Solo dining set with sizzling jeyuk at Cafe Dongi, a Daegu Korean

Eating solo during a Daegu trip, I filled up on the individual grilled jeyuk (spicy stir-fried pork) set plus sweet and sour pork and meatballs — a very satisfying solo meal.

Hi, I'm Jihwan's Dad. I found a Korean restaurant that's totally fine for solo dining while traveling alone in Daegu. I was wandering around Dongseong-ro when lunchtime hit, and I wanted something warm and hearty and Korean instead of pasta or pizza. Looking for a place I wouldn't feel awkward walking into alone, Cafe Dongi Dongseong-ro Main Branch caught my eye. It's on the 2nd floor near Exit 10 of Banwoldang Station.

I walked in alone and didn't feel awkward at all. Every table had a tablet, so I could browse photos and pick my menu solo. The layout was really well suited to solo dining.

Where is Cafe Dongi Dongseong-ro Main Branch? 2nd floor near Banwoldang Station Exit 10

This Daegu Banwoldang Korean restaurant spot is located near Exit 10 of Banwoldang Station.

Being on the 2nd floor of the main Dongseong-ro shopping street made it easy to grab a meal while shopping, and public transit access was great too.

Hours and break time

• Weekdays 11:00 - 20:30
• Weekends 11:00 - 21:00
• Break time 15:00 - 16:30

Clean and spacious from the moment you walk in

Stepping inside, the interior was really pleasant and spacious — perfect for a family meal out. There's a nice waiting area inside too, and the tables were spaced generously, making it great for a Dongseong-ro lunch.

It really wasn't awkward eating alone here. With a tablet at every table, browsing photos to choose the menu was easy and comfortable.

It really wasn't awkward eating alone here. I wondered 'will it be okay solo?' but the moment I stepped in, it was 'ah, this is the place.' I ended up gasping twice in front of the self-bar.

The self-bar — this is where I first gasped

Before even sitting down, I checked out the self-bar. I thought, 'they give all this for free?' The moment I found this self-bar eating alone, a repeat visit was already guaranteed.

Anyone looking for a good Korean restaurant near Daegu Banwoldang will definitely fall for this. There's warm fried eggs, plus five-grain rice and barley candy, all free. There's also nutty hutgae tea and dolgim (dried laver), more than enough to feed a kid too. Fried eggs, five-grain rice, barley candy, hutgae tea, and dolgim — all free. Coming alone, this spread alone left me full and satisfied.

What I ordered — three dishes, solo

I took my time browsing photos on the tablet. Since ordering little just because I was alone felt like a waste, I loaded up on a few things.

• Individual grilled jeyuk set
• Tasting-size sweet and sour pork
• Meatballs

The moment the individual grilled jeyuk set arrived, the table filled right up. Even dining alone, the atmosphere really came alive.

Moist, savory-salty meatballs — perfect paired with rice. The sweet and sour pork, fried without flour, had a crispy-chewy texture that beat my expectations.

Eating the grilled jeyuk, smoky with that char-fired aroma, together with a bowl of rice — it disappeared in no time.

The basic side dishes that come with the individual grilled jeyuk set were also clean and nice to eat.

The tasting-size sweet and sour pork, said to be fried without flour, really did have a different crispy-yet-chewy texture. The meatballs were moist and savory-salty — total rice thief. Even alone, I cleaned out all three plates. The individual grilled jeyuk set is a single serving, but with the self-bar added on, the table ends up pretty loaded. A meal for one that didn't feel lonely at all.

Solo dining verdict

For solo Korean food near Banwoldang while traveling alone in Daegu, Cafe Dongi Dongseong-ro Main Branch was the answer. The individual grilled jeyuk set, tasting-size sweet and sour pork, meatballs, and the free self-bar spread made for a hearty, un-awkward meal alone. Tablet ordering makes it convenient, and the self-bar is really this place's point of difference. If you're deciding where to eat around Dongseong-ro in Daegu, save Cafe Dongi Dongseong-ro Main Branch.