Korean restaurant dinner in Gwanghwamun: tofu myeongnan rice at SABAL
In short
SABAL is a Korean restaurant in Jongno, Seoul, on the first floor of Gyeonghuigungui Achim Complex 3, a short walk from Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung. Booking a window table for two at 7pm, the writer ordered chwinamul (aster greens) tofu myeongnan-bap with mini noodles for 17,000 won, gamtae (green laver) perilla oil bibim noodles for 17,000 won, and SABAL mini tteokbokki for 8,000 won, which arrived in a portion that was anything but mini. SABAL makes an easy, light Korean dinner that suits a date, a night with friends or a small work dinner.
Good to know
- Location
- SABAL, Unit 142, Gyeonghuigungui Achim Complex 3, 34 Sajik-ro 8-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
- Hours
- Daily 11:30–20:50 (break 14:50–17:00)
- Parking
- 1 hour free at the Gyeonghuigungui Achim Complex 3 lot; 1 extra hour with orders over 20,000 won per person
- Reservations
- Naver Reservation and Catch Table (same-day bookings possible)
- Chwinamul tofu myeongnan rice + mini noodles
- 17,000 won
- Gamtae perilla oil bibim noodles
- 17,000 won
- SABAL mini tteokbokki
- 8,000 won
- Seating
- Window tables for two, terrace seats (dogs welcome), separate area for groups
- Price reference
- ₩20,000 ≈ $14.5 (2026-09-21)
as written by the visitor on Sep 21, 2026
The weather's been so nice lately for a date around Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung! I didn't want anything too heavy on the stomach in the evening, so while hunting for a good Korean restaurant near Gwanghwamun I found SABAL — here's my dinner review ❤️
SABAL, Gwanghwamun 📍142-ho SABAL, Gyeonghuigungui Achim Complex 3, 34 Sajik-ro 8-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea ⏰ Daily 11:30–20:50 (B.T 14:50–17:00) 🅿️ 1 hour free parking at Gyeonghuigungui Achim Complex 3 (extra hour with orders over ₩20,000 per person) ✔️ Reserve via Naver Reservation or Catch Table
Where SABAL is and how to book a table
"SABAL" sits on the first floor of Gyeonghuigungui Achim Complex 3 — easy to find once you walk in through the main entrance!
If there's a wait, you just write your name on this handwritten waitlist! Since same-day booking is available through both Naver Reservation and Catch Table, it's way more convenient if you reserve ahead.
Apparently it's been a well-known Seochon lunch spot since 2008, popular with office workers in the Gwanghwamun area at lunchtime — and a go-to spot for work dinners in the evening..🩶
What SABAL feels like at 7pm, and where to sit
I'd already booked for 7pm and was shown to a window table for two! The interior is modern, neat and clean — I loved it right away..✨
Once you're seated, they set the table with side dishes, grain tea, and pumpkin porridge as a starter! Very fitting for a Gyeongbokgung-area hanjeongsik (Korean full-course) restaurant you could bring your parents to!
Even at 7pm, a fairly late hour, the whole place was either reserved or fully seated!! I saw all sorts of groups — couples, friends, work dinners.
Can you bring a dog? SABAL's terrace seats
A shot of the terrace seats on my way out! These seats seem to be really popular...🌿 With the cooler weather lately, lots of people were pairing wine out on the terrace! And since the terrace allows dogs, I spotted a few people who'd brought their pups along!
There's also group seating set apart from the main hall, so it looks like it's a popular spot for work dinners too!
At SABAL, apparently every single side dish is made in-house! Clean flavors and genuinely tasty.
Parking at SABAL: how many hours are covered
As for parking, it's 1 hour free per visitor, plus an extra hour if you spend over ₩20,000 per person! If that's still not enough, you can buy an additional parking discount ticket at checkout. For this neighborhood, the parking rates are pretty reasonable!!
What to order at SABAL on a first visit
SABAL's menu is made up of neat, tidy Korean dishes, and the popular ones are marked "best" — if it's your first time, I'd recommend ordering mainly from those! Especially the popular mini tteokbokki, which often sells out early, so grab it if you can❤️🔥
✨ The best-menu items we ordered ✨ ✔️ Chwinamul (aster scaber greens) tofu myeongnan-bap (pollock roe rice bowl) + mini noodles ₩17,000 ✔️ Gamtae (seaweed) perilla oil bibim noodles ₩17,000 ✔️ SABAL mini tteokbokki (stir-fried rice cakes) ₩8,000
Chwinamul tofu myeongnan rice with mini noodles, 17,000 won
I ordered the chwinamul tofu myeongnan-bap + mini noodles — my digestion's been off lately with all this test-tube work, so I went for a rice dish! Perfectly balanced macros..🤤 With bibimbap, the balance of ingredients matters most, and the pollock roe + chwinamul + tofu combo was spot on!! My husband liked it more than I did, so he ended up stealing most of it...😇 The portion is filling enough even for men!
Gamtae perilla oil bibim noodles, 17,000 won
My husband ordered the gamtae perilla oil bibim noodles! I went with rice worrying about digestion, but SABAL's noodles were so soft and slid down so easily that I probably didn't need to worry at all🤣 Wrapped in gamtae, they were so good~ not too salty either, just right..✨
SABAL mini tteokbokki, 8,000 won — mini in name only
Look at this whole spread! They call it mini tteokbokki, but... it's not mini at all......... Genuinely generous portion😇 There's a reason SABAL's mini tteokbokki is so popular!
Look at how the mini tteokbokki looks — clearly not a restaurant that skimps on ingredients..🫢
The mini tteokbokki was so good I finished every bit! I saw the table next to us come in during the last seating and not be able to order it — felt bad for them...! Definitely order the tteokbokki💘
SABAL is a Korean restaurant near Gwanghwamun that works for dates, friends, and work dinners alike — a flavor pretty much everyone will love!🩵
Where it is
142-ho SABAL, Gyeonghuigungui Achim Complex 3, 34 Sajik-ro 8-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 종로구 사직로8길 34 경희궁의아침 3단지 사발 142호
