How to Order at a Korean Restaurant Without Speaking Korean

What to Do First When You Sit Down

You can order at Korean restaurant without speaking Korean by checking the table first, then using the call bell, tablet, or menu to start. Most places place one or more items on the table that tell you how ordering works.

• Call bell: A small buzzer or button, often built into the table or mounted on a stand. Press it once when you are ready to order. Do not press it repeatedly.
• Tablet or touchscreen: Some restaurants use a tablet for ordering. Tap through the menu, select your items, and confirm.
• QR code sticker: Scan it with your phone camera. It usually opens a menu and sometimes a full ordering system.
• Paper or laminated menu: Left on the table or in a holder. Flip through it before anyone comes to you.

Banchan — small side dishes like kimchi, bean sprouts, and seasoned vegetables — will arrive automatically with most meals. You did not order them and you do not pay extra for them. Just leave them on the table and eat what you like.

How to Get the Server’s Attention

If there is a call bell, press it once and wait. A staff member will come to your table within a minute or two. This is the standard and expected way to call staff in Korea, so use it without hesitation.

If there is no bell and you need a server, make brief eye contact and raise one hand slightly. You can also say jeogiyo (저기요) in a clear, moderate voice — it means “excuse me” and is the polite, normal way to call a server verbally. Do not snap your fingers or wave aggressively.

In tablet-ordering restaurants, you may never need to call anyone until you want the bill or have a question. Just work through the screen at your own pace.

Simple Phrases You Can Use to Order at a Korean Restaurant

You do not need to speak Korean to order successfully. Pointing and holding up fingers for quantity covers most situations. That said, a handful of short phrases will remove almost all friction and make staff visibly more comfortable helping you.

How to Point, Choose, and Confirm Your Menu Item

Pointing is completely acceptable in Korean restaurants and staff expect it from visitors. Here is a simple sequence that works in almost every situation:

• Open the menu and find a photo or an item name you recognize.
• Point clearly at the item with your index finger and say i-geo ju-se-yo.
• Hold up fingers to show how many portions you want.
• Wait for a nod or a verbal confirmation from the server.

If the menu has only Korean text and no photos, use your phone’s camera translate feature or ask for a recommendation. Many restaurants in cities and tourist areas now include pictures, English subtitles, or both, so do not panic before you have looked carefully.

Some dishes at Korean barbecue restaurants are cooked at the table by staff. If you are unsure whether to cook the meat yourself or wait, watch what the table next to you does. Staff will often step in and cook for you if they see you hesitating.

Banchan Refills, Water, and Other Self-Service Habits

Korean restaurants have a few self-service habits that catch first-time visitors off guard. Once you know them, everything feels logical.

Banchan refills

Banchan — the small side dishes — are free and can usually be refilled at no charge. How you get more depends on the restaurant:

• Self-serve station: Some restaurants have a banchan counter near the kitchen where you take a small dish and serve yourself.
• Ask the server: In sit-down restaurants without a self-serve station, press the call bell and point to the empty dish. Staff will refill it.

Water

Water is almost always free in Korean restaurants. In many places it is self-serve: look for a water dispenser, pitcher, or cups near the entrance or along a side wall. Fill your own cup whenever you like. In more formal or table-service restaurants, a server may bring water automatically or you can ask using the call bell.

Wet wipes or napkins

Many restaurants place a small packet of wet wipes or a napkin dispenser on the table. These are for your hands before eating. Use them freely.

How Payment Usually Works

In the large majority of Korean restaurants, you pay at the counter near the exit when you are done eating. You do not wait for the server to bring a bill to your table. The process looks like this:

• Finish your meal and gather your belongings.
• Walk to the front counter or cashier area.
• The staff will pull up your order total.
• Pay by card or cash. Most restaurants accept major credit and debit cards.
• Leave. No tip is needed or expected.

A small number of restaurants — particularly higher-end or Western-style places — will bring the bill to your table. If you are unsure, watch what other diners do when they finish. If everyone walks to the counter, follow them.

What to Do If the Menu Has No English

This happens, especially outside major tourist areas or in small neighborhood restaurants. You have several practical options:

• Look for photos: Many Korean menus use large food photos even when the text is only in Korean.
• Use Google Translate’s camera: Open a camera translation tool and point your phone at the menu. It overlays a rough translation in real time.
• Ask for a recommendation: Say chu-cheon hae ju-se-yo (추천해 주세요), which means “please recommend something.”
• Look at neighboring tables: If another table has a dish that looks appealing, point at it and say i-geo ju-se-yo.
• Search the restaurant name online: A quick search often brings up photos of the menu or popular dishes.

Common Mistakes First-Time Visitors Make

• Waiting silently for a server who will not come: In many Korean restaurants, staff do not approach until you call them.
• Leaving a tip: Do not. It is not expected and can cause awkward moments.
• Waiting at the table for the bill: In most places, you pay at the counter.
• Ignoring the tablet or QR code: If there is a tablet on the table, that is the intended ordering method.
• Assuming banchan costs extra: It does not.
• Panicking about Hangul on the menu: Use the camera translate feature on your phone.