Guide

Eating

30 questions.

• Ordering from a table tablet or QR menuChoose the dish and quantity, confirm the order and check where payment is made.
• Call buttons at your table, not wavingUse the table's call button or politely ask staff for help.
• Banchan (반찬): the free side dishes and refillsBanchan are Korean side dishes. Check whether extra servings are free or charged.
• No tipping in Korean restaurantsPay the amount on your bill. Tipping is generally unnecessary in Korean restaurants.
• Eating alone: which restaurants take one personAsk whether the restaurant accepts one diner and whether minimum orders apply.
• Minimum orders and the two-portion ruleCheck whether the price is per portion, per person or for a shared dish.
• What one portion (1인분) means and how to order itCheck the portion size and minimum order before choosing how many portions to buy.
• Reading a Korean menuIdentify the ingredients and cooking method in the dish name, then ask if uncertain.
• Allergy and dietary phrasing in KoreanState your allergy accurately in Korean and ask staff about ingredients and preparation.
• Halal: certified vs friendly vs unknownCheck the certifier and current certificate rather than assuming a friendly label means certified.
• Vegetarian and vegan eating in KoreaAsk about stock, sauces and other animal ingredients before choosing a dish.
• Soju, beer, and drinking etiquetteCheck the drink size, alcohol content and price, and decline alcohol if you prefer.
• Pouring and receiving drinks: the rulesFollow your group's lead and politely decline alcohol when you do not want it.
• Convenience-store food worth eatingCheck ready-to-eat meals, ingredients, use-by dates and reheating instructions at convenience stores.
• Street food and market etiquetteAsk the price before ordering and check how the stall accepts payment.
• Ordering delivery to a Han River picnicChoose the park's designated delivery pickup point and collect your order there.
• Where to eat after midnightCheck current opening hours and last orders before travelling to a late-night restaurant.
• Hangover food: haejangguk (해장국) and where to find itHaejangguk is Korean hangover soup. Ingredients vary, so check the type before ordering.
• Korean BBQ: how it actually worksCheck minimum portions and ask whether staff will cook the meat or help you.
• Jjigae (찌개) and eating from a shared potCheck serving sizes and use a ladle and individual bowls for shared stew.
• Regional specialities by cityExplore local specialities and check the ingredients before ordering.
• Coffee culture and study cafésCheck ordering, seating and time-limit rules at the café you choose.
• Dessert cafés and bingsu (빙수)Check the size and price before ordering a bingsu, Korea's shaved-ice dessert.
• Buffets and all-you-can-refill (무한리필)Check the buffet price, time limit, minimum party size and extra charges.
• Michelin and Blue Ribbon in KoreaRestaurant guides assess different things. Read the award criteria before choosing a restaurant.
• How to spot a tourist-trap restaurantLook for clear prices and check the total before agreeing to an order.
• Why Korean restaurant review counts misleadRead recent reviews and photographs, and compare sources rather than relying on ratings alone.
• Korean chain restaurants worth knowingKorean chains offer familiar menus. Check branch hours, payment methods and minimum orders.
• Food courts and department store basementsChoose a food-hall counter, pay and follow its collection and tray-return instructions.
• Korean table manners and taboosUse polite table manners and follow your hosts' lead during a shared meal.