Closet Diner · 91 stories

The Restaurant Guestbook

I write about meals and visits to restaurants in Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Books & stationery · Cafés · Fashion · Home & living

PlaceBucheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Bucheon jjambbong spot, cold-day lunch & rice refills: Jjambbong Jijon

Jjambbong Jijon Bucheon Jungdong Branch is a Chinese restaurant specialising in jjambbong (spicy seafood noodle soup), on the ground floor of a building near Sinjungdong Station in Bucheon, Gyeonggi. On a cold weekend lunch, the writer ordered Jijon Jjambbong, a double portion of Jijon Jajang and a medium glutinous rice tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork), received free jjambbong dumplings, and used the free rice refills, drink corner and side-dish self-bar. The writer ranks the Jijon Jjambbong at Jjambbong Jijon Bucheon Jungdong Branch as the best jjambbong they have ever eaten.

Written Oct 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBucheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Duck course dinner with mom in Okgil-dong, Bucheon: Keunsawi Ori Jip

Keunsawi Ori Jip Bucheon Okgil Main Branch (큰사위 오리집 부천옥길본점) is a duck restaurant in Okgil-dong, Bucheon, right next to the Bucheon Water Resource Eco Park and near Starfield Bucheon. Over dinner with mom, the Keunsawi Special course for 2 ran from perilla duck bangyetang (half-portion ginseng-style soup) to cypress-steamed duck, duck dori-tang (spicy braised duck stew) and sesame oil fried rice, with as much gondeure (Korean thistle) shiitake rice from the self-serve bar as wanted. With a large private parking lot and kids' tableware, Keunsawi Ori Jip is a good duck course restaurant for family meals or a summer stamina-food get-together.

Written Jun 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Gangnam yogurt café: Large tub for homemade yogurt mochi—Lazy Yogurt

Lazy Yogurt Gangnam is a Greek yogurt café near Gangnam Station in Seoul. The writer went back to Lazy Yogurt Gangnam to make yogurt mochi (chapssaltteok, a sweet glutinous rice cake) at home, buying a Marron Single for 7,300 won and a plain bulk Large tub (450g) for 14,300 won. The thick Greek yogurt from Lazy Yogurt Gangnam stayed firm inside the rice cake without turning it soggy, so the homemade dessert was done in 10 minutes.

Written Oct 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam Station solo burger lunch: 18mm chili cheese fries, Daily Fix

Daily Fix Gangnam Main Branch is an American-style burger restaurant in an alley between Gangnam Station and Yeoksam Station in Seoul, with kiosk ordering at every table and plenty of solo seats. The writer came alone for a late lunch and ordered a bacon cheeseburger set plus chili cheese fries switched to 18mm fries for ₩30,600 in total, and was struck by the crisp toasted bun and a fries portion far bigger than expected. For a solo meal, one Daily Fix burger set is more than enough to fill you up.

Written Oct 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulCafés

Study café with meeting rooms in Sinnonhyeon: salmon sandwich, Selecto

Selecto Coffee Sinnonhyeon Branch 24 Auto Brew Cafe is a 24-hour café near Exits 1 and 2 of Sinnonhyeon Station in Seocho, Seoul, with meeting rooms, solo study seats and a 24-hour unmanned print zone. Looking for somewhere to stay late, the writer studied at a solo seat with a Mocha Blend iced Americano (₩3,800) and a smoked salmon sandwich (₩8,500), packed with so much salmon that half was filling. Selecto Coffee Sinnonhyeon suits office workers and students who need a late-night spot to study or hold a meeting near Sinnonhyeon Station.

Written Oct 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Budget poke at Gangnam Station: salmon swap on ₩7,500 wrap, Ola Poke

Ola Poke Gangnam is a poke and salad restaurant on basement level 1 of a building on Teheran-ro 4-gil, near Exit 4 of Gangnam Station in Seoul. Stopping by on a weekday just before the break time, the writer got a garlic shrimp poke (11,500 won) and a 7,500 won custom salad wrap switched to raw salmon (+2,000 won) to go, and picks the custom menu and chili garlic mayo sauce as the best ordering tips. For a meal that is both good value and diet-friendly, the custom salad wrap at Ola Poke Gangnam is a smart choice.

Written Oct 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangmyeong, GyeonggiRestaurants

Galbi house in Gwangmyeong, 3rd visit after the remodel: Seoseo Galbi

Gwangmyeong Seoseo Galbi is a charcoal-grill galbi (marinated rib) restaurant in an alley at the far end of Gwangmyeong Market, by Gwangmyeong Sageori in Gyeonggi. Returning on a weekday evening after the remodel, the writer ordered 2 servings of seoseo galbi, 1 serving of pork galbi and bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold noodles), and especially liked the unlimited yangnyeom gejang (spicy marinated crab) from the self-serve bar and the complimentary siraegi doenjang soup (dried radish greens in soybean paste broth). Verdict: Gwangmyeong Seoseo Galbi is a Gwangmyeong Sageori galbi house worth revisiting for anyone who wants marinated crab alongside their galbi.

Written Jun 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Sinnonhyeon snack bar, mul-tteok better than Busan's: Deokjane

Deokjane Bangatgan (덕자네방앗간) is a bunsik (Korean snack food) shop serving tteokbokki made with whole garaetteok (long rice cakes), on the ground floor of a building near Exit 7 of Sinnonhyeon Station in Seocho, Seoul. After 1 p.m. on a weekday, the writer took out tteokbokki (6,000 won), mul-tteok (boiled rice cake skewers, 4,000 won), Deokja gimbap (4,500 won) and tuna gimbap (5,500 won). The shop was almost full, yet the food came out fast, and the mul-tteok, made with freshly pulled rice cakes, tasted better than the mul-tteok the writer had eaten in Busan. For a fast, cheap snack lunch in Gangnam or Sinnonhyeon, Deokjane Bangatgan's tteokbokki and mul-tteok are the answer.

Written Oct 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangmyeong, GyeonggiRestaurants

Baby octopus spot with 8-hour AK Mall parking, Gwangmyeong: Jeongipum

Jeongipum Jjukkumi Gwangmyeong 1st Branch is a griddle baby octopus (jjukkumi) and pork belly restaurant in the central alley on the 1st floor of AK Mall in Gwangmyeong, near Gwangmyeong Station and IKEA Gwangmyeong. A regular who has returned many times booked ahead, ordered the griddle baby octopus with extra noodles and black pork belly (₩19,500) plus flying fish roe fried rice, and explains how to register AK Mall parking for up to 8 hours. With fast, friendly staff who cook everything at the table and a white sauce and flying fish roe wrap combo, Jeongipum Jjukkumi is the regular's top pick for baby octopus in Gwangmyeong and a place worth coming back to.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Gangnam Station bakery café: vanilla bean cream horn, Bakerist Brown

Bakerist Brown is a large bakery café near Sinnonhyeon Station in Gangnam, Seoul, close to Gangnam Station, that fills an entire building from basement level 1 to the third floor. On a return visit with friends, the writer ordered a salt cream coffee (7,800 won), a conch-shaped cream horn pastry (5,000 won) and a Gangnam Sand gift set (19,000 won), and the cream horn packed with vanilla bean came first for taste. With sunlit floor-to-ceiling window seats and a wide bread selection, Bakerist Brown is a Gangnam Station café worth coming back to.

Written Oct 22, 2026Sponsored
ProductGoyoonHome & living

Disposable heated eye mask for dry eyes, headaches: Goyoon Eye Mask

Goyoon Heated Eye Mask (Goyoon 온열안대) is a disposable warm eye mask from Korea that you open and use right away, with no charging or power cord. After heavy phone use brought back the writer's dry eyes and headaches, a 20-pack of Goyoon Heated Eye Masks left the writer's eyes less gritty and the headaches milder the next day. At about 500 won each and slimly wrapped one by one, Goyoon Heated Eye Mask is an easy, low-cost pick for bedtime or travel.

Written Oct 21, 2026Product provided
PlaceSiheung, GyeonggiRestaurants

Siheung galbi restaurant for rainy days with parents: Gyesu Garden

Gyesu Garden (계수가든) is a charcoal-grilled galbi (Korean BBQ ribs) restaurant in Siheung, Gyeonggi, on the Bucheon border near Starfield Bucheon. On a rainy day, the writer booked ahead and took their parents to Gyesu Garden for the Gyesu Signature Set (65,000 won for 2 servings of marinated pork galbi plus 1 serving of LA galbi), which came with plump yangnyeom gejang (spicy marinated crab), fresh ssam (lettuce-wrap) greens, a 2,000 won doenjang (soybean paste) stew and after-meal drinks. Thanks to its mild, not-too-strong flavors and green garden yard, Gyesu Garden is a great galbi restaurant to take your parents to.

Written Oct 20, 2026Sponsored