Dining etiquette

No need to be perfect — the staff are happy you came. These help.

Japan · At a sushi bar

• 🍣

  Dip the fish, not the rice

  Tip the nigiri sideways and touch just the fish to the soy sauce; rice soaks it up and falls apart. If the chef has already brushed on sauce, eat it as is.

• ✋

  Hands are fine

  Nigiri may be eaten by hand or with chopsticks — the hot towel is for your fingers. Use chopsticks for sashimi.

• 😋

  Eat it right away, in one bite

  Nigiri is served at its ideal temperature, so take photos quickly and eat promptly. Each piece is made to be eaten in one bite.

• 📷

  Ask before taking photos

  Some restaurants don't allow photos, so ask first, and avoid capturing other guests or the chef. The help card can ask for you: 'May I take a photo?'

• 🌸

  Skip strong perfume

  Sushi has delicate aromas, so strong perfume is considered impolite at the counter.

• 🫚

  Ginger cleanses the palate

  Pickled ginger (gari) refreshes your mouth between pieces. Refills are usually free.

• 💴

  No tipping

  Japan has no tipping custom. If you leave money, staff may chase you to return it.

• 📅

  Keep reservations — or cancel early

  Small restaurants buy fish for the number of guests booked. If you will be late or can't come, tell them early — no-shows are a serious loss.

• 🏷️

  'Jika' means market price

  Jika on a menu means the price depends on that day's market. If unsure, ask the price before ordering or tell them your budget.

South Korea · At seafood restaurants and fish markets

• 🐟

  Market sashimi: pick it, then eat upstairs

  At fish markets like Jagalchi, you choose and buy fish on the ground floor, then eat it at a restaurant upstairs or nearby. The restaurant charges separately for preparing it and the table (sangcharimbi), plus side dishes and soup. Fish is priced by weight, so check the price per kg and the total before you buy.

• 🥄

  Rice and soup with a spoon; leave the bowl on the table

  In Korea, rice and soup are eaten with a spoon and side dishes with chopsticks. Leave the bowl on the table instead of lifting it (the opposite of Japan). Don't hold the spoon and chopsticks at the same time.

• 🥬

  Side dishes (banchan) are often refilled

  Small side dishes come with your meal. They can usually be refilled for free; some places have a self-service corner. Take only what you can finish.

• 🔔

  It's fine to call the staff

  Say “jeogiyo” (excuse me) or press the call button on the table. Raising your hand is fine too.

• 💳

  Pay at the counter; no tipping

  When you finish, take the bill to the counter and pay there. No tip is needed. Cards are widely accepted.

• 🍶

  Pour drinks for each other

  Traditionally you pour for others rather than for yourself. Use both hands when pouring for, or being poured by, someone older. In front of elders, turn your head slightly away as you drink. Among friends it's relaxed.

• 🍲

  Stews and grills often start at two servings

  Many places only serve stews (jjigae, maeuntang) and grills from two servings up. If you're alone, ask which dishes come as one serving, or choose a set meal (baekban).

• 🌶️

  Check the heat before you order

  Maeuntang (spicy fish soup) and dressed dishes can be very hot. If you don't like spicy food, ask “an maepge hae juseyo” (not spicy, please). Some dishes can't be made mild.

• 🐙

  Chew live octopus (sannakji) well

  Freshly cut, still-moving octopus legs can stick to your throat with their suckers. Ask for small pieces and chew well before swallowing. Skip it after heavy drinking, and for children and the elderly.

Seasons shift with the weather and the catch each year. Ask the restaurant what is in today.