How to Ask for More 반찬 (Side Dishes) in Korean

Quick answer: To ask for more side dishes in a Korean restaurant, say 반찬 좀 더 주세요 — "a little more side dishes, please." 반찬 (banchan) are the small shared dishes that come free with your meal, and asking for a refill is completely normal — staff expect it and usually don't charge for it.

That's the whole idea of today's article: the little dishes are not a gift you should feel shy about. They're part of the meal, and there is one standard, polite phrase that asks for more. Most learners sit in front of an empty kimchi plate and say nothing, because they assume asking is rude. It isn't. Not asking is what looks odd.

What arrives before your food

You order one thing — 된장찌개, maybe — and the table fills with four to eight tiny plates. Kimchi. Pickled radish. Seasoned bean sprouts. Fried anchovies. A bit of egg roll. These are 반찬, and the ones that sit on the table by default are sometimes called 밑반찬 (the standing, everyday side dishes).

They come with the meal. You didn't order them, and in an ordinary Korean restaurant you won't pay extra for them — including the second helping. (Rice is different; more on that below.) If you want the broader menu vocabulary first, the words you'll see on every Korean menu cover 밥, 국, 찌개 and 반찬 together.

The phrase that does almost all the work

반찬 좀 더 주세요. "Could I have a little more side dishes, please."

Break it down: 반찬 (side dishes) + 좀 (a little / softener) + 더 (more) + 주세요 (please give). 좀 is doing something important here. 반찬 더 주세요 is grammatical and nobody would be offended, but it lands like "give me more side dishes." 좀 turns it into a request instead of an instruction. Koreans put 좀 into almost every small ask, and leaving it out is one of those things that doesn't sound wrong, just a bit flat.

Note the order too: 좀 더, in that order, as a pair. 더 좀 is not a thing.

You'll usually get the attention of staff first:

• 저기요, 반찬 좀 더 주세요. — "Excuse me, more side dishes please."
• 여기 김치 좀 더 주세요. — "More kimchi over here, please."

Naming the one you want

Saying just 반찬 means "whatever needs topping up." Usually it's better to name the dish — swap it straight into the same frame:

이거 좀 더 주세요 is the one to memorize if you can't read the dish names yet. Point, say it, done. Honestly, pointing is normal here — Koreans do it too.

A step more polite, for a nicer restaurant or an older server:

• 반찬 좀 더 주실 수 있어요? — "Could you give us a little more side dishes?"
• 반찬 좀 더 주시겠어요? — "Would you give us a little more side dishes?"

Both are 해요체 and perfectly safe. In a busy 김밥집 at lunch, though, nobody is saying 주시겠어요 — 주세요 is the real-world default.

리필 vs 더 주세요 — which one natives pick

리필 is the English "refill," and Koreans do use it:

• 반찬 리필 돼요? — "Can I get a refill on the side dishes?"
• 콜라 리필 돼요? — "Can I get a refill on the Coke?"

The difference is in what you're asking. 리필 돼요? asks whether refills are allowed — it's a question about the rules. 더 주세요 just asks for more. So 리필 돼요? fits drinks, buffet-ish places, and anywhere you're not sure if it's free. For ordinary 반찬 at a 백반집, most Koreans skip the question entirely and go straight to 더 주세요, because the answer is already yes.

You'll also see 무한리필 — unlimited refills, all-you-can-eat.

셀프 — when you get it yourself

Many places run side dishes and water self-service. If you ask, you may hear:

• 반찬은 셀프예요. — "Side dishes are self-serve."
• 물은 셀프예요. — "Water is self-serve."
• 저쪽에서 가져다 드시면 돼요. — "You can help yourself over there."

셀프 is a Konglish noun used exactly like this, with 이다: 셀프예요. If you hear it, stand up, take a small plate, and serve yourself from the counter. Take a modest amount — you can always go back.

When the server offers first

Sometimes they notice before you do:

• 더 드릴까요? — "Shall I bring you more?"

Two clean answers:

• 네, 조금만 더 주세요. — "Yes, just a little more, please."
• 아니요, 괜찮아요. — "No, I'm fine, thank you."

괜찮아요 with a small hand gesture is the standard soft refusal. If 네 and 아니요 still feel slippery to you — especially answering a negative question — the article on yes and no in Korean sorts that out.

Two things that are not free

Rice is the big one. A refill of 반찬 is free; an extra bowl of rice is a menu item.

• 공깃밥 하나 추가해 주세요. — "One extra bowl of rice, please."
• 공깃밥 하나 더 주세요. — "One more bowl of rice, please."

The other: a few side dishes are made to order rather than scooped from a tub — a steamed egg dish, for example — and some restaurants charge for those. If you're unsure, 리필 돼요? is the polite way to check before it appears.

The quiet etiquette

Take what you'll eat. Refills exist precisely so you don't have to pile a mountain on the first round and leave half of it. Asking twice is fine; letting three untouched plates go cold is what looks careless.

And at the end, the line that closes the meal:

• 잘 먹었습니다. — "Thank you for the meal." (literally "I ate well")

Say it to the staff on your way out, say it to whoever paid. If you want to compliment the food first, the taste words beyond 맛있어요 will make it land better.

FAQ

Are Korean side dishes free and refillable?

In most ordinary Korean restaurants, yes. 반찬 come with your meal at no extra cost, and refills are free and expected — just say 반찬 좀 더 주세요. Extra rice (공깃밥) is normally charged separately, and a few made-to-order side dishes may be too.

How do you say "more side dishes, please" in Korean?

반찬 좀 더 주세요. You can replace 반찬 with the specific dish — 김치 좀 더 주세요 — or point and say 이거 좀 더 주세요. For a more polite version, use 반찬 좀 더 주시겠어요?

What does 셀프 mean in a Korean restaurant?

셀프 is "self-service." If you hear 반찬은 셀프예요 or 물은 셀프예요, it means you serve yourself from a counter rather than asking the staff. Take a small plate, help yourself, and go back if you want more.

Practice

1. Say "More kimchi, please" in Korean, with the softener.
2. You can't read the dish name. Point at it and ask for more.
3. The server says 더 드릴까요? Refuse politely.
4. Ask whether refills are possible on the side dishes.
5. You want one more bowl of rice. Ask for it.

Answers

1. 김치 좀 더 주세요.

2. 이거 좀 더 주세요.

3. 아니요, 괜찮아요.

4. 반찬 리필 돼요?

5. 공깃밥 하나 더 주세요. (or 공깃밥 하나 추가해 주세요.)