9 Best Restaurants in Seoul, South Korea

A long-time favorite of Hongdae partygoers, this Korean barbecue joint nestled alongside the long cheolkil (railroad tracks) focuses on galbi (beef ribs). Cuts of beef in your choice of sweetly marinated or lightly seasoned are cooked over wire mesh grills and served alongside their signature pot of bubbling doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew). The spacious two-story building accommodates large groups and you’ll often overhear reunions of high school friends or groups of co-workers celebrating with their favorite combination of meats and drinks. Open early and closed late, it’s a choice location to start out the night or grab an early breakfast as the sun comes up.

This trendy coffee label from Oakland, California has percolated into South Korea, with its newest location on the fifth floor of the Hyundai Seoul department store. The light-and-tree-filled space with no walls or windows was designed by a landscape architect to give it an outdoor feeling. The crew of well-trained baristas grind and brew each cup by hand to create a bespoke coffee experience.

What started as a homemade ice cream venture in a basement in Boston in 1975 has become a global rock ‘n’ roll-themed frozen treat enterprise. There are seven locations in South Korea and the DDP shop features the usual lineup of whimsical flavors and cones inspired by rock stars. They also purvey smoothies, sorbet, and yogurt.

Inspired by the Korean cartoon W, this small coffee shop was designed to look like a two-dimensional drawing filled with black and white furnishings that resemble something out of an old-time comic strip. Since its opening in 2017, Greem has become an internet sensation that's been featured in a wide array of media, including the opening scene of Netflix hit To All The Boys: Always and Forever. No wonder its motto is “a cafe’s main characters should be the people in it.” In addition to coffees and lattes, they also serve chocolate and strawberry milks as well as macaroons.

A great option for beginners to Korean cuisine, Hangaram is a small restaurant away from the Myeongdong center that specializes in hanjeongsik (full course Korean meals). The set menu with dried yellow corvine and the lotus leaf rice are two popular options, but the highlight of the meal, regardless of what you order, is undoubtedly the banchan (side dishes); visitors rave about the japchae (stir-fried glass noodles) and cucumber-peppers tossed in doenjang (soybean paste). There is a homemade feeling to each dish and the staff are welcoming and friendly. Come hungry as the portions are incredibly generous.

Although the standard Italian fare at this cafeteria-like spot likely won’t bring Michelin knocking anytime soon, the laid-back eatery is worth a visit simply for the picturesque waterfront location. Set on a platform just offshore and reached by a gangplank-style bridge, the quirky structure randomly topped by a windmill has a three-story dining room, a roomy terrace, and a convenience store known for its tasty fried chicken. The cafe also offers paddleboat rentals and water-skiing lessons. It’s a great place to settle in for sunset and watch the city light up at dusk.

While the name of this restaurant means “good year for a rice harvest,” locals often refer to it as the corner place with delicious tteokbokki (spicy stir-fried rice cakes). Eat inside the bare-bones restaurant which is also a functioning rice mill, pairing the tteokbokki with one of its popular sides: soondae (blood sausage), twigim (deep-fried meats and vegetables), or eomuk (fish cakes). Those looking for a quick bite can also get a tteok-kkochi, a fried rice cake skewer dipped in a sweet and spicy sauce, by far the best ₩1,000 snack in the city.

One of the leading names in North Korean cuisine, Pyeongraeok was first opened by a woman from Pyeongyang, North Korea in 1950. The restaurant is so popular that when it closed down in 2008, it reopened two years later in its current location due to demand. Fortunately, the recipes have remained consistent over the years. They are best known for their chogyetang (chilled, sweet and sour chicken soup served with cucumber, lettuce, and pear), but their naengmyun (cold buckwheat noodle soup) and dak-mucchim (chicken in a sweet and spicy sauce) are as good as the signature item.

A family-owned establishment since 1946, this beloved Seoul institution is best known for their mul-naengmyun (buckwheat noodles in a chilled broth) and bulgogi. Come to the restaurant for an early lunch, and there are often lines out the door waiting to enter. Many loyal fans of the restaurant have been coming to the restaurant for decades. Prices are higher than most that serve naengmyun, but Woolaeok proponents say the quality of the ingredients, including sliced beef and pear, make it a more fragrant meal. Feel free to skip the barbecue as the noodles are incredibly hearty. Try to make a reservation if you’re visiting at noon sharp.