Hi, I’m Ayla! 👋
Welcome back to Simply Korea 101!
Today, we’re going to learn one of the most useful skills for traveling in Korea: how to order food at a Korean restaurant!
From Korean barbecue and bibimbap to tteokbokki and noodles, knowing a few simple expressions will make eating in Korea much easier.
You don’t need perfect Korean to order confidently.
Let’s learn the expressions you’ll actually hear and use in a Korean restaurant.
🍽️ Key Vocabulary 5
Let’s begin with five useful restaurant words.
① 메뉴 — me-nyu — menu
② 주문 — ju-mun — order
③ 음식 — eum-sik — food
④ 물 — mul — water
⑤ 계산 — gye-san — payment / bill
You’ll see and hear these words often when eating out in Korea.
💬 Useful Expressions 5
① 메뉴 주세요.
메뉴 주세요.
me-nyu ju-se-yo.
→ Please give me the menu.
This is a simple way to ask for a menu.
② 주문할게요.
주문할게요.
ju-mun-hal-ge-yo.
→ I’d like to order.
Use this when you’re ready to order your food.
③ 이거 하나 주세요.
이거 하나 주세요.
i-geo ha-na ju-se-yo.
→ One of these, please.
This is extremely useful when you can point to a picture or item on the menu.
You can also change the number.
이거 두 개 주세요.
i-geo du gae ju-se-yo.
→ Two of these, please.
④ 안 매운 음식 있어요?
안 매운 음식 있어요?
an mae-un eum-sik i-sseo-yo?
→ Do you have any non-spicy food?
This can be especially useful if you’re not comfortable with spicy food.
⑤ 계산해 주세요.
계산해 주세요.
gye-san-hae ju-se-yo.
→ The bill, please. / I’d like to pay.
Use this when you’re ready to pay.
🌶️ More Useful Restaurant Expressions
Here are a few more expressions that can make dining in Korea easier.
물 주세요.
mul ju-se-yo.
→ Water, please.
추천 메뉴가 뭐예요?
chu-cheon me-nyu-ga mwo-ye-yo?
→ What do you recommend?
이거 매워요?
i-geo mae-wo-yo?
→ Is this spicy?
덜 맵게 해 주세요.
deol maep-ge hae ju-se-yo.
→ Please make it less spicy.
맛있어요!
ma-si-sseo-yo!
→ It’s delicious!
🗣️ Mini Conversation — At a Korean Restaurant
Staff: 어서 오세요!
eo-seo o-se-yo!
→ Welcome!
Ayla: 안녕하세요. 메뉴 주세요.
an-nyeong-ha-se-yo. me-nyu ju-se-yo.
→ Hello. Menu, please.
Staff: 네, 여기 있습니다.
ne, yeo-gi it-seum-ni-da.
→ Sure, here you are.
Ayla: 추천 메뉴가 뭐예요?
chu-cheon me-nyu-ga mwo-ye-yo?
→ What do you recommend?
Staff: 비빔밥이 인기가 많아요.
bi-bim-bap-i in-gi-ga ma-na-yo.
→ Bibimbap is very popular.
Ayla: 이거 매워요?
i-geo mae-wo-yo?
→ Is this spicy?
Staff: 조금 매워요.
jo-geum mae-wo-yo.
→ It’s a little spicy.
Ayla: 그럼 비빔밥 하나 주세요.
geu-reom bi-bim-bap ha-na ju-se-yo.
→ Then, one bibimbap, please.
Staff: 네, 알겠습니다.
ne, al-get-seum-ni-da.
→ Sure.
After finishing your meal:
Ayla: 계산해 주세요.
gye-san-hae ju-se-yo.
→ The bill, please.
🔊 Read Aloud & Repeat
Let’s practice today’s expressions aloud.
메뉴 주세요.
me-nyu ju-se-yo.
→ Menu, please.
주문할게요.
ju-mun-hal-ge-yo.
→ I’d like to order.
이거 하나 주세요.
i-geo ha-na ju-se-yo.
→ One of these, please.
이거 매워요?
i-geo mae-wo-yo?
→ Is this spicy?
안 매운 음식 있어요?
an mae-un eum-sik i-sseo-yo?
→ Do you have any non-spicy food?
계산해 주세요.
gye-san-hae ju-se-yo.
→ The bill, please.
Try saying each sentence once slowly and then again at a natural speed.
🎯 Today’s Korean Challenge
Translate these sentences into Korean.
1. Menu, please.
→ __________
2. One of these, please.
→ __________
3. Is this spicy?
→ __________
4. What do you recommend?
→ __________
5. The bill, please.
→ __________
Answers
1. 메뉴 주세요.
me-nyu ju-se-yo.
→ Menu, please.
2. 이거 하나 주세요.
i-geo ha-na ju-se-yo.
→ One of these, please.
3. 이거 매워요?
i-geo mae-wo-yo?
→ Is this spicy?
4. 추천 메뉴가 뭐예요?
chu-cheon me-nyu-ga mwo-ye-yo?
→ What do you recommend?
5. 계산해 주세요.
gye-san-hae ju-se-yo.
→ The bill, please.
How many did you get right?
Korean Culture Tip
[확실] Many Korean restaurants serve small side dishes called 반찬 (ban-chan) together with the main meal.
반찬 — ban-chan — Korean side dishes
Depending on the restaurant, some side dishes may be refilled without an additional charge.
You can politely ask:
반찬 더 주세요.
ban-chan deo ju-se-yo.
→ More side dishes, please.
Also remember that restaurant styles vary widely in Korea, so ordering and payment systems may differ from place to place.
✨ Quick Review
Today, we learned how to order food at a Korean restaurant.
Remember these useful expressions:
메뉴 주세요. — me-nyu ju-se-yo. — Menu, please.
주문할게요. — ju-mun-hal-ge-yo. — I’d like to order.
이거 하나 주세요. — i-geo ha-na ju-se-yo. — One of these, please.
이거 매워요? — i-geo mae-wo-yo? — Is this spicy?
계산해 주세요. — gye-san-hae ju-se-yo. — The bill, please.
The next time you visit a Korean restaurant, try ordering at least one item in Korean!
💛 See You in the Next Chapter!
You don’t have to learn everything at once. Just learn one word, one phrase, and one step at a time.
Keep practicing, and you’ll be surprised how much Korean you can understand.
See you in the next chapter!
— Ayla
Let’s discover Korea, one word, one dish, and one story at a time.