Local places · 3342 stories
Restaurants, cafés and salons across Korea — every story by a blogger who actually went, linked to Google Maps.
Izakaya Goko is an izakaya near Sinnonhyeon Station in Gangnam, Seoul. My friend and I ordered Daegwangeo Shio Samhap for ₩35,000 and Goko Sashimi for Two for ₩45,000, enjoying aged sashimi, aburi Spanish mackerel, and warm abalone. Verdict: a great pick for drinks with seriously good raw fish.
Selected Nicks is a tiramisu café in Gangnam, Seoul, with multiple seating floors, exhibition spaces, and a rooftop. After Friday lunch, I enjoyed original tiramisu, an iced Americano, and an Earl Grey latte in relative comfort. Verdict: a solid choice for dessert and a rooftop break with plenty of room.
Janghoga Yang Kkochi is a lamb skewer restaurant in Nam-gu, Busan. After sashimi, I grilled lamb skewers (8 for ₩13,500) and spicy chicken wings, with Tsingtao mixed with Yantai Gaoliang. Verdict: a satisfying second-round drinks-and-grill combination.
MANDOO BAR is a fusion dumpling dining bar on Red Road in Hongdae, Seoul. I packed half kimchi and half meat Ppurinkle dumplings plus steamed dumplings, then ate them on a nearby bench. Verdict: a fun Hongdae takeout pick for an unusual dumpling fix.
Baekho Yangdaechang is a charcoal-grilled beef intestine restaurant near Isu Station in Dongjak, Seoul. I had two portions of assorted intestines and yang bokkeumbap (stir-fried rice with tripe); the staff grilled everything, and the juicy daechang with its gentle charcoal aroma stood out. Verdict: a place I’d happily return to for an Isu Station gopchang date.
Dojeok Hapjeong is a Korean barbecue restaurant in Seogyo-dong, Mapo, Seoul, between Hongdae, Hapjeong, and Sangsu Station. I enjoyed pork belly, gabrisal, soybean paste stew, and sweet-spicy gochujang pork belly with a friend while the staff handled the grilling. Verdict: a comfortable pick for Seoul Korean BBQ with attentive grilling service.
Hyeonseoni-ne Cheonggye Instant Branch is a Korean restaurant in Jung-gu, Seoul, serving pocha-style street food and instant tteokbokki. I dug into the Hyeonseoni Combo Set, dipping mini gimbap, sundae, and fried snacks into its chewy tteokbokki sauce. Verdict: a generous, nostalgic snack spread I’d happily return for.
Plate Dunsan Branch is an Italian restaurant in Dunsan-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon. I chose pasta noodle No. 6 for the Bacon Cacio e Pepe and paired it with the fire-grilled chopped steak pizza set. Verdict: a cozy, satisfying choice for a date meal.
The European Gwanggyo is a wood-fired pizza and pasta restaurant in Gwanggyo, Suwon, Gyeonggi. A Saturday lunch reservation led to its signature basil burrata cheese pizza and Bolognese fresh-pasta lasagna in a quiet, elegant dining room. A lovely choice for a date or special-occasion meal in Gwanggyo.
Yakitori Shomong Mapo Station Branch is a yakitori bar near Mapo Station in Mapo, Seoul. We shared a 14,800-won-per-person yakitori omakase, 32,000-won vongole sake-steamed clams, and 22,000-won yakisoba after work. Verdict: a satisfying dinner for skewers, broth, and noodles in one sitting.
Sarugak20 is a curry restaurant in Busanjin, Busan, and the second location of Moru Sikdang. I tried its half-and-half curry with cream curry and special curry, plus scrambled eggs and a sweet potato cheese croquette, in a calm, sunlit basement space. Verdict: Sarugak20 is a great pick in Busanjin when you want two curries on one plate.
Jukrim Sutbul Dwaeji Gui is a Korean barbecue restaurant in Suyeong, Busan, near Gwangalli Beach. I had the Jukrim Korean pork set with kimchi rolled noodles and doenjang jjigae, and especially loved the juicy pork belly and tender pork neck. Verdict: a wonderfully easy place for a full barbecue spread when grilling meat feels like a chore.
