The 30-second answer
You can order without speaking Korean by combining four tools: point at a menu photo, use a table call button when one is provided, look for an English kiosk option, and show the phrases below. Restaurant rules vary: wait to be seated unless staff gesture otherwise, check whether water or side dishes are self-service, and confirm any minimum order before sitting down.
The situations that genuinely stump first-timers — tablet-only ordering, BBQ places with a two-portion minimum, and "sold out" — each have a simple play, covered below.
Know which restaurant type you walked into
| Type | How you order | Difficulty without Korean |
|---|---|---|
| Chain fast food / cafes | Kiosk with an English button | Easy |
| Food courts (department stores, malls) | Kiosk or counter, food photos everywhere | Easy |
| Regular restaurants | Call button + point at menu | Easy–medium |
| Korean BBQ / hotpot | Staff-heavy service, per-person minimums | Medium |
| Table-tablet restaurants | Tablet on the table, English toggle varies | Medium |
| Market stalls / street food | Point and hold up fingers | Easy |
| Bars (pocha) | Menu often Korean-only; ordering a food item is expected | Medium |
The universal ordering script
- Walk in. If staff shout a greeting, hold up fingers for your party size ("두 명" — two people — or just show two fingers). Seat yourself if they gesture at the room.
- Menus are often on the wall or a QR code. Photograph the menu and run Papago's camera translation — it handles Korean menus well.
- Decide, then press the call button on the table (벨). If there is no button, a clear "저기요!" (jeogiyo — "excuse me!") toward the staff is the normal, polite way to call them. Silence gets you nothing; Korean service is summoned, not hovering.
- Point at the menu line and hold up fingers for quantity. Say "이거 주세요" (this one, please).
- Water, cups, cutlery, and side dishes are typically self-serve from a station or a drawer under your table — check the table edge before wondering where the spoons are.
- Look for the payment point or ask "계산 어디서 해요?" Some restaurants charge at the counter and others at the table. Ask whether an overseas card is accepted before ordering if you have no cash backup; see the card guide.
Kiosks and table tablets
- Look for ENG / English / 🌐 on the first screen — most chain kiosks have it, usually bottom corner.
- No English toggle? Photo-translate the screen with Papago, or note the dish's picture position and price, then order the same item at the counter by pointing.
- Kiosks sometimes reject overseas cards. Ask whether staff can take the order or use another terminal, but keep a second card or cash because the staffed register can also reject it.
- Table tablets at BBQ places list items with photos; tap items, hit the big colored button (that's "order"), and dishes just arrive. If you tapped something wrong, show a staff member the tablet's order history — this is a normal fix, not an incident.
Korean BBQ without embarrassment
- Expect a minimum order: “2인분 이상” means at least two portions for the table. Ordering one portion of meat for two people will get a polite refusal.
- Staff usually handle the grill for foreigners — let them. Scissors and tongs on the table are for cutting meat, and that is normal here.
- Order rounds: start with two portions, add more with the call button. That is how locals do it — nobody orders everything upfront.
- Some restaurants refill basic side dishes without a separate charge; premium sides, extra meat, wraps, or sauces can be priced. Check the menu or ask before requesting repeated refills.
When things go wrong
- Staff bring the wrong dish: point at the menu item you meant and say "이거 시켰어요" (this is what I ordered) — or just eat it if it looks good; mistakes here are rarely worth a standoff.
- The dish is spicier than expected: rice (공기밥) and water dilute better than more water alone. Next time show the "not spicy" phrase below when ordering.
- You have an allergy: show the allergy phrase below *before ordering*. Translation does not prove ingredient or cross-contact safety; if staff cannot confirm, choose another dish or restaurant. Use an official allergen chart when a chain provides one, but still match the exact product and location.
- "It's sold out" (품절 / 다 떨어졌어요): popular dishes sell out by evening. Point at your second choice; asking what they recommend — "뭐가 맛있어요?" — usually goes down delightfully.
- The place is Korean-menu-only and you're overwhelmed: order the first item on the menu (usually the signature), or retreat to a food court — zero shame in it on day one.
Menu-board words that decide what you actually get
Photo translation handles dish names reasonably well. It is the small words around them that trip people up: portion units, spice levels and add-ons. These are the ones worth recognising on sight.
| You see | Meaning | What to do with it |
|---|---|---|
| 1인분 / 2인분 | one / two portions | BBQ menus usually price meat per 1인분 |
| 2인분 이상 | minimum two portions per order | A solo diner either orders two or picks another place |
| 1인 / 혼밥 가능 | single diner / solo dining OK | The green light for eating alone |
| 공기밥 (공깃밥) | a bowl of plain rice | Often sold separately with stews and BBQ |
| 사리 | add-on noodles or ramen for a stew or hotpot | Adds to the bill; order once the pot is half eaten |
| 추가 | extra / add-on | Anything marked 추가 is charged |
| 곱빼기 | large portion | Usually a small surcharge |
| 순한맛 · 보통 · 매운맛 | mild · medium · spicy | Pick 순한맛 if unsure; medium is spicy to many visitors |
| 세트 / 정식 | set / set meal with rice and sides | Good value for solo diners |
| 셀프 | self-service | Water, side refills or rice are at a station |
| 품절 | sold out | Point at a second choice |
| 포장 / 포장 가능 | takeaway / takeaway available | Handy when a place has no single seats |
| 선불 | pay first | Pay at the counter or kiosk before eating |
Can I eat here alone? A 10-second check
- Good signs: a kiosk at the door, counter or bar seats, 1인 or 정식 on the menu, soup-and-rice dishes (찌개, 국밥, 탕).
- Warning signs: a wall of 인분 prices, 2인분 이상, big grill tables only, hotpot or 전골 sized for sharing.
- Still unsure: hold up one finger at the door and wait for a nod or a head shake. It is a normal question and a quick answer either way.
Korean phrases to show
| Korean | Romanization | When to show it |
|---|---|---|
| 이거 주세요. | Igeo juseyo. | This one, please (while pointing) |
| 두 명이에요. | Du myeong-ieyo. | Two people |
| 안 맵게 해 주세요. | An maepge hae juseyo. | Not spicy, please |
| 저는 ___ 알레르기가 있어요. | Jeoneun ___ allereugiga isseoyo. | I'm allergic to ___ (show with the item) |
| 포장해 주세요. | Pojanghae juseyo. | To go / takeaway, please |
| 계산할게요. | Gyesanhalgeyo. | I'd like to pay |
| 고수 빼 주세요. | Gosu ppae juseyo. | No cilantro, please |
Common dishes under their official English names
Menus with English often use the standard names published by the Korean Food Promotion Institute (한식진흥원) in its 800-dish menu translation guide. Knowing both forms helps you match a translated menu to a Korean-only wall menu.
| Korean | Romanised | Official English name |
|---|---|---|
| 김치찌개 | Kimchijjigae | Kimchi Stew |
| 된장찌개 | Doenjangjjigae | Soybean Paste Stew |
| 순두부찌개 | Sundubujjigae | Soft Bean Curd Stew |
| 부대찌개 | Budaejjigae | Sausage Stew |
| 제육볶음 | Jeyukbokkeum | Stir-fried Pork |
| 삼겹살 | Samgyeopsal | Grilled Pork Belly |
| 닭갈비 | Dakgalbi | Spicy Stir-fried Chicken |
| 물냉면 / 비빔냉면 | Mulnaengmyeon / Bibimnaengmyeon | Cold Buckwheat Noodles / Spicy Buckwheat Noodles |
| 설렁탕 | Seolleongtang | Ox Bone Soup |
| 갈비탕 | Galbitang | Short Rib Soup |
| 순댓국 | Sundaetguk | Blood Sausage Soup |
| 계란찜 | Gyeranjjim | Steamed Eggs |
| 떡볶이 | Tteokbokki | Stir-fried Rice Cake |
For a mild meal, 설렁탕, 갈비탕 and 계란찜 are usually safe choices. 순댓국 contains blood sausage, and 부대찌개 and 떡볶이 are normally spicy.
FAQ
Is it rude to press the call button?
No — it exists to be pressed. Not pressing it and waiting silently is how you end up hungry and invisible. Press once and wait a beat; double-pressing is the impatient move.
How do I ask for less spicy food?
"안 맵게 해 주세요" (see table). Note that some dishes are inherently spicy — tteokbokki cannot really be made mild — so ask what is *not* spicy: "안 매운 거 뭐예요?"
Do restaurants have vegetarian options?
Dedicated vegetarian restaurants exist in Seoul, but mainstream Korean kitchens use anchovy/beef broth and fish sauce liberally, and "no meat" is often interpreted as "no visible meat chunks." Showing an explicit phrase — 고기, 생선, 젓갈 빼 주세요 (no meat, fish, or fermented seafood) — and choosing temple-food or bibimbap-style places works far better than negotiating dish by dish.
What if there's a waitlist machine at the door?
Popular places use waitlist kiosks that want a Korean phone number. If you have a data-only eSIM (see the connectivity guide), ask staff directly — showing party-size fingers at the counter usually gets you added manually.
Official sources
- Papago translation (official service): https://papago.naver.com/ (새 창 / opens in a new window)
- Korea Tourism Organization — Visit Korea (food guides): https://english.visitkorea.or.kr/ (새 창 / opens in a new window)
Last verified: 2026-08-13. Restaurant systems, staff assistance, payment acceptance, and ingredient information vary by store; if a safety-critical answer is unclear, do not guess.