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

Mapo, SeoulRestaurants

Charcoal salt-grilled eel for two in Sangam-dong, Seoul: Ryeok

Ryeok Minmul Jangeogui Jeonmunjeom (력 민물장어구이전문점) is a freshwater eel restaurant in Sangam-dong, Mapo, Seoul, an 8-minute walk from Exit 9 of Digital Media City Station. The salt-grilled eel costs 27,000 won and uses grade-1 domestic japonica eel prepped the same day, reheated at the table on a real charcoal grill, served with a complimentary pollack stew and rounded off with the special hitsumabushi eel rice bowl at 27,000 won. Ryeok works just as well for a restorative meal as for a work dinner or a date.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Nam-gu, UlsanRestaurants

Samsan, Ulsan pork cutlet and gyukatsu: three dishes for two, Izawa

Izawa Ulsan The Terrace Garden branch is a gyukatsu (Japanese-style breaded beef cutlet) and rice bowl restaurant inside the Terrace Garden building at 231 Samsan-ro, Nam-gu, Ulsan. Two friends ordered three dishes to share — gyukatsu, special loin katsu and steak-don — grilling the meat on a mini tabletop brazier, and rated steak over rice with wasabi the best combination of the three. Izawa suits a pair who want to split several dishes, and the building offers parking.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Siheung, GyeonggiRestaurants

All-you-can-eat shellfish grill in Siheung Baegot: abalone butter pan

Unlimited Refill Grilled Shellfish Siheung Baegot Branch is a no-time-limit all-you-can-eat shellfish grill restaurant on the 2nd floor of Purple A, Avenue France in Baegot, Siheung. Diners pick scallops, pen shells and mussels straight from the live tank, grill them on one side of the half-and-half pan while abalone cooks in butter on the meat side, then finish with ramyeon (instant noodles) full of clams. Adults pay 35,900 won including the meat self-bar, and a Naver reservation adds a free slushie.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulBars

Mangwon-dong pub for pork kimchi stew with ramyeon: Jeongju Ilga

Jeongju Ilga is a Korean pub in Mangwon-dong, near Mangridan-gil in Mapo, Seoul. On a weekday evening we took the 8-person window table and ordered the pork kimchi jjaglae (a thick kimchi-and-pork stew, 21,000 won) with a ramyeon noodle add-in, plus an egg roll served whole, with soju and beer. Every table at Jeongju Ilga has its own phone charger and the drinking food is restaurant quality, which is why it is a repeat neighborhood stop.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Suwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suwon Station pork BBQ with anchovy dipping sauce: Ssosam 208

Ssosam 208 Suwon Station Branch is a pork BBQ restaurant in Paldal-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi, right across from AK Plaza by Suwon Station, where staff grill the meat for you. On a weekend visit at 7 p.m., the order was a medium mixed stone-grill platter of 500g (pork belly, pork neck and cheonkyeopsal) plus one serving of makchang (grilled pork intestine) and mul-naengmyeon (cold noodles in broth), eaten with myeongi-namul (pickled wild garlic leaves) and melotjeot (salted anchovy dipping sauce). With 2-hour parking support, staff grilling and wide gaps between tables, Ssosam 208 made for an easy, comfortable dinner.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Do, IncheonCafés

Family café in Yeongjongdo for peach iced tea: 5PM sunset hour

5PM sunset hour is a bakery café on Eunhasu-ro in Yeongjong Haneul City, Incheon, known for its salt bread. On a weekend afternoon the writer sat on the outdoor terrace with her child over salt bread, butter rice cake, a decaf americano, a vanilla latte and a peach iced tea, and loved the pool of butter inside the salt bread, the chewy butter rice cake and the real peach pieces in the tea. 5PM sunset hour is an easy place to linger over bread and coffee with a child in tow.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Gangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Late lunch fresh salmon poke bowl by Gangnam Station Exit 4: Ola Poke

Ola Poke Gangnam is a poke and salad restaurant on the basement level directly in front of Exit 4 of Gangnam Station in Seoul. Arriving alone for a late lunch just before the 15:00 break time, the writer ordered the fresh salmon poke at 13,500 won, customized it to a 30% rice and 70% salad ratio, and added the staff-recommended sriracha mayo; the salmon was fresh with no fishy smell and the bowl was packed with chickpeas, seaweed and other toppings. With solo seats and phone stands at the counter, Ola Poke Gangnam is an easy pick for eating alone near Gangnam Station.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Anyang, GyeonggiCafés

Bakery in Pyeongchon, Anyang: 30% off day-old bread at Milbat Bakery

Milbat Bakery Pyeongchon is a neighborhood bakery on Gwanpyeong-ro in Pyeongchon, Anyang, Gyeonggi, selling everything from sliced bread and baguettes to kkwabaegi (twisted doughnuts), ang-butter (red bean and butter buns), sandwiches and cakes. Inside, a 'BAKER'S CAREER' wall displays the head baker's plaques and certificates, and bread left from the previous afternoon is sold at 30% off. Freshly baked bread, real savings and delivery make Milbat Bakery Pyeongchon an easy stop in Pyeongchon.

Written Sep 13, 2026Sponsored
Suwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suwon donburi restaurant, char siu don set with cold udon: Gyudongjip

Gyudongjip Ajou University Branch is a Japanese rice bowl (donburi) restaurant near Ajou University and Ajou University Hospital in Suwon, Gyeonggi, with bar-style solo seats and table-order tablets. On a weekday lunch alone, the char siu don set cost 12,500 won with cold udon chosen as the noodle, and adding a poached egg, shrimp tempura, sweet potato cheese croquette and an Asahi beer brought the total to 23,500 won. The char siu at Gyudongjip was tender, more savory and smoky than sweet, making a solo meal feel like a small course.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Hapjeong hair salon build perm that keeps long hair: Pieum Hair

Pieum Hair Hapjeong Main Branch is a hair salon 30 seconds from exit 7 of Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul. Stylist Jihyeok gave a big-curl build perm to hair sitting between long and mid-length without cutting the length, trimming only the damaged ends, and the whole service took just over 3 hours, leaving volume that flows from the sides of the face. Pieum Hair Hapjeong is a good fit for anyone who wants to keep their length and change only the mood.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Uiwang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Uiwang restaurant siraegi mackerel stew: Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo

Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Baegun Lake Branch is a wood-fired fish restaurant at 148 Neungan-gil near Baegun Lake in Uiwang, Gyeonggi. The autumn table here brought wood-fired mackerel, oily flounder and eel, mackerel braised with siraegi (dried radish greens) and stone pot rice, with side dishes taken freely from a self-serve bar. For a healthy Korean meal after a walk around Baegun Lake, Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Baegun Lake Branch is the answer.

Written Sep 13, 2026Sponsored
Cheongju, ChungbukRestaurants

Bongmyeong-dong tteokbokki with kids in Cheongju: Bubuduri Tteokbokki

Bubuduri Tteokbokki (부부두리떡볶이) is a snack bar on the main road in Bongmyeong-dong, Cheongju, that has served tteokbokki, fritters and draft beer for 20 years. On a weekend evening a family with an elementary-school child ordered duri tteokbokki for 6,000 won, water and spicy fish cakes, two giant pepper fritters, then added squid fritters. The sweet-spicy sauce is milder than Shin Ramyun and the fritters are packed with filling, so the whole family left planning to come back.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored