Next Seat Local · 16 stories

The Side Table

I write about restaurant visits around Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Bars · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Yeoksam Italian, wedding-invite meetup with free wine: Mano di Chef

Mano di Chef Gangnam is a Blue Ribbon Italian restaurant on basement level 1 of a building on Teheran-ro, between Yeoksam Station and Gangnam Station in Seoul. The writer visited Mano di Chef Gangnam with 6 friends for a wedding-invitation meetup, received a bottle of sparkling wine through a KakaoTalk channel perk, and shared 5 dishes: pizza, risotto, pasta and gnocchi. With its spacious, cool dining room and wedding-invitation perk, Mano di Chef Gangnam proved a satisfying spot for a group wedding-invitation meetup.

Written Jul 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongjak, SeoulBars

Korean pub near Sadang Station for a wedding invite meetup: Sisibibi

Sisibibi is a Korean-style gastropub on the second floor of an alley building near Sadang Station Exit 8 in Dongjak, Seoul. Three friends met at Sisibibi to hand out wedding invitations and ordered beef tripe and brisket motsunabe (₩31,000), a sweet shrimp and barley doenjang raw fish salad set (₩45,000), chili eggplant fritters with crispy rice (₩23,000) and Bingtanbok bokbunja berry liquor (₩12,000). The sweet shrimp raw fish salad set, which also came with yellowtail, was the favorite. If you want a Sadang meetup spot where you can actually talk, rather than a typical barbecue joint or chain bar, Sisibibi is a solid choice.

Written Jul 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Korean BBQ in Sinsa, Seoul for a wedding invitation dinner: Sansol

Sansol Sinsa Main Branch is a newly opened aged-meat Korean BBQ restaurant near Sinsa Station Exit 4 in Seocho, Seoul. On a Friday after work, the writer hosted a wedding invitation dinner there with the 640g Sol Assortment (72,000 won) plus extra pork belly. A friend's champagne came in corkage-free, and the Naver reservation perk added a free makgeolli (Korean rice wine). With its spacious, comfortable dining room and reservation perks, Sansol Sinsa Main Branch is a Korean BBQ worth recommending for group dinners in Sinsa.

Written Aug 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Gangnam waxing salon for a bride's pre-Hawaii Brazilian: Super Waxing

Super Waxing Gangnam is a reservation-only waxing salon on the 3rd floor of City Building on Teheran-ro 1-gil, about a 3-minute walk from Gangnam Station Exit 11 in Seoul. With a wedding and a Hawaii trip coming up, the writer got an all-nude Brazilian wax for 55,000 won to be bikini-ready and said it didn't hurt at all because the technician worked so fast. With clean private rooms and thorough aftercare advice, Super Waxing Gangnam is an easy choice even for first-timers with a big date ahead.

Written Oct 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Bangi-dong gukbap with free parking, +₩2,000 extra-large bowl: Boseung

Boseung Hoegwan Bangi Branch (보승회관 방이점) is a 24-hour gukbap (Korean rice soup) restaurant at 101 Ogeum-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul, open every day of the year. On a Sunday at 6pm the writer parked free in front of Boseung Hoegwan and ordered two servings of the ₩16,000 sundae suyuk set, making one bowl a half-and-half sundaeguk and upgrading the other to extra-large for +₩2,000. Boseung Hoegwan Bangi Branch is a no-fail pick when you want a hearty meal in Jamsil or Bangi-dong.

Written Aug 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam Korean BBQ mixed set for 3 with tableside lamb chops: Yuklab

Yuklab Gangnam (육랩 강남본점) is a beef and lamb chop Korean BBQ restaurant on the 2nd floor, a 5-minute walk from Gangnam Station Exit 11 in Seoul. Two friends visited after work and ordered the 3-person combo set for 89,000 won (jingalbisal boneless rib meat, sirloin, hanger steak and lamb chops), adding garlic beef ribs for 19,000 won and kimchi fried rice for 9,900 won, while staff grilled and carved the lamb chops at the table. If you want to try many different cuts in one meal, the Yuklab Gangnam combo set is the answer.

Written Aug 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Myeongdong Italian restaurant for a work lunch for four: Seventy Four

Seventy Four Myeongdong Cathedral Main Branch is an Italian restaurant on the first floor of the Familia Chapel at Myeongdong Cathedral in Jung-gu, Seoul. The blogger booked a table during the office lunch break, went with 3 friends, and shared kimchi risotto (16,000 won), basil pesto pasta (18,000 won) and arugula prosciutto pizza (27,000 won). Thanks to sunlight through the floor-to-ceiling windows and generous space between tables, Seventy Four is worth recommending for work lunches as well as blind dates and dates.

Written Aug 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Yangjae charcoal dakgalbi for a couple before the wedding: Yanggyegok

Yanggyegok is a charcoal-grilled dakgalbi (spicy or marinated chicken grill) restaurant near Yangjae Station in Gangnam, Seoul. A couple two weeks from their wedding ordered one serving each of salt, soy and gochujang dakgalbi for dinner; the chicken arrived pre-grilled and was ready to eat quickly, and they also had the complimentary chicken soup and used the self-serve bar. The writer's favorite of the three was the clean-tasting salt dakgalbi, and Yanggyegok makes a good pick for a date or group dinner in Yangjae.

Written Sep 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Apgujeong Rodeo hair salon short cut and dark brown dye for the

Biorn Hair Apgujeong Rodeo is a hair salon on the 3rd floor near Apgujeong Rodeo Station in Gangnam, Seoul. Two weeks before the wedding, the writer went with her mother, the mother of the bride, for a short-cut color with director Yoonyoung, who matched a dark chestnut brown that holds its tone even under dim wedding hall lighting. The scalp never stung and the back hairline was trimmed clean, so both mother and daughter would book Biorn Hair Apgujeong Rodeo again.

Written Sep 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Sunday lunch at a Jamsil baguette sandwich shop: basil jambon-beurre

Town Sandwich Jamsil Branch is a baguette sandwich shop in Songpa, Seoul, a 9–10 minute walk from Jamsil Station Exit 9. On a Sunday lunch visit the best-selling basil jambon-beurre cost 8,800 won, and the baguette — crisp on the outside, never hard inside — was the most memorable part. Town Sandwich Jamsil Branch suits anyone after a light, fresh meal in Jamsil.

Written Sep 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Myeongdong family lunch spot: vongole pasta and Margherita, Mano di

Mano di Chef Myeongdong Branch is an Italian restaurant on the 11th floor of the UNESCO Building in Myeongdong, Seoul. On a weekend afternoon the writer and her mother ordered the Margherita pizza at 27,900 won, the gamtae (seaweed) pesto and seafood barley risotto at 32,900 won, and the vongole aglio e olio pasta at 27,900 won; the risotto was slightly salty, but the pizza and oil pasta were easy to share. With a wide menu, Mano di Chef Myeongdong Branch suits a family or group where everyone orders to their own taste.

Written Sep 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Late-night Sinnonhyeon café, yellow cheese financier: Upper and Under

Upper and Under is a dessert café in Gangnam, Seoul, a 4-5 minute walk from Sinnonhyeon Station Exit 6, spread over the basement, first and second floors. On a late-evening visit only a few desserts were left, so the order was a yellow cheese financier for 4,500 won, an Earl Grey grapefruit for 8,500 won and two coconut matcha at 8,500 won each. Go to Upper and Under earlier in the day if you want the full dessert lineup.

Written Sep 19, 2026Sponsored