🍲 Mastering the Menu: How to Read Korean Menus Like a Local

Confused by the Hangul-only signs at your favorite restaurant? Teacher Hoon provides the essential vocabulary and decoding tips to help you order exactly what you want.

Cooking traditional Korean street food at a local market

The Secret Menu Formula (EEAT Tip)

Reading a menu in a foreign language can be intimidating. As a teacher with 20 years of experience, I share a simple "Decoding Formula" with my students: Ingredient + Cooking Style = Dish Name. For example, 김치 (Kimchi) + 볶음밥 (Fried Rice) = 김치볶음밥. Master these few suffixes, and you can decipher 90% of a Korean menu! Let's start with the basics.

📖 Essential Menu Suffixes & Vocabulary

Korean Term	Romanization	English Meaning / Style
~찌개	jjigae	Stew (Hearty & thick)
~볶음	bok-keum	Stir-fried
~구이	gu-i	Grilled / Roasted
~국 / ~탕	guk / tang	Soup (Light vs. Rich)
비빔밥	bi-bim-bap	Mixed rice with vegetables

💬 Putting It Together: Popular Dishes

🥘 김치찌개 (Kim-chi-jji-gae): Kimchi Stew
🥩 불고기 (Bul-go-gi): Marinated Grilled Beef
🥣 된장국 (Dwen-jang-guk): Soybean Paste Soup
🥓 삼겹살 (Sam-gyeop-sal): Grilled Pork Belly

💡 Teacher Hoon's Expert Ordering Tip

When you're ready to order, you don't need complex grammar. Just point and say "이거 하나 주세요" (I-geo ha-na ju-se-yo), which means "One of this, please." To ask for a recommendation, say "뭐가 맛있어요?" (Mwo-ga mas-is-seo-yo?). This simple phrase instantly invites the staff to share the best local picks!

🗣 Practice Dialogue: Ordering Like a Native

A (Hoon): 메뉴판 좀 주세요.
(Please give me the menu.)

B (Staff): 여기 있습니다.
(Here it is.)

A: 비빔밥 하나 주세요.
(One Bibimbap, please.)

B: 네, 잠시만 기다려 주세요.
(Yes, please wait a moment.)

🌏 Cultural Insight: The "Banchan" Bonus

In Korea, the items listed on the menu are only half the story! Every meal comes with free side dishes called 반찬 (banchan). They are often refillable for free and included in the price. So when you order 김치찌개, expect several small plates of surprises to arrive at your table!

Want to Practice Reading Real Menus?

Don't let a restaurant visit be stressful! Book a 1:1 "Food & Dining" session with Hoon on italki. We'll look at real photos of Korean menus together and practice ordering until you feel 100% confident!

🚀 Master Dining Korean with Hoon

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