Unique Seoul Korean Restaurants I Had To Try In Korea

It’s my first time in South Korea, and here’s 5 unique Korean Restaurants in Seoul that I tried – and would definitely go back to Korea for! If you know me, you know I’m a huge fan of K-drama. From watching my favorite shows and collecting recommendations from local friends, I have collected a list of must-try Korean foods that I got to enjoy this trip. From grilled freshwater eels to marinated soy crabs, these traditional Korean restaurants blew my mind!

Gebangsikdang 간장게장

One of the dishes I’ve been drooling over forever is Korean Soy Marinated Crabs. So, the moment we landed, we went straight to Gebangsikdang 간장게장. Serving modern takes on traditional Korean marinated crab, shrimp and abalone, Gebangsikdang received the Michelin Bib Gourmand Awards from 2018 all the way to 2025. Their most popular items are the Soy Marinated (₩36000 or about $25) and the Spicy Marinated crab sets (₩38000 or about $27). Each set comes with a range of banchan, grilled crispy seaweed, rice, and a clam seaweed soup.

Before we even get to the crabs, we have to talk about the side dishes. The banchons in Korea are on another level. They’re so fresh, delicate, and perfectly curated with seasonal ingredients. The attention to detail in every tiny dish is incredible. Our assortment included:

• Dongchimi, Watery Radish Kimchi: A mild, refreshing kimchi made with radish and a clear tangy brine 
• Assorted Namul Seasoned Vegetable Salad: A mix of fruits and vegetables that varies depending on the time of year 
• Homemade Kimchi: seasoned with chili pepper garlic and other spices
• Ojingeochae Muchim: Seasoned dried shredded squid, chewy, sweet and spicy Korean side dish offering bold and savory flavor 

Now let’s talk about the star of the show: the crab. The raw crab soaks in all the rich, umami-packed soy sauce or bright, spicy marinade for days until the meat becomes super buttery soft. The soy version has a gentle savory flavor that really brings out the natural sweetness of the crab. On the other hand, the spicy version adds an extra heat that is so addicting with rice.

Wrapping each bite of deep briny flavors with the grilled seaweed makes every bite silky, salty, and bursting with all the natural sweetness of the ocean. Mixing the creamy crab roe with hot rice is the perfect bite to end the meal. I’ve always loved this dish, but having it here is next level.

If you get the chance to come visit Gangnam, definitely give this amazing marinated crab restaurant a try! They are open every day EXCEPT SUNDAY from 11:30 AM to 3PM for lunch, and 5:30 to 9PM for dinner. I definitely recommend getting a reservation ahead of time, because it can get packed!

Hanmiok

We had to try Tik Tok famous Hanmiok for dinner -. They are known for their unique take on traditional Korean barbecue, specializing in Chadul Gujeolpan, a barbecue platter of nine delicacies(₩59000 or about $41). This barbecue was next level. The dish starts with torching and sautéing thinly sliced beef briskets to release all the fats, before adding water spinach, fresh scallops, and seasonal vegetables to soak up all the flavors.

The real showstopper is this silky egg mixture that’s poured right into the center. First, the egg is torched to get a light, smoky char, then immediately covered to steam the eggs into the most fluffy cloud infused with rich, beefy flavors. I have never seen eggs cook like this before and I’m 100% recreating this when I get home!

The key to this dish is variety: fresh crunchy veggies, tangy fermented kimchi, and perfectly balanced flavors and textures in every single bite. To enjoy, layer and wrap everything in a thin pancake for a perfect bite. Don’t be like us and shove everything into your mouth, but the burnt tongue was totally worth it.

We definitely saved a tiny bit of room in our stomach to try a few other tasty treats. Their torched beef sushi (₩5000) literally melted in our mouths. But, the best decision we made was saving enough room for their kimchi fried rice (₩6000). It was spicy, fragrant, and the perfect way to close out our meal.

Hanmiok is open every day for lunch and dinner, but I definitely recommend making a reservation, or you can wait up to an hour in line. It is a 10 minute walk away from the Apgujeong Rodeo Station. To get there, you can take the Bundang Line.

Grandmother’s Recipe

We visited a cute little restaurant called Grandma’s Recipe, which recreates Korean home cooking as meal sets for lunch and dinner. This is a place that I’ve been dying to try because they focus so much on traditional home-cooked dishes. If you know me you know how much I love my mom and my grandma’s recipes, so I was so excited for this meal.

Right off the bat, I was super impressed with the side dishes. Before your main comes, they give you salad, kimchi, anchovies, and spicy acorn jelly. Everything was seasoned and super fresh. Each dish made me more excited to dig into my rice.

Each set also comes with its own little dishes of sides, a bowl each of umami seaweed soup and the smoothest pumpkin soup. The set is affordable and filling, and has just the right amount to try every flavor.

Dom got the Mushroom Chive bibimbap with Bulgogi (14000 Won). He literally said it was one of the best bibimbap he has ever tried. The rice bowl comes with 3 different times of tofu, chopped chives, a chunk of spicy tofu, topped crispy garlic. Drizzle in some gochujang, mix it up, and you get a umami-packed bite of tofu, mushrooms, and chives.

One thing about me is that if I ever see fish on the menu, I have to order it, no question asked. I definitely can’t pass up their grilled flounder combo. Wow, this was absolutely perfect. The skin of the fish was perfectly crispy and savory, but the fish itself is so tender and juicy. I finished my bowl of rice so fast, especially paired with a bite of fish and a bite of side dishes.

Everything here was simple homey and so delicious. The food came out super super fast which is always a win. so if you’re in the area I highly highly recommend checking this place out. Grandmother’s recipe is open 11 am to 9 pm everyday. It’s fairly popular, so I’d definitely recommend getting a reservation online to secure your table.

Pungcheonga Cheongdam

One of my all-time favorite K dramas is Let’s Eat and I’ll always remember this one episode where they had grilled unagi for dinner. It literally stuck with me forever! I have never seen grilled eel served anywhere else in the world. The moment I landed in South Korea I knew this is one of the first stops that I have to try. So, we’re here at Pungcheonga Cheongdam, where you can enjoy freshly grilled eel.

Freshwater eel is a delicacy in Korea, especially in the summer, packed with proteins and omega-3 and believed to restore energy. Here, the unagi is slightly salted, and grilled right in front of you over charcoal. The base order is 330g of eel at 45000 won, and the first order minimum is 2 orders. As it sizzles it gets that charred savory flavor, and the skin crisp up beautifully. The meat inside stays super tender, buttery, and melts in your mouth.

The texture of this eel really surprised me! I thought it would taste like Japanese unagi, but its crispiness actually reminded me more of crispy pork belly and grilled fish combined. It is so good on its own but absolutely next level wrapped in lettuce or perilla leaf with gochujang and raw garlic.

We also ordered the grilled butter abalone (45000 won). Oh my goodness, this was unreal! It’s grilled fresh right in front of you, scored, and topped with butter. As it cooks, that sweet and nutty smell made me drool. The texture is so so tender with just a little bit of crispy edges the butter really brings out the natural briny sweetness in the best way possible.

Honestly, this meal was mind-blowing and a K-drama dream come true. This delicious grilled eel restaurant is open everyday from 11:30 AM to 10:30 PM. I definitely recommend a reservation!

Hongbaksa BBQ 홍박사생고기 Gangnam

Hongbaksa BBQ 홍박사생고기 Gangnam was my favorite meal from this trip! I’m not even exaggerating when I say Dom and I both agree we would 100% fly back to Seoul just to eat here again. It was that good! It’s actually right across from our hotel, and we’ve been eyeing it since the first day we checked in. I’m so glad we trusted our gut and finally went! As you walk into the restaurant, you head to the butcher counter to choose your own cut of meat. This late-night spot specializes in Korean barbecue, with plenty of options.

The meat here the quality is out of this world! There are endless options to choose from. Based on your pick, the chef will then curate the side dishes to complement your selection. They then grill it right at the table – with each server somehow juggles five grills at a time. Still, every cut comes out perfect – smoky, tender, and juicy in every bite. All you need is a dab of wasabi or sea salt, and you’ll have the best bite of meat you will ever have.

Then there’s their raw beef bibimbap – thinly sliced, perfectly seasoned raw beef, paired with warm rice, fresh chives, roasted seaweed, and topped with a raw egg yolk. i don’t even know how to describe how fresh, tender, and perfectly balanced this bowl was. We actually came back again before our flight just to have another bowl!

This was, hands down, the best Korean barbecue we have ever had in our life! The side dishes here were also insanely delicious. They even had raw marinated crab as one of the selections! This was an unforgettable dinner experience that I highly recommend for you to check out if you ever visit Seoul. They’re open 24/7, so you can literally get the best KBBQ at any time!

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