Banwoldang gukbap restaurant in Daegu, shared with old school friends

Hanwoojang, a gukbap (Korean soup) restaurant in Jung-gu, Daegu, near Banwoldang. The owner is a childhood friend of mine — we went through elementary, middle, and high school together.

Where is Hanwoojang, and how do you get there from Jungangno Station?

Hanwoojang is an old-school gukbap restaurant at 555 Gukchaebosang-ro, 1F, Jung-gu, Daegu, in Jongno 1-ga 6-3. It's about a 5-minute walk, roughly 207m, from Exit 4 of Jungangno Station on the subway. It sits at the Manggyeonggwan intersection, so it's also easy to find near Megabox Premium Manggyeonggwan.

There's no private parking lot, but the paid lot at the Meritz building right next door or the public lot at Gyeongsang-gamyeong Park both work fine, so driving there isn't a hassle either. It's right in the heart of Jung-gu, Daegu, easy to reach whether you take transit or drive.

Inside Hanwoojang, a Daegu gukbap institution running since 1968

Hanwoojang opened in 1968 and has been feeding Daegu locals for well over half a century. The sign at the entrance reads "Since 1968," which instantly conveys the weight of history and trust this place carries. Rather than flashy decor or trendy styling, it's earned its long-running popularity through honest, no-frills broth.

It's been recommended by the Blue Ribbon Survey for 12 years running, and has been designated a price-stability model restaurant and a "good price" restaurant by the government and local authorities. It's also recognized by the city of Daegu as a traditional local restaurant. Inside, neatly kept wooden tables fill the space, with both floor seating and table seating so guests can sit wherever they like. Autographed baseballs from local players are on display, making it a familiar spot for area sports fans too.

Hanwoojang menu and prices

Hanwoojang's menu splits broadly into soup dishes and suyuk (boiled meat platters). The signature soup dishes are seolleongtang and ttaro-gukbap. A basic seolleongtang is ₩11,000, while the special version, loaded with extra meat and noodles, is ₩13,000. Daegu's famous ttaro-gukbap is ₩11,000, and the special version with added sundae (blood sausage) and noodles is ₩13,000. Hanwoo (Korean beef) ox head gomtang is ₩14,000, oxtail gomtang is ₩17,000, and tripe soup and yangtang are ₩15,000 each.

For suyuk, beef, tripe, and offal suyuk are each ₩40,000, while oxtail suyuk and assorted suyuk are ₩60,000. The suyuk platters offer solid quality for the price, great as a drinking snack or a special restorative meal. Every menu item is available for takeout, as long as you order 2 servings or more.

Three bowls of special seolleongtang: how much beef is in one?

For this visit, we ordered three bowls of special seolleongtang. It's the regular seolleongtang with extra meat and noodles added, priced at ₩13,000 per bowl. The food came out remarkably fast after we ordered — probably thanks to the quick turnover typical of a 24-hour gukbap joint. Before long, three bubbling hot stone bowls of special seolleongtang landed on our table. The moment we lifted the lids, a rich, savory ox-bone aroma filled the air.

Thinly sliced brisket piled generously over the milky broth, with soft noodles and chopped scallions resting on top. The moment I dipped my spoon in, I was surprised by how heavy it felt from all the meat. True to its "special" name, the extra meat and noodles were unmistakable — all three bowls had meat and noodles practically overflowing above the broth line. There was zero gamey smell, so I could dig into the broth from the very first spoonful without hesitation.

I'd heard the portions were generous enough to satisfy even big eaters, and I wanted a solidly filling meal, so that's exactly what I got.

Unsalted ox-bone broth you season yourself with salt and pepper

Hanwoojang's seolleongtang broth comes unseasoned, so you add salt and pepper from the table to taste it the way you like. There wasn't a hint of artificial flavoring — the broth had that thick yet clean taste of bones simmered for a long, long time.

The milky broth going down was savory and impressively clean-finishing, with no lingering aftertaste. A light sprinkle of pepper made the broth's umami pop even more, and once I mixed in some rice, it became a truly filling meal.

And the noodles were so good~~

Self-serve banchan at Hanwoojang and how to dip the beef

Side dishes come from a self-serve bar in the corner of the restaurant, where you can refill kimchi and kkakdugi (diced radish kimchi) freely as much as you like, so you can eat heartily without worrying about it.

The meat was sliced thin, tender and moist in every bite. Dipping it into the soy-pickled onions provided at each seat, mixed with a bit of wasabi, cut through any greasiness cleanly while bringing out the meat's natural savoriness. The crunch of thick-cut kkakdugi, the cool, spicy napa cabbage kimchi, and stir-fried anchovies with chili peppers all added balance to what could otherwise be a one-note soup dish.

Verdict: when a 24-hour bowl of gukbap in Daegu is what you need

Hanwoojang has been running in Jung-gu, Daegu since 1968, over half a century, and its biggest strength is staying open 24 hours, every day. Whether it's a dawn hangover cure, a hearty lunch, or a late-night bite, you can drop by anytime, making it just as accessible for Daegu locals as it is for visiting travelers. With 12 straight years of Blue Ribbon Survey recommendations, a price-stability model restaurant designation, and recognition as a traditional local restaurant by the city of Daegu, you can count on honest, no-frills broth here.

Both floor and table seating are available, and group visits are welcome, so it works well whether you're eating alone or bringing the whole family. On a day when you're craving a hot, filling bowl of gukbap in Banwoldang, Jung-gu, Daegu, and want to properly experience the deep broth of a place with over half a century of history, I'd recommend Hanwoojang without hesitation.