How to Order Food in Korean: Essential Café & Restaurant Phrases
Must-Know Korean Ordering Phrases for Cafés and Restaurants
Walking into a buzzing Korean café in Hongdae or a cozy traditional restaurant in Insadong is one of the most exciting experiences when visiting South Korea. However, when the server approaches and asks what you would like, feeling unsure of the right words can cause unnecessary stress. Learning essential Korean ordering phrases bridges that gap and gives you immediate confidence!
The good news is that dining out in Korea follows clear, polite conventions. You do not need complex grammar to order your morning iced Americano or enjoy a steaming bowl of Kimchi stew. By mastering just a handful of core expressions, you can navigate menus, customize drinks, ask for the check, and handle interactions smoothly.
In this comprehensive guide, we will break down the essential request structure, explore must-know café and restaurant vocabulary, review real-life practice dialogues, and test your skills with an interactive quiz.
The Core Formula: Essential Korean Ordering Phrases
In English, we say "Could I please have..." or "I would like to order..." In Korean, the most important phrase you will ever learn for dining out is 주세요 (Juseyo), which literally translates to "Please give me."
[ Item Name ] + [ Quantity + Counter ] + 주세요 (Juseyo)
Example: 물 (Water) + 한 잔 (1 Glass) + 주세요 (Please give me) = "물 한 잔 주세요" (Mul han jan juseyo).
Whether you are asking for food, drinks, extra napkins, or the menu, placing 주세요 at the end of your sentence instantly forms a polite, natural request.
Essential Phrases for Ordering at a Korean Café
Korea is world-famous for its incredible café culture. Before stepping up to the counter, keep in mind that coffee shops will almost always ask two initial questions: whether your drink is hot or iced, and whether it is for here or to go.
| Korean Phrase | Romanization | English Translation | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 아이스 아메리카노 한 잔 주세요 | Aiseu amerirano han jan juseyo | One iced Americano, please | Ordering a cold coffee |
| 따뜻한 라떼 한 잔 주세요 | Ttatteuthan rate han jan juseyo | One hot latte, please | Ordering a hot drink |
| 먹고 갈게요 | Meokgo galgeyo | I will eat/drink here | Dine-in option |
| 테이크아웃할게요 / 포장해 주세요 | Teikeua-ut halgeyo / Pojang-hae juseyo | To go, please / Pack it for me | Takeout option |
| 디카페인 있나요? | Dikape-in innayo? | Do you have decaf? | Asking for decaf options |
Locals rarely pronounce "Iced Americano" in full when ordering quickly! Instead, they say 아아 (Ah-Ah). Try saying "아아 두 잔 주세요" (Two iced Americanos, please) for an authentic local touch!
Must-Know Korean Ordering Phrases for Restaurants
When entering a restaurant, servers will often ask how many people are in your party by asking "몇 분이세요?" (Myeot bun-iseyo?). You can respond with your party size using the polite counter 분 (Bun).
| Korean Phrase | Romanization | English Translation | Usage Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 두 명이에요 | Du myeong-ieyo | Table for two | Answering party size |
| 메뉴판 좀 주세요 | Menyupan jom juseyo | Please give us a menu | Asking for the menu |
| 여기요! / 저기요! | Yeogiyo! / Jeogiyo! | Excuse me! (Over here!) | Calling the server |
| 이거 주세요 | Igeo juseyo | Please give me this one | Pointing to menu items |
| 추천해 주세요 | Chucheon-hae juseyo | Please recommend something | Asking for recommendations |
| 반찬 더 주세요 | Banchan deo juseyo | Please give us more side dishes | Refilling Banchan (free!) |
| 계산할게요 | Gyesanhalgeyo | I would like to pay | Asking for the check |
Customizing Orders: Dietary Requests and Spice Levels
If you have dietary restrictions or want to adjust flavor preferences, these basic phrase additions are essential when using Korean ordering phrases:
- 덜 맵게 해 주세요 (Deol maeuge hae juseyo) = Please make it less spicy.
- 안 맵게 해 주세요 (An maeuge hae juseyo) = Please make it non-spicy.
- 고수 빼 주세요 (Gosu ppae-juseyo) = Please leave out cilantro.
- 고기 빼 주세요 (Gogi ppae-juseyo) = Please leave out meat.
- 얼음 조금만 넣어 주세요 (Eoreum jogeum-man juseyo) = Please give me light ice.
Step-by-Step Practical Dialogue Practice
Here is how a real café interaction flows from start to finish between a staff member and a customer:
Café Ordering Example:
Staff: 어서 오세요! 주문하시겠어요?
(Welcome! Would you like to order?)
Customer: 네, 아이스 카페라떼 한 잔하고 바닐라 라떼 한 잔 주세요.
(Yes, one iced café latte and one vanilla latte, please.)
Staff: 드시고 가세요, 아니면 포장해 드릴까요?
(Will you stay here, or should I pack it to go?)
Customer: 먹고 갈게요.
(I will drink it here.)
Staff: 네, 결제 도와드리겠습니다.
(Sure, I will help you with payment.)
Interactive Knowledge Check
Test Your Dining Phrase Knowledge!
Check your understanding before heading out to dine!
Question 1: What is the core phrase for saying "Please give me..." when ordering in Korean?
A) 감사합니다 (Gamsahabnida)
B) 주세요 (Juseyo)
C) 안녕히 가세요 (Annyeonghi gaseyo)
Question 2: How do you tell the cashier that you want your café drink to go?
A) 먹고 갈게요 (Meokgo galgeyo)
B) 여기요 (Yeogiyo)
C) 테이크아웃할게요 (Teikeua-ut halgeyo)
Question 3: What should you call out to politely get a waiter's attention at a Korean restaurant?
A) 저기요! (Jeogiyo!)
B) 고맙습니다! (Gomapseumnida!)
C) 사장님 안녕! (Sajangnim annyeong!)
Question 4: How do you ask the kitchen to leave meat out of your dish?
A) 고기 더 주세요 (Gogi deo juseyo)
B) 고기 빼 주세요 (Gogi ppae-juseyo)
C) 고기 추천해 주세요 (Gogi chucheon-hae juseyo)
Click here to reveal the answers
Answers:
1. B) 주세요 (Juseyo) is the standard polite request phrase.
2. C) 테이크아웃할게요 means "I will take it out."
3. A) 저기요! (Jeogiyo!) is standard and polite for calling servers.
4. B) 고기 빼 주세요 uses 빼주세요 (please remove/leave out).
Frequently Asked Questions
No! In traditional Korean sit-down restaurants without call buttons on the table, calling out "저기요!" (Jeogiyo!) or "여기요!" (Yeogiyo!) warmly and clearly is the completely standard way to summon staff.
Tipping is not customary in South Korea. The price listed on the menu includes all taxes and service fees. Attempting to leave tips can sometimes create confusion!
At many casual Korean eateries, water is self-service (물은 셀프입니다). If it is served to you, simply say "물 좀 더 주세요" (Mul jom deo juseyo).
You can ask "카드 돼요?" (Kadeu dwaeyo?) which means "Is card accepted?" Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere across South Korea.
As you leave, it is polite to say "잘 먹었습니다" (Jal meogeosseumnida), which translates to "I ate very well, thank you for the meal!"
Lesson Summary
- Use [Item] + 주세요 to make a polite request.
- Use 먹고 갈게요 for dine-in and 테이크아웃할게요 for takeout.
- Say 저기요! or 여기요! to call a server.
- Use 빼 주세요 to ask for an ingredient to be removed.
- Say 계산할게요 when you are ready to pay.
