BTS Favorite Restaurant in Seoul: Yoojung Sikdang, KRW 9000

BTS's best-known Seoul restaurant is Yoojung Sikdang, at 14 Dosan-daero 28-gil in Gangnam-gu. The members ate there as trainees, and Jimin and V said three times a day. Its Black Pork Stone Pot Bibimbap (Heukdwaeji Dolsot Bibimbap) was renamed 'Bangtan Bibimbap.' So where does BTS eat in Seoul, and can a fan go too? Yes. It's a regular restaurant, open to anyone. Ordering the same dishes is the whole point. Expect a filling Korean meal in a room covered in BTS memorabilia.

Yoojung Sikdang: the trainee-era BTS spot with its own 'Bangtan Bibimbap'

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Short answer: yes, you can go. Any fan can sit down and order. Start with the bibimbap, save the other BTS dishes for a second round, and check the hours below before you set out.

A traditional Korean restaurant with BTS on every wall

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Yoojung Sikdang specializes in traditional Korean food. The Yoojung ssambap is the headline dish, and the black pork dolsot bibimbap is the other one people order. The restaurant sits on a side street, yet it's well known among fans.

Inside, the walls are hung with BTS photos and posters. The decoration runs from floor to ceiling, and even the spoon holders and water bottles carry member photos. The room is a fan landmark first, and the food comes second to the decor.

Staff may ask if you are ARMY, the BTS fan community. Fans who say yes get a free cup holder and a photocard set.

A basement practice room explains the habit

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RM has said the practice room was in the basement beneath the restaurant. After practice, the members ate at Yoojung Sikdang every day. That's the simple reason it became their canteen.

The old Big Hit Entertainment building was only a few blocks away. Fans know the restaurant for the members' rookie days. That is why it draws them today. Trainee life in Korea runs on long practice days. The agency side is covered in Korean Idol Culture: Agencies, Training and Fan Albums.

What the BTS orders cost

Three dishes come up as the members' regulars. Their top pick is the Black Pork Stone Pot Bibimbap, at KRW 9000. The other two are ssambap and budae jjigae. The ssambap (the menu calls it Rice Wrapped in Greens) is KRW 9000 too. Two people ordering one of each pay KRW 18000.

Ssambap, budae jjigae and a vegetarian pot

Ssambap means rice wrapped in greens, and it is the dish the restaurant leads with. Budae jjigae is the hot-pot stew the members also ate there. Both are good second-round orders once you've done the bibimbap.

There is also a vegetarian dolsot bibimbap. It comes with a good variety of vegetables, and the rice is cooked well. The rice is purple, which makes the pot look different from the usual bowl.

Orders can arrive with a side of doenjang jjigae, a soybean paste stew. It's savory and generous. The banchan (small side dishes) are all decent, too.

Hours, address and the walk from Sinsa Station

The address is 14 Dosan-daero 28-gil, Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

Weekdays run until 9:30 p.m., with last order at 9:05 p.m. Weekends close earlier, so aim to be seated by 7 p.m. on Saturday or Sunday. For mornings, plan on a 10 a.m. start.

The restaurant can have a wait. Weekdays between 2 and 4 p.m. are the quiet window.

The nearest station is Sinsa Station. From Exit 1, expect about 15 minutes on foot with a hill in the way. From other nearby starting points the walk is 10 to 15 minutes.

A lunch spot for everyone, and shut on holidays

Don't picture a fans-only shrine. About half the diners are fans or tourists, and the other half are on a lunch break. Groups of older construction workers, ten or so, also eat there at lunchtime.

Don't assume the doors are open on every holiday. The restaurant was shut during the Seollal (Lunar New Year) holiday and still closed right after it. If your trip falls in that week, line up a backup meal.

Yoojung Sikdang in Nonhyeon-dong is the BTS restaurant to visit. Start with the members' top pick, then try the ssambap or budae jjigae.