Bongmyeong-dong hanwoo restaurant with beef tartare: Worang Myeongga

I hadn't had hanwoo (Korean beef) with my mom in a while, so we went to Worang Myeongga! There are three branches — Doan, Yuseong Main, and Dunsan City Hall — and this time we went to the Yuseong Main branch 🚙 Here's my review of the delicious beef, the generous table setting, and the dessert we enjoyed to the fullest :)

Where is Worang Myeongga Yuseong Main Branch, and how do parking and reservations work?

Worang Myeongga Yuseong Main Branch is at 10 Gyeryong-ro 105beon-gil, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, in Bongmyeong-dong. Hours are 11:30–23:00 with a break time of 15:00–17:00, and you can park in the lot in front of the building.

• 📍Location: 10 Gyeryong-ro 105beon-gil, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon
• 🕒Hours: 11:30–23:00 (break time 15:00–17:00)
• 🚗Parking: Available in the lot in front of the building

Parking around Bongmyeong-dong is notoriously tricky, so the fact that Worang Myeongga has its own dedicated lot right in front of the restaurant was already a big plus for me!

The interior was super spacious and the design was clean and simple. The tables were spaced well apart too, making it a comfortable layout that seemed great for group dinners or family gatherings 👍🏻

I visited after making a reservation and was shown to a reserved table! Wait times can get long in the evenings or on weekends, so I'd recommend booking ahead ⭐️

A butcher-shop restaurant: choosing the hanwoo yourself

Worang Myeongga is a butcher-shop-style restaurant, so you look at the meat on display and choose it yourself. From sirloin and salchisal with gorgeous marbling to specialty cuts, everything was neatly displayed and the freshness was obvious at a glance 🥩

Besides grilled hanwoo, they also have grilled beef small intestine, marinated ribs, rice dishes, and desserts — check the menu on the table and order what you like.

They also sell hanwoo gift sets and ginseng liquor, which could be handy to keep in mind for holiday gifts or as a thank-you present 🎀

What comes with the table setting, and what's on the self-bar

After picking our meat and returning to our seats, they set up the basic table spread for us! The side dishes — salad, japchae, various namul, and marinated crab — were all neatly presented. The japchae was seasoned just right and delicious, and the marinated crab was spicy-sweet and absolutely stole the rice 🙌🏻

You can grab lettuce wraps and mushrooms from the self-bar. There's also orange, pineapple, and cherry tomatoes for dessert, so you can help yourself as much as you like 🍅

Charcoal-grilled hanwoo assortment and hanwoo ugeoji soup

Our hanwoo assortment arrived!!🥩 I was so excited just looking at the marbling.

They brought us charcoal, and the heat was seriously intense. Meat grilled over charcoal is just the best 👍🏻

Placing the meat on the well-heated grill ⭐️ While we were grilling, more soup and side dishes came out!

The hanwoo ugeoji soup was so good! It's included in the table setting, and its slightly spicy, deep flavor cut right through the richness of the meat.

Yuk-sashimi, cheonyeop and grilled salted pollock roe on the side

Beef tartare, cheonyeop (beef tripe), and salted pollock roe also came out! I tried the beef tartare first — it was so tender and had no off flavor at all.

I tried a well-cooked piece of meat — even though it was thick, the juices burst out the moment I bit into it and it was incredibly tender 🙌🏻 Personally, I think beef tastes best with wasabi rather than just salt. I asked the staff and they brought some over!

It's definitely better slightly rare than fully cooked through, so instead of grilling a lot at once, they grilled just enough for us to eat right away ⭐️

We also grilled the salted pollock roe that came with the tartare and cheonyeop — its salty flavor paired really well with the meat!

We grilled the mushrooms from the self-bar too and wrapped everything up neatly in lettuce wraps. Everything was delicious, but the galbisal (short rib meat) was my favorite 👍🏻👍🏻

Dessert at Worang Myeongga: doenjang jjigae, nurungji, fruit and ice cream

As we were finishing up the meat, we ordered doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) and nurungji (scorched rice) for dessert!

The doenjang jjigae was packed with tofu and vegetables, with a savory, well-seasoned broth. The nurungji was nutty and comforting, and both made a wonderfully filling way to finish the meal 🤍

We wrapped up with fruit! 🍍 I've heard pineapple helps with digestion, so I made sure to eat plenty after the meal haha

Just as we were about to leave, we spotted an ice cream machine! 🍦 I failed to make it look pretty in the cone, but it was a great cool, sweet way to cleanse the palate at the end 🤍

Is Worang Myeongga worth a visit? Final verdict

Great-tasting meat, a friendly atmosphere, and easy parking — overall this was a very satisfying hanwoo restaurant! If you're looking for a can't-fail hanwoo spot in Yuseong, Daejeon with a generous table setting and a clean atmosphere, I highly recommend Worang Myeongga Yuseong Main Branch!