How to Use Korean Restaurants: A Guide for First-Time Visitors

Walking into a Korean restaurant for the first time can feel confusing.

Do you wait to be seated? Why are small dishes served for free? Do you pay at the table? And should you tip?

Fortunately, eating at a Korean restaurant is easier than it looks. Here are the basics every traveler should know.

1. Entering and Getting a Table

When you enter, a staff member may greet you and show you to a table. At smaller or casual restaurants, you may simply be directed to an available seat.

Some restaurants use touchscreen kiosks or tablets for ordering, and English options are increasingly common in tourist areas.

If you are unsure, simply wait near the entrance until a staff member helps you.

2. How to Order

Many Korean dishes are ordered by the person, but some meals are designed for sharing.

Korean BBQ, hot pot and large stews are common examples.

Also check whether the menu requires a minimum order, particularly at BBQ restaurants. Some places may require two portions of meat or a minimum order per table.

Pointing to a menu item is perfectly acceptable if you do not speak Korean.

A useful phrase is:

“Igeo juseyo” (이거 주세요)
“Please give me this.”

Need more useful phrases for ordering?
→ How to Order Food in Korea: Essential Korean Phrases for Travelers

3. What Are All Those Small Side Dishes?

After ordering, several small dishes may suddenly appear on your table.

These are banchan (반찬) — Korean side dishes.

Kimchi is the best-known example, but banchan may also include vegetables, tofu, pickles or other small dishes.

They are generally intended to be eaten together with the main meal rather than as separate appetizers.

At many restaurants, some banchan can be refilled without an additional charge. If you want more, ask politely rather than assuming every item is refillable.

Curious why Korean meals come with so many side dishes?

→ Why Do Koreans Eat So Many Side Dishes? A Guide to Banchan

4. Sharing Food Is Common

Korean dining often involves sharing.

A large stew, BBQ meat or other main dish may be placed in the center of the table for everyone.

Individual rice bowls are normally personal, while many central dishes are shared.

This is one reason Korean restaurant tables can look surprisingly full even when only two or three people are eating.

Want to understand Korea's sharing-style dining culture?

→ Korean Dining Is About Sharing

5. Water, Spoons and Chopsticks

Do not be surprised if you are expected to get water yourself.

Many casual restaurants have a self-service water station, and extra utensils or banchan may also be available from a self-service area.

Koreans commonly use both a spoon and metal chopsticks.

The spoon is especially useful for rice and soup, while chopsticks are used for side dishes and other foods.

6. How Do You Pay?

One difference that surprises many visitors is that you often pay at the counter rather than at the table.

When you finish eating, take your bill or simply walk to the cashier near the entrance.

Credit cards are widely used, although keeping another payment option available is sensible when traveling.

And what about tipping?

Tipping is generally not expected in ordinary Korean restaurants.

For more on tipping in Korea:
→ Do You Tip in Korea? A Simple Guide to Tipping Culture

You normally pay the amount shown on the bill.

A Few Simple Etiquette Tips

You do not need to memorize complicated Korean dining rules.

A few basics are enough:

If you're dining with others, follow the group's pace rather than starting immediately.
Share central dishes considerately.
Do not expect restaurant staff to check your table constantly.
Call staff when you need something.

In many restaurants, you may also see a button on the table that calls a staff member.

Using it is completely normal.

Final Thoughts

Korean restaurants may work a little differently from restaurants in your home country, but the system quickly becomes familiar.

Remember the essentials:

Order → enjoy the banchan → share when appropriate → pay at the counter → no tip required.

Once you understand these basics, exploring Korean food becomes much easier — and much more enjoyable.

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