Weekend Table Hopper · 42 stories

Across the Weekend Table

I share restaurant visits from Seoul and Gangwon. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars · Cafés

PlaceChangwon, GyeongnamRestaurants

Changwon eel restaurant for post-swim recovery: Daedo Jangeo

Daedo Jangeo (대도장어) is an eel restaurant in Paryong-dong, Uichang-gu, Changwon, across from Changwon Station, that grills eel directly over coal briquettes. After swimming in Changwon, the writer booked a weekday 7 p.m. table and ordered the medium seasoned sea eel (55,000 won for two), which had a deep smoky flavor, tender flesh and a mildly spicy-sweet sauce that even someone who can't handle spicy food enjoyed. With a spotless self-service corner and a well-stocked restroom, Daedo Jangeo is worth a return visit for a restorative meal or a dinner with elders.

Written Nov 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuyeong, BusanRestaurants

Namcheon Station Korean BBQ: aged pork jowl in roasted gim, Geobugi

Geobugi Dongne Namcheon Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant with a self-serve bar, right outside Exit 1 of Namcheon Station in Suyeong, Busan. The writer grilled 200g each of aged pork belly, aged pork jowl and aged pork neck (₩5,490–6,990 per 100g), then finished with doenjang stew (soybean paste stew), freshly cooked pot rice, sungnyung (scorched-rice tea) and soft-serve ice cream. The best bite was the aged pork jowl wrapped in roasted gim (laver) with salted shrimp sauce. Geobugi Dongne Namcheon Branch is a good-value Namcheon-dong BBQ spot where fresh lettuce wraps and banchan (side dishes) come with the meal.

Written Nov 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, BusanRestaurants

Burger sides in Nampo, Busan: mozza stick & chicken bites, Downtowner

Downtowner Busan Lotte Gwangbok is a handmade burger restaurant on B1 of Aqua Mall at Lotte Department Store Gwangbok in Nampo-dong, Busan. From the signatures we ordered the Avocado Burger (12,700 won), Downtowner Burger (10,300 won), Original Chicken Bites (5,800 won) and a Jumbo Mozzarella Stick (3,800 won). The juicy patties, the chicken bites that are crisp outside and tender inside, and the mozzarella stick bursting with cheese were all satisfying. If you need a place to eat at Lotte Department Store Gwangbok, Downtowner Busan Lotte Gwangbok is a filling choice.

Written May 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBusanjin, BusanRestaurants

Weeknight clear and spicy rib soup in Seomyeon, Busan: Gang Galbitang

Gang Galbitang Seomyeon (강갈비탕 서면) is a galbitang (beef short rib soup) restaurant made with Korean beef bone broth on Saessak-ro, near Exit 11 of Seomyeon Station in Busan. On a chilly weekday evening around 7 PM, two of us ordered the Gang Galbitang (14,000 won) and the Spicy Gang Galbitang (15,000 won) and added Jeju medium-thick noodles (2,500 won); the ribs were so tender the bones came away at a touch of the chopsticks, and the rich broth has kept us coming back many times. With plenty of solo seats and bar tables, Gang Galbitang Seomyeon is a good choice for eating or drinking alone in Seomyeon.

Written Oct 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, BusanRestaurants

Nampo Japanese eatery: both sets with soy sauce egg rice, Daidokoro

Daidokoro Lotte Department Store Gwangbok Branch is a Japanese home-cooking restaurant on the 10th floor of the Lotte Department Store Gwangbok main building in Nampo, Busan. On a return visit with a baby, the blogger swapped the rice in both the kkanpunggi (spicy garlic fried chicken) set and the chicken nanban set for soy sauce egg rice, and added aji fry (fried horse mackerel) and a mini udon. Daidokoro's set meals cost 17,500 won and come with side dishes and milk pudding, and with baby chairs and child tableware on hand, it made a satisfying family meal with a baby.

Written Oct 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuyeong, BusanCafés

Millak café regular's first meal, Bolognese & pizza: Working Holiday

Working Holiday Millak is a brunch café on the 7th floor of the Bada Maru building in Millak-dong, Suyeong, Busan, with floor-to-ceiling windows facing Gwangalli Beach and Gwangan Bridge. The writer had only visited other Working Holiday branches for coffee, and at Working Holiday Millak tried the food for the first time: a margherita pizza (20,000 won), Bolognese pasta and a decaf iced Americano, which turned out better than expected. For a spacious Gwangan Bridge view café with parking and genuinely good food, Working Holiday Millak is a solid choice.

Written Jun 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuyeong, BusanRestaurants

Gwangalli sashimi, weekday window seat and sneaky spicy stew: Geumrang

Geumrang Hoetjip Gwangalli Main Branch is a sashimi restaurant with a Gwangan Bridge view on the 6th floor of Marine Rich at Gwangalli Waterside Park in Suyeong, Busan. On an early weekday lunch at a window seat, the Subyeon Hansang set (60,000 won per person) ran from mulhoe buckwheat noodles (cold raw-fish soup noodles) and abalone porridge to assorted sashimi, a maeuntang (spicy fish stew) that looked clear but was properly spicy, and roe rice with more roe than rice. The Subyeon Hansang course at Geumrang Hoetjip was filling even without a sashimi refill.

Written Jun 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeonje, BusanRestaurants

Charcoal beef BBQ in Yeonsan, Busan: LA galbi set and yukhoe, Mudeung

Mudeung Sogalbi Yeonsan City Hall branch is a charcoal-grilled beef restaurant in the City Hall eating alley in Yeonje-gu, Busan. The writer ordered the LA flower rib set (55,900 won for 300g of boneless short rib plus 300g of LA-cut flower ribs) and added hanwoo yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) and mul naengmyeon (cold noodles), and was pleased with the charcoal heat, the meat quality and the seasoning of the side dishes. For reasonably priced beef or a company dinner or group gathering near Busan City Hall, Mudeung Sogalbi Yeonsan City Hall branch is a solid choice.

Written Jun 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuyeong, BusanRestaurants

Pork galbi house in Gwangalli, a not-too-sweet marinade: Haean Sutbul

Haean Sutbul Galbi Gwangalli Main Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant near Gwangalli Beach in Suyeong, Busan, serving handmade pork galbi grilled over oak charcoal. The writer ordered the 56,000 won pork galbi set for 2–3 people (raw galbi, marinated galbi and grilled pork tail) and added potato to the crab seafood doenjang (soybean paste) stew; the downdraft hoods kept the meal smoke-free, and the marinade was not overly sweet. With roomy tables, kids' meals and tablet ordering for extra side dishes, Haean Sutbul Galbi is a solid Gwangalli pork galbi spot for family dinners or group outings.

Written Jun 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBusanjin, BusanRestaurants

Teppanyaki in Seomyeon, Busan: carrot râpée and garlic chips at Karen

Karen Lotte Department Store Busan Main Branch is a Taiwanese teppanyaki restaurant in the B1 food court of Lotte Department Store in Seomyeon, Busan. The writer ordered the Set A for two (₩36,900) and watched a chef from Taiwan grill premium short rib steak, teppanyaki pork neck steak, white fish and teppanyaki eggs on the griddle right in front of them, and despite disliking carrots, found the carrot râpée was the highlight. With bar seating that suits solo diners and baby chairs for families, Karen is a good place to eat in Seomyeon whether you are alone or with kids.

Written Oct 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeonje, BusanBars

Korean pub in Yeonsan-dong, Busan: 11-jeon platter at Chunhyangjeon

Chunhyangjeon (춘향전) is a Korean pub on Bansong-ro in Yeonsan-dong, Yeonje-gu, Busan, serving a platter of 11 kinds of jeon (savory pancakes) and Korean drinking snacks such as golbaengi somyeon (sea snails with thin noodles), duruchigi (spicy stir-fried pork) and pyeonyuk (sliced boiled pork). On a Friday evening at Chunhyangjeon, the writer had the complimentary acorn jelly salad, the jeon platter (25,000 won) and seafood ramen (7,000 won) with soju, and everything came out warm and generous. With a spacious, clean hall that takes groups of up to 60, Chunhyangjeon is one of the better bars in Busan for a work dinner or get-together in Yeonsan-dong.

Written Jun 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBusanjin, BusanRestaurants

Mild Seomyeon braised ribs, spicy sauce on the side: Sinchon Yangpuni

Sinchon Yangpuni Seomyeon Main Branch is a Korean pub-style restaurant in an alley near Seomyeon Station in Busan, serving yangpuni galbijjim (braised short ribs in a brass pot) for 20 years. Two diners who can't handle much spice shared 3 servings at level 1 on a Thursday evening before a holiday and finished with fried rice; because the sauce is aged without capsaicin or gochujang, the heat stayed gentle. Sinchon Yangpuni is an easy braised rib pick in Seomyeon for spice-shy eaters, thanks to level 1 and spicy sauce served on the side.

Written Oct 14, 2026Sponsored