9 Korean Restaurants Approved by Locals in Seoul
Daewoo Buddajjigae 대우부대찌개 Yeoksam
After some searching, I finally found THE PLACE for booty jjigae. The broth is perfectly spicy, super savory, and herby? thanks to the dandelions greens on top. They have the best selection of processed meats. No knock off SPAM! I truly enjoyed this restaurant and savored every bite of this wonderful stew.
price: 10,000 won per person, 18,000 won if you want to add sirloin!
find it: 34 Teheran-ro 25-gil, Yeoksam 1(il)-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Korea Bibimbap of the Eight Provinces 팔도비빔밥
This restaurant serves a very special bibimbap that is truly unique and very delicious. It’s the marinated crab bibimbap, which is the perfect combination of Korean greens, nutty rice, and raw crab meat marinated in soy sauce. The seafood tastes fresh and makes for an immaculate meal straight from heaven…especially with that crispy hot mungbean jeon. I’ve never tasted anything like this anywhere!
price: 8,000-12,000 won. The marinated crab bibimbap is 9,000
find it: 212 Samseong-ro, Daechi 2(i)-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Honamjip 호남집 동대문
This hole-in-the-wall restaurants has been operating since 1974! They serve all types of fish salted and grilled to perfection. First you decide on what types of fish you want to devour (if you have no idea what to order, order galchi, samchi and godeungeo). Then, they give you an “appetizer” of fermented bean soup (like korean miso soup) and a few side dishes. Your fish will come out in almost no time.
price: don’t remember the exact price, but it should be no more than 7,000 won
find it: 281-9 Jongno 5(o)-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Yetnal Mapo Bulgogi 옛날마포불고기 Hwajeong
This restaurant serves amazing bulgogi prepared on a grill plate surrounded by beef broth and veggies. Although I wouldn’t recommend traveling all the way to Hwajeong to enjoy this place, I would definitely recommend stopping by if you’re in the area. I actually eat here whenever I visit my grandparents.
price: 9,000 per person
find it: 65 Baegyang-ro, Hwajeong 2(i)-dong, Deokyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do
Beterang Kalguksu 베테랑 칼국수 Express Bus Terminal
This restaurant serves a very unique version of kalguksu, a dish with knife-cut noodles and hot, eggy, salty broth. The soup has an uniquely nutty flavor which I find really satisfying. They also serve dumplings and jjolmyeon, which is a spicy chewy noodle. The one in Express Bus Terminal actually has amazing service…they accidentally served food to a customer that came before us and apologized to us by giving us free Mandoo (amazing, 10/10).
price: 6,500 won for noodles, 5,000 won for dumplings
find it: 176 Sinbanpo-ro, Banpo 4(sa)-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Express Bus Terminal
Song 송 현댜백화점 Samsung
The 10th floor of the Hyundai Department Store is always bustling with hungry shoppers. Out of all the restaurants, Song is my mom’s personal favorite. The amount of times she’s been here is almost concerning. They are mostly known for their refreshing, veggie-filled soba noodles, but my favorite item is the donkatsu. The pork is tender and juicy and the batter light and airy. There’s a long line especially around lunchtime, but the wait is never too long. Food comes out quickly and there is a lot of seating.
price: 9,500-15,000 won for noodles, 14,000-15,000 for katsu
find it: The restaurant is on the 10th floor of the Hyundai Department Store, which is attached to COEX mall at Samsung Station
Daegabang 대가방 Cheongdam
They elevate the standard flavors of Chinese-Korean fusion food. It’s veeery famous for tangsooyook (탕수육), deep fried pieces of pork drizzled with sweet and sour sauce. They sweetened the sauce with pineapple?! which I thought was unique. They also have very tasty classic Korean-Chinese dishes like Jjajangmyeon and jjambbong, mapatofu, and more. The specialty dishes can get quite expensive, but the standard dishes are at a low price.
price: 6,000-12,000 for standard smaller items, 20,000-60,000 for more expensive items and platters
find it: 664-35 yeoksam-dong, Seoul
yachae hoddeok 남대문 야채호떡 namdaemun
Standard hotteok is a ball of rice flour dough filled with brown sugar and nuts, which is deep fried and flattened so that the dough becomes crispy and piping hot and the filling melts into a sugary lava. It’s amazing. This particular stand specializes in yachae hoddeok or veggie hoddeok. Instead of sugar and nuts, this hoddeok is filled with japchae, aka seasoned glass noodles with onions, chives, and carrots. Right before they serve you your hoddeok, they baste it in soy sauce flavored with lemons, onion, and peppers. Overall, it’s a magical experience all for just 1,000. You can also get the sugary one, which is also piping hot and delicious, but SUPER sweet.
price: 1,000
find it: 49, Namchang-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea or International Bank of Korea at Namdaemun