Ordering Food in Korean: Complete Restaurant Survival Guide
Ordering Food in Korean: The Complete Guide
Ordering at a Korean restaurant is one of the most practical skills you'll use as a Korean learner. Unit 5 of the beginner curriculum focuses specifically on restaurant interactions, covering object markers (을/를), negation (안), counters, and the vocabulary you need to eat well.
Step 1: Getting Seated
When you walk in, the staff will ask:
몇 분이세요? (myeot buniseyo?) — How many people?
Your answer uses Native Korean numbers + 명 (person counter):
- 한 명이요 (han myeong-iyo) — One person
- 두 명이요 (du myeong-iyo) — Two people
- 세 명이요 (se myeong-iyo) — Three people
Step 2: Reading the Menu
Key menu vocabulary:
| Korean | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 메뉴 | Menu | Same as English |
| 인분 | Servings | 2인분 = 2 servings |
| 대/중/소 | Large/Medium/Small | For sizing |
| 세트 | Set meal | Combo |
| 추천 | Recommended | Staff picks |
| 매운맛 | Spicy flavor | Heat warning |
| 원 | Won (currency) | Price unit |
Step 3: Ordering with Object Markers
This is where grammar meets real life. The object marker (을/를) marks what you're ordering:
Pattern: Item + 을/를 + 주세요
- 비빔밥을 주세요 (Bibimbap, please) — 을 after consonant
- 커피를 주세요 (Coffee, please) — 를 after vowel
With quantities, add a number + counter:
- 비빔밥 두 개 주세요 (Two bibimbap, please)
- 물 한 잔 주세요 (One glass of water, please)
- 소주 한 병하고 맥주 두 잔 주세요 (One bottle of soju and two glasses of beer, please)
Common Counters for Restaurants
| Counter | Used For | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 개 (gae) | General items | 김밥 세 개 (3 kimbap) |
| 잔 (jan) | Cups/glasses | 커피 한 잔 (1 cup of coffee) |
| 병 (byeong) | Bottles | 소주 한 병 (1 bottle of soju) |
| 그릇 (geureut) | Bowls | 국 한 그릇 (1 bowl of soup) |
| 인분 (inbun) | Servings | 삼겹살 2인분 (2 servings of pork belly) |
Step 4: Special Requests
Saying What You Don't Want (안)
Use 안 to negate:
- 고수 안 넣어 주세요 (Please don't add cilantro)
- 너무 맵지 않게 해 주세요 (Please make it not too spicy)
Requesting More
- 반찬 더 주세요 (More side dishes, please) — banchan refills are free
- 물 좀 주세요 (Some water, please) — 좀 softens the request
Asking About Ingredients
- 이거 뭐예요? (What is this?)
- 고기 들어 있어요? (Does it have meat?)
- 안 매운 거 있어요? (Do you have something not spicy?)
Step 5: During the Meal
Useful phrases while eating:
- 맛있어요! (It's delicious!) — The compliment servers love to hear
- 매워요 (It's spicy) — Stating the obvious at most Korean restaurants
- 배불러요 (I'm full)
- 이거 맛있어요, 뭐예요? (This is delicious, what is it?)
Step 6: Paying
- 계산이요 (Check, please) — Or just walk to the counter
- 카드 돼요? (Can I pay by card?)
- 현금만 돼요 (Cash only) — Less common now but still exists
- 영수증 주세요 (Receipt, please)
And the culturally important closing:
잘 먹었습니다 (jal meogeotseumnida) — Thank you for the meal
This literally means "I ate well" and is said to whoever prepared or paid for the food. It's not optional — skipping it is considered rude.
Practice on Chamelingo
Unit 5 includes complete restaurant dialogue exercises where you order food, use counters correctly, and practice object markers in context. The dialogue completion exercises put you in realistic scenarios — the AI tutor Minju is especially good at roleplaying restaurant situations, and she'll correct your counter usage if you mix up 잔 and 병. The pronunciation karaoke exercises help you nail the rhythm of ordering phrases so you sound natural, not like you're reading from a textbook.
Review all the food and dining words in our vocabulary reference, and practice the -주세요 request pattern that you'll use every time you order -- from 물 주세요 to 계산서 주세요.