Daegu grilled mackerel restaurant for families: Geumdeungeo

I visited Geumdeungeo Deulanguil Main Branch (금등어 들안길 본점) with my child for oven-baked mackerel. I came back because I remembered the varied, tasty side dishes from our last family meal out.

Where is it, and is parking available?

The restaurant is on the second floor at 57 Deulan-ro in Suseong-gu, Daegu, near Deulangil Food Town. We used the building’s tower parking garage and took the elevator up. The hours listed in the original post are 11:00–21:20, with a break time from 15:30 to 17:00. Group dining and takeout are also available.

Can you enter right away with a lunch reservation?

I made a reservation in advance because I had heard it gets busy at lunch. The restaurant was neat when we arrived, but even with a reservation, we had to wait briefly before being shown in.

At the time of our visit, we waited for entry instructions even though there were empty tables, and ordered at the entrance before going in. The menu was simple, so choosing did not take long. We arrived fairly early, but the seats filled soon afterward, so there may be a wait at the entrance at lunchtime.

Is it comfortable with children, and is there a children’s menu?

The restaurant was more spacious than I expected and had plenty of tables. The tables were fairly well spaced, so it did not feel cramped sitting with my child. There were also room-style spaces, which seemed suitable for family gatherings or meals with a larger group.

The main dishes are oven-baked mackerel, charcoal-grilled stir-fried pork, and generous seasoned cockles. We ordered three servings of grilled mackerel and one serving of stir-fried pork. There is also grilled mackerel for children ages 4–7, and the notice said children in that age group are required to order it.

• Oven-baked mackerel: ₩19,000
• Charcoal-grilled stir-fried pork: ₩20,000
• Oven-baked mackerel for ages 4–7: ₩10,000

What side dishes are served, and can you get more?

After a short wait, side dishes including lotus root salad, japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), seasoned vegetables, and kimchi arrived. They were neatly arranged and went well with rice. My child especially enjoyed the japchae, so much that I had to stop them for a moment until the mackerel arrived.

I liked that the doenjang-guk (soybean paste soup) was not salty and had a savory depth. Even my child, who does not usually like it, ate it well. We could get more side dishes from the self-service bar, and I heard they are made in-house. The bar was also tidy, which gave me the impression that it was well maintained.

How was the oven-baked mackerel for a child?

The mackerel is said to be aged with nuruk salt before being baked in an oven. It was golden on the outside and moist inside. To me, it was not overly seasoned and did not have a strong fishy taste.

The flesh was soft and mild, so it was fine to feed to my child. Still, you need to check carefully for fish bones. It went well with the side dishes, and when I wanted a little more seasoning, I lightly dipped it in the salt served alongside it. It was also convenient not to have to worry about the smell and cleanup that come with grilling fish at home.

How was the stir-fried pork ordered with it?

The charcoal-grilled stir-fried pork was one serving, but it felt generous. Its spicy-sweet flavor cut through the richness that can build up while eating mackerel. Having the pork alongside the mackerel made the meal more substantial.

Are drinks provided after the meal?

Free coffee and drinks were set out near the exit after the meal. They could be taken to go, and there were ice cups as well as paper cups. My child had a sweet-and-tart apricot juice. The side dishes are also sold separately, so you can buy any that you enjoyed.