The 20 Best Korean Restaurants in South Korea

Myeongdong Chaeum Hanjeongsik offers an authentic Korean full-course meal consisting of 18 side dishes and freshly cooked dolsot rice (stone pot rice). All food is prepared fresh on-site each day, and a complete set is served immediately so you can enjoy your meal conveniently. With a spacious dining area and group/room facilities, it is a representative Myeongdong hanjeongsik restaurant suitable for tourists, family gatherings, company dinners, and various events.

Gangnam Donjuneun Namja is a specialty aged-meat restaurant that long-ages premium domestic pork to deliver deeper flavor and a tender texture. With a variety of aged meats, distinctive meal options, and staff grill service, it is a great barbecue restaurant near Samseong Station for company dinners, family gatherings, and special meals.

Pultun Nunteji is a popular Korean BBQ restaurant located in Yennamdong, Seoul. The name of the restaurant means "pigs that eat grass," and their Minari Samgyeopsal, which combines celery and pork belly, is particularly well-received. Situated a 5-minute walk from Hongdae Entrance Station, which is served by Subway Line 2 and the Airport Railroad, it is conveniently accessible.

This specialty restaurant features samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) as its signature dish, generously using abalone from Wando in South Korea. The rich flavor of the slow-cooked chicken combined with the nutritious abalone broth revitalizes the body, making each bowl a hearty meal, especially when enjoyed with a variety of side dishes. Located in a quiet area of Sinsa-dong, it offers a comfortable setting for families and friends to savor authentic Korean health cuisine.

Junin Hog's Bulgari Dinner offers a luxurious food presentation where you can enjoy the flavors of the oldest cooking technique using wood fire and local ingredients. Handsome sommelier David Jew provides carefully selected wines that complement the chef's dishes and harmonize with them. The chef's confident and creative cuisine is part of the hospitality that uses seasonal local ingredients, each with its own unique story. With a curiosity for flavor journeys, you can enjoy a variety of dishes.

A nourishing hot pot restaurant specializing in Hanwoo (Korean beef) with its main branch in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. Its signature is a nourishing hot pot made with nine premium 1++ grade Hanwoo cuts and a rich broth carefully prepared using neungi mushrooms. The menu also includes a variety of dishes such as cold appetizers and spicy stir-fried octopus. As the core brand operating the Seongsu main branch and the Gwanghwamun branch, it has become a popular spot in the Seongsu area, offering a modern space created by an open kitchen.

Paldang Jokbal is a restaurant located in Nonhyeon-dong where you can enjoy warm half-and-half jokbal and kimchi kalguksu together. The main branch is very popular and quite large, and if all the seats are taken you can also order at the neighboring chicken feet shop. The menu includes sweet, warm-style jokbal, spicy jokbal, and spicy silbi kimchi, and the place is attractive for its lively atmosphere and tasty food. It is also recommended as a bar snack, and in particular the jokbal has tender, delicious meat and skin.

A seafood eatery located on the 4th floor of a building on Myeongdong 8-ga, open year-round from 7 a.m. It is known for the presentation of showing abalone and octopus in front of you before cooking, and for its crunchy raw abalone porridge and the rice-stealing ganjang gejang (soy-marinated raw crab). It is a Myeongdong breakfast spot endorsed by local guides.

Located on the top floor of the Seoul Shilla Hotel, "Rayon" is a high-end Korean royal cuisine restaurant with two Michelin stars. It uses carefully selected ingredients from all over Korea to offer delicately and elegantly recreated traditional flavors. With only two courses for lunch and dinner, you can enjoy seasonal menus that change with the seasons.

Located in the heart of Seoul, this restaurant offers authentic Japanese cuisine. Using fresh ingredients and traditional Japanese cooking techniques, it provides a special dining experience for its visitors. It is a place where guests can enjoy Japanese dishes in a calm atmosphere with comfortable service.

Tanma Kongo, located in Jongno-gu, Seoul, is a meat specialty restaurant that offers pre-grilled makchang and various meat dishes cooked in a clay oven. Guests can experience the juicy flavors of the meat through a unique cooking method, and it is characterized by the ability to enjoy it with a variety of sauces.

Featuring fresh sirloin, tenderloin, kkot-sal, sonchadol, beef tongue, and assorted roasts as signature menu items, Rosok's own signatures are the mildly seasoned Jeongmal Dwaeji Galbi, made using only the rib meat attached to the bone, and Pyongyang naengmyeon. Try pairing Rosok's food with a variety of whiskies, highballs, and wines.

Ufa Hongdae Main Store is a great spot for dates or group gatherings in the Hongdae area, particularly recommended for professionals in their 30s. With excellent accessibility and a variety of amenities, it ensures a comfortable dining experience.