How to Order Food in Korea (For Tourists Who Don’t Speak Korean)

Traveling in Korea but worried about ordering food?

You’re not alone.
Many tourists feel nervous the first time they walk into a Korean restaurant.

The good news?
👉 You only need ONE sentence to survive.

In this guide, I’ll show you exactly how to order food in Korea step-by-step—even if you know zero Korean.

🍜 The One Sentence You Need

If you remember nothing else, remember this:

👉 이거 주세요 (igeo juseyo)
👉 “I’ll have this one”

That’s it.

You can point at anything and say this—and it works almost everywhere.

🏪 Types of Restaurants in Korea

Before ordering, it helps to know how restaurants work.

1. Table Service Restaurants

Sit down and wait
Staff will come to you

2. Kiosk Restaurants (VERY common)

Order on a screen near the entrance
Pay first
Get a number and wait

👉 Tip: If there’s a line near a machine, it’s probably a kiosk.

3. Call Button System

Sit down
Press a button to call staff

👉 Look for a small bell 🔔 on your table.

🧾 How to Read a Korean Menu

Menus can look scary—but here’s what to do:

Look at pictures 📸
Use Google Translate (camera mode)
Or just point 👆

👉 Pointing is completely normal in Korea. No one will think it’s rude.

🗣️ Useful Korean Phrases (Super Simple)

You don’t need grammar. Just use these:

이거 주세요 (igeo juseyo)
👉 This one please
저기요 (jeogiyo)
👉 Excuse me (to call staff)
물 주세요 (mul juseyo)
👉 Water please
계산이요 (gyesaniyo)
👉 Bill please

🍽️ Step-by-Step: How to Order

Step 1: Sit down

Wait to be seated or choose a table.

Step 2: Call staff

Press the button
OR
Say “저기요”

Step 3: Order

Point at menu
Say: “이거 주세요”

Step 4: Food arrives

Side dishes (반찬) will come first
👉 They are FREE and refillable

Step 5: Eat

No tipping in Korea

Step 6: Pay

Go to the counter
OR
Say “계산이요”

⚠️ Common Problems (And Easy Fixes)

❌ No English menu

👉 Use Google Translate or just point

❌ Staff doesn’t understand you

👉 Smile + point + say “이거 주세요”

❌ Too much food

👉 Korean portions are big
Try ordering less first

❌ Confusing menu items

👉 Look at other tables and copy 😄

🍱 Pro Tips (Most Tourists Don’t Know)

Water is usually free 💧
Side dishes are unlimited
Sharing food is normal
Some meals require 2 people (especially BBQ)

🎯 Final Advice

Don’t overthink it.

Korean restaurants are much easier than they look.
Even locals use simple phrases.

👉 Just point and say:
“이거 주세요”

That’s all you really need!!!

Enjoy your food in Korea 🇰🇷
And don’t be afraid to try new things!