Yoogane Dak Galbi: Spicy chicken with sweet potatoes, carrots, onion, rice cake, and sesame leaves. This is among my top 5 favorite Korean foods and that is saying A LOT. I particularly liked this place because they serve it with mozzarella cheese in a ring around the hot plate. Unfortunately, you will need a friend to go with. I tried dining solo but they said I needed 2 people to get a table. :(

Bon Gousse: This is the rice burger kingdom. Their menu is HUGE. It's also completely in Korean here so it may be good to have basic reading skills. It's mostly combinations of kimchi, cheese, ham, tuna, and breaded pork. You don't actually eat it like a burger though- sorry. You could try, I guess but it would probably break. They give you a fork and you end up just kind of eating is all together. This place is dirt cheap and very filling. I only ate here a couple of times but I can't wait to go back!

8 flavor Samgyupsal at Palsaik: This is a special take on Korean Barbecue. You're given 8 different flavors of marinated pork belly and some amazing soup on the side. The flavors are wine, garlic, original, herbs, curry, gochujang (pepper paste), doenjang (bean paste), and ginseng.

Hongdae Kaljok: I found this place while walking around hungry in Hongdae. I got in for the lunch special which is ridiculously cost effective. I would recommend going with someone if you can, I got some funny looks being alone- not that it bothered me but it may make some people feel a little self-conscious. In the traditional Korean style, they bring out side dishes, a soup (kalguksu), rice, and I ordered a giant plate of bossam or steamed pork belly. My table was COVERED in food! And I was all too happy. Bossam is another one of my favorite Korean foods. It's super tender and has a delicate yet rich flavor.

Myeongdong Gyoja- Galguksu is a traditional noodle soup with a rich and savory broth. I can't describe it took well- it's simply amazing. The place I tried in Myeongdong is very famous for it too- in fact it has even been on TV. It's a rather simple food, but done so well here. They are also very renowned for their dumplings (mandu).

Galbi- if you're looking to dole out a few extra bucks, this Korean beef place is incredible. It's rather tucked away and hard to find but if galbi is on your list of foods to try, then I would definitely recommend this place. I didn't know this before going, but a very famous reality tv family visited here.

Gamjatang- This is possibly my favorite soup. Something about the delicate tender meat on the bone and the perfectly cooked potatoes in a rich and spicy bean paste broth just warms my soul. Any day can be made better by gong out for gamjatang. I have tried two different places in Gimpo but reportedly, a place called Seobu Gamjaguk is the best place for gamjatang in Seoul. I will definitely be trying this place when I go back!

Yyeopgi Tteokbokki :(엽기 떡볶이) If you're a sadist like me, you will laugh in the face of a spicy food challenge. Tteokbokki is a dish made with rice cakes, fish cakes, some vegetables, and a spicy sauce. This food is a very standard Korean dish and if you can eat just regular tteokbokki, you will gain the approval of many Koreans. But honestly, it's delicious if you're a lover of spice. This place claims to bring it to the next level though. I tried the medium and nearly cried. I'm glad they serve it with cheese too... I literally do not know what I would have done without it. This restaurant is a chain but one of the locations is in Dongdaemun. 

Churros 101: Their tagline is "better than a boyfriend". Need I say more?