Image adapted from (left to right): @pak_nio and @sehaeeyy
Besides K-Pop, K-dramas, and K-beauty, Korea is also known for good food – think Korean fried chicken, army stew, and Korean BBQ. And the only thing better than good food is an unlimited supply of it.
That’s right, we’re talking Korean buffets. Here are 10 affordable Korean buffets in Seoul from as low as USD6.50/pax, so you can have your fill while exploring the city.
Queen’s Garden offers an all-you-can-eat Korean hot pot and BBQ at KRW16,900 (~USD13.90). Choose between two meat combinations – samgyeopsal (pork belly) and sogogi (beef), or duck meat and sogogi.
Like in Japan, hot pot is also called shabu shabu in Korea. Fill the hot pot till half-full with broth, then head to the salad bar to get some greens. We recommend adding cabbage, bean sprouts, lettuce, and scallions for the best taste. Once the broth boils, you can start cooking the beef slices to your liking.
Note: Koreans usually barbecue the pork belly on the grill pan, while the beef slices are for shabu shabu. That being said, you can just eat it however you like.
Image adapted from: DININGCODE
These days, it’s a trend for Korean BBQ restaurants to provide rice paper – yes, the ones used for Vietnamese rice rolls. To make a wrap, dip the rice paper into a bowl of warm water until it’s softened, then fill it with meat, vegetables, and sauces.
Like the locals, end off your meal with a comforting bowl of jook (porridge) by adding rice, carrot, seaweed flakes, mushrooms, a spoonful of sesame oil, and an egg into the leftover broth. If you’re not a fan of porridge, try another combination – kalguksu (handmade knife-cut noodles). Add some freshly made noodles into the boiling broth and let it soak up all the beef stock.
You’re definitely missing out if you don’t get some local maekju (beer). With only KRW4,000 (~USD3.30), you can have an unlimited refill of draft beer for 2 hours.
Price: KRW16,900, ~USD13.90
Time limit: 2 hours
Address: B1, 1330-20 Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul (Gangnam Any Tower)
Opening hours: 11AM-10PM, Daily
Telephone: 02-522-0531
Website
Jogae Changgo is a buffet not to be missed. From just KRW25,500 (~USD21), you’ll get to enjoy fresh seafood and meat with no time limit.
Offering live seafood like mussels, shrimps, scallops, abalones and clams, you’ll definitely be getting way more than your money’s worth here. However, before heading off to the freshwater tank to begin your feast, you’ll first have to finish the standard seafood platter that is served to every table.
Besides seafood, Jogae Changgo’s buffet also offers a variety of meat. There are the usual pork belly and sliced beef you see at other buffet joints, as well as marinated skewers and sausages.
Tip: Don’t miss out on the free cheese tray provided. Place it on the grill and once it has melted, you’ll have a cheese fondue to dip your barbecue meat and seafood into.
Price: KRW25,500, ~USD21
Time limit: No limit
Address: 331 Wangsimni-ro, Hawangsimni-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
Opening hours: Mon – Fri 5PM-1AM | Sat & Sun 12PM-1AM
Telephone: 010-2650-0449
Unlike the usual meat galore we get at other Korean buffets, Igajib is a humble restaurant that takes pride in serving up a shrimp-oriented spread.
Here, you can get 5 unlimited main dishes – seiromushi (steamed shrimps with beef and vegetables), daehagooi (salt roasted shrimp), deep-fried shrimp, ganjang saewoo bap (soy sauce marinated raw shrimps with rice) and shrimp ramen.
The more the merrier is definitely true over at Igajib as the cost of the buffet gets cheaper when you have more people dining together. If you’re coming in twos, it’ll cost KRW22,900 (~USD18.80) each, whereas if you’re in a group of 4, it’ll only cost KRW18,900 (~USD15.50) each.
Price: 2 people – KRW22,900, ~USD18.80; 3 people – KRW20,900, ~USD17.10; 4 people – KRW18,900, ~USD15.50
Time limit: 1 hour
Address: 485-1 Bongcheon-ro, Haengun-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul
Opening hours: 3.30PM-3AM, Daily
Telephone: 010-3330-1084
At Manyo Tteokbokki, you’ll get an unlimited amount of Korean spicy rice cake for 1.5 hours straight, at only KRW7,900 (~USD6.50).
Unlike the tteokbokki you usually see on the streets, the rice cakes are served in a hot pot style here. Fill your own pot with different types of tteok, fishcakes, and vegetables available at the self-service counter. Then you can choose your own spice level by mixing the chilli powder into the broth.
While the highlight of this buffet is the tteokbokki, we can’t help but get drawn to the fried food section of the buffet spread. Be spoilt for choice with fried mandu, fries, tangsuyeok (sweet and sour pork), gimmari (glass noodles wrapped in seaweed), and a huge slab of pork cutlet.
Make like the locals and create your own jumeokbap (Korean rice ball) to go with the tteokbokki sauce. All you have to do is put some rice into a bowl, add some soy sauce, mayonnaise, seaweed and batter crisps, and mix it up.
Price: KRW7,900, ~USD6.50
Time limit: 1.5 hours
Address: 2F, 35 Sinwon-ro, Seowon-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul
Opening hours: 11AM-9.30PM, Daily
Telephone: 02-873-6262
If you’re in search of a buffet spread that’s not your usual BBQ or hot pot, try Igong Jokbal, a restaurant known for its all-you-can-eat jokbal (braised pig trotters) and bossam (boiled pork belly).
Both the jokbal and bossam are favourite late night snacks of locals. However, these dishes often come with a hefty price tag as they require longer hours to prepare. As such, we seldom see them being offered in Korean buffets.
But at Igong, you get to enjoy an unlimited supply of these at a steal. They offer 2 types of buffet sets:
With only a price difference of KRW1,000 (~USD0.80), you should definitely go for Set B. Plus, locals like to wrap spicy cold noodles around jokbal and bossam. This adds a refreshing touch to the fatty cuts of meat.
Finish off your buffet by tucking into instant ramen and spam.
Price: Set A – KRW14,900, ~USD12.30; Set B – KRW15,900, ~USD13.10
Time limit: No limit
Address: 2F, 7, Gangnam-daero 106-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Opening hours: 11.30AM-11PM, Daily
Telephone: 02-558-2058
Website
Image adapted from: @rimu_yang
Kim Deoku’s Gobchango is the place to hit up if you’re hankering for some grilled innards. Commonly known by the locals as gobchang (small intestines), it’s a dish that goes well with alcohols such as soju and maekju (beer). However, if you’re not up for an alcoholic drink, pair it with Korean sprite, better known as Chilsung cider.
The place offers 4 types of innards – yeomtong (cow’s heart), gobchang, makchang (cow’s 4th stomach) and daechang (large intestine). For first timers, start off with yeomtong as it’s lighter on the palate and tastes just like normal sliced beef. But if you love innards, go for daechang. It’s fatty, tender, and chewy – a perfect combination that’ll keep you craving for more.
Note: Every free refill comes with all 4 types of innards and you cannot ask for a specific one.
The buffet also includes dosirak (Korean old school lunch box) made with kimchi fried rice topped with seaweed flakes and a sunny side up egg.
Price: KRW21,900, ~USD18
Time limit: No limit
Address: 28-4, Teheran-ro 1-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Opening hours: 10AM-11PM, Daily
Telephone: 02-568-8887
Website
Nolboo Budaejjigae is one of the largest army stew chain restaurants in Korea, and some branches – like this one – offer Korean buffets.
There are different types of army stew options offered here – Nolboo budaejjigae (classic army stew), heungbu budaejjigae (cheese, ham and cabbage), beef budaejjiggae and kimchi budaejjigae.
At only KRW9,900 (~USD8.10), you’ll not only get to choose one of the above flavours but also have access to the salad bar and free-flow of soft drinks. The salad bar includes side dishes like fried mandu and potato wedges, and extra ingredients for the stew such as ramen, fishcake, and ham.
And to minimise food wastage, Nolboo Budaejjigae offers a discount of KRW1,000 (~USD0.80) if you polish off all your food and drinks.
Note: Don’t leave without getting a complimentary ice cream located near the cashier.
Price: KRW9,900, ~USD8.10
Time limit: No limit
Address: B1, Mecenatpolis, 45, Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
Opening hours: 11AM-10.30PM, Daily
Telephone: 02-324-9992
Dwejisanghwe is well-known for its Korean BBQ buffet. From KRW11,900 (~USD9.80), you’ll get to enjoy an unlimited amount of pork belly, pork shoulder, pork skirt, and pork cheek.
Fried chicken lovers cannot miss out on the Course B Buffet Set. It comes with unlimited servings of crispy Korean boneless fried chicken and all the meat cuts mentioned above (KRW13,400, ~USD11). Even though Dwejisanghwe doesn’t specialise in Korean fried chicken, its fried chicken is highly raved by customers for its tenderness and flavourful soy sauce.
Top up KRW2,500 (~USD2) to have unlimited servings of mul naengmyeon (cold noodles) and bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold noodles).
Price: From KRW11,900, ~USD9.80
Time limit: 2 hours
Address: 11, Gangnam-daero 98-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Opening hours: 11.30AM-12AM, Daily
Telephone: 02-561-8891
At Sagyejinmi, you can indulge in well-marinated chicken thighs in 3 flavours: original (seasoned with pepper and salt), soy sauce, and spicy.
Expect to have an all-out chicken fix here – with only KRW14,500 (~USD11.90), you’ll get grilled chicken meat, fried chicken (original and sweet soy sauce flavours), and samgyetang (Korean ginseng chicken soup).
Tip: Dip your meat into a special powder labelled “마약가루” (mayakgaru) – it literally means drug powder. But don’t worry, mayak is commonly used to express how addictive food is in Korea.
Add an additional KRW5,000 (~USD4.10) to get a free flow of soju and beer.
Price: From KRW14,500, ~USD11.90
Time limit: 2 hours
Address: 2F, 30, Seocho-daero 73-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul
Opening hours: 11.30AM-2AM, Daily
Telephone: 02-6406-9292
Image adapted from: @wanida_khancharee
Compared to the other Korean buffets on this list, Bibiri serves relatively healthy fare – bibimbap.
Image adapted from: @_____.yuki.____
Ordering is done at a vending machine. Simply select the number of people you’re dining with and pay in cash (KRW7,000, ~USD5.80/pax). Pass the tickets that have been dispensed to one of the staff and you’re all good to enjoy your meal.
Image adapted from: @na_banana
The buffet here is largely DIY – you’ll be able to decide on how much rice you want and what kind of vegetables and meat go into your bibimbap. Choose from a variety of sides such as bean sprouts, stir-fried mushrooms, shredded carrots, and minced beef. You can also adjust the level of spiciness with the different types of sauces offered – gochujang (red chilli paste), sweet and spicy, and doenjang (bean paste).
Price: KRW7,000
Time limit: No limit
Address: 29 Dongmak-ro 19-gil, Sangsu-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Opening hours: 11AM-10PM, Daily
Telephone: 02-335-0249
Located in Lotte World Mall, Viking’s Wharf is easily accessible from Jamsil Station. Out of all the Korean buffets on our list, this place is the priciest. But if you’re up for an ultimate indulgence or looking to throw a celebration for a special occasion, it’s worth the splurge.
You’ll be spoilt for choice over at Viking’s Wharf – from a live seafood section to top-quality beef cuts and sashimi, you’ll find yourself contemplating which you should have more of.
That being said, you can’t leave this place without having at least a dozen lobsters. Among the different cooking methods, the grilled lobster was our favourite. Not only was it fresh and succulent, being grilled over the charcoal added an extra hint of smokiness to its natural sweetness.
Tip: You need to make a reservation in advance. But if you didn’t and wish to have a table, visit an hour before their opening and put your name on the waiting list.
Read more about Viking’s Wharf here.
Price: Choose to pay either KRW116,800 or USD100
Address: 4F, Lotte world mall, 300, Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Opening hours (lunch): Mon – Fri 11.30AM-3.30PM | Sat – Sun 11.30AM-4PM
Opening hours (dinner): Mon – Fri 6PM-10PM | Sat – Sun 5.30AM-10PM
Telephone: 1644-3210
Website
The cost of eating out in Seoul while travelling can add up quickly. But we’ve found all these all-you-can-eat Korean buffet places, so you don’t have to feel guilty while you indulge in amazing eats.
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