For days you crave steamed blue crab in Seoul: a restaurant guide by neighborhood

If you searched because you wanted blue crab but only ganjang gejang (soy-marinated raw crab) and crab soup restaurants came up, this time start with places that list steamed blue crab (꽃게찜) as a separate menu. Distinguishing between a spicy seafood jjim that happens to include crab and a jjim ordered with crab at the center also makes it easier to choose the meal you want.

To two restaurants in Majang-dong (마장동) we added candidates in Balsan (발산), Nagwon-dong (낙원동) and Sagajeong (사가정). Each entry carries the differences worth knowing before you order, such as places that separate the spicy yangnyeom-jjim from the plain-boiled baeksuk, and places with a mixed jjim where you eat monkfish and blue crab together. We matched the addresses and map locations so you can set a meeting spot with the route and the menu in view.

The restaurant photos are publicly available photos of each venue and are not examples guaranteeing a fixed makeup of the steamed crab or the amount served on the day. Since the makeup can change with the crab supply, the size and the menu you choose, it's a good idea to confirm whether steamed blue crab is available and the current price before visiting.

First narrow down the neighborhoods you can get to, then decide whether you want crab alone or crab with monkfish, and whether you want the spicy yangnyeom-jjim or the plain baeksuk. Even at the same crab restaurant, steamed, soup and baeksuk may be listed as separate menus, so it helps to say the exact name when you order.

Even when the size labels are the same, the number of people they're meant for and the number of crabs are not the same from restaurant to restaurant. Tell them how many are in your party and check the sizes and prices currently available and the extra rice or meal options. For a gathering, it's also worth checking seating and parking in advance. Majang-dong and Nagwon-dong in particular have shops with similar names, so confirm both the name and the street address before heading out.