Hadongkwan is a korean traditional restaurant in Jung Gu And Myeongdong, Seoul.
One of Seoul's oldest restaurants, Hadongkwan serves only seolleongtang (milky-white ox bone soup) from morning until it sells out around 15:30.
Signature dishes: Seolleongtang
Must order: Seolleongtang: slow-cooked ox-bone broth in the bowl that has made this Myeongdong institution a Michelin Guide institution since 1939.
Tip: The kitchen closes when the pot is empty, typically mid-afternoon. No dinner service.
Address: 12 Myeongdong 9-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
Maple Tree House in Itaewon serves premium hanwoo and Jeju black pork belly over charcoal in a polished room frequented by international visitors to Seoul.
Signature: Hanu sirloin, Jeju black pork belly
Order: Aged hanwoo sirloin and Jeju heuk dwaeji (black pork belly) grilled tableside with full banchan spread and perilla leaf wraps.
Tip: The Samcheong-dong original is smaller and more atmospheric; the Itaewon branch is easier to reach from central hotels.
Ungteori is Hongdae's busiest fresh-cut all-you-can-eat samgyeopsal house, with never-frozen pork belly and neck delivered daily and a flat-price spread that draws lines from Hongik exit 8.
Signature: Fresh-cut pork belly samgyeopsal, Pork neck moksal
Order: All-you-can-eat fresh samgyeopsal and moksal grilled at the table with kimchi and lettuce wraps included.
Tip: The fixed-price AYCE works out cheaper than ordering by the cut once two people split sides; come before 18:30 to skip the queue.
Open since 1953, Ojangdong serves Hamheung-style naengmyeon: potato starch noodles notably chewier than Pyongyang style, best in the spicy bibim version.
Signature: Bibim naengmyeon, Mul naengmyeon
Order: Bibim naengmyeon: chewy potato starch noodles tossed in a sweet-spicy red sauce with cold beef and a soft-boiled egg.
Tip: Hamheung noodles are chewier than Pyongyang style; cut with scissors at the table if you prefer shorter strands.
Vegan Insa in the hanok lanes of Ikseon-dong is consistently rated one of Seoul's best vegan restaurants: purely plant-based Korean food in a traditional.
Signature: Vegan bibimbap, Banchan set
Order: Fully plant-based Korean banchan and rice: the spread of side dishes is the kitchen's strongest statement, each prepared without any animal product.
Tip: Ikseon-dong is a 10-minute walk from Insadong and worth the detour for its traditional atmosphere.
Open 24 hours, Bonga near Dongdaemun cooks its seolleongtang in traditional cast-iron pots from ten beef cuts for 24 hours: the bowl that market traders.
Signature: Gamasot seolleongtang
Order: Gamasot seolleongtang from the iron cauldron: 24-hour broth from ten beef cuts, ordered at any hour of the day or night.
Tip: This is the best late-night beef broth in the city; order extra rice to soak the last of the bowl.
A traditional Korean lunch counter in Insadong serving plant-based kimbap and banchan, rated 4.5 stars across 400+ HappyCow reviews for consistent quality.
Signature: Vegan kimbap, Organic banchan
Order: Vegan kimbap (seaweed rice rolls) with seasonal vegetable fillings: no fish, no meat, just clean vegetable rolls at a counter price.
Tip: Arrive early; the seating is limited and the queue forms quickly at lunchtime.
