Best-of Guides Seoul

Seoul's Best Gejang restaurants

3 Restaurants

What’s the first Korean food that comes to mind when you hear the term “rice thief?” Now used to describe a wide variety of dishes, the word originally refers to ganjang-gejang or soy sauce marinated crab.

Updated on 20 February 2024

There are various theories on its origin. Although first mentioned in a 17th-century book covering the diet and recipes of the Joseon Dynasty, this folk dish has an even longer history and has remained one of the country’s representative fermented dishes.

An abundant harvest of blue crabs and diverse local ingredients, coupled with the advancement of food preservation, has helped Korea’s southwestern coastal region develop a range of crab marinating recipes. A transition from salt marination to soy sauce marination has allowed ganjang-gejang to become a popular national food.

The following are Michelin Restaurants in Seoul, each offering its own version of soy sauce marinated crab with uniquely Korean flavors, accompanied by laver, green laver, and rice, the culinary soulmates of the dish.

Gebangsikdang

17 Seolleung-ro 131-gil, Gangnam-gu, 06060 Seoul

₩ · Gejang

The establishment offers both soy sauce marinated and spicy marinated crab dishes, based on female blue crabs caught in South Jeolla Province. Its specialty soy sauce, fermented with dried seafood and vegetables, adds to the umami flavor profile of the roe-filled, succulent crabs. The CEO, who inherited the restaurant from his parents, is promoting the charm of this traditional dish through diverse business promotion.

Jinmi Sikdang

186-6 Mapo-daero, Mapo-gu, 04207 Seoul

₩₩ · Gejang

In the Mapo area of Seoul, Jinmi Sikdang has long served as the very best place to enjoy soy sauce marinated crab. This old-fashioned single-dish restaurant offers an appealing crab dish that has delighted many foodies with its unique ingredient of characteristically spicy Cheongyang hot chili pepper. Plus, attendant side dishes fill the table, creating a richly textured culinary experience.

Hwa Hae Dang

15 Gukhoe-daero 62-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu, 07236 Seoul

₩₩ · Gejang

The restaurant receives a stable supply of premium quality crabs from its family-owned head branch in Taean. The kitchen’s effort to bring out the inherent flavor and aroma of the crabs culminates in the wholesome and unadulterated taste of its soy sauce marinated crab dish. The combination of refreshing crabs and rice freshly cooked in individual pots is guaranteed to stir your appetite.