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At the Window Seat

I write about restaurant meals and small dining moments in Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Korean BBQ with parents at Balsan: pork neck & naengmyeon, Ihwajeong

Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga Magok-Balsan Branch is a 200-pyeong, hanok-style galbi restaurant near Exits 3 and 4 of Balsan Station in Gangseo, Seoul, with dining halls and group rooms. The writer took their parents there for a weekend lunch and ordered 3 portions of marinated pork neck galbi (300g, 23,000 won) and bibim naengmyeon, while staff grilled the meat at the table from start to finish. For a quiet family meal with parents, Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga Magok-Balsan Branch is a good fit.

Written Nov 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Magok Station lamb restaurant for a girlfriend's birthday: Nokji

Nokji Magok Main Branch is a charcoal grill restaurant specializing in aged beef and lamb, located in Queens Park Nine on Gonghang-daero in Magok, Seoul. For a girlfriend's birthday date, the writer ordered the Beef & Lamb (牛.羊) set for two (₩119,000) and Hallasan soju, and Nokji staff grilled the raw short rib, French rack and shoulder rack to the end at the couple's pace and switched sauces between cuts, leaving the couple free to just talk. With about 700g of meat filling two people, Nokji Magok Main Branch is a Magok lamb restaurant worth booking for an anniversary or birthday date.

Written Nov 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeodaemun, SeoulRestaurants

Sinchon burger joint: no-veggie double bacon vs Hawaiian, Bas Burger

Bas Burger Yonsei Cancer Hospital Branch is a handmade burger restaurant in Seodaemun, Seoul, in the basement food corner by the front gate of Yonsei Cancer Hospital, about a 5-minute walk from Sinchon Station. The writer and his girlfriend shared a Hawaiian burger set (13,700 won) and a double bacon cheeseburger set with no vegetables (15,200 won), and swapped the fries in one set for coleslaw. At Bas Burger, choose the double bacon cheeseburger for a meaty bite, or the Hawaiian burger for something lighter and cleaner.

Written May 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

After-work date at a Magok octopus grill, ₩42,000 set: Jju Baksa

Jju Baksa Magok Branch is an iron-plate baby octopus (jjukkumi) restaurant near Exit 8 of Yangcheonhyanggyo Station in Gangseo, Seoul. After leaving work on time on a weekday, the blogger and his girlfriend ordered the fried rice set (iron-plate jjusamsae, crab steamed egg and cheese fried rice, ₩42,000) with maehwasu, and the staff cooking everything to the end plus the wraps and fried rice loaded with flying fish roe stood out. Jju Baksa Magok Branch is a good place for two to share a drink on a day you want to shake off stress with spicy food.

Written Oct 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongsan, SeoulRestaurants

Yongsan shabu-shabu date: spicy broth, minari beef wraps, Deungchon

Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu Seoul Station branch is a shabu-shabu and mushroom kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) restaurant on the first floor of Gateway Tower, right outside Seoul Station Exit 11 in Yongsan, Seoul. On a date in Yongsan, the writer ordered spicy-broth mushroom kalguksu for two (₩22,000) plus 180g of extra shabu beef (₩11,000) and ate minari (Korean water parsley) beef wraps, kalguksu noodles and egg fried rice stir-fried in the kitchen. Deungchon Shabu Kalguksu Seoul Station branch serves generous portions, which makes it a good-value pick for a filling meal near Seoul Station.

Written May 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Local's pick Hwagok sashimi: flounder & Maehwasu, Eochongye 1beonji

Eochongye 1beonji (어촌계1번지) is a sashimi restaurant in Gangseo, Seoul, a 5-minute walk from Exit 7 of Hwagok Station. A friend who lives nearby and eats there regularly recommended Eochongye 1beonji, so the writer went on a weekday and ordered the small seasonal sashimi platter (42,000 won) with amberjack, flounder and halibut. The writer also had a spicy fish-bone stew (10,000 won) with two fish heads and roe, along with Maehwasu, and the chewy flounder, rich seaweed soup and excellent side dishes stood out. Verdict: Eochongye 1beonji is a Hwagok Station sashimi spot for groups who want roomy seats and a spread of seasonal fish in one sitting.

Written Oct 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Sangam DMC Korean restaurant: beef hotpot and soju night, Ongdoenjang

Ongdoenjang Sangam (옥된장 상암점) is a Korean restaurant serving doenjang (soybean paste) based hotpots on the 2nd floor of the food alley across from DMC Culture Park in Sangam-dong, Mapo, Seoul. On a weekend evening with friends, the writer ordered the Best Assorted Suyuk Hotpot (medium, 38,000 won) and the barley shrimp minari jeon (17,000 won) with soju, and was happy with the clean broth made without artificial seasoning and the large pieces of beef shank and beef tendon (suji). Ongdoenjang Sangam is a Sangam-dong Korean restaurant that suits everything from a quick lunch to group dinners and drinks after work.

Written Jun 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulBars

Sangam DMC izakaya with mochiri tofu worth ordering 3 times: Hanamato

Hanamato Sangam DMC (하나마토 상암DMC) is a two-story izakaya in an alley within a 10-minute walk of Digital Media City Station in Mapo, Seoul. As a second stop after a Sangam get-together, the group ate salmon sashimi, grilled shishamo, kani miso (crab tomalley) and pineapple sherbet, and ordered the big, chewy mochiri tofu three times. Even on full stomachs the dishes kept going down, and five dishes came to under 100,000 won, making Hanamato Sangam DMC a great-value bar in Sangam.

Written Jun 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Hwajeong gukbap spot: hangover cure after a housewarming, Pyeongando

Pyeongando Restaurant Hwajeong Branch is a sundae-guk (Korean blood sausage soup) and gukbap (rice soup) restaurant near Exit 4 of Hwajeong Station in Deogyang-gu, Goyang, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The morning after a friend's housewarming near Hwajeong Station, the writer, the host and the writer's girlfriend ordered the Pyeongando sundae-guk offal set (₩14,000), pork bone soup (₩11,000) and spicy boneless gukbap (₩14,000), and all three bowls were generous enough that the unlimited rice wasn't needed. Verdict: Pyeongando's sundae-guk for a mild hangover cure, Pyeongando's pork bone soup for a rich, savory one.

Written Jun 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Balsan Station Korean BBQ lunch: free rice with stew, Ihwajeong

Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga Magok-Balsan Branch (이화정갈비명가 마곡발산점) is a pork galbi restaurant in Gangseo, Seoul, within a 5-minute walk of Balsan Station, with private rooms and a large dining hall. At lunch the writer ordered 300g of seasoned boneless pork neck galbi (23,000 won), doenjang stew (soybean paste stew, 8,000 won) and bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold noodles, 8,000 won). The staff grilled the galbi in one piece and cut it along the grain, so it came out thick and juicy. With a free bowl of rice for every lunch stew order and 3 hours of free parking, Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga suits everything from a quick lunch to family meals with older relatives and team dinners.

Written Jul 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongin, GyeonggiRestaurants

Aged pork BBQ in Yongin with a 10% soldier discount: Sukseonghwangga

Sukseonghwangga Yongin (숙성육관 본점) is a premium aged-pork Korean BBQ restaurant in Yongin, near Everland and close to Dunjeon Station on the Everline. The writer visited with a soldier friend and ordered aged pork belly, neck and jowl (15,000–17,000 won per serving) plus doenjang sul-bap (soybean paste stew with rice); staff grilled every last piece, a truffle ice cream dessert followed, and a soldier discount applied. With good meat and attentive service, Sukseonghwangga Yongin is a solid pick for dinner with soldier friends or family.

Written Jul 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeodaemun, SeoulRestaurants

Korean BBQ in Seodaemun, Seoul: pork neck and yeolmu noodles, Yukjjeup

Yukjjeup Gajaeul branch (육쯥 가재울점) is a Korean BBQ restaurant among the apartment blocks near Gajwa Station in Seodaemun, Seoul, where there is always a line. Staff grill the signature pork neck (180g, ₩17,000) from start to finish, and the writer added yeolmu mulguksu (cold young radish noodle soup, ₩6,000) and handmade pork skin (₩7,000); the juicy pork neck paired with seasoned bean sprouts was the highlight. With high chairs and group seating, Yukjjeup Gajaeul branch is a solid pick for a family dinner in Gajaeul.

Written Jul 4, 2026Sponsored