Korean restaurant in Jongno, Daegu: no-wait yukhoe bibimbap at

What kind of place is Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch?

Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch is a Korean restaurant at 19 Jungangdae-ro 77-gil, Jung-gu, Daegu. It's open daily 11:00-20:00, with a break time from 15:30-17:00 and last order at 19:30. No parking available. I was craving a neat, well-put-together Korean meal, so I made my way to Hyangtaek in Daegu. It lived up to its reputation — the tidy, thoughtfully composed menu made for a really satisfying meal 😉

There's a large menu board posted outside, so it's easy to check the menu before going in. And right at the entrance, there's a waiting list ready to go!

I went on a weekday evening, and luckily got seated right away with no wait. Once inside, the space was clean and tidy with a soft hanok feel running through it — the atmosphere was really nice~~

What we ordered at Hyangtaek and what it cost

At Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch I ordered mackerel gondre rice (samchi gondre-bap) for ₩14,000 and yukhoe bibimbap (raw beef mixed rice) for ₩14,000. I picked Hyangtaek's signature mackerel gondre rice along with the never-fails yukhoe bibimbap!

Hanok-style interior and table spacing

The whole place has a calm, comfortable vibe, so it'd be great to come with a friend for a meal, or on a date when you're craving Korean food haha

The interior is clean and full of hanok character — a real Daegu gem, Hyangtaek! The tables aren't cramped together either, and everything is kept tidy, so it was a comfortable place to eat throughout the meal.

There were even tips posted on how to enjoy the food, and while I was slowly reading through them, my order arrived pretty quickly~~

The side dishes served with every meal

Before the main dishes arrived, Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch served salted seafood, gungchae, and doenjang soup as the basic side dishes. Nothing overpowering, just clean flavors that paired well with the main dishes.

Yukhoe bibimbap, 14,000 won: add the sauce a little at a time

Yukhoe bibimbap, ₩14,000. The vivid red raw beef was piled on generously, and it looked delicious just to look at. Since the beef itself is already lightly seasoned, I'd recommend adding the sauce provided a little at a time rather than dumping it all in at once. I only added a small amount of sauce and mixed it through, and the seasoning was just right!

Top it with the egg yolk~

Popping the yolk and mixing it in added even more richness, and the portion of raw beef was generous enough to be satisfying. Overall the seasoning wasn't overpowering — mild and clean. The more I chewed, the more I could taste the freshness and savoriness of the beef, and I really enjoyed it 👍

Mackerel gondre rice, 14,000 won: wrap it in seaweed

Mackerel gondre rice, ₩14,000. True to being the signature dish, it was loaded with gondre (dried thistle greens). I love greens, so just looking at it made me happy haha. A human who loves namul.

The nicely grilled mackerel was soft and clean-tasting, and mixed together with the gondre rice it really worked well. There was almost no fishy taste, so it was easy to enjoy without hesitation.

Wrapping the rice in the seaweed that came with it doubled the savoriness and umami!! Pairing it with the seaweed is basically a must. Definitely try eating it this way 👍

Would I go back to Hyangtaek in Jongno, Daegu?

Overall, the food wasn't overpowering and felt like it let the ingredients' natural flavors shine, which I liked even more about Hyangtaek! It's a great spot to visit on a day when you want something clean and easy on the stomach. Next time I'd probably order these same two dishes again 🤍 If you're looking for a well-put-together Korean meal in Daegu, Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch is worth a visit :)