Seochon is an neighborhood to the west of Gyeongbokgung Palace and is famous for being filled to the brim with delicious restaurants. However, many of these places are hidden in the alleyways of Seochon and not easy to access for the general public! So today we decided to bring you a detailed list of all the places in Seochon we think are worth the visit. We hope you are hungry! 😋
Hanok Dal
한옥달
Hanok Dal is a fusion restaurant located in this refurnished Hanok building.
The interior is designed in a retro-manner, giving off the feeling of visiting your grandmother's home or just simply traveling back in time! The atmosphere is very quiet, so it is a perfect place to have a date or for those looking for an intimate setting.
Hanok Dal is famous for using traditional Korean ingredients with their dishes. We got the Gochujang Pasta (22,00 won), the Soybean Paste Risotto (19,000 won) and the lemonade (8,000 won). The Gochujang Pasta is a normal tomato based pasta with a slight kick from the addition of the traditional Korean red pepper paste. The Soybean Paste Risotto was creamy and a perfect way to add a soybean flavor!
For those looking for a retro interior but trendy foods, make your way to Hanok Dal! You can also watch our Tik Tok review on it here.
Address: 서울 종로구 자하문로 1가길 9
9 Jahamun-ro 1ga-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Hours: Mon-Sat: 11:30- 21:00/ Sun: 12:00-21:00 (Break Time: 15:00-17:00)
Bbyeotan Jip
뼈탄집
Bbyeotan Jip is a meat place located in the 'Sejong Village Food and Culture Street' in front of Gyeongbokgung Station.
The meat here is known to be delicious and there is always a wait during dinner hours. However, we were able to beat the crowd by coming out a little earlier and on a weekday!
One of our favorite things about this place is that there are wireless charging ports in the tables! You can now grill your meat and charge your phone at the same time! 😂
It is easy to find the charger because it is marked with a black circle at the corner of the table. It is the perfect for those that need to charge up after a day out exploring and traveling.
We got the Pork Belly Set (49,000 won) which comes with 3 servings of Pork Belly and Korean Beef Soybean Paste Stew. You don't have to worry about grilling your own meat here, the staff here are very kind and grilled everything for us.
The meat was very thick and the quality of the meat was amazing because it was aged pork belly. Rice is not included, so we had to order that separately.
There are also many side dishes and sauces that you can eat your meat with, so we recommend trying out all the different sauces and figuring out your own personalized way to eat pork belly!
Address: 서울 종로구 종로구 내자동 9-2
9-2 Naeja-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Hours: Weekdays: 12:00-21:00 Weekends: 13:00-21:00 (Hours may change due to Covid-19 regulations and restrictions)
Hillside Table
Hillside Table is a popular lunch restaurant that is very popular on social media with Koreans. It is known for their healthy, yet filling options!
When entering, you will see a counter that the staff uses to prepare food. Everyone can walk to see the menu and order at the kiosk in the front of the shop. There are several tables in the store, but the place is so popular that it is always filled with customers! You might want to come early if you want to find a spot.
We ordered the popular Sanchez Sandwich (12,500 won) and the Salmon Rice (13,500 won). The Sanchez Sandwich is a delicious meat sandwich. The salmon rice bowl was also very refreshing and delicious. We love the avocado and salmon combo! 🥑
Address: 서울 종로구 내수동 110-48 1층
110-48, Naesu-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Hours: 11:30- 21:30 Break Time: 15:30-17:00
Tosokchon
토속촌삼계탕
If you make a trip out to Seochon, you should consider stopping by Tosokchon, a famous Samgyetang (ginger chicken stew) place in Seoul. They have been in business since 1983.
Samgyetang is a popular dish to eat amongst Koreans during hot summer days. It is known as a health food filled with nutritional herbs and known to be a great source of nutrients.
There are a lot of seating areas inside the shop. For those who come in large groups, the restaurant will arrange a private room seating area. However, if you are not in a large group, you will be seated in the inner zone.
You must try the Samgyetang here! After all it is their specialty. We got the samgyetang (18,000 won) and the seafood pancake (15,000 won). The seafood pancake is filled with vegetables and seafood like calms and squid. It is also a very popular Korean dish, and the two together is a heavenly combination!
Address: 서울 종로구 체부동 85-1
85-1 Chebu-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Hours: 10:00- 21: 30
Dotori Brothers
도토리브라더스
Does this place look familiar to any K-drama fans? It was a filming location for many K-dramas such as Inspector Koo (2021), Witch's Diner (2021), Do You Like Brahms? (2020), Hi, Bye Mama! (2020) and When the Weather Is Fine (2020).
Although the shop is quite small and there is still plenty of seating! This place is very popular and there are lines even before they open! You will have to brace yourself for a wait when you come here.
The restaurant specializes in Korean-Japanese food. Their most popular menus are the Avocado Golden Egg Salmon (14,000 won) and the Spicy Stir Fry Fillet Rice Bowl (13,500 won). We got both and were not disappointed at all! For those looking for a lighter option, we suggest the Avocado Golden Egg Salmon and for those that want a bit of heat, we suggest you try the Spicy Stir Fry Fillet Rice Bowl!
Address: 서울 종로구 경희궁길 41
41 Gyeonghuigung-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Hours: 11:30- 21:30 Break Time 15: 30- 17:00
Halmae Jip
할매집
From the outside, this place may seem like a small and run down restaurant. However, they have been on the Michelin Guide for the past 5 years now!
They are most famous for their Jokbal which is a Korean style steamed pork knuckle.
There are not that many seats inside, and the seating is in a traditional Korean-style method of sitting on the ground., For those who are not the best at sitting on the floor, this type of seating may be difficult.
The atmosphere is like a that of a typical Korean hole-in-the-wall. The staff consists of many Korean aunties and grandmas, fitting of the restaurant name!
Of course we had to try the Jokbal (30,000 won)! We were a party of three but still could not eat all of this! They are very generous with portion sizes.
Once we tried the food, we knew why this restaurant has been on the Michelin Guide for the past five years. The pork was tender and juicy. It paired perfectly with the dipping sauce and kimchi, You can also try wrapping it in the lettuce for a delicious lettuce wrap!
Address: 서울 종로구 사직로12길 1-5
1-5 Sajik-ro 12-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Hours: 12:00- 21:30
Seochon Gyedan Jip
서촌 계단집
Seafood lovers listen up! You do not want to miss out on this restaurant. Seochon Gyedanjip is a famous seafood restaurant in Seochon, just a short walk from Gyeongbokgung station.
It is not the most aesthetic or best decorated place, however, they focus on the food and we can vouch for their taste!
Because the shop is small there is not that much seating. Keep that in mind when heading over.
We ordered the steamed scallops (29,000 won) and seafood ramen (7,000 won). It comes with so much seafood such as shellfish, shrimp, and squid. They also threw in a free mussel soup for us! We were impressed with the quality of the seafood and with how fresh everything was!
Address: 서울 종로구 내자동 자하문로 1길 15
15 Jahamun-ro 1-gil, Naeja-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Hours: Weekdays: 15:00-00:40 Weekends: 13:00- 00:40
Naju Gomtang
나주 곰탕
If you want a traditional Korean food experience, head over to Naju Gomtang. It is located close to Gyeongbokgung Station so it is convenient to get here as well.
One side of the restaurant is next to a glass door that lets in lots of light and air. It is a perfect spot to come in and enjoy the weather and the delicious food. It is also very popular amongst both locals and tourists as it is a very famous restaurant.
We ordered the most popular menu, the Gomtang (16,000 won) and the Abalone Pajeon (18,000). What we liked the most about this place is that the food came out quickly! The food was also delicious.
Gomtang is a very famous Korean soup that is made up of boiled beef. The broth is made from boiling the beef itself, not the bone and it takes over a day to make!
You can read our in-depth review of Naju Gomtang here:
Address: 서울 종로구 적선동 자하문로 2길 8
8 Jahamun-ro 2-gil, Jeokseon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Hours: Reservations can be made from 13:00-21:00 Normal Hours: 10:00- 22:00 (Due to Covid-19 restrictions, hours may be different. Currently, restaurants in Seoul are closed at 21:00).
Which one of these restaurants will you be trying out? Let us know in the comments below! If you have any questions, you can always email us at help@creatrip.com. Also make sure to follow us on Instagram, Tik Tok, and Facebook to stay updated on everything related to Korea.
