The Beastro (CLOSED)

The Beastro serves upscale New American cuisine at Hongdae prices, a steal considering the work that goes into every dish. Brother and sister team Matthew and Catherine Chung grew up around the world before settling in Seoul and eventually starting the Beastro—named for their love of unapologetically hearty ingredients. Matthew has formal culinary training but a soft spot for casual food, so you’ll find crispy fried chicken and buttery biscuits alongside orechiette with pesto and blue cheese. Every last detail is given the highest attention: the chicken is brined for six hours, the pork belly takes 24 hours to cure, braise and compress, they make their own ricotta cheese, and they bake all their bread in house. You can’t go wrong with the fried chicken (seriously), not to mention their cocktail list, but you’ll need several visits to appreciate all the Beastro has to offer—did we mention they serve brunch?