Local places · 28209 stories

All places

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

Michuhol, IncheonRestaurants

Weekday lunch bulgogi with no morning bread: Dongchuwon, Incheon

Dongchuwon Bulgogi is a Blue Ribbon-listed Korean beef bulgogi restaurant near Singi Market in Hagik-dong, Michuhol, Incheon. Two diners shared the Korean beef bulgogi set at weekday lunch, adding ongsimi dumplings (rice-ball dumplings) and glass noodles, then finished with the included naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles) and ice cream. Just note that the morning bread for DIY bulgogi burgers is not served at weekday lunch, and parking is only covered at the Seonjeong lot and public lots across the street, so check before you go.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Gangnam, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Cheongdam hair salon premium clinic with 20-min nano steam: Beorn Hair

Beorn Hair Cheongdam is a hair salon in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, a 100m walk from Exit 4 of Gangnam-gu Office Station. The writer booked a premium hair clinic for his girlfriend, whose hair had turned dry and limp, and after a consultation with Head Manager Hanna the treatment ran through a dedicated shampoo cleanse, high-polymer keratin protein, ripping and heat treatment, 20 minutes of nano steam and a scalp massage in the spa room. Her hair came back with body and shine, making a very satisfying first clinic at Beorn Hair Cheongdam.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Yangcheon, SeoulRestaurants

Sauce-on-the-side tangsuyuk at Mokdong Chinese restaurant Yugwanjang

Yugwanjang Banjeom Omokgyo Station Branch is a Chinese restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building on Mokdongdong-ro in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. Two diners shared the signature steamed bone-broth seafood jjampong (spicy seafood noodle soup) at 11,000 won, the signature jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles) at 8,000 won and the mini tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) at 13,000 won, with the tangsuyuk sauce served on the side for dipping. The verdict on Yugwanjang Banjeom: the first genuinely good Chinese meal in a long while.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Pohang, GyeongbukRestaurants

Pohang Chinese restaurant with stone-plate jjajang: Hwamok Gaekjan

Hwamok Gaekjan (화목반점 객잔) is a Chinese restaurant on Daei-ro 189beon-gil near Pohang City Hall, known for stone-plate jjajang served bubbling on hot stone and kimchi pizza tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork topped with kimchi and cheese). On a weekday evening, two of us ordered the stone-plate jjajang and a small kimchi pizza tangsuyuk for 28,000 won, and the jjajang came loaded with shrimp, squid and pork. The noodles stayed warm to the last bite and paired well with the tangy-sweet tangsuyuk, making Hwamok Gaekjan a good choice for a team dinner or drinks near Pohang City Hall.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Seohae, IncheonRestaurants

Post-checkup mushroom soup at Gajeong Station shabu-shabu: Shabuway

Shabuway Ruwon City Cheongna Branch is an all-you-can-eat shabu-shabu restaurant on the 2nd floor of Ruwon Top Plaza near Gajeong Station in Seohae, Incheon. On a weekday lunch after a long fast for a health checkup, the Prime Shabu All-You-Can-Eat Lunch at 24,900 won brought golden shiitake broth plus mushroom soup, tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork), rice paper wraps from the salad bar, and porridge to finish. The broth left a stronger impression than the meat at Shabuway, and the new 18,000 won weekday lunch set is the lighter choice.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Bupyeong, IncheonRestaurants

Diet lunch alone at a Bupyeong healthy bowl restaurant: Slow Cali

Slow Cali Bupyeong is a poke and salad bowl restaurant near Bupyeong Market Station in Incheon that is set up for solo diners. The writer went alone at 3pm on a weekday and ordered the flap steak bowl on a buckwheat noodle and salad base with the basic soy sauce, adding jalapeños from the self-service bar. The meat looked sparse at first but was juicy and generous, making Slow Cali Bupyeong a filling diet-friendly meal.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Suwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suwon yakisoba restaurant that matches its menu model: Jojo AK Plaza

Jojo AK Plaza Suwon is a Japanese yakisoba and okonomiyaki restaurant on the B1 floor of AK Plaza at Suwon Station, Gyeonggi. The solo yakisoba set (mentaiko gyoza plus Jojo yakisoba) costs 18,000 won, arrives looking exactly like the plastic model on the menu, and is cooked on a teppan griddle in full view. Crisp-edged, juicy mentaiko gyoza and springy noodles make Jojo AK Plaza Suwon an easy choice for solo dinner or a date before shopping.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Bucheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Bucheon fried jokbal restaurant with roe rice balls: Kkalkkali Jokbal

Kkalkkali Jokbal Bucheon Branch is a newly opened fried jokbal (pork trotter) restaurant a five-minute walk from Exit 5 of Bucheon Station in Gyeonggi. The order was a medium fried jokbal plus a sailfish roe rice ball, with a free jaengban guksu (buckwheat noodle platter) from the opening event, eaten as wraps with crispy-skinned, tender trotter, dried radish strips and noodles piled on top. With indoor tables and outdoor yajang seats next door, Kkalkkali Jokbal Bucheon Branch suits a cool evening over drinks.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Eunpyeong, SeoulRestaurants

9pm Korean BBQ in Eunpyeong with self-grilled pork skin: Yukjjip

Yukjjip is a Korean BBQ restaurant in Eunpyeong, Seoul, 126 meters from Exit 4 of Eungam Station. Arriving at 9pm meant a 15-minute wait, then two servings of whole pork belly (17,000 won each), handmade pork skin (7,000 won) and spicy soft tofu stew (7,000 won) — staff grill the pork belly for you, but the pork skin is self-grilled. With soju at 1,000 won and beer at 2,000 won through October, Yukjjip works well for a late night out.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Cheongju, ChungbukBars

Cheongju patio izakaya with black pepper karaage and udon: Sutori

Sutori Cheongju Bongmyeong Branch is a handmade yakitori izakaya in the middle of the Bongmyeong-dong food alley in Cheongju, Chungbuk. On a cool evening the writer took an outdoor patio table and ordered black pepper karaage, beef brisket seafood udon, yakitori chicken rump skewers (2p) and kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers). Sutori Cheongju Bongmyeong Branch gets both the atmosphere and the drinking food right, making it a solid bar pick in Bongmyeong-dong.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Gangdong, SeoulRestaurants

Amsa Station seafood restaurant: minari cuttlefish lunch, Gapmaejeong

Gapmaejeong is a cuttlefish-focused Korean restaurant about 150m from Exit 4 of Amsa Station in Gangdong, Seoul. A married couple came back two months after their first visit and ordered the minari (water celery) cuttlefish stir-fry and the minari cuttlefish seafood pancake, and the lunchtime stir-fry arrived with a bowl of rice and fried rice included. If you like the scent of minari and thick, chewy cuttlefish, Gapmaejeong is worth adding to your Gangdong lunch list.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Goyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Blue Ribbon gomtang restaurant in Hyangdong, Goyang: Doonjeong

Doonjeong is a Korean restaurant in Hyangdong, Deogyang-gu, Goyang, built around clear Korean beef gomtang (beef bone soup) and also serving jeon pancakes, boiled pork and beef hot pot. An extra-size clear beef gomtang, a tendon gomtang and a shrimp minari pancake showed off the different textures of brisket, chadol, tendon and shank over toremsik rice, warmed through with hot broth. The broth is mild rather than punchy, and with free baby rice and baby chairs, Doonjeong works well for a family meal or for hosting guests.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored