Midori
미도리
About
Operating since 1986, this classic Japanese restaurant tucked in a Myeongdong alley serves comforting codfish soup, roe soup, and sushi in cozy private rooms.
Tucked away in an alley just off Myeongdong Station Exit 2, Midori has occupied the same quiet pocket of Jung-gu since 1986. A green directional sign ushers diners past the neighborhood’s busy avenues into a traditional Japanese establishment anchored by a long wooden sushi counter. Overhead hangs a carved timber plaque marking the restaurant's founding year, alongside fishing paraphernalia and fabric noren curtains displaying characters for sea bream and tuna. Behind the refrigerated display case, the chef works in crisp whites, while deeper inside, private dining rooms decorated with calligraphy scrolls and coat hangers host lunchtime gatherings and neighborhood regulars. The kitchen leans on decades of classical craft, opening meals with a generous lineup of banquets and sides: sweet-and-sour hoe-muchim piled high with shredded seaweed, soy-braised radish, stir-fried shishito peppers with anchovies, and fresh geotjeori kimchi. Midori’s standout offering is its daegu-tang jiri, served bubbling in a weathered black pot. The clear cod soup arrives crowned with a thick mound of crown daisy, concealing hefty, skin-on chunks of white flesh and tender milt in a briny, pristine broth designed to clear the senses. Dipping the mild cod into wasabi soy sauce highlights the fish's natural savor, making it an enduring staple for hangovers and cold afternoons. Diners craving heat lean toward the earthenware bowls of spicy altang, packed generously with fish roe. The nigiri sushi keeps things equally unfussy, featuring firm, chewy cuts of aged white fish like sea bream alongside pickled ginger and garlic. Served with a bowl of clear soup and rice, the plates favor balance and clean execution over modern embellishments. Run with steady, unhurried hospitality, Midori provides an authentic old-school sanctuary where the focus remains squarely on simmering broths and impeccably handled seafood. Closed Sundays.
Menu
- Codfish Soup₩22,000
- Spicy Fish Roe Soup
Local tips
- Follow the small green alleyway sign from Myeongdong Station Exit 2 to locate the entrance.
- Book by phone in advance if you want a private room for gatherings or lunch meetings.
- Counter seats (dacci) are available for solo diners.
- Closed every Sunday.
Details
- Myeongdong Station
Opening hours
- Sunday
- 11:00–20:00
- Monday
- 11:00–20:00
- Tuesday
- 11:00–20:00
- Wednesday
- 11:00–20:00
- Thursday
- 11:00–20:00
- Friday
- 11:00–20:00
- Saturday
- 11:00–20:00