Lacto
Korean
Panchan (side dishes), soups, vegetable dishes, traditional music & dance. Vegan except for a lassi drink. Started by a former monk. In Insadong area, mid way between the two ends of Insadong St, in a small street in between Insadong 8-Gil and Insadong 6-Gil adjacent to Insadong-gil. 고풍스럽고 자연친화적인 인테리어가 특색있는 한옥 구조의 사찰음식 전문점입니다. 온돌방에서 식사가 가능하며, 식사로 한정식 코스요리가 제공됩니다. 저녁에는 한국 전통 음악과 춤 공연을 즐길 수 있습니다. 가격은 점심코스 33,000원, 저녁코스 45,000원 입니다(17년 3월 기준). NOTE: Reported that caged birds are on site. Open Mon-Sun 11:30am-10:00pm.
140 Reviews
First Review by veganqwert
Tedward
Points +128
As much a cultural as a food experience - Edit
Went with an omni. We both felt the food was ok, but by no means was did it blow us away. That said, we got alot of food and did not leave hungry. Considering the price (around $45 per person), we would not go twice.
Read moreWhat makes this place cool is the cultural experience. They have a traditional Korean dance and drum show, presumably each night.
Guest
itslizmiu
Points +346
Great Temple Food Experience but No Real Hospitality? Ooh *controversial* - Edit
OOOOH this might be controversial but Sanchon is perhaps a little overrated. Keyword: perhaps! Don't get me wrong! Worth a visit here if you're in Seoul. The food itself is definitely is a beautiful experience, it's all served so beautifully and the portions are generous. While I personally thought it was worth the money, I probably won't return.
Read moreThe only real negative is that it feels like it runs a bit like clockwork, with no real heart. The story of the restaurant opening is beautiful but now I feel like it just churns through the tourists - I'm writing this a week after our visit because now we've spent some time here, in hindsight, the service was a bit dry and rushed.
Another negative is that some dishes are truly a bit average, but the portions (especially the 3rd course) are large, so you don't leave hungry!
Still all in all, it's a solid 3/5. I'm pretty sure you'll see what I mean when you visit. You'll probably have a better time if you visit early in your trip. I think after visiting a lot of other vegan restaurants with great service and food you might be sorely disappointed and feel ripped off.
Updated from previous review on 2019-09-27
Pros: Big portions (3rd course), A unique temple food experience
Cons: Some food is average, Service: felt like we were rushed a little
Guest
CapybaraLoaf
Points +300
Good but pricey - Edit
The experience is interesting but expensive if you don't get to see the show. We got there a bit late, around 9pm so the show was over, and we were the last people starting the meal and finishing it. They didn't rush us much but the courses were coming too close to each other, they would put aside the "left overs" before adding new plates so we could eat either. Then when the rest of the people left they turned off the lights everywhere but in the area of our table and the area to pay, which was a bit unwelcoming but not too bad. You will end up so full of food. We didn't like everything, some stuff had very weird texture... but some others were more than great, and overall is a good experience. The staff doesn't speak much English so you might be confused at first, because they give you a menu and you think you have to actually choose the plates... but nope, the dishes will come to you one after the other, haha.
Read moreThe only really off-putting thing for me was hearing a bird singing, which I didn't see but I guess it was somewhere in a cage... I don't like that idea and maybe other people would feel the same.
Updated from previous review on 2019-10-13
Pros: A lot of food, some plates are very tasty, nice ambience
Cons: Might be a caged bird somewhere, they rush you a bit if you start your meal late, pricey
Guest
NicoleZeliaRoy
Points +351
A very special experience! - Edit
My family, friends and I thoroughly enjoyed our evening at Sanchon. We were served a vast array of delicious vegan Korean dishes and the presentation of the food was beautiful. The decor was charming and the live entertainment was lovely.
Read morePros: Traditional local cuisine , Charming decor, Live entertainment
Cons: Expensive
Guest
Verowendyb
Points +58
Nice but overpriced and over rated - Edit
We had higher expectations from this place to be honest. It is expensive but I dont mind to pay more for quality. However here I didn’t feel it was worth it. As it is mentioned in many comments, there is lots of food so we definitely didn’t leave hungry. Some dishes are delicious, others are just good.
Read moreWe were excited to see the show that is included in the price (45.000 Korean Won per person for dinner). Everywhere they say it starts at 8pm. When we arrived at 7.30, the show was already on because of a bigger group and all finished at 8pm. We dont know how much of the show we missed but it was really disappointing because we were really looking forward to this. Most of our dishes we ate after the show. I wish they told us when I made a reservation via phone.
Pros: Lots of food, The show (if we saw it all)
Cons: Expensive , Didnt inform us about the change of time for shwo
itslizmiu
Totally agreed, a little overrated - lots of food but all just ... good.
Read moreGuest
AmandaDority
Points +54
Such an amazing and unique experience! - Edit
There is a reason this is voted one of the top 10 restaurants in Asia! Amazing food (completely ignore the disrespectful and closed minded comment below about the food being “gooey” - some people don’t know how to have a good time no matter where they are!). The atmosphere was breathtaking with tons of unique decorations. The live dance performance at 8pm was amazing and you can take pictures with the dancers afterwards! Our waiter had the cutest little bird just perched on his shoulder! And there is SO much food so the price is actually REALLY reasonable, we left feeling like we should have paid more. Overall a 10/10 experience hands down.
Read morePros: Friendly and quirky waiter (had a bird on him!), Beautiful and authentic live dance performance , Stunning plating and amazing atmosphere
Guest
Mandy_Fu
Points +4835
Expensive but worth trying once - Edit
We went in the evening.
Read moreServed 4 courses of food. Which we couldn’t manage to finish. Lots of things to try, some delicious but others are an acquired taste. At least worth trying if you can afford it.
Updated from previous review on 2019-08-07
Pros: 1 menu, Wine included during evening
Cons: Too expensive, Didn’t enjoy every dish
Guest
loubylou
Points +90
Experience - Edit
The restaurant setting is beautiful with traditional Korean temple food and the amount they bring is huge; it's not the cheapest at ₩45000 a head but totally worth it as there is so much food, it includes a glass of wine, various teas and a traditional Korean dance performance at 8pm (we had our table reserved for 7pm which worked well but our view was blocked as we were sat on one of the back tables). The wait staff were lovely and friendly and the food was varied and delicious!
Read moreGuest
CaptainVegan
Points +28
Don’t believe the hype! - Edit
It was one of the worst meals we had in South Korea - and as a bonus feature it was also by far the most expensive..
Read moreAlmost all the dishes were tasteless and bland and some of them even tasted horrible. Most of them were gooey. The best thing was the free glass of red wine and the pre-meal pinetree drink.
We arrived just after the show and got no introduction to the set menu, which they just started placing in front of us with no explanation about the dishes or concept at all. We had to rush through the dishes as they were very eager to close at 10 pm sharp, and we were asked to pay during the meal. The cherry on top was that the waiter was really awkward and the room was full of fruit flies.
We’ve had so many great Korean vegan meals in Seoul and Busan, but this was definitely not one of them! Totally overrated, too expensive, and we would’ve rated it with 1 star only if Happycow would have let us.
Pros: Free wine (1 glass)
Cons: The food, The price, The staff
Guest
Plume5085
Points +853
MUST VISIT - Edit
Absolutely amazing! There was so much food and all the dishes were so delicious. It's a great way to discover the Korean/Buddhist cuisine. I also recommend going for dinner around 8pm to see the free show (traditional Korean dance). The wine was free too! I ate so much I couldn't move at the end. So so so amazing!
Read moreGuest
nagemi
Points +61
Amazing food and setting - Edit
I arrived mid-afternoon and was ushered in to wash my hands and sit down. After ten minutes I was the only customer remaining, but at no point was I rushed. Little did I know how many dishes I would have to eat my way through! It was brilliant and I’d definitely like to return to experience the performance and ambience of a full restaurant.
Read moreGuest
cheehay
Points +122
Amazing experience - Edit
I came here for the dinner. There is a traditonal korean performance at 8pm. The restaurant is beautiful. There is only the set menu and they will start bringing the food out shortly after you sit down. Make sure you are hungry because it is actually a lot of food despite how tiny the portions look.
Read moreGuest
RobertMiller
Points +26
Must Go for Seoul Vegans - Edit
This restaurant is absolutely stunning. The set meal is an astounding amount of food for the price, with a variety of flavours, and the whole place is gorgeous. Very thoughtful, delicious experience.
Read moreGuest
HelenHaeryounGi
Points +5079
The Best Urban Temple Food 서울 최고의 도심 사찰음식 - Edit
[Eng/Kor] Sanchon was my favorite “vegan temple” food restaurant since i was a young girl. Simple, Humble, Stylish cuisine won’t let you down. One of the best urban temple restaurant experience! 산촌은 어려서부터 제가 제일 좋아하던 사찰음식점이에요. 30년 넘게 한 자리에서 사찰음식을 고집스레 지켜온 곳이랍니다. 가격이 싸지는 않지만 음식 자체는 고유의 맛을 살린 아주 겸손한 식단입니다. 절대 후회하지 않을거에요. 멋진 사찰음식을 경험할 수 있거든요.
Read more~Florence~
Definitely one of the best. I enjoyed it SO much! ❤️
Read moreGuest
vegan_runner_iain
Points +154
Authentic vegan Korean food - Edit
Excellent food in and lovely setting. A vast selection of dishes when you choose the dinner menu. Tasty veg all round 🇰🇷💚🌱
Read moreGuest
~Florence~
Points +2343
MUST TRY in Seoul - Edit
We had the lunch menu. The food was more than delicious; all the textures and tastes went perfectly with eachother, and created a real taste sensation, even when some flavours were subtle. I'm a big fan of the mushroom skewers and mushroom pancake. The rice wine was one of the best I've ever tasted.
Read moreBe careful with some banchan (side dishes), they can be HOT.
The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the last dish (dessert). I was expecting/craving something sweet, but the flavors were savory. The cold cinnamon tea was perfect to end the lunch with though. This place should definitely be on your list when visiting Seoul!
Pros: Taste sensations, Ambiance
Guest
LarissaTorres
Points +104
Amazing food, please try the fried dumplings 🥟 🤤 - Edit
I was supposed to have lunch at another vegan place but they needed a reservation so I wasn’t able to eat there. But fortunately this place was very nearby, in a cute lane and I’m happy I went there😄
Read moreThere are foreigners as well and they even have a delicious vegan croissant 😊
Pros: Cozy , Delicious food , Great atmosphere
Cons: You need to call staff to take your order
BrendaStolwijk
Hey,
Read moreIt looks like the review you wrote is for Oh se gae hyang and not for Sanchon. Could you check? Sanchon doesn't have a-la-carte just a set menu.
Guest
SuzyJones
Points +681
Nice dinner - Edit
The food is presented really well, the staff all speak English, there were so many dishes! The dinner cost 45,000krw and the lunch was 33,000krw. With dinner you got a free glass of wine. The dessert I think contains honey but otherwise all vegan tasting menu, with good tasting food.
Read moreGuest
akna
Points +702
Well worth the money - Edit
In my opinion the food itself deserves five stars. We went there on evening we were in Seoul and spent a few hours at the restaurant. A bit tricky to find, just look out for the signs when walking trough the alleys of Insadong. The place is lovely decorated, restrooms available and you can choose whether you want to sit on chairs or on the floor. We had the dinner menu. Many courses and everything was just delicious. Some bits were too spicy for my liking, but most things were absolutely fine. Staff were quick. It‘s quite pricey, but they serve several courses and quality is great. The only reason I don‘t rate them as five stars is that I would have loved some more information with regards to each course. The staff spoke English, but didn‘t really give much information. The evening we went there was a traditional dance performance at 8pm for half an hour which was a lovely surprise. Highly recommend!
Read moreGuest
naturallyemmablog
Points +236
A great experience - Edit
A fantastic experience - so many courses and we tried many new things!! The traditional dances at 8pm were also great to see
Read morePros: Great experience , Traditional dance
Cons: Expensive , We didn’t like every single item of food
Guest
MehulRana
Points +116
Dinner and a show - Edit
Very unique food
Read moreI've never had anything quite like it, the set meal was massive and for me it was a little too much to pick from in a single sitting (I get overwhelmed). If you're ok with that open to trying new things and seeing a few dances that were elegant, then this is the place for you
If you can try to sit on the floor with the lower tables
Pros: Good portion size and affordably priced
Cons: Not many oprions
Guest
vibrantveganista
Points +270
Great food, service not so great - Edit
I came here three times whilst in Korea and had the veg noodles and the bibimbap twice. First time service was good but the last time they only bought my friends bibimbap and not mine then they only bought out half the dishes that go with it. I waited so long I could not be bothered to ask again with the language barrier. They do not speak English here, so this made a straightforward situation a lot more difficult. I enjoyed the meal throughly when I had it the first time though. Just a shame they do not have dolsot.
Read morePros: Good food, Cheap
Guest
michelhrv
Points +40
Unique experience ! - Edit
This is the most incredible evening of my trip! A vegan 16 course Korean menu with a Korean dance show in an very nice traditional place! You only got one evening in Seoul ? Just don’t even try elsewhere!
Read morePros: Menu unique vegan, High class
Guest
PatriciaJacquet
Points +94
Un repas traditionnel Coréen délicieux! - Edit
Un accueil très chaleureux, ici on vous propose de vous laver les mains et d’ôter vos chaussures à peine arrivé! Le repas est traditionnel et 100% vegan, un vrai régal pour les yeux et le palais!!
Read moreChaque plat est présenté et expliqué en détail, ainsi que la manière de le manger, ce qui permet d’en apprendre un peu plus sur la culture Coréenne.
Le petit spectacle de danse traditionnelle est bien sympathique également!
Attention dîner très copieux 😅
Guest
georgia.madeleine
Points +128
temple dining with beautiful ambience! - Edit
this place is really a must! the restaurant itself is truly beautiful, and the food was absolutely delicious. we made a reservation for 7pm so we could watch the dance performance at 8pm - totally worth it! the staff were kind, and the performance was wonderful. will definitely return!
Read morePros: delicious food, beautiful atmosphere , korean dance performance!
Guest
HeresJimi
Points +35
Experience !!! - Edit
I was in South Korea on business. I asked the company's interpreter where can get a Vegan dinner. She told me about SanChon Korean Temple. So I ask her to join me.
Read moreIt was a good thing I had a local because this place is hidden. Getting there was part of the fun.
We sat on the mats on the floor. I was very cold outside and the floor was heated.
The show was Korean folk dancers and drum. A great cultural experience.
The dinner is an event of many flavors I have never had before.
I totally recommend the full dinner experience.
Guest
esjay
Points +49
Not worth the hunt - Edit
The food was mediocre and the service was not pleasant
Read moreGuest
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