Low Bar Seat · 9 stories

Low Counter, Seoul/Gyeonggi Cafes and Restaurants

Writes about neighborhood cafes and small restaurants she visits around Seoul and Gyeonggi. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés

PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Jamsil Saenae jokbal restaurant: spicy jokbal and bossam combo, Manjok

Manjok Ohyang Jokbal Jamsil Sincheon Branch is a jokbal (braised pork trotters) and bossam (boiled pork wraps) restaurant in Songpa, Seoul, a 5-minute walk from Exit 4 of Jamsil Saenae Station. After leaving work on time on a weekday, the writer and their partner ordered the medium spicy jokbal-bossam combo for ₩42,000 and enjoyed the tender bossam with no porky smell, the pleasantly spicy jokbal and the complimentary tteok-mandu-guk (rice cake and dumpling soup). With a spacious hall, TVs and paid corkage, Manjok Ohyang Jokbal is a solid Jamsil Saenae pick for group gatherings or a meal after a baseball game.

Written Jun 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Sindang sashimi restaurant for a wedding invite party: Bada Yakbang

Bada Yakbang Sindang Branch is a Korean aged sashimi restaurant in an alley between the Line 6 and Line 2 exits of Sindang Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. Our group booked ahead and ordered the seasonal assorted aged sashimi for two (₩58,000), monkfish liver salt gimbap (seaweed rice roll, ₩25,000), bracken beef jeon (₩21,000) and algon ramen with fish roe (₩9,000). The aged sashimi was thick and chewy, and wasabi balanced the richness of the monkfish liver gimbap. With one free bottle of corkage per main sashimi order, Bada Yakbang Sindang Branch suits wedding invitation gatherings and group dinners near Sindang Station.

Written Jun 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Cheongdam dessert café for a shop-opening gift: Butter & Shelter

Butter & Shelter Cheongdam is a butter sand dessert café right outside Exit 11 of Cheongdam Station in Gangnam, Seoul. To cheer on a friend who works through lunch at her newly opened shop, the writer took away the Original Butter Sand SET (8 pieces) for ₩24,800 in insulated packaging, and the friend said the butter sands were easy to eat in one bite and really delicious. For a simple housewarming gift or a treat for coworkers, Butter & Shelter butter sands are a safe choice.

Written Jun 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNamyangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Frozen pork BBQ set for two at ₩37,000 near Dasan Station: Eungbongjip

Eungbongjip Dasan Station Branch (응봉집 다산역점) is a frozen pork belly BBQ restaurant in Namyangju, Gyeonggi, a 5-minute walk from Dasan Station Exit 4. After shopping at Hyundai Outlet Space1 in Namyangju, the writer and a partner ordered the Kkotsami set (37,000 won, frozen pork belly and neck) with extra minari (water dropwort) and spicy soft tofu stew. The side dishes, including steamed egg, scallion salad and radish salad, were generous, and the stew was so full of ingredients that a bowl of rice disappeared fast. Eungbongjip Dasan Station Branch is a good-value dinner spot after a Space1 outing.

Written Jun 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Magongnaru octopus restaurant, aged sirloin course: Songjjujip Magok

Songjjujip Magok is a Korean restaurant specializing in spicy webfoot octopus (jjukkumi) and aged sirloin, on the 2nd floor of Central Tower 2 near Magongnaru Station in Gangseo, Seoul. On the way home from a day trip to Gimpo, the writer arrived on a weekend evening an hour before last order. The writer had the octopus and aged Korean beef sirloin course (18,900 won for two), cheese steamed egg (4,000 won), mini doenjang stew (2,000 won) and flying fish roe fried rice. Verdict: the octopus at Songjjujip Magok was tender in a spicy-sweet sauce, and the aged Korean beef sirloin was a surprisingly good bonus.

Written Jun 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Seolleung Station Gochang eel bowl with chawanmushi: Manmok

Manmok is a Japanese eel restaurant near Seolleung Station in Gangnam, Seoul, serving Kanto-style eel bowls made with Gochang freshwater eel. The writer and their partner ordered the whole-eel bowl (39,000 won), which came course-style with chawanmushi (Japanese steamed egg custard), salad, side dishes and ice cream for dessert, and found the thick, tender eel best topped with wasabi and pickled ginger. With a quiet wood interior, bar seats, a spacious back room and 2 parking spots out front, Manmok suits everything from solo meals to client dinners near Seolleung Station.

Written Jun 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Garak Market fish shop, ₩65,000 sashimi trio to go: Yeongjae Susan

Yeongjae Susan (영재수산) is a live-fish sashimi and seafood takeout shop in the Garak Mall fish center in Songpa, Seoul. On a weekend evening the blogger checked prices listed at Ineo Gyoju Haejeokdan (인어교주해적단) market rates and took home the Nonggwang Chamhoe small set (65,000 won: large sea bass, large flounder and large sea bream) plus a spicy fish stew kit in ice packing, sharing it at home with their partner. With transparent price listings and well-judged slice thickness, Yeongjae Susan is a safe choice for first-time Garak Market sashimi takeout.

Written Jul 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Bangi-dong gopchang restaurant for a Lotte World Mall date: Jinseong

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Bangi Direct Branch is a Korean beef gopchang (grilled intestine) restaurant in a side alley off the main street of the Bangi-dong food alley in Songpa, Seoul. After a weekend visit to Lotte World Mall in Jamsil, the writer and a partner shared 3 portions of gopchang, daechang and makchang plus kkakdugi yangbap (tripe fried rice with radish kimchi). Staff grilled everything at the table, served with pickled minari sauce and three house-made kimchi. Verdict: Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang's kimchi won over even a partner who dislikes kimchi, and the gopchang and chewy makchang were the writer's top picks.

Written Jul 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Hyehwa pub before a musical: cut-your-own gopchang hotpot, Hyehwahwa

Hyehwahwa (혜화화) is a straw-fire-themed Korean restaurant and pub on the 2nd floor of a building down an alley near Hyehwa Station Exit 4 in Jongno, Seoul. Before a Daehangno musical, the writer and a friend went at 6pm and ordered the open-fire gopchang (beef intestine) spicy hotpot for 26,000 won, a half plate of yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) for 18,000 won, a seaweed-flake rice bowl for 3,000 won and beer, and the whole gopchang pieces, cut at the table, came in a generous portion. Hyehwahwa's calm atmosphere suits both catch-ups with friends and dates.

Written Aug 4, 2026Sponsored
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