Daegu izakaya with an autumn terrace for ume highballs: Gyodong Nakwon

Today I went back to Gyodong Nakwon, a favorite izakaya in Gyodong, downtown Daegu, after a while away.

Gyodong Nakwon / 90-2 Gongpyeong-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu / Weekdays 18:00–02:00 / Sat–Sun 17:00–02:00

Where is Gyodong Nakwon, and what is the space like?

Gyodong Nakwon is right on the main street, easy to spot. The eye-catching orange sign made it easy to find in one go.

There's quite a lot of seating near the entrance, and the bar seats looked great for chatting while you eat.

But there's an even bigger space on the inner terrace, so I'd really recommend making your way all the way inside.

Group bookings and live sports on the big screen at Gyodong Nakwon

Gyodong Nakwon also takes group bookings, great for gatherings or company dinners (reservable via Naver Place or by phone).

There's a large projector screen installed, so you can also watch sports events together (World Cup, Asian Cup, Olympics, Korea-Japan matches, and more) — worth keeping in mind.

What we ordered at Gyodong Nakwon and what it cost

We ordered the medium-spice motsunabe (₩26,000), beef tendon and scallion stir-fry (₩13,000), ume highball (₩8,000), and non-alcoholic yuzu highball (₩7,500).

Medium-spice motsunabe: is it okay if you can't take heat?

Gyodong Nakwon's motsunabe (offal hot pot) is made with a chicken broth simmered over 10 hours using chicken carcass bones, chicken feet, various fresh vegetables, spices, and kelp!

Maybe that's why the broth tasted so clean and delicious, and the beef intestine was chewy yet mild — really good 👍 You can also choose the spice level, and the medium level wasn't too much even for someone who can't handle spice well.

Beef tendon and scallion stir-fry: an easy dish for first-timers

This was my first time trying beef tendon (suji), but my friend said it was delicious so we ordered the tendon and scallion stir-fry!

Even as a first-timer, I found it deliciously chewy, and with konjac and rice cake mixed in, it was the perfect side dish for drinks.

Ume highball and non-alcoholic yuzu highball at Gyodong Nakwon

The ume highball and non-alcoholic yuzu highball were both nice and clean, not too sweet!! They have a wide range of alcohol (sake, traditional liquors) and eight kinds of highballs (Suntory, Jim Beam, Jameson, yuzu, ume, Earl Grey, soy milk, non-alcoholic, and more), so you can pick whatever suits your taste.

Why the autumn terrace seats were the best part

Above all, I was really satisfied with Gyodong Nakwon's atmosphere 👍 We sat outside, and with the cool weather and autumn breeze, it was especially nice.

True to its name, Gyodong Nakwon aims to be a kind of paradise (nakwon) — a place where guests can end their day with good food in a comfortable atmosphere, whether with close friends, on a date, or dining out with family, and leave with good memories. It's the first izakaya built in Gyodong, Daegu with that goal in mind.

If you're in Gyodong, Daegu craving good motsunabe, I recommend the great atmosphere at Gyodong Nakwon~!