Hwareo-hoe
Live flounder or rockfish sliced to order — firm, chewy, wrapped with garlic and chojang.
Best seafood restaurants in Seoul
62 restaurants in Seoul
Start here
Three places to start in Seoul
Three rooms we would send a first-time visitor to — complete profiles, strong ratings, and a clear seafood focus.
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Worth knowing in Seoul
A short second list for when the first three are booked, too far, or not the mood.
Editor's pick
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4.4★ · 2,162
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Seowonjuk
4.5★ · 1,283
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Korean restaurant Suragejang Soy marinated Crab
4.9★ · 1,712
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Myeongdong Sejong Soy Sauce Marinated Crab
4.8★ · 714
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Garak Market
4.0★ · 7,864
Top-rated picks
Top-rated picks in Seoul
Highly rated seafood restaurants in Seoul, chosen on ratings, reviews and complete profiles.
Dining tipsSeoul hoe, oysters, and the market floorSeoul is inland and still one of the most serious raw-fish cities in Asia. The default is hwareo-hoe — a live fish pulled from the tank and sliced while the muscle is still tight — not aged sushi. Noryangjin is the supply floor. Neighbourhood hoejips in Jongno, Nonhyeon, and Mapo are where regulars sit. Seongsu standing oyster bars are the other Seoul format: Goheung and Tongyeong oysters on ice, not a tower with lemon and no farm name. Pick the format first.Read the full guide
Seoul is inland and still one of the most serious raw-fish cities in Asia. The default is hwareo-hoe — a live fish pulled from the tank and sliced while the muscle is still tight — not aged sushi. Noryangjin is the supply floor. Neighbourhood hoejips in Jongno, Nonhyeon, and Mapo are where regulars sit. Seongsu standing oyster bars are the other Seoul format: Goheung and Tongyeong oysters on ice, not a tower with lemon and no farm name. Pick the format first.
62 seafood and fish restaurants in Seoul, South Korea — ranked by Google rating and review volume.
Seoul’s seafood map splits in two. One side is hoe: live flounder and rockfish sliced at a plastic table, wrapped with garlic and chojang, finished as maeuntang. The other is a standing oyster bar that writes Goheung or Tongyeong on the board.
Noryangjin is the supply floor — buy downstairs, sit upstairs, and expect a seating fee on top of the fish tag. Jongno and Gwangjang are the alley rooms. Seongsu is where the oyster express format landed.
Searchers for “best seafood restaurants in Seoul” should decide hoe vs oysters vs soy crab first. A sushi omakase is a different meal, even when the fish is excellent.
What to order
Korean hoe and south-coast oysters
Seoul eats live-fish hoe with chojang and lettuce wraps, then finishes the bones as maeuntang. The other Seoul meal is a standing oyster bar that names Goheung or Tongyeong.
Goheung & Tongyeong oysters
South-coast oysters on ice — the Seongsu standing-bar order, not a nameless tower.
Maeuntang
Spicy stew from the head and bones — the course finale after hoe, not a side soup.
Ganjang-gejang
Soy-marinated raw crab — Gangnam specialists; eat over rice, not as a garnish.
Grilled jogae
Scallops, clams, and pen shells on a hot stone — Seongsu Pier table-grill energy.
Dae-bangeo
Winter large yellowtail — fat from December, often better (and calmer) in February–March.
Local species & catches
Olive flounderYellowtailRockfishOysterBlue crabTuna
Dining tips
- Order first
- Hwareo-hoe with chojang and ssam, winter yellowtail when it is fat, and named Goheung or Tongyeong oysters at a standing bar.
- Best areas
- Noryangjin for the market floor; Seongsu for oyster express bars; Jongno and Gwangjang for alley hoejips; Gangnam for cleaner indoor rooms.
- Skip
- Treating a sushi omakase as Korean hoe, or budgeting Noryangjin on the fish tag alone — the chojang-jip seating fee and maeuntang are a second bill.
Where to eat seafood in Seoul
Seongsu
4 placesStanding oyster bars and grilled shellfish — Seongsuil-ro after the warehouse cafés close.
Noryangjin
5 placesBuy downstairs, sit upstairs. The fish tag is half the bill; maeuntang is the other half.
Itaewon
5 placesOyster soup, nakji, and late seafood pocha rooms off Itaewon-ro.
Gwangjang
1 placesMarket stall hoe — the format that actually works if you are eating alone.
Map of seafood restaurants in Seoul
Explore listed fish restaurants across Seoul, South Korea.
Browse by seafood style
All seafood categories →Seafood guides for Seoul
- Seoul hoe & oyster visitor guide
Noryangjin chojang-jip rules, Seongsu oysters, and how Korean hoe differs from sushi.
- Haecheonobu lobster course, Ikseon-dong
Live lobster course in Jongno — what the room is built for.
- Tokyo sushi & yakizakana
Counter vs grilled-fish sets, kaisen bowls, and how to pick a format.
Nearby cities in South Korea
FAQ — Seoul
Hoe or sushi in Seoul?+
Hoe is live fish sliced to order and eaten with chojang and lettuce wraps. Sushi is aged fish on rice. They are different meals. Shortlist a hoejip for texture, an oyster bar for Goheung or Tongyeong, or a sushi counter if that is the format you want.
How does Noryangjin Fish Market work?+
Buy fish on the ground floor, then take it upstairs to a chojang-jip for slicing, sauces, and maeuntang. The fish tag is only half the bill — seating and stew are charged separately. Keep one person at the stall while the fish is cleaned.
What are the best seafood restaurants in Seoul?+
Seoul currently lists 62 seafood and fish restaurants on FishRestaurants.com, sorted by rating and review volume where available.
Where can I find fish restaurants near me in Seoul?+
Use the map section and restaurant list on this page to compare locations across Seoul, then open individual profiles for address and hours.
What are the best grilled fish restaurants in Seoul?+
See the grilled fish category block for venues tagged with grilled fish and classic seafood grill styles.