Gukbap restaurant in Jung-gu, Daegu with high chairs: Hanwoojang

A Jung-gu, Daegu favorite — selected for the Blue Ribbon Survey for 12 years running.

While visiting Daegu, we stopped by 'Hanwoojang' for a bowl of gukbap (Korean soup with rice) near Dongseong-ro in Jung-gu for dinner. There's no dedicated parking lot, but a nearby public parking lot is just a short walk away, so it wasn't too inconvenient.

Finding Hanwoojang: the storefront and where to park

Hanwoojang is a gukbap spot on Gukchaebosang-ro in Jung-gu, Daegu, and being open 24 hours made it really convenient to use.

There was also a sticker showing 12 consecutive years of Blue Ribbon Survey selection, which made me even more excited — you could feel that this is a place that's been steadily recognized in the same spot for a long time.

Inside Hanwoojang: high chairs and well-spaced tables

The inside of Hanwoojang had that old-school neighborhood restaurant feel while still being kept neat and clean. The tables were spaced generously, which was nice, and the baby chairs were well placed, so it made for an easy family outing.

Having been a fixture of this neighborhood for so long, it seems many celebrities have stopped by too — several autographs from baseball players were posted here and there on the walls, and it was fun to look at them one by one.

Hanwoojang's menu and self-serve banchan

The first thing that caught my eye upon entering was a sign on the wall stating it's been a traditional Daegu gukbap restaurant since 1968.

Hanwoojang's signature dishes include kkori-gomtang (oxtail soup) and kkori-suyuk (boiled oxtail), and they also serve Daegu's famous ttaro-gukbap and the milky-broth seolleongtang varieties. Since it's open 24 hours, the broth simmers for over 12 hours daily, carried on by the second generation — which I loved, and being able to take any dish to go was another plus. We decided to order two dishes, teukseol-nongtang and yangtang, and share them.

The self-serve bar had kimchi, kkakdugi, and stir-fried anchovies all well stocked, so we could grab plenty while eating our gukbap.

How did the teukseol-nongtang and yangtang taste?

Teukseol-nongtang, yangtang.

A dipping sauce for the meat came out along with the side dishes, and the kimchi and kkakdugi were cut into bite-sized pieces with scissors, ready to eat.

Yangtang (tripe soup)

Hanwoojang's yangtang (tripe soup) had the tripe trimmed nicely and softly, so I could eat it comfortably without worrying about the usual smell.

The broth was savory with deep flavor, so it was great to eat filling with rice. The tripe had a nice chewy texture and was delicious on its own, but dipping it fully into the sauce was also really good. After mixing rice into the hot broth and finishing the bowl, I felt full and my stomach felt comfortable.

Teukseol-nongtang (special ox-bone soup)

The teukseol-nongtang had an intensely rich aroma right away, probably from the long-simmered ox-bone broth, and just a pinch of pepper brought out a deep flavor immediately.

Even so, the broth didn't feel heavy — it finished clean, so I kept spooning it up. It felt like all the expertise built up since 1968 was packed right into the broth; the portion was generous and the meat was tender, so I think anyone who likes seolleongtang would be satisfied with this.

Taking a spoonful of rice with a little kimchi and kkakdugi on top and eating it in one bite hit the seasoning just right — it was so delicious.

Dipping the seolleongtang meat fully into the sauce brought out even more savory flavor, making it even more delicious.

Is Hanwoojang a good spot for a family dinner?

I could see exactly why this place has earned 12 consecutive years on the Blue Ribbon list. It was great for a hearty family dinner, and it felt satisfying to experience both a long tradition and consistent flavor in one meal.

If you're near Dongseong-ro in Jung-gu, Daegu and want to try delicious seolleongtang and yangtang, give 'Hanwoojang' a visit.

Hanwoojang: hours, location and practical info

• Address: 555 Gukchaebosang-ro, 1st floor, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea
• Hours: Open 24 hours, every day
• Parking: No on-site lot (use nearby public parking)
• Takeout available, reservations possible
• Selected for 12 consecutive years in the Blue Ribbon Survey