Local places · 11330 stories
Restaurants in Korea, told firsthand by local bloggers — with photos and Google Maps.
Eulji Baektan Ppyeogui is a grilled bone and bone soup restaurant 10 seconds on foot from Euljiro 3-ga Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. A lunchtime visit brought grilled bones (small) at ₩39,000 with extra rice, ordered at spice level 2, and the meat was tender enough to scrape off with a spoon. The 2nd floor seats around 20 people for group bookings, making it a solid pick for year-end office dinners.
Donstar Charcoal Grill is a Korean BBQ restaurant in Gwangjin, Seoul, about 50 meters from Jayang Station, handy after a walk at Ttukseom Resort on the Hangang River. Whole skirt steak and pre-seared pork belly are grilled tableside by staff, with a side of doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew) on the house. It's a solid pick for a group meal or work dinner where nobody has to worry about grilling.
Nuri Maeul Gamjatang Itaewon Branch is a 24-hour, no-off-day gamjatang (pork bone soup) and bone stew restaurant on the 2nd floor right by Itaewon Station Exit 4. Two people shared the medium soy-braised bone stew (간장뼈찜) at regular spice level, plus the pork bone soup broth that comes with it and self-serve fried rice to finish. The glass noodles, sujebi (hand-torn dough) and rice cakes are generous even without add-ons, making it a good pick for anyone who wants bone stew without the heat.
Katsu Kitchen Premium Jeonpo Main Branch is a Japanese-style tonkatsu restaurant near Exit 2 of Jeonpo Station in Busanjin, Busan. A regular since last year ordered the special loin katsu again, refilled the myeongi namul (wild garlic leaves), green onion kimchi and beef radish soup several times, and ate at a window counter seat while gazing out at the greenery. With bright pink meat that's tender, not chewy, this is the writer's top pick for katsu in Jeonpo.
Samsin Garosu-gil is a Chinese restaurant near Sinsa Station and Apgujeong's Garosu-gil in Gangnam, Seoul, serving dishes inspired by Korean, Chinese, and Japanese cooking. Visiting with her dad, the writer ordered Taean Hwangto potato jajangmyeon, Tevanaka meat jjamppong, and truffle sujeonggyo dumplings to share, with a deep jjamppong broth and generous jajangmyeon portions. With varied private rooms and warm service, it's a comfortable spot for a meal with parents.
Baek Sojeong Nambu Bus Terminal is a Japanese soba and tonkatsu restaurant about 300m from Exit 6 of Nambu Bus Terminal Station in Seocho, Seoul. Instead of the signature soba, the writer ordered the shrimp tempura fish cake udon tonkatsu set, the special katsudon set, and a cheese hamburg steak, and found the mild udon broth a hit with her child. If you want to satisfy both a kid's menu and an adult's menu in one order, Baek Sojeong Nambu Bus Terminal's sets are the answer.
Concasse Anguk is an Italian restaurant in a Bukchon hanok, a 3–5 minute walk from Anguk Station Exit 2 in Jongno, Seoul. A weekday lunch visit brought fresh pasta lasagna, potato gnocchi, and a tomato salad, with the rolled-and-stood lasagna and its thick bechamel sauce the clear standouts. Good for solo dining or a date, this is a solid pick if you're after Jongno pasta done well.
Gapposo is an omakase and sushi restaurant on the 1st floor of Hyundai Terra Tower near Gasan Digital Complex Station in Geumcheon, Seoul. The writer ordered the aged sashimi platter for 28,000 won per person and grilled merou (Chilean sea bass) for 26,000 won alongside soju-beer cocktails, plus a crispy mini karaage from a Naver review event. Between the umami-rich aged sashimi and the moist grilled merou, it was a satisfying fish plate to drink to in Gasan.
Hanmaeum Jeonguk Sikdang Cheonan Sinbuldang branch is an aged-pork Korean BBQ restaurant in Sinbuldang-dong, Seobuk-gu, Cheonan. The aged pork half-set (500g, ₩38,000) serves five cuts — pork belly, five-layer belly, pork neck, pork jowl, and gabrisal — plus complimentary pork skin from a Naver receipt review event. With a kids' playroom, private rooms, and parking, it's well suited for family meals or group gatherings.
Byeoljin Hwarogui is a charcoal grill Korean BBQ restaurant near Namyeong Station and Sookmyung Women's University Station in Yongsan, Seoul. Two servings of smoked pork belly came with bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold noodles) and beef kkakdugi bibimbap, and the thick-cut pork belly grilled over real charcoal had great smoky flavor and juiciness, with the side dishes standing out even more. The spacious, upscale hall with partitions and an 8-seat room makes it well suited for company dinners and family gatherings too.
Jjimgoeul Main Branch is an agujjim (braised monkfish) restaurant in downtown Jinju, close to Jinjuseong Fortress and the Rodeo Street. On an evening out for the Jinju Heritage Night Walk, the writer ordered the small boneless agujjim with added udon noodles and a bowl of rice at spice level 1, and the crisp bean sprouts and generous sauce meant the rice bowl was scraped clean. A solid dinner pick in downtown Jinju whenever agujjim cravings hit.
Mibundang Dongtan Station Branch is a pho restaurant on the 1st floor of the Dongtan Station Richian Sangga building in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi. Visiting on a weekday around 7pm, the writer waited 15 minutes behind 4-5 parties, then ordered brisket pho, brisket-and-tendon pho, and an assorted fried appetizer platter, topping up with free noodle and bean sprout refills. With a single row of counter seats and an open kitchen that keeps things moving fast, it's an easy pick even for a busy weekday dinner.
