Posted by Half of the year has already passed as we’re already in the month of July, the peak of summer! The stifling heat lingers long after the sun has set. It’s not just hot, but sticky and humid. We feel lethargic, yet it’s hard to fall asleep. For those looking to cool down on one of those sleepless nights, you’re going to want to read our post today!
Let us introduce to you three places in Seoul that are good for enjoying food and a cold beer outdoors. 🍺 From a Korean beef sirloin restaurant deep in an Euljiro alley to a unique izakaya joint found in a traditional market! If you can’t escape the heat, might as well enjoy it right? Incheon Airport ✈ knows all the best spots to spend a midsummer night in Seoul! 🔥
“Euljiro Tongil Jip”, time stands still at this Korean beef sirloin restaurant
Euljiro Tongil Jip
31-3 Malinae-ro 4-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
There’s a charm about retro-style old restaurants in a worn-down building, featuring hand-written menus, seating you at old makeshift containers-as-tables. The first outdoor restaurant we want to introduce is Euljiro Tongil Jip, a place that has witnessed Euljiro change over the years.
This place only has one menu item: Hanwoo (Korean beef) sirloin. The perfect marbling on the beef leaves you with a mouth-watering savory taste. Grill it over charcoal just until the exterior loses its redness, and you’ll be able to enjoy the juiciest bite. Pair it with steaming soybean paste stew and you have the perfect meal!
Before this place gets redeveloped into more of the surrounding concrete jungle, visit to relish some old-fashioned Korean vibes.
“Chungmuro Yeongdeok Hwe Restaurant”, raw fish covered in a sweet and spicy sauce
Yeongdeok Hwe Restaurant
Changgyeonggung-ro 1-gil 6, Jung-gu, Seoul, 1st floor
For those who prefer raw seafood (especially raw fish, or “hwe” in Korean) over beef, you must visit Yeongdeok Hwe Restaurant in Chungmuro. The people living in this neighborhood know that this is the go-to place for a daytime drink. They call it “mak hwe” because it’s short for the Korean phrase meaning “to cut however”. The cut pieces of raw fish are mixed in a special house sauce made of vegetables and makgeolli (Korean rice wine). Each bite gives you soft pieces of fleshy fish and the slight crunch of bones.
The last course in the meal is bibimbap which you can enjoy wrapped in dried seaweed or with gwamegi (half-dried herring fish). Mix in the leftover vegetables and sauce with rice, dried seaweed, and sesame oil for the most delicious bibimbap!
Fresh hwe, refreshing beer, the open outdoors… you’ll forget about the summer heat! At least for a little while.
“Shindang Oppa Hwaiting”, a unique izakaya in Hwanghakdong Traditional Market
Oppa Hwaiting
10-24, Toegye-ro 83-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, 1st floor
Imagine a Japanese-style izakaya located right in the middle of a traditional market. That’s what makes our last place on our list so unique and different. We introduce the izakaya located in Hwanghakdong Central Traditional Market, “Oppa Hwaiting”.
When visiting, you must try their sweet and sour highball drinks. There’s many different foods to try, including tuna sashimi and yaki udon, but the best pairing would be skewers grilled to golden perfection. From the tomatoes sweetened from the heat, chewy enoki mushrooms, and savory chicken, you’ll have fun trying the different skewers until you’re just left with empty sticks. Unlike the first couple restaurants we introduced earlier, because this restaurant is in the marketplace, you won’t have to worry about any rain showers ruining your evening. This place is so popular that a second location opened! You can be sure that it’s a vetted, not to mention unique place to meet at for your next dinner get-together.
Food enjoyed in different outdoor settings tends to hit the palette a little differently. Which place on our list called out to you the most? How does visiting one of these busy outdoor restaurants with a family or friend for a fun weekend out sound?