Drinking and Eating through the Alleys of Seoul

It was fun, however after having returned home I discovered there was a charge of $121 which is equiv. to 156,385.24 krw. I didn't have enough krw cash so I gave my credit card to the tour guide (Mike). I remember I got some cash from Mike but I don't believe it was a fair amount to cover including our portion..? I just wanted to give the heads up to the readers who're thinking about this tour. I've done many tours in the past, and this was the first tour I had to pay 'cash' on-site on top of the booking $170, even though Mike explained afterwards 'Food wasn't included' in the booking fees...

This tour was awesome! I would have been lost in the markets without Mike. We tried so many delicious things including all the soju you could handle. As a single traveler, this tour was perfect as you make some instant friends. My favorite part was enjoying the tents and all their delights. It was run a bit different as we paid cash at nearly every stop on top of the tour cost so keep that in mind.

If you want to taste the foods of Korea this is a must do. Mike has done all the leg work to find the best places. Places that you won’t find on your own. The food was delicious and we also learned about the market’s history and drink pairings. Thank you for a wonderful tour and evening.

This was the highlight of our trip!
Mike took us through Gwangjang Market hitting the best spots then to some super local spots we would never be able to find in Euljiro. We can confidently say we had the Korean best fried chicken we’ve ever had… and we’ve had a lot. Got to try a whole range of Korean drinks including 6 types of craft makgeolli.

The food and drink tour was epic, but Mike really helped us out with the rest of our trip too. We drank makgeolli at every opportunity thanks to his passion. We were lucky to try some of his recommended spots for cocktails, street food, and meat market KBBQ. All amazing!

It was okay. Hated it when our tour guide then asked for an extra 20K won each on top of this price on the day when we met him. Plus not much food to go around unless you pay extra. I left this food tour super hungry, never a good sign for a food tour. He also made I eat in an alleyway next to the public toilets, I couldn’t handle the smell so went to find my own food elsewhere. Met great people though so that’s nice. The market stalls are not hidden treasures, just regular stalls you’d see on your own anyway. Waste of money.

It was an amazing experience, Mike was fantastic! Highly recommend taking this food tour!!!!! The food and drinks were all delicious, Mike was super knowledge and thought us the history of the food!!

We had 11 people in our group and it was fun! Our tour guide Mike speaks English fluently that made it easy in communications. We got to taste 'raw squirming octopus' and taste of unfamiliar booze... Only one thing we didn't expect was we needed to pay krw as we went unlike other tours that usually include all the expenses. So please don't forget to take krw!

Mike was a great tour guide and showed us all the great places to eat and drink in Seoul. Tried lots of new foods and enjoyed the company of the other guests.

This tour was such a cool experience!! I got to try authentic foods i otherwise would not have been able to or had the courage to do. The group was fun and I enjoyed the food/drinks/ and chance to meet other travellers. The host was personable and made sure we got home safe!
Overall if you’re thinking about this tour just go for it you won’t regret it.

We have done many food trips (small group 2-4) in Asia. All have operated on a model of food provided, but you buy your own alcohol. We would prefer this option but all were booked.

Food portions were very small, with 1 (sometimes 2) plates being shared between the 11. Additional food, 5 plates, were provided at the last stop, however this was a very basic street trader providing mostly offal. Food overall was very basic, small and of a lower quality than we have sourced elsewhere.

We were asked for Wan20,000 cash then an additional Wan14,000 (AUD$40 pp) on top of the tour cost(AUD$136 pp) We could not make the maths work on this (especially as an accountant). There was general disquiet amongst the group but people are reluctant to provide negative feedback.

This tour was high priced given the group size was 11 people, Viator does inform that Alcohol is included but food not (see attached) this is not the case and should be corrected on the site. I am not sure if the provider assumes the rice wine tasting qualifies for this claim?

Prior to this we had completed a 10 hour small group day tour (12 people) of Seoul including hotel pick up/drop off, driver, full guide, all admissions and a full lunch also for AUD$136 pp - there is no comparison to this tour in terms of quality/value for money.

As a solo traveler and first time Seoul it was the best way to really experience the vibe of Korea through food and with a great host. Thanks Mike!

We had a fantastic time! We were late to the arrival spot but I managed to WhatsApp the tour guide and he helped us meet up with the group and join in with 99% of the tour! We had the best evening and learnt so much about the market and different aspects of Korean food culture. I really loved that we got to go to some tiny market stalls who won't be around for much longer as it really shows that the guide loves Seoul and it's culture. Absolutely book this tour at the beginning of your trip as it gives you the confidence to try new food places for the rest of your trip!

My husband and I have traveled all over Asia and Europe and the focus of our trips are always food and drink. What's the point of me telling you this? Well, the point is, Mike's tour has truly been the best tour we've been on. I had high hopes being in Korea and loving Korean food, but I was definitely surprised by the thoughtfully curated itinerary that hit all the must-do experiences I was looking for during my first time in Seoul, and even some I never knew I needed.

Some highlights (though I don't want to ruin all the surprises): he took us through Gwangjang market and pointed out the stalls you wanted to visit as well as the ones to avoid (take note if you plan to return later on in your trip). We got to skip the line and eat dumplings and hand pulled noodles at the Netflix lady's stall, then get an in-depth tutorial on makgeolli with tastings. I especially appreciated that he pointed out landmarks and explained their history along the way. Bonus points: got to see some Kdrama spots. That's not even half of the tour, though.

What I especially liked was the vibe...it was as if your good friend was taking you around their hometown showing you their favorite hidden spots and you were with other like-minded foodie individuals experiencing it together. But, then it was also a choose-your-own-adventure because the group was given recommendations and options in regards to: what do you want to eat, what do you want to drink, how much do you want to spend? We chose all of Mike's recs every time and we were never disappointed. Hopefully, you end up with a great group of people who love food and drink just as much as you do!

I have recommended all my friends take this tour, 1000%

Mike was a great host who bought together a group of 12 strangers and showed us the wonderful back alleys of food and drink that a tourist would not normally experience.

Excellent food tour in Seoul. Very recommended. A lot of fun indeed, especially skip the line facility in most food stall. Thank you, Mike!

Bustling markets were a highlight along with the rice wine (beer) tasting - a great way to hit the ground

Great 3 in 1 experience: food tour, walking/culture tour and pub crawl. Definitely going off the beaten path and experience a more authentic Korea. Our guide, Mike, was attentive and interesting. We also had a great group to hang out with. Definitely one of the highlight of our trip.