQ restaurant on Seongdeokjeong-gil in Seongdong, Seoul, near Seongsu 119 and the Seongsu small theater. The writer's mom wanted eel, so the two ordered the unlimited adult option for two (₩29,900 per person plus a ₩3,000 per-person table setting fee), grilled live eel, and kept refilling at the self-bar; when they struggled with the grilling, a staff member grilled it for them. Despite low expectations, the meat quality and friendly service made Songnim Bok Jangeo a satisfying eel buffet in Seongsu.

Written Oct 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceUijeongbu, GyeonggiRestaurants

Millak cutlet house: half-mixed octopus bowl & big shrimp, Yangchonri

Yangchonri Donkaseu Millak Branch (양촌리돈가스 민락점) is a pork cutlet restaurant on the 2nd floor of a shopping building in Millak 2-jigu, Uijeongbu. At dinner the writer ordered the Yangchonri set for 2 (₩27,800) with cheese added, sharing a cheese cutlet, a fire-grilled jjukkumi (webfoot octopus) rice bowl and fried shrimp; the smoky octopus and shrimp almost too big to lift with chopsticks stood out. Yangchonri Donkaseu Millak Branch is a good Uijeongbu cutlet spot when you can't decide and want to share a bit of everything.

Written Jun 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Smoke-free Korean BBQ near Sindang Station for hot days: Beolpan

Gogijip Beolpan Sindang branch is a pork belly and pork neck restaurant on Dasan-ro 36na-gil in Jung-gu, Seoul, about a 10-minute walk from Sindang Station Exit 6. The writer ordered the Beolpan set (39,000 won), doenjang sulbap (soybean paste rice stew, 7,000 won) and acorn kimchi noodles (6,000 won), and the meat arrived fully grilled from the kitchen, so the meal stayed clean with no smell or smoke to worry about. Gogijip Beolpan is a good choice for pork belly near Sindang Station on a hot day when grilling at the table feels like a chore.

Written Jun 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulBars

Gunja Station Korean pub: brisket fish cake tteokbokki at Saechamjip

Saechamjip (새참집) is a budget-friendly Korean pub with private-style seating on the 2nd floor near Exit 5 of Gunja Station in Gwangjin, Seoul. Over dinner and draft beer (330ml for ₩3,300), the writer ordered brisket fish cake tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes, ₩18,900), chili mayo boneless seasoned chicken (₩17,900) and a giant roe-mayo egg roll (₩13,900). All three were tasty and the staff were friendly. Saechamjip is a good Gunja Station pick for a food-first dinner rather than a heavy drinking night.

Written Oct 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Hyehwa Taiwanese restaurant, beef noodles won me back: Cheonghwawon

Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch is a Taiwanese and Chinese restaurant near Exit 4 of Hyehwa Station in Jongno, Seoul, serving knife-cut beef noodles and dim sum. The writer came for an early dinner of knife-cut beef noodles (10,500 won), guobaorou (17,000 won) and shumai (9,500 won), and says a bad beef noodle bowl elsewhere had soured them on Taiwanese food until Cheonghwawon's knife-cut beef noodles changed their mind. Verdict: the rich-broth knife-cut beef noodles with shumai and guobaorou on the side is the combo to order.

Written Oct 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Chungmuro restaurant: winter Tongyeong oyster kalguksu, Nagwon-ui Soba

Nagwon-ui Soba Bossam Kalguksu Chungmuro Station Main Branch is a bossam (boiled pork wraps), kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and soba restaurant on the 2nd floor of 2 Seoae-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul. Two of us walked in for an early dinner with no wait and ordered the new winter Tongyeong giant oyster kalguksu (13,000 won) and a small bossam (36,000 won); the spicy broth packed with big oysters paired well with the clean-tasting bossam. For oyster lovers, the bossam and oyster kalguksu combo at Nagwon-ui Soba makes it a Chungmuro Station restaurant worth a winter visit.

Written Oct 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongjak, SeoulRestaurants

Isu pizza lunch: mac & cheese chicken, less-salty pepperoni, Raymond

Raymond Isu Branch is a newly opened American-style pizza and craft beer pub near Exit 9 of Chongshin Univ. (Isu) Station in Dongjak, Seoul. Two people shared pepperoni (₩7,500) and American Bulbeok (₩8,900) pizza slices, truffle fries and mac & cheese chicken (₩21,900) for lunch. The pepperoni was less salty than expected, and the mac & cheese chicken was the most satisfying dish. For a pizza lunch or pizza and beer near Isu Station, the mac & cheese chicken at Raymond Isu Branch is well worth ordering.

Written Jun 6, 2026Sponsored
PlacePaju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Paju dumpling house near Simhaksan: shabu-style hot pot, Bubyeokjeong

Bubyeokjeong Pyeongyang Mandu (부벽정평양만두) is a chodang tofu and Pyeongyang-style mandu (dumpling) restaurant on Jimok-ro in Paju, Gyeonggi. At an early dinner the writer ordered the Pyeongyang mandu hot pot for 2 (₩28,000), a mung bean pancake (₩10,000) and seasonal greens with tofu (₩12,000), dropping the dumplings in one at a time shabu-shabu style and finishing with kalguksu timed by an hourglass. With its own parking lot, Bubyeokjeong Pyeongyang Mandu is a good dinner stop on a drive to Paju Book City, Heyri or Simhaksan.

Written Oct 24, 2026Sponsored
PlacePaju, GyeonggiCafés

Paju brunch café lunch: pistachio cinnamon roll and panino, Mokushura

Mokushura French Café (모쿠슈라 프렌치카페) is a large, resort-style bakery café spread over four floors beside Gongneung Reservoir in Jori-eup, Paju. On the coldest day of the autumn so far, the writer had lunch at a 4th-floor reservoir-view seat: a bacon tomato panino (18,000 won), a pistachio cinnamon roll, a blueberry cream cheese bun, rye bread and Americanos. With taste, view and atmosphere all delivering, Mokushura French Café is a Paju brunch café worth becoming a regular at.

Written Oct 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulRestaurants

Hot-day dinner at a Konkuk Univ. rice bowl spot: icy soba set, Hekbap

Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch is a home-style rice bowl and ramen restaurant on the 2nd floor near Exit 3 of Konkuk Univ. Station in Gwangjin, Seoul. On a hot day, the writer came for an early dinner and ordered the cold soba with fried chicken set (₩14,500) and the salmon and soy-marinated shrimp rice bowl (₩14,900): the icy soba was refreshing, the fried chicken crisp outside and juicy inside, and the rice bowl not too salty. If you want cold soba and a rice bowl together in hot weather, Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch is a good fit.

Written Jun 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNamyangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Shabu-shabu dinner in Byeollae, ₩11,000 basic set for two: Onjeongban

Onjeongban Shabu Kalguksu Namyangju Byeollae Main Branch is a shabu-shabu and kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) restaurant on Siksong 1-ro in Byeollae, Namyangju. At dinner the writer waited about 20 minutes via Tableling, ordered two basic Onjeongban Shabu Kalguksu sets at ₩11,000 per person, ate them in order as shabu-shabu, kalguksu, then fried rice, and added gondeure (Korean thistle) rice and geotjeori (fresh kimchi) from the self-bar. Onjeongban Shabu Kalguksu serves generous portions even with the basic set alone, making it a good-value shabu-shabu pick in Byeollae.

Written Jun 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Sanggye Station pork bone stew dinner: 7 spine bones, Somunnan

Somunnan Gamjatang (소문난감자탕 중계본점), Junggye main branch, is a gamjatang (pork bone stew) and bone hangover soup restaurant on Deongneung-ro in Nowon, Seoul, near Exit 2 of Sanggye Station. A longtime bone soup regular ordered the small gamjatang for 2 (₩36,000) for dinner: about 7 thick, meaty spine bones, plenty of perilla seed powder, tender dried cabbage greens and complimentary sujebi (hand-torn dough), enough to leave two people stuffed. Verdict: Somunnan Gamjatang near Sanggye Station is a soup spot that made a bone soup regular fall for gamjatang all over again.

Written Oct 23, 2026Sponsored