Daegu seafood pub with half-and-half shrimp, outdoor tables: Nampo

Nampo is one of the go-to spots for grilled shellfish in Gyodong. I'd eaten grilled shellfish here before, but this time I tried something different.

Nampo opening hours and parking in Gyodong, Daegu

• Hours: Mon–Thu 18:00–02:00 / Fri–Sun 17:00–03:00 (Sunday until 02:00)
• Parking: Available
• Address: 238 Gyeongsanggamyeong-gil, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea

Nampo's outdoor tent seats: atmosphere and how to book

Nampo has indoor seating too, but this time I didn't even hesitate — outdoor tables all the way. Nampo's outdoor tent seating has been super hot lately!

It happened to be a day when the summer heat had finally broken, so it was perfect for eating at the outdoor tables in the evening. During the height of summer, I don't think I could've sat outside for long, but that evening there was a light breeze and it was cooler than expected — really comfortable to sit and enjoy.

What really stood out was how fast the outdoor seats filled up. At first there were empty tables, but one by one they filled in, and before I knew it, the place was buzzing. Seeing every table full of food and drinks amid Gyodong's characteristically lively atmosphere, I understood exactly why the Gyodong outdoor tent scene is so hot right now.

If you want to eat at the outdoor tables, I'd recommend making a reservation before you go. Seriously, the seats fill up fast.

The free side dish at Nampo: kalguksu noodle soup

This is the basic side dish.

The kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) is delicious. Thanks to it, we polished off a bottle of soju before the main dish even arrived.

Raw shrimp and grilled shrimp half-and-half: how do they taste?

We ordered raw shrimp + grilled shrimp, half-and-half. This time I chose shrimp instead of the usual grilled shellfish. I was torn between just raw shrimp or just grilled, but since I wanted to try both, I went half-and-half!

Can you see it? The freshness. They're still wriggling.

The raw shrimp definitely had that plump, springy texture I love. When you bite in, the flesh is firm with a subtle sweetness, totally different from the grilled version. The ultimate drinking snack.

The grilled shrimp was fresh too. Sorry to the shrimp, but they were jumping around like crazy on the grill.

As the shell cooked, a savory aroma rose up, and peeling the well-grilled shrimp gave a completely different flavor from the raw version. Same shrimp, but raw versus grilled felt like two different experiences — I was glad I went with the half-and-half order.

Nampo is so famous for grilled shellfish in Daegu that I almost ordered that again, but the shrimp was seriously delicious too.

New on the Nampo menu: grilled blue crab

Oh, and grilled crab has just launched too.

This time I went specifically for shrimp so I headed straight for that, but I noticed a lot of people around us eating the grilled crab. I've already tried the grilled shellfish, and now the shrimp, so next time I want to try the grilled crab. There are dishes I've had and dishes I haven't, which is one more reason to come back!!

Ice cream to finish the meal

And there's one thing you can't skip at Nampo.

To finish, ice cream. I got one again this time and, as always, it was seriously good. Rich and just sweet enough — the perfect palate cleanser.

Is Nampo in Gyodong worth a visit?

Eating at the outdoor tables gave me a whole different vibe from the usual Nampo experience. Now that the weather's cooling down, I'd recommend this Gyodong pub if you're looking for seafood and drinks outside.

• Great combo with raw shrimp & grilled shrimp half-and-half
• Outdoor tent seating really shines now that it's cooler
• Planning to come back for the grilled crab