Crispy hanwoo bulgogi and beef radish soup at Goyu, Gyeongju

Goyu, a Korean restaurant I found while traveling around Hwangnidan-gil! From the quiet hanok (traditional Korean house) atmosphere to the Korean menu, this place really made me feel like I was in Gyeongju.

What does Goyu serve?

Goyu is a Korean restaurant on Hwangnidan-gil whose signature dish is yukhoe buckwheat bibim noodles. You can also try pork kimchi jjim (braised kimchi stew), doenjang-stuffed ssambap (rice wraps), yukhoe mulhoe (raw beef cold soup), and mackerel buckwheat noodles!

The dishes feel familiar yet have a fresh twist, so it's a great place to visit if you want to try Korean food that's a little different from usual while traveling in Gyeongju!!

Goyu location, hours and parking in Gyeongju

Here's the location of Goyu, a Korean restaurant on Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju! It's near the main street of Hwangnidan-gil, so it's easy to find. It's open from 11 AM to 9 PM. There's a break time from 4 to 5 PM, so keep that in mind if you're planning to visit. I used the nearby public parking lot!

There's also a table-ling waitlist system available outside the restaurant. I had already made a reservation timed for right after break time ended, so I didn't need to use it.

Inside Goyu: atmosphere and seating

Goyu, a Hwangnidan-gil Korean restaurant with an overall clean and stylish vibe! Both the interior and the mood are pretty enough for a date. The variety of table setups also looked good — perfect for a cozy meal for two, but fine for a bigger group too.

Ordering is simple with the tablet on the table. I'd already mentally 'reserved' the pork kimchi jjim before even arriving, haha, so I wasn't even considering other dishes — but once I actually saw the menu, everything from perilla oil buckwheat noodles to cold jeyuk (pork) to cheese potato pancake looked delicious, and I wanted to try it all! If I come back with my husband next time, I'll have to go after the dishes I missed this time, one by one.

Wow, I actually needed a hair tie today... and there was a thoughtful little hair tie sitting right on the table. Hair tied up tight, ready to eat! We ordered pork kimchi jjim, bulgogi, and eggplant gangjeong (sweet crispy eggplant).

The beef radish soup that comes with every meal

But the beef radish soup that came out after we ordered was amazing. Honestly, isn't this good enough to sell as a main dish on its own?! The radish was cooked to a perfect crisp-tender bite and the beef was completely tender with zero chewiness — what is going on here haha. My second-grader who came along ate a whole bowl so happily that it somehow raised my expectations for the dishes we'd actually ordered.

While waiting for the food, the rain started pouring, and I'll admit I was a little tempted by thoughts of makgeolli (rice wine)... If my husband and I had come just the two of us on a date, we probably would've had a glass. But since we brought the kids along on this trip, it was a little disappointing, though I decided to just be satisfied with a delicious lunch today.

Crispy hanwoo bulgogi, an easy dish for kids too

The hanwoo (Korean beef) bulgogi came out first at Goyu. Not frozen but chilled hanwoo, and domestic Korean beef at that! It looked delicious just by sight. One bite in, it was full of juicy flavor with a sweet marinade that went perfectly with rice! It was also a fantastic side dish for our kid's rice.

Pork kimchi jjim at Goyu: minimum order for two

This one's for the grown-ups — pork kimchi jjim. This dish also uses domestic chilled pork shoulder, apparently, and it requires a minimum order of two, so it's a good pick when you're visiting with a group! The portion was quite large for just two women to finish.

The main ingredients are just three: pork, kimchi, and tofu. I liked that they didn't throw in a bunch of extra ingredients and instead focused cleanly on just those three. Pork, kimchi, and tofu — an unbeatable combo.

My sister was like, 'I know how to film it myself, but sis, film this one too' haha. Thanks to her, it turned out looking pretty appetizing 🤍 Scissors and tongs came with it, but you barely needed any force to cut it — it was so thoroughly cooked that it fell apart with just a light touch of the chopsticks.

Even as a spice lover, I'll say this level of heat passed the test today! My spice-wimp sister who came along could also eat it comfortably without feeling overwhelmed. It's not aggressively seasoned, more on the mild side, but somehow you keep reaching for more!

I enjoyed the tofu + kimchi + pork trio to the fullest. Place a piece of tangy, well-cooked kimchi on top of soft tofu, then add tender pork, and pop it all in one bite! The mildness of the tofu, the savory depth of the kimchi, and the nutty, juicy pork all came together perfectly in the mouth — such a delicious combination.

Why to order the eggplant gangjeong at Goyu

The eggplant gangjeong we ordered without hesitation! Places that sell eggplant gangjeong are surprisingly rare, so I was thrilled to find it in Gyeongju and ordered it right away. Crispy on the outside with a sweet and salty glaze... you barely notice the mushy texture eggplant usually has, so even eggplant haters could enjoy this dish.

It passed the taste test even for my sister, who was trying eggplant gangjeong for the first time! Crispy outside and soft inside, she said it was better than expected without any of the eggplant texture issues she was worried about, haha. It's affordably priced as a side dish, so definitely try the eggplant gangjeong at Goyu.

Who should book a table at Goyu?

If you're looking for a clean, stylish Korean restaurant on Hwangnidan-gil, Goyu is worth a stop! From the pork kimchi jjim to the hanwoo bulgogi to the eggplant gangjeong, every dish was delicious, and I especially liked that it was comfortable to visit with kids. Next time, I definitely want to try the perilla oil buckwheat noodles and cold jeyuk I missed this time. If you're looking for a great Korean meal on Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju, I recommend Goyu!