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Restaurants

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

Mapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae Korean restaurant for Pyongyang naengmyeon with vinegar and

Anok is a hanok-style Korean restaurant in Hongdae, Seoul, a 7-minute walk from Exit 9 of Hongik University Station. On a weekday reservation at 6pm the writer ordered clear gomtang (beef broth soup), Pyongyang naengmyeon (buckwheat cold noodles), and braised pork tail, and tried vinegar and mustard in the naengmyeon before deciding to skip them next time since they killed the broth's clean flavor. The clear gomtang, packed with meat and deep in flavor, is the dish you must order at Anok.

Written Sep 8, 2026Sponsored
Suwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Grilled bakdae and imyeonsu sole at 5pm weekday, no wait: Godeungeo

Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda Suwon Branch is a wood-fired grilled fish Korean restaurant on Seobu-ro in Gwonseon-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi. Visiting on a weekday at 5pm meant walking straight in without a wait, and the writer ordered grilled bakdae (tonguefish) sole and grilled imyeonsu (Atka mackerel), then added an extra order of gochujang bulgogi after loving the mini portion served as a side dish. With generous self-bar side dishes on top, a full bowl of rice was already finished before the fish even arrived.

Written Sep 8, 2026Sponsored
Suwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Barley rice buffet with gochujang pork in Yeongtong, Suwon: Boriook

Boriook Main Branch is a barley rice buffet Korean restaurant in front of Yeongtong SK View apartments in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon. The writer ordered the gochujang pork barley rice set and the barley rice set, piling on namul (seasoned vegetable side dishes), fried snacks, japchae, and braised tofu, then loved mixing the doenjang-cheonggukjang-style stew into her bibimbap. With dessert sweets, coffee, and plum tea on top, it's a full meal-to-dessert stop in one visit.

Written Sep 8, 2026Sponsored
Jung-gu, DaeguRestaurants

Daegu Korean restaurant: opening-run no wait for squid-pork stir-fry

Banwoldang Bujasikdang is a Korean restaurant near Banwoldang Station in Jung-gu, Daegu, known for hot-plate squid and pork stir-fry with a side of fermented soybean stew. Arriving right at opening time meant being the second customer in the door with zero wait, and the meal came with black rice, doenjang stew, and generous side dishes. Parking is limited to about three spots, so a nearby paid lot is the easier option.

Written Sep 8, 2026Sponsored
Gangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Grilled eel with salt and beer for two at Manmok, Gangnam

Manmok is an eel restaurant with dark wood-tone interior near Seonleung Station in Gangnam, Seoul. Visiting with a friend, the writer ordered a whole grilled eel plus Korean beef nabe set (₩113,000) with salt-grilled eel and Ebisu draft beer, finished with a free ice cream dessert. With bar seats, two-tops and group tables, it works for solo diners and dinner parties alike.

Written Sep 8, 2026Sponsored
Suwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Solo pasta lunch near Suwon Station Exit 12: Rolling Pasta

Rolling Pasta Suwon Station Branch is a budget-friendly pasta restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building across from Exit 12 of Suwon Station. The writer ordered oven mushroom cream gnocchi, spicy beef brisket oil pasta, and bacon kimchi doria for around ₩10,000 each, with weekday discounts of ₩1,000 on select menu items. With solo dining seats, self-serve bars, and table-order kiosks, it's a solid spot for a quiet meal near Suwon Station.

Written Sep 8, 2026Sponsored
Milyang, GyeongnamRestaurants

Loach soup set with mackerel, pork and makgeolli: Ilpum Irojeong

Ilpum Irojeong is a Korean restaurant on Baekmin-ro in Milyang, Gyeongnam, serving loach soup as a full table setting. The writer ordered the mackerel-and-pork loach soup set from a kiosk, added fried loach and a bottle of Milyang Arirang makgeolli, and worked through pork, grilled mackerel, japchae and side dishes in one sitting. It's a better fit for a leisurely, generous meal than a quick single bowl of loach soup.

Written Sep 9, 2026Sponsored
Jinju, GyeongnamRestaurants

Weekday lunch mixed naengmyeon without vinegar: Song Giwon, Jinju

Song Giwon Jinju Naengmyeon Main Branch is a naengmyeon restaurant on Modeok-ro in Jinju, Gyeongnam, introduced as the first Baeknyeon Gage (century-old store) for Jinju naengmyeon. On a weekday lunch, the writer ordered the Song Giwon 1997 mixed naengmyeon and ujeon (Korean beef yukjeon) and ate the noodles without vinegar or mustard because the seasoning was already well balanced from the first bite. Alternating between naengmyeon and yukjeon kept things from getting monotonous, so the writer plans to order yukjeon again next time.

Written Sep 9, 2026Sponsored
Gyeongsan, GyeongbukRestaurants

Family dinner with jujube soy sauce chicken don at Sonsi Sushi

Sonsi Sushi Yeungnam University Main Branch is a hand-crafted sushi restaurant that has stood near Yeungnam University in Gyeongsan for 10 years. Visiting for dinner with a sibling's couple, the writer ordered the value set, futomaki, aged soy sauce chicken don, and extra assorted sushi, all made richer by a low-sodium aged soy sauce brewed from Gyeongsan's local jujubes. The verdict: quality far beyond what a university-area restaurant is usually credited with.

Written Sep 9, 2026Sponsored
Cheonan, ChungnamRestaurants

Cheonan Korean restaurant weekend wait wrapped in gim: Hyangtaek

Hyangtaek Cheonan Buldang Branch is a Korean restaurant in Buldang-dong, Cheonan, a new outpost of a restaurant famous in Daegu. Visiting past 1pm on a Saturday meant a short wait, but the mackerel gondre rice and yukhoe bibimbap, both wrapped in gopchang gim (crispy laver), were worth it, and the neat presentation and generous portions made this a spot worth revisiting.

Written Sep 9, 2026Sponsored
Jeju, JejuRestaurants

Jeju bar near airport with baby-friendly dakgomtang: Deureomtong

Deureomtong Sotttukkeong Dakdoritang is a drum-cooked dakdoritang (spicy braised chicken stew) restaurant in Noheung-dong, Jeju City, near Jeju Airport. Each table has its own drum-can burner for simmering the 2-person sotttukkeong dakbokkeumtang, and the writer also ordered dakgomtang (chicken soup) for their baby, seated in the provided baby chair. Portions were so generous that two big eaters shared just one bowl of rice, and the place was clearly popular with local regulars.

Written Sep 9, 2026Sponsored