There is nothing more American than the Hamburger. Of course, the hamburger didn’t originate in the US, but that’s where it gained its fame. These days, hamburgers have become popular in Seoul and most Western style restaurants have them on the menu. Now, that doesn’t mean they all do the burger justice. For the last couple of months, I have been scouring the city in order to find the best. My first criterion was that they had to be beef burgers. Some pork and seasonings were ok, but they had to be primarily beef. No vegetable chicken, shrimp, or pork burgers allowed. The burger had to be served on a bun- no lettuce wrappers or rice buns. I tried to stick to the standard burgers or cheeseburgers without modifications to condiments or toppings. Sides such as French fries or pickles were considered, but were not the focus of my research. Service and price were also factors in choosing the best burgers. One last thing, I like nice buns, I cannot lie. This was a deal breaker for many of th...

Bistro Corner Barbeque. On Itaewon Hill across from McDonalds there is a new BBQ joint and they are starting to make waves with their smoky barbeque sauce. Their pork burger with pulled pork and coleslaw is finger licking good and if that doesn’t do it for you, they have a full rack of back loin ribs on their menu. It’s a little Texas in Seoul. W6,500-22,000. English speaking staff and menu. PH:792-9282. Here's a link to the different posts I have on the Corner Bistro.

Burgers in Seoul Corner Bistro. Hamburger. Meaty and well grilled a bit porky with a decent white sesame bun. The meat was a bit grizzley. The cheese was the regular sliced kind and topped with way too much stuff but the toppings were put on with thought. Mustard, Ketchup and there was a herbed mayonnaise that was lightly applied on the top bun. The lettuce was a mix of iceberg and arugula. The arugula was a very nice touch. Points for creativity. This was one of the best burgers I've had so far.

This is not a burger from Burger Tex, but from Rookies in Seoul When I get an impassioned letter from a reader, I have to take notice. Here is a letter from 金在龍 about a burger joint in Sinchon called Burger Tex. I hope the place hasn't closed yet. Sincerely, Dan Hello There. I'm a New Yorker here in Seoul.  And I've found a burger shop here I think you should know about. I've spent a few years working with some of the top chefs in NYC.  over 6 years of living in seoul, and after searching high and low for the 'best burger' myself, i came across your top 10 list. If you've ever been to Corner Bistro in the West Village in NY, that's pretty much what i'd consider a 'perfect' burger.  no surprises, just a sizable portion of perfectly grilled beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and whatever condiments i feel in the mood for. no bullshit. As in NY, my experience in Seoul, is that everyone has their own take on what a 'good...

This month for Eloquence Magazine, I'll be reviewing Hamburgers. I want to do a comprehensive review and cause a bit of a scandal by ranking them. But before I do that I would love your feedback on where you have had the best burger in Seoul. I am listing a bunch of restaurants in no particular order. The Wolfhound (Itaewon) Gecko's Terrace (Itaewon) Daily Kings (Bundang) The Aussie Shop (Itaewon) Richard Copycat's American Diner (Itaewon) Jacobeys (Haebangchon) Indigo (Haebangchon) Kraze Burger (everywhere) Freshness Burger (everywhere) Hard Rock Cafe (Itaewon) The Outback (Everywhere) Smokey's Saloon (Itaewon) The Corner Bistro (Itaewon) Is there any missing from the list? In your opinion, which restaurant do you think has the best burger? I mean the complete package: the meat, the bun, the toppings. I find that the buns in this country are often lacking. Where can you get a good meat to bun ratio in this country? Hmmmm??? Let your voice be heard! We might have to go ...

Just curious. I've trashed some restaurants in my time and I feel like they deserved it. When I have a bad experience at a restaurant, I will tell the owners after- I feel that it's a chance for them to improve. Sometimes they take my advice, sometimes they don't. Also, when people have bad experiences at restaurants I contact the owners and let them know, so your voice will be heard. We as diners should let restaurants know of bad experiences so they can improve. If we explain it objectively, they should listen and not be offended.  Furthermore, the restaurant owners might not even be aware of issues because the staff wouldn't want to get in trouble over service or a complaint about food. Here are some restaurants that I don't recommend: Club Mow Sunshine Kebab All American Diner Smokey's Saloon Buddha's Belly My Chelsea Here are restaurants I recommended before, but don't anymore: Corner Bistro (The burger has gotten too sloppy and way ...

The Corner Bistro Itaewon Thunder Burger in Itaewon Orange King in Hannam Dong The Egg Burger Dude on the Hill Boy am I sick of Burgers. Anyway, my research for my burger story is wrapping up and I've eaten way too many burgers. (I think I've gained a couple pounds in the process.) My favorites so far are.... Sorry, I can't give that away. You can read about it in next month's Eloquence Magazine. Dan

I am currently helping to plan out the August issue. I would like to find someone who can write a summer recipe using local ingredients. If you are interested, please send me an e-mail. Also, I have a new section going into the magazine called, "Quick Bites." It will introduce new restaurants, bars, and cafes. This is not a review, but a quick first impression of the restaurant with contact information, location, and style of food/drink. I'm currently thinking for this month, Jacobes in Haebangchon Pizzerium in Haebangchon and The Corner Bistro and Barbeque in Itaewon If you would like to send a shout out to any other new emerging places, please let me know. If anyone has pictures that would also be appreciated. Has anyone eaten at Jacobes? I haven't been there yet and I'm dieting this week for my trip to Boracay^^ Dan seouleats@gmail.com

Wow...the Korea Herald gave me the entire page for the story. Here is the article with more pictures. Dan Today is the day that my diet begins. Finding and ranking the best hamburgers in Seoul has been a joy and a curse. Luckily, the restaurants have gotten better but there are more of them as well. Suffice it to say, hamburgers are not just a fad in Seoul; you'll find burger restaurants dotted all over the city. The first review that I did a year ago was received with an equal amount of praise and scrutiny. I found people are passionate about their burgers. For this review, I went to over 20 restaurants - a few more than once. This year I decided to not include franchise burgers to this list. Also, I decided to look at the signature burgers of each restaurant. My criteria for ranking were on the quality of meat, bun, toppings, service, and overall enjoyment. Slyders                10. "Slyders" from J...

Hi, my name is Dan and I am a burger snob. But I think that is totally expected right? These days I have been checking out burger places in hopes that I will find that magical burger. Jacoby's is now...meh. I went to Green Chili Burger...too spicy and topped with mozzarella cheese. Bistro Corner took a turn for the worst. Now Dillinger's had this half priced burger special on Tuesday night and I decided I had nothing to lose. I went with a friend and she had the bacon cheeseburger (7,000 won). I had the regular burger (5,000) and was pleasantly surprised. It was big, juicy and beefy. The bun was soft and had body. The burger wasn't dressed with sauces and veggies- they were put on the side. It was a sumptuous burger that had bite and was seasoned just right. I recommend you go check it out any day of the week. Dan

I know that I haven't been blogging as much as usual and there are reasons for that. While I was in Boracay, I was too busy getting massages and swimming in the ocean to get to a computer. I have also been incredibly busy at work so I haven't been out to many restaurants this week. However, I still need articles for Eloquence Magazine and I would like to find some outside contributors. The section I need to fill is called Quick Bites. Quick Bites is a short introduction to new restaurants or old restaurants. It should be a very quick review with a relative price range, phone number and location.  Here is a sample of what it should look like: Bistro Corner Barbeque. On Itaewon Hill across from McDonalds there is a new BBQ joint and they are starting to make waves with their smoky barbeque sauce. Their pork burger with pulled pork and coleslaw is finger licking good and if that doesn’t do it for you, they have a full rack of back loin ribs on their menu. It’s a little Texas in...

I have been taking all of these photos and I just realized that I haven't put them up on the web yet. Here's what I've got. With exception of the Dakgalbi, the restaurants are all located in Itaewon. First, you've got Hummus from Petra's Shwarma Shop. The Jack Burger from the Bistro Corner. Yum... The Wolfhound has reopened and the bathrooms are excitingly nice. Go drink a beer in there now. Ramen from 81. They have the best Japanese style ramen in the city and if you eat the huge, huge bowl in 20 minutes; it's on the house. Dakgalbi near Sookmyeong. I took my friend Jonathon there and he loved it. Yum

This article was originally supposed to have been published in another publication, but was never released. Hapjeong is still a great place to go.  Mary Jane's bartender/manager, Jake, has left as of this writing. If you didn’t know then you must not be in the know, is what I said to my friend as she told me there was nothing around Hapjeong Station. Maybe she imagined I was taking her to a dark alley instead of a romantic spot to spend a quiet Saturday. Around the outskirts of Hongdae, near Hapjeong Station, is a wealth of hidden eateries, dessert shops, and bars that are so cool that they don't have to brag about it. They simply are. Each time I walk down these streets they seem quite empty: barren. It's chill and relaxed and I don’t have to fight for elbow space among purse-toting guys and their overly-heeled girlfriends. It's what Garaksugil and Samcheongdong were like before the hordes of daters ravaged them. If you head out Hapjeong station exit 6, you’ll have...

Valentine’s Day Restaurants in Seoul With Valentine’s Day coming up I decided to forgo a restaurant review for the month and instead I wanted to give you a comprehensive list of recommended places that you should take your date. Guys, picking the right restaurant for Valentine’s Day is very important to your romantic wellbeing. And during this time, you should make a reservation. If you don’t have a place to take your beau on this day it is the equivalent of forgetting a special anniversary or birthday. You don’t want to be that guy. It is not enough to just pick the right restaurant. The café or bar is just as important. And girls, it is the millennium. You are more than welcome to make reservations and give hints on the places you would like to go. If you would like, you can have the magazine opened to this article and just strategically circle the restaurants, bars, cafes, you would like to go. A heart or a star should be a good hint. The restaurants on this list have ...

They have the best- THE BEST- onion rings. Plus their pulled pork and coleslaw sandwich is quite yummy as well.

Groove Restaurant Directory Le Quartier Latin Go out Sinchon Station exit 3 (line 2) and walk straight until you get to the big church. Make a right and walk about 500 meters. Look for the large French Flag. English Menu and Staff. #:02-333-9874. Prices: 4,000-26,000. Authentic French Bistro with reasonable prices. Naked Grill Naked Grill is located at Yongsan-gu, Hannam Dong 29-21 towards the UN Village. English menu and staff. #:02-749-4225. Prices: 4,000-12,000. Tacos and Homestyle American favorites for eat-in or take-out. Via Di Napoli Samsung Station exit 5 (line 2) and it is across from the City Airport Terminal. English Menu. #:02-557-6736, http://www.viadinapoli.co.kr/ . Prices: 12,000- 30,000. Freshly made pizzas and Italian Food in Gangnam Beer O’Clock Head to exit 1 of Shinchon station (line 2) Go behind the Hyundai Department store towards the 7-11. Turn left on the third street up. 2nd floor. English Menu and staff. #:02-333-9733 www.beeroclock.ca . Pric...