3. 8 Restaurant guide
Korean RestaurantBarlin
This restaurant/pub offers delectable meats, sausages and stews, goulash and kassler. Draft beer, pilsner and Krombacher, as well as wines are on the menu.
Price range: 15,000 won and up
Location: Inside Somerset Serviced Apartments in Jongno-gu
Telephone: (02) 722-5622
Memories
The German owner, formerly a chef at a five-star hotel in Seoul, aims to impress German expats. Try schnitzel, lentil soup, sausages and eiswein.
Price range: 20,000 won and up
Location: Itaewon
Telephone: (02) 795-3544
Deutsches Haus
A Korean chef, who was trained in Germany, has a repertoire of more than 60 German dishes. Try ham hock, beefsteak, sauerkraut and plenty of draft beer.
Price range: About 20,000 won
Location: Itaewon
Telephone: (02) 794-1313
Han’s Sausage
A range of German sausages ― bratwurst, weiss wurst and emmentaler wurst ― for the budget-minded await at this modest restaurant.
Price range: About 7,000 won and up
Location: Near Hongik University
Telephone: (02) 325-8100
O’Kim’s Brauhaus
Beer lovers can guzzle suds freshly brewed on the premises, while feasting on assorted dishes, such as smoked sausages, sirloin barbecue and brezein (pretzels).
Price range: 10,000 won and up
Location: First floor of COEX Convention Center, southern Seoul
Telephone: (02) 6002-7007
De Bassus
A brewpub, featuring classic German beers ― filtered or unfiltered ― and German dishes like schweinhaxen, sausages and schnitzel.
Price range: Beers 4,000 won and up
Location: Basement of Avatar Building in Myeongdong
Telephone: (02) 3783-4568, 4321
Italian Restaurant
Puccini
One of the great Italian restaurants in Seoul, specializing in oven-baked pizza, pasta tossed at the table and home-made gelato.
Price range: 20,000 won and up
Location: Near Gangnam station
Telephone: (02) 552-2877
Buon Posto
Specializing in Tuscan cuisine, this elegant restaurant aspires to win a Michelin star one day. The steak, crabmeat pasta and rabbit terrine are delicious.
Price range: 40,000 won and up
Location: Cheongdam-dong
Telephone: (02) 544-4081
Grand Ciel
This small restaurant, frequented by trendsetters, specializes in great pasta dishes.
Price range: 16,000 won and up
Location: Near Dosan Park
Telephone: (02) 548-0283
Anna Bini
Patrons get a glimpse of a country-style Italian kitchen as they enter. Reservations are a must.
Price range: 25,000 won and up
Location: Cheongdam-dong
Telephone: (02) 3444-1275
Il Ponte
Recommended: the seafood saffron risotto, beef tortellini and roasted lamb. Pizza is also good.
Price range: 30,000 won and up
Location: Millennium Seoul Hilton
Telephone: (02) 317-3270
Il Cipriani
Serves first-class Italian; try spaghetti with cream sauce and tenderloin, and the baked chicken.
Price range: 40,000 won and up
Location: Nonhyeon-dong
Telephone: (02) 540-4646
Il Primo
A clean restaurant with a modest interior and an open kitchen, Il Primo specializes in pasta and pizza, which are a bit Koreanized.
Price range: 8,000 won and up
Location: Sinchon, next to Outback Steakhouse
Telephone: (02) 362-1888
Thai Restaurant
Doorei
Inside a beautifully redecorated hanok, or traditional Korean home, can be found this Western-style wine bar and an ondol restaurant, which serves traditional Korean full-course meals and liquor.
Price range: 50,000 won and up
Location: Insa-dong
Telephone: (02) 732-2919
Monijeo
This traditional Korean restaurant boasts a history of serving Korean government officials since 1969. Beef and pork viscera dishes, made with the family’s secret recipes, are delicious.
Price range: 20,000 won and up
Location: Nonhyeon-dong
Telephone: (02) 514-4587
Todamgol
Serves authentic and delicious country-style dishes, including jeon (vegetable patties) and lots of side dishes, in a Korean country home.
Price range: 15,000 won and up
Location: Cheongdam-dong
Telephone: (02) 548-5114
Songjukheon
This Korean home-style restaurant specializes in classic Korean course meals, originating in the south of Korea. Reservations required.
Price range: 45,000 won and up
Location: Near Changdeok Palace in northern Seoul
Telephone: (02) 763-4234
Daenamu Ssambap
Serves a set meal, consisting of grilled beef, assorted side dishes, fresh green leaves and rice cooked in bamboo tubes. A bit hard to find (start at the Sujeong Yakguk pharmacy), but worth the hunt.
Price range: 12,000 won
Location: Insa-dong
Telephone: (02) 735-8552
Hanokjip
This unkempt restaurant is where the Korean favorite, kimchi-jjim, braised kimchi with pork, was created a few years ago.
Price range: 5,000 won
Location: Near Seodaemun Church
Telephone: (02) 362-8653
Pan-asian Restaurant
Fuugetsu (Pungwol)
This clean, bright izakaya, or dining bar, near Hongik University serves all kinds of popular Japanese dishes made by Japanese chefs.
Price range: 12,000 won and up
Location: Near Hongdae Parking Lot
Telephone: (02) 336-5551
No Side
A former rugby player from Hiroshima is the friendly chef who whips up Hiroshima-style fresh okonomiyaki, or omelettes, on the spot. Also served are Asahi beer, sake and shouchu.
Price range: 10,000 won and up
Location: Near Hongdae Parking Lot
Telephone: (02) 3143-5963
Saboten
An authentic Japanese chain that’s well-known for its delicious deep-fried pork cutlets, better known as donkatsu.
Price range: 10,000 won and up
Location: Behind City Hall and others
Telephone: (02) 776-4510 (Mugyo-dong), (02) 544-4510 (Apgujeong-dong)
Ilolee
This tiny restaurant near the Blue House serves up sukiyaki, or Japanese hot pot, and other home-style Japanese dishes, such as udon, tofu and donkatsu.
Price range: Sukiyaki is 50,000 won for two people
Location: Near the Blue House
Telephone: (02) 738-5801
Sakanaya
Located in the heart of Apgujeong-dong, this spacious spot is a “conveyor belt” sushi bar, or kaiten sushi. Simple box lunch sets cost 10,000 won and 15,000 won.
Price range: 20,000 won and up (for kaiten sushi)
Location: Apgujeong-dong
Telephone: (02) 3445-1075
Kuboda Sushi
This tiny spot with just four tables in northern Seoul serves delicious Japanese course meals by a Korean chef, Park Jae-ho.
Price range: 10,000 won and up
Location: Seongbuk-dong
Telephone: (02) 744-2701
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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