5 Restaurants in Seoul for Adventurous Foodies

In Seoul, one restaurant only serves one dish, and at another, they grill intestines over open flames right at your table. This isn’t your usual foodie list. We’re talking unforgettable restaurants in Seoul where the food is wild, the menus are short, and the flavor is huge.

After years of bouncing between generic Seoul restaurants looking mostly for barbecue and little else, I finally found the five that locals actually line up for.

If you’re looking for a short, to-the-point list of where to eat in Seoul, these are five restaurants you’ll never forget. From basic Ramyeon to fire shows, these are the five Seoul restaurants I’d fly back for, and you’ll want them on your map.

Why Eat Adventurously in Seoul?

Before we begin, consider packing a box of Travelan with you before going to any foreign country with a street food culture. Take one before each meal and watch yourself survive it all like a boss.

Please note that I’ve been to the five following restaurants/stalls multiple times, and I barely saw more than a few foreigners inside each time (one exception if you keep reading, but still a local business!).

If we’re being honest, don’t you feel a little dumbstruck every time you thought you’d found a good local restaurant, but it’s packed with everything else except Korean people? Most of the time, that’s because we’re staying in our safe zone.

To find the local spots, we need to be adventurous, open our minds, and be ready to eat what the locals eat.

What to Expect at These Restaurants

Dining in South Korea, in general, unless you’re at a fine dining spot on Lotte World Tower, will be a bit different from what you’re used to.

For one, you can just call the staff from across the room at local restaurants. It is normal practice here and is not frowned upon. Other times, you just put in your order at a kiosk by the entrance and relax at the table until your food comes.

Since the five places I’m recommending are hyper-local spots, I recommend getting to know more of these dining etiquette points before going, so you’re not flustered.

5 Hyper-local Restaurants to Try in Seoul

Keep in mind that this is not a list of the best restaurants in Seoul, only the ones I find more eccentric than the others. Are they good? Absolutely. These are places I keep going back to for more, but so are several others that are not on this list.

One day, I’ll commit myself to writing up a full list of 10-15 places I love. One day.

1. Gyeongchunja Ramyeon (경춘자의 라면땡기는날)

• Hours of Operation: 9:30 AM – 7:30 PM
• Hours of Operation (Sunday): 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
• Address: 138-21 Hwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Getting There: Metro line 3 (orange) to Anguk or Gyeongbokgung station. Anguk is closer.
• Vibe: Tiny, local-only, old-school

Let’s start slow and talk about the most normal option first. The Ramyeon (instant noodles) eating culture in South Korea is no joke.

Apart from eating it straight out of the cup at a minimart, you’ll also find restaurants that turn Ramyeon into a cozy little meal, sprinkling in chopped green onions, kimchi, mushrooms, and sometimes even cheese (Mmmm!).

This hole-in-the-wall Ramyeon restaurant is within walking distance of Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village.

By hole-in-the-wall, I mean it. The place has low ceilings and can seat maybe 6 people in total. There’s one Ajumma cooking in the front and one other person cleaning in the back.

It’s run super local style, too. Don’t expect the Ajumma to come and ask you what you’d like. She’s busy cooking! You go in, find a seat, then turn around and tell her what you want, loudly.

2. Gohyang Kalguksu (고향칼국수)

• Hours of Operation: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM (Closed on Mondays)
• Address: 138-9 Jongno 5(o)-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Getting There: Metro line 1 (dark blue) to Jongno 5-ga station, exit 7
• Vibe: Chaotic, crowded, iconic

Okay. This one sells very homemade, very local dishes… But the place is no longer so local. She went on Episode 8 of Street Food: Asia and is now Netflix-famous. Travelers come from all over the world to taste what is unanimously the best Kalguksu in Seoul.

Walking around Gwangjang Food Market, you’ll know immediately if you’ve run into her stall because people are lining up to get a seat. I recommend getting a bowl of her steaming-hot Kalguksu and a set of Kimchi dumplings (Mandu).

Despite receiving a lot of foreigners, she still runs her business local style. So just speak up and tell her your order.

3. Choonpoong Gukbab (춘풍 국밥)

• Hours of Operation: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM daily (Sometimes they close earlier, so don’t go too late!)
• Address: 37.555533, 126.918466
• Getting There: Metro line 2 (green) to Hongdae station, exit 1
• Vibe: Stripped-down, no-frills, very regional

Nothing saves you time and energy like a restaurant with only 3 things on the menu. This Southern Korean restaurant offers 2 variations of Gukbap, a rice soup native to Busan, and the Jeju Noodles.

This is a comfort food place for those with low spice tolerance. I highly recommend their Pork Gukbap. Put a teaspoon or two of salted shrimp into the soup, soak the pork in the onion dip, then drink the soup.

The Jeju Noodles come with seaweed floating, so keep that in mind if you’re sensitive to seafood smell.

You can tell this is not a place meant for visitors when it’s not even on Google Maps… So I’m giving you its coordinates instead of an address. Once you’re there, you can’t miss it because the building is bright blue.

4. Gunja Daehan Gobchang (군자대한곱창)

• Hours of Operation: 11:00 AM – 2:00 AM daily
• Address: 18-1 Myeongdong 7-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Getting There: Metro line 4 (light blue) to Myeongdong station exit 6, or Metro line 2 (green) to Euljiro 1(il)-ga station exit 5
• Vibe: lively, group-friendly

Getting one degree more adventurous with this amazing Gobchang chain. Do you know what Gobchang means? Small Intestine. Yes… Intestines Barbecue. It’s delicious, I promise.

A Gobchang set is usually served with soup or Ramyeon first, then the Barbecue tray goes on the stove. Of course, all the side dishes are there, too.

Grab some friends and cozy up around the table because one set is usually for at least 2 people. Plus, it tastes better with drinks, and it’s less fun to drink alone *winks.*

Oh, have I mentioned why I love this particular chain? A gobchang tray is always lit on fire for a few seconds before it’s served. Sometimes that happens in the kitchen, but here, they put on the fire show at the table.

So, be ready to get your phone cameras out!

5. Tongkeun Nooine Bindaeddeok (통큰누이네 육회빈대떡)

• Hours of Operation: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM daily
• Address: 403-24 Dongho-ro, 종로5.6가동 Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Getting There: Metro line 1 (dark blue) to Jongno 5-ga station, exit 7
• Vibe: Chaotic comfort meets daredevil dishes

Here comes the finale. Are you ready?

The good news is their menu starts with very normal things like Mung Bean Pancakes (having them with Makgeolli is *chef’s kiss*) and Hand-Rolled Kimbab.

Ready to go all in despite your fears and worries? Try their Yukhoe (육회), which is beef tartare served with raw egg yolk and sesame oil, or the wriggling octopus tentacles, also served in sesame oil.

My hair is standing on end as I write this. I know it’s visually terrifying, but if you could get past that and stick a piece in your mouth, it’s delicious. And I promise on my slow travel honor that despite all the wriggling, the octopus is dead.

Do you think you could try the octopus tentacles? Or would?

Recommended Foodie Experience

I took this amazing food tour when I went back to Seoul for the 14th time. I like to take tours once in a while to make sure my knowledge is still fresh and up-to-date.

Our guide, Jaehyo, was truly amazing. He ran the tour like hanging out with a group of friends. So the tour mates really ended up as friends. 🥹

Final Thoughts

Seoul’s culinary landscape is no doubt as colorful as the city itself. It’s safe to say that restaurants in Seoul provide a taste of the city’s spirit.

These five super eccentric choices will take you on a journey down the most adventurous road from the simplest way to be a local to a point most tourists wouldn’t even think about. 🐙

But we can’t ever stop trying to strive for the crazies, right? Who knows… Maybe the next meal could become the best memory of your entire trip!

More Resources for Your Culinary Seoul Trip

If it’s not 10 PM yet where you are, below are other Seoul foodie posts I have to help you curate your schedule. If it’s already past 10 PM, please save this for tomorrow, for your own sake. 😂

• What to Eat in Seoul
• Best Cafes in Seoul

And in case you missed it when I linked it earlier, here’s your guide to dining in Korea, and Korean phrases to help you with ordering food.

To Help You Plan for Seoul

Have you decided where to base yourself on the trip? I have a guide on the neighborhoods of Seoul that can help you determine the perfect spot for your itinerary.

Also, check out my top things to do and see if you’re not done brainstorming yet.

For enthusiastic day tour-goers, I have a list of unique day tours you can join in Seoul. Whether you’re a foodie, K-Drama fan, K-Pop fan, or a culture fanatic like me, there’s something for you!

Want All the Information in One Place?

Consider grabbing a digital copy of my 83-page ultimate digital guidebook for Seoul, where you’ll not only get recommendations on the best hotels in each neighborhood but also the top sights!

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