5 Recommended Korean Restaurants in Akasaka Where You Can Experience Authentic Flavors Without Leaving Japan
The Akasaka area is actually a hot spot for Korean food fans. Perhaps because the South Korean Embassy and the Korean Central Hall (Mindan Headquarters) are nearby, there is a high concentration of specialty restaurants serving authentic Korean cuisine. Furthermore, popular restaurants with main branches in Korea have also expanded into Akasaka, offering the appeal of enjoying authentic flavors crafted by professional Korean chefs. Here, we introduce 5 recommended restaurants in Akasaka that you should definitely visit to enjoy famous Korean dishes such as samgyeopsal and ganjang gejang.
1Akasaka Ichiryu Bekkan
Warm your heart and body with Seolleongtang
A popular restaurant that specializes in 'seolleongtang,' a milky white soup made by simmering beef and beef bones for a long time. You can truly taste the broth and umami of the beef bones from the soup that is constantly simmered in the restaurant for 24 hours. The ingredients are simple: just tender beef cheek, green onions, and chewy Korean glass noodles called 'dangmyeon.' Since it has a light flavor, we recommend adding salt and pepper to your liking. While it is common in Korea to serve it with kkakdugi (radish kimchi), this restaurant provides a total of 11 types of banchan (side dishes) including kkakdugi, kimchi, and namul. Refills are also available.
A long-established Korean restaurant open 24 hours a day, beloved by regulars
A long-established restaurant with a history of over 60 years. Since its opening, it has been visited by numerous Showa-era stars and celebrities. The owner, who is from Korea, has been working at the restaurant since its founding and continues to be loved by regular customers.
Because it is open 24 hours a day, it is also attractive for use in various situations, such as for breakfast, lunch, or as a final stop after drinking. In addition, menu items such as seolleongtang and banchan are available for takeout, so you can bring them back to your hotel to enjoy as a late-night snack.
Local
Supporter
While Seolleongtang is only served in the annex, the main building is located on the 5th floor of the same building (Open: 11:00–23:00, Closed: Sundays), where you can enjoy a wider variety of menu items such as bibimbap, gukbap, and yakiniku.
- Akasaka Ichiryu Bekkan
-
1F Shintomi Akasaka Dai-2 Building, 2-13-17 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo MAP
Approx. 2-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Akasaka Station, approx. 5-minute walk from Tameike-sanno Station, and approx. 7-minute walk from Akasaka-mitsuke Station
Open 24 hours
Open every day
03-3582-7008
None
2Nurungji
Enjoy "Sundubu-jjigae" with an original blended soup and the umami of seafood
We offer a wide range of dishes, from familiar Korean favorites like bibimbap and chijimi to authentic cuisine eaten in Korea. One of our popular menu items is the "Sundubu Jjigae," which features a soup base blended with carefully selected ingredients and is packed with the savory flavors of seafood like clams and shrimp. It is mild in spiciness, and mixing in the egg yolk makes it even milder, so it is recommended even for those who are not fond of spicy food. It comes with rice and daily banchan (side dishes)—four types for dinner and five for lunch—making for a satisfying meal.
Our juicy charcoal-grilled samgyeopsal is also very popular.
Our "Fresh Samgyeopsal," made with non-frozen fresh pork belly, is also well-received. The fresh pork belly set includes lettuce, grilled kimchi, and more. The "Honeycomb Samgyeopsal," where thick pork belly is scored in a honeycomb pattern before grilling, is another must-try dish. The cuts allow the heat to penetrate easily, resulting in a tender texture.
While the first-floor seating uses gas grills, the second-floor seating is equipped for charcoal grilling, so we recommend booking a seat on the second floor in advance if you want to enjoy even juicier samgyeopsal.
Local
Supporter
Side dishes like kimchi are free to refill, which is another attractive point offering great value. It is open until 5:00 AM on weekdays, making it a great spot for a second or third stop of the night.
3Hyungboo Sikdang Akasaka Main Store
Authentic Korean hot pot dishes that warm both body and soul.
A Korean restaurant with an extensive menu of over 100 items. Committed to authentic flavors, many of our dishes are served using recipes that have remained unchanged since we opened.
One such dish is "Gamjatang," a hot pot made by slowly simmering pork backbone, potatoes, and green onions with chili peppers and yangnyeom sauce. The spiciness is milder than it looks, and the rich soup infused with pork extract combined with the tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat is exquisite. The fried rice made with the remaining soup at the end is also a hit. It will warm both your body and soul.
We offer a wide lineup including great-value lunch sets and course meals.
The restaurant is spread across the first and fourth floors, with the fourth floor featuring a large room capable of accommodating large parties, as well as private rooms where you can enjoy your meal in a private setting.
If you are visiting as a group, we recommend our course meals, which feature samgyeopsal or bossam (steamed pork) as the main dish. These sets also include our popular seafood pancake, packed with shrimp, clams, and squid. Whether you want a full meal or prefer to enjoy Korean shochu or makgeolli with delicacies like live octopus or other à la carte dishes, the restaurant is perfect for a variety of occasions.
Local
Supporter
They also offer a wide lineup during lunchtime, including sundubu-jjigae, bibimbap, and samgyeopsal rice bowls. On weekday lunchtimes, they also offer a daily special lunch for 500 yen, limited to 30 servings.
- Hyungboo Sikdang Akasaka Main Store
-
- 1F/4F Sintomi Akasaka 2 Bldg., 2-13-17 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo MAP
- Approx. 2-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Akasaka Station, approx. 5-minute walk from Akasaka-mitsuke Station, and approx. 5-minute walk from Tameike-sanno Station
- 10:00 AM - 5:00 AM next day
- Open every day
- 03-5575-3883
- None
4Yasaimura Daichi Main Store
A healthy samgyeopsal set that lets you eat plenty of colorful vegetables.
A samgyeopsal specialty restaurant that is hugely popular with women. Our signature dish is the "Sampa Set," which includes 200g of meat, all-you-can-eat vegetables and side dishes, and a choice of rice to finish. "Sam" means to wrap, and "pa" means rice. The appeal here is the all-you-can-eat selection of over 15 types of vegetables delivered daily from contracted farms. In addition to lettuce and red leaf lettuce that go well with meat, we offer a wide variety of vegetables, including unique options like spicy mizuna and cilantro, as well as seasonal varieties. Another highlight is that you can enjoy them in countless ways by combining different vegetables.
The meat is carefully grilled over charcoal by our staff.
The meat, which is carefully grilled by our staff at each table, is cooked using a far-infrared grill, making it crispy and fragrant on the outside and juicy on the inside. You can taste the concentrated flavor of the meat.
In addition to the vegetables, you can also enjoy all-you-can-eat daily side dishes, including four types such as green onion salad and homemade spicy miso. Furthermore, the set includes a choice of rice to finish, such as kimchi jjigae, sundubu jjigae, or cold noodles, providing satisfaction that exceeds the price. You can also add an all-you-can-drink option or upgrade to aged pork for an additional fee, so we recommend customizing it to your liking.
Local
Supporter
The restaurant uses a net grill, which is a nice feature as it allows excess fat from the meat to drip away. You can also enjoy plenty of vegetables, making for a healthy yakiniku meal. It is a popular spot with many repeat customers, so it is best to make a reservation before going.
- Yasaimura Daichi Main Store
-
- 2F DMK Bldg., 3-16-4 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo MAP
- Approx. 3-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Akasaka Station
- 17:00-23:30 (L.O. 23:00); Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 17:00-23:00 (L.O. 22:30)
- Open every day
- 050-5385-3608
- None
5Pro Ganjang Gejang
Our "Ganjang Gejang" made with the highest quality blue crab is exquisite.
A Korean restaurant with its main branch in Seoul, South Korea. Its signature dish, which is also part of the restaurant's name, is "Ganjang Gejang"—blue crab marinated and aged in a soy sauce-based brine with garlic, onions, and other ingredients. The restaurant exclusively uses the highest-quality female blue crabs, which can only be caught for about two weeks each year. It is a luxurious dish that allows you to enjoy rich-flavored roe and crab tomalley. Marinating the crabs in a special soy sauce brine that has been aged since the restaurant's founding further enhances the natural sweetness of the crab.
We also serve dishes using rare ingredients such as sannakji and monkfish.
The main branch in Korea is the original establishment that sparked the popularity of Ganjang Gejang. Many Korean food fans, as well as celebrities from both Japan and Korea, visit the restaurant to enjoy the authentic taste in Japan. In addition to the signature Ganjang Gejang, other attractive dishes featuring rare ingredients that are hard to find elsewhere include bibimbap made with blue crab tomalley, "Sannakji" (live octopus), and various stir-fried dishes and hot pots made with monkfish. The interior offers a relaxed and calm atmosphere, with table seating as well as private rooms available for groups of four or more.
Local
Supporter
Ganjang-gejang is often called a "rice thief" in Korea because the rich sauce and the flavor of the swimming crab make it go perfectly with rice. The authentic way to eat it is to order it together with rice.
- Pro Ganjang Gejang
-
- 2F Social Akasaka Bldg., 3-11-7 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo MAP
- Approx. 3-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Akasaka Station
- 11:30–15:00 (L.O. 14:30), 17:00–22:30 (L.O. 21:50)
- Open every day
- 03-3588-8778
- None
MAP
- Nearby Hoshino Resorts facilities
Local supporter in charge of this article
- Haruna ShiroConquer local gourmet spots one after another!
OMO3 Tokyo Akasaka
Minato-ku, Tokyo
A hotel where you can discover new charms of the wonderful town of Akasaka. Located a 3-minute walk from Akasaka-mitsuke Station, it is in an ideal location for sightseeing and business in Tokyo.
Access Approx. 3-minute walk from Exit 10 of Akasaka-mitsuke Station on the Marunouchi/Ginza Line / Exit 1 of Akasaka Station on the Chiyoda Line
- Accommodation rate example
- Per person per night From ¥8,000