How to order Korean food
Every dish: what it is, how to eat it and the exact words to order it. Then find a local place to try it.
- AmericanoEspresso lengthened with hot or iced water, and by far the most-ordered drink in any Korean café. Iced is…
Beef Short RibsBeef short ribs glazed with soy, sesame and pear until glossy and caramelised. Grilled at your table —…
Black Bean NoodlesThick black bean sauce coating chewy wheat noodles — the iconic Chinese-Korean comfort dish. Sweet, savory,…
Galbi (Ribs)Ribs — the cut, not the animal. Korean menus name the source in front: so-galbi is beef, dwaeji-galbi is…
Instant RamenInstant noodles in spicy broth. A cultural icon and late-night staple.
Korean Fried ChickenCrispy Korean fried chicken with a thin, crunchy skin and juicy meat inside. Often tossed in sweet, spicy,…
Marinated Beef BBQThin slices of beef marinated in soy sauce, pear juice, garlic, and sesame — grilled or pan-cooked with…
Mixed Rice BowlA colorful bowl of rice topped with sautéed vegetables, a raw or fried egg, seasoned meat, and a spoonful of…
Pork Belly BBQPaper-thin sliced pork belly grilled at your table over live charcoal. The edges crisp and char while the…
Braised Soy-Sauce ChickenAndong-style chicken braised in soy sauce with glass noodles, potatoes, carrots and dried chilies. Sweet,…- Café LatteEspresso with steamed milk, the second-most-ordered drink after the americano. Many Seoul cafés will swap in…
Green Onion PancakeSavory Korean vegetable pancake made with scallions, seafood, or kimchi. Crispy edges, tender interior.
Gui (Grilled Dish)Anything grilled over fire — the suffix on most Korean barbecue and grilled-fish dishes. Whatever precedes…
Jjigae (Korean Stew)Thicker and saltier than a soup, served bubbling in the pot it was cooked in and meant to be shared over…
Kimchi Fried RiceAged kimchi stir-fried with rice, pork or Spam, butter, and a runny egg crowning the top. The universal…
Kimchi StewSpicy kimchi simmered with pork, tofu, and vegetables in a bubbling earthenware pot. The heat is real but…
Korean Rice RollSeaweed-wrapped rice rolls with vegetables, pickled radish, crab, and egg. Portable, balanced, and slightly…- Moksal (Pork Collar)Pork neck and shoulder, leaner than belly and cut thick, so it chews rather than melts. Listed beside…
Red Bean Shaved IceShaved ice piled high with sweet red beans, condensed milk, and rice cakes. Summer classic.
Salt-grilled PorkThin-sliced beef marinated in soy and sesame, grilled briefly. Melts on your tongue.
Shaved IceShaved ice topped with sweet red beans, condensed milk, fruit, and sometimes mochi. The ultimate summer…
Sizzling Stone-Bowl BibimbapThe hot-stone cousin of bibimbap: rice, vegetables, egg and meat served screaming-hot in a stone bowl that…
Soy-Garlic ChickenFried chicken glazed in soy-garlic sauce. Savory, umami-rich, and less spicy than yangnyeom.
Spicy Rice CakesChewy cylindrical rice cakes in a spicy, garlicky red sauce with vegetables. Addictive street-food heat that…
Spicy Stir-Fried PorkThin-sliced pork shoulder stir-fried hard in a sweet-spicy gochujang sauce with onions and scallions.…
Sweet PancakeFried dough pocket filled with brown sugar, cinnamon, and walnuts. Crispy outside, gooey inside.
Sweet Potato Glass NoodlesTranslucent sweet potato noodles stir-fried with vegetables and sesame oil. Chewy and subtly sweet.
Sweet-Spicy ChickenFried chicken coated in sweet and spicy gochujang sauce. Stickier and bolder than plain fried chicken.
Army StewFusion stew with SPAM, hot dogs, beans, and kimchi in a spicy broth. Born from post-war American military…- Baekban (Set Meal)Rice, a soup and a spread of side dishes for one price — the cheapest full meal in Korea, with the banchan…
Boiled Pork Belly WrapsPork belly simmered in aromatics until silky, sliced thin, served with cabbage leaves, garlic, chili and a…
Bokkeum (Stir-Fry)Stir-fried over high heat, most often in gochujang, so the default is red and spicy. Jeyuk-bokkeum is pork,…
Bokkeumbap (Fried Rice)Rice stir-fried with whatever names it — kimchi, seafood, beef. Often ordered at the end of a barbecue or…
Braised Pig's FeetPig's feet braised until the collagen is silky. Served sliced and chewy, often with doenjang on the side.- Café MochaEspresso with chocolate syrup and steamed milk, almost always finished with whipped cream in Korean cafés.…
- CakeCafé cake sold by the slice — carrot, tiramisu, fresh cream and Basque cheesecake turn up most often.
- CappuccinoEspresso under a thick cap of milk foam, with less milk than a latte, so the coffee comes through stronger.…
- Chicken Tikka MasalaGrilled chicken simmered in a tomato-and-cream curry — the safest order on an Indian menu in Seoul, and…
Cold Broth NoodlesBuckwheat noodles in an icy beef-and-radish broth, sometimes with slush floating in it. Deliberately bland…
Cold NoodlesLong, slippery buckwheat or wheat noodles in ice-cold broth. Eat quickly before the noodles absorb too much…- Deungsim (Sirloin)Beef sirloin, the cut a hanwoo house leads with. Kkot-deungsim — 'flower sirloin', ribeye with even marbling…
Dried PollockDried, bite-sized pollock snacks. Chewy, salty, and perfect with beer.- Dried Seafood AnjuGrilled dried seafood — pollock (meoktae), squid (hanchi), filefish (jwipo) — served to drink with rather…
Dumpling SoupHand-folded beef-and-vegetable dumplings simmered in clear anchovy-beef broth, garnished with egg ribbons,…
Egg BreadFluffy bread baked around a whole raw egg that cooks as you eat it. Indulgent and rich.
Fish Cake PastryFish-shaped pastry filled with sweet red beans or cream. Warm, crispy, and nostalgic.
Fish Cake SkewersSliced fish cakes and vegetables boiled in a light broth with fish ball. A cheap, simple street snack.- Galbijjim (Braised Short Ribs)Short ribs braised slowly in soy-based sauce with radish and chestnut — the dish that shows up at holidays…
Ginseng Chicken SoupWhole young chicken stuffed with ginseng, jujubes, and sticky rice. Luxurious and restorative.- GuobaorouPork sliced wide and thin, coated in a glutinous-rice batter, fried, then tossed in sweet-sour sauce. A…
- Handmade BurgerA burger with a patty cooked to order, as opposed to a chain's. The style spread out of Itaewon and Hannam…
- Hangjeongsal (Pork Jowl)The pork jowl — only about 600g from a whole pig, which is why it costs more than belly. Fat runs through it…
- HighballWhisky lengthened with soda or tonic. Through the 2020s it became the default drink on Korean bar menus,…
Jeon (Savory Pancake)The whole family of Korean savory pancakes — anything bound in a light egg-and-flour batter and pan-fried…
Kimchi PancakeAged kimchi chopped into batter and fried flat, so the pancake takes its sourness and colour from the kimchi…
Knife-cut NoodlesThin, chewy wheat noodles in clear broth with vegetables and seafood. Silky and light.
Korean CorndogA skewered sausage or mozzarella log dipped in sweet yeasted batter, rolled in diced potato or panko, deep…
Korean DumplingsSteamed or fried dumplings filled with pork, tofu, and vegetables. Tender and savory.
Korean Street ToastMilk bread griddled in butter, stuffed with an egg-and-cabbage omelette, ham, cheese and a line of ketchup +…
LA-Style Short RibsThin-cut short ribs marinated in soy and pear, grilled. Less chewy than traditional galbi.- MalaxiangguoYou pick the ingredients yourself from a cooler, they are weighed, then stir-fried dry in numbing mala…
Marbled BrisketPremium marbled beef brisket, thinly sliced. Grilled briefly until rare.
Melona-Flavored Shaved IceShaved ice topped with melona ice cream flavor (honeydew melon), whipped cream, and fruit.
Ox Bone BrothMilky white bone broth simmered for 12+ hours with beef leg bones and brisket. The broth itself is the star…- PhoVietnamese rice noodles in long-simmered beef broth. Korean menus write it as 쌀국수 — literally 'rice noodles'…
Pork RibsPork ribs in a sweet soy marinade, grilled at the table. Cheaper and sweeter than beef galbi, and the…
Pork Spine & Potato StewDeeply spiced pork-spine stew with floury potatoes, perilla leaves, and glass noodles. A late-night communal…
Potato PancakeGrated potato pressed into a pancake and fried until the edges go lacy and brittle. No flour in the…- Ramen (Japanese)Japanese ramen — tonkotsu, shoyu or miso — and a different thing entirely from Korean instant ramyeon, which…
Rice Cake SoupRice cake slices in clear beef broth with egg, vegetables, and meat. Eaten on New Year for good luck.
Rosé Cream TteokbokkiThe viral 2020s mash-up: tteokbokki rice cakes simmered in tomato-cream rosé sauce with bacon, sausages and…
Seafood Scallion PancakeThe full-size version of pajeon, loaded with squid, shrimp and clams between whole scallions. Thicker and…
Short Rib SoupHearty soup with tender short ribs, clear broth, and vegetables. Elegant and satisfying.
Skirt Meat BBQThin, marbled beef brisket grilled briefly until edges char. One of the most premium grilled cuts.
Sliced Raw FishPristine sliced raw fish, often flounder or sea bream. Served with gochujang and soy dipping sauces.
Soft Tofu StewHot broth over soft silken tofu with minced vegetables and gochujang. A balance of spice, richness, and…
Soybean Paste StewSoybean paste stew with vegetables, tofu, and sometimes seafood. Umami-rich, salty, and deeply comforting.
Spicy Pork BulgogiThin-sliced pork marinated in gochujang and seasonings, grilled briefly. Spicy and tender.
Spicy Seafood Noodle SoupFiery red seafood broth with noodles, squid, shrimp, and mussels. Heat builds aggressively.
Spicy Shredded Beef SoupFiery soup with shredded beef, vegetables, and gochugaru. Heat builds throughout the bowl.
Standing GalbiGrilled beef rib standing upright, seared on the outside and rare inside. Impressive presentation.
Steamed EggBeaten egg steamed in an earthenware bowl until it puffs above the rim — savoury, custardy and very mild. A…
Stir-Fried Spicy ChickenDiced chicken stir-fried at your table with gochujang, vegetables, and cheese. Interactive and indulgent.- SushiVinegared rice topped with fish. In Seoul it spans conveyor-belt counters at ₩2,000 a plate to aged-fish…
Sweet-Sour PorkCrispy fried pork in a glossy sweet-sour sauce with pineapple chunks. Indulgent and playful.
Sweetened ToastCrispy buttered toast dusted with sweetened soybean powder and cinnamon. Indulgent cafe food.
Tang (Rich Soup)A long-simmered soup served as a full meal in its own bowl, milder and brothier than jjigae. The prefix is…
Twigim (Korean Fritters)Battered and deep-fried vegetables, seafood and dumplings, sold by the piece at street stalls and tteokbokki…
Whole Roast ChickenWhole small roasted chicken seasoned with soy and sesame. Served with creamy mayo dipping sauce.- AffogatoA scoop of vanilla ice cream with a shot of hot espresso poured over it. The standard way to take coffee and…
- Anchangsal (Outside Skirt)The outside skirt, from the inner diaphragm — only two pieces per animal. Coarse-grained and deeply beefy,…
- BakeryThe bread and baked goods a café sells alongside its coffee — bagels, scones, cookies and honey bread turn…
Beef TartareRaw beef cut into thin strips and dressed with sesame oil, garlic and pear, usually topped with a raw egg…
Beef Tartare BibimbapBibimbap topped with raw seasoned beef instead of cooked meat. The rice is warm and the beef is not, which…
Blood SausageStuffed tube of potato starch, pork, and vegetables, sliced and boiled. Chewy texture with a savory filling.
Bone Hangover SoupMilky broth from boiled bones and beef. Restorative and deeply savory.
Braised Kimchi & PorkLong-braised aged kimchi with fatty pork, cooked until the kimchi goes deep red and melts into the meat.…- Caramel MacchiatoVanilla-sweetened milk with espresso poured through it and caramel drizzled on top, served in visible…
Celebration Noodle SoupThin wheat noodles in light broth with vegetables and egg. Served at celebrations and holidays.
Chicken SkewerMarinated chicken pieces on wooden skewers, grilled until charred. Chewy, juicy, and savory.- Cold BrewCoffee steeped in cold water for hours. Lower in acidity and rounder than an iced americano, though it reads…
Cold Soy Milk NoodlesThick, creamy soy milk broth over cold noodles. Delicate, rich, and summery.- CroffleCroissant dough pressed in a waffle iron — invented in Korean cafés and exported from here to the rest of…
- Dakbal (Spicy Chicken Feet)Chicken feet in chilli sauce, either braised or flame-grilled, and sold bone-in or boneless. Drinking food,…
Deopbap (Rice Bowl)A single-bowl meal — rice with something spooned over the top. Unlike bibimbap it isn't meant to be stirred…- EinspännerCoffee under a thick cap of whipped cream, Viennese in origin and now a fixture on Korean café menus.
Fried Chicken with Scallion SauceChinese-Korean fried chicken with a crisp, thin batter, topped with a tangy scallion-and-chili sauce.…- Grilled Pork SkinPork rind grilled on the same plate as the meat. Cheap, chewy, and sold on its reputation for collagen — a…
Grilled Short-Rib PattyHand-chopped short-rib meat seasoned with soy, pear and garlic, pressed into a patty and grilled on or…
Guk (Soup)The everyday clear soup that comes alongside rice at a Korean meal — lighter than tang and far thinner than…
Guksu (Noodles)The general word for noodles, usually wheat and usually in broth. Janchi-guksu is the plain celebration…
Hand-torn Noodle SoupHand-torn wheat dough pieces cooked in seafood or vegetable broth. Rustic and homemade-feeling.
Hangover SoupHangover cure: hot broth with coagulated ox blood, seafood, and offal. The iron and salt restore depleted…
Honeycomb CandyCrispy honeycomb candy made from sugar and baking soda. Brittle, sweet, and addictive.
Jeongol (Hot Pot)A wide shallow pot of broth and arranged ingredients cooked at the table on a burner. Bigger and more…
Jjim (Braised or Steamed Dish)Slow-braised or steamed in a thick, glossy sauce rather than a broth. Jjimdak is soy-braised chicken,…- JjolmyeonThick, aggressively chewy noodles under bean sprouts and shredded vegetables, mixed with a sweet-hot…
- Jumeokbap (Rice Ball)Rice pressed into a ball with seaweed flakes and sesame oil, sometimes flying-fish roe or kimchi. Ordered at…
- KaraageJapanese fried chicken marinated in soy and ginger, dredged in starch. It appears as anju in izakayas and as…
- KkanpunggiFried chicken tossed in a reduced soy-vinegar sauce with dried chillies — 'kkanpung' means cooked down until…
- Mapo TofuTofu and minced pork in a doubanjiang sauce, served over rice. Korean-Chinese kitchens usually dial the…
- Matcha LattePowdered green tea whisked into milk — the standard order for anyone in the group who isn't drinking coffee.
- Milk TeaStrongly brewed black tea cut with milk. Korean cafés run endless variations — royal, brown sugar,…
Mung Bean PancakeSavory mung bean pancake with vegetables or kimchi. Thin, crispy, and earthy.- NaanTandoor-baked flatbread. Indian and Nepali kitchens in Seoul almost always sell it in four versions — plain,…
Ox Bone SoupThin strips of beef and vegetables in clear, gently simmered broth. Less punchy than kimchi-jjigae but…- PastaIn Seoul's wine bars and bistros the standards are ragù, aglio e olio and rosé, with local twists — hanwoo…
- PizzaIn a Korean pub this is often a ₩9,000 cheese flatbread that functions as anju; in a dedicated shop it means…
Pork CollarA thin seam of muscle from between the pork neck and loin — only a small amount per pig, so it's a…
Pork CutletBreaded and deep-fried pork cutlet. Surprisingly Japanese-influenced, served with tonkatsu sauce.
Rolled OmeletteThin sheets of egg rolled around chopped vegetables into a log, then sliced into rounds. A pocha staple —…
Royal Banquet SetMulti-course formal Korean meal with 10+ small dishes. Refined and luxurious.- Salchisal (Chuck Flap)The chuck flap tail, off the front end of the upper loin — among the most densely marbled cuts on the animal…
Seaweed SoupLight, mineral-rich soup with tender seaweed. Traditionally eaten on birthdays for longevity.
Seaweed Spiral RollThinly sliced beef rolled in seaweed and fried until crispy. Sweet, savory, and crunchy.
Spicy Baby Octopus Stir-FryWhole baby octopus stir-fried at the table in a red pepper–garlic sauce with scallions and onions. Chewy,…
Spicy Braised MonkfishMonkfish braised in a fiery gochugaru-garlic sauce over a mountain of bean sprouts. Unmistakable red,…
Spicy Chicken StewChicken pieces braised in spicy, savory broth with potatoes and vegetables. Warming and bold.
Spicy Cold NoodlesCold buckwheat noodles mixed with spicy gochujang sauce. The spicy version of naengmyeon.
Spicy Mixed NoodlesThin wheat noodles tossed in a sweet-sour gochujang sauce and served cold, usually with cucumber and a…
Stir-Fried Chicken StewChicken stir-fried then simmered in a spicy, savory broth. Bold, warming, and complex.
Suyuk (Boiled Sliced Meat)Meat — usually pork, sometimes beef — simmered whole in aromatics, then sliced thin and served warm without…- TacoMeat and vegetables on a tortilla. Seoul taquerias price them individually, so ordering means picking two or…
- TakoyakiOctopus batter balls cooked in a dimpled pan and finished with sauce and bonito flakes. In Seoul they are…
Tall-Cut Short RibBeef short rib left on a long exposed bone and grilled upright, cut tableside once seared. A showpiece…- Tandoori ChickenChicken marinated in yoghurt and spice, then baked in a tandoor until the surface goes deep red. Sold by the…
Tofu & Stir-Fried KimchiSlabs of warm steamed tofu ringed around a mound of kimchi stir-fried with pork belly. The national anju —…- UdonThick wheat noodles in anchovy or bonito broth. It turns up everywhere — snack shops, Chinese-Korean…
- Yangkkochi (Lamb Skewers)Cumin-dusted lamb skewers turned on a rotating tabletop grill — a northeastern Chinese dish that is now a…
Bean Sprout Rice SoupRice soup with seasoned bean sprouts and a raw egg yolk. Light but restorative.
Beef PancakeThin slices of beef dredged in egg batter and fried individually, so it arrives as a plate of small pieces…
Blanched SquidLightly blanched squid tentacles, still tender. Served with spicy dipping sauces.
Braised Intestine StewSpicy stewed intestines in a bubbling earthenware pot. Rich broth and tender offal.
Buckwheat Noodles in SoupThick buckwheat noodles in clear beef broth, sometimes served cold. Rustic and earthy.- CheonggukjangA stew of fast-fermented soybean paste — two or three days rather than months — which gives it a far…
Chicken Bone SoupWhole chicken simmered until the broth turns cloudy and rich, served with shredded meat and glass noodles.…- Chimasal (Flank)Flank, from low on the belly — named for hanging like a skirt, which is what 치마 means. Long-grained and…
Cold Raw Fish SoupSliced raw fish in chilled broth with vegetables and sesame oil. Cooling and sophisticated.
Dry Black Bean NoodlesBlack bean sauce served on the side, not mixed into the noodles. You control the sauce ratio.- Flat WhiteLess milk than a latte and only a thin layer of microfoam, so the espresso stays in front. Common in Seoul's…
- Fresh Fruit JuiceFruit blended to order — strawberry, mango, tomato and kiwi as standard, with watermelon appearing only in…
- Fruit AdeFruit syrup topped with sparkling water and ice; grapefruit, lemon and green grape are the usual three.
Garlic Chive PancakeGarlic chives held together with just enough batter to fry, giving a thinner, greener and more herbal…- Grilled EelFreshwater or sea eel grilled over charcoal, served salted or sauced. Eaten as a restorative, especially in…
Grilled IntestinesGrilled pork intestines over charcoal — chewy, rich, and requires an adventurous palate. Often dipped in…
Grilled Large IntestinesGrilled large pig's intestines with a robust, chewy texture. Rich and savory.
Grilled TripeGrilled pig's intestines with a thinner, more tender texture than gopchang. Slightly sweet.- Hand-Drip CoffeeGround beans brewed by hand, one cup at a time. Cafés that take their roasting seriously list the origins…
- Japanese CurryJapanese-style curry over rice, usually sold with a cutlet or karaage on top. Thicker and sweeter than…
- KebabMeat shaved off a vertical rotisserie and wrapped in flatbread with salad and sauce. In Seoul the shops…
- Kkomak (Cockles)Blood cockles, the ones from Beolgyo in South Jeolla being the name to look for. Served barely blanched in…
- Korean Traditional TeaJujube, ssanghwa, ginger, omija or citron, either simmered for hours or preserved as a syrup. In a…
Lamb RibsLamb rib chops grilled over fire, usually seasoned with herb salt and cumin rather than the soy marinade…
Muchim (Seasoned Salad)Ingredients tossed raw or briefly blanched with chilli, vinegar, garlic and sesame. Served cold and sharp —…- Muk (Acorn Jelly)Starch from acorns or buckwheat set into a soft, sliceable jelly. Served sliced under seasoned soy, tossed…
- NachosTortilla chips under melted cheese and salsa. In Seoul they live on pub and beer-hall menus more than…
Rice SoupRice soup with seasoned bean sprouts, vegetables, and a raw egg yolk. Often served as a light meal with…- SaladThe default starter in a Western restaurant or wine bar here — usually salmon, Caesar, or burrata. At a…
- SandwichThe light meal Korean cafés serve beside the coffee — egg mayo, club and ham-and-cheese are the usual three,…
- Smoothie / ShakeFruit or yoghurt blended with ice; strawberry, mango and blueberry are the standing three in most Seoul cafés.
- Soba (Buckwheat Noodles)Cold buckwheat noodles dipped in tsuyu. Korean menus almost always write it as 모밀 or 냉모밀 rather than 소바.
Soy-Marinated Raw CrabRaw crab marinated in soy, ginger, and garlic. Complex, umami-rich, and an acquired taste.
Spicy Sea SnailsChewy sea snails in a spicy, garlicky, vinegary sauce. An acquired taste and soju pairing.- SteakIn a neighbourhood pub this is 180g for around ₩19,000; in a Gangnam wine bar the same word means hanwoo…
Stir-fried OctopusRaw or lightly blanched giant octopus tentacles, still moving on the plate. The most adventurous raw dish.
Stir-Fried SundaeSliced sundae stir-fried with vegetables and spicy sauce. Hot, flavorful, and textural.
Sundae Rice SoupRice soup with sliced sundae and blood cake. Rich and filling.- TanghuluFruit on a skewer in a hard shell of set sugar. Chinese in origin, it swept Korea around 2023 and is now a…
- Tosisal (Hanger Steak)The hanger, a small muscle off the diaphragm — barely a kilo per animal. It neighbours the outside skirt but…
- YangjangpiWide mung-bean starch sheets arranged under seafood, vegetables and egg ribbons, then tossed in a mustard…
- BurritoA tortilla wrapped around rice or potato with meat and cheese. Korean shops run their own versions — bulgogi…
- Chueotang (Loach Soup)Ground loach simmered with soybean paste and dried radish greens, eaten as a restorative. Each region…
- Danpatjuk (Sweet Red Bean Porridge)Red beans simmered down and sieved smooth, with chewy glutinous rice balls dropped in. The winter order at a…
- EspressoA short, concentrated shot. In Seoul's roastery cafés it is what people order to judge the beans before…
Lamb Bone SoupLamb simmered long into a milky broth. Note the ambiguity Koreans live with: 양 here can mean lamb, but 양 is…- OkonomiyakiA cabbage-heavy savoury pancake griddled and dressed with sauce, mayonnaise and bonito flakes. A standing…
Sweet & Sour MushroomKing oyster mushrooms battered and fried in place of the pork, then served with the same sweet-sour sauce.…- Jollof RiceWest Africa's red rice, cooked down with tomato and chilli, and the subject of a long-running argument…
Dak-hanmari (Whole Chicken Pot)A whole young chicken simmered tableside in clear broth, eaten in stages: broth, then chicken dipped in…- FufuRice or cassava pounded into a soft, dense ball — the staple that West African soups are built around. Many…