Shellfish grill set for two and abalone porridge: Nampo, Gyodong Daegu

❗️Some menu items were provided for this review, but it also includes dishes paid for out of pocket — an honest review either way❗️

Nampo: an open-air shellfish grill in Gyodong, Daegu

The weather in Daegu has been getting properly cool lately!! And on days like this, you've got to eat at an outdoor pojangmacha! So this time I went to Nampo, in Gyodong downtown!

I heard the outdoor seating had opened, booked ahead, and sat down to eat — and grilled shellfish really does hit different when you eat it outside 🍻

• 📍Nampo, Gyodong, Daegu
• Mon–Thu 18:00–02:00
• Fri–Sun 17:00–02:00
• Naver Reservations available
• Own parking lot (about 8 spots); use nearby public lots when busy
• Group inquiries via Naver Talk or Instagram DM

Why you should reserve Nampo's outdoor seats in advance

Nampo has both indoor and outdoor seating, and there was plenty of room! ⭐️Just a tip: book the outdoor tables ahead of your visit⭐️ We reserved through Naver Reservations, and it definitely cut down the wait compared to walking in without one!!

Nampo's grilled shellfish set for two, with abalone and sea squirt

This is what the menu looked like! What we ordered that day was the grilled shellfish set for two! It's a medium-size shellfish grill combined with seafood — you could choose from three kinds of seafood (abalone, sea squirt, and maybe whelk?) — and we picked abalone + sea squirt. Because, honestly, abalone is about the only seafood I can eat haha

First off, the main grilled shellfish course came with scallops, razor clams, abalone, shrimp, and cheese all included, so the table was piled high — loved the look of it right away!

Grilling the shellfish one at a time, topping some with cheese, peeling the shrimp~ There's really something fun about waiting for grilled shellfish to cook and eating it piece by piece!

One thing I especially liked about Nampo is that they say they bring in seafood the same day and use it up the same day, so it felt even fresher.

Piled the razor clam high with cheese too~! Clam meat with cheese is the best combo! Grilled the shrimp until cooked and dug in — nutty and delicious! Peeling the shell is a bit of a hassle, but it's forgiven because it tastes so good!

For the seafood that came with it — my partner said the sea squirt had a strong, fresh aroma — and the abalone had that springy, chewy bite still alive in it, so dipping it in sesame oil sauce was nutty and salty!

The free shabu-shabu kalguksu that comes with the set

Something I quietly loved was that shabu-shabu kalguksu (noodle soup) comes included by default!! Free shabu-shabu kalguksu included by default means... one side dish is basically free, right?! haha

While eating seafood you start craving something with broth, and one warm sip of the soup was refreshing and hit the spot. Lots of vegetables, plenty of mushrooms, and it even comes with kalguksu noodles! And fish cake too! Spooning up broth between bites of grilled shellfish worked great as a drinking snack too, haha. Thanks to this setup, we didn't need to order a separate soup dish — the table felt full enough as it was.

Adding seafood ramyeon and hangover abalone porridge

But I can never say no to ramyeon, so I ordered the seafood ramyeon too! With seafood in it, the broth was clean and refreshing, and the noodles held their bite without going mushy, which I liked.

And then I ordered the hangover abalone porridge, because the name itself caught my eye. After all that grilled shellfish and ramyeon, why order porridge on top? ...Because rice is always the right way to finish...!! The abalone porridge was nutty and soft, not too intense in flavor, so it was perfect for wrapping up the meal.

Which nights suit Nampo's outdoor seating in Gyodong?

It was my first time at Nampo, and we ate at the outdoor tables — maybe because the weather was cool, but the atmosphere was really great. Gyodong has plenty of indoor izakayas and bars, but having grilled shellfish and soju outside, like we did that day, definitely felt different.

It seemed like a great fit for anyone looking for a bar in Gyodong, or a group of friends wanting to order a bunch of dishes and share. With so much variety piling up on the table, it also looked good for a group gathering or a casual after-work drink in Daegu, and thanks to the outdoor vibe, it didn't seem like a bad choice for a date night in Daegu either — grilled shellfish and a soju or two. And above all, I liked that the same-day-in, same-day-used approach means you get genuinely fresh seafood!

Is Nampo worth it? Final verdict

• Grilled shellfish ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Seafood freshness ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Outdoor atmosphere ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Menu lineup ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Food arrival time ⭐️⭐️⭐️

That said, they were a bit busy so the food took a while to come out ㅠㅠ Still, there were a lot of customers, and the owner kept apologizing, so I understood! Probably worse because it was the weekend! haha Other than that, I really liked it!

If you're looking for grilled shellfish in Daegu, Nampo is worth remembering as a solid Daegu grilled shellfish spot! I heard they also serve grilled crab, so next time I'll go back for that!?