Aged kimchi tuna gimbap at Nampo, a Gyodong pub in Daegu

I made a reservation ahead and headed to Nampo, a hot spot in Gyodong, Daegu, with a close friend of mine. Since she'd never had raw shrimp sashimi before, I was half excited and half nervous — but we ended up thoroughly enjoying everything from the plump summer raw shrimp sashimi to the crispy fried shrimp heads to the hearty aged kimchi tuna gimbap (seaweed rice roll).

We wrapped up with sweet ice cream for dessert, ending my friend's first raw shrimp sashimi challenge on a successful note. Here's the review of our Gyodong date.

Where is Nampo in Gyodong, Daegu?

Nampo is located at 238 Gyeongsanggamyeong-gil, Jung-gu, Daegu, in Gyodong. Meeting up with my close friend after a while, we headed to Nampo in Gyodong for good drinks and good side dishes. The exterior already gave off a sleek vibe, and my expectations shot up the moment I saw the entrance.

Just in case, I'd made a reservation beforehand, and they handed me a hand-written three-line acrostic card made with my name. My friend saw it and said it was such a thoughtful touch — a great start to the evening.

Inside Nampo: the room and the free side dishes

The soft, cozy lighting inside Nampo made it a perfect spot to catch up with my friend after a long time apart. With the mellow music playing, I thought there's really no better place in Gyodong for a date or a gathering.

On top of that, the basic side dishes were seriously generous! From cool, sweet watermelon to pork cutlet, macaroni salad, and even a spicy, warm seafood kalguksu (noodle soup), the drinks already tasted good before the main dishes even arrived.

Nampo's menu and what we ordered

• Summer raw shrimp sashimi
• Aged kimchi tuna gimbap

We picked Nampo's summer signature dish along with a hearty, filling menu item that also worked as a meal.

What the food at Nampo is like

Honestly, my friend had said "I've never had raw shrimp sashimi before!" so I was a little worried about her first try — but the moment the dish arrived, that worry disappeared completely!

Summer raw shrimp sashimi and fried shrimp heads

Nampo's summer raw shrimp sashimi arrived fresh and glistening atop cold ice gravel, overwhelming from the visuals alone. You separate the heads and tails before eating, and the shrimp's distinctive sweet flavor was excellent.

After eating the sashimi, if you gather up the heads and ask, they'll fry them up crispy for you. The crunch and nuttiness were top-tier, and dipping them in the accompanying mayo sauce was a real treat.

Aged kimchi tuna gimbap (seaweed rice roll)

This is the aged kimchi tuna gimbap we ordered to fill up properly together. The salty, crunchy aged kimchi was packed full of savory tuna, and one bite was enough to make you smile.

Adding a bit of the chives and wasabi sprinkled on top kept it tasty all the way through without getting boring.

Is Nampo worth a visit in Gyodong, Daegu?

It had been a while since I'd had drinks with this friend, and her first try at raw shrimp sashimi went great — combined with the perfect atmosphere and food, we had an even more enjoyable time.

When we paid and headed out, they gave us a sweet, cool dessert ice cream, which made for a happy ending. If you're looking for a great-atmosphere pub or date spot in Gyodong, I'd recommend giving Nampo a visit.