How to Reserve a Restaurant in Korean: Phrases & Pronunciation

Want to book a restaurant in Korea but worried about speaking Korean on the phone? You do not need perfect Korean. A few simple phrases for saying when you want to visit, how many people are coming, and whose name the reservation is under will handle most situations.

The most useful phrase to remember is:

예약하고 싶어요.

Easy pronunciation: ye-yak-ha-go shi-peo-yo

Meaning: “I’d like to make a reservation.”

For example, if you want a table for two at 7 p.m., you can say:

오늘 저녁 7시에 두 명 예약하고 싶어요.
Oneul jeonyeok ilgop sie du myeong yeyakago sipeoyo.
“I’d like to make a reservation for two at 7 p.m. tonight.”

That sentence alone can get you surprisingly far. Here are the Korean restaurant reservation phrases that are actually useful when traveling or living in Korea.

1. Essential Korean Restaurant Reservation Phrases

Start with short sentences. Restaurant staff are usually busy, especially during lunch and dinner, so simple Korean is often easier than trying to build a long, complicated sentence.

“Can I make a reservation?”

예약 가능할까요?
Yeyak ganeunghalkkayo?
Meaning: Can I make a reservation?

This is one of the safest expressions to use when you are not sure whether the restaurant takes reservations.

“I’d like to make a reservation.”

예약하고 싶어요.
Yeyakago sipeoyo.
Meaning: I’d like to make a reservation.

“For two people, please.”

두 명이요.
Du myeong-iyo.
Meaning: Two people.

You can change the number:

  • 한 명 (han myeong) — one person
  • 두 명 (du myeong) — two people
  • 세 명 (se myeong) — three people
  • 네 명 (ne myeong) — four people
  • 다섯 명 (daseot myeong) — five people
  • 여섯 명 (yeoseot myeong) — six people

“At 7 p.m., please.”

저녁 7시요.
Jeonyeok ilgop siyo.
Meaning: 7 p.m., please.

A complete reservation sentence

내일 저녁 7시에 두 명 예약하고 싶어요.
Naeil jeonyeok ilgop sie du myeong yeyakago sipeoyo.
“I’d like to make a reservation for two tomorrow at 7 p.m.”

For travelers who need help communicating with a restaurant, the Korea Tourism Organization operates the 1330 Korea Travel Helpline, which provides travel information and multilingual assistance. From within Korea, you can call 1330; the official service also provides online call and chat options.

2. How to Make a Restaurant Reservation by Phone

Calling a Korean restaurant can feel more difficult than speaking face-to-face because you cannot rely on gestures or a translation app. The easiest strategy is to prepare three pieces of information before calling:

  1. The date
  2. The time
  3. The number of people

Here is a realistic example.

You:
안녕하세요. 예약 가능할까요?
Annyeonghaseyo. Yeyak ganeunghalkkayo?
Hello. Can I make a reservation?

Restaurant:
네, 몇 분이세요?
Ne, myeot bun-iseyo?
Yes. How many people?

You:
두 명이에요.
Du myeong-ieyo.
There are two of us.

Restaurant:
몇 시로 해드릴까요?
Myeot siro haedeurilkkayo?
What time would you like?

You:
저녁 7시요.
Jeonyeok ilgop siyo.
7 p.m., please.

Restaurant:
성함이 어떻게 되세요?
Seonghami eotteoke doeseyo?
May I have your name?

You:
이름은 Alex예요.
Ireumeun Alex-yeyo.
My name is Alex.

Words you may hear from restaurant staff

몇 분이세요?
Myeot bun-iseyo?
How many people?

Here, 분 (bun) is a polite counter for people. Do not confuse it with another Korean word bun that can mean “minute.” The meaning is clear from context.

몇 시로 해드릴까요?
Myeot siro haedeurilkkayo?
What time would you like?

성함이 어떻게 되세요?
Seonghami eotteoke doeseyo?
May I have your name?

연락처 부탁드립니다.
Yeollakcheo butakdeurimnida.
May I have your contact number?

If giving a foreign name is difficult over the phone, say it slowly. Some restaurants may also ask for a Korean mobile number when using a local reservation or waiting system.

3. What to Say When You Arrive at the Restaurant

Once you arrive, you normally do not need to repeat all your reservation details. Simply tell the staff that you have a reservation.

“I have a reservation.”

예약했어요.
Yeyakaesseoyo.
Meaning: I made a reservation / I have a reservation.

A slightly more conversational expression is:

예약했는데요.
Yeyakaenneundeyo.

In Korean conversation, the ending -는데요 often makes a statement sound softer and naturally invites the other person to respond. At a restaurant entrance, 예약했는데요 is similar to saying, “Hi, I have a reservation.”

“The reservation is under Alex.”

예약자 이름은 Alex예요.
Yeyakja ireumeun Alex-yeyo.
“The reservation name is Alex.”

“I have a reservation for 7 p.m.”

7시에 예약했어요.
Ilgop sie yeyakaesseoyo.

“Could you check my reservation?”

예약 확인 부탁드려요.
Yeyak hwagin butakdeuryeoyo.
“Could you check my reservation?”

A useful arrival conversation might sound like this:

You:
안녕하세요. 예약했는데요.
Annyeonghaseyo. Yeyakaenneundeyo.
Hello, I have a reservation.

Staff:
예약자 성함이 어떻게 되세요?
Yeyakja seonghami eotteoke doeseyo?
What name is the reservation under?

You:
Alex예요. 두 명이에요.
Alex-yeyo. Du myeong-ieyo.
Alex. There are two of us.

4. Changing, Canceling, or Joining a Restaurant Waitlist

One important thing for foreign visitors to understand is that not every Korean restaurant accepts advance reservations.

Some casual restaurants operate on a first-come, first-served basis, while popular restaurants may use an electronic waiting list instead. Korea Tourism Organization information about Catchtable Global, for example, explains that participating restaurants can offer reservations, remote waiting, or on-site waiting depending on the restaurant. Some reservation-only restaurants may also require a deposit.

“Do you take reservations?”

예약 받으세요?
Yeyak badeuseyo?
“Do you take reservations?”

“Do I need to wait?”

기다려야 하나요?
Gidaryeoya hanayo?
“Do I need to wait?”

“How long is the wait?”

얼마나 기다려야 해요?
Eolmana gidaryeoya haeyo?
“How long do I need to wait?”

“Can I put my name on the waiting list?”

웨이팅 등록할 수 있나요?
Weiting deungnokhal su innayo?
“Can I join the waitlist?”

웨이팅 (waiting) is an English loanword commonly used in Korea for a restaurant queue or waiting list.

Changing your reservation

예약 시간을 변경하고 싶어요.
Yeyak siganeul byeongyeonghago sipeoyo.
“I’d like to change my reservation time.”

You can then add your new time:

7시에서 8시로 변경할 수 있을까요?
Ilgop sieseo yeodeol siro byeongyeonghal su isseulkkayo?
“Could I change it from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.?”

Canceling your reservation

예약을 취소하고 싶어요.
Yeyageul chwiso-hago sipeoyo.
“I’d like to cancel my reservation.”

If you cannot make your reservation, canceling as soon as possible is considerate. Also check the restaurant or booking platform's cancellation terms, especially if a deposit or prepaid menu is involved.

5. Useful Korean for Allergies, Dietary Needs, and Seating

A reservation is also a good time to mention dietary restrictions, especially when visiting restaurants that serve a fixed course, barbecue, seafood, or dishes prepared in advance.

Food allergies

알레르기가 있어요.
Allereugiga isseoyo.
“I have an allergy.”

For example:

땅콩 알레르기가 있어요.
Ttangkong allereugiga isseoyo.
“I have a peanut allergy.”

갑각류 알레르기가 있어요.
Gapgangnyu allereugiga isseoyo.
“I have a shellfish allergy.”

For a serious food allergy, do not rely only on pronunciation or a memorized sentence. It is safer to show the ingredient written clearly in Korean and confirm directly with the restaurant, because sauces, stocks, marinades, kimchi, and side dishes can contain ingredients that are not obvious from the menu.

Vegetarian options

채식 메뉴가 있나요?
Chaesik menyuga innayo?
“Do you have a vegetarian menu?”

Keep in mind that a dish that looks vegetable-based may still contain meat broth, anchovy stock, fish sauce, shrimp paste, or other animal ingredients.

If you need to avoid a specific ingredient, being specific is much more useful than simply saying “vegetarian.”

고기 안 들어간 메뉴가 있나요?
Gogi an deureogan menyuga innayo?
“Do you have anything without meat?”

돼지고기 안 들어간 메뉴가 있나요?
Dwaejigogi an deureogan menyuga innayo?
“Do you have a dish without pork?”

Checking how spicy a dish is

많이 매운가요?
Mani maeungayo?
“Is it very spicy?”

덜 맵게 해주세요.
Deol maepge haejuseyo.
“Please make it less spicy.”

However, some Korean dishes are made with a sauce or broth prepared in advance, so restaurants may not always be able to reduce the spice level.

Requesting a seat

창가 자리 가능할까요?
Changga jari ganeunghalkkayo?
“Could we have a window seat?”

조용한 자리 있나요?
Joyonghan jari innayo?
“Do you have a quiet table?”

A restaurant may note your request without guaranteeing a particular table, especially during busy periods.

Quick Restaurant Reservation Script to Save on Your Phone

If you remember only one conversation, make it this one:

안녕하세요. 예약 가능할까요?
Annyeonghaseyo. Yeyak ganeunghalkkayo?
Hello. Can I make a reservation?

내일 저녁 7시요.
Naeil jeonyeok ilgop siyo.
Tomorrow at 7 p.m.

두 명이에요.
Du myeong-ieyo.
Two people.

이름은 Alex예요.
Ireumeun Alex-yeyo.
My name is Alex.

감사합니다.
Gamsahamnida.
Thank you.

Even if your pronunciation is not perfect, giving the restaurant the key information in this order makes the conversation much easier.

Conclusion

Making a restaurant reservation in Korean is easier than it first sounds. You do not need a long conversation or advanced grammar. Start with 예약 가능할까요? (“Can I make a reservation?”), then give the date, time, number of people, and your name.

When you arrive, 예약했는데요 is one of the most natural and useful phrases to know. And if the restaurant does not accept reservations, listen for words such as 웨이팅 (waiting list) or ask 얼마나 기다려야 해요? (“How long do I need to wait?”).

Saving a few of these sentences on your phone before your trip can make eating out in Korea much less stressful—and gives you a useful bit of Korean that you can use again and again.

Official References & Useful Links