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Restaurants, cafés and salons across Korea — every story by a blogger who actually went, linked to Google Maps.

Guro, SeoulBars

Guro izakaya hangover ramyeon and mixed skewer set: Robatayaki Sodam

Robatayaki Sodam Guro Digital Complex Branch is a Japanese-style izakaya on the second floor of the Guro food alley in Seoul. From a bar counter seat, the mixed skewer and mixed fried food set costs 44,000 won, hangover ramyeon 9,000 won, and Kirin Ichiban draft beer comes in at 14,000 won for two glasses — the set portions were generous and the ramyeon came packed with seafood. Every skewer at Robatayaki Sodam is sauced, which got slightly repetitive, but the price and the atmosphere still made it a satisfying night out.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Goyang, GyeonggiShopping

Custom suit shop in Ilsan, Goyang: father-of-the-groom fitting at JJ

JJ Republic Ilsan Lafesta is a custom suit shop near Jeongbalsan Station and the Lafesta shopping street in Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi. Ahead of a wedding, the writer visited to order a father-of-the-groom suit, choosing fabric, buttons, shirt collar and cuffs, and had measurements taken that allowed for a middle-aged build with a fuller waist and narrower shoulders plus a stooped posture. JJ Republic makes the suits on its own in-house production line and throws in a tie, which made the visit well worth it.

Written Jul 13, 2026Sponsored
Busanjin, BusanRestaurants

Seomyeon BBQ restaurant with a 10-minute wait: Gilchon Sutbul Galbi

Gilchon Sutbul Galbi Seomyeon Main Branch is a charcoal-grilled marinated and fresh pork rib restaurant on Dongcheon-ro 107beon-gil in Busanjin, Busan. Arriving on a weeknight late evening without a reservation meant a 10-minute wait, then marinated pork ribs with self-refill lettuce wraps and cheese bread, plus an added half portion of ribs, kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew) and a bowl of rice. Pairing the marinated ribs with cheese bread and kimchi jjigae is the reason for going back to Gilchon Sutbul Galbi Seomyeon Main Branch.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Sokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho market food stall for shell-on shrimp tempura: Hwangbuja Twigim

Hwangbuja Twigim is a tempura and squid sundae (stuffed squid sausage) stall inside Sokcho Tourist and Fisheries Market, also known as Jungang Market. A single bite of the nurungji (scorched rice) squid sundae, 15,000 won, changed the order, and the shrimp tempura came down to peeled nude shrimp or shell-on shrimp at 10,000 won each — shell-on won and filled a yellow bag. Unpacked at the accommodation and reheated in an air fryer at home, the fried seafood from Hwangbuja Twigim held up both times.

Written Sep 10, 2026Sponsored
Seodaemun, SeoulRestaurants

Spicy haejang-guk set at Sinchon soup restaurant Pyeongando Sikdang

Pyeongando Sikdang Sinchon Branch is a sundae-guk (blood sausage soup) and haejang-guk (spicy hangover soup) restaurant in the alley across from Sinchon U-PLEX in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. On a weekday lunch visit, the sundae-guk with intestines set (14,000 won) and the spicy haejang-guk set each arrived with generous sides of boiled pork and sundae, so much that neither plate was finished, and the owner added a free canned drink. The spicy haejang-guk set at Pyeongando Sikdang is filling enough in both portion and spread to make you wish you had a glass of soju with it.

Written Sep 13, 2026Sponsored
Busanjin, BusanRestaurants

Seomyeon tonkatsu with a 6-year-old: katsu sando at Katsu Gimseondo

Katsu Gimseondo is a tonkatsu restaurant on Seojeon-ro 47beon-gil in Busanjin-gu, Busan, near Exit 7 of Jeonpo Station in the Seomyeon area. After a trip to Busan Citizens Park, the writer and her six-year-old daughter ordered the Gimseondo set with added tenderloin and a katsu sando served with mulberry jam, and the bar seats and open kitchen made Katsu Gimseondo comfortable for solo diners too. Her husband called it the best tonkatsu he has ever eaten.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Suwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Mala broth cypress-steamed meat buffet in Suwon: Pyeonbaek Hoegwan

Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Cheoncheon Branch is an all-you-can-eat cypress-steamed meat and shabu-shabu restaurant on the 8th floor of a building in Cheoncheon-dong, Jangan-gu, Suwon. Diners pick their broth on a tablet, and this visit paired katsuobushi with mala broth for the cypress-steamed meat, then loosened the bone-broth base with mala sauce for shabu-shabu before boiling porridge in the leftover mala broth. If you like a spicy mala combination, the mala broth at Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Cheoncheon Branch is the one to order.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Icheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Day drinking at a 2pm-opening BBQ restaurant in Icheon: Jeongsiljangne

Jeongsiljangne Ppalgan Gogi is a charcoal-grilled marinated meat restaurant in the Changjeon-dong food alley in Icheon, Gyeonggi, and it opens at 2pm, so day drinking is on the table. Arriving as the first customers right at opening on a Saturday, we had two servings of spicy raw pork belly (200g each), a big bowl bibimbap and soju, and the egg roll, doenjang stew and banchan were all just as good. A solid pick in Icheon when spicy grilled meat and an afternoon bottle of soju sound right.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Hanam, GyeonggiThings to do

Hanam comic café indoor date with Nintendo Switch: Real Toon

Real Toon Comic Café is a comic café and indoor hangout on the 9th floor of Seongsan Tower Plus in the Misa area of Hanam, Gyeonggi. Guests take their shoes off to lounge in private rooms reading comics, play Nintendo Switch, and order tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), ramyeon, fried snacks and rice as a full meal. Real Toon Comic Café is a solid pick when you want to spend a few hours indoors in Misa somewhere other than a regular café.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Geumjeong, BusanRestaurants

Oncheonjang, Busan family restaurant with free baby dishes: Gatjidong

Gatjidong Busan Jangjeon Branch is a Japanese restaurant in Oncheonjang, Geumjeong-gu, Busan, one crosswalk from the Jangjeon Raemian apartments and right next to the Oncheonjang DT Starbucks. Two adults ate their fill of the tomato-green citron salmon udon set (which comes with a mini sake-don) and the half-and-half cheese and pork loin tonkatsu, while the kids' seaweed, furikake rice, vitamins, baby tableware and bib all came free. For anyone looking for a place to eat with a child in Oncheonjang, Gatjidong Busan Jangjeon Branch is a 100 percent return visit.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Gangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Magok pork BBQ restaurant for a family dinner in Seoul: Tamra Factory

Tamra Factory Magok Direct Store is a Korean BBQ restaurant near Magok Station in Gangseo, Seoul, serving Jeju pork by the cut. On a weekday evening with his parents, the writer ordered thick Jeju pork neck and added pork skin, and the meat arrived already seared, so the table could talk instead of tending the grill. With parking in the building, Tamra Factory Magok Direct Store works just as well for a family meal as for an after-work dinner.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Yeongdeungpo, SeoulBars

Yeongdeungpo izakaya for shrimp head fry and Asahi: Snack Bar Atashi

Snack Bar Atashi Dangsan Station Main Branch is a Japanese-style izakaya about a 10-minute walk from Dangsan Station in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. After a first round of gopchang (grilled beef intestines), the writer moved on to Snack Bar Atashi for a second round at the counter seats, ordering in-season raw shrimp sashimi with battered shrimp head fry, a bottle of Asahi and Saero soju served in a Wolgyegwan sake cup. It is an easy, satisfying snack-and-drink combo for a light second stop.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored