Where to Eat in Seoul

Grill your own meat, drink soju, repeat

Seoul runs on Korean BBQ, fried chicken, and soju — but that's just the surface. There's 24-hour culture here that doesn't exist anywhere else. Jjigae bubbling at 3am. Convenience store kimbap that's actually good. Michelin-starred restaurants next to pojangmacha tent bars. The range is insane.

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Neighborhoods to Know

Hongdae

Vibe: Young, loud, never sleeps

Best for: Nightlife, street food, cheap eats, people watching

Myeongdong

Vibe: Tourist central, shopping madness

Best for: Street food stalls, Korean beauty shopping fuel

Gangnam

Vibe: Upscale, corporate, flashy

Best for: High-end Korean BBQ, trendy restaurants

Itaewon

Vibe: International, diverse, expat-friendly

Best for: Non-Korean food, craft cocktails, global cuisine

Euljiro

Vibe: Industrial chic, hidden bars, old meets new

Best for: Hip cafes, speakeasies, photogenic decay

What to Eat

Korean BBQ

Grill your own meat at the table. Banchan for days. Soju required. This is the ritual.

Must try: Samgyeopsal (pork belly) or galbi (short rib), wrapped in lettuce with ssamjang

Fried Chicken

Korean fried chicken is its own category. Crispier, often glazed, always with beer.

Must try: Yangnyeom (sweet-spicy glazed) with chimaek (chicken + beer)

Jjigae & Stews

Bubbling hot pots that warm you from inside. Kimchi jjigae, sundubu, budae.

Must try: Kimchi jjigae at a place where grandma's in the kitchen

Street Food

Tteokbokki, odeng, hotteok, kimbap. The sidewalk snack game is strong.

Must try: Tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) from a pojangmacha tent

Local Tips

→24-hour culture is real. You can eat BBQ at 4am and no one blinks.
→Banchan (side dishes) are unlimited refills. Don't be shy.
→Convenience stores (CU, GS25) have genuinely good hot food at 2am.
→Drinking culture is intense. Pace yourself with the soju.
→Download Naver Maps — Google Maps is unreliable in Korea.

When to Eat

Breakfast

8-10am

Light — Koreans don't do big breakfast. Coffee and toast.

Lunch

12-1:30pm

Office workers flood spots. Go early or late.

Dinner

7-10pm

Prime KBBQ time. Book popular spots.

Late night

11pm-4am

This is when Seoul really eats. Pojangmacha, chicken, jjigae.

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