Individual restaurant reviews are useful once you know where you are eating. This page is the layer above that: what to eat, where, and which of our reviews to open when you are standing on the street deciding.
If you only learn three things
| Why it matters | |
|---|---|
| How to eat Korean BBQ | The one meal where not knowing the etiquette is visible to everyone at the table |
| Samgyetang | Why Koreans eat hot soup on the hottest day of the year |
| The Blue Ribbon survey | That red sticker in the window — what it actually means |
Seoul
| Where | What | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Myeongdong street food | What to eat and what it costs | Myeongdong |
| Noryangjin Fish Market | Buy it downstairs, eat it upstairs | Noryangjin |
| Viking’s Wharf COEX | Seafood buffet, reviewed honestly | Samseong |
| Maison Leblanc | Blue-Ribbon French-Italian | Yongsan |
| Burning Stone | Budget-friendly steakhouse | Gangnam |
| Donghwa Gook | Modern Korean course meal | Euljiro |
| Jakjak Coffee Stand | Coffee on the Gyeongui Line park | Gongdeok |
| Sogulsok | Korean cream bagels | Gimpo |
Busan
| Where | What | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Ireumnan Amso Galbi | Hanwoo galbi | Haeundae |
| Gukdong Dwaeji-Gukbap | Busan’s signature pork soup | Haeundae |
| Millak Fish Market | Live sashimi by Gwangalli | Millak |
| Asura | Local beef rolls | Gijang |
| McQueen’s Grill & Bar | Ocean view at Ananti | Gijang |
| Kokamome Tendon | Japanese tendon by the station | Busan Station |
| Brown Hands Baekje | Cafe in a 1922 hospital building | Busan Station |
Staying nearby? See where to stay in Busan.
Sources & last checked
Every restaurant on this page is one we ate at and paid for ourselves. Menu prices in the individual reviews are what was on the menu the day we visited — Korean restaurants revise prices often, so check before you order. Opening hours and closing days change seasonally.