Korean Phrases for Ordering at a Restaurant in Korea
Korean phrases for ordering at a restaurant cover three beats: getting seated, naming what you want, and asking for something you need mid-meal. Start with 두 명이에요 (du myeongieyo), "We are two people," at the door, then 이거 주세요 (igeo juseyo), "This one, please," when you point at the menu.
- Tell the host your party size: 두 명이에요 (du myeongieyo), "We are two people."
- Order from the menu: 이거 주세요 (igeo juseyo), "This one, please."
- Ask for water: 물 좀 주세요 (mul jom juseyo), "Some water, please."
- Request the bill: 계산서 주세요 (gyesanseo juseyo), "The bill, please."
How do you get seated without guessing?
Most Korean restaurants greet you at the entrance before you walk to a table. The host needs a number, not a long story.
- Say how many people: 세 명이에요 (se myeongieyo) for three, 혼자예요 (honjayeoyo) if you are alone.
- Wait to be led to a table or follow the gesture toward an open seat.
- If the menu is on the wall, read it while standing — many places expect you to order at the counter first.
- Sit down and say 물 좀 주세요 if no water arrives within a minute.
- When you are ready to pay, catch the staff eye and say 계산서 주세요.
| Situation | Say this |
|---|---|
| Two people | 두 명이에요 (du myeongieyo) |
| Point and order | 이거 주세요 (igeo juseyo) |
| Not spicy | 안 매운 걸로 주세요 (an maeun geollo juseyo) |
| Extra side dish | 이거 더 주세요 (igeo deo juseyo) |
| Pay by card | 카드로 할게요 (kadeuro halgeyo) |
Practice this out loud with SULSUL — the app says it, you repeat it →
What does the staff say back?
Replies stay short. Listen for 네 (ne), "yes," or a follow-up about spice level.
You: 두 명이에요. — du myeongieyo. — "We are two people."
Them: 이쪽으로 앉으세요. — ijjogeuro anjeuseyo. — "Please sit this way."
You: 감사합니다. — gamsahamnida. — "Thank you."
If they ask 매운 거 괜찮으세요? (maeun geo gwaenchanseuseyo?), "Is spicy food okay?" answer 네, 괜찮아요 (ne, gwaenchanayo) or 안 매운 걸로 주세요 (an maeun geollo juseyo). One clear answer beats a long explanation.
What usually goes wrong at the table?
Learners often wait silently for someone to take an order when the staff expects you to call 여기요 (yeogiyo), a polite "excuse me" that gets attention without shouting. Practice it once before you need it.
A second mistake is mixing up 주세요 (juseyo), "please give me," with 할게요 (halgeyo), "I will do it" — 계산할게요 (gyesanhalgeyo) means "I will pay," while 계산서 주세요 asks for the bill. If you already ordered Korean BBQ elsewhere, the post on Korean phrases for Korean BBQ covers grill-specific lines like scissors and refills.
Say it out loud, not just in your head
Reading 이거 주세요 on your phone is not the same as saying it while a waiter is standing over your table.
SULSUL is a speaking gym for exactly that moment: pick a survival pattern, say it out loud, get an instant fix from the AI pronunciation coach, then run the real situation as a mission. The 100-pattern PDF workbook comes along as a bonus.
