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Seoul

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

Songpa, SeoulRestaurants

Bangi-dong, Seoul octopus restaurant for group dinners: Muneo Cheonha

Muneo Cheonha is a live octopus restaurant in the food alley of Bangi-dong, Songpa District, Seoul, serving Yeosu live octopus for over 10 years. This visit covered the medium hwaloe (parboiled live octopus) and grilled mackerel, with complimentary starters of octopus steamed egg and hot-plate corn cheese that were already well made. With roomy tables separated by partitions, Muneo Cheonha works well for gatherings and work dinners.

Written Sep 15, 2026Sponsored
Seocho, SeoulRestaurants

Yangjae Korean tasting menu with chicken leg main, ₩109,000: MUSEO

MUSEO is a Korean fine-dining restaurant on the basement level of a building on Gangnamdae-ro 47-gil in Yangjae, Seocho, Seoul. The ₩109,000 Chef's Tasting Menu ran from a Sinan scallion tart to mulhoe (cold raw seafood soup), Wando kelp brioche, sea urchin buckwheat noodles and a chicken leg main, closing with a makgeolli dessert, and the kitchen printed a birthday message on the menu card. Given the length of the course and how refined the sauces are, MUSEO feels underpriced and is worth saving for an anniversary dinner.

Written Sep 15, 2026Sponsored
Gangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam Indian curry for two: makhani and chilli vindaloo, CURRY146

CURRY146 Gangnam Branch is an Indian curry restaurant in a basement space a 3-4 minute walk from Exit 2 of Seolleung Station in Gangnam, Seoul. A couple ordered makhani curry with a tandoori chicken topping and chilli vindaloo curry with a grilled salmon topping so they could alternate between creamy and spicy, and the naan, made with organic wheat, was large and chewy. For two people, the makhani plus chilli vindaloo pairing at CURRY146 is the combination to order.

Written Sep 15, 2026Sponsored
Dongdaemun, SeoulRestaurants

Janghanpyeong Korean BBQ with unlimited doenjang jjigae: Ilbeonji

Ilbeonji Jeongyuk Sikdang Janghanpyeong Branch is a beef grill restaurant in Jangan-dong, near Janghanpyeong Station in Dongdaemun, Seoul. A married couple shared the 900g jageun-so-hanmari (small one-cow set), which brings sirloin, chuck flap, hanging tender, short rib finger meat, flat iron and thin-sliced beef belly, then finished with the unlimited-refill doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) turned into chadol doenjang jjigae with brisket, plus the owner's tip on eating pajeori (scallion salad). Despite the word "small" in the name, the jageun-so-hanmari filled up two people.

Written Sep 15, 2026Sponsored
Guro, SeoulRestaurants

Guro gopchang BBQ with open-air seats and parking rebate: Gimga-ne

Gimga-ne Gopchang Gui Daerim Station Main Branch is an old-school beef gopchang (grilled beef intestines) restaurant on the main road by Exit 1 of Daerim Station in Guro, Seoul. Two servings of mixed gopchang cost 25,000 won and arrive grilled and cut in the kitchen, while kimchi fried rice at 3,000 won is stirred on the grill at the table. With open-sided outdoor-style seats and 2,000 won back for parking at the Guro-ri Park public lot, Gimga-ne is an easy call whether you walk or drive.

Written Sep 15, 2026Sponsored
Songpa, SeoulRestaurants

Songpa-dong chicken noodle shop: thick-noodle ramen, Cocker Noodle Two

Cocker Noodle Two is a chicken noodle restaurant tucked into an alley on Baekjegobun-ro 44-gil in Songpa-gu, Seoul. The chicken steak ramen, built on a broth simmered from Korean beef bones and chicken bones, was ordered with thick noodles and tasted in stages — broth alone first, then the soy base, then the chili paste (dadaegi) — alongside dak-jeon (chicken pancake), karaage and a Kirin Ichiban. The broth at Cocker Noodle Two sits closer to Korean chicken soup than to Japanese ramen, so finishing the bowl with rice stirred in works beautifully.

Written Sep 15, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulBars

Hongdae late-night bar with a 10pm terrace and Water Lily Pond

Rosetta is a cocktail bar with an outdoor terrace about a 5–7 minute walk from Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul. Arriving for a second round at 10pm on a Friday, we got an outdoor table and ordered the fruit and cheese platter (19,000 won) plus two painting-inspired cocktails, Water Lily Pond and Dream, both poured over large ice cubes and finished with scented oil sprayed on right at the table. For a quiet Hongdae terrace where you can talk over cocktails instead of soju and beer, Rosetta is the answer.

Written Sep 15, 2026Sponsored
Jung-gu, SeoulBars

Euljiro cocktail bar in Seoul: peach crush and truffle chips at Yahwa

Yahwa Honsulbar Euljiro 2nd Branch is a cocktail bar on Mareunnae-ro 2-gil, a short walk from Euljiro 3-ga Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, built for solo drinkers and pairs. Over one evening the order was a peach crush and a gin tonic, truffle potato chips, pineapple sorbet, and cinnamon orange with chocolate, and every seat in the house was taken. With its wood interior and low lighting, Yahwa feels like a hideout made for long, quiet conversations over drinks.

Written Sep 15, 2026Sponsored
Gangdong, SeoulRestaurants

Late-night Korean BBQ in Godeok-dong, Seoul: Geumdon Hwaro's A Set

Geumdon Hwaro Sangil-dong Station Branch is a premium aged-pork charcoal BBQ restaurant on the 1st floor of the Megasquare building at Godeok Central Prugio in Gangdong, Seoul. Arriving just before closing, the writer ordered the Geumdon A Set for 49,000 won (two servings of aged pork belly plus one of aged pork collar) and the pork-loaded kimchi jjigae for 7,000 won, and staff grilled every cut over charcoal from start to finish. With side dishes as solid as the fresh kimchi salad and steamed egg, Geumdon Hwaro is worth remembering if you want a Sangil-dong Station or Godeok-dong Korean BBQ place that grills for you.

Written Sep 15, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hapjeong lamb barbecue restaurant for family dinner: Gukjeyangsik

Gukjeyangsik is a lamb barbecue restaurant near Exit 8 of Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul, where lamb is grilled over a charcoal brazier at the table. On a family dinner visit, the signature charcoal set for two brought shoulder rack and lamb sirloin — the shoulder rack tender, the sirloin deeper in lamb flavour — and staff grilled each cut, so the meal ended with lamb fried rice while everyone kept talking. Gukjeyangsik is a calm place to come back to for lamb chops in Hapjeong.

Written Sep 15, 2026Sponsored
Seodaemun, SeoulRestaurants

Ewha Vietnamese restaurant with bun cha noodle refills: Kkua Ewha

Kkua Ewha is a Vietnamese restaurant on the second floor near the main gate of Ewha Womans University in Seodaemun, Seoul. Two of us ordered brisket rice noodle soup (chadol yangji pho), bun cha (grilled pork with cold rice noodles) and nem (fried spring rolls), and the pho came with one free refill each of noodles and broth, the bun cha with one free refill each of noodles and sauce. The broth at Kkua Ewha was rich, but the writer's top pick was the bun cha dipped in fish sauce.

Written Sep 15, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulBars

Hongdae izakaya patio with Earl Grey highballs: Yakitori Iyu

Yakitori Iyu is a handmade skewer izakaya on the first basement floor of an alley building on Jandari-ro, between Hongdae and Hapjeong in Seoul, with outdoor patio seats that look onto trumpet vines over the wall. The 5-skewer assorted set costs 17,800 won, and Yakitori Iyu also serves cheese tsukune, iberico, tebasaki and grilled corn alongside Kirin draft beer and an Earl Grey highball, with basil pesto for dipping the skewers. It is one of the best bars in Hongdae for a relaxed drink outdoors.

Written Sep 15, 2026Sponsored