* A 15-Year-Old Traditional French RestaurantLA-SCALA is a French restaurant that first opened in August of 1989, and now boasts 15 years of experience serving genuine French cuisine that has been constantly refined with new sauces and a diverse menu.* European Grace, A Luxurious Atmosphere, and Friendly ServiceLA-SCALA invites all guests for a variety of purposes such as family get-togethers, business meetings, or dining with that special someone; as LA-SCALA presents the exclusive melodies of its own private band.The live, classical music restaurant LA-SCALA, has seating arranged in the shape of a dome so that the stage can be viewed from all areas on the 1st and 2nd floors. Live musical performances include a classical music trio, soprano, an aria duet of tenors, and various pop-song performances which liven-up the ambience of the restaurant. The steak is also to die for.

Gaemijip is a word-of-mouth restaurant featuring nakji bokkeum (spicy stir- fried baby octopus) and spicy seafood stew.

Gangwonjeong has been around for about 20 years, and is famous for its samgyetang (chicken ginseng soup). The flavor of the broth and tenderness of the chicken are exceptional. Chicken is stuffed with sweet rice, dates, chestnuts, ginko nuts, ginseng, and whole garlic cloves of garlic and garnished with shredded spring onions, sunflower seeds, and black sesame seeds. Kimchi makes the best accompaniment.    

Also referred to as “Tto-tteok,” Ttobogetji Tteokbokki is a popular tteokbokki restaurant that has many branches in Hongdae. Upon order, tteok (rice cake), egg, eomuk (fish cake), and three different vegetables are served together with an order of tabletop tteokbokki. Additional menu such as noodles, fried potatoes, and fried rice are also available.

Yogorino Hongdae Branch is an ice cream shop opened by Zico, who is a working Hip Hop musician, and, additionally, a member of Block B, the idol group. Yogorino is an Italian dessert brand, which mainly sells frozen yogurt, artisan ice cream, parfait etc. They also sell beverages, such as Americano coffee and other beverages, which you can buy along with the dessert. Out of 1000 store branches located in 30 different countries, the Hongdae branch Yogorino is the only Yogorino store in Korea. ​

This shabu shabu restaurant usesi high-quality Korean beef and is famous because of its gravy and tender meats. Organic vegetables and wild flowers delivered from various places such as Ulleung Island and Jirisan Mountain give a delicious taste. Also, the rice porridge after having a noodle casserole is worth trying.* Designated Best Korean Restaurant by the Seoul Metropolitan Government

               

Salam is a small but popular Turkish restaurant located near the Seoul Central Masjid (Seoul Central Mosque) in Itaewon, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Traditional Turkish dishes like beef and lamb kebabs and lamb with vegetables are displayed on a large table next to the kitchen, allowing you to see the dishes before making your choice. The restaurant is particularly popular among Islamic diners.

Limbyungjoo Sandong Kalguksu offers hand-made noodle dish cooked with fresh ingredients.      

Opened in 1981, this diminutive restaurant has been attracting customers with its mouthwatering ramyeon noodles for more than 20 years. The restaurant’s unique ramyeon recipe includes an ultra-spicy broth with lots of red pepper seasoning, chewy noodles, egg, and bean sprouts. Even Koreans, who are used to eating spicy kimchi, sometimes shed tears while eating this fare. Besides the food, the ambience is fun, with interesting messages written by customers attached to the ceiling and the walls. The restaurant has created its own jargon that is recognized only by regular customers: ramyeon is called ppal-gye-tteok (spicy red soup with egg and rice cake), and yellow pickled radish is called pineapple, to name a few of the coined terms. The menu board lists the price of ramyeon as W30,000 confusing first-time visitors. But don’t panic: an extra zero (0) was just added for fun! TIP: (1) Take some souvenir pictures using the walls and the ceiling as a background (2) Try putting some cold rice in your ramyeon for an interesting, less spicy taste.