The Korean term ‘Samgyetang’ refers to Korean ginseng chicken soup whereby a small chicken is usually stuffed with nutritious ingredients such as ginseng, garlic, jujube and rice. Locals have it during harsh winter days to stay warm and even during summer to replenish lost body fluids.

After days of Korean BBQ and Kimchi Jjigae, we were craving for something lighter on the taste buds and decided to drop by one of Seoul’s oldest and most established ginseng chicken soup restaurants, Korea Samgyetang.

The no-frills restaurant is just like its straightforward name—they dish out honest-to-goodness Samgyetang dishes that are flavourful and leaves you wanting more.

Having been around since 1960, Korea Samgyetang is recognised as the first Korean ginseng chicken soup restaurant in Seoul. So yes, you know that you are left in good hands under experienced chefs.

The spacious Samgyetang restaurant is sparkling clean with long communal tables that are great for families and groups of friends who are dining together.

No one goes to a Samgyetang restaurant without ordering the classic Samgyetang (W15,000/ S$18.07). Served in an iron pot, the bubbling broth carried a strong fragrance which we got us all excited before we even begin our meal.

We could taste all the ingredients that were infused in the soup—ginseng, garlic, Chinese dates and other traditional herbs. The chicken meat was tender and the dish was further perfected with sweet glutinous rice.

All Samgyetang dishes are accompanied with a ginseng shot which you can either have it before you start eating or add it to the soup for a richer ginseng taste.

For something more premium, try their Jeonbok Samgyetang (W21,000/ S$25.30). The same ingredients are used as the traditional Samgyetang but this one comes with a piece of abalone. The fleshy abalone was generous in size and came with a smooth texture.

For an even healthier alternative, go for the Ogolgyetang (W21,000/ S$25.30). Black chicken is known to contain plenty of antioxidants which are beneficial for your health and it is often used as a form of Chinese medicine.

Prepared in a similar way, you will also find sticky rice and ginseng in the succulent, fall-off-the-bone chicken. If you have never tried black chicken before, this is a good place to start.

Korea Samgyetang
1, Seosomun-ro 11-gil
Seosomun-dong
Jung-gu, Seoul
Tel: +82 2 737 1888
Daily: 10am – 9pm
Nearest Station: City Hall

Heading to Seoul soon? Take a look at our Seoul Travel Guide for more recommendations.

Talk about Samgyetang (Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup) in Seoul and many will point you to Tosokchon.

There are often arguments about how Tosokchon is touristy/ meant for tourists, but there is no denying that this institution serves one of the best Samgyetang renditions in Seoul. And it is actually pretty reasonably priced!

If you haven’t already tried it, here’s what you are missing out on.

Tosokchon is a stone’s throw from Gyeongbokgung Station, making it a common pit stop after a visit to Seoul’s most famous Imperial Palace. The restaurant is said to be frequented by Korean’s late President Roh Moo-hyun.

Queues are not uncommon at Tosokchon but the wait is not long; the Hanok-style restaurant has a seating capacity of approximately 400, hence the relatively easy waiting time. We also love the traditional seating style on wooden floors and eating on old-school wooden tables.

On the menu, go straight for the signature Korean ginseng chicken soup and do not bother about anything else. Both Tosokchon Korean ginseng chicken soup (W15,000) and Tosokchon Korean Black Chicken Ginseng Soup (W22,000) are fantastic; we’ve had them on numerous occasions over the last few years and never once had they disappointed us.

A whole chicken stuffed with glutinous rice sits in a bowl of milky broth that is also filled with garlic, dates and ginseng shreds; the chicken is so tender that the flesh falls off the bone with just a tug.

You can also opt to add wild ginseng roots to enhance your soup for an additional W6,000. To be honest, we thought that it did not make a big difference to the taste of the soup.

If you are one who fancies your food strong-flavoured, there is a jar of salt where you can help yourself to. They serve really good kimchi that you can eat all you can, too.

Really, guys. Don’t be too bothered by what people say about Tosokchon being touristy. You have to try it to believe how good it is. Tosokchon has the best Samgyetang in Seoul.

Tosokchon
5 Jahamun-ro 5-gil, Sajik-dong
Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Tel: +82 2 737 7444
Daily: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Gyeongbokgung

For more recommendations on the best places to visit in Seoul, read our Seoul’s food and travel guides.

Samgyetang means Ginseng Chicken Soup and it is one of the most well-loved delicacies to have in South Korea. A warm bowl of Samgyetang is especially comforting in cold weather, and it warms your heart up instantly. If you are planning to visit Seoul soon and haven’t tried Samgyetang, this is a definitely must-try!

So what exactly is Samgyetang? It is essentially a whole chicken (young chicken is most commonly used) stuffed with garlic and rice, then served in a rich broth that is boiled for hours with ginseng, red dates and other spices, and finally topped off with scallions.

A bowl of this delicious Ginseng Chicken Soup is often accompanied by various Korean side dishes such as pickled vegetables and fermented seafood. Typically, one bowl of Samgyetang is good for one person, or if the chicken is bigger, sharing between two is encouraged.

Although the idea of drinking this in winter to combat the cold sounds nothing short of perfect, Samgyetang is actually most commonly consumed on a hot summer day. It is believed that having Samgyetang during very specific periods of the Korean lunar calendar can be a boost to your overall health.

If you are having this dish in a restaurant, you will see that it is oftentimes accompanied by a bottle of ginseng wine or insamju. This bottle is usually given free-of-charge, with every order of a bowl of Samyetang.

There are many variations of this dish and ginseng soup is also commonly found in traditional Chinese recipes, where it is also believed to treat illnesses and improve one’s health. With so many vast benefits of having Samgyetang, what are you waiting for? We say book a flight to South Korea just for this wonderful dish!

About the writer:
Cheryl is a staff writer for ladyironchef. She loves a good steak and an even better cuppa. She eats just about anything and everything. In her free time, she regularly starts on sci-fi or fantasy movie marathons.

At the ground floor of Link Hotel in Tiong Bahru, is Blue Garden Korean BBQ Restaurant. It currently occupies the space which was used by the now-defunct Persimmon Restaurant. Much of the interior remains intact: the black and white tiled floor, and the kopitiam-style furniture.

Korean food lovers will be happy to know that Blue Garden restaurant offers Korean BBQ buffet during lunch ($19.90) and dinner ($26.90).

My definition of buffet: be prepared to eat a lot.

The Korean BBQ Buffet offers free-flow of Korean dishes like Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup, Kimchi Pancakes, Korean Spicy Rice Cakes (Ddukbokkie), and a variety of Kimchi (Spring Onion, Cabbage, Leak, Cucumber).

The truth is, Blue Garden’s appetisers are pretty run-of-the-mill. We tasted a bit of everything as we were saving our stomach for the highlight of Korean BBQ Buffet – MEAT!

… And of course, we were there for the meat. The Korean BBQ Buffet has free flow of Pork Collar, Beef Belly, Pork Belly, and three different types of Bulgogi (beef, chicken and pork). Read my lips: this is an all-you-can-eat-buffet.

Amongst the four of us, we ate enough meat to last us for a week. We ate, and ate and ate. We totally threw the diet plan out of the window – it was crazy! If you are not a big meat-eater, the Korean BBQ Buffet also has seafood and vegetables.

But trust me, you’d want to just go for the meat. Wow, I think I am very good at giving advice! Remember, just go for the meat.

I had some white rice to go along with the meat, but mostly I wrapped the BBQ meat in lettuce leaves. After a while, I was too lazy to put it nicely into the lettuce so I ate the meat directly from the BBQ pit. The bulgogi is delicious!

Considering that places like Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant charges $18 for a plate of marinated meat, I think that Blue Garden’s Korean BBQ Buffet is very reasonably priced. Looking for a cheap and good buffet? Find a group of friends who love meat and go for the Korean BBQ Buffet!

One thing to note though, the air ventilation was almost non-existence; our clothes smelled like Korean BBQ after we were done.

For more recommendations, read Korean Restaurants in Singapore | Buffet in Singapore

Blue Garden Korean BBQ Buffet Restaurant
50 Tiong Bahru Road
#01-07 Link Hotel Singapore
Tel: +65 6224 0700

Korean BBQ Buffet Lunch $19.90++/pax
Korean BBQ Buffet Dinner $26.90++/pax

I was impressed during a recent visit to Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant at Takashimaya. They have pretty good Korean food at affordable prices and it currently ranks highly on my list of Korean Restaurants in Singapore.

I have to admit that I wasn’t a fan of Crystal Jade restaurants initially as I didn’t like restaurant chains. But after several visits to the different Crystal Jade restaurants, it’s not too difficult to understand why they are popular.

First, the prices at most of the Crystal Jade Restaurants are affordable. Second, the food is consistent, it’s quite unlikely that you will have a bad meal at any of the Crystal Jade restaurants. Most people are not very adventurous when it comes to food (I used to be like that too before starting my food blog), so I can understand the appeal of reliable restaurants like Crystal Jade.

Third, most of the Crystal Jade Restaurants are conveniently located in town, it’s quite difficult to find good yet affordable food in Orchard, plus they have different restaurants catering for everyone.

My friends were craving for Korean BBQ, and we decided to try Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant since we were meeting in town. Now you know why Crystal Jade is so popular!

Crystal Jade Korean BBQ is much more affordable than I thought. The five of us ordered two servings of pork and chicken ($18 each), Grilled Fish ($22), Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup ($25), Kim Chi Pancakes ($14), and we paid about $23 per person. Obviously, it helps to have a group of friends so that we can order more food to share.

It was so much fun to BBQ the meat on the sizzling grill, and even better to put the slightly charred meat into my mouth. Thankfully, the air ventilation of the restaurant was good, and we didn’t leave the place smelling like barbecue.

The Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup was fantastic, the chicken was delicious and the stock was rich and flavourful. My companions agreed with me that Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant’s rendition was much better than the one that we had at Togi Korean Restaurant.

Along with the six complimentary side dishes, we also ordered the Kimchi Pancakes as appetisers. It was not too bad, but personally I would prefer Seafood pancakes over that.

Here’s a quick guide for those of you who have no idea which restaurants to go for Korean food in Singapore: I will go to Kko Kko Nara Korean Restaurant at Tras Street for the excellent Korean Fried Chicken, and if location is not an issue, Kim’s Family Restaurant is definitely my favourite Korean Restaurant in Singapore.

Most of us usually meet our friends in Orchard since it is convenient for everyone, if that’s the case, Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant at Ngee Ann City is definitely the place to satisfy your craving for Korean BBQ and Ginseng Chicken.

Singapore Food Restaurants Review
Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant
391 Orchard Road #04-20
Ngee Ann City Singapore
Tel: +65 6733 3229

176 Orchard Road #04-13
Centrepoint Singapore
Tel: +65 6737 3282

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I think it’s a shame that Korean food in the Singapore food scene isn’t as strong as its Japanese counterpart. For those of you who have been craving for Korean Food, I know exactly how you feel. Sometimes, it’s quite frustrating not knowing where to go for good Korean Food even though we have quite a few Korean Restaurants in Singapore.

I’m currently on a hunt for the best Korean Fried Chicken in Singapore, and I also want to try a few Korean BBQ Restaurant. I am going to round up a few friends for a Korean BBQ Buffet and have a crazy night of eating. Okay, one of my new year resolutions is to eat more Korean food – bibimbap, Korean Ginseng Chicken, kimchi and pancake, here we come!

Here’s a list of the Best Korean Restaurants in Singapore:

Auntie Kim’s Korean Restaurant

265 Upper Thomson Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6452 2112

Bornga Korean Restaurant

#02-2 The Star Vista
1 Vista Exchange Green

Big Mama Korean Restaurant

While it is relatively easy to find Korean restaurants in Singapore, it is difficult to find a truly outstanding place that will make you go back again and again to try everything else on the menu that you have not tried. Big Mama Korean Restaurant at Kim Tian Road is one of the few that belongs to this category. The food is generally good, and addictive enough to make you return on a regular basis.

2 Kim Tian Road
Tel: +65 6270 7704

Blue Garden Korean BBQ Buffet Restaurant

This new Korean restaurant at Link Hotel belongs to the same owner of Kko Kko Nara Korean restaurant. The Korean BBQ buffet is priced at S$19.90/pax for lunch and S$26.90/pax for dinner.

50 Tiong Bahru road
Link Hotel #01-07
Tel: +65 62240700

Chang Korean Charcoal BBQ restaurant

18C Dempsey Road
Tanglin Village
Tel: +65 6473 9005

Crystal Jade Korean Ginseng Chicken & BBQ

Most people are not very adventurous when it comes to food, so I can understand that they prefer to go to somewhere reliable, and Crystal Jade is evidently one of them.

We went to Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant at Ngee Ann City for their Korean BBQ recently, and the food was surprisingly good and affordable. Another must-order dish includes the Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup.

391 Orchard Road #04-20
Ngee Ann City Singapore
Tel: +65 6733 3229

Ga Ya Geum Korean Family Restaurant

Tucked away in the basement of Bukit Timah Shopping Centre is Ga Ya Geum, a Korean family restaurant. The versatile menu makes it a great place for a family meal or a dinner place with friends. There is also a lunch set menu for those who work around the area.

170 Upper Bukit Timah Road
#B2-14 Bukit Timah Shopping Centre
Tel: +65 6463 8011
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Sun: 5pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Clementi

Hyang-To-Go! Korean Restaurant

165 Tanjong Pagar Road 2F
The Amara Singapore
Tel: +65 6220 7160

Jang Shou Korean BBQ

Jang Shou Korean Restaurant at Katong Village serves a decent Korean BBQ Buffet (with a spread of 15 items) and they only open during dinner. The weekday Korean BBQ Buffet is S$28.80++/pax, while the weekend Korean BBQ Buffet is S$33.80++/pax. For those who prefer to order ala carte, go to the outlet at Esplanade Mall.

86 East Coast Road #02-11/20,
Blk B Katong Village Singapore
Tel: +65 6344 8880

8 Raffles Avenue #01-13B
Esplanade Mall Singapore
Tel: +65 6337 8880

4 Fingers Bonchon Chicken Wings

4 Fingers Bonchon is a fastfood restaurant at the basement of Ion Orchard that serves the famous Korean Fried Chicken. Trust me, you can easily have a dozen chicken wings on your own – they are that addictive!

2 Orchard Turn #B4-06A
ION Orchard Singapore

Ju Shin Jung Korean BBQ Restaurant

The Korean BBQ Buffet at Ju Shin Jung Korean BBQ Restaurant is available at S$29++/pax during lunch daily. For dinner, the buffet is only available from Monday to Thursday.

27 West Coast Highway #01-18/19
Yess Centre Singapore
Tel: +65 6464 0872

1018 East Coast Parkway #02-01 Singapore
Tel: +65 6447 9279

Kim Dae Mun Korean Cuisine

For cheap and good Korean food in Singapore, Kim Dae Mun Korean Cuisine, a stall at the basement food court at Concorde Hotel is the place to head to. Prices range from S$4.50 – S$7.50.

100 Orchard Road Level 1
Food Court Concorde Hotel Singapore Singapore

Kim’s Family Restaurant

My favourite Korean restaurant in Singapore. One of the reasons why I love Kim’s Family Restaurant is because they serve ten banchan (side dishes). The food here is authentic, reasonably affordable and very delicious.

17 Lorong Kilat #01-06
Singapore 598139
Tel: +65 6465 0535

Kko Kko Nara Korean Fried Chicken

Kko Kko Nara Korean Restaurant on Tras Street (Tanjong Pagar) is a mom-and-pop chicken place that has been around for a while. It is one of my favourite to-go places for Korean Fried Chicken. And if you are looking for a place for supper, Kko Kko Nara opens till late night 4am.

57 Tras Street #01-01 Singapore
Tel: +65 6224 8186

Ming Jia Korean Food

Frequented mostly by Korean students, Ming Jia Korean Food – a small kiosk at the basement of Bukit Timah Plaza – is another place where you can go for cheap and good Korean food.

1 Jalan Anak Bukit
#B1-07 Bukit Timah Plaza

Nolboo Hangari Galbi

With close to 680 restaurants in Korea and across Asia in China, Japan, Nolboo Hangari Galbi at Orchard Central is the first of the Korean restaurant chain’s BBQ outlets in Singapore.

181 Orchard Road #08-04/05
Orchard Central Singapore
Tel: +65 6884 9151

Red Pig Korean Restaurant

Red Pig Korean Restaurant is one of the most popular Korean places in the Central Business District. If you are working in the area, go there for lunch – most of the set lunches are only S$10. For dinner, prices are considerately steeper, but there is a reason why people always go back for the Korean BBQ.

93 Amoy Street
Tel: +65 6220 7176

Sarang Korean Restaurant

Located at Orchard Central (level 7), Sarang prides itself as a Korean bistro, and it has recently introduced a Korean-style tapas menu which features classic favourites and modern Korean-fusion dishes.

181 Orchard Road #07-01
Orchard Central Singapore
Tel: +65 6773 1322

Togi Korean Restaurant

Judging by the crowd on a weekday dinner, Togi Korean Restaurant is definitely one of the more popular places for Korean cuisine. I’ll probably go back again for their Korean BBQ.

11 Mosque Street Singapore
Tel: +65 6221 0830

Wang Dae Bak Korean BBQ Restaurant

Another place that you can go on Amoy Street is Wang Dae Bak Korean Restaurant, which specialises in Korean BBQ. During lunch, they have very good set lunches and we would recommend the Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup (S$10), which is a steal for the price.

98 Amoy Street
Tel: +65 6226 0450
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 11pm

Woori Nara Korean Restaurant

Another place that has really good Korean fried chicken is Woori Nara Korean Restaurant at Lorong Kilat. They have four different flavours – original, signature in-house sauce, soy and garlic – for the Korean fried chicken. You can also find popular Korean classic dishes such as Grilled Pork Belly (S$35), Stone Pot Bibimbap (S$17), and Seafood & Kimchi Pancake (S$15).

19 Lorong Kilat #01-02 Singapore
Tel: +65 6464 9282

It’s a pity that Korean food in the Singapore food scene isn’t as strong as its Japanese counterpart. Most people tend to crave for sushi rather than kimchi. I’m sure you can easily rattle off a list of good Japanese restaurants, but it’s not the same story when it comes to Korean Restaurants in Singapore.

My friends were craving for Korean food, and after hearing so much about Togi Korean Restaurant at Mosque Street, we decided to check it out on a weekday night.

The Ginseng Chicken Soup ($21) was mightily awesome. Even though the soup wasn’t that flavorful, the chicken was really tasty as it absorbed the finesse of all the ingredients.

Everybody loves bibimbap – tell me who doesn’t?

We poured a lot of the spicy-sweet chili into the pipping hot stone pot, stirring and mixing the Bibimbap ($11) into a delightful color of red, yellow and green. It looked good, it tasted even better! With an assortment of vegetables, mushroom, chicken, chili and steamed rice jumbled up — the bibimbap is a dish for all seasons.

We also had the stirred fried Spicy rice cake ($12), a famous street food in Korea. To be fair, I think it’s an acquired taste, and it’s really one of those dishes that you either love or hate.

I looked at the table, and fought the temptation to order the crispy Korean crispy pancakes: “No Brad, there’s too much food left”. Another visit to Togi Korean Restaurant, perhaps?

Judging by the crowd on a weekday dinner, Togi Korean Restaurant is definitely one of the more popular Korean restaurants in Singapore. Prices at both Togi and Kim’s Family Restaurant are in the same range, but the latter serves ten side dishes while the former only has six.

Even though I enjoyed the dinner there, Kim’s Family Restaurant is still my best Singapore Korean Restaurant.

Restaurant Review
Togi Korean Restaurant
11 Mosque Street Singapore
Tel: +65 6221 0830

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