Gyeongju Hwangridan-gil restaurant 10 min from parking: Dongyang

I recently went to Gyeongju with my parents. It was my first time back since an elementary school field trip, and my parents insisted we had to see Hwangridan-gil since it's such a hot spot haha. When I'm taking my parents out to eat, I put a bit more effort into finding the right restaurant — and this time I found a Korean restaurant on Hwangridan-gil that satisfied both my food-loving parents and me, so I wanted to share it.

Why we chose Dongyang Baekban on Hwangridan-gil

What sets Dongyang Baekban Gyeongju Hwangridan-gil Main Branch apart from other restaurants: first, it's right in the center of Hwangridan-gil so it's easy to get to; second, it uses seasonal ingredients so the food tastes great; third, the clean, stylish interior makes for a satisfying meal for the eyes as well; and fourth, regular cleanliness inspections mean you can trust the food to be both clean and delicious.

Where to park near Hwangridan-gil in Gyeongju

Parking inside Hwangridan-gil itself is difficult, so we parked at the Hwangridan-gil public parking lot and walked around the street from there. There are clean restrooms inside the lot, and it's only about a 10-minute walk to Hwangridan-gil, so I'd recommend parking here!

Inside the hanok: an old Gyeongju house turned restaurant

The restaurant is so charming! Dongyang Baekban looks like it was converted from an old house, complete with a small courtyard, so eating there feels like having a meal at your grandmother's cozy little home.

You take your shoes off before entering the restaurant. It's such an adorable hanok.

Each room has a large window, so you can eat with a view of the lush hanok grounds behind you. The sunlight was just right and the room was well-lit, so we ate while enjoying the cool autumn weather and blue sky.

My mom and dad kept exclaiming in delight as they stepped into the cute, cozy restaurant~

How to order, and which hot pot size fits three people

There's a kiosk at every table. We ordered:

• Beef tripe hot pot (medium)
• 2 bowls of rice
• Cider

We were told the medium serves 2–3 people and the large serves 3–4. My dad is a light eater too, so the medium was just right for our family of three — but if everyone in your group can eat a full bowl of rice each, you'll probably want the large to get properly full!

The banchan and seaweed flakes that come first

The banchan (side dishes) served before the meal were full of that classic Korean home-cooking feel. Living alone, I rarely come across garlic scapes or braised soybeans, so seeing them again was genuinely lovely.

Along with the rice and hot pot, they also serve roasted seaweed flakes (gim-garu) to mix into your rice — it might seem like a small thing, but it really makes a big difference to the taste haha.

How was the Korean beef tripe hot pot?

Finally, the beef tripe hot pot arrived. When I looked up reviews beforehand, people said it was so good they recommended it to everyone they knew, so I was extra curious whether it would really live up to that^^

The hot pot comes to a boil quickly. When I stirred it, there was a ton of tripe inside, plus plenty of the vegetables I love — the result is a hot pot with a savory, deep flavor.

Mixing the rice into the broth so it turns into a loose, soupy fried-rice-like dish is really delicious. The fat from the tripe melts into the broth beautifully and makes everything so savory.

Look at that rich broth color! The combination of savory, tender tripe, chewy enoki mushrooms, and sweet onion is a can't-miss combo every time~~

My dad especially, who can't eat meat with any funky smell, said the tripe here had absolutely no odor and loved it haha. Eating it as three, we ended up pleasantly full — full enough to keep exploring Hwangridan-gil, but not too heavy, which was great!

How about a clean, delicious meal at a serene hanok restaurant~? I can guarantee that Dongyang Baekban Gyeongju Hwangridan-gil Main Branch will make your trip to Gyeongju even richer and happier!