Gyeongsan Korean restaurant with unlimited rice self-bar: Cafe Dongi

Tonight our family's dinner pick was Cafe Dongi. Do you know Cafe Dongi? Do you know that old-school, home-cooked-meal feeling? Every single side dish and stew is delicious, and you can refill your rice, barley crackers, and self-serve eggs endlessly — and now that Cafe Dongi has opened inside Yeungnam University! This was actually my second visit to Cafe Dongi Yeungnam University Art Center Branch.

Location, hours, and parking for Cafe Dongi Yeungnam University Art Center Branch

Cafe Dongi Yeungnam University Art Center Branch is on the 2nd floor of the Grand Hall, Cheonma Art Center, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-ro, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongbuk. It's open daily 10:30–20:30 (last order 20:00), with a break time from 15:00 to 16:30.

• Address: 2nd floor, Grand Hall, Cheonma Art Center, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-ro, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongbuk, South Korea (214-1 Daedong, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongbuk)
• Hours: Daily 10:30–20:30 (last order 20:00)
• Break time: 15:00–16:30

Here's the parking info: you can park inside Yeungnam University, so make sure to register your car before you leave. The campus parking lot is huge, so you're guaranteed a spot.

The building's exterior — 2nd floor of Cheonma Art Center, reached by elevator

This Yeungnam University favorite, Cafe Dongi, is located on the 2nd floor of the Cheonma Art Center building. Just take the elevator up.

How spacious is it inside? The group room and baby chairs

This is the view right when you step off the elevator. It's seriously spacious. The restrooms are outside the restaurant to the right, so you don't need to go in first, haha.

The interior is really spacious and clean, right? Oh, and there's a group room too — honestly it feels nice enough you could even hold a matchmaking meeting in there haha (though we won't be doing that, lol). It's perfect for gatherings, haha. Also check out the baby chairs!

What you can eat unlimited amounts of at the Cafe Dongi self-bar

The real pride of this Yeungnam University favorite is definitely this unlimited service, haha. You fry your own egg, and there's seaweed, barley crackers, and even peanut caramel — something other branches don't have, haha. It's basically perfect, and on top of that, you get unlimited five-grain rice made with good quality rice. It's a secret that our family went back for rice refills a full three times.

Just make sure to register your parking before you leave, and it'd be great if you help clear your own table after eating too!

Eggs made at the self-serve corner, plus the crackers and seaweed we brought over

My daughter's fried egg vs. my husband's fried egg. We were betting on whose egg tasted better. Our son voted for my daughter's egg, so I gave my vote to my husband, haha.

Bulgogi yeolmu bibimbap — properly fermented yeolmu kimchi

This is the yeolmu bibimbap (bulgogi and radish greens mixed rice) I ordered today. The yeolmu is real, properly fermented yeolmu kimchi (young radish kimchi), haha. Mixing it all up and eating it with the seaweed soup was honey-sweet. And of course I did my signature move of stealing bites of my husband's doenjang jjigae next to me, haha.

Tofu doenjang jjigae — sides wiped clean, plus an extra half bowl of rice

This is the tofu doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) my husband ordered. Ever since his diabetes diagnosis he's grown fonder of tofu, haha, and word is he cleaned every single side dish without leaving anything behind. He usually never finishes more than one bowl of rice, but today he worked up the courage to order an extra half bowl. Wow...

Jeyuk bokkeum — my daughter's go-to order

Whenever my daughter comes here, it's always jeyuk bokkeum (spicy stir-fried pork). She says it's just that good, haha. But honestly, her seaweed soup and my seaweed soup were so different that I almost got a little upset — hers clearly had way more seaweed in it, ugh. So unfair.

Usamgyeop doenjang jjigae — it's now our elementary schooler's favorite dish

Our son tried the usamgyeop doenjang jjigae (thin-sliced beef brisket soybean paste stew) for the first time. If you love meat, this is an absolute must. There's no way this could taste bad. He fished out a few pieces of meat and his rice was gone before he knew it, haha — though he did go back for more, haha. It's officially become our elementary schooler's favorite menu item.

The lemonade we got for writing a Naver review

The lemonade we got for writing a Naver review. Whoa, this is actually really tasty. I think you absolutely have to try it. When my husband asked if it was too sweet, I said it was delicious, so he gave up on trying it, haha.

The sunset on our way out

On our way out after a great meal, the sunset was so pretty I had to take a picture. While I was taking mine, I noticed a whole crowd of people also snapping photos of the same sunset, haha.

It really felt like eating a home-cooked meal for the first time in ages. I think it'd be perfect for Yeungnam University students missing their mom's cooking, and for anyone living in Gyeongsan or nearby Daegu, it's worth the drive too — parking is easy, and you can enjoy a good meal in the spacious, clean Cafe Dongi.