Find the restaurant’s booking instructions
Start with the restaurant’s own website, social account or map listing. It may take reservations through an app, by phone or by direct message. Some restaurants use several channels, while others accept only walk-ins or a same-day waitlist.
Check ahead for a tasting menu, a popular venue or a larger group. For a casual meal, also check opening hours, afternoon breaks and the last-order time. A restaurant being open does not always mean its kitchen is still accepting orders.
Use CatchTable Global for participating restaurants
CatchTable Global is separate from the Korean CatchTable app. Its visitor sign-in options include Google, Apple and email, without requiring a Korean phone number. Choose the Global version before creating your account.
Search for the restaurant and select your date, time and party size. The available options depend on the venue: a reservation holds a table for an agreed time, while a waitlist gives you a place in a queue. Read any deposit, arrival and cancellation conditions before confirming. Use a payment network shown at checkout and complete any authentication requested by your bank.
Check Naver’s passport-verification option
Naver introduced passport verification for foreign users in June 2026. It supports participating reservation, ordering and payment services without a Korean phone number. Open the passport-verification option in the app and follow its document and camera instructions.
A verified account establishes identity; it does not guarantee a table or a successful card payment. Check the restaurant’s available times and accepted payment methods. If the page rejects your card, ask about another supported method rather than assuming that the identity check failed.
Ask for help with another booking channel
Your hotel may be able to contact a restaurant in Korean. Give staff the exact restaurant or branch, preferred date and time, party size and reservation name. Ask them to confirm any deposit and cancellation terms as well as the table itself. This assistance depends on the hotel and does not override a restaurant’s booking policy.
The 1330 Korea Travel Helpline offers travel information and interpretation assistance. Dial 1330 in Korea or +82-2-1330 from abroad, or use the official online call or chat service. Ordinary phone or mobile-data charges depend on your service; online calls over Wi-Fi are free.
If the restaurant asks for a direct message, include all the booking details together. Wait for an explicit confirmation and complete any requested deposit. A sent message or an initial reply about availability does not necessarily mean the table is booked.
Join a waitlist and check how you will be called
A tablet at the restaurant may offer a visitor, language or QR option. Enter the requested details and confirm that you received a queue number. If the screen does not accept your number or a notification does not arrive, ask staff how to register.
Tabling and CatchTable support different waitlist arrangements, and venues can configure their own options. Find out whether you need to confirm arrival through the app, a posted code or staff. Stay nearby as your turn approaches and follow the deadline in your notification. Do not assume every venue allows the same number of minutes.
Read the payment and cancellation conditions
A restaurant may collect a deposit, register a card for a possible no-show charge or require no advance payment. If it collects a deposit, ask whether the amount is deducted from your meal bill or refunded separately. These arrangements are different and should be stated before you pay.
Save the exact cancellation deadline and refund conditions. There is no universal midnight cutoff or fifteen-minute grace period. Contact the restaurant promptly if you will be late. If the hotel made the booking and remains the contact, notify the front desk too.
If a payment appears pending but no reservation is visible, check the app and email, then contact the platform or restaurant. Ask whether the booking exists and whether the payment completed before trying again. A pending bank entry alone does not establish either result.
Check release times and keep a backup plan
Restaurants choose their own reservation-release schedules. Read the current notice and convert the time from Korea Standard Time, UTC+9, if you are booking from abroad. Prepare the account and payment method beforehand.
Cancellations may release tables later, and an availability alert can help where offered. There is no guaranteed reopening window. If the restaurant remains full, compare another date, a walk-in option or another restaurant that suits your plans.
