Local places · 11988 stories
Restaurants, cafés and salons across Korea — every story by a blogger who actually went, linked to Google Maps.
Usu is a hanwoo (Korean beef) and hanjeongsik (Korean course meal) restaurant in Mapo, Seoul, with every table in a private room, located right at Exit 2 of Gongdeok Station. For a husband's birthday dinner, the writer had the Dinner B Course with 90g of hanwoo, plus complimentary champagne, a dried persimmon dessert, and a Polaroid photo. It's a spot well suited to a quiet, private celebration.
Gyeongju Tokyo Pie is a whole-apple pie bakery tucked inside Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju. The writer bought two boxes of the premium 6-piece set, which mixes apple pie with chocolate (shokora) Tokyo pie, for family and as a gift, and tried the pies fresh out of the oven. The chocolate Tokyo pie stood out most, rich but not overly sweet, and the pies keep 2 days refrigerated or 7 days frozen, making them an easy Gyeongju souvenir.
Waltz and Dr. Mahn is a large café and coffee museum right by the Bukhan River in Namyangju, Gyeonggi. The visit covered the Coffee Float Volcano made with Kahlua liqueur and chocolate ice cream, the fruit-and-ice-cream Honor and Chevalier drink, the signature Opera Cake, and a stroll along the riverside path. With its elegant, old-world atmosphere, it's a great Namyangju café for an anniversary or drive date.
Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Sintanjin Branch is a wood-fired Korean set-meal restaurant in Sangseo-dong, Daedeok, Daejeon. Visiting on a weekend with her husband, the writer ordered the wood-fired grilled mackerel set and the wood-fired stir-fried pork set, each 16,000 won, and found the mackerel — grilled at 500°C — crisp outside and moist inside, while the pork was mild enough to mix into rice. With a large lot right outside and an EV charger, it's a Sintanjin spot she'd happily visit again.
Gukaechan is a handmade banchan (Korean side dish) shop in Gwanggyo, Suwon, run by a skilled mother and her nutritionist son. Picking up stir-fried anchovies, squid strip stir-fry, gungchae namul, and braised lotus root for her kids' dinner, the writer found the seasoning restrained and the taste like home cooking. A solid go-to for parents worried about what their kids eat.
Sanchaega Hanjeongsik Meokgol Main Branch is a Korean set-menu (hanjeongsik) restaurant near Meokgol Station in Jungnang, Seoul. Visiting with in-laws, the writer ordered the gondeure set and the gondeure special set, working through deodeok gui, hwangtae gui, jeyuk bokkeum, a whole grilled fish per person, doenjang jjigae and a nurungji finish, all seasoned mildly like home cooking. A solid pick if you're looking for a place to take your parents in Seoul.
Daily Fix Jangmi Sangga (장미상가) is a 100% Korean beef patty burger restaurant in the basement of Jangmi Sangga Building B, near Jamsil Station in Songpa, Seoul. Sharing the bacon cheeseburger and truffle mushroom burger with a sister and mom, the truffle mayo sauce made the truffle mushroom burger the clear favorite. The bacon cheeseburger is a safe classic pick for a first visit, but truffle lovers should get the truffle mushroom burger.
ONLY FOR YOU Hannam Main Branch is a hair salon on Dokseodang-ro in Hannam-dong, Yongsan, Seoul. This visit was for a GM repair clinic to treat hair dried out from a C-curl perm, plus a face-shape bangs and side-swept baby hair cut. Right after the clinic the hair felt smooth and settled, handling damage repair and a style refresh in one visit.
Bas Burger Yonsei Cancer Hospital Branch is a burger restaurant in the basement arcade of Yonsei Cancer Hospital near Seodaemun, Seoul. Two people shared a Bas Burger set, a Hawaiian burger, and a mozza cheese bar, dipping thick fries in ranch sauce alongside free chip refills and sauces. Adding one cheese bar to a burger set makes for a plentiful meal for two.
Daily Fix Euljiro is a New York diner-style burger restaurant near Euljiro 1-ga Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. A couple visited at 1pm on a weekend and split the Kang Min-kyung-recommended bacon cheese burger set and the double cheese burger set, comparing two different fries along the way. The salty bacon side and the rich double-patty side each won a fan, making it a satisfying meal for both.
Horanggul Bangi Branch (호랑이굴 방이점) is a gopchang (beef tripe) hot pot bar just off the main Bangi-dong food alley in Songpa, Seoul. On a Jamsil date, the writer and her boyfriend ordered a medium-spice gopchang hot pot for two, draft beer, and rice, and loved the hot pot broth after staff timed it to a boil for exactly 9 minutes. There's dedicated parking right beside the restaurant, but if you're drinking, walking from Jamsil Station is the better call.
Super Naengsam Sangbong Main Branch is a frozen pork belly Korean BBQ restaurant in the Sangbong food alley near Sangbong Station in Jungnang, Seoul. A family of three started with 3 servings of frozen pork belly, ended up adding two more rounds for 7 servings total, and finished with Hangang ramyeon and self-made fried rice. At ₩9,900 per serving with a self-serve vegetable bar, it was a satisfying family dinner out.
