Midnight Tab Keeper · 18 stories

Night Tab, Daejeon-Chungcheong and Incheon and Seoul Restaurants and Bars

Writes about restaurants and bars in Daejeon-Chungcheong, Incheon, and Seoul, mostly the ones open late. · Writes about: Bars · Restaurants

PlaceSeo-gu, IncheonRestaurants

Friday soju BBQ in Gajeong, Incheon: pork neck 6 ways, Heukdwaeji

Heukdwaeji Hyeongjedeul Gajeong Ruwon City Main Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant in Ruwon City, Gajeong, Seo-gu, Incheon, where staff grill 7-day low-temperature-aged Jirisan black pork over coal briquettes for you. On a Friday after work, the writer and her boyfriend ordered the Sabaek-i (400g pork neck, 42,000 won) with soju. They tried the pork neck with coarse salt, chives, myeongi namul (pickled wild garlic leaves), steamed cabbage and shiitake wasabi sauce, then added pork jowl. Heukdwaeji Hyeongjedeul made someone who disliked dry pork neck see the cut in a new light.

Written Jun 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNamdong, IncheonBars

Guwol-dong after-work pub, Incheon: beef jeon & pork skin, Daedongjip

Daedongjip Incheon Guwol Branch is a retro-style Korean pub in the heart of Guwol-dong Rodeo Street in Namdong, Incheon. After work on a Friday, the writer ordered yukjeon (pan-fried beef slices in egg batter, 20,000 won), spicy stir-fried pork skin (18,000 won) and yuja and green grape highballs (6,500 won each), and the tender yukjeon with scallion salad and the chewy pork skin made an especially good pairing. Daedongjip Incheon Guwol Branch is a good first-round spot for dinner and drinks together.

Written Jun 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Deoksugung Korean restaurant: rainy-day shared gom kalguksu, Tanbaek

Tanbaek is a Korean kalguksu (knife-cut noodle) restaurant on Jeongdong-gil in Jung-gu, Seoul, right next to Deoksugung Palace. On a rainy day at the 1st-floor bar table, the writer ordered gom kalguksu (beef-broth knife-cut noodles) and the pork set, shared the noodles in the Hanwoo beef broth that came with the pork set, and added a glass of makgeolli. With a clear, deep broth and an interior shaped by craft artists, Tanbaek is a Deoksugung lunch spot worth recommending for a neat, well-made Korean meal.

Written Jun 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMichuhol, IncheonRestaurants

Sundae soup Sunday brunch with gayageum K-pop, Juan Station: Suraok

Suraok Sundaeguk Juan Station Branch is a sundaeguk (Korean blood sausage soup) chain restaurant right outside the back exit of Juan Station in Michuhol, Incheon. A late Sunday brunch of the Suraok special tripe sundae soup (11,000 won) and a mixed sundae platter (18,000 won) stood out for its soft vegetable sundae, lung with no gamey smell and rich broth with seasoning paste, while gayageum covers of Korean pop songs and brass-bowl royal-table styling added fun. For rich sundae soup and tender sundae, Suraok Sundaeguk Juan Station Branch won't disappoint.

Written Jun 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeo-gu, IncheonBars

Dokjeong Station omakase bar date with minari pesto bruschetta: Matgim

Matgim is a casual omakase bar on the first floor of the Megabox building at Dokjeong Station in Geomdan New Town, Seo-gu, Incheon. After work at 7 p.m., the writer and her boyfriend had the 3.5 Matgim course (35,000 won) with a Chilean white wine and a mango apple mint ade, and Matgim's signature grilled baby napa cabbage and minari (water dropwort) pesto bruschetta stood out most. Matgim breaks the idea that omakase has to be pricey and sushi-only, making it a good-value pick for both dates and group dinners.

Written Jun 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Bangbae-dong grilled fish restaurant, weekend lunch for 3: Naegohyang

Naegohyang Jeju is a grilled fish Korean restaurant run by Jeju natives in Bangbae-dong, Seocho, Seoul, near Naebang Station. At a weekend lunch, the Jeju grilled fish and abalone pot rice set for 3 brought grilled mackerel, Atka mackerel and yellow croaker, hijiki abalone pot rice and seasonal namul (seasoned greens) sides, all moist and not too salty. Weekend lunch at Naegohyang Jeju is fully booked with no walk-ins, so reserving ahead is a must.

Written Jul 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMichuhol, IncheonRestaurants

Gwangyo-dong Korean restaurant before a wedding suit fitting: Hantiok

Hantiok Lotte Department Store Incheon Branch is a Korean restaurant on the B1 floor of Lotte Department Store Incheon in Michuhol, Incheon, serving bossam (boiled pork) sets, hanwoo seolleongtang (Korean beef bone soup) and makguksu (buckwheat noodles). Before a wedding suit consultation, the writer ate a bossam set (22,000 won), a bibim makguksu on its own (14,000 won) and 3 mandu dumplings (6,000 won), and was especially pleased with the neat side dishes, the deep broth and the fresh tofu. If you are tired of salty, heavy department store food court meals, Hantiok is a comfortable Korean meal right on your shopping route.

Written Jul 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Pasta restaurant in Apgujeong for a wedding invitation meetup: Pepite

Pepite is a pasta restaurant on Dosan-daero 85-gil in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, run by a chef with a Michelin fine dining background. In July the writer held a wedding invitation meetup, handing a friend a wedding invitation at a Pepite window seat, and ordered the uni pasta (32,000 won) and red shrimp risotto (26,000 won), enjoying the subtle uni aroma, the springy pasta and the saffron and red frill mustard notes in the risotto. Pepite feels upscale without being stuffy, making it a strong pick for a wedding invitation meetup or a date.

Written Jul 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNamdong, IncheonRestaurants

Hanwoo BBQ in Nonhyeon, Incheon for a Friday work dinner: Kkuseokji

Kkuseokji Dolpan Hanu Incheon Nonhyeon Branch (꾸석지돌판한우 인천논현점) is a stone-plate grill restaurant serving grade-1 hanwoo (Korean beef), tucked inside the Nonhyeon-dong eating alley in Namdong, Incheon. Straight after work on a Friday, the writer ordered brisket, flap meat and rib meat in 100g portions (₩13,800–14,800 per 100g), with doenjang sulbap (soybean-paste rice stew, ₩7,800) and steamed egg (₩4,000), and was pleased by the meat's color and marbling, the widely spaced tables and the free-refill side-dish bar. For a work dinner or family gathering with hanwoo at a reasonable price, Kkuseokji Dolpan Hanu Incheon Nonhyeon Branch is a choice you won't regret.

Written Jul 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGyeyang, IncheonRestaurants

Bakchon Station duck BBQ date: raw duck with cabbage salad, Ganaandeok

Ganaandeok Gyeyang Branch (가나안덕 계양점) is a duck restaurant near Bakchon Station in Gyeyang, Incheon, where raw duck and seasoned duck jumulleok (marinated duck) are grilled over hardwood charcoal. The writer and her duck-loving boyfriend ordered half a charcoal-grilled raw duck (29,000 won) and half a charcoal-grilled duck jumulleok (30,000 won). The raw duck went best with cabbage salad, and the jumulleok went best with the restaurant's homemade ssam-mu (pickled radish wraps). With sweet potatoes roasted in the coals and free mung bean porridge to follow, the half-and-half order at Ganaandeok Gyeyang Branch is the recommended way to taste both.

Written Jul 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGanghwa, IncheonRestaurants

Ganghwa duck restaurant: 7pm duck roast and doenjang chilies, Deok Ori

Deok Ori Jumulleok Ganghwa Main Branch (덕오리주물럭 강화도본점) is a duck restaurant on Manisan-ro in Gilsang-myeon, Ganghwa, Incheon, close to Jeondeungsa Temple, the Ganghwa Luge and Dongmak Beach. The writer booked a 7pm dinner and ordered 2 servings of duck roast, pre-grilled over a briquette fire. They saved a third of the meat and vegetables for 1 order of fried rice, then walked on Dongmak Beach. Verdict: the smoky, chewy duck roast at Deok Ori Jumulleok is even better with doenjang (soybean paste) chilies, and even though the portions are big, the fried rice is worth saving room for.

Written Jun 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeohae, IncheonRestaurants

Korean BBQ near Gajeong Station: 400g pork back meat, Euljiro Yeontan

Euljiro Yeontan Gui Luone City Branch is a retro briquette-grill Korean BBQ restaurant in Luone City near Gajeong Station, Seohae, Incheon. After work, the blogger and her boyfriend ordered 400g of dwitgogi (pork back meat) at 7,900 won per 100g, plus makchang, pork skin and marinated beef short rib, and had one refill of the icy radish salad. With fair prices by the 100g and good-quality meat, Euljiro Yeontan Gui Luone City Branch is a value pick for pork back meat fans.

Written Jul 28, 2026Sponsored