Commuter Table · 22 stories

Seoul, Served

I write about meals at restaurants I visit in Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars · Cafés

PlaceSeongdong, SeoulCafés

Pet-friendly café at Wangsimni Station: strong Americano, Eojil In

Eojil In Wangsimni Station Branch is a pet-friendly dessert café right outside Exit 6 of Wangsimni Station in Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul. The writer explored the seating on both floors and tried two iced Americanos (₩5,000 each), the signature Basque cheesecake (₩5,900), a cream cheese financier (₩3,800) and a lemon madeleine (₩3,500). Verdict: the slightly strong Americano paired with the creamy Basque cheesecake is Eojil In Wangsimni Station Branch's biggest strength.

Written Nov 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulCafés

Seoul Station café, Grand Central parking & evening ciabatta: Dance

Dance Dance Dance Seoul Station is a sandwich and baguette brunch café on the third basement floor of the Grand Central building, across from Seoul Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. On an evening visit with no wait, the chicken breast sandwich (11,900 won) came with a free swap from baguette to ciabatta; the chicken was moist and the sauce gentle rather than overpowering. With its parking discount, group orders and running discount, Dance Dance Dance Seoul Station is a sandwich café near Seoul Station worth keeping in mind.

Written Nov 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Fusion restaurant by Hongik Univ. Station: crispy-chewy gnocchi, Omil

Omil Hongdae is a fusion Western restaurant on the second floor of a building 2–3 minutes' walk from Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul. Arriving right at opening for a weekday lunch with no wait, the writer ordered the Rubber Duck omurice (16,900 won), salmon steak gnocchi (19,900 won) and Omil soba maki (12,900 won). The handmade gnocchi, crisp outside and chewy inside, and the sweet buckwheat-noodle soba maki were the highlights. Omil Hongdae's friendly staff and uncluttered dining room make it an easy choice for a date or a small get-together.

Written Nov 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam Station Japanese spot: half futomaki, salmon belly, Ilpum

Ilpum Gangnam Branch is a Japanese restaurant specializing in sushi, kaisendon (sashimi rice bowl) and unagi-don, on basement level 1 of Seocho Town Trapalace in Seocho-dong, Seoul, near Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station. At Ilpum Gangnam Branch the writer ordered a half futomaki roll (5 pieces, 17,000 won) and a premium kaisendon (37,000 won), added 2 pieces of salmon belly sushi, and the meal flowed like a course from chawanmushi to mini udon and pudding. For upscale Japanese rice bowls and sushi near Gangnam Station, Ilpum Gangnam Branch is a solid choice for anything from solo meals to family gatherings.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Late-night Gangnam laptop café, double choco cookie: Selected Nicks

Selected Nicks Gangnam is a large, late-opening café in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, between Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station, with floors running from B1 up to a rooftop. On a third visit to Selected Nicks, the writer had an iced Americano, a vanilla bean latte and a double choco cookie at an outlet seat, and plenty of outlets on every floor meant laptop work without feeling rushed. For a roomy, calm café near Gangnam Station to study or work on a laptop late, Selected Nicks Gangnam is a good fit.

Written Oct 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jonggak rice bowl spot: no-wait kaisendon & unagi don by 2 p.m., Ilpum

Ilpum Gwanghwamun (일품 광화문점) is a Japanese restaurant specializing in kaisendon (sashimi rice bowl) and unagi don (eel rice bowl), on the second basement floor between Gwanghwamun Station and Jonggak Station in Jongno, Seoul. Ilpum Gwanghwamun usually has a wait, but the writer arrived just before the 2 p.m. lunch last order, walked straight in, and had kaisendon (₩26,000) and unagi don (₩40,000) with chawanmushi, mini udon and karaage. With satisfying sashimi texture and tender eel, Ilpum Gwanghwamun is a 200% would-return.

Written Jun 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulBars

Jonggak Station izakaya for non-drinkers: chicken neck skewers, Ilsim

Ilsim is a Japanese-style izakaya on the 2nd floor of the 94 Building on Sambong-ro, a 2-minute walk from Jonggak Station in Jongno, Seoul. A group that doesn't drink booked through Naver and got cider as the reservation perk, then ordered single scallion, chicken thigh and chicken neck skewers (₩7,500 for 2 pieces each) and the new butagakuni, a Japanese-style dongpo braised pork (₩32,000). Ilsim's skewers weren't dry and the butagakuni was tender, not greasy, and scraped clean to the last bite.

Written Jul 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulCafés

Seochon baumkuchen café: which baum is less sweet? The Baum

The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch is a café specializing in baumkuchen, the traditional German layered cake, in Seochon, Jongno, Seoul, a 3-minute walk from Gyeongbokgung Station. The writer ordered an iced Americano (5,000 won), a café caramel frappé (6,900 won), a plain mini baum (4,500 won) and a brûlée dark choco baumkuchen (7,800 won). The plain mini baum tasted strongly of sugar, while the brûlée dark choco baumkuchen balanced bitterness and sweetness and was less sweet. At The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch, choose a mini baum if you have a sweet tooth and a full baumkuchen if you want moderate sweetness.

Written Jun 27, 2026Sponsored
PlacePaju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Paju dumpling restaurant: 5-minute hourglass kalguksu, Bubyeokjeong

Bubyeokjeong Pyeongyang Mandu (부벽정평양만두) is a Pyeongyang-style dumpling restaurant in Paju, Gyeonggi, about a 7-minute drive from Paju Lotte Outlet. The writer joined the Catch Table waitlist and ordered the mild Pyeongyang mandu hot pot for 2 (28,000 won) and a half plate of boiled beef shank suyuk (17,000 won), enjoying the melt-in-your-mouth beef, the special sauce and a kalguksu (knife-cut noodle) finish timed with a 5-minute hourglass. Bubyeokjeong Pyeongyang Mandu has a wait, but fast table turnover, a self-bar, baby chairs and a dessert zone make it a good fit for a family meal.

Written Jul 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulBars

Sangsu Station izakaya: hanwoo beef sashimi & knee cartilage, Soottori

Soottori Hongdae Hapjeong is a Japanese-style yakitori izakaya on Dongmak-ro in Mapo, Seoul, between Sangsu Station and Hapjeong Station. With the Sootmakase B Hanwoo 1++ Meat Set (from 39,900 won), the writer chose hanwoo beef sashimi and potato salad and tried kushikatsu plus knee cartilage, neck, heart and breast cartilage skewers, then added a tenderloin skewer. For charcoal-scented specialty-cut yakitori and rich beef sashimi in a room made for conversation, Soottori Hongdae Hapjeong is a great fit.

Written Jul 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Eel rice bowl restaurant in Gangnam: furikake hitsumabushi, Chisot

Chisot Yeoksam Main Branch is a Nagoya-style hitsumabushi (grilled eel over rice) restaurant in Gangnam, Seoul, between Yeoksam Station and Eonju Station. The writer ordered the deluxe hitsumabushi (48,000 won) and followed the steps on the table card; mixing the table furikake in with seaweed and scallions was the best way to eat it. Chisot Yeoksam Main Branch doesn't serve big portions for the price, but self-bar refills of rice and ochazuke make it an easy pick for team dinners, solo meals and dates.

Written Jul 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

No-caramel jokbal restaurant near Sunae Station: Wangchang Jokbal

Wangchang Jokbal (왕창족발) is a jokbal (braised pig's trotters) restaurant a 4-minute walk from Exit 1 of Sunae Station in Bundang, Seongnam, serving domestic raw trotters boiled in-house every day without caramel. Wangchang Jokbal was full at around 7pm on a weekday, so the writer left a phone number, got a table within 10 minutes and had the medium Wangchang original jokbal (₩44,000), with tender skin and meat and side dishes that filled the table. The writer ranks Wangchang Jokbal among the top 3 jokbal they have ever eaten and recommends it to anyone looking for jokbal near Sunae Station.

Written Jul 31, 2026Sponsored