Daegu Gyodong izakaya with limited-menu cabbage rolls: Gyodong Nakwon

Gyodong in Daegu has become the hangout for young people, so a huge number of restaurants and bars have popped up there. Ever agonized over which one to pick? Today I want to take that worry off your plate with a Daegu Gyodong bar recommendation! The place I visited this time is an izakaya called Gyodong Nakwon (교동낙원), and the menu is cheap but the quality is good. Let me introduce it right away 😊

Where is Gyodong Nakwon and what are its hours?

Gyodong Nakwon is on the 1st floor of 627 Gukchaebosang-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, and it is open 18:00-02:00 (Sat, Sun 17:00-02:00). Reservations are possible, and group visits are welcome too.

• It's close to Jungangno Station, so it's easy to get to
• It's a 5-minute walk from Novotel

Gyodong Nakwon's exterior, interior and seating

The orange sign of Gyodong Nakwon caught my eye right away. It sits on the main road along Gukchaebosang-ro, so it's not hard to find.

There are cute orange waiting chairs, and motsunabe (offal hot pot), crab tomalley pasta and salmon sashimi seemed to be the signature dishes.

The inside has a warm wood-toned feel overall. There were several tables for two and for four,

and there are counter seats (dacchi) too.

If you walk all the way in, there's also a space with an outdoor-market (yajang) feel.

• There's a big screen, so it looked great for watching baseball or soccer games
• It's a slightly separated space, so it looked perfectly fine for group gatherings too

Gyodong Nakwon menu and prices

At Gyodong Nakwon, hot pots (nabe) are in the ₩20,000 range, and pasta, stir-fried and fried dishes run ₩9,000-17,000.

• Motsunabe (offal hot pot) ₩26,000
• Osaka brisket jjamppong soup ₩23,000
• Seafood curry nabe ₩23,000
• Crab tomalley pasta ₩16,000
• Napolitan pasta ₩13,000
• Brisket and bean sprout stir-fry ₩17,000
• Yakisoba ₩14,000
• Beef tendon and green onion stir-fry ₩13,000
• Rolled cabbage (cabbage roll) ₩14,000
• Chicken nanban ₩17,000
• Fried shrimp ₩13,000
• Fried chicken cartilage ₩14,000
• Cheese & ham katsu ₩9,000
• Salmon sashimi ₩27,000-47,000

True to an izakaya, this Daegu Gyodong bar is mostly Japanese-style dishes, with a range of drinks including sake, highballs and traditional Korean liquor.

This time I ordered the crab tomalley pasta ₩16,000, the rolled cabbage ₩14,000 and the chicken nanban ₩17,000.

Is Gyodong Nakwon's crab tomalley pasta fishy?

The crab tomalley pasta (₩16,000) at Gyodong Nakwon was rich and thick without the fishy taste crab innards can have. It comes generously tossed in the crab tomalley sauce, and the color contrast of the thick, rich sauce with the shrimp, green onion and cheese made it look really appetizing.

It was packed with plump shrimp and finely shredded crab meat, and the pasta was nicely cooked and chewy.

The flavor of the crab innards blended well with the cheese, and the plump shrimp and crab meat made the texture fun too.

What do Gyodong Nakwon's limited-menu cabbage rolls taste like?

The rolled cabbage (rollcabbage, ₩14,000) at Gyodong Nakwon is a limited menu item: a meat filling wrapped in cabbage and cooked until tender, loaded with mushrooms and sitting in a shallow pool of cream sauce. It was simmered long enough to be soft, and the meat filling was packed in without holding back.

The cabbage melting in the mouth and the juicy meat filling went together wonderfully, and the generous mushrooms gave off a deep aroma that really lifted the flavor. Since it's a limited menu item, if you visit this Daegu Gyodong bar, definitely order the rolled cabbage.

How is the sauce served on Gyodong Nakwon's chicken nanban?

The chicken nanban (₩17,000) at Gyodong Nakwon had tartar sauce piled generously over crispy fried chicken. It also comes with cabbage and tomato, which keep the chicken from feeling too heavy.

The coating was crisp outside and moist inside, and with the sweet tartar sauce all over it, my mouth was happy.

They also served a separate seasoned sauce, a different taste from the tartar sauce, so you can enjoy it however you like.

Verdict: is Gyodong Nakwon worth it as a Gyodong izakaya?

If you visit this Daegu Gyodong bar, definitely try the crab tomalley pasta, the rolled cabbage and the chicken nanban. The taste was above average, and every dish had varied colors, so they clearly cared about presentation too.

Prices were fairly low and there are plenty of tables, so it looks good for group gatherings as well. Among the many bars in Gyodong, this one has a low chance of disappointing, so if you're looking for somewhere to go in Gyodong, I recommend Gyodong Nakwon!