Areas · 5255 stories

Seoul

Cafés, restaurants and places in Seoul, written by bloggers who went there.

Yeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeouido date-night dinner: double pan-momil and steki add-on at Izawa

Izawa Yeouido Direct Store is a gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) specialty restaurant in Yeouido, Seoul, run directly by the brand that first introduced gyukatsu to Korea in 2015. The gyukatsu set (₩18,000) came with a double pan-momil (chilled buckwheat noodles, ₩14,000) grilled at the table over a mini charcoal brazier, plus an added steki (steak) cut of beef (₩15,000) cooked medium rare. With mostly two-person tables it's a great date spot, and the building offers one hour of free ground-level parking.

Written Sep 8, 2026Sponsored
Jongno, SeoulBars

Yukhoe and cream sujebi date bar in Jongno, Seoul: Refine Euljiro

Refine Euljiro Myeongdong is a fusion Korean dining pub on Cheonggyecheon-ro in Jongno, Seoul. On a second visit, the writer ordered yukhoe (Korean beef tartare), perilla bibim pasta and cream sujebi (hand-torn dough soup) with wine instead of traditional liquor, finding the well-seasoned yukhoe and spicy rosé cream sujebi especially good with drinks. With dim-lit bar tables, it's a solid date spot near Euljiro and Myeongdong.

Written Sep 8, 2026Sponsored
Songpa, SeoulRestaurants

Songpa jazz restaurant evening show and ticket price: Allegro

Allegro is a Western-style restaurant in Songpa, Seoul, where guests eat dinner while listening to a live jazz performance. A seafood salad, carbonara, and sous-vide pork shoulder steak came with a separate performance charge of 10,000 won on weekdays and 15,000 won on Fridays and Saturdays. Went in expecting a jazz bar, but left more impressed by the food — a solid Jamsil date course.

Written Sep 8, 2026Sponsored
Eunpyeong, SeoulRestaurants

Minari samgyeopsal grilled tableside near Gusan Station: Oktopbang

Oktopbang is a Korean BBQ restaurant in Eunpyeong, Seoul, near Gusan Station Exit 2. The writer ordered minari samgyeopsal, jaksal samgyeopsal, and snowflake mokssal, all charcoal- and straw-fire pre-grilled and finished tableside by staff who also showed sauce and vegetable pairings, then wrapped up with yeolmu bibim guksu and a complimentary kimchi jjigae. Worth a visit if you like trying pork belly in several different combinations.

Written Sep 8, 2026Sponsored
Gangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Korean restaurant room dining with a kid in Gangseo: Mikodam

Mikodam Magok-Balsan Branch is a Korean restaurant near Balsan Station in Gangseo, Seoul, known for seaweed soup and cockles. A family visit with a child and parents used the private room and cleared the japchae, side dishes and seaweed soup down to the last bite. Adults and kids sharing the same spread made it worth saving as a go-to family restaurant.

Written Sep 4, 2026Sponsored
Gwanak, SeoulBars

Cocktail solo bar with 50 cocktails in Guro Digital Complex: Doran

Doran Honsulbar Guro Digital Complex branch is a cocktail-and-whisky solo bar (혼술바) a five-minute walk from Exit 6 of Guro Digital Complex Station in Gwanak-gu, Seoul. Visiting with a friend, the writer tried a Jack and Coke (₩14,000), a gin and tonic (₩13,000), and a Suntory highball, in a place stocked with 50 cocktails, 40 whiskies and non-alcoholic options. Outside food is allowed and solo drinkers actually outnumbered pairs, making it a calm, easy spot for quiet conversation.

Written Sep 8, 2026Sponsored
Yongsan, SeoulRestaurants

Seoul Korean BBQ near Sookdae Station: pork set with corkage free

Muttuk Sookdae Main Branch is a Korean pork restaurant in an alley near Sookdae Station in Yongsan, Seoul. For two people, the Muttuk pork assortment set (600g, ₩69,800) came with cheongha rice wine and rice, plus a staff member grilling the meat from start to finish so there was zero pressure at the table. With corkage free and doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) included, it was a satisfying place to eat well on a stressful day.

Written Sep 8, 2026Sponsored
Eunpyeong, SeoulRestaurants

Thick pork belly moduem near Eungam Station: Yukjjip, Eunpyeong

Yukjjip is a Korean BBQ restaurant on Bulgwangcheon-gil in Eunpyeong, Seoul, two minutes from Eungam Station Exit 4. The moduem (assorted grilled meat set) comes in thick cuts of pork belly, mushrooms, garlic scapes, and eggplant that staff grill for you, and the writer also ordered extra pork belly and doenjang-mari-bap (rice rolled in fermented soybean paste soup). It's an easy pick for anyone unsure about grilling their own meat, and the drink promotions make it a cheap night out too.

Written Sep 8, 2026Sponsored
Songpa, SeoulCafés

Wirye Lake Park terrace café with mushroom salad: Cafe The Venezia

Cafe The Venezia is a brunch café in Songpa, Seoul, right in front of Wirye Lake Park. Visiting just past lunch rush, the mushroom salad, arugula burrata sandwich, and iced Americano were enjoyed on the terrace with a view straight onto the waterside park. The balsamic glaze salad and focaccia sandwich combo was satisfying enough to plan a return for the charcoal-grilled bulgogi panini.

Written Sep 8, 2026Sponsored
Seocho, SeoulCafés

Seocho café bakery for babka and orange pound cake: Mini Male

Mini Male Roastery & Coffee Bar Seocho Gyodae Branch is a roastery bakery café near Exit 9 of Gyodae Station in Seocho, Seoul. The signature O Chocolat babka, orange pound cake, and Helsinki latte showed off a dark chocolate-citrus combo, a moist pound cake texture, and a smooth, non-cloying latte. With European-style babka in several flavors, it's a great spot for a dessert-focused visit.

Written Sep 8, 2026Sponsored
Jung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Hitsumabushi eel rice bowl eaten 3 ways near Deoksugung: Tawa

Tawa is a Nagoya-style eel rice bowl (hitsumabushi) restaurant in the basement of Hansan Building near City Hall Station, close to Deoksugung Palace in Jung-gu, Seoul. The ₩30,000 hitsumabushi came out just 8 minutes after ordering and was eaten three ways — plain, with seaweed and perilla leaf, and as ochazuke — with moist, charcoal-smoked eel that never got boring. A satisfying lunch worth the trip out of Exit 10.

Written Sep 8, 2026Sponsored
Seocho, SeoulRestaurants

Solo poke seat with whole wheat pasta base in Seocho: Salering

Salering Gyodae Direct Store is a salad and poke restaurant near Gyodae Station in Seocho, Seoul. The writer ordered the real raw salmon bibim poke with 100g of salmon, a whole wheat pasta base, and wasabi mentaiko mayo sauce at a solo dining seat. The whole wheat pasta made the salad meal surprisingly filling, and the salmon and vegetables were fresh and clean.

Written Sep 8, 2026Sponsored