Hanil Restaurant
한일식당
About
A Jongno 3-ga grilled-fish diner serving hearty Korean set meals with 솥밥, side dishes, and doenjang-jjigae.
In Jongno 3-ga, Hanil Sikdang is the kind of place to seek out when a proper Korean fish-and-rice lunch sounds better than a polished dining-room production. It sits in a narrow alley near Exit 15, beside other fish-grill restaurants; the mood, according to visitors, is that of a long-running neighborhood fixture. Arrive before the noon rush if you want a better chance of finding a table: one diner found a few empty seats before the lunch crowd filled the room. The meal is built around grilled fish, rice and familiar accompaniments. Choose by the fish you’re craving: visitors ordered mackerel and croaker, and another paired mackerel with hairtail. The portions were described as generously fleshed, with a pleasantly salty seasoning that makes each bite a natural partner for plain rice. Flake the fish over a spoonful of rice, and you have the simple, satisfying rhythm this sort of lunch does best. The rice is part of the appeal, not an afterthought. Reviews describe it arriving in a pot, with one diner praising the browned, fragrant rice at the bottom. Set alongside it are homestyle side dishes, including soft, sweet stir-fried anchovies, and a bowl of doenjang stew. A bite of fish, a spoonful of rice, then a taste of stew: it’s a grounded, full Korean meal without needing a complicated menu. Hanil Sikdang’s charm lies in that straightforward format and the pleasure of eating freshly grilled fish while it’s still hot. It’s a useful Jongno stop for a hearty lunch, especially if you’re deciding between mackerel, croaker or hairtail and want rice and side dishes to round out the table. The neighboring Jeonju Sikdang is another fish-grill option, but at Hanil, the draw is clear: crisp-edged, savory fish and pot-cooked rice, served in an unpretentious alley setting.
Menu
- Grilled mackerel₩14,000
- Grilled croaker₩14,000
- Grilled cutlassfish₩15,000
- Grilled Spanish Mackerel₩14,000
- Grilled Dried Pollack₩14,000
- Grilled Saury₩14,000
Local tips
- Use Jongno 3-ga Station Exit 15 and look for the narrow grilled-fish alley.
- Arrive before noon if you want to avoid the lunchtime rush.
- Hanil Sikdang and neighboring Jeonju Sikdang alternate Sunday closures; check before visiting.
Details
- Jongno 3-ga Station
Opening hours
- Sunday
- —
- Monday
- 07:00–22:00
- Tuesday
- 07:00–22:00
- Wednesday
- 07:00–22:00
- Thursday
- 07:00–22:00
- Friday
- 07:00–22:00
- Saturday
- 07:00–22:00