Seongsu Weekender · 89 stories

Beyond the Menu

I write about restaurants I visit around Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Bars · Stays · Things to do · Shopping · Home & living · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Sindang chicken restaurant: sliced chicken and jeon, Gyeryugwan

Gyeryugwan (계류관) is a chicken restaurant near Exit 2 of Sindang Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, known for its signature oak-fired neungi chicken, roasted over oak logs for more than an hour. On this visit the writer ordered the oak-fired neungi roast (22,000 won), sliced chicken pyeonyuk (10,000 won) and the mixed chicken jeon platter (25,000 won): juicy chicken with sticky rice infused with neungi mushroom, thin chewy chicken slices and crispy pan-fried chicken jeon each had their own appeal. Gyeryugwan is a good Sindang spot to taste chicken several ways over a drink.

Written Jun 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceUijeongbu, GyeonggiRestaurants

Uijeongbu gomtang restaurant: Naju vs ox head vs dumpling soup, Hagane

Hagane Hanwoo Gomtang Uijeongbu Main Branch is a hanwoo beef gomtang (beef soup) and gukbap restaurant across from Eulji University Hospital in Geumo-dong, Uijeongbu. Three of us, with my parents, ordered one bowl each of Hagane Hanwoo Naju gomtang (₩9,500), hanwoo ox head gomtang (₩9,500) and Manbok rice cake dumpling soup (₩10,000) to compare the broth and fillings, and all three bowls came with generous meat and fillings. Pick Naju gomtang for clear broth, ox head gomtang for milky broth and chewy meat, and Manbok rice cake dumpling soup for rice cakes and big dumplings.

Written Oct 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jonggak sushi dinner for two: ₩27,000 vs ₩33,000 sets, Choe Uyeong

Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch (최우영스시야 종로점) is a basement sushi restaurant in Jongno, Seoul, a 3–5 minute walk from Jonggak Station Exit 1. Two of us came for dinner and ordered the 16-piece top set (₩27,000), the 17-piece premium set (₩33,000) and 5 pieces of torched beef brisket sushi (₩9,500), tasting abalone, eel, tuna, red sea bream, flounder fin, gunkan and aburi in one sitting. Ordering both sets at Choe Uyeong Sushiya gives slightly different line-ups even where the fish overlap, and with the brisket sushi it makes a filling dinner for two.

Written Oct 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceUijeongbu, GyeonggiRestaurants

Uijeongbu Station pizza shop: Kkwaktro & boneless chicken, Mom's Touch

Mom's Touch Uijeongbu Haengbok-ro branch is a Mom's Touch restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building on Haengbok-ro, near Exit 5 of Uijeongbu Station, selling burgers, fried chicken and Mom's Pizza. A boneless Pi-Chi Set (pizza and chicken set) upgraded to Kkwaktro Pizza M, Magic Pung-sauce Big Thigh boneless chicken R and a Pepsi Zero came to 28,600 won for dine-in, with a whole pizza plus boneless chicken that was plenty for two. Mom's Touch Uijeongbu Haengbok-ro is a good stop when you want pizza and chicken together in one place.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongbuk, SeoulRestaurants

Pho bar near Sungshin Women's Univ.: hoisin mix, 5 sides, Mibundang

Mibundang Sungshin Women's University Branch is a pho restaurant with a U-shaped bar counter near Sungshin Women's University Station in Seongbuk, Seoul. The brisket, flank and tendon pho (₩13,000) was eaten first as soup, then mixed with hoisin sauce and hot sauce, alongside a mixed starter platter (₩8,500) of five sides including potato-wrapped shrimp. With a rich yet clean broth, the fun of mixing the noodles and a generous platter, Mibundang Sungshin Women's University Branch makes a filling solo meal.

Written Jun 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Charcoal Korean BBQ dinner with Dad in Jonggak: Jonggak-ap Nosang

Jonggak-ap Nosang Gongyeong Juchajang (고기꾼김춘배 종로직영점) is a charcoal-grill Korean BBQ restaurant on the 5th floor of a building near Exit 4 of Jonggak Station in Jongno, Seoul, where staff grill 1++ hanwoo (Korean beef) and aged domestic chilled sow pork for you. Over dinner with Dad, the writer had the recommended set (99,000 won), half-and-half naengmyeon (cold noodles) and kkakdugi (radish kimchi) fried rice; the charcoal aroma was rich, and the high partitions made quiet conversation easy. Dad kept saying the meat was delicious, making Jonggak-ap Nosang a satisfying choice for a family dinner or a work dinner.

Written Jun 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jonggak sashimi spot with partitioned seats: yolk kaisendon, Suksseong

Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch (숙썽수산 종로본점) is an aged sashimi restaurant on the 3rd floor of a building near Exit 4 of Jonggak Station in Jongno, Seoul. After booking ahead, two people ate the lunch special kaisendon (sashimi rice bowl, 34,000 won each) in partitioned seats; the meal ran from bonito-flake soft tofu to rice mixed with egg yolk, seaweed wraps and fish cake soup. The Suksseong Susan special kaisendon had clean sashimi with no fishy taste and a generous portion, a satisfying bowl for lunch.

Written Jun 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceUijeongbu, GyeonggiRestaurants

Uijeongbu pork galbi: salt-grilled ribs, galbi atop naengmyeon, Manpo

Manpo Galbi Uijeongbu Main Branch (만포갈비 의정부본점) is a charcoal-grilled pork galbi restaurant on Beomgol-ro in Uijeongbu's new town, Gyeonggi. On a weekend with parents, the writer ordered 2 servings of Korean pork (Handon) raw galbi and 1 serving of marinated pork galbi. Yukhoe (seasoned raw beef) came as a side dish, and Hamheung naengmyeon (cold noodles) was free with the meat order. With clean-tasting raw galbi, gently sweet marinated galbi and free naengmyeon, Manpo Galbi Uijeongbu Main Branch made a satisfying family dinner spot.

Written Jun 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeonsu, IncheonRestaurants

Songdo Italian steak course: salmon piccata, pumpkin gnocchi, Salerno

Salerno Songdo Onesta is an Italian restaurant built around Neapolitan wood-fired pizza, on the 3rd floor of the Onesta Building next to Songdo Hyundai Outlet in Yeonsu, Incheon. The writer ordered Salerno's dinner steak course with a 250g salmon piccata steak and pumpkin gnocchi, served with mushroom soup, house salad, ciabatta, Amalfi lemonade and tiramisu. Salerno Songdo Onesta has a spacious dining room for an unhurried course meal and will satisfy anyone who likes creamy, rich Italian cooking.

Written Jun 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeonsu, IncheonBars

Songdo lakeview wine bar, red wine steak set and live vocals: Jazz 257

Jazz 257 Songdo Central Park Branch is a lakeview wine bar on the 2nd floor of Artfore Building D in Songdo, Yeonsu, Incheon, directly across from the Songdo Central Park water taxi dock. The writer ordered the Midnight Steak / Wine set with red wine, ate a stone steak served with a fire performance, and watched a live set by a male vocalist and keyboard player. Jazz 257 is a great date or anniversary spot for anyone who wants a lake view, steak and live music in one place.

Written Jun 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHanam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Western date restaurant in Misa: salad to 200g Hanwoo steak, Bokkeriu

Bokkeriu is a Western restaurant on Misadong-ro in Misa, Hanam, Gyeonggi. On Bokkeriu's 2nd floor the writer ate a homemade bacon Caesar salad, a striploin mushroom risotto, lasagna, a Hanwoo (Korean beef) pizza and a 200g Hanwoo 1+ striploin steak in turn, then toured the 3rd floor and terrace. Bokkeriu brings its dishes out one by one, which makes it a good Misa date restaurant for slowly sharing several plates.

Written Oct 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNamyangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Byeollae seafood kalguksu spot: giant cuttlefish for three, Gojip

Gojip Tongmuneo Kalguksu Byeollae Byeolgaram Station Branch is a seafood kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) restaurant on Sunhwagung-ro in Byeollae, Namyangju, where diners eat whole octopus, cuttlefish and clams first and add the noodles last. After joining the Tabling waitlist around 11:30 a.m. on a Saturday, the writer ordered the medium whole octopus kalguksu (₩58,000, serves 3), which came with cuttlefish far bigger than in the photos, plenty of seafood and thick noodles boiled for about 8 minutes. For seafood lovers, Gojip Tongmuneo Kalguksu is a filling choice, and on weekends it is easiest to arrive at the 11 a.m. opening or the 5 p.m. reopening.

Written Oct 15, 2026Sponsored