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

Seongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu budae jjigae with 90s music and pa-kimchi: Songtan Jindaegwang

Songtan Jindaegwang Budae Jjigae Seongsu Branch is a Songtan-style budae jjigae (Korean army stew) restaurant on the second floor of a building on Achasan-ro in Seongsu, Seoul. Lifting the lid reveals a pot filled to the rim with ham and sausage, and the retro dining room, lined with LPs and old posters, plays 90s Korean songs all through the meal. The best bite at Songtan Jindaegwang was the free pa-kimchi (green onion kimchi) piled onto a Jin Ramen noodle add-on.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Seohae, IncheonRestaurants

Pork jowl and marshmallow finish at Euljiro Yeontan Gui, Gajeong BBQ

Euljiro Yeontan Gui Luone City Branch is a charcoal-grill Korean BBQ restaurant in Luone City near Gajeong Station, Seohae, Incheon. The table ran through two servings of pork jowl and one of skirt meat with gochujang pork belly added, then bibimbap, doenjang stew and ramyeon, and ended with marshmallows toasted on the grill. It suits couples and groups who want to switch between cuts and still finish with a proper rice-and-stew meal.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulBars

Yeonnam-dong bar with an autumn terrace and ice persimmon: Ijillirya

Ijillirya Yeonnam (잊힐리야 연남) is a Korean bar with outdoor terrace seating in an alley in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul, a short walk from Exit 3 of Hongik University Station. From a terrace window seat, Ijillirya Yeonnam served spicy-numbing jeongol (hot pot) and red-hued yukhoe (raw beef) with Oneul rice soju, plus an ice persimmon platter that came free with a Naver Reservation booking. On a cool autumn evening under warm lighting, Ijillirya Yeonnam is a Hongdae-area bar where the food and the atmosphere are equally worth the trip.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulRestaurants

Shrimp biryani dinner for four at Mandala, a Hapjeong Indian spot

Mandala Indian Lounge is an Indian restaurant on the 3rd floor at 26 Dokmak-ro 3-gil, a short walk from Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul. Four friends arrived at 7pm with no wait and shared chicken tikka, chicken tikka masala, shrimp biryani and plain naan, with curries at 12,000-15,000 won and naan at 3,000-6,000 won. Mandala Indian Lounge splits easily four ways for dinner, as long as you avoid the Tuesday closing day.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Yongin, GyeonggiRestaurants

Yongin butcher BBQ: 400g marbled rib eye ₩70,000, Dongbaek Hanokjip

Dongbaek Hanokjip is a charcoal-grill butcher restaurant on Eodong-ro in Giheung-gu, Yongin, Gyeonggi. About 400g of kkotdeungsim (marbled rib eye), picked straight from the fridge case, cost around ₩70,000, and there is no separate table-setting fee. The strong charcoal fire sears the outside fast and keeps the beef juicy, and the doenjang stew simmered on the grill makes a fine finish with rice.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Buk-gu, DaeguRestaurants

Buk-gu, Daegu shabu-shabu buffet with rice paper tips: Shabu20

Shabu20 Daegu Bokhyeon branch is an all-you-can-eat shabu-shabu restaurant on Gonghang-ro in Bokhyeon-dong, Buk-gu, Daegu. The meal paired katsuobushi and spicy broths half and half, then ran through unlimited beef sirloin and pork belly plus self-bar Vietnamese rice paper rolls, sweet fried chicken and pad thai, finishing with kalguksu noodles, porridge and affogato. Dipping the rice paper straight into the broth for a second was the easy trick, and with 190 seats and plenty of parking Shabu20 Daegu Bokhyeon branch suits a family outing.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Mokpo, GwangjuRestaurants

Korean BBQ near Mokpo Pyeonghwa Square with hangover ramyeon: Simdon

Simdon Mokpo Pyeonghwagwangjang Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant next to Lotte Mart Maxx and Paik's Coffee at Pyeonghwa Square in Mokpo. The writer came with her husband and daughter on a 7:30pm weekday reservation and ordered the signature Simdon One-Pan Grill (43,000 won) with rice and spicy hangover ramyeon, and Simdon brought out a baby chair, baby dishes, Baby Shark seaweed snacks and a free drink for the child. Even on a busy weekday evening the meat arrives fully grilled, which made Simdon an easy family dinner with a small child.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Osan, GyeonggiRestaurants

Osan hanjeongsik with parking for 100 cars and nurungji: Bomseol

Bomseol Main Branch is a large hanjeongsik (Korean set meal) restaurant on Oesammi-ro in Osan, Gyeonggi. On a day when the change of season left the writer run down, they ordered the Bomseol table set, poured hot water into the stone pot to finish with nurungji (toasted rice crust tea), and went back for yeolmu barley bibimbap at the first-floor self-serve bar. With parking for more than 100 vehicles including tour buses, Bomseol works for both family meals and large group gatherings.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Busanjin, BusanRestaurants

Jeonpo tonkatsu lunch set with three fillet pieces: Katsu Gimseondo

Katsu Gimseondo is a tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) set-meal restaurant at Jeonpo intersection in Busanjin, Busan, a 5-minute walk from Jeonpo Station Exit 7. For lunch the writer ordered the pork loin cutlet set for 13,000 won, the pork tenderloin cutlet set for 14,000 won and two pieces of fried shrimp for 6,000 won, comparing the chewy bite of the loin with the tenderloin (hirekatsu) that arrives as three whole pieces. Between the food and the sunlit wood-toned dining room, Katsu Gimseondo is worth a return trip the next time a tonkatsu craving hits.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Dongjak, SeoulRestaurants

Pizza bar for a friends' meetup in Isu, Seoul: Raymond Set for three

Raymond Isu Branch is an American-style big-pizza and beer bar a 1–2 minute walk from Exit 9 of Isu Station in Dongjak, Seoul. Three friends travelling in from Gwanak, Suwon and Sangdo shared the Raymond Set (for 2–4 people) with three 665ml beers — Belgian witbier, peanut butter porter ale and pilsner lager — and the four pizza slices were big enough to fill all three. Since pizza and beer are served from 11:30am, Raymond Isu Branch works well as a friends' meetup spot near Isu Station.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Anyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Anyang galbi restaurant with gat-kimchi and takeout: Sannae Sutbul

Sannae Sutbul Galbi Bakdal Branch is a charcoal-grilled seasoned pork galbi restaurant in Bakdal-dong, Manan-gu, Anyang, Gyeonggi. On this repeat visit the meal was 2 servings of pork galbi with doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), rice and naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles), and one serving of 250g costs 15,000 won, good enough that 2 more servings went home as takeout to grill. The gat-kimchi (mustard leaf kimchi) and the cabbage salad with wasabi were the standouts, and the wide dining room at Sannae Sutbul Galbi handles family meals and group dinners with no trouble.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulRestaurants

Reserved-table name cards at a Mapo sashimi restaurant: Mapo Bada

Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada is a seasonal seafood and sashimi restaurant on Baekbeom-ro in Mapo, Seoul, near Daeheung Station. Two people ordered the Mapo Bada signature set and received salt-grilled shrimp, raw shrimp sashimi, gizzard shad sashimi and grilled gizzard shad, a four-fish sashimi platter, a seafood platter, boiled pork wraps and assorted fritters, with name cards set out at the reserved table. Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada suits family gatherings that want a wide, generous spread of seasonal seafood rather than one kind of sashimi.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored