Tiled Cup Fan · 17 stories

The Tiled Coffee Cup

I write about cafés I visit around Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés

PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Yaksu sashimi restaurant: early-winter amberjack platter, Ido Hoetjip

Ido Hoetjip (이도횟집) is a two-story sashimi restaurant in Jung-gu, Seoul, about a 3-minute walk from Yaksu Station. At the start of amberjack season, the blogger booked ahead and ordered the large amberjack mixed platter, which pairs thick-cut amberjack with flounder, rockfish, red sea bream and sole. The fish was eaten wrapped in seaweed with a sesame oil dip and aged kimchi, and mussel soup and corn cheese came on the side. If you want thick-cut amberjack alongside a variety of other sashimi, the large amberjack mixed platter at Ido Hoetjip is a good fit.

Written Nov 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jongno Korean BBQ for a heat-worn day, naengmyeon & egg custard: Cham

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch (참돼짓간 종로본점) is a Korean BBQ restaurant near the movie theater by Jongno 3-ga Station in Seoul, serving Boseong Nokdon pork belly and pork neck. On a day when the heat had drained all their energy, the writer let the owner grill the meat, wrapped it in thin-grilled potato slices, and finished with icy mul naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles) and a brimming steamed egg custard. Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch is a Jongno BBQ spot with reliably good meat that suits anything from a company dinner to a casual meal.

Written May 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Euljiro 3-ga gyukatsu late lunch: medium-rare on a mini grill, Hurato

Hurato Sikdang Euljiro (후라토식당 을지로점) is a Japanese restaurant serving gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) and steak set meals in the basement of the Tower 107 building near Euljiro 3-ga Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. At a late lunch, the writer ordered a gyukatsu set and a steak set and grilled both on the mini grill provided for every two diners; the sirloin was tender and full of juice. Hurato Sikdang Euljiro is an easy pick for gyukatsu first-timers, since following the table guide lets you grill the meat exactly how you like it.

Written Oct 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Gopchang grill in Garak-dong: first tried in high school, Jinseong

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Garak Flagship is a Korean beef (hanwoo) gopchang restaurant in Garak-dong, Songpa, Seoul, and the place where the writer first tried gopchang (grilled beef small intestine) as a high school student. After waiting behind 5 teams at around 8 PM, the writer ate 2 servings of gopchang, 1 serving each of daechang (large intestine) and makchang, plus kkakdugi yangbap (radish kimchi fried rice), and found no off smell despite usually struggling with strong-smelling food. Verdict: Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Garak Flagship is worth the wait, and the minari-pickled garlic sauce and kkakdugi yangbap are not to be skipped.

Written Jun 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongbuk, SeoulRestaurants

Seongbuk Korean BBQ: brisket sauce & giant pork neck at Jangheungjip

Jangheungjip Seongshin Women's University branch is a frozen-pork Korean BBQ restaurant near Seongshin Women's University Station in Seongbuk, Seoul, and it says it uses domestic pork flash-frozen on the day of slaughter. A medium mixed platter of beef brisket, frozen pork belly and pork neck came with doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), and was followed by kimchi mari guksu (noodles in kimchi broth) and fried rice; the brisket sauce the owner recommended and a pork neck so big it needed scissors stood out most. For trying several cuts in generous portions, the mixed platter at Jangheungjip Seongshin Women's University branch is a good fit.

Written Oct 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Hyehwa Chinese restaurant, best 3 & tangy guobaorou: Cheonghwawon

Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch is a Chinese restaurant in Daehangno near Hyehwa Station in Jongno, Seoul, serving less common Chinese dishes such as knife-cut beef noodles, dim sum and guobaorou (sweet and sour fried pork). Remembering a good meal at another Cheonghwawon branch, the writer came back after a show and, on the 2nd floor, ordered knife-cut beef noodles, shumai and guobaorou: rich beef broth, shumai full of juices and a mountain of guobaorou in tangy sauce, all satisfying. Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch's best-3 combo is a can't-miss order even on a first visit.

Written Jun 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Wangsimni Korean restaurant: noodles buried in minari at Geumnyeong

Geumnyeong Gomtang is a gomtang (beef bone soup) and rice noodle restaurant in a two-story house down an alley near Wangsimni Station in Seongdong, Seoul. Eating alone, the writer ordered the minari rice noodle soup, a gomtang-based broth topped with so much minari (Korean water parsley) that the noodles vanished underneath. The writer praised the clear, deep broth and the tender meat with no gamey smell. Geumnyeong Gomtang's minari rice noodle soup comes out fast and sits easy on the stomach, making it a good solo meal in Wangsimni.

Written Sep 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongdong Korean BBQ second round of gabrisal and pork neck: Pujutgan

Pujutgan Saenggogi-jeom is a cauldron-lid Korean BBQ restaurant on Haengdang-ro 17-gil in Seongdong, Seoul, by Haengdang Market near Wangsimni Station. The table started with one serving each of fresh pork belly, gabrisal (pork loin cap) and skirt meat, then ordered gabrisal and pork neck a second time, while kimchi jjigae, janchi-guksu (banquet noodles) and naengmyeon came free and unlimited once meat was ordered for everyone. Portions are generous and the staff grill each cut at the table, making Pujutgan Saenggogi-jeom worth a return trip for a group dinner or family meal.

Written Sep 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangneung, GangwonRestaurants

Gangneung burger restaurant, three burgers at dinner: Moana Burger

Moana Burger is a handmade burger restaurant on Nanseolheon-ro in Chodang, Gangneung. On an evening visit the writer ordered one of each — the Moana Burger without tomato, the Moana Double Burger and the Hawaiian Burger — and found the vegetables crisp with none of the sharp bite of raw onion, and the patties thick but never dry. Moana Burger has become a must-stop burger spot for the next trip to Gangneung.

Written Sep 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangneung, GangwonCafés

Chodang-dong hanok café in Gangneung with teapot rooibos: Cafe Giwa

Cafe Giwa is a hanok (traditional Korean house) café in a back alley of Chodang-dong, Gangneung. At Cafe Giwa the writer ordered an iced flower-pink latte, mugwort injeolmi (rice cake) toast and rooibos tea poured from a teapot with their parents, and found the large shared tables, kids' chairs and blankets made a group or family outing easy. For a quiet, roomy hanok café in Gangneung, Cafe Giwa is the answer.

Written Sep 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Gopchang set for three with omasum in Songpa, Seoul: Midang Hanwoo

Midang Hanwoo Gopchang is a hanwoo beef offal grill restaurant in Songpa, Seoul, between Garak Market Station and Police Hospital Station, serving offal butchered the same day. Three diners ordered the Special Hanwoo Gopchang Grill Set plus fried rice and worked through gopchang, makchang, daechang and teukyang as the owner grilled each cut in order, with cheonyeop (raw omasum tripe) and ginger included as standard because the offal arrives the day it is butchered. The gopchang was rich without any offal smell, and the crisply grilled teukyang was the standout at Midang Hanwoo Gopchang.

Written Sep 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu udon set with inari sushi and whole squid tempura: Kosi

Kosi Seongsu Branch is an udon and tonkatsu restaurant right in front of Exit 6 of Ttukseom Station in Seongdong, Seoul. The order here was cold tori-ten bukkake udon and ten-bukkake udon, each as a set with salad and inari sushi (rice-stuffed fried tofu pockets), plus whole squid tempura and a sweet potato cheese croquette on the side. Chewy noodles and generous portions made Kosi Seongsu Branch a great-value meal in Seongsu.

Written Sep 18, 2026Sponsored