7 Must-Try Halal Korean Restaurants in Seoul and Beyond
Have Halal, Will Travel Have Halal, Will Travel is a Muslim-friendly online publication featuring travel and halal food guides. We know it’s tough to find halal local food when traveling, that’s why we aim to help modern Muslim travellers fully immerse in the local culture and enjoy authentic experiences when they travel! No excuse not to travel now!
Article originally appeared on Have Halal, Will Travel
Say hello to this updated list of top halal Korean food places that you HAVE to visit if you’re in Seoul! Let your Korean food adventure begin.
| Travelling during Ramadan? Check out these useful tips for a smooth-sailing journey! Tip: Fly with Lufthansa, an airline that will go above and beyond to cater to all your needs. |
Image credt: asian-stuffs
P.S. Don’t forget to equip yourself with our handy Korean phrasebook (yes, it’s totally free) before you head off on your adventure.
1. EID – 이드 Halal Korean Food
Image credit: Samia Shamim
If you’ve visited Seoul recently or are planning to, it’s extremely likely that you’ve heard about this particular restaurant. Our writer made a trip down and absolutely loved their food as well as the variety of halal Korean food they serve! Like most halal eateries in Seoul, EID is located in Itaewon and even if this wasn’t originally on your itinerary, we highly recommend making a trip down just to try authentic halal Korean food. After all, what’s a trip to Seoul if you’ve not tried the local cuisine!
Image credit: @ruhainies7
Like all other Korean eateries, they also serve refillable banchan (side dishes), which we love. If you want to be in close proximity to all these yummy food, be sure to check out the EID guesthouse for muslim-friendly accommodation in Seoul!
Opening Hours: Tues to Sun – 11.30 AM to 9.00 PM. Closed on Mondays
Price: Mains cost around ₩8,000 – ₩12,000.
Address: 67, Usadan-ro 10-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
How to get there: As you reach the main gate of the mosque go on the road which faces opposite the mosque (not the small lane beside the mosque). There’s a grocery shop on your right side as you enter the street. Walk straight ahead for 100m and the restaurant is on your left. Check out our guide to Itaewon for more info!
Halal certified, Mosque nearby.
2. Makan Halal Korean Restaurant
Image credit: makan halal korean restaurant
Makan Halal Korean Restaurant is another relatively new restaurant which started operations early this year, located in Itaewon. Similar to EID, this homely restaurant serves your local Korean fare such as bulgogi (grilled marinated beef), dakdoritang (spicy braised chicken), mulnaengmyeon (cold noodles – a must in summer) and more!
Dakdoritang – spicy braised chicken stew
Samgyetang – ginseng chicken soup
Image credit: makan halal korean restaurant
If you can’t stop to dine in the restaurant, not to worry. They provide dosiraks (Korean packed lunches) for takeouts as well.
Bulgogi Dosirak – marinated grilled beef lunch box
Image credit: makan halal korean restaurant
Opening Hours: Mon, Wed-Sun – 10.30am to 10pm. Closed on Tuesdays.
Price: Mains cost around ₩8,000 – ₩12,000.
Address: 52, Usadan-ro 10 gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea 140-911
How to get there: The restaurant is located just in front of the Seoul Central Masjid and a short walk away from EID restaurant.
Muslim-owned, Mosque nearby.
Also read: What To Eat in Seoul: Your Guide To Non-Kimchi Korean Food
3. BoA Guesthouse – Halal Korean Dosirak
Image credit: BoA travel house
Although it’s not an actual restaurant, but rather a guest house – BoA travel house has a total of 8 different halal dosiraks (Korean packed lunch-boxes) on their main menu including a jajangmyeon (black bean sauce) dosirak!
You can also try halal Korean rice cake (tteokpeokki) and fried chicken, which are on their side menu! If you’re a fan of kdramas, you should know that Korean fried chicken tastes absolutely wonderful. Check out their full menu here. Even though they sell dosiraks, which are often takeouts, you’re allowed to dine there as well.
Image credit: @boahkim
Plus points? BoA guesthouse is located in Hongdae, one of the must visit trendy shopping spots in Seoul. So not to worry, this will definitely fit into your itinerary!
Japchae (Korean sweet potato noodles) dosirak, soy sauce chicken, jajangmyeon.
Image credit: BoA travel house
How to order: Simply drop them a message on Facebook indicating the item and quantity, pick up time and your accommodation in Seoul.
Price: ₩7,000 per dosirak if you’re a guest at the guesthouse. ₩8,000 for other guests. The prices for the sides vary.
Address: 15, Sinchon-ro 1-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea 120836
How to get there:
| 1. Exit4 at Hongik Univ. Station. (Airport Railroad, line 2) | 2. Go straight towards “K2” store |
| 3. Cross at the crosswalk in front of LG Electronics Inc. | 4. Keep walking around 30M for GS25 convenience store. |
| 5. Turn left at Bizeun (빚은, rice-cake shop, The Premium Riceteria) | 6. Then, you’ll see BoA travel house on your left. |
Credits to BoA travel house
Halal meat available, Prayer facilities in establishment.
4. Dongmun (Nami Island)
Image credit: namisum
Okay, so technically Nami island isn’t IN Seoul but it’s one of the must-visit tourist attractions – especially during autumn for the gorgeous foliage – and there’s a authentic halal Korean restaurant on the island too! Dong Mun is the fourth halal certified restaurant in Korea and they have an extensive menu selling all sorts of Asian dishes ranging from Vietnamese pho to (of course) halal Korean food!
Image credit: namisum
Octopus Bibimbab
Image credit: yjo0312
Think a variety of bibimbab (Korean mixed rice), jajngmyeon (black bean paste noodles) and bulgogi! It’s the perfect place to rest and grab a bite after a long day of sightseeing around the gorgeous Nami island.
Opening Hours: 10am to 7pm (weekdays and winter season), 10am to 8pm (weekends and non-winter seasons)
Price: Most mains cost around ₩10,000 to ₩12,000
Address: 1 Namisum-gil, Namsan-myeon, Chun-cheon-si, Gang-won-do
Halal certified, Prayer facilities in establishment.
5. Yang Good BBQ – Yeoksam
Image credit: Radin Fadli
Image credit: jayzlam
If you’ve stared longingly at the locals enjoy their BBQ meal and wished you could try halal BBQ in Korea too, we know how you feel. Boy are we glad that we can have authentic Korean BBQ at Yang Good!
Choose from either unmarinated lamb to enjoy the tender lamb meat in its full glory, or opt for the marinated lamb to savour juicy lamb rack coated with Korean sweet sauce!
If there’s still room in your tummy, Yang Good also has lamb soup, deonjang-jjigae 된장찌개 (fermented soybean paste soup), mulnaengmyeon물냉면 (cold noodles) and other Korean dishes. The perfect place to drop by for dinner after shopping at Gangnam or cafe-hopping at Garosugil!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqyqzETSfdU
*Alcohol is served here as the restaurant serves many locals too, but the ingredients and the lamb meat are halal certified!
Opening Hours: 3pm – 2am
Price: ₩11,000 – ₩30,000
Address: Seoul, Gangnam-gu, Nonhyeon-ro, 95 gil, 15. 서울특별시 강남구 논현로95길 15
Directions: Yeoksam (Line 2). Do visit yanggood01 for clearer directions to Yang Good BBQ ☺
Image credit: yanggood01
Halal meat available, Alcohol is served in establishment.
6. Namiok – Gyeonggi-do (Near Nami Island)
Image credit: @kiki_xii
If you’re visiting Nami Island, you have to make a (side) trip to Namiok for halal Dakgalbi 닭갈비 (Korean spicy stir-fried chicken)! Just picture stir-fried chicken marinated with gochujang 고추장 (red pepper paste) along with sliced cabbage, tteokbokki 떡볶이 (Korean rice cakes) and rice served on a sizzling hot plate! That’s enough to make us want to fly to Korea this minute!
Dreaming of Dakgalbi 닭갈비
Opening Hours: 09:00 to 20:00
Price: ₩10,000 – ₩18,000
Address: 786-2 Eupnae-ri, Gapyeong-eup, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea (경기도 가평군 가평읍 읍내리 786-2)
Directions: 15 min drive from Nami Island’s Ferry Dock. We highly recommend taking a taxi there; do show the taxi driver the address in Korean!
Halal meat available, Prayer facilities in establishment.
Also read: 10 Best Places To Eat in Seoul
7. Murree Muslim Food 마리무슬림푸드 – Itaewon
Image credit: Murree Muslim Food FB Page
Image credit: Haifa Hasim
Before restaurants such as EID and Makan Halal Korea popped up, Murree used to be our go-to restaurant. Although they’re on the more expensive end, they do have one of the most extensive menus serving halal Korean food such as Samgyetang 삼게탕 (Ginseng Chicken Soup), Kimchi Bokkeumbap 김치 볶음밥 (Kimchi Fried Rice), Bulgogi 불고기 (Marinated Grilled Beef), Kimchi Jeon 김치전 (Kimchi Pancake) and more!
The best part? They provide a number of refillable banchan 반찬 (sidedishes), which is as authentic as you can go in Korea.
Image credit: Murree Muslim Food FB Page
Our personal favourites are the Bulgogi and Sundubu Jjigae순두부찌개 (Spicy Soft Tofu Stew).
Opening Hours: 10.30am – 11pm
Price: ₩10,000 – ₩30,000
Address: 140-7 Itaewon-Dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 140-858
Directions: Itaewon (Line 6) – Exit 3. Walk straight and turn right at the Kebab store. Walk up the hill past Salam Bakery and make a left turn at the hill’s junction. Murree will be on your right next to a row of shop houses leading up to the Seoul Central Mosque. (Thank you, kayoskookies.com for the directions!)
Mosque nearby, Halal meat available, Muslim owned.
BONUS: Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market 노량진수산시장 (Not halal-certified)
Image credit: theskinnybib
If you’re a seafood lover, you MUST visit Noryangjin Fish Market for the freshest seafood – Korean style! King crabs, lobsters, abalone, scallop, prawns, the weirdest species of shellfishes and more. If you can name it, they have it!
*The restaurants at this fish market are not halal-certified so please visit at your own discretion!
Image credit: Jake Ejercito
Image credit: theskinnybib
When you reach the market, head straight to the first floor to select your dishes and don’t forget to bargain! The stallholders are usually willing to lower their prices if you purchase more items from them. Once you’ve made your choice, it’s time to make your way up to the second floor for them to be prepared in a restaurant. You’ll have a choice of steamed, grilled or raw. Do note that there will be a preparation fee per item if you would like your seafood to be grilled or steamed.
Photo by Jake Ejercito
Spicy fish soup
Our recommendations:
Maeuntang매운탕 (Spicy fish soup) – Order this at the restaurant!
Jeonbok 전복 (Abalone) – The best way to enjoy your abalone is to have it steamed!
Fishes, e.g. Yellowtail, Flounder – Sashimi (Hoe, pronounced hway회)
Garibi 가리비 (Scallop) – Grilled
Ge게 (Crab) – Steamed
Opening Hours: General Fish Market – 01:30 – 22:00
Price: This depends on the number of items you order. The most expensive dish would probably be a king crab, which can cost around S$105 (₩85,000), excluding the cost of preparation but we promise you, it’s worth every won (so sweet and juicy).
Address: 688, Nodeul-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 서울특별시 동작구 노들로 688 (노량진동)
Directions: Noryangjin (Line 1) – Exit 1. Cross the overhead bridge and you’ll find an open carpark area. Head down the stairs and brace yourselves for a bird’s eye view of the fish market. (If all else fails, follow the smell of seafood.)
Useful Phrases
We know it’s really hard to find halal food outside of Itaewon so we’ve prepared some phrases that you may find handy when ordering your food!
Does this dish contain meat / ham? – yi yorineun gogi/haem notgoisseoyo 이요리는 고기/햄 놓고있오요?
Please do not put meat / ham – gogi/haem notjimaseyo 고기/햄 놓지마세요
Please remove meat / ham – gogi/haem paejuseyo 고기/햄 빼주세요
I don’t eat meat – naneun gogireul an meogeoyo 나는 고기를 안먹어요
I can’t eat meat – naneun gogireul mot meogeoyo. 나는 고기를 못 먹어요
I can only eat vegetables and seafood – naneun yachaewa haemulman meogeul suyiseoyo 난는 야채와 해물만 먹을 수있어요.
I’m a vegetarian – naneun yachaejaimnida 나는 야채자입니다
If you’ve discovered any other halal Korean food places in South Korea, please share it with us by leaving a comment! And do share our guide with your friends and family if you find it useful!