Evening Rounder · 17 stories

A Round Tray Through Jeju and Daejeon

Writes about cafes, restaurants, and bars across Gyeonggi, Jeju, Daejeon/Chungcheong, and Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Bars

PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulBars

Yeongdeungpo craft beer bar with Spanish shrimp and IPA: Jirbak

Jirbak (지르박) is a craft beer bar on Yeongsin-ro 32-gil near Yeongdeungpo Market in Seoul, set in a converted former print shop with big-screen sports broadcasts. On a second-round stop, the writer had Kkik Beer IPA, Unjjang Pilsner, mayak corn, Spanish fried shrimp and kkokkomen (spicy ramen); the fried shrimp with a squeeze of lemon and the tingly kkokkomen finish stood out. Jirbak is worth remembering for a craft beer or a group dinner in Yeongdeungpo.

Written Jun 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulBars

Mullae izakaya first round: peach sour & chili karaage at Akai Teppan

Akai Teppan (아카이테판) is a Japanese teppanyaki izakaya in an alley of Mullae Arts Village in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. On a first round with a younger sibling, the writer ordered a peach Akai sour and a lemon sour (7,000 won each), pickled chili karaage (8,000 won) and spicy seafood yakisoba (17,000 won). The yakisoba portion was far bigger than expected, and staff refilled the free chicken drumstick snack without being asked. Akai Teppan is a Mullae izakaya where two people can finish a filling first round with two dishes and one sour each.

Written Jun 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Yeonnam-dong café for four, Triple Granita and evening lights: Pip

Pip Espresso Bar (피프에스프레소바) is an espresso bar café tucked into a side street in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo, Seoul. The writer stopped by with two younger siblings and a cousin after a meal and ordered the Triple Granita (6,500 won), Pip Coffee Seoul Iced (7,000 won), Vanilla Latte Seoul Iced (6,000 won) and a decaf Pannanero (4,500 won plus 700 won), finding plenty of four-person tables and lighting that looked even prettier in the evening than by day. Pip Espresso Bar is a good Yeonnam-dong café for cold summer drinks after a meal.

Written Jun 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDanyang, ChungbukCafés

Danyang bakery after camping, Set 3 tasting: Black Garlic Salt Bread

Black Garlic Salt Bread (흑마늘소금빵) is a salt bread bakery at the entrance of Gugyeong Market in Danyang, Chungbuk. After camping in Danyang and a jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) lunch at Gugyeong Market, the writer queued at Black Garlic Salt Bread for Set 1 (4 originals, 11,000 won) and Set 3 (four flavors, 14,000 won), and the original, reheated in an air fryer the next day, tasted best. With good value and pretty packaging, Black Garlic Salt Bread is worth a stop for a Danyang trip souvenir.

Written Jun 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Yeonnam-dong café with cousins: ₩15,000 Hydro-Honey drip, Central Site

Central Site Yeonnam is a three-floor specialty roastery café on Yeonhui-ro in Mapo, Seoul. The writer visited with two younger cousins and tried the Colombia Cherry Velvet Java Hydro-Honey drip (₩15,000), the Guatemala Entre Volcanes Washed drip (₩8,000) and the classic tiramisu (₩8,500). Central Site Yeonnam is not cheap, but the coffee quality and the different feel of each floor make it worth the price.

Written Jun 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwacheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Gwacheon offal hot pot for an alcohol-free dinner: Horangigul

Horangigul Gwacheon Branch (호랑이굴 과천점) is an izakaya-style motsunabe (beef offal hot pot) restaurant on Saesulmak-gil near Government Complex Gwacheon Station in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi. On about the writer's fourth visit, the writer and a younger sibling skipped alcohol and had dinner: 2 servings of the spicy beef gopchang and daechang (small and large intestine) hot pot at ₩18,900 per serving and a ₩3,000 egg risotto, with plenty of vegetables that made the meal feel light. Horangigul Gwacheon Branch is a satisfying dinner spot, not just a place for drinking snacks.

Written Oct 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwacheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Gwacheon gopchang hot pot at Shin Ramyun spice for two: Horangigul

Horangigul Gwacheon Branch (호랑이굴 과천점) is a Japanese izakaya-style restaurant in Jungangdong, Gwacheon, near Government Complex Gwacheon Station, specializing in beef gopchang and daechang (small and large intestine) hot pot. On a return visit, the writer ordered the beef gopchang daechang hot pot for two at Shin Ramyun spice level and added cheese risotto, and two people ate their fill for about ₩40,900 without alcohol. Verdict: Horangigul Gwacheon Branch is reliably delicious every time and a solid pick for dinner or drinking food in Jungangdong, Gwacheon.

Written Jun 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuRestaurants

Udo abalone restaurant, hot-day mulhoe after Biyangdo: Soseom Jeonbok

Soseom Jeonbok (소섬전복) is an abalone restaurant on Udohaean-gil on Udo Island, Jeju. The day after camping overnight on Biyangdo, two of us walked about 40 minutes along the coast road to Soseom Jeonbok for a late breakfast and ordered the Honryesang set (48,000 won): abalone mulhoe (cold raw seafood soup), abalone rice and 6 butter-grilled abalone, with black pork skewers and geu-u jeotgal (fermented abalone innards) on the side, and we left full. For a cool, refreshing meal on a hot day on Udo, the abalone mulhoe at Soseom Jeonbok is a great fit.

Written Jul 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuRestaurants

Jongdal-ri, Jeju Korean restaurant before Udo: Jongdal Sudatteul

Jongdal Sudatteul is a Jeju hanjeongsik (Korean set meal) restaurant on Yongnunioreum-ro in Jongdal-ri, Gujwa-eup, Jeju. Before heading over to Udo on a trip around east Jeju, the writer had a brunch of the 25,000 won per person Jeju set meal at Jongdal Sudatteul: a 13-dish spread with grilled hairtail, dombe pork (sliced boiled pork), braised mackerel, seafood stew, soy-marinated abalone and soy-marinated crab, with crab refills, so nothing was lacking. Jongdal Sudatteul was a meal well worth its price on a Jeju trip.

Written Jul 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuCafés

Jeju Ido 2-dong café: signature latte and camping desserts, Gluttony

Gluttony Coffee is a bakery café in a residential neighborhood of Ido 2-dong, Jeju City, about 20 minutes by car from Jeju Airport. The writer had the Gluttony latte (5,500 won), the Summer Latte (6,000 won) and an apple mango cream cake (9,000 won). They also packed desserts to eat at their campsite with coffee the next morning. Gluttony Coffee has no flashy view, but it offers the relaxed, everyday feel of a café where Jeju locals spend time.

Written Jul 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuCafés

Terrace café near Sehwa Beach, Jeju: flower bingsu at Sigan-eul Damda

Sigan-eul Damda Gujwa is a café in Pyeongdae-ri, Gujwa-eup, Jeju, near Sehwa Beach, best known for its flower bingsu (shaved ice dessert). We ordered the Jeju flower bingsu (₩20,000), a nurungji (toasted rice) einspänner (₩7,000) and an Americano (₩5,500) and relaxed for about an hour on the shaded terrace; because the syrups are poured over different parts of the bingsu, each spoonful has a different scent. The flower bingsu at Sigan-eul Damda Gujwa is a must-order that stays on your mind long after the trip.

Written Jul 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuRestaurants

Ara-dong, Jeju restaurant for seafood tomato linguine: Cultured

Cultured is a Western restaurant on Seungcheon-ro in Ara-dong, Jeju City, where the tables fill up with locals and families even at weekday lunch. Two people ordered the ₩38,500 lunch set plus a ₩16,000 mushroom cream pasta, which covered a steak salad, seafood tomato linguine, a half sweet potato, half gorgonzola pizza and free drinks; the portions were so large that almost all of the pizza went home in a box. For a break from Korean food on a Jeju trip, one Cultured lunch set is more than enough to leave you satisfied.

Written Jul 8, 2026Sponsored