You sit down at a Korean restaurant and the menu arrives. Here are the 15 words you need to read it, order confidently, and understand what's coming to the table.
You sit down at a Korean restaurant.
The menu is in Korean. The staff is busy. You don't want to point at a picture and hope.
The good news: Korean menus follow patterns. Once you know a small set of words, most dishes start to make sense — not just the ones on this menu, but menus you've never seen before.
Here are the 15 words that unlock Korean restaurant menus.
The core word
메뉴판
Romanizationmenyupan
Meaningmenu
💡 메뉴 is the menu itself. 판 means board or sheet. 메뉴판 is what you ask for when you sit down: 메뉴판 주세요 (please give me the menu).
Cooking methods — how the food is made
구이
Romanizationgui
Meaninggrilled
💡 Meat or fish cooked over fire or a grill. 삼겹살구이 = grilled pork belly. 생선구이 = grilled fish. Very common on Korean menus.
찌개
Romanizationjjigae
Meaningstew (spicy, served bubbling)
💡 A thick, hot stew served in a stone or clay pot, often still boiling when it arrives. 김치찌개 (kimchi stew), 된장찌개 (fermented soybean paste stew), 순두부찌개 (soft tofu stew).
국
Romanizationguk
Meaningsoup (lighter than 찌개)
💡 A thinner, broth-based soup. 미역국 (seaweed soup), 갈비탕 (short rib soup). Less spicy than 찌개, usually.
볶음
Romanizationbokkeum
Meaningstir-fried
💡 Cooked quickly in a pan with sauce. 제육볶음 = spicy stir-fried pork. 김치볶음 = stir-fried kimchi. Often with gochujang (고추장) sauce.
무침
Romanizationmuchim
Meaningseasoned salad / mixed dish
💡 Raw or blanched vegetables mixed with seasoning. Not cooked with heat. 시금치무침 = seasoned spinach. Usually served cold as a side dish.
Key ingredients — what's in it
소고기
Romanizationsogogi
Meaningbeef
💡 소 means cow. 소고기 is beef. Common in 불고기 (marinated beef), 갈비 (short ribs), and 국밥 (soup with rice).
돼지고기
Romanizationdwaejigogi
Meaningpork
💡 돼지 means pig. 돼지고기 is pork. 삼겹살 (pork belly) and 목살 (pork neck) are the most common cuts you'll see.
해물 / 해산물
Romanizationhaemul / haesanmul
Meaningseafood
💡 해물 is the short form you'll see on menus. 해물파전 = seafood and green onion pancake. 해물탕 = seafood stew.
두부
Romanizationdubu
Meaningtofu
💡 Very common in Korean cooking. 순두부 (soft tofu), 두부조림 (braised tofu). If you're vegetarian, 두부 dishes are a good starting point.
Flavors — what it will taste like
맵다 / 매운
Romanizationmaepda / maеun
Meaningspicy / hot (flavor)
💡 매운 is the adjective form used on menus. 매운탕 = spicy fish stew. If you can't eat spicy food: 안 맵게 해주세요 (please make it not spicy).
달다 / 단
Romanizationdalda / dan
Meaningsweet
💡 단 on a menu signals a sweeter flavor profile. 단호박죽 = sweet pumpkin porridge. Korean savory food often has a mild sweetness too.
간장
Romanizationganjang
Meaningsoy sauce
💡 Used as both an ingredient and a flavor indicator. 간장게장 = raw crab marinated in soy sauce. If something has 간장 in the name, expect a salty, savory, umami taste.
Ordering essentials
Ordering at a 한식 restaurant
Two people at a traditional Korean restaurant
A
A
메뉴판 주세요.
Please give us the menu.
직원
직
여기요. 주문 되시면 말씀해 주세요.
Here you go. Let us know when you're ready to order.
B
B
김치찌개 하나랑 제육볶음 하나 주세요.
One kimchi stew and one spicy pork stir-fry, please.
직원
직
밥은 공기밥으로 드릴까요?
Should I bring rice separately?
B
B
네. 그리고 안 맵게 해주실 수 있어요?
Yes. And can you make it not too spicy?
직원
직
제육볶음요? 네, 말씀드릴게요.
The pork stir-fry? Yes, I'll let them know.
Quick reference: menu words
WordKoreanMeaning
Grilled구이Cooked over fire
Stew찌개Hot, spicy, bubbling pot
Stir-fried볶음Fast-cooked in a pan
Spicy매운The most important warning word
Set meal정식Full meal with rice, soup, sides
Cultural note
Korean menus can feel overwhelming at first — especially at restaurants where the entire menu is handwritten on the wall. But the structure is consistent. Most dishes are built from a main ingredient + a cooking method. Once you know 소고기 (beef) and 구이 (grilled), 소고기구이 needs no translation.
One more word to know: 정식 (jeongsik) — a full set meal. It includes a main dish, rice, soup, and a spread of side dishes. If you're unsure what to order, 정식 is almost never the wrong answer.
