Late Skewer Night · 12 stories

Late Skewer, Seoul/Gyeonggi/Incheon/Jeju/Gangwon Restaurants, Cafes and Bars

Writes about restaurants, cafes, and bars across Seoul, Gyeonggi, Jeju, Gangwon, and Incheon, along with things to do nearby. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Bars · Things to do · Food & snacks

PlaceBucheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

First grilled eel with my partner in Bucheon: Gochang Pungcheon Eel

Gochang Pungcheon Eel is a second-generation freshwater eel restaurant near Exit 7 of Sangdong Station in Bucheon, Gyeonggi. Having only shared eel rice bowls before, the writer and their partner booked a table for their first grilled eel at Gochang Pungcheon Eel and ordered salt-grilled and soy-grilled eel, which the staff grilled from start to finish, leaving it tender with no fishy smell. Gochang Pungcheon Eel is a satisfying choice for a restorative meal, a family gathering or a work dinner.

Written Jun 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongik Univ. Station Japanese restaurant: army send-off lunch, Ochaya

Ochaya Yeonnam is a Japanese home-style rice bowl restaurant on the second floor of a building in an alley leading from Hongik Univ. Station toward Yeonnam-dong, Seoul. The writer treated a younger sibling about to join the army to seafood-stuffed shiitake fry, butanokakuni (braised pork belly), unagi chazuke (eel rice bowl) and kaisen chazuke (seafood rice bowl), then finished with matcha ice cream from a review event. Ochaya Yeonnam is a Yeonnam-dong Japanese lunch spot that suits both a solo meal and a meal with someone special.

Written Jun 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Gwanghwamun gyukatsu restaurant with free cheese yukiage: Ichigyu

Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch (이치규 광화문점) is a gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) restaurant on the first basement floor near Gwanghwamun Station in Jongno, Seoul. On a weekend visit with a partner, tenderloin was sold out, so the order was Set 3 (2 striploin gyukatsu and 2 drinks), grilled on a tabletop brazier in melted bakery butter and eaten with salt and Ichigyu's special itame sauce. With a cheese-seasoned yukiage (snowflake beef fry) from the review event on top, Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch is worth recommending for both a Gwanghwamun date and a weekday office lunch.

Written Jun 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulCafés

Salt bread bakery near Gyeongbokgung Station: 2 p.m. rebake at Respire

Respire Bakery Cafe Seochon is a salt bread bakery café with a European countryside feel in Seochon, near Gyeongbokgung Station and Cheongwadae (the former Blue House) in Jongno, Seoul. On a weekend visit, a regular who has been several times ordered a cookie salt bread, a warmed chocolate cream cheese ciabatta, an omelet sandwich, iced lemonade and iced lychee chamomile, and found that most salt bread sold out by 1 p.m. but a fresh batch came out around 2 p.m. With great bread and a lovely space, Respire Bakery Cafe Seochon is a strong pick for brunch or a date in Seochon.

Written Jun 21, 2026Partially sponsored
PlaceYongsan, SeoulRestaurants

Sinyongsan burger spot, 5 sauces & crunchy chicken: Bass Burger

Bass Burger Sinyongsan is a burger and fried-food restaurant on Yongridan-gil near Sinyongsan Station in Yongsan, Seoul, with unlimited potato chips at the self-serve bar and a choice of 1 of 5 sauces with each menu item. Before a movie at Yongsan I'Park Mall, the writer and their partner tried the Bass Burger set, a double bacon cheeseburger combo, the chili mozza cheese bars and crunchy boneless chicken (red cut), each with a different sauce. Bass Burger Sinyongsan suits anyone who wants boldly spiced burgers and crispy fried sides paired sauce by sauce.

Written Jun 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuCafés

Jeju rice cake shop a local friend loves: black sesame tteok, Suragan

Suragan Tteokbang is a handmade rice cake (tteok) shop on Noyeon-ro in downtown Jeju City, near Jeju Airport. The writer went with a Jeju friend who is a regular there, tried a black sesame tteok sample, and bought 20 omegi-tteok (Jeju millet rice cakes), pumpkin injeolmi (rice cake coated in powder) and mugwort cheese tteok to share at the friend's home and back on the mainland. One bite of the sample was enough: Suragan Tteokbang is now the writer's pick for both Jeju souvenirs and thank-you gifts.

Written Jun 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuRestaurants

Jeju pork noodle restaurant in Yeon-dong with dombe-gogi: Arang Guksu

Arang Guksu (아랑국수) is a Korean restaurant specializing in gogi guksu (Jeju pork noodle soup) in Yeon-dong, Jeju City, near Jeju Airport. On a rainy Jeju trip, the writer ordered Arang Guksu's pork noodle soup together with Jeju dombe-gogi (boiled pork slices). The rich bone broth, huge portions and moist, chewy pork with no gamey smell stood out. For anyone who wants to try Jeju pork noodle soup and dombe-gogi in one meal near the airport, Arang Guksu is a strong pick.

Written Jul 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuBars

Yeon-dong, Jeju makgeolli bar enjoyed sober on a rainy day: Jumo

Jumo (주모) is a makgeolli bar in a semi-basement in Yeon-dong, Jeju City, near Jeju Airport. On a rainy first day of the trip, the writer skipped alcohol because of a hospital appointment and drank Coke Zero instead. Two friends still finished all three dishes: whole squid bibim noodles (spicy mixed noodles), roe jjampong (spicy seafood noodle soup with fish roe) and bacon cheese potato pancake. Jumo is a Yeon-dong bar worth revisiting for the food alone, even without drinking.

Written Jun 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulBars

Jonggak dining bar with perilla oil cream pasta and arancini: Refine

Refine Euljiro Myeongdong is a fusion Korean pub and dining bar on the 2nd floor of a building beside Cheonggyecheon, near Exit 4 of Jonggak Station in Jongno, Seoul. Over dinner and drinks with friends, the writer had a non-alcoholic basil tomato highball, a Seomaek, perilla oil cream pasta, arancini and gamjajeon (Korean potato pancake), then won yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) on the receipt review roulette. With a hotel-bar interior, a Jongno night view and traditional liquor tastings, Refine Euljiro Myeongdong is a satisfying pick for a friends' night out or a date in Euljiro.

Written Jul 24, 2026Partially sponsored
PlaceBucheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Bucheon ramen shop for non-ramen fans: thick tonkotsu broth, Gyeoretsu

Gyeoretsu Ramen Bucheon University Branch (교레츠라멘 부천대점) is a Japanese ramen shop between Bucheon Station and Bucheon University in Bucheon, Gyeonggi. On a weekend lunch visit with a partner, the writer ordered tonkotsu ramen and karai mazesoba (spicy brothless mixed noodles) with extra egg and chashu, then finished by mixing self-bar rice and furikake into the leftover mazesoba sauce. The writer, who doesn't usually enjoy Japanese-style ramen, fell for the rich tonkotsu broth at Gyeoretsu Ramen Bucheon University Branch.

Written Jul 28, 2026Partially sponsored
PlaceYeongjong, IncheonRestaurants

Eel buffet in Yeongjong, Incheon: back 1 min, belly 4 min, Jangsodam

Jangsodam Yeongjong Direct Store (장소담 영종직영점) is an all-you-can-eat meat buffet on Yeongjong Island in Incheon that serves eel, beef and pork by set. For a summer energy boost, the writer and a partner ordered Set A (eel, beef and pork), learned how to grill eel from the staff, and tried usamgyeop (thin-sliced beef), yukhoe (seasoned raw beef), pork galbi, the free cotton-soft tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) and self-bar desserts. Unlimited eel that grills up crispy outside, tender inside and free of any fishy smell makes Jangsodam Yeongjong Direct Store excellent value.

Written Aug 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongsan, SeoulBars

Sookmyung Station wine bar: Albariño and gorgonzola pizza at B421

B421 is a wine bar in Namyeong-dong, Yongsan, Seoul, tucked into an alley off Exit 6 of Sookmyung Women's University Station. Three women friends who finished work late shared a bottle of Marietta semi-sweet Albariño with mushroom cream pasta, gorgonzola pizza and a 25,000 won flat iron steak at B421. B421 feels like a hotel bar lounge but keeps food prices low, so it's a good spot for dinner and drinks in one stop.

Written Aug 7, 2026Sponsored
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