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Restaurants

Restaurants in Korea, told firsthand by local bloggers — with photos and Google Maps.

Mapo, SeoulRestaurants

Salad lunch for two after greasy meals in Gongdeok, Seoul: Why Starve

Why Starve Diet Gongdeok Main Branch is a salad and protein box restaurant on basement level 1 of the Lotte Castle President building by Gongdeok Station in Mapo, Seoul. After several greasy meals in a row left them feeling heavy, two diners shared a chicken oat protein box and a beef light protein box with the wasabi mayo and sriracha mayo dressings the staff recommended. Neither box felt like salad alone, so Why Starve works well as an easy, filling healthy meal between restaurant-hopping days.

Written Sep 18, 2026Sponsored
Seocho, SeoulRestaurants

Gyodae Station poke bowl customized at the kiosk: Olla Poke

Olla Poke Seocho Gyodae Branch is a poke bowl restaurant in Seocho, Seoul, on basement level 1 about a 2-minute walk from Exit 14 of Gyodae Station. The steak poke costs 14,000 won and was ordered with a half salad, half oat brown rice base, wasabi mayo sauce, and seaweed dropped from the default toppings, since the kiosk lets you remove the default toppings one by one. Olla Poke Seocho Gyodae Branch is an easy, low-pressure choice for a solo meal or a weekday office lunch.

Written Sep 18, 2026Sponsored
Jinju, GyeongnamRestaurants

Jinju monkfish restaurant packed at late dinner: Jjimgoeul Main Branch

Jjimgoeul Main Branch is an agujjim (spicy braised monkfish) and seafood jjim restaurant tucked into a Namgang-ro 659beon-gil alley in Jinju, Gyeongnam. A Jinju native's long-time favourite, Jjimgoeul served a boneless agujjim, small size, for 30,000 won at spice level 2 (medium hot) with two bowls of rice on a late-evening visit, when every seat was taken by reservations. With no bones to pick out, the springy monkfish and crunchy bean sprouts make Jjimgoeul a reliable Jinju dinner pick for anyone who prefers boneless dishes.

Written Sep 18, 2026Sponsored
Dong-gu, BusanRestaurants

Busan pork ribs with doenjang jjigae finish: Choryang Hyeongje Galbi

Choryang Hyeongje Galbi is a pork rib restaurant on the galbi alley of Choryang-ro in Dong-gu, Busan. On a packed weekday evening, four servings of marinated galbi came grilled at the table by staff, with scallion kimchi, angelica pickles and one baby wild ginseng root per person, and a doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) to finish. The marinade was neither too sweet nor too salty and the pork was tender, so both plain and marinated galbi are worth ordering at Choryang Hyeongje Galbi.

Written Sep 11, 2026Sponsored
Yongsan, SeoulRestaurants

Sinyongsan family meal with long tables and baekseju: Baekok Yongsan

Baekok Yongsan is a Korean restaurant on Hangang-daero 10-gil near Sinyongsan Station in Yongsan, Seoul, serving pork gomtang (pork bone broth soup) in a modern take on a hanok interior, with a sectioned long-table area that suits a family meal. At Baekok Yongsan the order was pork gomtang 11,000 won, spicy pig tail (bulkkorangji) 17,000 won, cabbage mandu (dumplings) 5 pieces 10,000 won, and a glass of baekseju (herbal rice wine) 2,000 won. The broth had no gamy smell, the pig tail meat slipped straight off the bone, and the menu is easy to mix and match depending on who you bring.

Written Sep 18, 2026Sponsored
Seongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Seongnam grill house: aged pork belly and kimchi noodles, Mat Chandeul

Mat Chandeul Wang Sogeum Gui Moran Branch is an aged raw pork barbecue restaurant near Exit 4 of Moran Station in Seongnam, Gyeonggi. Two diners ordered two servings of aged pork belly (32,000 won), one serving of aged fresh pork neck (16,000 won), rice and kimchi-rolled noodles (kimchi mari guksu), and the staff grilled everything at the table; the thick-cut belly stayed tender and the cold kimchi noodles cut through the richness. Mat Chandeul Wang Sogeum Gui Moran Branch is worth a return trip whenever you want proper pork belly near Moran Station.

Written Sep 18, 2026Sponsored
Hwaseong, GyeonggiRestaurants

Byeongjeom squid stir-fry restaurant with free rice refills: Haetan

Haetan Hwaseong Byeongjeom is a stone-plate squid stir-fry restaurant on the second floor of a main-street building in Jinan-dong, Byeongjeom, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi. The meal was stone-plate squid for two (₩26,000), pork belly for one (₩13,000) and a half plate of squid fritters (₩9,000), with self-bar side dishes and sungnyung (scorched rice tea), plus free rice refills for lunch visits before 2pm. The sauce at Haetan is spicy enough to keep the rice going, so it suits anyone who loves squid stir-fry.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Siheung, GyeonggiRestaurants

Siheung clam kalguksu course for two at Crab Yasijang, Geobukseom

Crab Yasijang Multinational Course Sushi Geobukseom Main Branch is a seafood course and aged sushi restaurant on Geobukseom-ro in Siheung, Gyeonggi. The mountain clam kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) 5-item course costs 49,000 won and arrives as one full spread of mini sashimi, napa cabbage salad, corn gratin, blue crab in honey butter garlic sauce, and the clam kalguksu itself. For two people who want more than a plate of sashimi, the Crab Yasijang course is an easy way to taste a little of everything.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Dalseo, DaeguRestaurants

Daegu seafood restaurant near Moda Outlet: live abalone stew two ways

Sin Yeongung Cheonggukjang Haemulttukbaegi Seongseo Moda Outlet branch is a seafood stew and cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew) restaurant near Seongseo Moda Outlet in Dalseo-gu, Daegu. Two friends ordered one live abalone seafood stew (20,000 won) and one live abalone cheonggukjang seafood stew (22,000 won) to taste the broth with and without cheonggukjang, and added a cockle salad (16,000 won) on the side. Between the live abalone still moving in the pot and the roe, milt, and blue crab packed inside, Sin Yeongung made for a satisfying lunch worth returning for.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Geomdan, IncheonRestaurants

Geomdan Korean BBQ with free pork for pregnant guests: Dwitgolmok

Dwitgolmok Ddotgalbi Geomdan Main Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant specialising in aged Jeju pork, in the food alley near Exit 3 of Wanjeong Station in Geomdan, Incheon. On a Thursday at 8pm the table had two servings of Jeju teukmok-sal (premium pork neck) and one serving of Jeju ddotgalbi (bone-in pork belly), all grilled by the staff, plus the restaurant's well-known white kimchi pressed and seared in pork fat. With a free serving of meat for pregnant guests, Dwitgolmok Ddotgalbi is an easy pick for a get-together or date in Geomdan.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Cheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Cheonan Korean restaurant, gim refills for a party of three: Hyangtaek

Hyangtaek Cheonan Buldang Branch is a rice-focused Korean restaurant in Sin-Buldang, Cheonan. Visiting with both parents, the writer ordered two yukhoe bibimbap (raw beef mixed rice) and one eggplant doenjang rice bowl for 41,000 won in total, and the yukhoe bibimbap tasted best with the egg yolk and sauce fully mixed in and wrapped in gim (dried seaweed). Not unbeatable value, but a reasonable, tidy meal out for a family of three.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
Jung-gu, DaeguRestaurants

Daegu stone-plate BBQ: paper-thin frozen pork belly, Suyeong Naengsam

Suyeong Naengsam Daegu Direct Store is a frozen pork belly restaurant on Gukchaebosang-ro in Jung-gu, Daegu, near 228 Memorial Central Park and Lotte Cinema, serving 1+ grade Korean sow pork. Six servings of quick-frozen paper-thin pork belly, 7,900 won per 100g, are grilled by staff on a tilted stone plate with onion and sliced garlic, eaten with aged kimchi and scallion salad, then finished with doenjang jjigae and a bowl of rice. For anyone who loves thin pork belly with aged kimchi, Suyeong Naengsam Daegu Direct Store is an affordable pick near Dongseong-ro.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored