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

Mapo, SeoulRestaurants

Peking duck skin dipped in sugar at Panda Dim Sum, Yeonnam-dong

Panda Dim Sum is a dim sum and Peking duck restaurant on the second floor of a side street in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. The order was xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), flying fish roe shumai, half a Peking duck and a dongpo pork rice bowl, and dipping the crispy duck skin on its own into sugar was the most memorable bite of the day. Panda Dim Sum was meant to be a light dim sum stop, but sharing several dishes turned out to be the better call.

Written Sep 15, 2026Sponsored
Gangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Seolleung curry restaurant with spinach curry and vindaloo: CURRY146

CURRY146 Gangnam Branch is a British-style Indian curry restaurant on the basement level of a building near Exit 2 of Seolleung Station in Gangnam, Seoul. A couple ordered spinach curry, vindaloo curry and a falafel salad, with free turmeric rice and the naan that comes standard with each curry: the spinach curry tasted buttery and nutty, while the vindaloo started sour before the heat rose. CURRY146 was good enough that they ordered it again by delivery at home two days later.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Songpa, SeoulRestaurants

Seoul Korean BBQ in Bangi-dong: extra gopchang for three at Jinseong

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Bangi Direct Branch is a hanwoo beef gopchang, daechang and makchang restaurant in the Bangi food alley in Songpa, Seoul. On a weekday evening three of us ordered one portion each of gopchang, daechang and makchang at 19,000 won apiece, added a second round of gopchang and finished with kkakdugi yangbap, with the staff grilling everything at the table. Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang has queues even on weekdays, so a Naver reservation, available until 6pm, is the way to go.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Yeongdeungpo, SeoulBars

Wang mandu dumplings at a Yeongdeungpo pojangmacha bar: Yeokjeon

Yeokjeon Pojangmacha Yeongdeungpo is a retro pojangmacha bar on the second floor of a building in the Yeongdeungpo restaurant alley, right by Yeongdeungpo Station in Seoul. Three former coworkers came by for a second round after dinner and ordered boneless dakdoritang (spicy chicken stew) with jjolmyeon noodles and wang mandu (giant dumplings), along with Chamisul, Chum Churum and Cass. With walls papered in old ads and magazines, long group tables, soju at 3,900 won and draft beer at 2,900 won, Yeokjeon Pojangmacha suited a loud, easygoing second round perfectly.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Yongsan, SeoulRestaurants

Mushroom soup and curry pork cutlet in Yongsan, Seoul: Onjeong

Yongsan Donkatsu Onjeong Gyeongyang Sikdang, Yongsan branch is a Western-style pork cutlet restaurant between Namyeong Station and Hyochang Park Station in Yongsan, Seoul. Arriving at 11:45 am meant no wait, and the table shared a rich curry pork cutlet at 13,500 won and a cold soba with one spicy pork cutlet set at 15,000 won, with the surprise of the meal being a mushroom soup that tasted like the one at Outback. Portions at Onjeong were so generous there was no room left to use the self bar, making it a strong value lunch.

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

Cheongdam hair salon keratin clinic instead of perm, ₩150,000: Beorn

Beorn Hair Cheongdam is a hair salon a 5-minute walk from Exit 4 of Gangnam-gu Office Station in Gangnam, Seoul. A layered cut and perm were the plan, but after a consultation with designer Yumin the damage level led to an inner keratin clinic instead, down from the regular price of 250,000 won to 150,000 won with the 40% first-visit discount. Heat treatment, moisture care and a scalp massage in the spa room left the hair calm enough to comb through easily again.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hapjeong Indian restaurant with onion fritters a la carte: Mandala

Mandala Indian Lounge is an Indian restaurant on the 3rd floor of a building on Dokmak-ro 3-gil in Mapo, Seoul, between Hapjeong and Sangsu. Visiting alone after the lunch rush, the writer ordered chicken makhani, garlic naan, cheese naan and onion fritters a la carte, and found the floor-to-ceiling windows and bar table far sleeker than a typical curry house. The naan at Mandala Indian Lounge was thin rather than heavy, making it an easy recommendation for a good-looking meal near Hapjeong Station.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulRestaurants

Boneless cheese jjimdak at Hongdae Station Exit 9: Ongdarae Jjimdak

Ongdarae Jjimdak is a cheese jjimdak (braised chicken) restaurant on Yanghwa-ro in Mapo, Seoul, a short walk from Hongdae Station Exit 9. The order here was a boneless cheese jjimdak in S size at regular spice level, with Ongbap (a scorched-rice bowl) instead of plain rice so the leftover sweet-salty sauce could be mixed in, and the wide flat noodles and crumbly potatoes kept the balance right. With a wine display, a wood-tone room and free snacks, tea and coffee, Ongdarae Jjimdak works for a date or a tidy group meetup.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Jongno, SeoulRestaurants

Daehangno Nepali-Indian restaurant, vegetable pakora: Meono Kkameona

Meono Kkameona Daehangno Branch is an Indian and Nepali restaurant in Daehangno, Seoul, a 3-minute walk from Hyehwa Station Exit 3. On a quirky date with a friend, the order was Set B — green salad, tandoori chicken, curry, naan and lassi — plus vegetable pakora, and the tandoor-baked butter naan with the thick plain lassi was the most memorable pairing. With its exotic interior plus private rooms and group seating, Meono Kkameona works for both food-focused dates and larger gatherings in Daehangno.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Nowon, SeoulRestaurants

Nowon Culture Street jokbal restaurant for a couple's dinner: Gwihan

Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch is a jokbal (braised pig's trotters) restaurant on Nowon Culture Street, a 2-minute walk from exit 1 of Nowon Station in Seoul. On a couple's dinner date the writer ordered the half-and-half jokbal platter for 45,000 won with soju at 5,000 won, and the table filled up with free dried pollack and bean sprout soup, hedge tea and fresh fruit makguksu (cold noodles). One half-and-half platter was plenty for two, and two bottles of soju disappeared fast.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Jung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Chungmuro Station noodle restaurant with roe kalguksu: Nagwon-ui Soba

Nagwon-ui Soba Bossam Kalguksu Chungmuro Station Main Branch is a soba and bossam kalguksu restaurant on the second floor of a building on the main road by Exit 1 of Chungmuro Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. Over dinner with a sibling, the order was pollock hoe makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles with seasoned raw pollock), alttang kalguksu (knife-cut noodles in spicy fish roe and milt broth) and freshly boiled bossam (boiled pork), eaten with two kinds of kimchi and wrap greens. With a wide hall that handles solo diners and group dinners of 12 to 20 alike, plus a kind owner, Nagwon-ui Soba is an easy value pick near Chungmuro.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulCafés

Seoul coffee shop with a bean tasting zone in Mangwon: PICT Roastery

PICT Roastery Mangwon Branch is a roastery café right by Mangwon Market in Mapo, Seoul, a 5-minute walk from Mangwon Station Exit 2. At the tasting zone you smell the beans before ordering, and this visit meant two americanos — one acidic bean, one nutty bean — plus the 24-hour aged French toast. The acidic bean kept a hand-drip level aroma, so PICT Roastery is a good place to work out your own coffee taste.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored