The best restaurants South Korea

Poultry lovers, this place will delight you because it gives a special place to chicken. You can opt for a classic of Korean cuisine, samgyetang (삼계탕) which is a whole chicken stuffed with rice, garlic, ginger, jujubes and served in a ginseng flavoured broth. Or you can go for a (less diet) tongdak (통닭), which is a crispy fried chicken that is wonderfully crunchy. It's like licking your fingers. You also have the option of ordering only half of them. These two dishes go very well with a beer.

This restaurant is for those with a taste for risk and adventure. In fact, this establishment specializes in the famous Japanese balloon fish, fugu. Be warned, this fish is poisonous, so it must be carefully prepared in a particular way. The restaurant's chef is licensed to serve it, so there's no need to worry. Different menus are available, offering a variety of ways to enjoy the famous fish: sashimi, grilled, soup.... The flesh is pure delight!

This restaurant is ideal if you're in the mood for a drink! The soju goes wonderfully well with the dish of dakdoritang 닭도리탕 served here. Be careful, it's quite spicy, so your tongue may dance a little salsa. It's a bit of a "catch-all" dish, featuring chicken pieces, noodles, potatoes, a few vegetables, gigantic tteok and, of course, the renowned gochujang (in large quantities). Truly delicious. An establishment for an evening with Korean flair.

Here is a restaurant with the most original decoration, a true ode to traditional Korean culture! Indeed here it is a real village that has been recreated. Really fascinating and surprising! Service in hanbok, traditional music played during the meals... we have the complete package! Funny little thing, you can even take a little boat ride in the restaurant because there is a water point. Meal level, delicate and delicious Joseon dishes are served to you. We love the place, we love the concept!

In the heart of the Myeongdong district, here is a very good restaurant specializing in octopus. You can choose the spicy option with which it is served as a stew with soy sprouts . But if you're looking for a bit of adventure, you should rather choose the sannakji (nakji means octopus). This is the "live" version... Yes, because the tentacles still move even after being cut off. But we assure you that soaked in sesame oil, they are delicious! Tip: Chew hard and long!

You could say that this sign makes the burger a fast food dish. They offer versions of unbeatable flavour, with ingredients of exceptional quality. The double bacon is to die for. To accompany your generous burger, you can opt for fries (of course) but you will choose the flavour (cheese, spice, garlic, guacamole...)

A passion for the raw burger and most probably the best restaurant of its kind in the whole capital. Plus the prices are reasonable.

Small structure but immense delights! This establishment specializes in curry (kare in Korean). It must be said that Koreans love the Japanese version (less spicy than the Indian one). So you can choose between several variations: vegetable curry, chicken curry, meat and potato croquettes or fried shrimp curry. We fell in love with the vegetable curry, which is a real treat with just the right amount of spices. Accompanied by rice and a fried egg, your stomach comes out of here full (and happy).

Awarded two Michelin stars, it is one of the best restaurants in the world, just that! What is certain is that it is one of the most popular tables in the capital. Chef Kang Min Goo delivers an inventive cuisine that skilfully blends Korean and European inspiration with traditional and more innovative gastronomic trends. On the plate, creative and perfectly successful alliances. The promise of an evening full of delicacy therefore provides a sober but elegant setting! Without a doubt, it's high-flying gastronomy!

In this renowned restaurant, you can taste one of the Asian stars, tofu. As a stew, as a cake, fried... it can be enjoyed with all kinds of sauces. But one dish in particular caught our attention, the wonjojjamsun. It is a spicy stew containing soft tofu like a cloud and seafood. Who said tofu was boring and tasteless? The dishes are so delicious that there can be a little waiting sometimes.

Here, not surprisingly, we enjoy simple dishes inspired by Japanese cuisine. On the menu, hamburger teriyaki, udon salad, tonkatsu...Little advice, come to this restaurant on an empty stomach. In addition to a tasty and successful cuisine, the decoration contributes greatly to the charm of the establishment. It is a vast bric-a-brac, a mix between a mechanic's workshop and a museum dedicated to Japanese animation and pop culture. Eclecticism perfectly mastered and quite surprising. You won't know which place to look anymore.

It is difficult to make a more traditional (and more authentic) restaurant. At the entrance, one is greeted by a mountain of pots filled with flowers. Once inside you discover the magnificent decoration made of woodwork, calligraphy and pottery. There is even a small courtyard outside in zenitude. It is in this pure Korean style setting that we will taste a tasty and juicy bulgogi (beef marinated and then grilled). This dish is a real treat and will surely delight you! Be careful, it closes early.

This establishment consists of 3 floors. The first is a café, the second is a photo studio and the third is the restaurant. The latter, resolutely modern with its stepped tables and dimmed lights, offers dishes inspired by Italian cuisine (pasta, risotto, gratins...). In addition to the quality of the food served, the restaurant (located on the heights) is famous for the magnificent view on the right of the pavilion and the illuminated city on the right. We strongly recommend going there in the evening, because that's where it takes all its chic!

Very good address, unpretentious because it only offers a few dishes, but all of them are extremely tasty. The flagship dishes of the establishment are mandu (ravioli filled with meat and vegetables). They can be eaten either simply steamed or fried, but still accompanied by a broth. It's up to you, but for us, steamed is much better! It is highly recommended to order separately a dish of kalguksu (noodles cut with a knife) in its seafood version.

In this restaurant, we taste something surprising that is mostly eaten in Asia. It's small, hooked and cartilaginous... so? Yes, you've probably guessed it, it's chicken noodles! Koreans love it, especially as an accompaniment to their national soju. Served spicy and caramelized in gochujang and soy sauce, they're really good! So put on your plastic gloves and enjoy them with your fingers! For a typical and highly original experience! Other dishes are also available.

Good little restaurant serving Chinese-inspired dishes that are all the rage in South Korea. We are talking about the very famous jjajangmyeon/ 짜장면 (noodles with a black sauce made from soy, zucchini and very small pieces of meat). The version proposed here is quite classic, it doesn't go off the beaten track of the recipe, but it turns out that it is made with mastery. It's very very good, and if you're greedy, then you'll be delighted by the more than generous quantity!

A sophisticated and simple atmosphere emerges from this elegant barbecue, renowned for the freshness of its meat. Another highlight of the place is the beautiful wine list to perfectly accompany your dinner. It is quite rare to find restaurants/barbecue that serve them. And the staff will be there to advise you on the best wine according to the meat chosen (beef or pork). Be careful, however, we can only dine there because there is no lunch service. Among the countless such restaurants in Seoul, this one stands out.

Two main points make this restaurant a really good address. The first (and certainly the most important) is the quality of the "fusion" dishes prepared: garnished avocados, scallops, paellas, pasta dishes, steaks... for the most delicious of them. The second point is the decoration, it is like being in a fairy-tale forest with many lights hanging from the ceiling and playing with the omnipresent vegetation, all with ultra-modern furniture. Restaurant very appreciated by the younger generation in particular.

This double function restaurant is very popular with the inhabitants of the town of Pocheon, and it has seduced us as well. It is first of all a barbecue restaurant in which the dishes of galbi (meat marinated then grilled) are delicious. But it is also a buffet restaurant which offers salads, seafood, sushi, some Korean dishes and even desserts... in short, a myriad of very appetizing little things. A good address from which one comes out really full (don't eat too much at the previous meal).

This restaurant offers traditional Korean cuisine. The emphasis is on soups/stews. These include miyeokguk (seaweed soup), sundubu (spicy tofu stew), kinchijjigae (kimchi stew).... to name but a few. All very well executed. You can also order some meat or seafood dishes. We like this place because of the quality of the dishes, the low prices and the fact that it's open all hours.

In an atmosphere and with a very successful "boat hold" type decoration, you will be served here a succulent land-sea plancha. It combines seafood, pork belly, mushrooms and soya sprouts. These flavours, which are very different, soak up each other and blend perfectly together. The best way is to finish the meal with fried rice, which will be fried with the same plancha, thus perfuming the rice with all the flavours of grilled meats. The admiral watches over us, so we allow ourselves, to accompany the dish, one or two small glasses of soju.

Just at the entrance of the restaurant are posted the Dolhareubang statues. They welcome visitors who will enter this place where plants reign. The "Smart Farm" sign on the front immediately puts the chip in our ear before it makes our mouth water. In an elegant and wooded decoration, you can enjoy grilled fish, pork or spicy octopus. But above all, we can admire the production of salads and herbs used to prepare meals. The terrace with a view of the sea completes the charm of this place.

Eat grilled fish at the Jalgachi market at a reasonable price? This is possible in this fabulous little restaurant where two cooks are on duty all day long cooking, breading and grilling fish and shellfish. On the right side of the street you will find this miraculous little restaurant. It's tiny, it's only 2 to 3 metres wide, and you might only recognize it by the phone number on a sign, but it doesn't taste much better... A small maritime feast in prospect for a bite to eat!

A close cousin of the bibimbap, boribap is made up of rice and barley to which vegetables and gochujang (chilli paste) are added. This restaurant cooks it wonderfully! It's good, it's dietary and it's filling, so we're testing this place to the limit. Dozens of banchan are also on hand to complete the tasting. We suggest you try the caramelized peanuts in soy sauce... it's divine! In this great restaurant you can eat on the floor Korean style, or on a table, it's up to you!

As soon as you enter the restaurant, you can see 2-3 ajuma busy cooking and serving the impressive number of customers who come to this restaurant every day. It's original, but yes, the kitchens face the street. The star dish of the house is the hanjeobsi sundae (순대한접시). It is a hot soup made from sundae which are Korean puddings prepared with intestines and vegetables. Yes, the word "intestine" may put off many people, but we assure you that the flavour of this soup is deliciously unforgettable.

In an atmosphere of a Parisian brasserie, this restaurant offers very good typical French dishes. On the menu, cheese and charcuterie dishes, beef tartare, bourguignon, parmentier mince, rillettes, crème brûlée...). Obviously different wines are suggested to accompany all this. If you have Korean friends, don't hesitate to make them discover this place, because in addition to offering a faithful and delicious cuisine, the prices charged are really very correct! It blows like a Parisian air over Seoul...

A restaurant "à la bonne franquette" to say it vulgarly but which proposes a simple, efficient and cheap Korean cuisine. No hesitation for the menu because there is only one. It consists of rice (what a surprise), fried fish, doenjang jjigae and a variety of side dishes. The best advice we can give you is to mix a little bit of everything in your big bowl. Next step, spoon it all out. A good address that doesn't look like much but is worth a visit.

A flagship address in the city where you can enjoy an equally emblematic dish: makguksu. Perfect in summer, these cold buckwheat noodles are served in vegetable broth and sesame oil. Of course, red pepper paste is added. It's surprising to eat cold noodles like this but really delicious. Be careful because the restaurant closes early it is better to plan to go there for lunch service. In addition, there may be a bit of waiting because the restaurant is really a victim of its success.

Certainly the best Indian restaurant in the capital, with its counterpart on the other bank at the Seoul Finance Center, with its authentic taste and tasteful décor. You can either choose one of the menus (7 or 10 dishes) or order the dishes individually. We particularly recommend one of the curries (many vegetarian versions available). The intense flavour is unforgettable. Chai (Indian tea) is a perfect match and is therefore a good choice for a typical drink. Reservations are highly recommended.

This restaurant, well known in the area, offers huge land-sea dishes, in which shellfish, seafood, vegetables and meat blend their flavors in a spicy broth that warms the mouth as well as the heart. Several types of dishes are available (with or without meat, with lobster...) and prices vary according to what's inside. Yes, it's not the most affordable restaurant, but if you come with several people, you'll quickly get your money's worth (2 people minimum). A surprising and delicious discovery.

After crossing a charming little alley, you will come across this establishment, a successful mix between a modern and traditional structure. Atmosphere at the rendezvous for this restaurant which combines this function as much as that of a place to have a drink. On the menu of jeon (Korean pancakes), stews galore... to liven things up, you can let yourself be tempted by one of the fragrant makgeolli (rice wine) that the house offers. The one with grapefruit conquered us! A very typical address, very nice, 100% Korean.

It's a very small restaurant, just a few tables, that doesn't really look like much at first glance, but it's really taking the neighborhood by storm. The establishment's star dish is seolleongtang / 설렁탕. This is a clear soup made from beef bone broth, into which green onions, sesame oil and, above all, thin strips of beef are added - a must. It's a real treat, and in winter it's a real comfort food. It's cheap and delicious, so what more could you ask for?

Very good restaurant without fuss, specializing in cold noodles. Two versions are particularly good here, the mulmakguksu (물막국수) which are buckwheat noodles (soba type) served in a very fragrant cold broth. And they are also found without the broth but with kim, pear, radish shoots and gochujang. The second of the alternatives is the spiciest but certainly the tastiest. To accompany all this, the house also offers a delicious fried chicken. Simple, cheap and efficient address!

The concept of this fusion restaurant is to offer a hybrid cuisine, a subtle blend of French and Japanese gastronomy, all prepared with Korean ingredients (which Chef Tae Hwan Ryu selects with passion every day. Depending on the menu chosen (Seasonal Inspiration, Multi-Tasting and Signature Menu) you can enjoy 9, 12 or 14 courses. They are all of a rare delicacy and executed with virtuosity and mastery. It is not for nothing that this restaurant is one of the best, both in Asian and world rankings.

Located on the^2nd floor of the Jagalchi market next to a host of other fish restaurants, we like this establishment for its sea view, its low tables, its good atmosphere and, of course, its cuisine! In this long restaurant, you'll find everything, based on fresh fish of course (raw, in soup...). But the set menu (30,000 won) with its bevy of small dishes is a marvel, and we highly recommend it. A little bonus: the menu is in English and the photos can help you make your selection.

The Itaewon district is full of international restaurants. But the Justin Steak restaurant is certainly one of the best in the area. Proof of this is that it never fails to fill up. It's in a very elegant and refined atmosphere that you can enjoy steaks and their little sautéed vegetables, rich in flavor and melting on the tongue. There are also good pasta dishes with sauces, but it is the steaks that are worth a visit and are recommended a thousand times over. But a bit of waiting in anticipation...

A real good address for sushi, sashimi and rolls (very Americanized...). First of all, we love the decoration of the place, very fresh, modern, elegant and vegetal. Then, the whole of the prepared products breathe quality and know-how. And finally, the prices charged are more than reasonable, which leaves the door wide open to greediness. Rare enough in South Korea to be highlighted, there is even the opportunity to eat on one of the few tables set up outside. This place is gonna be a blast!

Restaurant that pays tribute to the island's nickname, Korean Hawaii. In a setting that is half beach, half island paradise, we set off to discover earth-sea and sweet-salty mixes. The langoustines rub shoulders with the pineapples, the crabs flirt with the papayas. Promise of a very fresh, fruity and tasty meal. A most original address that will make you feel really on holiday. Don't hesitate to try one of the fruit juices on offer either, it's always a sure value that will come in handy on hot summer days.

In an alleyway parallel to insadong-gil, one of the district's main tourist attractions, you'll find this welcoming family-run restaurant serving classic local dishes, primarily bibimbap. The carefully renovated house retains a traditional wooden structure that lends it an authentic charm. Prices are very affordable, and we particularly appreciate the vegan options. Félicia, the manager's wife, speaks English and will be happy to help you. The icing on the cake: the famous makgeolli is free and unlimited between 11:00 and 14:00!

It's one of the best addresses in town. At the entrance of the restaurant, there is a traditional design bar, with tables, bamboos and zen stones (you have to take off your shoes and put on slippers...). The other part of the old house is divided into small private partitioned lounges, in the Korean style. The hanjeongsik are of a rare refinement, just like the decoration. We recommend yukhoe, which is a beef tartare with honey, sesame, and pear. An unexpected and surprising combination, but it's a real treat.

A very refined traditional Korean food, with hanjeonsiks, the traditional menus, of a great variety. The longest of them consists of eighteen courses in addition to the main course and dessert (all in small portions as there are many of them). A real treat for the taste buds. There is also a map, which is very interesting. The decoration is neat, sober. It's Asian elegance in all its splendour. The overall atmosphere of the establishment is very pleasant, one spends a most enchanting moment there.

Very recognizable, because trees line its terrace and thus give onto the street. A great and splendid Korean restaurant, famous and very popular, specializing in galbi (marinated and then grilled meat). A small bottle of soju is an almost indispensable drink to accompany it. This restaurant is especially worth a visit in the summer, when you can dine in its large garden among the trees. A really good galley address but can sometimes be crowded. It is therefore recommended to go there at lunchtime and during the week.

This establishment is very well known and renowned in Seogwipo. Guests flock here to enjoy delicious fish dishes. Grilled, in soup, raw... the seafood is endless, there's really plenty to choose from. You can simply choose a dish or two, but you can also go for a full menu, much more expensive but really tasty. In order not to spoil this culinary spectacle, the establishment overlooks the sea. You can decide to eat on the floor like a real Korean or choose the western version.

This restaurant, located in the heart of the city, a stone's throw from Democracy Square, specializes in Chinese cuisine, and particularly in Malatang. This Sichuan specialty, hard to find in Europe, is a soup whose key ingredient is mala sauce, a mixture of Sichuan pepper and dried chili pepper. Here, you take a bowl and fill it as you wish with different ingredients - a very wide choice of vegetables, noodles, tofu, meats, etc., is available - then pay by weight at the cash desk. Fun and, above all, delicious!

Among the vast choice of restaurants located in the market square adjacent to the entrance to Hahoe Village, this is one of the best options. The decor isn't stunning, but the food is delicious and the portions are generous. Their Andong Jjimdak (boiled chicken with soy and garlic) and Andong Gangodeungeo (grilled mackerel) are local specialties that are perfectly mastered here. Please note that, like most restaurants in the area, last orders are generally accepted until 5:30pm.

Located in the Mondrian Hotel shopping center, this small restaurant offers delicious sets at really reasonable prices for the quality offered. We highly recommend the tender slices of pork, to be enjoyed with crunchy pickled vegetables, wrapped in a lettuce leaf. The candy-pink decor has an Instagram feel that contrasts somewhat with the traditional cuisine, but in no way detracts from the experience. The icing on the cake is the excellent service. Discounts are available for hotel guests.

It may not look like much from the outside, but this canteen is an excellent address, above all for its pork gukgap (rice soup). Popular with locals and tourists alike, it's one of the neighborhood's institutions. The portions are generous, the food delicious and the service fast and friendly. An added bonus is that it's open 24 hours a day and located right in the heart of the neighborhood. No excuse not to try it!

Here's a gourmet restaurant located high up in the impressive Lotte World Mall. Here, the focus is on vegan food, presented in a multitude of sophisticated dishes thought out with care and artistry: each is accompanied by an informative and poetic note. The wine list is well-stocked, allowing for tasty pairings. The establishment, with its original, chic yet relaxed decor, large picture windows and impeccable service, is ideal for an intimate, gourmet moment.

At Parc Seoul, flavor and style meet in harmony. This trendy restaurant offers traditional Korean cuisine "just like home", with a contemporary twist. There are options for vegetarians and meat lovers alike. Sets comprising a main course, soup and rice (white or wholegrain) are very well balanced. For an extra gourmet touch, be sure to order the delicious side dishes. Service is provided by a young, English-speaking staff.

What a charming place, atypical and full of authenticity. This restaurant plunges us happily into the world of camping. The decoration is really well executed, hats off to the decorator! This establishment is really quite original and is a huge success with young people in particular. To stick to the theme, we suspect that what we will taste here are grilled meats, sausages, vegetables...). In addition to offering quality products, the atmosphere here will seduce you as much as it seduced us.

It is one of the most famous restaurants in hanjeongsik, the traditional Korean menus. The decoration of the restaurant may be very surprising, a mixture of Korean, Chinese and Japanese furniture straight out of an attic, which makes its charm somewhere, but the food and especially the many banchans, are very fine. And the prices are quite affordable for this kind of food. All in all, it is a very good address to discover Korean cuisine in all its traditional aspects.