Eating Out

Korean Basic Conversation 2

Chapter 7 · Eating Out: Restaurants, Dietary Needs & Complaints

🍲 Eating Out — 외식

Korean Basic Conversation 1, Chapter 8 got you through a café. A Korean restaurant is a bigger challenge: shared dishes, a table full of free side dishes, a grill in the middle of the table, and rules about who eats first. This chapter gives you the words to order, explain what you cannot eat, send a dish back politely and pay. Dialogs have a short Hard words note instead of romanization; the tables keep the "Say it" column.

eo = ㅓ (short, open "uh") eu = ㅡ (unrounded "oo") kk, tt, pp, ss, jj = tense (tight, unaspirated) consonants [ ] = how the word is actually said, where it differs from the spelling

① Arriving — 몇 분이세요?

A: 어서 오세요. 몇 분이세요? Welcome. How many people?

B: 두 명이에요. Two.

A: 이쪽으로 오세요. 메뉴 여기 있습니다. This way, please. Here's the menu.

B: 감사합니다. 저기요, 물 좀 주세요. Thank you. Excuse me, could I have some water?

Hard words: 어서 오세요 eo-seo o-se-yo · 몇 분 myeot bun · 이쪽 i-jjok · 메뉴 me-nyu · 저기요 jeo-gi-yo

② Ordering — 추천해 주세요

A: 뭐가 맛있어요? 추천해 주세요. What's good? Please recommend something.

B: 불고기가 맛있어요. 인기가 많아요. The bulgogi is good. It's very popular.

A: 그럼 불고기 이 인분하고 공기밥 두 개 주세요. Then two portions of bulgogi and two bowls of rice, please.

B: 네, 알겠습니다. 음료는요? Certainly. And to drink?

Hard words: 추천 chu-cheon · 불고기 bul-go-gi · 인기 in-kki · 인분 in-bun · 공기밥 gong-gi-bap · 음료 eum-nyo

③ Dietary Needs — 저는 채식주의자예요

A: 저는 채식주의자예요. 고기를 안 먹어요. I'm a vegetarian. I don't eat meat.

B: 아, 그래요? 해산물은요? Oh, really? What about seafood?

A: 해산물도 못 먹어요. 그리고 땅콩 알레르기가 있어요. I can't eat seafood either. And I'm allergic to peanuts.

B: 알겠습니다. 비빔밥에서 고기를 빼 드릴까요? Understood. Shall I take the meat out of the bibimbap?

Hard words: 채식주의자 chae-sik-ju-ui-ja · 해산물 hae-san-mul · 땅콩 ttang-kong · 알레르기 al-le-reu-gi · 빼 드릴까요 ppae deu-ril-kka-yo

④ At the Barbecue — 반찬 좀 더 주세요

A: 저기요, 반찬 좀 더 주세요. Excuse me, could we have more side dishes?

B: 네, 바로 가져다 드릴게요. Of course, I'll bring them right away.

A: 고기는 어떻게 먹어요? How do you eat the meat?

B: 상추에 싸서 드세요. 마늘하고 쌈장도 같이요. Wrap it in lettuce. With garlic and ssamjang (dipping paste) too.

Hard words: 반찬 ban-chan · 가져다 드릴게요 ga-jyeo-da deu-ril-ge-yo · 상추 sang-chu · 싸서 ssa-seo ("wrapping it and") · 쌈장 ssam-jang · 드세요 deu-se-yo

⑤ A Complaint — 이거 안 시켰어요

A: 저기요, 이거 안 시켰어요. Excuse me, I didn't order this.

B: 죄송합니다. 어떤 걸 시키셨어요? I'm sorry. What did you order?

A: 된장찌개를 시켰어요. 그리고 이 음식은 너무 식었어요. The soybean-paste stew. And this dish has gone cold.

B: 죄송합니다. 바로 바꿔 드리겠습니다. I apologise. I'll change it for you straight away.

Hard words: 시켰어요 si-kyeo-sseo-yo · 된장찌개 doen-jang-jji-gae · 식었어요 si-geo-sseo-yo · 바꿔 ba-kkwo · 드리겠습니다 deu-ri-get-sseum-ni-da

⑥ Two Friends (casual) — 반반 내자!

A: 잘 먹었다! 진짜 맛있었어. That was great! It was really tasty.

B: 응, 나도! 계산은 내가 할게. Yeah, me too! I'll pay.

A: 아니야, 같이 내자. 더치페이! No, let's pay together. Go Dutch!

B: 그래, 그럼 반반 내자! OK, then let's split it half and half!

Hard words: 잘 먹었다 jal meo-geot-tta · 계산 gye-san · 더치페이 deo-chi-pe-i · 반반 ban-ban · 내자 nae-ja

🗝️ Key Phrases — 중요한 표현

Situation	Polite	Casual
Two people.	두 명이에요. du myeong-i-e-yo.	두 명이야. du myeong-i-ya.
Menu, please. / Excuse me!	메뉴 좀 주세요. / 저기요! me-nyu jom ju-se-yo. / jeo-gi-yo!	메뉴 좀 줘. / 저기요! me-nyu jom jwo. / jeo-gi-yo!
What do you recommend?	뭐가 맛있어요? 추천해 주세요. mwo-ga ma-si-sseo-yo? chu-cheon-hae ju-se-yo.	뭐가 맛있어? mwo-ga ma-si-sseo?
I can't eat spicy food.	매운 거 못 먹어요. mae-un geo mot meo-geo-yo.	매운 거 못 먹어. mae-un geo mot meo-geo.
Please make it not spicy.	안 맵게 해 주세요. an maep-ge hae ju-se-yo.	안 맵게 해 줘. an maep-ge hae jwo.
The bill, please.	계산해 주세요. gye-san-hae ju-se-yo.	계산할게. gye-san-hal-ge.

🔤 Three Verbs for the Restaurant — 동사

Verb	Everyday polite (-요)	Formal (-ㅂ니다)	Casual
to order (시키다)	시켜요 si-kyeo-yo	시킵니다 si-king-ni-da	시켜 si-kyeo
to come out; to be served (나오다)	나와요 na-wa-yo	나옵니다 na-om-ni-da	나와 na-wa
to pay; to put out (내다)	내요 nae-yo	냅니다 naem-ni-da	내 nae

🧱 Five Tools for the Restaurant

1. Counting people and portions

Restaurants count people, portions and drinks, each with its own counter (see also Korean Basic Conversation 1, Chapter 8). People use native numbers + 명, or the respectful 분 when the server asks you: 몇 분이세요? — 두 명이에요. Meat is ordered by the 인분 (portion), with Sino-Korean numbers.

Counter	For	Example	Say it
명 (native numbers)	people	세 명이에요	se myeong-i-e-yo
인분 (Sino-Korean)	portions of meat etc.	삼겹살 이 인분 주세요	sam-gyeop-ssal i in-bun ju-se-yo
병 (native numbers)	bottles	맥주 한 병 주세요	maek-ju han byeong ju-se-yo
잔 (native numbers)	glasses; cups	물 두 잔 주세요	mul du jan ju-se-yo
개 (native numbers)	things; bowls of rice	공기밥 두 개 주세요	gong-gi-bap du gae ju-se-yo

2. What you can and cannot eat

Say what you are with -이에요/예요: 저는 채식주의자예요 ("I'm a vegetarian"). Say what you do not eat with 안 (a choice) or 못 (you are unable to): 고기를 안 먹어요 ("I don't eat meat"), 매운 거 못 먹어요 ("I can't eat spicy food"). Allergies: 땅콩 알레르기가 있어요 ("I have a peanut allergy"). Ask for a change with -아/어 주세요: 고기 빼 주세요 ("please leave out the meat"), 안 맵게 해 주세요 ("please make it mild"). Chapter 9 teaches the difference between 안 and 못 in full.

English	Korean	Say it
vegetarian	채식주의자	chae-sik-ju-ui-ja
meat	고기	go-gi
seafood	해산물	hae-san-mul
egg	계란 / 달걀	gye-ran / dal-gyal
peanut	땅콩	ttang-kong
allergy	알레르기	al-le-reu-gi

3. Taste words

English	Korean	Say it
delicious	맛있어요	ma-si-sseo-yo
not tasty	맛없어요	ma-deop-sseo-yo
spicy	매워요	mae-wo-yo
salty	짜요	jja-yo
bland; not salty enough	싱거워요	sing-geo-wo-yo
sweet	달아요	da-ra-yo
bitter	써요	sseo-yo
very hot (to the touch)	뜨거워요	tteu-geo-wo-yo
cold (to the touch)	차가워요	cha-ga-wo-yo

Several of these are ㅂ-irregular from Chapter 6 (매워요, 싱거워요, 뜨거워요, 차가워요). Add 너무 ("too") to complain: 너무 짜요 ("it's too salty").

4. Complaining politely

A complaint is a statement of fact plus a request. Start with 저기요 or 죄송하지만 ("sorry, but…"). Describe the problem with the past tense you met in Chapter 4: 이거 안 시켰어요 ("I didn't order this"), 음식이 아직 안 나왔어요 ("the food hasn't come yet"), 음식이 식었어요 ("the food has gone cold"). Then ask: 바꿔 주세요 ("please change it"), 확인해 주세요 ("please check"). If the bill is wrong: 계산이 잘못됐어요. The server will answer 죄송합니다 and fix it.

5. Table phrases — 식사 표현

When	Korean	Meaning
Before eating	잘 먹겠습니다. jal meok-get-sseum-ni-da	"I will eat well" (thanks for the food)
From the host or server	맛있게 드세요. ma-sit-ge deu-se-yo	"Enjoy your meal"
After eating	잘 먹었습니다. jal meo-geot-sseum-ni-da	"I ate well" (thanks for the meal)
Offering to pay	제가 낼게요. je-ga nael-ge-yo	"I'll pay"
Treating someone	제가 살게요. je-ga sal-ge-yo	"It's my treat"

📖 Vocabulary — 어휘

#	Korean	Say it	English	Type
1	메뉴	me-nyu	menu	noun
2	반찬	ban-chan	side dishes	noun
3	인분	in-bun	portion; serving	counter
4	명	myeong	person (counter)	counter
5	고기	go-gi	meat	noun
6	해산물	hae-san-mul	seafood	noun
7	채식주의자	chae-sik-ju-ui-ja	vegetarian	noun
8	알레르기	al-le-reu-gi	allergy	noun
9	계산	gye-san	bill; paying	noun
10	음식	eum-sik	food; dish	noun
11	추천	chu-cheon	recommendation	noun
12	시키다	si-ki-da	to order	verb
13	나오다	na-o-da	to come out; be served	verb
14	내다	nae-da	to pay; to put out	verb
15	바꾸다	ba-kku-da	to change; exchange	verb
16	식다	sik-tta	to get cold (food)	verb
17	짜다	jja-da	to be salty	adjective
18	싱겁다	sing-geop-tta	to be bland	adjective
19	맵다	maep-tta	to be spicy	adjective
20	너무	neo-mu	too; very	adverb

Wait for the Eldest At a table with elders or seniors, it is polite to wait until the oldest person has picked up their spoon before you start. Say 잘 먹겠습니다 before eating, and 잘 먹었습니다 when you finish. When someone pours you a drink, receive the glass with two hands, and turn slightly away from an elder when you drink.

Free Refills, No Tipping The side dishes (반찬) that come with the meal are usually free, and you can ask for more with 반찬 더 주세요. Many tables have a call button for the server; otherwise call out 저기요 or 여기요. Tipping is not expected in Korea. At a barbecue restaurant, staff will often cut the meat with kitchen scissors (가위) at your table.

Hidden Meat and Fish Being vegetarian in Korea takes explaining: soups and stews are often made with anchovy or beef stock, and kimchi is usually made with fish sauce or salted shrimp. Say clearly what you avoid (고기도 해산물도 안 먹어요), and ask if the broth also contains it. 사찰 음식 (Buddhist temple food) is plant-based and a good place to eat in peace.

As Heard in Dramas — 드라마에서 In Korean the greeting 밥 먹었어요? ("have you eaten?") means roughly "how are you?" and shows that someone cares. Characters also celebrate with 치맥, fried chicken (치킨) with beer (맥주), and after work with a 회식 (company dinner, see Korean Basic Conversation 2, Chapter 1).

Grammar Pointer 못 and 안 are taught in full in Korean Basic Conversation 2, Chapter 9; the ㅂ-irregular words are from Chapter 6, and the future-style -(으)ㄹ게요 ("I'll do it") appeared in Chapter 3 (갈게요) and Chapter 6 (살게). Counters for people and drinks are in Korean Basic Conversation 1, Chapter 8, and numbers in Korean Grammar 1, chapter 9.

✍️ Try It Yourself — 연습

Say each answer out loud first, then click to check.

1. The server asks how many you are. Answer "Three people."

Show answer

세 명이에요.

2. Call the server and ask for the menu.

Show answer

저기요, 메뉴 좀 주세요.

3. Say "I'm a vegetarian. I don't eat meat or seafood."

Show answer

저는 채식주의자예요. 고기도 해산물도 안 먹어요.

4. Say "I can't eat spicy food. Please make it mild."

Show answer

매운 거 못 먹어요. 안 맵게 해 주세요.

5. Complain: "Excuse me, I didn't order this. And it's too salty."

Show answer

저기요, 이거 안 시켰어요. 그리고 너무 짜요.

6. Tell a friend casually, "That was great! Let's split the bill."

Show answer

잘 먹었다! 반반 내자!