Jung-gu, Daegu ox head soup: open kitchen & meaty bowls, Hanwoojang

Today I visited Hanwoojang (한우장), a famous seolleongtang (ox bone soup) spot in Daegu. It has been serving gukbap (Korean rice soup) for two generations since 1968, so let's start this post on a real gukbap gem.

Hanwoojang · Address: 555 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu · Hours: open 24 hours, every day of the year

What does Hanwoojang look like from the outside?

The exterior looks like a traditional Korean house. The solid wood frame carries the feel of a tradition passed down through generations.

There was also a tall, vertical balloon poster at the entrance. This Dongseong-ro-area gukbap favorite is open 24 hours a day, every day, so you can drop in any time for a warm, tasty bowl of gukbap.

Hanwoojang has held Blue Ribbons since 2013, and it's already up to 12! You can say with confidence that it's a top spot when it comes to flavor.

Are Hanwoojang's interior and kitchen clean?

The dining hall has square wooden tables and chairs, and the inside was spacious and pleasant. The wooden tables and chairs really stood out.

The kitchen is open, and of all the restaurants I've been to, its cleanliness was the best. It was so spotless that I took photos of it.

On one wall, there was an introduction to Hanwoojang's history. It's a Daegu favorite that has been running for two generations since 1968. I was really looking forward to what gukbap with that much tradition would taste like.

Kid-friendly extras, self-serve bar and restroom

Aprons and baby chairs are also available. You can feel the care for customers.

A self-serve bar sits in one corner of the restaurant. You can easily refill the side dishes that come with your meal, such as kimchi and kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi).

There is a restroom inside the restaurant, and it was very clean too.

Hanwoojang is a Daegu restaurant that celebrities and many well-known figures have visited. The walls were covered with lots of famous people's autographs. It's a place with a reputation for great food even among the famous.

What's on the Hanwoojang menu?

The main menu is gukbap, split into meals and suyuk (boiled meat) dishes. We ordered two bowls of hanwoo ox head soup (소머리곰탕).

How does the hanwoo ox head soup taste, and how much meat is in it?

I photographed the ox head soup together with its side dishes. It still looks so appetizing when I look back at it. The generous amount of meat shows the owner's warm hospitality.

Hanwoojang's ox head gukbap has a very rich broth and is packed with meat, so the portion is very generous for the price.

The ox head meat has just the right amount of fat and a glossy shine, and the fatty parts aren't gamey at all but pleasantly chewy, so it suits everyone's taste.

Hanwoojang pros at a glance

• A traditional Daegu gukbap restaurant run by two generations since 1968, and the flavor is excellent, as you'd expect. The meat has no gamey smell at all, so people of any age or gender will like it.
• There's plenty of meat in the gukbap, so you won't run short. I've always been disappointed when a gukbap skimps on meat, but that won't happen here.
• The staff are friendly. Beyond the taste, I think the staff's kindness is part of what you pay for at a restaurant, and it's one of the important factors for me.