Korean food is built around sharing, side dishes, and a lot of variety, and you do not need to speak Korean to eat well. This guide lists the dishes most worth trying on a first trip, how to order them, and roughly what they cost, plus where vegetarian and halal travelers can find options. For a deeper dive, see the Korean barbecue guide and Gwangjang Market.
The dishes to try first
- Korean barbecue (gogi-gui) — grill-your-own pork or beef with sides. The classic group meal.
- Bibimbap — rice with vegetables, egg, and chili paste; easy to make vegetarian.
- Kimchi jjigae / doenjang jjigae — bubbling kimchi or soybean-paste stews.
- Bulgogi — sweet marinated grilled beef, mild and beginner-friendly.
- Tteokbokki — chewy rice cakes in a sweet-spicy sauce; a street-food staple.
- Korean fried chicken — double-fried and crispy, often with beer (chimaek).
How ordering works
Many restaurants specialize in one thing, so the menu is short. Side dishes (banchan) come free and are refilled. Water and sometimes utensils are self-serve. Point at a dish or a neighbor's table if you are unsure.
Useful phrases for ordering at a restaurant
Short, polite phrases you can use at most casual restaurants.
Point at the dish or a photo on the menu as you say it.
Polite이거 두 개 주세요
i-geo du gae ju-se-yo
Two of these, please.
Korean audio isn't available on this device or browser — use the romanization above to say it.
Useful if you are sensitive to spice — not always possible, but worth asking.
Polite덜 맵게 해 주세요
deol maep-ge hae ju-se-yo
Please make it less spicy.
Korean audio isn't available on this device or browser — use the romanization above to say it.
Use this to ask for your food packed to take away.
Polite포장해 주세요
po-jang-hae ju-se-yo
To go, please.
Korean audio isn't available on this device or browser — use the romanization above to say it.
What it costs
Street snacks run a few thousand won; a casual stew or bibimbap is moderate; barbecue for a group is the bigger spend. Many places are cash-friendly, but cards are widely accepted.
Dietary notes
Vegetarian and vegan travelers can lean on bibimbap (ask without egg or meat), temple-style food, and bean-paste stews, but fish-based stock is common — ask to be sure. Halal travelers will find a growing number of certified and Muslim-friendly restaurants in Seoul, especially around Itaewon.
A few table manners
Pour for others rather than yourself, use two hands when an elder pours for you, and do not stick chopsticks upright in rice. Slurping is fine.
Sources
- Visit KoreaOfficial tourism site
- Korea Tourism Organization English TourAPIOfficial API
Information is compiled from official sources. Details such as prices, hours, and schedules can change — confirm time-sensitive facts before you travel.
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