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

Gangnam, SeoulBars

Cheongdam bar with mackerel sushi rolls and mochi tofu: Osa Cheongdam

Osa Cheongdam is an izakaya on the second floor at 37 Seolleung-ro 152-gil in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, near Apgujeongrodeo Station, with terrace seats, bar seats and private rooms. On a weekday evening on the terrace, one table went through sime-saba mackerel sushi rolls (35,000 won), chawanmushi, mochi tofu, a spicy ramen with blue crab and three bottles of soju. The atmosphere and the food both held up, making Osa Cheongdam an easy pick for a Cheongdam date or a work dinner.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Seongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Bundang sashimi restaurant: 39,000-won wild makhoe at Pohang Makhoe

Pohang Makhoe is a wild-caught makhoe (roughly sliced raw fish) restaurant on the first floor of Prugio City in Jeongja-dong, Bundang, Seongnam. On a weekend evening a couple ordered the medium wild makhoe platter for 39,000 won and a Terra beer for 5,000 won, and that day's fish were gizzard shad, yellowtail amberjack and spotted flounder. Eaten Pohang style — vegetables and seaweed tossed in the house vinegar-chili sauce and wrapped in a leaf — it was a filling dinner that still sat lightly.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Gangseo, SeoulRestaurants

Magok eel restaurant: 30,000 won kizami hitsumabushi texture: Kikukawa

Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa One Grove Branch is a Nagoya-style eel restaurant on the outdoor ground floor of Building A at One Grove in Magok, Seoul. A couple ordered the kizami hitsumabushi at 30,000 won and the regular hitsumabushi at 38,000 won, eating each bowl in the set order of eel first, then toppings, then dashi broth. The finely chopped kizami eel felt too soft for a husband who prefers a chewy bite, but Kikukawa's kizami bowl looks like a smart pick for children.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Seodaemun, SeoulRestaurants

Mutton masala lunch for two at Sinchon Indian restaurant Meno Kamena

Meno Kamena Sinchon Branch is an Indian curry restaurant on the second floor of a building near Sinchon Station in Seodaemun, Seoul. On a weekday lunch, two diners ordered tandoori chicken, mutton masala, palak paneer, aloo paratha and cheese naan for ₩43,000 in total, working out to one curry and one bread each. The soft potato filling in the aloo paratha, the chewy cheese naan and the mutton masala with no gamey smell made Meno Kamena Sinchon a place where nothing on the table disappoints.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Seohae, IncheonRestaurants

Comparing eel buffet sets in Cheongna, Incheon: Jangsodam B Set

Jangsodam Eel and Beef Buffet Cheongna Main Branch is an all-you-can-eat grill restaurant in Cheongna, Incheon serving domestic japonica freshwater eel and prime-roll beef. Three diners compared the A, B, C and D sets, ordered Set B at 34,000 won, and also tried the seasoned crab, the machine-dispensed Hangang ramyeon and the fried items at the self-serve bar. If eel is the goal, skip Set C, which has none, and leave the seasoned meats that require a grill swap for last.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Gokseong, GwangjuRestaurants

Okgwa cutlet restaurant in Gokseong: spicy cheese waterfall donkatsu

Jinsim Wang Donkatsu Okgwa Branch is a large-portion pork cutlet (donkatsu) restaurant on Cheonbyeon-ro in Okgwa-myeon, Gokseong, South Jeolla. After a day at Hwasun Kumho Resort Aquana, the writer came with a 30-month-old and ordered the spicy cheese waterfall donkatsu (16,400 won), sausage curry rice bowl (10,900 won), chicken tenders 4pc (5,500 won) and king shrimp tempura 3pc (6,000 won). Between the cheese pouring out of the cutlet, children's tableware and a wide parking lot, Jinsim Wang Donkatsu made for a satisfying family meal.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Gangnam, SeoulBars

Solo cocktail bar in Gangnam, Seoul: 3 signature drinks at Yahwa

Yahwa Honsul Bar Nonhyeon (야화 혼술바 논현점) is a cocktail bar for solo drinkers, set one floor below street level near the Nonhyeon-dong restaurant alley in Gangnam, Seoul. Dropping in alone on a Friday evening, I worked through the signature Falling Star Night, then Kahlua Milk and Peach Crush, and the dart game, guestbook and photo mirror made drinking solo feel easy. Yahwa Honsul Bar Nonhyeon is a good call on a night when making plans feels like too much but you still want one proper drink.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Seogwipo, JejuRestaurants

Dog-friendly Jeju restaurant near Sanbangsan: cutlassfish stew for 2

Sikgwa Hamkke Jeju Sanbangsan Branch is a Korean restaurant on Hwasun-ro 142beon-gil in Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo, Jeju, near Sanbangsan, known for braised cutlassfish (galchi jorim). Instead of a course, the boneless cutlassfish stew for two arrived with a course-level spread — abalone salad, soy-marinated crab, fried cutlassfish belly, abalone, conch and shrimp rice, and sea urchin seaweed soup — plus a 100% Hallabong juice from the review event. Dogs are welcome, Naver reservations are accepted and a high chair is on hand, so Sikgwa Hamkke suits couples and families alike.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Jung-gu, DaeguCafés

Dongseongno café in Daegu with whole-cherry bingsu: Otter Rabbit House

Otter Rabbit House Jongno Branch is a new European-style brunch café on Jongno in Jung-gu, Daegu, near Dongseongno. On a weekend afternoon this writer ordered the cherry bingsu (shaved ice dessert) topped with whole cherries and the signature Baerami Ade, in a space with a brick exterior and warm wood-toned interior. Otter Rabbit House is worth a trip for a small gathering or a dessert outing.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Gwacheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Gwacheon duck BBQ with an 18-month-old, marble ice cream: Deo Chadol

Deo Chadol is a duck BBQ restaurant near Seonbawi Station in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi. After a day at Seoul Land and the Seoul Grand Park Zoo, the writer stopped in with an 18-month-old for the couple course — duck chadol (brisket-cut duck), duck jumulleok (sweet-spicy stir-fry) and fried rice — and found baby chairs wiped down with wet wipes, plus marble ice cream for dessert. The mild duck chadol made this the meal the baby ate best at on any recent night out.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Yeongdeungpo, SeoulBars

Yeouido izakaya hot-plate lamb shoulder rack and octopus pasta: Nani

Nani Yeouido Branch is an izakaya on the 3rd floor of the S-TRENUE Building near Yeouido Station in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. On a weekday evening the writer ordered the premium lamb shoulder rack (₩43,000), which arrives already grilled on a sizzling hot plate, and the perilla oil octopus pasta (₩26,000), packed with salted fermented octopus. The food quality at Nani Yeouido Branch makes it work for both team dinners and dates.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Guro, SeoulRestaurants

Perilla and cabbage wraps at The Jokbal, a Sindorim jokbal restaurant

The Jokbal Sindorim Main Branch is a Korean restaurant near Guro Station and Sindorim in Seoul that serves jokbal (braised pork trotters) and bossam (boiled pork) from lunchtime. After a tiring wedding fair, an engaged couple ordered the trio combo — 200g of bossam plus jokbal plus the soy-sauce dish, 51,000 won at the time — eating the jokbal in perilla-leaf wraps and the bossam in napa cabbage wraps. The Jokbal Sindorim Main Branch also hands out a 1-hour discount ticket for the Sindorim 3-cha Prugio parking lot, so driving over was easy.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored