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Seoul

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

Yongsan, SeoulRestaurants

Yongsan combo set for two that feeds three: Hyeonseonine bunsik

Hyeonseonine Yongsan Main Branch is a bunsik (Korean street food) restaurant down an alley near Sinyongsan Station Exit 5 in Yongsan, Seoul. Two of us ordered the medium-spice combo set — tteokbokki, fritters, sundae, kkoma gimbap (mini seaweed rice rolls) and odeng (fish cake) broth on one tray — and it came out to roughly three servings, with the kkoma gimbap alone arriving as 4 rolls, 8 pieces. The fritters were crisp and the sundae came with liver and lung included, making this a genuinely filling bunsik spread for two.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hapjeong pizza restaurant for rosé pasta and 48-hour dough: Pizzeria O

Pizzeria O Hapjeong Station is a wood-fired pizza and pasta restaurant in an alley off Yanghwa-ro 11-gil near Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul. Two friends ordered wood-fired pizza, rosé pasta and an ade, and finished the 48-hour cold-fermented dough down to the crust ends, while the generous rosé sauce was creamy enough to make them want rice to mix in. If you want pizza and pasta in one meal in Hapjeong, Pizzeria O is worth another visit.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulRestaurants

Quiet Hongdae restaurant in Seoul for a meal with parents: Anok

Anok is a newly opened Korean restaurant tucked into an alley off the main street in Hongdae, Seoul, with clear pork gomtang (pork bone soup), Pyongyang naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles) and pork tail jjim (braised pork tail) as its signature dishes. All three were ordered on this visit, and the mild, clean naengmyeon and gomtang paired best with the sweet-spicy pork tail jjim. Anok sits inside the alley shopping district so there is no parking, but the quiet room makes it an easy choice for a meal with parents or older relatives.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Jung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Seoul Station bakery takeout: choco baguette with figs, Dance Dance

Dance Dance Dance Seoul Station is a baguette sandwich shop on basement level 3 of Grand Central at Seoul Station. On a weekday lunch visit, the new pistachio chocolate baguette (14,400 won) and a plain scone (3,900 won) went out as takeout, and figs brought from home were laid on top at home. The mild baguette studded with chocolate chips and the thick pistachio tofu cream cheese make the combination worth ordering.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Gwangjin, SeoulBars

Gunja Station bar with beer and mild spice bone grill: Saechamjip

Saechamjip is a Korean bar with private rooms on the 2nd floor of a building on Neungdong-ro 36-gil near Gunja Station in Gwangjin, Seoul. Late one night the writer and her husband ordered beer with the signature stone plate bone grill at spice level 1 and nakji-saeu-kimchi-jeon (octopus and shrimp kimchi pancake); the bone grill, simmered for 48 hours, was so tender the meat slid off under the tongs, and spice level 1 tasted about as mild as mild Jin Ramen. Saechamjip is a Gunja Station bar worth a second try even for anyone once put off by bone grill.

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

Apgujeong hair salon full-head brown dye for faded summer color: Biorn

Biorn Hair Apgujeong Rodeo is a hair salon in Gangnam, Seoul, 89m from exit 5 of Apgujeong Rodeo Station. After a summer lightening job faded into yellow and red tones, deputy director Baekha applied a full-head dye that settled the hair into a calm brown that never looks heavy. Biorn Hair Apgujeong Rodeo is worth noting when you want to tidy up faded color rather than change your whole look.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Yeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeoido group dinner Korean BBQ with free corkage: Smile Samgyeop

Smile Samgyeop Main Branch is a kimchi-and-minari pork belly Korean BBQ restaurant in Yeoido, Seoul, sitting between Saetgang Station Exit 2 and Yeoido Station Exit 5. Looking for a company dinner spot, the writer got the restaurant's single outdoor patio table and ordered kimchi minari samgyeopsal, teukmok-sal and an off-menu kimchi fried rice, with corkage free of charge. Smile Samgyeop Main Branch also offers two-floor private bookings and welcomes dogs, which makes it an easy pick for Yeoido group dinners.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Jongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jongno 3-ga Seoul Korean BBQ: 61-team wait screen, pork neck: Tapgol

Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch is an outdoor Korean BBQ restaurant with tables lining the Tapgol Park stone wall on Supyo-ro, near Jongno 3-ga Station in Seoul. On this visit the waiting screen showed 61 teams ahead, and the order was two servings of quick-frozen pork belly (18,000 won), one serving of quick-frozen pork neck (19,000 won), kimchi fried rice (6,000 won) and soju-and-beer shots. If you want the buzzing Jongno outdoor BBQ atmosphere, Tapgol Gongwon is worth it — just count on a wait at peak hours.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Songpa, SeoulRestaurants

Spicy hanwoo jjapaguri and sirloin at Jamsil BBQ Sutbul Seonghwa

Sutbul Seonghwa (숯불성화) Jamsil is an upscale hanwoo charcoal-grill restaurant on Songpa-daero 48-gil, near Seokchon Station in Seoul. The writer ordered two servings of seonghwa sirloin and spicy hanwoo jjapaguri (stir-fried instant noodles), ate the sirloin grilled at the table by staff with salt and wasabi, and finished with an Excellent ice cream bar. With private rooms, Sutbul Seonghwa suits occasions that need care: meals with parents, anniversary dates, or handing out wedding invitations.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Gwangjin, SeoulRestaurants

Gueui pork belly restaurant: cheonggukjang stew and fried rice finish

Sanggu's Sotttukkeong Samgyeopsal Gueui Branch is a cauldron-lid pork belly restaurant on Achasan-ro in Gwangjin, Seoul. The order was two servings of fresh Korean-raised pork belly with cheonggukjang doenjang stew (fermented soybean stew), a bowl of rice and a finishing fried rice, and the staff grilled everything at the table alongside minari (water dropwort) that soaked up the pork fat. The minari and fried rice combination was the most memorable part of a meal that left two people completely full.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulRestaurants

Carrot duck aglio olio at a Yeonnam-dong restaurant: Hôtel de Couture

Hôtel de Couture is a Western-style restaurant on the 1.5th floor of a brick building in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul, a 10-minute walk from Hongik University Station Exit 3. On a Friday at 2pm there was no wait, and two people shared carrot duck aglio olio (18,000 won) and egg in hell (18,000 won) — the duck had no gamey smell, and the crisp sweetness of the carrot was the real kick. Two dishes were generous enough to leave two people completely full, making Hôtel de Couture an easy pick for a date or a meal with friends.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
Gangbuk, SeoulThings to do

Shoes-off date karaoke room with maracas in Mia, Seoul: Su Noraebang

Su Noraebang Mia Branch is a 24-hour karaoke room in the basement right outside Exit 2 of Miasageori Station in Gangbuk, Seoul. Guests take their shoes off at the spotless lobby, and the Gold Room (35,000 won), used as a drama filming location, came stocked with maracas instead of the usual tambourine. The one-hour booking kept getting free service time added, so it felt like 2-3 extra hours of singing.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored