Local places · 6495 stories
Restaurants in Korea, told firsthand by local bloggers — with photos and Google Maps.
Una Magok is a private dining restaurant in Gangseo, Seoul, serving Nagoya-style eel rice bowls beside Seoul Botanic Park. After a walk through the garden, my husband and I enjoyed the eel three ways with umaki and tomato tsukemono. Verdict: Una Magok is a lovely pick when a date calls for both polished food and a quiet atmosphere.
Min Cook Dasima is a sushi-focused Japanese restaurant in Goyang, Gyeonggi. I tried the ₩25,000 sushi set and the ₩18,000 soba sushi set, pairing freshly made sushi with chewy chilled zaru soba. Verdict: a comfortable choice for solo meals or group dining.
QooQoo Chuncheon Branch is a sushi buffet in Chuncheon, Gangwon, with seafood, Korean, Chinese, Western, and dessert options. A weekend visit at 1 PM meant about an hour of waiting, but the bite-size mentaiko mayo rice bowl and beef brisket gunkan sushi were worth choosing. Verdict: a fun family-friendly buffet with plenty to suit different tastes.
Daseon Kalguksu is a Korean restaurant in Seocho, Seoul, serving kalguksu and bossam near Gyodae Station. We ordered spicy octopus kalguksu for two, a large boiled pork bossam, and unlimited barley rice, then somehow finished every bit. Daseon Kalguksu is a satisfying pick for a seriously hearty meal.
Sindorim Sambaekga is a Korean restaurant near Sindorim Station in Guro, Seoul. A last-minute meal of bossam and makguksu came with generous banchan, including chilled bossam and doenjang soup. Verdict: a satisfying spot for a hearty Korean meal in Sindorim.
Jeokto Balhyo Gui Yongsan Branch is a fermented-pork Korean BBQ restaurant in Yongsan, Seoul. I tried 260g of jeot samgyeop and 180g of pork belly, and checked the unlimited free-corkage details. Verdict: a calm, easy choice for dates or small gatherings.
Yunseul is a shabu-shabu restaurant on the first floor of Grand Central near Seoul Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. We had clear anchovy-broth shabu-shabu with prime chuck roll, homemade noodles, bulgogi kimchi fried rice, and gondre juk. Verdict: a lovely family meal spot where even my shabu-shabu-skeptical son ate a ton.
Baekhyang Jipbulgui is a Korean barbecue restaurant near Ogeum Station in Songpa, Seoul. On a weekday lunch visit, I ordered the straw-fire-grilled pork set and the medium-spicy squid set, with fresh ssam vegetables and bean sprouts. Verdict: a satisfying meal when you want smoky meat and chewy squid together.
Jinsim Wang Donkatsu Okgwa Branch is a pork cutlet restaurant in Okgwa, Gokseong, Gwangju. We visited with two children and my parents for pork cutlets, noodle dishes, and kimchi nabe, with sofa seating and children’s tableware making things easy. Verdict: a filling, easy family meal with plenty of menu choices.
Bubyeokjeong Pyeongyang Mandu is a Korean restaurant in Paju, Gyeonggi, serving North Korean-style mandu hot pot and mung bean pancakes. At weekday lunch, I enjoyed the generous hot pot, beef, and kalguksu noodles with easy parking and spacious seating. Verdict: a comforting pick for deeply flavored, mild handmade mandu.
Omil Hyehwa Daehangno is a K-Western fusion restaurant in Jongno, Seoul, near Hyehwa Station and the National Children’s Museum. I visited with a child for rubber-duck omurice, fried corn, and gochujang butter pasta, and especially loved the cute presentation, kind service, and comfortable seats. Verdict: a lovely pick for a family meal or a Daehangno date.
Samsami-ne Gyeongpodae Main Branch is a sashimi restaurant near Gyeongpo Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon. I enjoyed the ₩70,000 assorted sashimi and mulhoe set for two, although some individual lunch dishes may be unavailable on weekend afternoons. Verdict: a worthwhile stop when mulhoe is non-negotiable on a Gangneung trip.
