There’s a pretty old thread on Dave’s–HEY, come back! I feel the same way, but sometimes they have useful info in there. I just got sucked into this 14-page thread called “Ripoff restaurants in Itaewon” that was started in 2009 and noticed that certain places popped up regularly, good and bad. In fact, it’s not a bad thread to find good recommendations.

I normally don’t like to indulge in the negative side (who’m I kidding?). For fun and to risk another libel suit, here’s an unscientific score count on what people thought*:

3 Alley Pub +4   -1   +/- 2   (mostly personal issues with the owners)

Ali Baba’s +1   -1

Burger King +1

Cafe Istanbul +1

Chef Meili +1

Chili King +4

Evergreen +1

Flying Pan Blue +2

Foreign Restaurant +2   -2   +/-1

Gecko’s Garden +1

Gecko’s Terrace +4

Ho Lee Chow +2   -1

Hollywood Grill +4

Hooris? Hoors? +1

Kraze Burger +1   -7

La Bocca +2

La Tavola +1

Marakech Nights +4

Meili Delicatessen -1   +2   +/-1 (expensive and portions small but good quality)

Mignon +1

Moghul +1

My Chelsea -1

My China +/-1

My Thai +1   +/-1

Mystery Filipino place behind Suji’s +1

Nashville +5   -1

O Kitchen 2 +1

Pancho’s -9   +/-1

Pattaya +1

Petra (the original) +3

Petra Kebabs +1

Pharaoh’s +1

Pizza Peel +1

Quizno’s +1

Richard Copycat’s All-American Diner +6   -9   +/-3   (mostly negative about service)

Rocky Mountain Tavern +1   -1   +/-1

Saigon Grill +2

Salam +2

Sam Ryan’s +3

Santorini +5   -10

Seoul Pub +1   -1

Smokey Saloon +3   -8   +/-1

Sortino’s +1   -1

Steff Hot Dog +/-1

Subway +2

Suji’s +1   -6   +/-1   (mostly complaints about the price, which have gone down)

Sultan Kebab +1

Sunny Days 뉴샵 -1

Taj Palace +2

Tartine +2

Thai Garden +1

Thai Orchid +2

Tony’s Aussie Bar & Bistro +1   -1

Trevia +/-1

Uzmania -1

Wazwam +1

The Wolfhound +11  -2   +/-1

Zelen +2

Not exactly in Itaewon but mentioned:

Taco Amigos (HBC) +1   +/-1

Brooklyn Burger (Soraemaul) +1

Buddha’s Belly (HBC) +1

Bun Street +1

Dos Tacos +1

Freshness Burger +1

Istanbul (Daehangno, Hyehwa) +1

Jacoby’s (HBC) +1   -1

Lion Subs (chain) +1

Millennium Seoul Hilton +1

Namaste (chain) +1

Oktoberfest (Gangnam) +1

On the Border +1

Pops Cool (Apgujeong) +2

Philly Cheese Steaks (HBC) -1

The Silk Road (Hongdae) -1

Table 8 (HBC) +1

Taco Chili Chili (HBC) +4   -1

Thunder Burger (HBC) +1   -1

Tomatillo +1

Tony Roma’s +3

*Some of the places I had to apply deductive logic to their descriptions. Others that were too vague (“the new Mexican restaurant”) were just skipped. Also a few of these may not be in business anymore. If I wasn’t sure I erred on the side that they still existed.

What do you think are some rip-offs? What places would you recommend?