Table Hopper · 40 stories

At a Seoul Restaurant

I write about meals and visits to restaurants in Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars · Cafés · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeonnam-dong solo eel rice bowl in a palm-wide box: Jongno Donburi

Jongno Donburi Yeonnam is a Japanese rice bowl (donburi) restaurant between Hongik Univ. Station and the alleys of Yeonnam-dong in Mapo, Seoul. Eating alone, the writer ordered the special unagi-don (eel rice bowl, 23,000 won). It came in a black hexagonal box so wide that its edges showed past an open palm, topped with large pieces of smoky grilled eel. The Jongno Donburi Yeonnam unagi-don comes as a full set with miso soup and side dishes, and it is an eel rice bowl worth its 23,000 won.

Written Oct 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulRestaurants

Guui Station Korean BBQ: ₩50,000 pork belly and beer set, Sanggu's

Sanggu's Cauldron-Lid Samgyeopsal Guui branch (상구네솥뚜껑삼겹살 자양본점) is a cauldron-lid pork belly restaurant on a side street in Jayang-dong, Gwangjin, Seoul. A set of pork belly and pork neck with 2 small beers and minari (Korean water parsley) costs ₩50,000, and staff grill the meat from start to finish, so diners can focus on conversation. Allowing for peak-hour waits and no dedicated parking, Sanggu's Cauldron-Lid Samgyeopsal is worth a return visit for a date or drinks with friends.

Written Jun 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulBars

Konkuk Univ. company dinner pub, one round with BBQ jokbal: Yukhoe

Yukhoe Gongjakso Sejong University branch is a gastropub on Gunja-ro in Gwangjin, Seoul, between Sejong University, Konkuk Univ. and Children's Grand Park. An after-work company dinner there covered the beef sashimi and salmon yakiniku set (55,900 won), the BBQ jokbal (pig's trotters) with DIY rice balls set (23,900 won) and seafood jjamppong soup (19,900 won), bringing raw fish, beef sashimi, charcoal-grilled beef, jokbal and soup to one table. Yukhoe Gongjakso was satisfying enough that one coworker said a second round wasn't needed, making it a strong one-stop company dinner spot.

Written Jun 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Korean BBQ in Nowon after a Suraksan trail walk with a friend: Mungchi

Mungchi is a charcoal-grilled pork galbi restaurant on basement level 1 of 1657 Dongil-ro in Nowon, Seoul, near Suraksan. After walking the Suraksan Dulle-gil trail, the writer and a friend grilled 2 servings of unmarinated pork galbi and Mungchi's thick pork neck over hardwood charcoal. They were happy with the galbi, which had no gamey smell, the pork neck, crisp outside and juicy inside, and the mini cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew) that comes free with meat orders. The thick cuts take a while to grill, so Mungchi is a friendly neighborhood Korean BBQ spot for an unhurried, filling dinner after a walk.

Written Jun 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulBars

Gunja Station Korean pub with kimchi pork bones & bingsu: Saechamjip

Saechamjip Gunja (새참집 군자직영점) is a Korean pub-restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building on Neungdong-ro 36-gil, near Gunja Station in Gwangjin, Seoul. On a weekend evening with a friend, the writer ordered the 48-hour-simmered aged kimchi stone-plate pork bones (₩24,900) with added cheese (₩3,000), plus whole-shrimp minari jeon (₩18,900) and Insadong Chogo thread bingsu (₩14,900). Saechamjip Gunja is a good spot near Gunja Station for a get-together, with food, drinks and dessert in one place.

Written Jun 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Jokbal date near Nowon Station, then karaoke next door: Gwihan Jokbal

Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch is a jokbal (braised pig's trotters) and bossam (boiled pork) restaurant a 1–2 minute walk from Exit 1 of Nowon Station in Seoul. Two of us, a couple, shared a half-and-half jokbal platter (45,000 won) and a flying fish roe rice ball (5,000 won), and a complimentary bowl of makguksu (buckwheat noodles) left us full. Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch makes an easy date: mild jokbal and spicy fire jokbal in one order, then a karaoke room right next door for round two.

Written Oct 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulRestaurants

Jumbo king galbitang, unlimited rice, Gwangjin: Achasan Tong Galbitang

Achasan Tong Galbitang (아차산통갈비탕) is a Korean restaurant specializing in galbitang (beef short rib soup) on Jayang-ro in Gwangjin, Seoul, across from the Achasan public parking lot near Exit 2 of Achasan Station. The writer and a friend had the jumbo king galbitang for 18,000 won and enjoyed the tender meat falling off the big ribs, the spicy deodeok salad, unlimited rice, and the thick misugaru and gangjeong at the self-serve corner. Check the 3:30–5:00 PM break time and expect peak-hour waits, and Achasan Tong Galbitang is worth remembering for a hearty, restorative meal.

Written Jun 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongsan, SeoulRestaurants

Yongsan gomtang restaurant after an electronics market date: Baekok

Baekok Yongsan is a gomtang (beef bone soup) restaurant in an alley off Hangang-daero 10-gil near Yongsan Station, Seoul. After browsing Yongsan Electronics Market, the writer and his girlfriend sat at a 2nd-floor window seat at Baekok Yongsan and shared yeol gomtang (12,000 won), herbal yak gomtang (16,000 won), cabbage dumplings and neungi mushroom liquor by the glass (5,800 won). They enjoyed the clear broth, the friendly service and the fun of tasting traditional liquor by the glass. For a Yongsan Station date with a restorative meal, Baekok Yongsan is worth remembering.

Written Jun 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulRestaurants

Gunja cold noodle house: perilla sauce rice & warm pork, Sosa Myeonok

Sosa Myeonok (소사면옥) is a Seoul Korean restaurant serving naengmyeon (cold noodles) and boiled pork on Neungdong-ro in Gwangjin, between Gunja Station and Children's Grand Park. A Gunja local tried the kodari naengmyeon (cold noodles with semi-dried pollack, 12,000 won), the large perilla oil Hamheung noodles (12,000 won) and the large warm pork (13,000 won) in the newly expanded dining room, and found mixing rice into the leftover perilla oil noodle sauce the most memorable part. With free parking and more seating, Sosa Myeonok is worth returning to for a summer cold noodle meal.

Written Jun 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulBars

Earl Grey cocktail and whisky date at a Gunja bar: Kick Ass Jazz Club

Kick Ass Jazz Club is a live jazz bar on Neungdong-ro in Gwangjin, Seoul, about a 5-minute walk from Gunja Station. The writer went with a girlfriend on a show night and paired the Acid Jazz signature cocktail with glasses of Maker's Mark and Jack Daniel's and chili cheese fries, watching saxophone, piano and drums right in front of the stage. At ₩12,000 per person, Kick Ass Jazz Club is a Gunja date spot for high-quality jazz up close, but reservations are a must on show nights.

Written Jun 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Nowon Station sushi buffet: crab cream pasta and waffles at Kuu Kuu

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is a sushi buffet on the 6th floor of 247 Nowon-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul. On a family visit for the 31,900-won weekday dinner, the writer ate sushi served without wasabi, Uljin crab cream pasta, jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) and a waffle topped with unlimited bead ice cream, and walked straight in with no weekday evening wait. With sushi, hot food and desserts all well covered, Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is a good buffet for families whose tastes differ.

Written Jun 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Ramen shop near Seoulsup pop-ups: cheese Hanwoo cutlet set, Menya Pomo

Menya Pomo Seoul Forest Branch is a tomato ramen restaurant on Seoulsup 4-gil in Seongdong, Seoul, near Ttukseom Station Exit 8. After browsing the Seoulsup pop-up stores, the writer ordered the cheese Hanwoo (Korean beef) cutlet tomato ramen set for 20,000 won and finished by adding rice to the leftover broth to make risotto. A writer who doubted tomato and ramen could work together gave Menya Pomo five stars for a return visit.

Written Jul 2, 2026Sponsored