Restaurants in Seoul Pt.1: 신촌♥ (Sinchon)

I know you are all excited to eat authentic Korean food in Korea, so this post will be all about restaurants I ate at during my time in Korea and loved!

It can be kind of overwhelming seeing all the options of restaurants to eat at in Korea, so hopefully this post will help you!

Okay, so I wrote this when I thought you'd be going to Sogang University in Sinchon this summer (like the previous years did), but you'll be going to a different school in a different area. You may or may not find yourself in Sinchon, but some of these places can be found all over Seoul anyway! Either way, I hope this post is helpful to y'all ^^ 

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토마토김밥 (Tomato Kimbap)

This is a restaurant many of us NSLI-Y summer kids found ourselves eating in at least a few times in the summer. It was right on the way to Sogang University (where we had classes) from the subway station, so it was convenient... and cheap... and delicious! I often ordered the 치즈김밥 (cheese kimbap) or the 떡라면 (rice cake ramyun) when I went there. They also serve great side soup/broth (which is free)!

This place was probably one of the places I ate at the most just because of its convenience and price, so I'd definitely recommend eating at Tomato Kimbap if you're looking for something cheap and delicious. You can also get your kimbap to go if you're in a rush. We often ate here if we wanted to keep it cheap for lunch because we planned on going out for dinner at night and would spend a little more money there. I miss Tomato Kimbap :'(

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김밥천국 (Kimbap Cheonguk)

This restaurant is quite similar to Tomato Kimbap, and it is also a chain that is found all over the place! There was a Kimbap Cheonguk right across the street from the building we studied in at Sogang University, so it was pretty convenient to eat at. I went to Tomato Kimbap mostly, though, so I don't have much to say about this place. And I can really only speak about the one I went to. The place was smaller and darker(?) than Tomato Kimbap, so it didn't feel as nice. But the food wasn't bad, and the prices are definitely good here, too. 

I went with two friends- my one friend got the egg kimbap, and my other friend got bibimbap. I got mandu ramyun (ramyun with dumpling in it). This place was a little confusing the first time I went, because I didn't know how exactly to order. I thought a lady would come over to us and ask, but I think she came over and like gave me a pen and paper to write it down. Fortunately, I had done this before in a different restaurant, so I was able to write it all down, but it was confusing. The food wasn't bad, but the environment wasn't as nice as the one at Tomato Kimbap. (Like I said though, I only went to one Kimbap Cheonguk, so I'm sure not all are how I am describing the place)

I know many people who love this place and went there all the time, so don't let me keep you from going! It's good and cheap! Also, since they're everywhere, they're pretty convenient :) I just preferred other places over here~ 

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봉구스밥버거

This place is wowowow SO GOOD. It's delicious and cheap!! You seriously can't beat those two things together haha. This place serves rice burgers. It may sound kind of weird, but rice burgers are DELICIOUS. Rice burgers are like... instead of bread on a burger, there is rice on the top and botom (with seaweed as well). And instead of the burger meat, there is whatever type of filling you choose. 

Types of rice burgers include cheese rice burgers, ham rice burger, bulgogi rice burger, spicy chicken or pork rice burger, squid rice burger, kimchi rice burger, etc....

(CLICK HERE FOR MENU ON WEBSITE WITH PICTURES AND DESCRIPTIONS)

I promise you they taste way better than they sound! There was a 봉구스밥버거 on the way to Sogang University, so it was super convenient to eat there or pick something up to eat at Sogang. I miss this place so so much.... I could eat this like everyday. Here is a picture of my cheese tuna rice burger (like I said, tastes better than it sounds to some). It had kimchi, cheese, and tuna all encased in rice. SO GOOD. I cry just thinking about these things hahaha. Please eat lots of rice burgers for me ^^  Link to website

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 복성각 (Bok Sung Gak)

This restaurant is super popular in Sinchon and one of the more famous Chinese restaurants in the area. It is really delicious, and the interior is pretty nice/fancy. When I would go here, I would just order the jjajangmyun, which was priced well and DELICIOUS. 

I ate a LOT of jjajangmyun in Korea, but I think this place had the best jjajangmyun. The radishes were good as well~ Not only was the food delicious, but the service was also great! I went in the afternoon whenever I went so it wasn't super busy. The waiters were all young and friendly, and whenever I would call them over they'd come right away and bring what I asked for. The service made it an even better experience ^^

I would definitely recommend going here if you are looking for "Chinese" Korean food. It's delicious, priced well, the place has good service, and the interior is really pretty :)









It's kind of confusing to get here, but if you go to Sinchon station and take exit #2, head towards Yonsei University. On the road going to Yonsei, you will walk pretty far until you see a cafe called Holly's Cafe (on the right side of the street). Turn down the alley right at Holly's Cafe, and you'll see the black building with red writing (see picture above). That's Bok Sung Gak!! Go eat there!!

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무봤나 촌닭 

This place is very memorable to me. It's called 무봤나 촌닭 and is a popular chicken chain in Korea! My friend from Sogang asked me what foods I liked and had already eaten in Korea (this was during my first week), and when I told him, he said he had a place in mind he wanted to take me because he thought I'd like it. And this was that place!!

I enjoy eating spicy foods and chicken, and that is what they are known for! We got the 고추장바큐치킨 with rice and some side dishes and salad and coke~ It was kind of spicy (I wasn't expecting it to be that spicy), but it was still delicious. We struggled to finish the plate between us, but somehow we managed to do so. It's super filling because it has chicken (not the normal fried chicken but really good) and rice cakes. I really liked the rice cakes haha. And, as you can see in the picture, there is corn in it! So many foods have corn in them hahaha, but I love corn so I love it!

The inside of this place was also nice and comfortable, very clean. It's pretty busy place, but I guess that's good because it means it's popular! We went there on a Saturday night~ Also, you pay up front, just a tip for those who go there. It's a popular place for younger people my friend said (like college-aged students). I'm not sure of the prices here I didn't pay hehehe but I imagine it's not too bad? Two people can share the plate of chicken. OH, and also, there is a self-serve side dish thing at these I think for the most part? I'd definitely recommend going here if you like spicy food and if you like chicken! 

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BONUS: Two Restaurants (whose names I don't know)

I am actually really frustrated I cannot remember or find the name of this restaurant. I met up with an exchange student I hosted in America years ago, and we went out to eat in Sinchon after class one day. She asked me what I wanted, and I said samgyupsal, so we found a bbq place to eat at~ 

When I say it was delicious, that's an understatement. It was seriously SO good... My friend spoiled me with food and the two of us (teenage girls) ate FOUR SERVINGS of meat PLUS side soup, 계란찜, and a mixed rice dosirak type thing. Your girls can eat~~ And I ate probably like three of those four servings haha. My friend just kept giving me meat I felt bad. This restaurant was GREAT, and that's why I'm so upset I can't remember it. They give great side dishes and have good service as well!  You grill your own meat by the way, which makes it even more fun lol~ 

Grateful for one of my best friends for taking me out to eat and spoiling me here <3 nbsp="" p="">

Nameless Restaurant #2: 

I went out to eat after my graduation ceremony at Sogang University with my host family, and my umma searched long and hard for a place to take me that had my favorite foods. After going in to multiple restaurants and checking them out, we decided on one! It was a crowded restaurant in Sinchon that apparently was pretty well-known? She had called around asking for restaurant recommendations because she wanted me to have good Korean food before going home.... and I DEFINITELY did!! (Cute side story- So we were looking all over Sinchon and my mother kept asking my lil bro where we should go for my last meal in Korea and he kept saying McDonald's hahahaha.) 

My mother ordered a ton of food and spoiled me for my last meal, which I really loved and appreciated! We had kimchi stew, ddeokbokki, bulgogi, rice, eggs, and other random foods that were so delicious~ The place was realllyyy busy, which is always a good sign because that's how you know it's a good restaurant- people want to eat there and are even waiting to do so! It's on the corner of a street, but that's all I remember :/ 

If I remember the names of these restaurants, I will for sure update this post with them :) 

And with that, my journey to Korea came to an end ㅠㅠ 어머니사랑해요♥

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I hope this post was helpful! I'll be finishing a few other posts before PDO next week, and I will continue to post during the summer as well :) I loved all of these restaurants very much and each of them have so many memories with them. You honestly can't go wrong with wherever you choose to eat haha, it's all just so good! Eat lots for me while you're in Korea ^^