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Seoul

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

Gwangjin, SeoulRestaurants

Two-bowl ramen tasting in Gwangjin: shoyu and motsu at Mentsuru

Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch is a ramen restaurant in Gwangjin, Seoul, a one-minute walk from Exit 4 of Children's Grand Park Station. Ordering the standard shoyu ramen next to the motsu ramen, loaded with beef tripe and thin-sliced beef belly, showed how far apart they are: one broth is clean and light, the other rich and spicy. Choose shoyu ramen at Mentsuru for a clear, mild bowl, or motsu ramen for a hearty, full-flavoured meal.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Gangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Hwagok-dong Japanese restaurant, hangover karai ramen set: Hekbap

Hekbap Kkachisan Branch is a Japanese restaurant in Hwagok-dong, Gangseo, Seoul, one minute from Kkachisan Station Exit 3 on the 2nd floor of the Lotteria building. On a day that called for hangover food, the karai ramen with fried chicken set at 15,500 won, the old-school large pork cutlet at 11,900 won and a mini okonomiyaki at 3,000 won all arrived within 10 minutes. The karai ramen broth at Hekbap Kkachisan Branch was spicy without being salty, and the value and quick turnover made it an easy lunch or solo-dining pick.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Jongno, SeoulRestaurants

Gwanghwamun KT Tower sushi: A and B sets compared, Elephant Sushi

Elephant Sushi Gwanghwamun is a sushi restaurant in the basement-1 food court of KT Tower, right in front of Exit 2 of Gwanghwamun Station in Jongno, Seoul. This visit lines up the 19,000 won Elephant Sushi A set next to the 28,000 won Elephant Sushi B set to compare what each one includes, and adds the 23,000 won kaisendon (raw fish rice bowl) eaten with tamago (rolled egg omelet) on top. The monkfish liver and the smoky flame-seared sushi were the best bites at Elephant Sushi, and while the futomaki and squid sushi fell flat, everything else was excellent.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Seongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu-dong lunch-only kimchi fried rice restaurant: Out of Order

Out of Order is a fusion Korean dining spot on the second floor of an alley near Seongsu Station in Seoul's Seongdong district. The order was the three-color crispy lasagna at 24,000 won, the lunch-only snow-white kimchi fried rice at 16,000 won and the grilled baby napa cabbage (albaechu) at 14,000 won, peeling the lasagna apart layer by layer and breaking the yolk into the kimchi fried rice, plus a chestnut tiramisu given for writing a Naver receipt review. Out of Order is a good pick when you want familiar Korean flavors served in a new way in Seongsu-dong.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Hongdae hair and makeup salon for profile photos: Moi Hair Makeup

Moi Hair Makeup is a hair and makeup studio one minute from Exit 3 of Hongik University Station in Mapo, Seoul. Before a profile photo shoot, the writer booked the Daily Hair Makeup service for 143,000 won, ending up with a bright base that holds up under studio lighting and natural waves with volume at the roots. It was a repeat visit, and the tailored consultation and finish at Moi Hair Makeup made it worth returning.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Yongsan, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Hannam-dong scalp clinic for postpartum thinning hair: ONLY FOR YOU

ONLY FOR YOU Hannam Main Branch is a hair clinic salon on the 3rd floor at 70 Doksadang-ro in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, near Hannam Station. The visit was booked for a perm, but designer Youngseo saw how much the hair had thinned after childbirth and advised putting the perm off, so a 3-step scalp clinic followed instead: scalp cleansing, a scalp pack and an ampoule. A simple blow-dry gave the clean style she wanted with no perm at all, and she decided to return to ONLY FOR YOU for a scalp clinic once a month.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae lunch: shiitake tempura and unagi chazuke at Ochaya Yeonnam

Ochaya Yeonnam is a Japanese ochazuke restaurant on the second floor of a building on Donggyo-ro 38-gil, between Hongik Univ. Station and Yeonnam-dong in Seoul. On a weekday lunch visit with no wait, the order was unagi chazuke (eel over rice), shiitake tempura and a zero-sugar cider, eaten the proper way: half the bowl plain, then broth poured over and seaweed piled on top. With a whole eel, nutritious rice and free refills of rice, seaweed, side dishes and broth, Ochaya Yeonnam is an easy pick for a solo lunch or a meal with coworkers.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Jongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jongno sushi restaurant with cooked sushi options: Choe Uyeong

Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch is an aged-fish sushi and sashimi restaurant in a basement space on Jongno 5-gil, near Jongak Station in Seoul. Unable to eat raw food that day, the writer ordered 5 pieces of egg sushi, beef brisket fire sushi, tempura and udon, while her companion had the 17-piece premium deluxe sushi, where the fish was cut thick rather than thin. With a separate cooked sushi menu and in-building parking, Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch works well for a Jongno sushi meal with someone who can't eat anything raw.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Yeongdeungpo, SeoulCafés

Two ube lattes and Hong Kong egg tarts: Yeongdeungpo café BYWAY BAKERS

BYWAY BAKERS Yeongdeungpo Branch is a bakery café on Dangsan-ro 27-gil near Yeongdeungpogu Office Station in Seoul, run only as directly operated branches. We ordered an ube latte and an a-shot-chu (iced tea with an espresso shot) with a peach yogurt wakppu salt bread and a Hong Kong Tai Cheong-style egg tart, and my boyfriend went back for a second ube latte. With baby chairs, small goods and gift sets, BYWAY BAKERS is saved as a date spot we will return to.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Jongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jongno beef and lamb rack grill: sirloin added to the set, Yukrab

Yukrab Jongno (육랩 종로점) is a charcoal-grill beef and lamb rack restaurant on the 3rd floor of a building on the Street of Youth by Jonggak Station in Jongno, Seoul. Celebrating a friend's new job, we ordered the 2-person set — galbisal (boneless short rib), tosisal (hanger steak) and lamb rack with grilled cheese and doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) — then added beef sirloin, and the lamb had no gamy smell while the sirloin was the juiciest bite of the night. Yukrab Jongno is a solid pick when you want to eat good beef until you're full without overspending.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Seocho, SeoulCafés

Seocho pie shop: fig, blueberry and aurora pie boxed at Saison de Pie

Saison de Pie is a pie-focused dessert café on Seocho-daero 40-gil in Seocho, Seoul. Three pies were chosen from the showcase — fig pie, blueberry pie at 9,300 won and aurora pie at 9,300 won — packed with an ice pack for the trip home. Saison de Pie keeps both fruit-piled pies and soft cream pies on the counter, so there is an easy pick for either taste.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Songpa, SeoulBars

Bangi-dong izakaya serving mille-feuille nabe with udon: Sangkai

Sangkai Izakaya Bangi Branch is an izakaya on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Bangi-dong restaurant alley in Songpa, Seoul. At an open 2nd-floor seat with the folding doors pushed back, the order was mille-feuille nabe, raw salmon baguette salad and two Earl Grey highballs, and the nabe arrived with its own burner so udon noodles could be added at the end. Sangkai Izakaya Bangi Branch stays quiet enough for easy conversation, making it a good pick for drinks with a friend or a date.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored