Korean rice bowl restaurant near The Hyundai Daegu: Hyangtaek Jongno

Today I went to a Korean rice bowl place I always love — Hyangtaek!! I've been going here since the original branch first opened, and I've basically ordered my way through the whole menu haha... it's a place I really adore. Delicious, great atmosphere, and affordable too!! This is Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch (향택 대구종로점) ✨

Where is Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch, and what are the hours?

Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch is a Korean rice bowl specialty restaurant on Jungang-daero 77-gil in Jung-gu, Daegu, open daily 11:00–20:00. Break time is 15:30–17:00, and last order is at 15:00 and 19:30.

• ⏰ Daily 11:00–20:00
• Break time 15:30–17:00
• Last order 15:00, 19:30
• 🅿️ Nearby parking: Daegu Hanguk-ui-jip parking lot (1-min walk, paid)

Hyangtaek sits right in front of the famous hanok Starbucks, the Starbucks Jongno Gothaek branch!! It's also close to Jongno and Yangnyeongsi, so it's perfect to stop by after shopping at The Hyundai Daegu ><

Since it's really right in front of the Gothaek Starbucks, it was super easy to find.

The hanok vibe was strong right from the entrance — I get why this place is known as a Korean restaurant now 🙂↕️

The atmosphere is pretty and lovely, so I'd totally recommend it as a date spot!! Thinking back, I've actually only ever come to Hyangtaek on dates haha

Inside Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch: hanok mood and wait time

The interior of Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch is wood-toned hanok style, and there's a waitlist sheet at the entrance. The space is fairly large, so tables turn over quickly even during peak hours.

Right as you walk in there's a waitlist sheet. If you visit during lunch or dinner peak hours there might be a short wait, but since the space is quite large and the menu turns over quickly, it clears fast 😙

Like I mentioned, the interior is fully hanok style 🥹 the wood-toned decor felt neat and clean, so I trusted the food right away.

But actually, this branch hasn't been open that long — it's a newer spot!! So why does it already feel so seasoned and well-run? haha

There's also a wood high chair that matches the pretty interior perfectly, so it seems like a great place to bring kids too.

There are both 4-top and 2-top seats, so I saw plenty of couples and groups of friends. Right after we sat down, the place filled up completely lol

Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch menu and prices

Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch has five rice bowl dishes total, and the best sellers are the mackerel gondre rice and eggplant doenjang rice bowl. That day we ordered mackerel gondre rice for 14,000 won and yukhoe bibimbap for 14,000 won.

Let me show you the menu board first!

There are only five signature rice bowl dishes — I liked that a rice bowl specialty shop doesn't try to do a huge variety, but focuses on the dishes they're confident about haha. The best sellers are the mackerel gondre rice and the eggplant doenjang rice bowl... not common choices, which makes it even better!!

They also just launched two new side dishes — grilled deodeok (mountain herb root) and mushrooms, and Cheongsong-style chicken bulgogi — so if you can't resist Korean side dishes, go for it><. We debated but ended up ordering mackerel gondre rice for 14,000 won and yukhoe bibimbap for 14,000 won!!

We studied the menu board while waiting for our food... it came out pretty quickly!!

How did the mackerel gondre rice and yukhoe bibimbap taste?

Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch's yukhoe bibimbap comes with raw yukhoe (seasoned raw beef), egg yolk, pear and bean sprouts, while the mackerel gondre rice has soft mackerel and mushrooms served with chive soy sauce and roasted seaweed. The basic side dishes are a sauce that looks like salted herring roe and braised gungchae (a leafy vegetable).

The basic side dishes that come out first are a sauce that looks like salted herring roe, and braised gungchae!! The gungchae was so crunchy and delicious, it went really well with the mackerel gondre rice 🤤

Ta-da!! The moment the dishes arrived, what I noticed right away was how fresh and generous the ingredients looked!! And how healthy it all seemed haha. The food isn't heavily seasoned — it felt clean and neat!!

The yukhoe bibimbap comes with a bed of lettuce on the rice and a big mound of yukhoe on top!! Not frozen yukhoe at all — it was genuinely fresh, high-quality raw beef ✌️

When you order the yukhoe bibimbap, they give you an egg yolk to mix in — let's do that. Yukhoe without egg yolk is like a bungeoppang (fish-shaped pastry) with no filling, or underwear with no elastic...

See that?... I didn't realize, but there's also pear in there, another essential ingredient for yukhoe bibimbap!! Sweet, crunchy, amazing... The seasoning sauce did all the work, not too sweet or salty, so it was really delicious, and since the ingredients are so fresh, I think this might be the definitive version of yukhoe bibimbap!! If you love yukhoe, you have to come here.

Next up is the mackerel gondre rice bowl my boyfriend ordered 🫪 (this is seriously insane). The plating is so neat and pretty — this is exactly why it's a proper date spot. If you're dating someone who doesn't want the pressure of drinking, this is a great Korean restaurant to visit early in a relationship haha. I'll plan the whole date course for you 😄

The mackerel is so soft that it crumbles apart into a fluffy texture the moment you stir it with a spoon!! There's a generous amount of toasted sesame seeds, and the mushrooms mixed in add a nice bite — a healthy but satisfying meal.

You mix it up like this until it's fluffy and light, and the chive soy sauce they serve with it is so good... ㅠㅠ Next time I come, I'm definitely getting the mackerel gondre rice. It's not heavily seasoned, so it should suit all ages, and the gondre doesn't taste too 'vegetable-y', so even I, a picky eater, enjoyed it a lot ㅠㅠ It's a best seller for a reason, so make sure to order it.

The yukhoe bibimbap also has bean sprouts in it, which I think is why the texture felt so good the whole way through — I felt like I was getting healthier just by eating it ㅎ. Eating something fresh and clean like this for once felt like I was actually taking care of myself...(?)

If you order the mackerel gondre rice, they give you roasted seaweed too — put the gondre rice on it with some of the salted herring roe sauce on top, and it's absolutely incredible.

The portions were big and generous, so even my boyfriend, who eats a lot, said he was properly full and enjoyed it. And most of all, since the meal was fresh and healthy, we didn't feel bloated or uncomfortable afterward at all!!😌 On days you don't want anything heavy, come to Hyangtaek and fill up on a healthy rice bowl♡

Who should eat at Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch?

I'm so happy I got to introduce a restaurant I go to often haha. I've tried everything on the menu here — if you're not in the mood for rice, the herring roe bibim noodles are amazing too, and even I, who doesn't eat eggplant, tried a bite of the eggplant doenjang rice bowl and it was genuinely delicious with no strong love-it-or-hate-it taste. It's also a place parents would love, which is great since it's a Korean menu that welcomes any age group?! If you're downtown, definitely stop by for lunch or dinner and have a great meal haha