Learn Hardcore Korean: i sikdangi neo chwihyange maja? - Does this restaurant fit your taste?

The first 이 is the demonstrative “this,” modifying 식당 (“this restaurant”).
The second 이 is the subject marker attached to 식당. So 이 식당이 means “this restaurant (as the subject).”

Why use 이/가 here instead of 은/는?

이 식당이 focuses on “this restaurant (in particular),” often implying a choice among options: “Is it this one that suits your taste?”
이 식당은 sets “this restaurant” as the topic: “As for this restaurant, does it suit your taste?” The second is less contrastive and more “by the way.”

Is 너 polite? Who can I say it to?

너 is casual and used with close friends or younger people. Don’t use it with strangers, seniors, or in service contexts. Alternatives:

Drop the pronoun: “(이 식당이) 취향에 맞아요?”
Use a name/title: “민수 취향에 맞아?” / “선생님, 취향에 맞아요?”

How do I make this polite?

Use a polite ending and avoid 너:

이 식당이 취향에 맞아요? (polite)
Very polite/soft: 이 식당이 취향에 맞나요?
Service-style honorific (common in real life): 이 식당이 취향에 맞으세요?, or food-focused 입맛에 맞으세요?
Formal: 이 식당이 취향에 맞습니까?

(Avoid mixing 너 with polite endings.)

Why say 취향에 맞다? How is it different from 입맛에 맞다 and 마음에 들다?

취향에 맞다: “suit one’s taste/preference” (overall style, vibe, menu type).
입맛에 맞다: “suit one’s palate” (the flavors/seasoning of the food).
마음에 들다: “appeal to someone,” broadly “like it.” Examples:
이 집 분위기 네 취향에 맞아.
여기 음식이 네 입맛에 잘 맞아.
여기 인테리어 마음에 들어.

Why is 에 used after 취향? Could I use 을/를 or 에게/한테?

With the “suit/fit” meaning, the fixed pattern is N + 에 + 맞다 (“fit to N”). Using 을/를 would be ungrammatical here. 에게/한테 is used when the person is the target:

Clothes/job: 그 옷이 너한테 잘 맞아. / 이 일이 너에게 맞아.
Preference: 이 식당이 네 취향에 맞아.

Do I need 너의? Is 네 취향 better than 너 취향?

All three are possible:

너 취향 (very casual, common)
네 취향 (also common; note 네 is pronounced “니”)
너의 취향 (correct but feels a bit formal/bookish in conversation) In casual speech, dropping 의 is very common.

Can I change the word order, like 너 취향에 이 식당이 맞아??

Yes. Particles allow flexibility. Moving 너 취향에 to the front adds emphasis to “your taste.” Very natural options in speech:

이 식당이 네 취향에 맞아?
이 식당, 네 취향에 맞아? (slight pause after 식당)

Does 맞아? here mean “Are you right?” since 맞다 also means “to be correct”?

No. 맞다 has multiple meanings. In the pattern N에 맞다, it means “to suit/fit/be appropriate to.”

“Correct/right”: 그 말이 맞아.
“Fit/suit”: 이 식당이 네 취향에 맞아.

What are simpler or more colloquial ways to ask the same thing?

이 식당 어때?
여기 괜찮아?
여기 네 취향이야?
Food focus: 여기 음식 입맛에 맞아?
More general liking: 여기 마음에 들어?

Is 여기 식당 okay instead of 이 식당?

Usually say 이 식당 for “this specific restaurant.” 여기 식당 tends to mean “a restaurant here/in this area” or “the restaurant in this place.” If you want to refer to the place you’re at, you can simply say 여기: 여기 네 취향에 맞아?

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

맞아 is commonly pronounced [마자].
식당이 often sounds like [식땅이] (tensification).
네 (in 네 취향) is pronounced [니].
Use a rising intonation at the end to signal the yes/no question.

Can I drop particles in casual speech?

Yes, often:

이 식당 너 취향에 맞아? (drop subject marker)
Colloquial shorthand sometimes omits 에 in set phrases: 이 식당 네 취향 맞아?
The full form with 에 is the safe, textbook pattern; the shortened form is common in speech.

How do I say “you guys/you all” instead of “you”?

Casual plural: 너희(들) → 이 식당이 너희 취향에 맞아?
Polite plural: 여러분 (use a polite ending) → 이 식당이 여러분 취향에 맞아요?

Can I turn it into “a restaurant that suits your taste”?

Yes: 네 취향에 맞는 식당 (“a restaurant that suits your taste”).
Full sentences:

여기가 네 취향에 맞는 식당이야?
이 식당이 네 취향에 맞는 곳이야?

Is 맞으세요? okay as an honorific?

Strictly, -으시- honors an honorific subject, and here the grammatical subject is the restaurant. However, in real service Korean, you’ll often hear and can safely use:

입맛에 맞으세요? / 취향에 맞으세요?
If you want to be textbook-safe, use: 맞나요?, 어떠세요?, or 마음에 드세요?

What’s the nuance difference among 맞아?, 맞니?, and 맞냐??

맞아? Neutral casual, friendly to peers.
맞니? Bookish/formal-ish or used by seniors to juniors; can feel distant.
맞냐? Rough/blunt; often male-sounding; use carefully.

When would I use 는 on other parts, like 너는?

To mark contrast or set a topic:

너는 이 식당이 취향에 맞아? (contrasting your taste with others’) Particles like 은/는 can appear on different nouns to frame contrast or topic.

Is 식당 the best word here? What about 레스토랑/맛집/음식점?

식당: neutral “restaurant.”
레스토랑: more Western/fancy vibe.
맛집: popular colloquial “famous/good place,” often based on reviews/reputation.
음식점: generic/legal term; less used in casual talk.

How would I answer naturally?

Positive: 응, 딱 내 취향이야 / 내 취향에 딱 맞아.
So-so: 그냥 그래 / 반반이야.
Negative: 아니, 내 취향 아니야 / 별로야 / 안 맞아.