Goyang Pocket Diner · 13 stories

Pocket Menu

I write about small digital features and everyday moments of using them. · Writes about: Tech & gadgets · Cafés · Restaurants · Bars · Things to do · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeouido Station Korean BBQ: halal lamb and bibim naengmyeon, Yuk Lab

Yuk Lab Yeouido (육랩 여의도점) is a beef and lamb Korean BBQ restaurant with all private-room seating, on the 2nd floor of the Yeouido General Shopping Center right by Exit 5 of Yeouido Station in Seoul. The writer grilled the ₩89,000 set for 3 in order (jingalbisal rib finger meat, sirloin, tosisal hanger steak and halal-certified lamb ribs) and finished with ₩5,900 bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold mixed noodles). Yuk Lab Yeouido isn't expensive, yet the meat quality is good, making it a solid Yeouido Station pick for a cozy meal in a private room.

Written Apr 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceEunpyeong, SeoulRestaurants

Jingwan-dong Korean BBQ dinner with a friend, gabeurisal: Donmihyang

Donmihyang Gupabal Branch (돈미향 구파발본점) is a pork BBQ restaurant where staff grill the meat for you, in the basement of the Eunpyeong New Town Kkumegreen shopping arcade in Jingwan-dong, Eunpyeong, Seoul. After a neighborhood walk, the writer and a friend arrived around 5 p.m. and ordered 2 servings of gabeurisal (pork shoulder cap, 160g for ₩17,000), brisket doenjang stew (₩7,000) and bibim milmyeon (spicy cold wheat noodles, ₩6,000). Donmihyang also serves neat side dishes and tea instead of plain water, and offers free parking and paid corkage. The verdict: Donmihyang Gupabal Branch is a comfortable, fairly priced Jingwan-dong Korean BBQ where you never have to grill yourself.

Written May 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceEunpyeong, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Eungam hair salon root dye + clinic for flat-iron damage: Hair Geurimi

Hair Geurimi Eungam Branch is a hair salon on the 2nd floor of a building near Eungam Station (Line 6) in Eunpyeong, Seoul. The writer has kept brown hair for years. Her roots had grown out, and daily flat ironing had left her ends looking bleached, so she had the deputy director at Hair Geurimi do a dye, a clinic treatment and a heat treatment. Her patchy hair came out neat and glossy, and she was very happy with the visit.

Written Feb 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hapjeong Indian lunch: onion fritters and chicken makhni, Mandala

Mandala Indian Lounge is an Indian restaurant serving traditional Indian recipes on the 3rd floor of a building on Dongmak-ro 3-gil in Mapo, Seoul, about a 5-minute walk from Hapjeong Station. Over lunch with a friend, the writer had onion fritters (₩10,000) with two sauces, a plain lassi (₩4,000), chicken tikka (₩16,000) and chicken makhni curry (₩13,000) with rice, plus a butter naan (₩3,500) received through a review event, and every dish was delicious. Mandala Indian Lounge is worth recommending for a bright, cheerful Indian curry lunch in Hapjeong.

Written May 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulThings to do

Hyehwa board game café at ₩3,000 an hour with popcorn refills: Hero

Hero Board Game Cafe Daehangno Branch is a board game café on the 2nd floor of a building near Exit 2 of Hyehwa Station in Jongno, Seoul. Two friends paid ₩3,000 per hour, played games from the 2-player picks corner and the Yang Se-chan game, used the free pool table, arcade machines and Nintendo Switch, and used the kiosk at each table for game recommendations and food orders. For cheap indoor things to do in Hyehwa, Hero Board Game Cafe Daehangno Branch is excellent value.

Written Jun 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Evening bakery café in Yeonnam-dong: matcha latte at Noknok

Noknok is a large two-floor bakery café on Seongmisan-ro in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo, Seoul, open until 11:30pm. After a weekday walk in Yeontral Park, the writer and a friend stopped by Noknok around 8pm and ordered an americano (3,800 won), a matcha latte (4,400 won) and a crème brûlée Basque cheesecake (8,500 won). The ground floor was nearly full even that late, while the second floor was quiet with people studying on laptops. With drinks priced low for the atmosphere, Noknok is a good pick for an evening café or study café in Yeonnam-dong.

Written Jun 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceEunpyeong, SeoulRestaurants

Eunpyeong ramen shop: two paitans shared with a friend, Oreno Ramen

Oreno Ramen Eunpyeong (오레노라멘 은평점) is a chicken paitan (creamy chicken broth) ramen shop on Bulgwangcheon-gil in Eunpyeong, Seoul, near Saejeol Station on Line 6. After a walk along Bulgwangcheon stream, the writer and a friend arrived just after weekend opening, ordered one tori paitan ramen and one karai paitan ramen (13,000 won each) to share, and found the rich broth, firm, chewy noodles and tender meat all satisfying. With free refills of broth, kimchi, noodles and rice, Oreno Ramen Eunpyeong is a recommended hot bowl after a Bulgwangcheon walk.

Written Jul 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Starfield Goyang family BBQ, waiting by Changneung Stream: Neopttakjip

Neopttakjip Samsong Branch (넙딱집 삼송점) is a charcoal BBQ restaurant in front of Exit 3 of Samsong Station in Deogyang-gu, Goyang, near Starfield Goyang. The writer's family came for a weekend dinner, spent the roughly 10-minute wait strolling along Changneung Stream (창릉천), and ordered the 600g mixed grill with grilled vegetables (₩57,000) plus beef belly kkakdugi fried rice and perilla oil makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles). Thanks to its new self-serve bar and friendly staff, Neopttakjip Samsong Branch is a good place for a family BBQ meal near Starfield Goyang.

Written Aug 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Seooreung Chinese restaurant: cold jjamppong, soondubu noodles for 3

Jjamppong Jijeon Seooreung Branch (짬뽕지존 서오릉점) is a Chinese restaurant specialising in jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) on Seooreung-ro in Deogyang-gu, Goyang. On a weekend evening with her parents, the writer ordered three bowls: cold jjamppong for 12,500 won, rice noodle jjamppong for 13,000 won and soondubu (soft tofu) noodles for 14,000 won, plus a 5-piece fried mandu (dumpling) sampler for 4,500 won. Jjamppong Jijeon Seooreung Branch also has a free self-bar with side dishes, rice, drinks and coffee, and parking for 30 cars out front. Good value and good flavour make it an easy pick for a meal near Seooreung.

Written Aug 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Goyang soup restaurant for a hot-cold lunch with Mom: Jeju Eunhui-ne

Jeju Eunhui-ne Haejangguk Goyang Samsong Branch (제주은희네해장국 고양삼송점) is a Korean haejangguk (hangover soup) restaurant in Goyang, Gyeonggi, a 5-minute walk from Samsong Station Exit 3 on Line 3 and close to Starfield Goyang. On an early weekend lunch with Mom, the writer ordered the haejangguk + dombegogi (Jeju-style boiled pork) 80g set for 20,000 won and hanchi mulhoe (cold raw squid soup) for 16,000 won, sharing both on side plates and switching between the hot soup and the cold mulhoe, a combo the writer calls 'tteucha tteucha' (hot-cold, hot-cold). With free extra rice and broth, Jeju Eunhui-ne Haejangguk in Samsong is good value for the price.

Written Aug 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Dumpling stew restaurant in Daeja-dong, Goyang: Mansori Sogogi Gukbap

Mansori Sogogi Gukbap is a Korean restaurant in Daeja-dong, Deogyang-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi, sitting right beside Byeokjecheon stream and serving beef gukbap, galbitang, Hamhung-style naengmyeon, dumpling hot pot and duck. On a drive with her mom, the writer ordered the shabu dumpling hot pot for two at 30,000 won, which arrived piled with vegetables, beef, four kinds of dumplings and rice cake plus kalguksu noodle add-ins. With wide parking in front, kids' chairs and a self-serve banchan bar, Mansori Sogogi Gukbap is an easy choice for a family meal.

Written Aug 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceEunpyeong, SeoulRestaurants

Katsu restaurant in Yeonsinnae, Seoul: cold soba and cheese katsu set

Katsu Monster Yeonsinnae Branch is a tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) restaurant a 2-3 minute walk from Exit 4 of Yeonsinnae Station in Eunpyeong, Seoul. Two friends ordered the 2-3 person set, swapped the standard loin katsu for a mixed katsu and a cheese katsu for a small extra charge, and added cold soba, and the portions were more than enough for two. Bar seats facing the window also make Katsu Monster an easy spot for a solo lunch in Yeonsinnae.

Written Sep 25, 2026Sponsored