What to Eat in Madison: Korean & Japanese Edition 🍜🍚

1. Sol’s on the Square A Korean spot near the Capitol! ✅ Kimchi stew, tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), and bibimbap are delicious. ❌ Their budae jjigae (army stew) is just okay—it has bacon?! 🥓 (Kinda weird tbh) ✅ Korean-style short ribs (galbi) are tasty, but you only get a few pieces for the price. 💡 Dining in > takeout! Last time I went, it was snowing in Madison ❄️, and they played “First Snow” inside… such a vibe. 2. Five Star Korean BBQ Madison’s only Korean BBQ place in downtown (?) 🔥 Only two meat options: pork belly and sliced beef. Fresh but standard. ✅ Their fried pork cutlet don (katsu don) and spicy stir-fried squid 🦑 are AMAZING. The katsu is super crispy and the sauce is 🤤—so good I order it every time I get takeout! 3. K-Pepper (⚠️ Not recommended—quality dropped, menu changed, owner isn’t friendly) I used to go here often—5-6 times in half a year! It’s a bit far from downtown (~15 min drive). ✅ Yukjeon (beef pancake): A must-order! Layers of egg, batter, and beef—so unique and tasty. ✅ Bibimbap: Loaded with cabbage and veggies 🥬 (veggie-lovers will love it!). ✅ Ramyun: Way better than instant noodles—the broth is richer and more flavorful. ✅ Tofu soup (soondubu jjigae): My absolute FAVE❗️I order it almost every time. Packed with ingredients and authentic Korean chili flavor—reminds me of the tofu soup I had in Qingdao. 4. Morris Ramen A cozy ramen-ya 🏮 near the Capitol. ❌ Ramen is just okay (I tried the miso—broth was a bit oily). ✅ But their gyudon (beef bowl) is delicious!! Well-marinated beef with onions underneath. So fragrant and satisfying 🥢. 5. Strings Ramen I used to think Strings only had ramen… until I discovered donburi (rice bowls), sashimi don, and yakisoba! 🍜 Their crab yakisoba (made with real crab meat!) is especially good—way better than their ramen (imo). 6. Ramen Kid I go here so often I forget to take pictures 😅 ✅ Their chicken katsu curry and ebi fry curry are both delicious! ⚠️ The curry is a bit salty though (maybe just my light palate talking!). Let me know your fave spots in Madison! 👇🥰 #MadisonEats #KoreanFood #JapaneseFood #UWMadison #FoodRecs #RamenLover