Sundae gukbap restaurant near Gamsam Station, Daegu: Ungjin Dalseo

As the weather cooled down, I naturally started craving a warm bowl of gukbap (Korean soup with rice). Gukbap can go wrong when it's greasy or has a gamey smell, but I heard about a place that simmers 100% domestic pork bone broth for over half a day, so I went to check out this Dalseo-gu spot, Ungjin Dalseo Dwaeji Gukbap (웅진달서돼지국밥).

Ungjin Dalseo Dwaeji Gukbap hours and parking

Ungjin Dalseo Dwaeji Gukbap is located at 5 Dangsan-ro 38-gil, 1st floor, Dalseo-gu, Daegu, near Gamsam Station. It's open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 1am the next day, with last order at midnight, and closed every Sunday.

• Hours: Mon–Sat 9am – 1am next day
• Last order: midnight
• Closed: every Sunday
• Parking: 1–2 cars in front of the restaurant

The cauldron broth room by the entrance and the dining room

The first thing that caught my eye about Ungjin Dalseo Dwaeji Gukbap was the big signboard outside. Even visiting at night, the lit-up sign made it easy to spot from a distance, and I liked that the hours were clearly posted near the entrance.

What impressed me most was the broth room right next to the entrance. You can see two huge cauldrons simmering the gukbap broth right there, and just seeing that already raised my expectations. There was also a sign that read, "Simmered with care for over 15 hours using 100% domestic pork bone," which made me trust the place even more.

Inside, it had both an old-school gukbap-house feel and a clean, tidy vibe. The seating was all tables, which looked comfortable for eating alone or with family and friends. When I visited, there were quite a few older customers, and somehow that always makes me trust a place is genuinely good.

What we ordered and the side dishes

On this visit, we ordered the hearty sundae gukbap (blood sausage soup), spicy gukbap, and cold jeyuk (sliced boiled pork) at Ungjin Dalseo Dwaeji Gukbap. The side dishes — kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), kimchi, onion, garlic, chili, salted shrimp, and dadagi (chili paste) — came out clean and paired well with the soup.

Pepper, salt, and perilla powder were also set on the table, so I could season to taste.

Hearty sundae gukbap (blood sausage soup)

First, the sundae gukbap had a really clean broth. With gukbap, if there's floating grease or a gamey smell, I usually lose interest after a few spoonfuls, but the broth here was clear and savory. Even though it's a deeply simmered pork bone broth, it wasn't heavy at all — just a gentle, nutty flavor that kept me reaching for more. The fillings were generous too, so with a bowl of rice it made for a satisfying meal.

Spicy gukbap: how hot is it?

The spicy gukbap lived up to its name — spicy but still clean-tasting. With chili, siraegi (dried radish greens), and meat in it, it looked fiery just from the color, but eating it, the heat was more warming than aggressive. It also had plenty of lean meat, so the combo of a spoonful of broth, a bite of meat, and a bite of rice worked really well.

Cold jeyuk (chilled sliced boiled pork)

Cold jeyuk is a dish I've been seeing more of lately, so I was curious, and after trying it, I get why it's popular. The thinly sliced meat was tender and chewy. Because it's served cold, it wasn't greasy at all, and eaten with the accompanying sauce, the flavor really came alive. If the gukbap is the hot main dish, the cold jeyuk felt like a nice palate-refreshing treat in between.

Eating the gukbap and cold jeyuk together was especially good. The hot broth settled my stomach, and a bite of chewy cold jeyuk added more texture, making the meal feel even more substantial. The portions were generous too, so I left satisfied with all three dishes.

What we liked and what fell short

The best part was how clean the broth tasted. Maybe because it's domestic pork bone simmered for a long time, the flavor was deep but not heavy at all. Even people who love gukbap but have been burned by gamey or greasy versions before could probably eat comfortably here.

Another thing I liked was that the broth room is visible from outside. Watching the broth actually simmer in those big cauldrons built a lot of trust in the food. The inside was tidy too, and the side dishes paired well with the soup — overall a satisfying experience.

If I had to point out a downside, it's that seats can fill up fast during busy hours. Even by the time I finished eating, most of the seats were taken. If you want a more relaxed meal, it might be worth avoiding the busiest times.

Is Ungjin Dalseo Dwaeji Gukbap worth a late-night visit?

Ungjin Dalseo Dwaeji Gukbap was a great spot to visit when the cooler weather makes you crave a hot bowl of gukbap. The sundae gukbap was clean and savory, the spicy gukbap was hearty with a warming kick, and the cold jeyuk stood out for its chewy texture.

Most of all, the fact that the broth is simmered over half a day using 100% domestic pork bone — and that you can actually see it simmering in the cauldrons — left a strong impression. If you're near Gamsam Station looking for a filling meal, clean-tasting gukbap, and a place open late into the night, Ungjin Dalseo Dwaeji Gukbap is worth a visit.