SHOW THIS IN SEOULFrom our Shorts Seoul food
Eat what you just saw
Four places from our videos, one for each first: your first night in Myeongdong, your first market noodles, your first Korean BBQ, your first tteokbokki.
We picked one place for each, checked how ordering works there, and added the Korean to say. Facts checked 2026-10-23. Places change, so check Naver Map before you go.
Myeongdong Kyoja 명동교자
Why go: noodle soup and dumplings since 1966, on the MICHELIN Guide's Bib Gourmand list (2024). The easy first dinner in Myeongdong.
Spicy Not spicy. The garlic kimchi on the side is.
How it works here
- Recent visitors report you pay first, at the kiosk by the entrance, then take a seat.
- No reservations. There's often a line, but it moves fast. In 2024 one visitor was seated within 10 minutes, sharing a table.
- Open 10:30–21:00 (last order 20:30). Closed only on Seollal and Chuseok days.
- The main shop moved in 2026. The official site lists it at 퇴계로 129. The old address (명동10길 29) is now "Myeongdong Kyoja Hyu", and MICHELIN still shows the old one. The map buttons below search for the main shop.
What to order
Or build your order: tick dishes, set how many, then play it or show it to staff.
Add a request
Prices from the Kakao Map menu (updated 2026-03-05), checked 2026-10-23. Cold soybean noodles (콩국수) are summer only; the 2026 season ended on October 11.
Sources
- Myeongdong Kyoja official site: main shop, hours
- Kakao Map: menu and prices
- MICHELIN Guide: Myeongdong Kyoja
- Official notice: soybean noodle season
- A Love Letter to Asia: the line (2024, updated 2026)
Checked 2026-10-23. The kiosk is from recent visitor reports, not the official site.
Gohyang Kalguksu 고향칼국수
Why go: the knife-cut noodle stall from Netflix's Street Food: Asia (Seoul episode, 2019). Mild, warm, and the noodles are cut fresh in front of you.
Spicy The noodle soup is not spicy.
How it works here
- It's a stall inside Gwangjang Market. Expect a line. One travel blog reported a 45-minute average wait (its own observation, January 2026).
- We found no way to book. Just join the line.
- No official opening hours online. Check Naver Map on the day.
What to order
Or build your order: tick dishes, set how many, then play it or show it to staff.
Add a request
We didn't find a current official price, so we don't list one.
Mongtan 몽탄
Why go: giant beef ribs grilled over a straw fire. On Seoul's official Taste of Seoul 100 list for 2026 (Grill).
Spicy Not spicy. Grilled beef, safe for day one.
How it works here
- No reservations. Sign up on the Catch Table waitlist screen at the door.
- You can't join this line from your phone in advance. Visitors report sign-up on site only.
- The waitlist opens at 11:00. Dining 12:00–22:00 (last order 21:00). When you're called, your whole group has 10 minutes to arrive.
- Recent posts (Oct 2026) report waits of 1–3 hours, with sign-up on site only. Come early and stay nearby.
- No Korean phone number? A 2023 visitor said staff will mark it on the list. Show the card below.
What to order
Or build your order: tick dishes, set how many, then play it or show it to staff.
Add a request
We didn't find a current official price list, so we don't list prices. Dish names from DiningCode.
Sources
- Seoul city: Taste of Seoul 100 (2026), Mongtan
- The Infatuation: Mongtan (2025)
- DiningCode: waitlist, hours and menu
- ladyironchef: wait and Korean number (2023)
- Naver blog roundup (Oct 7, 2026): 60–180 min wait
- Naver blog list (Oct 21, 2026): no reservations, on-site sign-up
Checked 2026-10-23.
Yupdduk 엽기떡볶이
Why go: Korea's famous spicy rice cakes, the same at every store. Pick the right level and it's pure fun.
Spicy You choose: 5 levels, plus a new milder one. "Original" is level 4.
| 0 | 더착한맛 | New (Sept 2026): even milder than level 1. Not on every store's menu board yet. |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 착한맛 | Mild. Still a little spicy for some. |
| 2 | 초보맛 | Beginner. Start here. |
| 3 | 덜매운맛 | Less spicy than original. Still hot. |
| 4 | 오리지널 | Original. Very spicy. |
| 5 | 매운맛 | Spicy. The hottest. |
Levels from the official Yupdduk menu and its Sept 2026 new-menu notice, checked 2026-10-23. "Start with level 2" is common advice in Korean reviews.
How it works here
- Most stores have seating: 723 of 725 in the official store finder. You can also take out.
- The main store has two listings. To eat in, go to 본점홀매장 (퇴계로75길 15), not the delivery-only one.
What to order
Or build your order: tick dishes, set how many, then play it or show it to staff.
Add a request
Prices from the official Yupdduk menu, checked 2026-10-23. A store's own prices may differ.
Map buttons search for the chain, so you see the stores near you.
More Korean for restaurants
Big screens to show staff: less spicy, water, the kiosk, the bill. Or build your own sentence.
Free PDFs by email
Arrival steps, apps and more, to keep on your phone offline. Pick one and we email you the link.