How to Order Food in Korean: Essential Restaurant Phrases - Learning Korean

 

How to Order Food in Korean: Essential Restaurant Phrases

Dining out in Korea can be one of the most rewarding cultural experiences for visitors and language learners. Korean food culture is rich and diverse, with unique customs and etiquette that differ from Western dining experiences. This guide will help you navigate Korean restaurants with confidence, teaching you essential phrases for ordering food, making special requests, and interacting with restaurant staff in Korean.

Basic Restaurant Vocabulary

Before we dive into phrases, let's learn some essential restaurant vocabulary:

Korean
Romanization
English
식당
sikdang
restaurant
메뉴
menyu
menu
물
mul
water
밥
bap
rice
국
guk
soup
반찬
banchan
side dishes
수저
sujo
cutlery (spoon and chopsticks)
젓가락
jeotgarak
chopsticks
숟가락
sutgarak
spoon
계산
gyesan
bill/check
서비스
seobiseu
complimentary item
음식
eumsik
food
주문
jumun
order
매운
maeun
spicy
단
dan
sweet
짠
jjan
salty

Entering the Restaurant

When you first enter a Korean restaurant, you might hear:

어서 오세요! (Eoseo oseyo!) - Welcome!

To ask if you can be seated:

자리 있어요? (Jari isseoyo?) - Do you have seats available?

For specifying the number of people:

• 한 명이에요. (Han myeong-ieyo.) - It's one person.
• 두 명이에요. (Du myeong-ieyo.) - It's two people.
• 세 명이에요. (Se myeong-ieyo.) - It's three people.
• 네 명이에요. (Ne myeong-ieyo.) - It's four people.

Asking for the Menu

메뉴 주세요. (Menyu juseyo.) - Please give me the menu.

오늘의 추천 메뉴가 뭐예요? (Oneul-ui chucheon menyu-ga mwoyeyo?) - What is today's recommended menu?

인기 있는 메뉴가 뭐예요? (Ingi inneun menyu-ga mwoyeyo?) - What are the popular menu items?

Ordering Food

The basic pattern for ordering in Korean is:

[Food name] + 주세요 (juseyo) = Please give me [food name]

For example:

• 불고기 주세요. (Bulgogi juseyo.) - Please give me bulgogi.
• 비빔밥 주세요. (Bibimbap juseyo.) - Please give me bibimbap.
• 김치찌개 주세요. (Kimchi-jjigae juseyo.) - Please give me kimchi stew.

To order multiple items:

• 불고기하고 비빔밥 주세요. (Bulgogi-hago bibimbap juseyo.) - Please give me bulgogi and bibimbap.

To specify quantity:

• 불고기 하나 주세요. (Bulgogi hana juseyo.) - Please give me one bulgogi.
• 비빔밥 둘 주세요. (Bibimbap dul juseyo.) - Please give me two bibimbaps.

Making Special Requests

Spice Level

매운 것 잘 못 먹어요. (Maeun geot jal mot meogeoyo.) - I can't eat spicy food well.

덜 맵게 해 주세요. (Deol maepge hae juseyo.) - Please make it less spicy.

맵지 않은 것 주세요. (Maepji anheun geot juseyo.) - Please give me something that's not spicy.

Dietary Restrictions

저는 채식주의자예요. (Jeoneun chaesikjuuijayeyo.) - I am a vegetarian.

고기 없는 음식 있어요? (Gogi eomneun eumsik isseoyo?) - Do you have any dishes without meat?

알레르기가 있어요. (Allerugi-ga isseoyo.) - I have allergies.

땅콩 알레르기가 있어요. (Ttangkong allerugi-ga isseoyo.) - I have a peanut allergy.

Asking for Additional Items

물 주세요. (Mul juseyo.) - Please give me water.

수저 주세요. (Sujo juseyo.) - Please give me cutlery.

밥 더 주세요. (Bap deo juseyo.) - Please give me more rice.

반찬 더 주세요. (Banchan deo juseyo.) - Please give me more side dishes.

소주 한 병 주세요. (Soju han byeong juseyo.) - Please give me one bottle of soju.

맥주 두 병 주세요. (Maekju du byeong juseyo.) - Please give me two bottles of beer.

Expressing Satisfaction or Complaints

너무 맛있어요! (Neomu masisseoyo!) - It's very delicious!

음식이 좀 짜요. (Eumsik-i jom jjayo.) - The food is a bit salty.

음식이 너무 매워요. (Eumsik-i neomu maewoyo.) - The food is too spicy.

음식이 아직 안 왔어요. (Eumsik-i ajik an wasseoyo.) - The food hasn't come yet.

Asking for the Bill

계산해 주세요. (Gyesan-hae juseyo.) - Please calculate the bill.

얼마예요? (Eolmayeyo?) - How much is it?

카드로 계산할게요. (Kadeuro gyesanhalgeyo.) - I'll pay by card.

현금으로 계산할게요. (Hyeongeumeuro gyesanhalgeyo.) - I'll pay in cash.

영수증 주세요. (Yeongsujeum juseyo.) - Please give me a receipt.

Useful Restaurant Etiquette Phrases

잘 먹겠습니다. (Jal meokgetseumnida.) - I will eat well. (Said before eating)

잘 먹었습니다. (Jal meogeotseumnida.) - I ate well. (Said after eating)

여기요! (Yeogiyo!) - Excuse me! (To call a server)

감사합니다. (Gamsahamnida.) - Thank you.

Ordering in Different Types of Restaurants

Korean BBQ (고기집 - Gogijip)

삼겹살 이인분 주세요. (Samgyeopsal i-inbun juseyo.) - Please give me two portions of pork belly.

불 좀 켜 주세요. (Bul jom kyeo juseyo.) - Please turn on the fire.

고기 좀 구워 주세요. (Gogi jom guwo juseyo.) - Please grill the meat for me.

상추 더 주세요. (Sangchu deo juseyo.) - Please give me more lettuce.

Noodle Shop (국수집 - Guksujip)

냉면 한 그릇 주세요. (Naengmyeon han geureut juseyo.) - Please give me one bowl of cold noodles.

면 더 주세요. (Myeon deo juseyo.) - Please give me more noodles.

국물 더 주세요. (Gungmul deo juseyo.) - Please give me more broth.

Coffee Shop (카페 - Kape)

아메리카노 한 잔 주세요. (Amerikano han jan juseyo.) - Please give me one cup of Americano.

카페라떼 두 잔 주세요. (Kapelatte du jan juseyo.) - Please give me two cups of café latte.

아이스로 주세요. (Aiseuro juseyo.) - Please make it iced.

따뜻하게 주세요. (Ttatteutage juseyo.) - Please make it hot.

테이크아웃이요. (Teikeuautiiyo.) - It's for takeout.

매장에서 먹을게요. (Maejangeseo meogeulgeyo.) - I'll eat in the shop.

Common Korean Dishes with Ordering Phrases

Rice Dishes

• 비빔밥 주세요. (Bibimbap juseyo.) - Please give me bibimbap.
• 김치볶음밥 주세요. (Kimchi-bokkeumbap juseyo.) - Please give me kimchi fried rice.
• 된장찌개와 밥 주세요. (Doenjang-jjigae-wa bap juseyo.) - Please give me soybean paste stew with rice.

Soups and Stews

• 김치찌개 주세요. (Kimchi-jjigae juseyo.) - Please give me kimchi stew.
• 순두부찌개 주세요. (Sundubu-jjigae juseyo.) - Please give me soft tofu stew.
• 된장찌개 주세요. (Doenjang-jjigae juseyo.) - Please give me soybean paste stew.
• 갈비탕 주세요. (Galbitang juseyo.) - Please give me short rib soup.

Meat Dishes

• 불고기 주세요. (Bulgogi juseyo.) - Please give me bulgogi.
• 삼겹살 주세요. (Samgyeopsal juseyo.) - Please give me pork belly.
• 갈비 주세요. (Galbi juseyo.) - Please give me ribs.
• 닭갈비 주세요. (Dakgalbi juseyo.) - Please give me spicy stir-fried chicken.

Noodle Dishes

• 잡채 주세요. (Japchae juseyo.) - Please give me glass noodles with vegetables.
• 냉면 주세요. (Naengmyeon juseyo.) - Please give me cold noodles.
• 라면 주세요. (Ramyeon juseyo.) - Please give me ramyeon.
• 짜장면 주세요. (Jjajangmyeon juseyo.) - Please give me black bean sauce noodles.

Practice Dialogue: Complete Restaurant Interaction

Server: 어서 오세요! (Eoseo oseyo!) - Welcome!

You: 안녕하세요. 두 명이에요. (Annyeonghaseyo. Du myeong-ieyo.) - Hello. It's two people.

Server: 이쪽으로 앉으세요. (Ijjogeuro anjeuseyo.) - Please sit this way.

You: 메뉴 주세요. (Menyu juseyo.) - Please give me the menu.

Server: 여기 메뉴입니다. (Yeogi menyuimnida.) - Here is the menu.

You: 불고기하고 비빔밥 주세요. 그리고 물 주세요. (Bulgogi-hago bibimbap juseyo. Geurigo mul juseyo.) - Please give me bulgogi and bibimbap. And please give me water.

Server: 네, 잠시만 기다려 주세요. (Ne, jamsinan gidaryeo juseyo.) - Yes, please wait a moment.

[Food arrives]

You: 잘 먹겠습니다! (Jal meokgetseumnida!) - I will eat well!

[After eating]

You: 맛있었어요! 계산해 주세요. (Masisseotseoyo! Gyesan-hae juseyo.) - It was delicious! Please calculate the bill.

Server: 네, 총 30,000원입니다. (Ne, chong saman-wonimnida.) - Yes, the total is 30,000 won.

You: 카드로 계산할게요. (Kadeuro gyesanhalgeyo.) - I'll pay by card.

Server: 감사합니다. 안녕히 가세요. (Gamsahamnida. Annyeonghi gaseyo.) - Thank you. Go in peace.

You: 감사합니다. 안녕히 계세요. (Gamsahamnida. Annyeonghi gyeseyo.) - Thank you. Stay in peace.

Tips for Dining in Korea

1. In many Korean restaurants, you call the server by saying "여기요" (Yeogiyo) - "Over here!"
2. Water is usually self-service or provided for free without asking.
3. Tipping is not customary in Korea. Simply pay the amount on your bill.
4. Many restaurants in Korea specialize in specific dishes rather than offering a wide variety.
5. Side dishes (반찬 - banchan) are typically included with your meal and are often refillable.
6. Some restaurants have a button at the table to call servers.
7. In Korean BBQ restaurants, the staff may help you grill your meat.
8. If you're a foreigner, servers might provide you with a fork and knife, but it's good to practice using chopsticks.
9. "서비스" (seobiseu) refers to complimentary items, not the quality of service.
10. At the end of your meal, you typically bring your bill to a counter to pay rather than paying at the table.