We just returned from three weeks of vacation in Korea and the food tour with Mike was one of our top 3 activities. The tour was on our first full day in Korea and we are so glad we did this first. Mike showed us the ins and outs of Korean street food and exposed us to things we never would have tried. For example, still-moving raw octopus, marinated crab, sea pineapple, fish jerky, and the full range of delicious makgeolli. It was only our family of 4 on the tour, us and our two kids (14 and 12). They are adventurous eaters and tried everything (well, except the makgeolli). Mike engaged them and made them feel they weren't just tagging along. He was like their older and wiser Korean brother.

Mike just doesn't take you to places that you might see on Netflix. He knows the best places. Additionally, his love of food and his experience as a chef added a lot of depth to the foods we ate, their historical relevance, and their relationship to Korean culture. Mike also recommended foods and places that we should visit during the rest of our vacation in Seoul, Daejeon, Busan, and Jeju Island. He gave us so much more than we expected.

We are already considering a return to Korea. I would even do a repeat tour with Mike. Especially if we can combine more stops to get custard-filled walnut balls. OMG, yum!

Mike was awesome! He went out of his way to help us understand more about Korean culture, and you can tell that he is passionate about it from the sparkle in his eyes. He also brought us to his fav drinking places after the tour and gave me many recommendations for my next leg in jeju! Book him now!

Taking Mike’s tour was one of the best things I did in South Korea. MIKE KNOWS GOOD FOOD. PERIOD. His knowledge and passion for Korean food and culture definitely shines through. A tour with him is like having a friend show you where all the best eats are. I definitely recommend this tour. Thank you so much for the experience 🙏🏽

Touring with Mike was an exceptional experience. He's so professional, knowledgeable and the shop owners really know and love him. My tour was customized to be vegan and he took me to places which had vegan items, helped me learn some Korean phrases and etiquette and answered my bazillion questions related to his transition to South Korea, medical tourism and South Korean culture. He's a super nice guy and I highly recommend his tours to everyone.

I traveled to Seoul on short notice for work and was lucky enough to find Mike's street food tour. Mike is extremely knowledgeable about everything in Korea. He told us the history of the market, took us to the best vendors for each type of food and told us the ones to avoid. The food was some of the best I have had in my life. On our walk to the different markets Mike also showed us an amazing roof top view of the city. Mike also taught us some Korean customs including drinking customs and drinking games. Mike even gave me places to go eat at fore the remainder of our stay in Seoul. I have been to many countries on vacation and for work and on tours in all of them, Mike is hands down the best tour guide I have had. Every country needs their own version of Mike. I have already referred some coworkers and friends to Mike for when they travel to Seoul. And I will be contacting Mike in the future when I return to Seoul for an actual vacation.

Can't say enough good things about this tour. Not only did I get to eat the most authentic Korean street food in Seoul, but it was also some of the best food I've ever eaten in my life.

This evening food and sights tour was the highlight of my week-long business trip to Korea. Mike brought us around to eat critically acclaimed dumplings and other treats in Gwangjang market, led us on a cool walk through the streets (sipping Soju) which turned into a stellar overhead view of the city, and guided us through other delicious handpicked bustling spots surrounded by locals.

The friendly people and culture had already been steering me into thinking about what to do on a 2nd visit...but if you need any more reason to come back - Mike's tour really exemplified that there's way more to do, way more to see, and way more to eat!

My wife and I recently took a vacation to Seoul to celebrate her thirtieth birthday. As world travelers, we are unafraid of new food and new experiences, but years of watching shows like "Top Gear" and Anthony Bourdain's travel shows left us with the desire to someday travel with our own "fixer" who could get us into places we would not find ourselves.

We are very lucky to have found Mike. Mike was born in Korea, grew up in Chicago but has been back in Korea for years. Moreover, he is a chef and clearly knows the difference between Seoul's best food and everything else. When asking about his background, we learned his business grew organically, first just showing friends around Seoul until the demand for his knowledge grew.

Our private tour with Mike was scheduled halfway through our trip. By the time we met up with Mike, we'd already found our own way to a few Korean restaurants and eaten Korean BBQ. There was some thought of "what can Mike show us that we haven't found ourselves?"

Luckily, we were very wrong. Mike took us through markets to vendors we'd not have found on our own. Instead of taking us to a "Top five" list of the most popular spots you'd find on Tripadvisor, he took us to the spots he personally knew were best. Mike's knowledge gave us access to a variety of spots we certainly would not have found ourselves. During our five hour tour, he answered many questions about Korean culture as we moved from place to place. He took us into spots in back alleys few foreigners could find. We sampled food we never would have on our own.

The tour was completely personalized to our needs. When we expressed a desire to experience Korean drinking culture without going over the top (owing to an early morning DMZ tour the next day), Mike took us to 7-eleven to show how the locals recover from and prevent hangovers. (By the way, what he suggested worked like a charm.) Nonetheless, I feel if we had made the decision not to drink anything on this tour, we'd not have missed out on any value.

Even before the day of the tour, and in the days after the tour ended, Mike made himself available on WhatsApp to act as our Seoul concierge, suggesting bars and restaurants on demand whenever we had questions about a neighborhood we happened to be setting foot into.

There are so many things about our Korea trip I found wonderful, but our tour with Mike will definitely be one of my best memories.

Our group of four visited Seoul for the first time ever last week and we hired Mike for 2 nights. THANK GOD we did b/c those were the best nights in Seoul for us! Mike took us to local spots that we would have never found on our own. We drank Soju, ate a lot of exotic, delicious foods that we would never have known about, got to see a great view of Seoul, got to eat and drink in a cool exclusive alley that's outside and full of locals, learned some super fun drinking games, walked down alleys filled with small local restaurants, and overall had lots of fun exploring Seoul!!! Mike is super friendly, personable, and flexible. He was also extremely helpful for us to just ask any and all questions about Seoul while we were there. He was just a WhatsApp text away! He recommended navigation apps that we should use since Google Maps wasn't accurate when it comes to walking directions. And if we couldn't understand something in Korean, I sent him an image and he translated it for me. That was so convenient! I also want to note that we were not big drinkers, but we still had a blast! So don't shy away if you're not big drinkers, there's still plenty of great food places and exclusive spots that Mike will take you to. Having Mike as a concierge during our stay in Seoul gave us a great piece of mind; like having an old friend in Seoul. We HIGHLY recommend this tour and hiring Mike. You will not regret it!!!

We had a great time with Mike. Because we have a little kid 6 years Mike gave us the option to do 2 nights with 3 hours. Come with a empty belly. Seoul had so much to eat and Mike knows every little shop. The places you will not go as a tourist. We will recommend him to our Friends and family!

Its not my first time in Seoul so I was looking to experience new things with this tour. Mike definitely did not disappoint when he took us to all these hole-in-the-wall restaurants that we never would have encountered on our own. The food was AMAZING and catered to our budget. Mike was such an acommodating host and went out of his way to respond to our questions and requests even after the tour ended. We had so much FUN and I haven’t stopped raving about this to my friends. Can’t wait til my next visit!

Mike took us to places we would never have been able to see on our own. We ate really good cheap authentic Korean food and had such an awesome time! I will definitely hit him up again on the next visit to Seoul. Thank you so much Mike!!!

Mike is nothing short of amazing. I came into my trip with no expectations—Mike flipped our group upside down and took us to the BEST spots I never knew existed. Super stand up guy who’s basically a walking encyclopedia when it comes to anything you want to know about Seoul and it’s food! I wish I had a friend like Mike in every corner of the world! He’s not only an amazing tour guide and but also a lifelong friend! Cheers to you Mike!

My boyfriend and I made a last minute trip to Seoul and were referred to Mike from a friend. We booked a few hours our 1st night in the city to get the lay of the land and had an adventurous food and drinking night! It was exactly what we were looking for. Mike was extremely knowledgable host and we even decided to book another session with him a few days before we were leaving.

I recommend ITSEOULGOOD to anyone looking to enjoy the true vibes of Seoul, it absolutely worth it!

I had an awesome time hanging with Mike in Seoul. I was there for 7 days visiting a college friend but had a day to myself so decide on Mike’s tour. We went to a few restaurants and then a few bars. The food, the culture, the drinks, the history, the amazing city of Seoul were all huge highlights. Not only that, but Mike is one of the friendliest guys ever. If you want an authentic Seoul experience, you’ve gotta go with Mike. 4 stars cause he didn’t warn me that soju gives you the worst hangover you will ever know.

It was nervous before the trip to Seoul because i can't speak any Korean words. So I decided to contact Mike. He took me to Insadong for traditional Korean Food and street foods along with that he introduced me about history of the food, the way Korean people make them. At night, we went to itaewon for BBQ, one of my favourite Korean food, the quality was far away from what I had in Korean restaurant in Viet Nam. End up a day, we got some beer and experiencing international culture in there. Make sure you contact him to have best experiences in Seoul as I had.

We met Mike in Busan during our 2-weeks trip all over Korea.
We decided to meet him again in Seoul to discover some good places to eat & drink... And we had a fantastic time with him !

Mike is very friendly and know everything about Seoul, so I definately recommend him if you want to know more about this beautiful city :)

Matthieu & Pierre

Mike shows us how to live Seoul rather than being a tourist, we enjoyed food experience & the best parties ever in Itaewon. Thanks Mike for those memories, was a real pleasure to meet you! Let's keep in touch

I used to live in Korea for a year, so I was pretty convinced I had gotten the full experience. WRONG! Mike really and truly knew the ins and outs of food in Korea. He contacted us in advance to give us some menu choices for the night, *and* he typed up a page of his most-recommended restaurants for us to check out in our own time (including some Michelin stars)! Getting in to the airport late, our schedule was difficult to manage, but Mike made the time for us. I got to eat a lot of things I had already had before except 10x more delicious, plus I finally tried some of the foods on my bucket list but had never known where to find them. He knew where to eat anything, and everything was superb. We even got a bit of cultural knowledge on the food tour, as he explained some of the history and evolution of the food markets and the surrounding area. 10 out of 10, would absolutely recommend!

Arrived in Korea late on a Thursday evening, but Mike was able to accommodate us on our food tour throughout the streets of Seoul. First, we went through Gwangjang Market, trying soondae (blood sausage) along with various pork parts, dumplings, bindae-tteok (Korean mung bean pancakes), and even getting adventurous with live squid and yukke (beef tartare)!

After Gwangjang, we headed over to some pojangmacha (street tents) to try out chicken butt and delicious odolppyeo (soft, spicy pork bones), and of course soju and beers to go along with it.

We finished off our night at Mike's favorite fried chicken join run by an ajumma who really knows how to cook! Our "night" ended around 4 am, with full bellies and great conversation. If you're looking for someone to guide you around and give you an authentic experience, Mike is your guy.

I lived in South Korea 8 years ago and have been desperate for a return trip. I decided to come for a short visit in April; as I was travelling alone, I contacted Mike to show me a great place to eat and have some drinks. We went to a small traditional BBQ restaurant that was just amazing and satisfied my Korean food cravings- there was not an English menu in sight so I got to practise my Korean (which was a bit rusty but the Korean waiter didn't seem to mind!). After that, Mike took me to some bars that I never even knew existed- we drank plenty, chatted to locals and even got some street food at the end of the evening. It was a fantastic trip down memory lane and I would definitely call on Mike again. I strongly recommend giving him a call if you are new to the country or if you are on a return visit; he knows all the best places to eat and drink. Thanks Mike!

If you looking for a cookie cutter tour, with standard Seoul sites (DMZ, Palaces, etc.), this is not the tour for you. But if you are looking for an authentic Seoul experience, Mike is your guy! He took me to restaurants and places I never would have seen or experienced or thought of on my own. From a Korean baseball game, to restaurants that don't even show up on google, Mike really knows his stuff, and was able to navigate all of Seoul seamlessly. Definitely a 5 star experience.

Big Mike showed a few of my Australian friends, American friends and I around town for some delicious food and an awesome nightlife experience in Itaewon. To this day, I still think the pork belly restaurant he took us to was the best I've ever had. After dinner came the nightlife scene, which was crazy but in a great way. We went to a cool bar/club that literally had everything including dance floor, darts, arcades and more. After that we kept going to different places for more food and mingling. We eventually topped off our night with some singing, the perfect ending for a great nightlife tour of Seoul. Highly recommended service!

Seoul is an amazing time and such a fun city! What really made it a great trip was that my buddies and I had Mike showing us around and taking us out to all the places TripAdvisor does not mention.

It really helped to have someone on the ground who knows the area. Mike has been living there 8+ years and knows the city inside and out, and speaks Korean fluently. Even if it is just for a few days it is so worth it to pick his brain for things to do, stuff to watch out for, and how to generally not stand out as the typical tourist!

Mike was able to help us out with coordinating all the normal touristy stuff like checking out night markets, major malls/shopping, checking out great food, and going to Thursday parties. He was also able to show us the traditional and hole in the wall stuff which no foreigners go to or even know about!

A few memories that come to mind that make Mike an amazing concierge:
Getting sick - On my 5th day in Korea, I got terrible food poisoning. Honestly, one of the worst experiences of my life. Mike was able to find me a pharmacy and wrote out exactly what I needed to show the pharmacist. He did all of this on a moment’s notice, which matters when you were as sick as I was!

Nightlife - It was our out last night there and it was Wednesday, which you would think is a dead night. Mike was able to take us to a traditional South Korean night club that didn't have a single tourist in it! It was a bunch of Seoul professionals that go out after work and party it up till 5 AM. It was so much fun, and it was great because people were asking how we even knew about it!

This was my first time getting a concierge/tour guide, and after experiencing having this I will always look to book one in the future! Honestly, it made the trip that much better. You will be able to see and do so much more than you would have otherwise. In my mind, if you are already investing that much in a trip you should invest a little bit more to make sure you can see everything you want, and the expertise of someone who actually lives in Seoul!

I was introduced to Mike through mutual friends, Mike is an awesome tour guide and now also good friend who I meetup with every time I visit Korea again. Since he is a passionate foodie and has worked behind the kitchen, his enthusiasm and knowledge about great food and drinks clearly shows. He definitely knows his way around Seoul and has taken us to some lesser known spots for some amazing local experiences.

If you're interested in local Korean food, experiencing new tastes and wanna know more about Korean culture, then Mike is your man!

The best personal tour guide Ive experienced so far. Mike showed us Seoul’s hidden spots that we would have never been able to find by ourselves and his tour was definitely the highlight of our trip to Korea. He showed us the traditional side of Seoul (Hanok Village) as well as its super glamorous nightlife in Gangnam. My personal highlight, however, was our dinner at a traditional Korean restaurant in Insadong. The old ladies working there didn’t speak any English and Mike had to translate everything for us. We ordered Kanjang Kejang, which are crabs marinated in soya sauce. I usually don’t eat any seafood and I was skeptical at first but Mike talked us into it. And it was totally worth it. I would definitely recommend his service to everyone visiting Seoul.