Tuna restaurant in Dalseo, Daegu for a date-night course: Hangil Tuna

A tuna course date with my husband on the first day of October

I wanted a special date on the first day of October, so my husband and I went for a tuna course at Hangil Tuna (한길참치) in Janggi-dong, Dalseo-gu, Daegu. It has been a Dalseo favorite for 15 years, with regulars who never stop coming.

This isn't ordinary tuna: it's premium bluefin from fish over 250kg, aged at low temperature for 12+ hours, and you can try special cuts like cheek, throat, palate, head meat and mekadoro. I was so excited! This is a perfect date review, with the deep flavor of aged tuna and a drink adding to the mood~

Location and parking of Hangil Tuna Janggidong Food Alley Branch

Hangil Tuna Janggidong Food Alley Branch is at 266 Daemyeongcheon-ro, Dalseo-gu, Daegu, in the Janggi-dong food alley packed with Dalseo restaurants. It's open daily from 17:00 to 1:00 a.m. and closed every Sunday.

It's a 10-minute walk from Yongsan Station on Daegu Subway Line 2, so it's easy by public transit. If you drive, use the Janggi public parking lot, a 2-minute walk away. It's near Rainbow Park and the waterside park, so a stroll after dinner is nice too, which makes this Janggi-dong spot a perfect date course.

It sits by the road with a classy wood-paneled exterior, so I spotted it right away.

What's the interior and seating like?

The inside is decorated with soft wood and gentle golden lighting, giving it a luxurious, warm feel. Seating is split into bar seats, tables and 3 private rooms.

It has been open for 15 years, yet it's so clean you'd believe it just opened. You can feel how much they prioritize cleanliness, which I love.

There are bar seats where you can chat while watching the chef prepare the tuna, and tables with a properly romantic mood.

There are 3 private rooms at the back, so it's a good place to book for company dinners, gatherings, dates, or making memories with someone precious.

Hangil Tuna menu and prices

The courses run from the Manager Special at ₩58,000 to the Bluefin Royal Special at ₩300,000. They were also running an event: 5% off for a receipt review and 1 free bottle of corkage.

• Manager Special ₩58,000
• VIP Special ₩80,000
• Hangil Special ₩100,000
• Bluefin Special ₩150,000
• Bluefin Deluxe Special ₩200,000
• Bluefin Royal Special ₩300,000
• Assorted tuna sashimi (for 2) ₩100,000

Meals and drinks

• Sushi ₩25,000
• Tuna sashimi rice bowl ₩12,000
• Udon (thick wheat noodles) ₩5,000
• Bowl of rice ₩1,000
• Soju, beer ₩5,000
• Chungha (sake-style rice wine) ₩6,000
• Seoljungmae (plum liqueur) ₩10,000
• Bokbunja (black raspberry wine), Hwarang ₩15,000
• Sake from ₩6,000
• Soft drinks ₩2,000

Manager Special for two, ordered 'all at once'

We ordered the Manager Special course for two. You can choose between getting the tuna course in stages or all at once, and since I like eating lots of dishes together, I picked all at once. Let's see this premium course~

Abalone porridge and yuzu dressing salad

I settled my empty stomach with nutty abalone porridge full of abalone innards. I had to calm my stomach so it wouldn't be shocked by all the good food coming today~

A soft-boiled egg and a fresh yuzu dressing salad really got my appetite going!

Grilled mero and fried shrimp

The golden grilled mero (Chilean sea bass) is moist and mild inside, and goes so well with sake. A gentle sweetness comes out as you chew.

The crispy fried shrimp aren't tiny ones but plump, fresh shrimp with a sweet savory taste. As Japanese-style tempura, it's incredibly crunchy, and the nutty taste of the oil made me so happy.

Sichuan-style braised tuna and udon

The Sichuan-style braised tuna is cooked in a spicy soy sauce base, so it's perfect with drinks.

The udon is loaded with fried tofu, shredded seaweed and bean sprouts, and the noodles are springy. It was better than at an udon specialty shop.

6 pieces of akami tuna sushi

They gave us 6 pieces of akami (lean red tuna) sushi! The lightly seasoned sushi rice with soft, nutty tuna is such a great combination. It was a different kind of gourmet experience from eating the tuna alone.

What does the bluefin tuna sashimi at Hangil Tuna taste like?

The sashimi in the Manager Special was bluefin belly, swordfish belly and palate meat. It looked soft and moist, and the color was so glowing that just looking at it made me happy.

Even without any seasoning, the tuna is this rich and delicious~ It melts in your mouth like soft ice cream. The tuna tastes like top-grade beef, which is amazing. You can taste right away that they use only premium bluefin, which is probably why it has lasted 15 years as a Dalseo favorite.

Dip it in the special soy sauce and wasabi for a clean taste, and eat it with seaweed, white kimchi and sprouts to double the savory depth.

With ice-cream-like tuna, the drinks go down on their own. They have lots of kinds of sake, so I'll have to come back for the sake next time.

Clam soup and two tuna refills

We got two tuna refills at Hangil Tuna. One sip of the clear jaecheop-guk (freshwater clam soup) refreshes your mouth, so I could eat tuna endlessly.

Every dish was delicious and the portions generous, so I was full, but I wanted to keep tasting that satisfying tuna and my chopsticks wouldn't stop.

I was surprised that the refill came out so carefully, in the same amount as the first time. Getting to eat premium tuna until I'm this full made me super happy.

Honest review of Hangil Tuna in summary

• I wanted a special date with my husband, so we had the tuna course at Hangil Tuna.
• It's a bluefin tuna specialist that has kept going for 15 years as a Dalseo favorite.
• They say they use only premium bluefin over 250kg, aged at low temperature for 12 hours. Once you try it, you can't eat other tuna.
• The atmosphere is upscale and quiet for talking, great for enjoying with precious people.
• One slice of tuna and one drink, and all my worries disappear~
• Next time I'll come for the Bluefin Special and sake.