Nakseo Pajeon

Located at the end of Pajeon Alley near Hoegi Station, Nakseo Pajeon was famous for its large, crispy haemul pajeon (seafood pancake) stuffed with octopus. The term “pancake” may have been inaccurate, as the haemul pajeon served here was thick, crispy, and crunchy.

Nakseo Pajeon was well known for serving up some of the best pajeon in Seoul after being featured on many television shows. The restaurant, hidden away on Pajeon Alley, served up the tasty dish for more than 20 years.

Walking into the restaurant, the first thing visitors noticed was the tight fit and low ceiling. Taller visitors, or even those of average height, had to bend over a little bit to walk.

The restaurant had the normal table and chair option, but most people chose to remove their shoes and sit on the floor at low tables. Unfortunately, there were no cushions, which could be a little uncomfortable. During the cold winter months, visitors were happy to find that the floor was heated. To make the visit more enjoyable, many people ordered a bottle of makgeolli and relaxed.

Visitors may also have noticed the interesting markings on the wall. Nakseo in Korean means scribble, which makes sense as there are scribbles of ink all over the walls inside the restaurant.

Most people came here for the famous haemul pajeon. One of the best things about Nakseo Pajeon was that visitors could hear and smell their food being fried and cooked in the back until it was nice, crispy, and hot.

If you ordered the haemul pajeon, this dish was massive and filling. It could easily feed about 2-3 hungry people. The crust of the pajeon was perfectly crispy, with the edges slightly burnt. For anyone who had never had pajeon before, the crust somewhat resembled the taste of pizza crust.

Complementing the crispy crust was the chewy inside of the pancake, which was packed with large pieces of octopus and sliced green onions. Every single bite has some pieces of octopus, which has a hint of saltiness.

To enhance the flavor of each bite, diners dipped each piece of the pajeon into the mixture of soy sauce and diced white onions.

Nakseo Pajeon was a little off the tourist trail, but that was what made it great. It was worth the trek for one of the best and crispiest haemul pajeon in all of Seoul.

Last Updated on May 3, 2026