Chimsan-dong hanwoo grill with a self-serve dessert bar: Gogi 9dan

If you're looking for a truly great meat restaurant in Buk-gu, Daegu, this one deserves your attention. Today's pick is Gogi 9dan Chimsan Direct Branch (고기9단 침산직영점), a Nowon-area favorite where locals rave about high-quality beef at reasonable prices. It works for family meals and group gatherings alike, so I want to introduce it in detail.

Parking and exterior at Gogi 9dan Chimsan Direct Branch

Gogi 9dan Chimsan Direct Branch has its own parking lot. There's lots of room, so parking is easy.

When you arrive, the grand, clean exterior is the first thing that catches your eye. The slogan "Gogi Kkeutpangwang Gogi 9dan" (the ultimate meat place) is visible from far away, and the stylish signboard is impressive. You walk up the stairs to the second-floor restaurant, which gives a tidy first impression from the entrance.

Lunch special poster by the stairs

On the way up the stairs there's a big poster announcing the lunch specials. Under the slogan "Lunch is Gogi 9dan, of course," you can see the fresh hanwoo (Korean beef) yukhoe bibimbap and the yukjeon (beef pancake) set at a glance. Meat set meals such as skirt steak, flower rib, instant-marinated galbi and emperor rib are also shown with neat photos and clear prices, which builds anticipation before you even walk in. I also liked that the special comes with a dessert of your choice: white rice in a stone pot, bibim naengmyeon or mul naengmyeon.

Inside Gogi 9dan Chimsan Direct Branch: the self-serve dessert bar

Beer glasses, water cups, bowls, spoons and chopsticks, and wet wipes are set out beside the tables, so you can just help yourself.

On one wall, a variety of certificates and diplomas are proudly displayed, which adds to the trust. They range from a completion certificate for the food service CEO course at Daegu Catholic University to an excellent service award and a "Brand of the Year" commendation. You can feel how much effort the owners have put into serving the best taste and service, which makes you trust the place and makes the meal feel a bit more special.

Dessert corner with coffee machine, water purifier and puffed rice snacks

Another plus of Gogi 9dan Chimsan Direct Branch is the self-serve dessert bar. Beneath a commendation for fire-safety excellence, you'll see a neatly organized space. There's a high-end coffee machine and a water purifier, plus crunchy, nutty puffed-rice snacks that are perfect for freshening your mouth after the meal. The cups and tableware look hygienically kept, which again shows how careful the restaurant is about cleanliness.

Plum tea, iced coffee and an instant coffee vending machine

The dessert corner doesn't stop there. For people who don't drink coffee, there's a cool, sweet plum tea machine sitting right beside a sweet iced coffee machine. I liked that you can pick by taste, and next to them is a vending machine for hot instant coffee, so everything is covered. After a belly-filling meat meal, finishing with a cup of tangy plum tea helps digestion and leaves your mouth feeling really fresh.

There was a notice like this in the restroom. It tells staff to check their appearance, wash their hands thoroughly and then return to work, which caught my eye.

Kids' play room at Gogi 9dan

On one side of Gogi 9dan Chimsan Direct Branch there's a Gogi 9dan play room for children. It has arcade machines, a claw machine, and paper and colored pencils for coloring.

At lunchtime, lots of customers were having the lunch special.

What's on the menu at Gogi 9dan Chimsan Direct Branch?

At Gogi 9dan Chimsan Direct Branch, the first order can be a full plate or a half plate, and the menu details each cut: fresh galbi, skirt steak, flower rib, emperor rib, wild-honey galbi and instant-marinated galbi. Inside, every table has a neatly arranged booklet-style menu. The description of the nuruk-salt fresh galbi, with its rich, nuruk (traditional fermentation starter) blossom flavor, comes with gorgeous photos that grab your attention. The good-value 9dan Set, bundling hanwoo yukhoe, pork kimchi stew, jjolmyeon, and fresh wasabi with sushi, is also well put together, so there are plenty of choices.

Side dishes and charcoal-grilled hanwoo

Once you order, the table fills with a spread of side dishes that any Korean set-course restaurant would envy. The banchan (side dishes) come in neat white ceramic bowls and look really upscale.

Crisp salad, sweet-and-sour japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), yangnyeom gejang (spicy marinated crab) that's a total rice thief, mustard-leaf pickles, and fresh broccoli with shrimp stir-fry make you feel properly treated. Ssamjang (dipping paste), garlic and Cheongyang chili peppers are served neatly too, bringing out even more of the meat's flavor.

Now let's put the delicious hanwoo on the charcoal.

What comes in the 17,000 won 9dan Set?

The 9dan Set at Gogi 9dan Chimsan Direct Branch is ₩17,000 and comes with hanwoo yukhoe, pork kimchi stew, jjolmyeon, and fresh wasabi with sushi. It's the ultimate bang for your buck.

Marbling on the hanwoo skirt steak and flower rib

The main skirt steak (anchangsal) and flower rib (kkotgalbisal) come neatly sliced on a wooden board. The moment the meat we'd been waiting for arrived, we couldn't help but gasp, and it looked absolutely radiant.

Marbling like snowflakes runs through the vivid red meat, proving why this place is so well known as a Chimsan-dong hanwoo and meat restaurant. A whole fresh king oyster mushroom comes alongside to grill together with the meat, a thoughtful touch. The meat is cut thick, so you can already imagine the rich juices before it even hits the grill.

Dessert: patbingsu (red bean shaved ice)

The final finale of the meal at Gogi 9dan Chimsan Direct Branch is a cool red bean bingsu (shaved ice dessert), which a staff member kindly brings over. In a big clear bowl, soft shaved ice is topped generously with sweet red beans, chewy rice cake, mixed fruit, nutty cereal and roasted soybean powder. The portion is so hearty you could barely hold it with both hands, so it's great to share, and the sweet, cold taste spreading through your mouth puts a perfect full stop on the meal.

Verdict: who is Gogi 9dan Chimsan Direct Branch good for?

Gogi 9dan Chimsan Direct Branch, a Chimsan-dong hanwoo and meat restaurant, delivers overwhelming meat quality, neat side dishes and a great dessert service, so I was completely satisfied on every front. The wide, comfortable space makes it a strong pick for gatherings, so I recommend visiting with people you care about and experiencing the best beef.

• Address: 197 Chimsannam-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:00–21:50
• Break time: 15:00–17:00
• Last order: 21:00