Weekend Table Hopper · 42 stories

Across the Weekend Table

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

PlaceBusanjin, BusanRestaurants

Cloudy-day spicy galbitang lunch in Seomyeon, Busan: Gang Galbitang

Gang Galbitang Seomyeon is a galbitang (beef short rib soup) restaurant about 300 m from Seomyeon Station Exit 11 in Busan, serving galbitang, galbi gukbap (short rib soup with rice) and galbi noodles. On a cloudy day, the writer had the Gang Galbitang (14,000 won) and the spicy Gang Galbitang (15,000 won) as a hangover lunch, adding Jeju medium noodles (2,500 won). The short ribs, boiled every morning, were big and tender, and the spicy Gang Galbitang, with radish and bean sprouts, tasted like a spicy beef gukbap. Verdict: fair prices and generous ribs may make Gang Galbitang Seomyeon the writer's new favorite gukbap spot.

Written Jul 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGyeongju, GyeongbukRestaurants

Beef soup house in Gyeongju Bomun, 6 cuts & galbitang: Hyoeunok

Hyoeunok Gyeongju Branch (효은옥 경주분점) is a hanok-style Korean restaurant specializing in beef soups and hot pots, located in the food town at the entrance to Bomun Tourist Complex in Gyeongju. The writer ordered the whole-cow beef soup with six different beef cuts, the bone-packed galbitang (beef short rib soup), the minari Korean beef soy yukhoe bibimbap and the galbi dumplings, and called the whole-cow soup's beef bone broth the best they had tasted in a long time. With its own parking lot, Hyoeunok Gyeongju Branch is well worth it for a hearty, restorative meal on a Gyeongju trip.

Written Jul 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGyeongju, GyeongbukCafés

Gyeongju Bomun café: dawan coffee and sesame dessert at Bibibidang

Bibibidang (비비비당) Gyeongju is a Korean dessert and tea café inside the Uyang Museum at the Hilton hotel in Bomun Resort, Gyeongju. The writer ordered the signature pumpkin bingsu (Korean shaved ice) for one at 13,000 won, made from frozen pumpkin sikhye (sweet rice drink), and dawan coffee at 10,000 won: decaf cold brew served in a dawan (tea bowl) that holds a round ice ball in place, with a sesame dessert on the side. The bingsu's gentle sweetness and the bowl's detail stood out. With free parking at the Hilton, Bibibidang Gyeongju is a solid pick for a bingsu café in Bomun when you're driving.

Written Jul 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBusanjin, BusanRestaurants

Seomyeon braised ribs, 4 p.m. annex with 2cm seafood pancake: Sinchon

Sinchon Yangpuni Seomyeon Main Branch (신촌양푼이 서면본점) is a braised short rib (galbi-jjim) restaurant in an alley in Seomyeon, Busan, that has served spicy Korean-sourced ribs from a grandmother's recipe, with no capsaicin, for 20 years. On a weekday around 4 p.m., at the annex with no break time, the writer had the 3-serving pot at spice level 1 (42,000 won) with a Jeolla-style aged kimchi topping (7,000 won), a seafood potato pancake (10,000 won) and ramen noodles. Even diners who can't handle spice can enjoy Sinchon Yangpuni's deep, rich heat.

Written Jun 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBusanjin, BusanBars

Seomyeon bar in Busan with non-alcoholic ramune soda: Ganppa Beer

Ganppa Beer Seomyeon Hyeongje Branch is a standing draft beer bar near Seomyeon Station Exit 6 in Busan, run as an official collaboration with Sapporo. After dinner, the writer ordered Sapporo draft beer for ₩8,900, a non-alcoholic ramune soda for ₩6,900 and the staff-recommended Ganppa special tebasaki (3 pieces) for ₩9,900, then won a Polaroid photo in the review-event draw. Ganppa Beer Seomyeon Hyeongje Branch is a fun second-round date spot in Seomyeon, even with someone who doesn't drink.

Written Jul 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGyeongju, GyeongbukRestaurants

Gyeongju rib restaurant: ribs wrapped in buckwheat jeon, Hwangnam

Hwangnam Dukkebi Restaurant Hwangnam Main Branch is a Korean braised-rib restaurant on Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju, at the crossroads by the back gate of the Invention Science Museum and Webtoon Campus. The writer booked through Naver Place, walked straight in around 1 pm and ate on the outdoor seating. The meal was the 6-month jar-aged kimchi braised ribs (16,900 won per person) and the National Treasure No. 31 Cheomseongdae tteokgalbi (8,000 won). Wrapping the ribs in the grandma's buckwheat jeon (pan-fried buckwheat crepe) served alongside was the standout combination. With mother-of-pearl furniture decor and pets welcome, Hwangnam Dukkebi is a restaurant worth recommending for a Gyeongju date or trip.

Written Jul 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBusanjin, BusanRestaurants

Korean BBQ in Seomyeon, Busan: neck-belly in ssamtteok wraps, Don J

Don J Busan Seomyeon (돈제이 부산서면점) is a pork BBQ restaurant and pub near Exit 7 of Seomyeon Station in Busan, where staff grill the meat for you on a cauldron lid. The writer had the pork neck and belly set (300g neck plus 300g belly, ₩38,000) with house-made sauces and side dishes, and added ssamtteok (thin rice cake wraps), highland kimchi stew and pork rice. Don J Busan Seomyeon is a Seomyeon Korean BBQ spot for easy, tasty grilled pork with an unusual mix of sides.

Written Jul 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBusanjin, BusanRestaurants

Seomyeon pork galbi with seaweed wasabi and mild naengmyeon: Gilchon

Gilchon Sutbul Galbi Seomyeon Main Branch (길촌숯불갈비 서면본점) is a pork galbi (Korean BBQ pork ribs) restaurant in the food alley near Seomyeon Station Exit 8 in Busan. A 500g plate of fresh pork galbi (₩29,500) came with shrimp sesame oil, seaweed wasabi and barley white kimchi, followed by a half plate of marinated galbi with toast and cheddar, a ₩2,900 barley shrimp doenjang (soybean paste) stew and half-and-half naengmyeon (cold noodles). With no table setting charge and satisfying meat and sides, Gilchon Sutbul Galbi is a good-value Korean BBQ spot in Seomyeon.

Written Jul 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeonje, BusanRestaurants

Yeonsan-dong kalguksu restaurant: fresh kimchi & bossam, Sinseon

Sinseon Myeonga (신선면가) is a kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) restaurant in Yeonsan-dong, Yeonje-gu, Busan, that makes its own fresh noodles and focuses on kalguksu, bibimbap and bossam (boiled pork wraps). Around 7 pm on a hot weekday evening, the writer ordered a small bossam set for 23,000 won, anchovy kalguksu for 7,000 won and bulgogi bibimbap for 9,500 won, and especially enjoyed the chewy fresh noodles, the tender bossam and the well-seasoned fresh kimchi (geotjeori) from the self-serve corner. With its own parking and generous portions, Sinseon Myeonga is a Yeonsan-dong restaurant that works for family dinners and solo meals alike.

Written Jul 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Gwanghwamun Chinese: ganpung monkfish and dongpo pork at Bobo Sikdang

Bobo Sikdang Gwanghwamun is chef Jang Bo-won's modern Chinese restaurant with private rooms, on the B1 floor of the KT Gwanghwamun building right in front of Exit 2 of Gwanghwamun Station in Seoul. The writer ordered ganpung monkfish (₩38,000) and dongpo pork served with four buns, and found the monkfish tender and the dongpo pork melt-in-your-mouth soft. With unusual dishes, private rooms and parking, Bobo Sikdang Gwanghwamun proved a satisfying choice for dates, family gatherings and business meetings.

Written Jul 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jongno sashimi bar with DIY omakase and crab roe stew: Suksseong

Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch (숙썽수산 종로본점) is an aged sashimi restaurant near Exit 4 of Jonggak Station in Jongno, Seoul, where every seat is separated by high partitions and corkage is free. On a second-round date, the writer ordered the small aged sashimi platter for two (69,000 won), crab roe stew (39,000 won) and a red crab innards cream croquette (19,000 won), then added gamtae (thin seaweed sheets) and vinegared sushi rice to enjoy it like a DIY omakase. Thanks to aged sashimi that overturns preconceptions about izakaya sashimi and a crab roe stew packed with roe and milt, Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch is a Jongno date-night bar worth recommending.

Written Jul 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Euljiro 3-ga makchang grill, whole makchang cut by thickness: Baegyeom

Baegyeom Makchang Euljiro Main Branch (백염막창 을지로본점) is an old-school makchang (grilled intestine) restaurant near Euljiro 3-ga Station in Seoul, serving salt-aged Daegu makchang made from Korean-raised meat. Around 9pm, the writer ordered 2 servings of pre-grilled Daegu makchang (₩17,000 per 200g serving) and kkodeul-moksal (chewy pork neck). The writer cut the whole makchang into different thicknesses and dipped it in the restaurant's homemade soybean makchang sauce. Verdict: Baegyeom Makchang Euljiro Main Branch served the best makchang the writer has had in Euljiro.

Written Jul 25, 2026Sponsored