Top 10 restaurants in South Korea

When it comes to Korean cuisine, the options are endless, from sizzling BBQ to comforting soups and street food delights. If you’re planning a trip to Korea, here’s a curated list of 10 must-eat restaurants that will take your taste buds on an unforgettable journey. Each spot offers a unique dining experience, complete with addresses, opening hours, price ranges, and must-try dishes.

1.Myeongdong Dumplings（명동만두）

• Address: 25-2, Myeongdong 2-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
• Opening hours: 10:30 - 21:30
• Price per person: About 10,000 won
• Recommended dishes: Sliced ​​noodles, dumplings

                                                    Sliced ​​noodles, dumplings

2. Tosu Village Ginseng Chicken Soup（도스마을 인삼삼계탕）

• Address: 5, Jahamun-ro 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
• Business hours: 10:00 - 22:00
• Price per person: About 16,000 won
• Recommended dishes: Samgyetang

                                                             Samgyetang

3.BHC Chicken（BHC치킨）

• Address: 362-15, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
• Business hours: 12:00 - 02:00
• Price per person: About 20,000 won
• Recommended dishes: Cheese fried chicken, spicy fried chicken

                                          Cheese fried chicken, spicy fried chicken

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4.Samjin Fish Cake (삼진어묵)

• Address: 7 Jungang-damero 214 beon-gil, Dong-gu, Busan.
• Business hours: 8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
• Price per person: approximately 5,000 - 10,000 won
• Recommended dish: fish cakes

                                                                 fish cakes

5.Bongcheon eel (풍천장어)

• Address:No. 39, 27, Donggyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
• Business hours: 10:00 AM-10:00 PM
• Price per person: approximately 30,000 - 40,000 won
• Recommended dish: Grilled eel

                                                                  Grilled eel

6. Gwangalli Seafood Soup (광안리해물탕)

• Address: 3, Gwangalli Coast-ro, Suyeong-gu, Busan
• Business hours: 10:00 AM-10:00 PM
• Price per person: approximately 20,000 - 30,000 won
• Recommended dish: seafood soup

                                                                 seafood soup

7.Kapok Mountain House (목멱산방)

• Address: 1st Floor, 71, Toegye-ro 20-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
• Business hours: 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM
• Price per person: approximately 12,000 - 18,000 won
• Recommended dishes:  Raw beef bibimbap, soup

                                                Raw beef bibimbap

8.Grouse House (송계옥)

• Address: There are 4 stores in Seoul

1. Room 101-103, 1st Floor, No. 277-50, Seongsu-dong 2-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul (282m from Seongsu Station Exit 2)
2. Room 103,104, 1st Floor, No. 38, Olympic-ro 32-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul (426m from Songparo Station Exit 2)
3. 1F, 33, 48-gil, Seocho-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul (195m from Gongdae Station Exit 14)
4. Room 101, 1st Floor, No. 30, Hongik-ro 5-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul (341m from Exit 9 of Hongik University Station)

• Business hours: 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
• Price per person: approximately 20,000 - 30,000 won
• Recommended dishes: grouse soup, roasted grouse

                                                            roasted grouse

9. Twin pork rice soup (쌍둥이 돼지국밥)

• Address: 15, Geumchi-ro, Nam-gu, Busan-si, Busan
• Business hours: Open 24 hours
• Price per person: : approximately 8,000 won
• Recommended dish: Pork soup with rice (돼지국밥)

                                                       Pork soup with rice

10. Choryang dense noodles (초량밀면)

• Address: No. 225, Central Avenue, Dong-gu, Busan
• Business hours: 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
• Price per person: approximately 6,000 - 10,000 won
• Recommended dish: Caoliang dense noodles

                                                         Caoliang dense noodles

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Tips:

1. Make a reservation in advance: Some popular restaurants may have queues, especially on weekends or holidays. If you have a restaurant you particularly want to visit, you can make a reservation in advance to avoid long waits.

2. Try local specialties: Each region has its own unique delicacies, such as seafood soup in Busan, Korean barbecue in Seoul, etc. You might as well try local specialties to feel the authentic flavor.

3. Adapt to spiciness: Many Korean dishes are spicy, especially kimchi, fried squid rice cakes, etc. If you don’t like spicy food, you can remind the restaurant in advance or ask for less spicy food.

4. Be careful with portion sizes: Portions at some traditional restaurants can be larger than expected, especially barbecue restaurants. You can order according to the number of people to avoid waste.

5. Pay attention to business hours: Korean restaurant business hours are relatively strict, and some restaurants have rest periods between noon and evening. It is recommended to check the restaurant's business hours in advance to avoid missing out.

6. Street food: In addition to restaurants, Korean street food is also very famous, such as fish cakes, rice cakes, spicy fried rice cakes, etc. You can try these authentic snacks at street stalls.

7. Payment methods: Most places in Korea accept credit card payments, but some small restaurants may only accept cash. Keep some cash with you in case of emergencies.

8. Eating etiquette: When dining in Korea, you usually have to wait for the elders or the host to start eating before you can start eating. Don't make loud noises while eating, especially when drinking soup.