Location: Gyeongju
Top Restaurants in Gyeongju
Best Korean food near Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea
Best Korean restaurants nearby. Discover the best Korean food in Gyeongju. View Menus, Photos and Reviews for Korean restaurants near you.. Gyeongju (Korean: 경주, pronounced [kjʌŋ.dʑu]), historically known as "Seorabeol" (Korean: 서라벌, pronounced [sʌ.ɾa.bʌl]), is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea. It is the second largest city by area in the province after Andong, covering 1,324 km (511 sq mi) with a population of 264,091 people (as of December 2012.) Gyeongju is 370 km (230 mi) southeast of Seoul, and 55 km (34 mi) east of Daegu. The city borders Cheongdo and Yeongcheon to the west, Ulsan to the south and Pohang to the north, while to the east lies the coast of the East Sea. Numerous low mountains—outliers of the Taebaek range—are scattered around the city.
Things to do in Gyeongju
10. Daegu Galbi
Overall Ratings
4 based on 25 reviews
Reviewed By Shisuca
There was an ahjuma who speak mandarin when I was here. So she being very polite and ask me whether i can take hot food. I couldn't so I asked for little spicy and it was so nice and suit my palate. You can also ask for fried rice which they will fried with the galbi sauce and it cost extra 2,000 won for this but really worth it.
9. Baru
Overall Ratings
4 based on 23 reviews
Reviewed By Anders M
Baru is a vegan restaurant in Gyeongju serving so called âtemple foodâ. The food is among the best vegan food I ever had and I do not eat meat, which means that I frequently eat vegetarian food and have a bit of knowledge in that area. Vegan food is always under the suspicion of tasting a bit boring and actually my experience is that this judgement is not always entirely wrong. The food being served here however is anything but boring. For a mere 18.000 Won which is about 14 Euro you get an enormous amount and variety of different foods, I think it must have been 18 plates with different specialties. The ingredients are fresh. The combinations of the different flavours of the ingredients along with the different spices are very impressive and the food tastes really good. When you keep in mind that this is a small, rather cheap restaurant, I dare say itâs almost beyond comprehension. A very good example is the tempura, which they serve among the dishes. Tempura is a good indicator when trying to distinguish ordinary restaurants from very good restaurants, as it is always a challenge to create a tempura where the contents of the dough are cooked but still firm and the dough does not drip with oil. Here, they excel at the task of creating tempura almost as in Japan. My guess would be that in large cities in Germany, where I am from, you would have to pay three times as much here and the restaurant would be classified as âhaute cuisineâ. Only flaw I have to mention was the dessert, which was a water melon but tasted a bit too watery. But this is really a minor note for the sake of completeness. The interior of the restaurant is traditional, which is very nice. Though be aware that traditional also means that there are no chairs instead you sit on the floor. The restaurant is a not directly situated in the center of the city but you can easily go there by bus or taxi. Do not let this small inconvenience prevent you from going to Baru, I absolutely recommend going there.
8. Dosol Maeul
Overall Ratings
3 based on 74 reviews
Reviewed By CirilB
A friend of mine took me to this place. It is quite popular and most of the times you have to wait for quite some time before you get a table here. The restaurant is in traditional houses and serves traditional Korean food. It is quite good and a nice experience.
7. Gyeongju Wonjo Kongguk
6. Metdol Sundubu
Overall Ratings
4 based on 73 reviews
Reviewed By ernapoe
We had both the spicy & not spicy Sundubu soup. We all loved the spicy version. Good, tasty, smooth tofu. The pancake was delicious. The Grilled Pork salad was refreshing. The grilled sanma fish that came with the soup was perfect. We had a lovely & hearty meal that didn't burn our pocket.
5. Yosokkoong
Overall Ratings
4 based on 59 reviews
Reviewed By JoeR11
Our Korean friend got us reservations for dinner. It is a set menu and you get every kind of traditional Korean food imaginable and some you couldn't have imagined. There were all kinds of sides - some good and some inedible by our Western palates. Seating is traditional (on the floor with legs folded). There were three or four deliveries of dishes to our table. Main dishes included fish, octopus, short ribs, and pork belly among others. There were several things I couldn't identify. If you can get a Korean friend to dine with you, I'm sure they can explain things much better. I've had this kind of meal before and this one was not bad but not inspired either. Certainly worth going for the traditional experience.
4. Byeolchaeban Gyodong Ssambap
Overall Ratings
4 based on 72 reviews
Reviewed By Bichai Y
I've occasionally tried this rearaurant just because I walked nearby and saw recommendation from trip advisor. This restaurant is very traditional, the staff don't really speak English so again body language very important. We ordered beef set, the food itself is just ok. I don't feel it extraordinaire even though I just tried several Korean restaurants. The side dishes are more or less same as other restaurants. I waited 20min. A lot empty but dirty tables to clean, this is the reason why we take the queue
3. Gyeongju Cheonnyeon Hanu Bomun
Overall Ratings
4 based on 76 reviews
Reviewed By AllThatAsia
For anyone who has traveled extensively in Korea this restaurant will register as on the lower end of average for taste, higher end for price, and low end for cleanliness. The "attraction" is that you first visit the butcher shop to choose your cuts of meat which are overpriced. Next, wait in the waiting room, holding your meat, for up to a half hour for your number to be called. Then, you are led to your table and standard dishes are dropped off and you cook up your meal over hot coals. While All That Asia was not impressed at all with the food or experience we will lay out the pros and cons:Pros: You can pick your own cuts of meat. The restaurant is in Bomun and close to tourist hotels and easy to find and walk to.Cons: Overpriced for the food quality and service. The restaurant is busy and staff is not attentive. If you press the call button on your table don't expect anyone to show up, you will have to flag someone down or go looking for them. There are no smoke hoods over your grill and thus the smoke from cooking goes everywhere. This was surprising as the little smoke hood vacuum system is standard even in the cheapest of Korean BBQ joints. The side dishes are very low quality and the veggies (such as bean sprouts) look like they have been sitting out for a while!Final verdict: Is the food horrible? No. Is it overpriced? Yes. However, remember, you are in one of the most touristy cities in Korea and they do not have to depend on repeat business and the foreigners they deal with usually have limited experience with Korean BBQ. If you tell yourself, "hey, this is a tourist town no different than my own country" you will be just fine with the price you pay and the food you get. It is an acceptable choice for convenience and the food is okay. It does offer an unique experience and they do have a sheet of English instructions to help you out.
2. Sukyoung Sikdang
Overall Ratings
4 based on 143 reviews
Enjoy traditional Korean foods with homemade Dongdong-ju(sweet and crisp rice liquor) at Sukyoung! **Closed - Every Tuesday **Break time - PM 3:00 ~ 5:00 **Last order - PM 8:00
Reviewed By mrb415
I have been traveling in S. Korea for a couple of weeks and this is the first time anyone has tried to explain to me whats and hows of the dining experience. The vegetarian Bibimbap was absolutely incredible! The staff sat at the table a everything arrived and explained what was in each bowl, helped us mix the bibimbap, told us how to each the green onion pancake (YUMMY!!!) and what the common courtesies are for your spoon, husband service wife, etc. Also you sat on cushions on a heated floor. It was absolutely amazing! There were two other tables in our room and they were always filled with Korean guests.
What to do and see in Gyeongju, South Korea: The Best Places and Tips
1. Hongsi Hanjungsik
Overall Ratings
4 based on 152 reviews
Reviewed By krl54
A beautiful, garden setting and lovely interior. It was a very pleasant place to enjoy a fabulous set menu. The amount and variety of dishes brought for three people was astounding. We thoroughly enjoyed this meal. More expensive than some, but good value considering what we received.
Top 10 Asian food in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea
