• Overview

Top 20 Must-Visit Restaurants in Busan for Travelers

Busan, South Korea's largest port city, is renowned not only for its stunning beaches but also for its rich culinary heritage that reflects the convergence of abundant seafood traditions and the resilient spirit forged after wartime hardships. Below are 20 carefully selected restaurants in Busan ranging from local eateries to fine dining establishments, helping travelers fully experience Busan's flavors.

Bonjeon Dwaeji Gukbap

Bonjeon Dwaeji Gukbap is one of the most iconic restaurants in Busan for experiencing the city's signature pork soup. Located right next to Busan Station, this extremely popular restaurant often requires customers to wait for seating.

The interior space is compact, but table turnover is remarkably fast. The walls are covered with autographed photos of celebrities, testifying to the establishment's widespread fame. The soup here delivers rich, distinctive flavors reminiscent of pork belly pepper stew, with generous ingredients including numerous pork slices, blood sausage, and offal.

The traditional way to enjoy this dish is to pour white rice into the soup to create Korean rice soup. To enhance the flavor, add a small amount of salted shrimp (saeujeot) for savory depth, along with pickled chives to create multiple flavor layers.

Hwanam Jeong Dwaeji Gukbap

Hwanam Jeong represents the evolving market trend among restaurants in Busan, with greater emphasis on quality. The restaurant receives high praise for meat quality, broth consistency, cleanliness, and staff friendliness.

Notably, this establishment minimizes the fat content in pork neck to accommodate younger customers who are sensitive to fatty meat. This represents a polarization in the traditional food market, where some restaurants in Busan maintain classic authentic flavors while others focus on premium ingredients and cleaner service experiences.

Hwajeon Guksu

Hwajeon Guksu is an extremely affordable noodle shop located in central Seomyeon, famous for generous portions and representing budget-friendly restaurants in Busan. The shop serves diverse hot/cold noodles, bibimbap, and gukbap. With friendly pricing, this is a popular choice for students and workers in the Seomyeon area. The simple space guarantees quality food and adequate portions.

Daegil Gochu Bulgogi

Daegil Gochu Bulgogi, located near Pusan National University campus, is student-budget-friendly and among the most affordable restaurants in Busan. The restaurant offers a meat-heavy menu like Bulgogi (grilled beef) with substantial portions.

Locations near educational institutions always guarantee extremely competitive pricing, maintaining Busan's frugal dining culture. This is an ideal place to experience quality Korean cuisine on a limited budget.

Choryang Milmyeon

Choryang Milmyeon is the top recommended among restaurants in Busan for the city's distinctive cold noodles, located directly across from Busan Station for maximum traveler convenience. This is one of the few establishments maintaining extremely affordable pricing, with a bowl costing only around 4,000 KRW (approximately 3.70 USD).

Milmyeon is Busan's exclusive cold noodle dish, distinctive for using wheat flour instead of traditional buckwheat—a legacy from the difficult post-Korean War period. The noodles are served cold, either as mul milmyeon (in refreshing chicken/beef broth) or bibim milmyeon (with spicy gochujang sauce). This low pricing affirms Milmyeon's status as a people's dish, reflecting the city's frugal spirit and historical cultural values.

Haeundae Choryang Milmyeon

In the Haeundae area, Haeundae Choryang Milmyeon is another famous choice among restaurants in Busan for cold noodles. With a convenient location near the beach and upscale hotels, this restaurant serves both international tourists and locals. While slightly more expensive than the original branch, it remains very reasonable for a premium tourist area. This is the perfect choice for cooling down after outdoor activities, especially during summer.

Gemijip

Gemijip is a long-established restaurant founded in Nampo-dong in 1975, one of the most authentic restaurants in Busan specializing in Nakgobsae—the city's unique stir-fried seafood and offal dish. The dish combines Nakji (small octopus), Gobchang (beef intestines), and Saewoo (shrimp) in a spicy sauce, delivering rich umami from the offal and natural sweetness from the seafood. The restaurant is beloved by both locals and tourists. The Nampo-dong branch operates from 09:00 to 22:00 daily, except certain national holidays.

The dish is typically served in a small pot, poured over white rice and mixed like bibimbap. Customers can choose spice levels and add glass noodles or udon noodles for additional variety.

Chaoran

Chaoran is a premium Chinese restaurant featured in the Michelin Guide, representing the upscale restaurants in Busan. The restaurant's presence demonstrates Busan's efforts to diversify its culinary image beyond traditional seafood.

With international cuisine in the high-price segment, Chaoran serves travelers seeking refinement and premium experiences. This is an appropriate choice for special occasions or business dining.

Leegane Tteokbokki

Leegane Tteokbokki is one of Busan's most famous tteokbokki (spicy rice cake) providers, representing the street food culture among casual restaurants in Busan. Located a short walk from Nampo Station, although more like a street food stall than a restaurant, this is an excellent choice at super-affordable pricing: a generous portion costs only 3,000 KRW. The stall also serves various tempura and fish cakes (eomuk). This is an authentic street food experience reflecting Busan's everyday dining culture.

Sinbalwon

Sinbalwon is a famous dumpling house located at the entrance to Chinatown, just outside Busan Station, and is one of the most popular traditional restaurants in Busan. The shop almost always has a long queue waiting for the fatty meat-filled dumplings (mandu).

Steamed dumplings are a must-try, along with crispy fried dumplings and shrimp dumplings. The establishment's popularity proves consistent quality and distinctive flavors have won over both locals and tourists.

Gongsundae

Gongsundae specializes in Sundae hot pot (Korean blood sausage), a dish very popular on social media and among the unique restaurants in Busan. A small hot pot (sufficient for 2-3 people) offers great value for a nutritionally complete meal.

Sundae is a traditional Korean dish made from pork intestines stuffed with glass noodles, vegetables, and spices. In hot pot form, this dish becomes warmer and richer with various vegetables and hearty broth.

 

Ramsey

Ramsey specializes in premium French cuisine, also listed in the Michelin Guide among elite restaurants in Busan. The restaurant typically appears near upscale areas like Haeundae, where customers are willing to pay for sophistication and world-class dining experiences. With elegant ambiance and meticulously prepared French-style menus, Ramsey delivers an authentic fine dining experience in Busan.

Mori

Mori represents premium Japanese cuisine in Busan's Michelin Guide listings of distinguished restaurants in Busan. The restaurant emphasizes precision in preparation and presentation, offering an authentic Japanese culinary experience.

Busan's possession of Michelin-recognized international restaurants shows the city's efforts to compete with Seoul in attracting upscale travelers seeking diverse culinary experiences.

Kitchen dongbaek

Kitchen dongbaek, located in Haeundae/Centum City, exemplifies premium Western cuisine among restaurants in Busan. The restaurant ranks in the Top 10 Fine Dining establishments in Busan and is renowned for its modern design decorated with numerous artworks.

The greatest strength is the ocean view, particularly from the rooftop area, which creates an exceptional atmosphere. The restaurant perfectly combines quality cuisine with artistic space for a multi-sensory experience.

Kosaljip

Kosaljip is famous for excellent grilled meat, good value, and cozy atmosphere, making it one of the most highly-rated restaurants in Busan. The restaurant has very high ratings (4.9/5) and falls within a reasonable range.

This is an ideal choice for those wanting to enjoy high-quality Korean beef (Hanwoo) without excessive costs. The friendly restaurant atmosphere suits both families and groups of friends.

LOVE & PEACE

LOVE & PEACE focuses on Grade 1 Korean beef (the highest grade), located in Seomyeon—Busan's vibrant commercial and entertainment district. This is among the premium Korean BBQ restaurants in Busan offering excellent value. The restaurant serves high-quality beef in a modern space, attracting both tourists and locals.

Seumugogae

Seumugogae in Haeundae offers both affordable Korean beef BBQ and Omakase, making it one of the most versatile restaurants in Busan. This is a flexible choice for those wanting to experience both culinary styles in one location. The restaurant skillfully combines traditional BBQ style with refined Japanese cuisine, providing menu diversity.

Sushiitsen

Sushiitsen is an outstanding Omakase choice with high ratings (4.8/5), ranking among the best Japanese restaurants in Busan. Fixed pricing makes it suitable for travelers wanting to experience refined Japanese cuisine at reasonable rates.

Omakase (おまかせ) means "leave it to the chef," allowing diners to enjoy sushi prepared from the day's freshest ingredients according to the chef's creativity.

Gosami

Gosami is famous for delicious and affordable grilled mackerel (Godeungeo gui), making it one of the most beloved local restaurants in Busan. Located near Haeundae subway station, Gosami also serves stir-fried squid and traditional Korean soups accompanied by numerous side dishes (banchan). This is a local culinary choice beloved by residents, offering an authentic Korean family meal experience at affordable prices.

Obanjang

Obanjang is a famous local BBQ restaurant in Haeundae, known as one of the best late-night restaurants in Busan. The establishment's distinctive feature is meat grilled on a special pot with separate sections for cooking eggs and kimchi, creating a unique experience. This is an excellent choice for late-night dining, as the restaurant operates from 11:00 AM to 04:00 AM, serving food lovers around the clock.

Conclusion

Busan presents a rich culinary landscape with clear differentiation by area and price segment among its diverse restaurants in Busan. The Nampo-dong/Jagalchi area focuses on traditional dishes with high economic value, while Haeundae concentrates on premium experiences with stunning ocean views. Seomyeon provides balance between modern and affordable, appealing to younger demographics.

From traditional pork soup reflecting post-war resilience to Michelin-recommended establishments, restaurants in Busan demonstrate the city's culinary diversification capabilities. Reasonable pricing for premium Hanwoo beef and Omakase shows that restaurants in Busan offer ideal destinations for those seeking quality culinary experiences without excessive costs.

If you're planning to explore the best restaurants in Busan or combine it with a South Korea travel itinerary, Nha Trang Tour with multilingual guides (English, Russian, Chinese, Korean) is ready to assist with itinerary consultation, ticket booking, and optimal tour arrangements.

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