Daegu raw beef spot for first-time mungtigi: Chulgeungil Saenggogi

During our Daegu trip, we took the subway from our accommodation to go eat mungtigi (Daegu-style raw beef)🚇 There are all sorts of festivals going on, but the real reason we came to Daegu is that my husband had never tried mungtigi and insisted we put Daegu on our itinerary! We were kindly given a meal voucher, so we got to enjoy it comfortably. If you're wondering what to have for dinner on a Daegu trip, or you're trying raw beef or mungtigi for the first time, listen up!

What is Chulgeungil Saenggogi Jongno Branch in Daegu?

Chulgeungil Saenggogi (출근길생고기) Daegu Jongno Branch is an original raw beef restaurant that has been running since 1995, a meat place in Jongno, Daegu that specializes only in mungtigi and yukhoe (seasoned raw beef). The slogan "A place that has beef slaughtered that very day, even on Saturday" really stood out to me. Since they only do mungtigi and yukhoe, I trusted the menu right away😊

Today's pick is Chulgeungil Saenggogi Jongno Branch.

Chulgeungil Saenggogi Jongno Branch location, hours and parking

The restaurant is at 51 Jongno, Jung-gu, Daegu (1st floor), about a 3-minute walk from Exit 1 of Jungangno Station. It's a quick walk from Dongseong-ro too, and coming by subway like we did was really convenient.

• Sun–Thu: 16:00–01:00
• Fri: 16:00–02:00

They open late, so it's great as a second stop too🍶

There's no parking lot! So we left the car at our accommodation and took the subway. If you're driving, I recommend looking up public or paid parking lots nearby before you visit!

Chulgeungil Saenggogi menu and prices: choosing the two-kind set

We ate the two-kind set. It comes as Large 350g+350g ₩129,000 (Best!), Medium 250g+250g ₩99,000, and Small 200g+200g ₩89,000.

• Two-kind set: Large 350g+350g ₩129,000 (Best!) / Medium 250g+250g ₩99,000 / Small 200g+200g ₩89,000
• Three-kind set: Large ₩179,000 / Medium ₩149,000 / Small ₩129,000
• Half-and-half mungtigi: ₩59,000–₩79,000
• Half-and-half yukhoe: ₩57,000–₩77,000
• Suntory highball: ₩7,900
• Earl Grey, hibiscus, ginger ale, Blue Hawaii and mojito highballs: ₩8,500 each

You build the set by choosing from Gyeongsang-style mungtigi, Jeolla-style mungtigi, jeongak mungtigi, brisket sashimi, boiled octopus, yukhoe, and brisket with odeuregi (cow's windpipe cartilage). After some debate, we went with Gyeongsang-style mungtigi + yukhoe.

Waiting area and dining room atmosphere

In front of the restaurant there's a small space with artificial grass and waiting chairs. Even if there's a wait, you can sit here, which looked handy.

The moment we walked in, we went "Wow~"🌸 Cherry blossom trees run all along the ceiling, so even though it's a raw beef place, the mood is so bright and pretty.

The tables are spaced generously and there are dividers, so it was easy to chat comfortably. We saw quite a few company dinners and group gatherings too.

How many side dishes come at Chulgeungil Saenggogi?

① A seriously long spread of side dishes

Before the main dish even came out, the table was almost full of side dishes😳 Gimbap (seaweed rice rolls), kimchi, tofu, macaroni salad, japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), braised fish, tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), corn, crunchy snacks, one after another.

The fish cake soup in a earthenware pot has a clean broth, perfect for cleansing the palate between bites of raw beef.

Beef and radish soup comes out separately too, so it felt hearty.

Cheonyeop (beef tripe) comes out too, and dipped in sesame oil sauce, the crunchy texture was so good.

The combo of kimchi on top of tofu kept pulling my chopsticks back😋 Just looking at the sides, my husband laughed and said, "I could finish a bottle of soju on these sides alone, haha!"

How did the Gyeongsang-style mungtigi and yukhoe set taste?

② The two-kind raw beef set arrives

Gyeongsang-style mungtigi and yukhoe side by side in the two-kind set, and finally the main dish is here! On one side, yukhoe piled up on perilla leaves; on the other, a heap of big-cut mungtigi🥩

③ Gyeongsang-style mungtigi (thick-cut raw beef)

Gyeongsang-style mungtigi is known for the beef being sliced thick in chunks, "mungteong-mungteong." The deep bright-red color alone made the freshness visible.

The mungtigi dipping sauce is loaded with garlic and chili powder, and dunking the beef in it is a real treat. It gets chewier the more you chew, and it's so sticky it clings to the plate, which surprised me.

④ Yukhoe (seasoned beef tartare)

The yukhoe here is topped with plenty of scallions and sesame seeds, and comes with pear, ginger and rakkyo (pickled shallots). The seasoning isn't heavy, so the beef's own nutty flavor came through well.

Yukhoe melts softly in your mouth, so alternating it with the chewy mungtigi never got boring. Put yukhoe on a slice of pear and it's sweet and refreshing, so good🍐 Do try this combo!

A Blue Hawaii highball with mungtigi

⑤ One highball to go with the beef

Soju is great with raw beef, but we went with highballs🍹 The Blue Hawaii highball is such a pretty color that I had to take photos first. Clinking glasses, cheers~, and the travel fatigue just melted away🥂

If you write a Naver receipt review, there's an event giving you 1 free bottle of soju, beer or a soft drink. Just tell the staff.

Chulgeungil Saenggogi Jongno Branch: quick guide before you go

• About a 3-minute walk from Exit 1 of Jungangno Station; going by subway is easiest
• We recommend the Gyeongsang-style mungtigi + yukhoe two-kind set
• 10+ side dishes plus fish cake soup, so it's really generous
• No dedicated parking, so public transport is easier
• Write a Naver receipt review and get 1 free drink bottle
• Open late, so it also works as a second stop

If you only eat one mungtigi in Daegu, make it this place, where you fall for the chewiness and then fall for the side dishes again!

If you're planning a Daegu trip, definitely have one dinner of mungtigi🥩