Quick kalguksu near escape rooms in Daegu Dongseong-ro: Donggok

Last weekend I did an escape room in Daegu, and while looking around for something light and quick to eat, I found this amazing kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) spot called Donggok Jemyeon haha. Let me introduce you to Donggok Jemyeon, a restaurant in Gyo-dong, Daegu!

• 📍Donggok Jemyeon, a restaurant in Gyo-dong, Daegu
• ⏰11:30–21:00 (last order 20:30)
• 🚗Parking available

Where do you park?

If you park at the Dongseong-ro parking lot, about a 3-minute walk away, Donggok Jemyeon supports 30 minutes of parking! Additional charges are ₩500 per 10 minutes, just so you know. I had other errands that day so I didn't use the supported lot — I used the Dongseong-ro Central Private Parking Lot instead haha.

The vibe inside and kid-friendly amenities

We went at an awkward hour for meals, so luckily I got to photograph a clean, empty interior haha. Right before we came in there were several tables seated, but they all left just as we arrived haha.

Nice timing, and since we were starving we also got our food fast.

For anyone visiting with kids, they have baby chairs and comfy aprons ready to use.

Ordering and choosing noodle thickness

You order at the kiosk haha. What I liked about Donggok Jemyeon in Gyo-dong is that you can choose your noodle thickness to your taste! The basic set comes with hanwoo bone-broth kalguksu, and the other kalguksu options cost extra!

There were three of us — two guys, one girl — so we confidently ordered the seafood chive pancake set and a yukgaejang (spicy beef and vegetable soup) kalguksu haha.

If you leave a Naver receipt review, you get a free dakmuchim (spicy mixed chicken salad), so make sure to try it haha.

When you order, they give you kimchi and a spicy mixed condiment, and if you run out, there's a kimchi container set out on the table you can just help yourself to! Basics like salt, pepper, and chicken salt are also on the table haha.

The giant seafood chive pancake

Our food arrived. The seafood chive pancake was way bigger than I expected — I was shocked.

A seafood chive pancake packed with plump, generous squid and shrimp!

Honestly, tearing it apart by hand is the best way to eat it, but I cut it up for the blog photos haha... isn't ripping into a savory pancake always the best?

The chives, shrimp, and squid worked so well together, I think I actually enjoyed the seafood chive pancake more than the kalguksu lol.

It goes really well with the mild-flavored kalguksu, so if you're visiting with two people, I definitely recommend ordering the set menu!

And the dipping sauce that comes with it — dip it however suits your taste! Personally, I usually prefer eating things plain, but that gochujang-based sauce was so good I kept dipping it in there over and over ha...

Yukgaejang kalguksu and hanwoo bone-broth kalguksu

The kalguksu dishes we ordered at Donggok Jemyeon in Gyo-dong, Daegu are made with fresh, self-made noodles haha. The yukgaejang kalguksu is made from a hanwoo bone-broth base with house-made dadegi (spicy seasoning paste) added, making it perfect for curing a hangover!

My friend had the yukgaejang kalguksu and personally said she liked it more than the hanwoo bone-broth kalguksu because it had a slightly stronger, bolder flavor lol.

And the hanwoo bone-broth kalguksu that came with the seafood chive pancake set! It's made with broth simmered for a long time from hanwoo bone stock — the mild flavor paired with the chewy noodles was so good! I personally prefer a milder flavor, so I liked the hanwoo bone-broth kalguksu a bit more lol.

For noodle thickness, I recommend the basic noodle

Personally, I recommend going with the basic noodle thickness! I feel like that thickness is exactly right for getting some chewiness while eating — if it's any thinner, I don't think you'd get that chewy texture!! If you're coming with kids, though, the thin noodles might be better haha.

I highly recommend both the hanwoo bone-broth kalguksu and the yukgaejang kalguksu as hangover-cure dishes haha.

The real flavor of a kalguksu restaurant: the kimchi

And you know the true flavor of a kalguksu restaurant comes from the kimchi... it was so good that I went back for more from the container they'd already given us as a default!! 🫶🏻🫶🏻 And it paired incredibly well with the hanwoo bone-broth kalguksu too 🫣

How many people is this order right for?

We really walked out stuffed 🫢🫢 If it's just women ordering this combo, the portion might be too much and you could end up with leftovers 🤤🤤 If you're going with guys, definitely order the chive pancake...

Donggok Jemyeon even takes care of you with dessert afterward.

Dongseong-ro is a hotspot that a lot of people visit in Daegu, right? I bet a lot of people, like me, come here after an escape room expedition — and you know that when you're on an escape room trip, you really have to eat fast haha. If you want something simple, quick, and delicious, how about Donggok Jemyeon, a restaurant in Gyo-dong, Daegu? It was a satisfying spot for a filling meal.