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Restaurants

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

Gangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Yeoksam eel rice bowl for a late weekday lunch, Naver booking: Unagiwa

Unagiwa is a hitsumabushi (grilled eel rice bowl) restaurant in Yeoksam, Gangnam, Seoul, a 10-minute walk from Yeoksam Station Exit 7 in the alley behind GS Art Center. On a late weekday lunch visit with a Naver reservation, two Hitsumabushi Sang sets (one whole eel each) were each divided into four portions and eaten plain first, then with scallion and wasabi, then as ochazuke. The eel was finished to the last piece and the rice was generous enough to leave some behind, and the plum (umeboshi) sauce kept the meal from feeling heavy right to the end.

Written Sep 18, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae hanok restaurant with foreign diners at weekday lunch: Anok

Anok is a hanok Korean restaurant in a quiet alley 7 minutes' walk from Hongik University Station in Hongdae, Mapo, Seoul. At a weekday lunch a married couple shared clear pork gomtang (pork bone broth) for 13,000 won, Pyongyang naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles in chilled broth) for 14,000 won and steamed pork tail for 29,000 won, in a calm room that mixed solo diners, couples and foreign guests despite the middle of Hongdae. Anok is worth returning to on a day you want a quiet lunch.

Written Sep 18, 2026Sponsored
Yeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeouido gyukatsu restaurant that refills your grill charcoal: Izawa

Izawa Yeouido Direct Store is the original gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) restaurant on the 2nd floor of Yeouido Jonghap Sangga, right in front of Exit 5 of Yeouido Station in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. After a weekend shopping tour of IFC Mall and The Hyundai Seoul, the writer escaped the crowds here and ordered the gyukatsu set (sirloin), sharing one tabletop grill between two people; when the charcoal burned low, Izawa topped it up as soon as they asked. For a weekend date in Yeouido, Izawa is a quiet spot for a proper meal.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
Gwangsan, GwangjuRestaurants

Gwangju Suwan pizza restaurant, crust dipped in cream cheese: Bueokgan

Bueokgan Suwan Branch is a pasta and wood-fired pizza restaurant in the Suwan district of Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju. The house signature, Pemanong Jambon pizza, brings together salty jambon, sweet honey and fresh chives, and the leftover crust ends taste best dipped generously in cream cheese. With its red-brick exterior and widely spaced tables, Bueokgan Suwan Branch works just as well for a date as for a group get-together.

Written Sep 18, 2026Sponsored
Seongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu restaurant for a steak dinner with friends: Omil Seongsu

Omil Seongsu is a Western-style pasta and omurice restaurant on the ground floor of a brick building on Achasan-ro 5-gil, near Seongsu Station in Seoul. On a weekday evening, three friends ordered the 2-person set menu plus extra dishes — rubber duck omurice, soba maki roll, bacon mushroom cream pasta and Omil steak — and the Omil steak, finished with a cheese-pouring performance at the table, was the best of the night. Clean your plates and Omil Seongsu hands over a rubber duck plush, which makes it a Seongsu dinner spot worth coming back to.

Written Sep 18, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeonnam-dong okonomiyaki restaurant, Friday date with draft beer: Jojo

Jojo Yeonnam Branch is a teppanyaki-style Japanese restaurant on Donggyo-ro in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo, Seoul. On a Friday date after work, the writer waited behind 3 parties, then ordered the signature set for two at 39,000 won — Jojo okonomiyaki, karai yakisoba and donpeyaki — with a Jojo draft beer at 6,600 won. For couples who cannot pick just one dish, the signature set for two at Jojo Yeonnam Branch is the easy answer.

Written Sep 18, 2026Sponsored
Jeju, JejuRestaurants

Jeju Yongdam fish restaurant, dad's set with yuzu sauce: Naneun Jigeum

Naneun Jigeum Saengseoni Meokgo Sipda Yongdam Airport Branch is a grilled and braised fish restaurant on Yongmun-ro near Jeju Airport. Arriving on the first day of the trip, the writer ordered the dad's set (grilled mackerel, braised cutlassfish, soft tofu stew) with a side of steamed egg, and the fish were large, with the grilled mackerel especially good dipped in yuzu sauce. If you want grilled and braised fish in one sitting at Naneun Jigeum Saengseoni Meokgo Sipda, the dad's set is the answer.

Written Sep 18, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeonnam-dong tonkatsu, ₩31,000 half-and-half lunch: Katsu Monster

Katsu Monster Yeonnam Main Branch is a tonkatsu restaurant on Dongyo-ro 38-gil in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul. On a day off, the writer arrived with her boyfriend just before the weekday lunch rush and ordered loin katsu and cheese katsu for ₩31,000 total, splitting both half and half to compare the lean, savory loin katsu with the rich cheese katsu. She preferred the cheese katsu, and the thick miso soup with pieces of meat in it was a standout too.

Written Sep 18, 2026Sponsored
Gangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Samseong Station Korean restaurant for after-work makgeolli: Obongjip

Obongjip Samseong Branch is a Korean restaurant serving fire-grilled octopus stir-fry and bossam on Teheran-ro 81-gil, between Samseong Station and Samseong Jungang Station in Gangnam, Seoul. After work, the writer ordered the nakji obongjip special at 62,000 won (fire-grilled octopus stir-fry for two, bossam, and jaengban makguksu), added a kettle of makgeolli and a bowl of rice, and mixed the rice with seaweed flakes, bean sprouts, and sesame oil as the staff suggested. Plump, smoky octopus and tender bossam in one order make Obongjip Samseong Branch an easy pick for a work dinner or group gathering.

Written Sep 18, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulRestaurants

Lamb over rice restaurant in Sangam-dong, Seoul: Zilhal Bros Sangam

Zilhal Bros Sangam is a newly opened kebab and over-rice restaurant on Worldcup-buk-ro 54-gil in Sangam-dong, Seoul. A lamb over rice large (15,900 won) and steak and fries (14,700 won) were eaten in the dining room, and the lamb over rice was so good it came back as takeout the very next day. If you like rice dishes, start with the lamb over rice at Zilhal Bros Sangam.

Written Sep 18, 2026Sponsored
Gijang, BusanRestaurants

Gijang outlet lunch for two: oil pasta and cream risotto: Bueokgan

Bueokgan Restaurant is a pasta and risotto restaurant inside Shinsegae Simon Busan Premium Outlets in Gijang, Busan. Two diners stopped in mid-shopping and ordered napa cabbage Caesar salad, shrimp anchovy oil pasta, and abalone cream risotto, picking dishes whose sauces did not overlap. Mixing oil, cream, and salad kept the meal from feeling heavy, so even a party of two can share several dishes at Bueokgan.

Written Sep 18, 2026Sponsored
SejongRestaurants

Eojin-dong, Sejong noodle restaurant with self-serve bar: Italy Shabu

Italy Shabu Kalguksu Sejong Eojin Branch is a shabu-kalguksu Korean restaurant on the 3rd floor of the Taehan Press Center in Eojin-dong, Sejong. On a visit with a child, two servings of perilla kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) covered the full run from shabu-shabu to a noodle refill and a finishing porridge, while the self-serve bar held extra noodles, rice, and ice cream and puffed rice snacks for dessert. With easy building parking and a private room, Italy Shabu Kalguksu works for both family meals and group gatherings.

Written Sep 18, 2026Sponsored