Restaurant in Seoul, South Korea
Hotel Chinese dining that earns its price tag.
Toh Lim holds two consecutive Michelin Plates (2024 and 2025) and a 4.5 Google rating, making it Seoul's most credentialled formal Chinese dining room at the ₩₩₩₩ tier. Book it for business dinners, special occasions, or when a structured, multi-course Chinese meal is the specific goal. Easier to reserve than most Seoul fine dining — approach via Lotte Hotel Seoul's reservation channels.
If you're weighing Seoul's high-end Chinese options, Toh Lim at Lotte Hotel sits in a different tier from Haobin or Yu Yuan. It's a hotel restaurant operating at the ₩₩₩₩ price point with back-to-back Michelin Plate recognition in 2024 and 2025 — which means it clears the credibility bar for a serious meal, but hasn't crossed into starred territory. The question for most diners is whether the hotel-Chinese format justifies that spend. The short answer: yes, if you're after a composed, structured Chinese dining experience with reliable execution in a formal setting. Look elsewhere if you want a more casual or boundary-pushing meal.
Toh Lim occupies the 37th floor of Lotte Hotel Seoul's Main Tower in Jung District, on Eulji-ro — one of central Seoul's main commercial arteries. The hotel address is a practical advantage: it's easy to reach from most parts of the city, sits close to Euljiro 1-ga station, and the building infrastructure means a dependable standard of service from arrival through to seating. For visitors staying in the area or combining dinner with business, the location removes friction entirely.
The cuisine is Chinese, positioned at the formal end of what Seoul's hotel dining circuit offers in that category. Michelin's Plate designation , awarded in both 2024 and 2025 , signals that inspectors found the cooking technically competent and worth recommending, even if a star hasn't followed. In Michelin's own terminology, a Plate means good cooking; it's a floor, not a ceiling, but it's a meaningful one at this price level. With a Google rating of 4.5 from 233 reviews, the guest consensus tracks the inspector view: consistent, satisfying, without dramatic complaints.
Toh Lim's Chinese format in a hotel setting typically structures the meal around courses that move from lighter, more delicate preparations into richer, more substantial dishes , a progression familiar to anyone who has eaten through a serious Cantonese or regional Chinese tasting menu. The architecture of a high-end Chinese meal here differs from the open-ended sharing format you'd encounter at a casual Chinese restaurant: courses arrive with intention, the pacing is managed, and the experience is designed to be read as a sequence rather than a selection. For food enthusiasts who engage with that format, the meal at Toh Lim offers genuine depth to work through.
What this means practically is that Toh Lim rewards a slower approach. Coming in expecting a quick dinner will put you at odds with the venue's rhythm. Come instead with time, and ideally with at least one other person , Chinese tasting menus are structurally more interesting when the table is sharing across more dishes. The ₩₩₩₩ price point suggests a spend comparable to Seoul's other top-tier hotel dining rooms, so budget accordingly. Specific current menu prices and dish details aren't confirmed in our data, so check directly with the hotel before booking if cost-per-head is a deciding factor.
The venue's profile points clearly at a few specific use cases. Business dinners with Chinese counterparts or clients are an obvious fit: the hotel address, the formal service register, and the cuisine all align with that context. Couples marking a significant occasion get the altitude view and the structured meal. Seoul food enthusiasts who have already worked through the city's Korean and French fine dining options and want to map the Chinese category will find it a productive stop. If you're visiting Seoul specifically to eat and this is one of several high-end bookings on your list, Toh Lim fits logically alongside venues like Onjium or L'Amitié for range across cuisines.
For further context on Seoul's Chinese dining options, Crystal Jade, Hong Yuan, and Jin Jin represent different points on the price and format spectrum worth knowing before you commit. Toh Lim sits at the leading of that set on both formality and price. If you're planning a wider South Korea trip, Mori in Busan and Double T Dining in Gangneung are worth bookmarking for other stops.
Booking difficulty is rated Easy. As a hotel restaurant, Toh Lim is more accessible than many of Seoul's independent fine dining rooms, which run on tight reservation windows and limited seats. Last-minute bookings are more realistic here than at venues like 7th Door or Zero Complex. That said, weekend evenings in a hotel restaurant of this standing will fill, so advance booking for Friday or Saturday is sensible. Approach via Lotte Hotel Seoul's reservation channels , the hotel concierge is the most reliable path for English-language bookings.
Hours, dress code details, and specific booking policies aren't confirmed in our current data. A hotel Chinese restaurant at the ₩₩₩₩ level will almost always expect smart casual at minimum; err toward formal if you're unsure. If dietary restrictions are relevant, raise them at the time of booking rather than on arrival , structured Chinese tasting menus require advance notice to adjust.
For a broader view of Seoul dining before you finalise plans, see our full Seoul restaurants guide. For hotels, bars, and what else to do in the city, we've got a Seoul hotels guide, a Seoul bars guide, a Seoul wineries guide, and a Seoul experiences guide. If you're curious how high-end Chinese restaurants operate in other cities, Restaurant Tim Raue in Berlin and Mister Jiu's in San Francisco offer useful reference points for the global category. For regional South Korea options at a lower price tier, Doosoogobang in Suwon, Injegol in Inje County, and Pool House in Incheon round out the wider picture.
Quick reference: Toh Lim, 37F Lotte Hotel Seoul Main Tower, Eulji-ro 30, Jung District, Seoul. ₩₩₩₩. Michelin Plate 2024 and 2025. Google 4.5/5 (233 reviews). Booking: Easy, via hotel channels. Dietary requirements: flag at booking.
Toh Lim is a formal hotel Chinese restaurant on the 37th floor of Lotte Hotel Seoul, with two consecutive Michelin Plate awards. Expect a structured, multi-course meal rather than a casual sharing dinner. The price level is high , comparable to Seoul's other ₩₩₩₩ fine dining rooms , so arrive knowing you're committing to an occasion-style spend. Book in advance for weekends, notify of dietary needs when reserving, and dress smart-casual or above.
At ₩₩₩₩, Toh Lim sits at the leading of Seoul's Chinese dining price band, supported by consecutive Michelin Plate recognition and a strong 4.5 Google rating. That combination justifies the spend if you're specifically after high-end Chinese in a formal hotel setting. If you're open on cuisine, venues like Solbam or Onjium at the same price tier offer Korean-focused experiences with Michelin backing. Toh Lim is worth it when Chinese is your explicit priority.
If tasting menus are your format and Chinese cuisine is the draw, yes. The structured progression of a formal Chinese tasting meal at this level is materially different from ordering à la carte at a mid-range Chinese restaurant. Michelin's Plate recognition suggests the kitchen executes at a standard that earns the format. Specific current pricing isn't confirmed in our data, so verify cost-per-head directly with the hotel before committing.
Hotel dining rooms at this level typically have private or semi-private dining options for larger parties, which makes Toh Lim a reasonable choice for group business dinners or celebrations. Specific room capacities aren't confirmed in our data. Contact Lotte Hotel Seoul directly to confirm group arrangements, private room availability, and any minimum spend requirements. For groups where the cuisine priority is Korean rather than Chinese, Onjium is worth considering at the same price point.
Chinese tasting menus can be difficult to adapt on the fly given the preparation involved. Flag any restrictions at the time of booking rather than on arrival. Lotte Hotel Seoul's reservation team is the right contact. Specific confirmed allergen or dietary policies for Toh Lim aren't in our data, so treat a direct conversation with the restaurant as a necessary step before booking if this is a concern.
Toh Lim is a formal hotel Chinese restaurant rather than a bar-forward venue, and seating configuration details aren't confirmed in our data. It's unlikely to offer the kind of casual counter experience you'd find at a cocktail bar or sushi counter. If a bar seat for a lighter, informal meal is what you're after, Seoul's bar scene is a better option , see our Seoul bars guide for specific recommendations.
For Chinese specifically at a lower price point, Crystal Jade and Jin Jin are worth comparing. For Korean fine dining at the same ₩₩₩₩ level, Onjium and 7th Door are the stronger Michelin-backed options. If you want French at a step down in price, L'Amitié at ₩₩₩ offers a more accessible entry point. The choice comes down to whether Chinese cuisine specifically is the priority , if it isn't, the Korean and French alternatives at this tier have a deeper bench.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toh Lim | Chinese | Michelin Plate (2025); Michelin Plate (2024) | Easy | — |
| 7th Door | Korean, Contemporary | Michelin 1 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Solbam | Contemporary | Michelin 1 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Onjium | Korean | Michelin 1 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| L'Amitié | French | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Zero Complex | Korean-French, Innovative | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Yes, and it's one of the stronger use cases for booking here. Toh Lim's hotel setting on the 37th floor of Lotte Hotel Seoul means it has the infrastructure for larger parties that independent fine dining rooms in Seoul typically can't match. check the venue's official channels to arrange group reservations and confirm any private dining options.
For Korean fine dining at a comparable price point, Onjium and Solbam are the sharper choices — both offer more distinctive, chef-driven formats. If the hotel setting and Chinese cuisine are important, Toh Lim has few direct rivals in Seoul at this level. For something more experimental, Zero Complex takes a different approach to premium dining entirely.
At ₩₩₩₩ pricing and with two consecutive Michelin Plate recognitions (2024, 2025), the kitchen is delivering consistent quality. The format suits guests who want a structured, course-driven Chinese meal in a controlled environment — if you prefer à la carte flexibility or a more casual pace, it's less of a fit.
Specific dietary accommodation policies aren't documented in available venue data, but as a hotel restaurant at Lotte Hotel Seoul, the operational setup is better positioned to handle requests than most independent rooms. Raise any restrictions at the time of booking through the hotel.
Bar seating details aren't confirmed in the venue record. As a hotel fine dining room, Toh Lim is structured primarily around table service rather than a counter or bar experience — if that format matters to you, it's worth confirming directly with the hotel before booking.
At ₩₩₩₩ and holding a Michelin Plate for two consecutive years, Toh Lim sits in Seoul's upper tier for Chinese cuisine, and the 37th-floor setting at Lotte Hotel adds practical value for business and occasion dining. It's not the choice for adventurous or chef-driven dining — but for reliable, high-spec Chinese in a setting that impresses clients or guests, the price is defensible.
Booking is rated Easy relative to Seoul's independent fine dining rooms, so last-minute reservations are more realistic here than at places like Onjium or Solbam. Go in knowing this is formal hotel dining — dress accordingly, and treat it as the right venue for business meals or occasions rather than an exploratory tasting experience. The Michelin Plate (2024 and 2025) signals a competent, consistent kitchen, not a boundary-pushing one.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
