GidePass Lens · South Korea
Korean menu translator: dishes, portions and ordering in South Korea
Keep the Korean name, the English explanation and the portion together. Hangul, a price and a short question are often more useful at the table than a long translation with the original dish name missing.
GidePass · Reviewed
Hangul belongs beside the translation
A useful result keeps 비빔밥 next to its explanation instead of replacing it with “rice dish”. You can then point to the same name staff see on the menu. Include any preparation word, quantity and price in the photo. If a stylised or handwritten line cannot be read, take a closer picture or ask staff rather than accepting a guessed dish.
Broth and side dishes need their own question
VISITKOREA describes a table with rice, soup, main dishes and banchan. These are useful categories, not ingredient guarantees. A vegetable-looking side or a stew name does not establish its complete recipe. Ask about stock, sauces and additions when they affect your choice, and ask the kitchen directly about dietary requirements.
Check servings before confirming barbecue or a shared dish
Read 1인분 as one serving and keep it beside its price. Ask whether a minimum order applies and whether rice or other additions are included. Do not translate a price per serving into a price for the whole table. A country guide cannot determine a particular restaurant’s serving size or minimum order from a dish name.
Call bells, kiosks and staff
The Korean tourism organisation describes call bells and increasing use of self-service and ordering machines. Look at the setup in the restaurant you visit. Ask for help if a kiosk has no language option you can use. When you photograph a menu, capture the food section; avoid including another customer’s order details or payment screen.
Keep won prices and the original order
Preserve the ₩ symbol or 원 label and the amount as shown. Use the original Korean name when showing your chosen dish. Ask whether a dish is spicy rather than assuming a mild-looking photo proves it. Country-wide Lens camera coverage remains pending validation; the prepared example below explains the reading method without analysing a photograph.
Useful phrases for your meal
- 메뉴판 주세요.
- The menu, please.
- 이거 하나 주세요.
- One of this, please.
- 이 음식은 매운가요?
- Is this dish spicy?
- 이 음식에는 무엇이 들어가나요?
- What does this dish contain?
- 계산해 주세요.
- The bill, please.
PREPARED EDITORIAL EXAMPLE
Keep the original name, price and question together
These invented menu lines and prices illustrate what to check. They are not a live Lens scan, a real restaurant menu or a claim of current local prices.
비빔밥
₩10,000Bibimbap · mixed rice dish
Fictional example: ask which toppings, sauce and other additions are used.
된장찌개
₩9,000Soybean paste jjigae
Confirm the broth, additions and whether rice is included.
삼겹살 · 1인분
₩16,000Pork belly · one serving
Confirm serving weight and any minimum order. This amount is not a local-price survey.
Sources and further reading
Food examples describe common preparations. Restaurant recipes, portions and charges vary.