Seoul Garden at Bugis Junction is the Bugis outpost of Singapore's pioneer Korean dining chain, serving an international Korean grill and hotpot buffet since the brand first opened its doors in 1983. Tucked into the mall at 200 Victoria Street, it pairs the convenience of one of the island's busiest shopping districts with an all-you-can-eat format built around a signature 2-in-1 experience: a smokeless grill and a steaming hotpot at your table.
The buffet is arranged in tiers - Regular, Premium and Supreme - so diners can choose how far up the menu they want to go, with higher tiers unlocking premium grill cuts like kalbi beef shortplate, steakcut sirloin, US beef short ribs and wagyu. Every buffet price includes a choice of soup base, from fiery kimchi jjigae and tomyum to a nourishing ginseng-abalone broth, and the spread spans Korean and wider Asian flavours: marinated meats for the grill, clams, mussels, dumplings and fresh vegetables for the steamboat.
As a halal-certified grill and hotpot buffet, Seoul Garden is a popular pick for mixed groups, family celebrations and corporate gatherings, and the chain has built its reputation as a venue for marking occasions - birthdays, reunions and office dinners alike. Children under five dine free, and there are dedicated discounts for kids, students, seniors and national servicemen. Reservations can be made online, making it an easy choice for a big table in the heart of Bugis.
On the second floor of Bugis Junction, along one of Singapore's busiest shopping corridors, Seoul Garden has been filling tables with the smell of marinating meat and bubbling broth. The branch at 200 Victoria Street, #02-52, carries the flag of a brand that is often called the pioneer of Korean dining concepts in Singapore, one that has been at it since 1983.
The formula that made the name is deceptively simple: an all-you-can-eat buffet where every table gets both a smokeless grill and a hotpot. Diners help themselves to the spread, grill what they fancy, simmer what they don't, and keep going until they can't. The restaurant brands it the 2-in-1 experience, and it is the reason Seoul Garden has endured for more than four decades while other buffet concepts have come and gone.
Seoul Garden marked its 41st anniversary in 2024, and the group behind it has grown into a household name across Southeast Asia - more than 68 outlets across six countries, spanning Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Brunei and Vietnam. Alongside the flagship buffet brand are sister concepts Seoul Garden HOTPOT and Seoul Garden Korbi Grill, but the grill-and-hotpot buffet remains the heart of the group.
That longevity shows in who walks through the door. Regulars include families marking birthdays, students on a budget, colleagues on a long lunch, and tour groups who want Korean and Asian flavours in one sitting. It is also a halal-certified grill and hotpot buffet, which makes it one of the most reliable spots in the area for groups of mixed dietary backgrounds - a point the restaurant itself makes when pitching for corporate events that need to cater to all races.
Every buffet includes a choice of soup base, and the line-up runs from spicy to soothing. On the spicy side: kimchi jjigae, described by the restaurant as "Seoul-fully satisfying"; tomyum, "the fiery and unforgettable"; and a rich, umami Korean soyabean jjigae. If heat isn't the goal, there's a nourishing ginseng-abalone broth, a milky fish soup recommended for seafood lovers, and a comforting mushroom and seaweed option.
The grill selection covers the classics - bulgogi lamb, spicy bulgogi chicken, teriyaki chicken, hot and spicy chicken, black pepper beef, kimchi dory and tomyum prawn. The steamboat side of the table brings asari clams, black mussels, chicken and prawn dumplings, seafood cheese tofu, prawns, golden mushrooms, Korean tang hoon and fresh greens.
The buffet is tiered. Regular covers the core spread; Premium and Supreme unlock the heavier hitters: smoked duck, toman fish, salmon fillet, bulgogi lamb chop, kalbi beef shortplate, steakcut sirloin, US beef short ribs, wagyu karubi, Wagyu Marushin and steakcut lamb. One thing worth knowing before you order: premium and supreme tiers apply to everyone at the table, so upgrade decisions are a group affair.
Seoul Garden has built much of its business on celebration. Outlets seat anywhere from 130 to 300 depending on the location, and the group actively courts corporate bookings, hosting events for up to 150 people at one go and accepting GeBIZ and Vendor@Gov reservations for government-related functions. For everyone else, online reservations are available and are a sensible move on weekends.
Sessions run in two blocks on weekdays: lunch from 11.30am to just before 4pm, and dinner from 4pm to 10.30pm. Weekends and public holidays run as a single all-day session from 11.30am to 10.30pm. Children under five dine free, and there are discounts for kids aged five to twelve, students, seniors and national servicemen - bring proof of identification for those. Weekday lunch is the most affordable session, which regulars guard as something of an open secret.
Come hungry, pace yourself, and split your strategy between the grill and the pot - that's how four decades of Singaporeans have done it.