Bench Queuer · 4 stories

Narrow Bench, Seoul Restaurants

Writes about small restaurants around Seoul worth a second visit. · Writes about: Restaurants

Gapyeong dakgalbi restaurant after a Swiss Village date: Dami Seorak

Dami Seorak Charcoal-grilled Dakgalbi (다미설악숯불닭갈비) is a dakgalbi (grilled marinated chicken) restaurant using real charcoal in Seorak-myeon, Gapyeong, Gyeonggi, near Gapyeong IC and the Swiss Village. After taking photos at the Swiss Village, the writer and her boyfriend ordered by kiosk: 1 portion of spicy dakgalbi, 1 portion of soy sauce dakgalbi, doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) with rice, and a small mul-makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles in broth). All four dishes hit the mark and left them stuffed, so the soy-and-spicy half-and-half combo at Dami Seorak Charcoal-grilled Dakgalbi is easy to recommend to couples after the Swiss Village.

Written Oct 17, 2026Sponsored

PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Date-night halal restaurant in Hongdae: seasoned fries, Halal Steaks

Halal Steaks is a New York street food-style halal restaurant on the 2nd floor on Yanghwa-ro 16-gil, near Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul. The writer, who ate Halal Guys like soul food while living in the US, stopped by Halal Steaks with her boyfriend during an evening date around Yeonnam-dong and Hongdae and ordered the Couple Set of 2 platters, fries and 2 soft drinks; the white sauce tasted exactly like the one she ate in the US. Verdict: if you miss halal platters, Halal Steaks is worth going back to two or three times.

Written Oct 17, 2026Sponsored

PlaceGwangjin, SeoulRestaurants

Friday date Korean BBQ at Guui Station: kimchi noodles, Ssamchae

Ssamchae Sotttukkeong Samgyeopsal (쌈채솥뚜껑삼겹살) is a Korean BBQ restaurant near Guui Station in Gwangjin, Seoul, that grills pork belly on a cast-iron pot lid together with kimchi and bean sprouts. On a Friday evening, the writer and her boyfriend ordered 1 serving each of pork belly and pork neck, plus doenjang stew (soybean paste stew), cheese steamed egg and kimchi mari guksu (noodles in kimchi broth), and especially loved the unlimited self-serve seasonal wrap greens and myeongi namul (pickled wild garlic leaves). Ssamchae Sotttukkeong Samgyeopsal is a great fit for couples who want a generous date-night meal of meat and sides.

Written Oct 14, 2026Sponsored

PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeonnam-dong risotto date, jambon truffle cream: Hôtel de Couture

Hôtel de Couture (오뗄드꾸뜨) is a pasta and risotto restaurant on Donggyo-ro 46-gil in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. On a weekend date, the blogger ordered mortadella lemon butter pasta and jambon truffle cream risotto by table QR code, and her boyfriend, who usually can't handle rich food, scraped the risotto bowl clean. Hôtel de Couture is a good Yeonnam-dong date spot for pairing a bright pasta with a thick, creamy risotto.

Written Sep 28, 2026Sponsored

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