Local places · 18789 stories
Restaurants in Korea, told firsthand by local bloggers — with photos and Google Maps.
Etrenne Jukjeon Branch is a European-style Italian restaurant near Jukjeon Station in Dalseo, Daegu. Ordered on a date, the tenderloin steak set came with garlic bread, salad, a soft tenderloin steak and aglio e olio pasta, plus a glass of sangria. Etrenne Jukjeon Branch is a place worth keeping in mind for an anniversary or a special dinner out.
Jjimgoeul Main Branch is a 30-year-old agujjim (spicy braised angler fish) restaurant in an alley in downtown Jinju, across from the Jinju Youth Training Center. A regular since 2015 ordered the boneless agujjim at spice level 1 and liked the plump fish that needs no bone-picking and the crunchy bean sprouts. Jjimgoeul is worth remembering for a spicy Korean meal near Jinjuseong Fortress and the car-free street.
Hyeopjae On Ttukbaegi is a haejangguk (hangover soup) restaurant right in front of Hyeopjae Beach in Hallim-eup, Jeju City. On an early morning visit we ordered one bowl of each: the clear Jeju Hyeopjae bomal haejangguk (top shell soup) and the red-broth hanwoo myeongpum naejangtang (premium beef tripe soup), comparing the light broth packed with top shells against the heavy ox-bone tripe soup. Hyeopjae On Ttukbaegi is an easy, gentle-on-the-stomach breakfast bowl near Hyeopjae Beach.
Jjimgoeul Main Branch is a 30-year-old local seafood jjim (spicy braised seafood) restaurant on Namgang-ro in Jinju, Gyeongnam, near Jinjuseong Fortress. On a fourth visit this year the small mixed seafood jjim cost 28,000 won, ordered at medium spice, and came with blue crab, shrimp, jjukkumi (webfoot octopus), scallops and mideodeok (sea squirt), with no fishy taste and crisp bean sprouts. With agujjim, daegu ppol-jjim and kkotge-jjim also on the menu, Jjimgoeul is an easy stop on a Jinju food trip.
Yongchon Gogi-jip is a pork galbi (pork rib) restaurant on Yongwon-ro in Toseong-myeon, Goseong, Gangwon. For a travel dinner in Goseong, the writer ordered 3 servings of hand-butchered raw pork ribs and 1 serving of salt-aged marinated pork ribs, grilled them over charcoal, and added steamed egg and ugeoji doenjang stew (soybean paste stew with dried cabbage leaves). Because the marinade at Yongchon Gogi-jip is salt-based, it barely burned on the grill and never felt heavy, making it a low-risk dinner choice on a Goseong trip.
Gyeoretsu Ramen Bucheon University Branch is a Japanese-style ramen shop in front of Bucheon University, a 5-minute walk from Bucheon Station in Gyeonggi. Over four visits the writer worked through all four mains — tonkotsu ramen, iekei ramen, karai mazesoba and egoma aburasoba — and this time stirred a bowl of the free rice into the karai mazesoba. Even broth lovers end up hooked on the mazesoba and aburasoba at Gyeoretsu Ramen, and a filling solo meal comes to around 10,000 won.
Sinjuokmi Suwan District branch is a sundae-guk (blood sausage soup) restaurant in the Suwan District food alley of Gwangsan, Gwangju. The writer ordered gat sundae-guk and sanghwang gat sundae-guk made with sanghwang mushroom, plus a half plate of handmade assorted sundae on the side, and the sanghwang soup arrived with a faint yellow broth and a deep, tonic-like flavor. With a tidy self-serve side dish bar as well, Sinjuokmi is a solid pick for a filling lunch in Suwan District.
Namiseom Anbanji Dakgalbi is a charcoal dakgalbi (grilled chicken) restaurant at the entrance to Nami Island in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi, run by the third generation of the same family for 35 years and listed in the 2026 Blue Ribbon Survey. On a weekend lunch with a child, the order was two servings of the not-spicy original salt-grilled dakgalbi (17,000 won), buckwheat mak-guksu noodles and cheese fondue. Diners park free for 6 hours in the lot across the street, so the car can stay put during a full Nami Island visit.
Sonamu Hanjeongsik is a hanok-style hanjeongsik (Korean set-course) restaurant on Nonsandae-ro in Nonsan, Chungnam. Order the Sonamu-jeongsik course and the kitchen sends out one plate at a time: a pumpkin porridge welcome dish and small bites, the first courses, hot-pot rice with soybean paste soup, then the main course of 24-hour low-temperature braised beef short ribs, Geumsan ginseng fritters, soy-marinated shrimp and stir-fried octopus, closing with yuzu yanggaeng and Nonsan strawberry juice. Sonamu Hanjeongsik suits the meals where you need to treat someone — parents, or the whole family together.
Gujeon Gukbap Yongbong Main Branch is a 24-hour gukbap (Korean pork soup with rice) restaurant near Jeoncheolu intersection in Yongbong-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju. On a second visit the order was mixed pork gukbap at 10,000 won, sirak jangteo gukbap (soup with dried radish greens) at 10,000 won and a plate of head meat at 15,000 won, eaten with fiery halmaep cabbage kimchi and green onion kimchi, plus sticky rice and a self-serve side dish bar. For a hearty bowl at an easy price, Gujeon Gukbap is worth going back to.
Chongil Nakji, Tanbang branch is a Korean restaurant specialising in spicy octopus stir-fry in Tanbang-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon, near Daejeon Lotte Department Store. Three of us — me, my mom and my sister — shared 3 servings of pork and octopus stir-fry with added scallop, and the rice, seasoned greens, onion pickles and cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew) that came with it made it plenty for three women. Chongil Nakji was fully booked with a wait until 1pm, but the kitchen was fast and the food arrived soon after we sat down.
Masamgyetang Bangbaeng Sageori Branch is a samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) restaurant near Bangbaeng Sageori in Gangnam, Seoul, where the broth is made with grated fresh yam. Arriving around 2:30pm with both parents, the writer ordered the masamgyetang at 18,000 won and the half-chicken banggyetang at 11,000 won, which is only available until 3pm, and found five side dishes, a self-serve bar and 90 minutes of free basement parking. Since banggyetang cuts only the portion and not the broth, Masamgyetang works just as well for a late solo lunch as for a family meal.
