Solo dining near Gamsam Station, Daegu: grilled bulgogi at Yukbanjang

Today I'm bringing you a story about a revisit to Yukbanjang, a Daegu yukgaejang (spicy beef soup) restaurant great for lunch near Gamsam Station and Seonam Market, and for solo dining too :)

Yukbanjang Daegu: hours, parking, and location

⏰ Hours ⏰ 10:30-21:00, closes at 15:00 on Sundays, break time 15:30-16:30

🏠 Address 🏠 177 Dangsan-ro, 1F, Dalseo-gu, Daegu, South Korea

Parking wasn't an issue — you can use the nearby alleys or the public parking around Duryu Central Ville The City, and since it's within 5 minutes on foot from both Gamsam Station and Seonam Market, it seemed easy to visit even without a car.

It had been a while since I last visited this Daegu yukgaejang spot, and the sign had changed from white to black. After checking the hours and break time, I headed straight inside.

Interior and the solo-dining vibe

Even though I visited for an early lunch, quite a few people were already eating, and several solo diners were also having their meal without any awkwardness.

There's also a group room in the back that fits up to 8 people, so a reservation in advance seems like a good idea.

A new chalkboard corner at this Daegu yukgaejang spot. It shares monthly news, improvements, and set menus with photos, and there seemed to be even more celebrity autographs than before, haha.

Self-serve rice and side dish bar, unlimited refills

Rice and side dishes could be refilled easily at the self-serve bar, and since it's unlimited, rice lovers would be happy here, haha.

Disposable aprons and a baby chair were available if needed, and the clean kitchen is one reason I'd recommend this as a great Gamsam lunch spot. Even after a while away, the open kitchen was just as spotless 🤍

I could check the origin labeling board, and got a peek at the rather nice staff conduct rules — not something you see often these days — as well as the rice used for the meals.

Lastly, there was sujeonggwa (cinnamon-persimmon punch) and vitamin candy to enjoy after the meal, haha. I think it used to be plum tea when I visited before, so switching to sujeonggwa will probably please older guests even more!

Menu and the meal itself

The Yukbanjang menu can be checked right at the table, and staff take your order in person. Along with the basic yukgaejang dishes and lunch set menus, there's a hearty king short rib yukgaejang and a new side menu, grilled bulgogi, that's easy to pair with your meal.

For anyone having trouble deciding, there were menu explanations with photos on the wall, along with the benefits of green onion and of yukgaejang itself — worth a check-check.

Since I'd made a reservation through Naver, the basic side dishes were already set up, and once I sat down, they brought over cold water too. Pepper and minced garlic were on the table, spoons and napkins in the drawer beside it, and a receipt review event was also running.

Oh, and if you make a reservation through Naver, there are various coupon perks too, so keep that in mind :)

• Red yukgaejang ₩11,000
• Kalguksu yukgaejang ₩11,000
• Grilled bulgogi ₩9,000

Alright, let me show you each menu item one by one, haha.

Red yukgaejang, ₩11,000

First up is the basic red yukgaejang, served with a bowl of rice — and the rice is refillable too!

The yukgaejang was packed with green onion and meat, making for a hearty meal, and even though it wasn't my dish, I spotted glass noodles inside too.

Kalguksu yukgaejang, ₩11,000

I prefer noodles over rice, so I ordered the kalguksu (knife-cut noodle) yukgaejang, and this dish was also loaded with hearty ingredients 👍🏻👍🏻

The noodles were generous in portion and had soaked up the broth well, so I finished it all without leaving a drop.

New menu grilled bulgogi, ₩9,000 — how does it compare to the boiled pork?

On my previous two visits, the boiled pork (suyuk) was so good I kept going back to it, but this time I decided to try the new menu instead.

The grilled bulgogi, with a nice hint of char, was lighter to enjoy than the boiled pork, but when it came to pairing with the yukgaejang, the boiled pork still won.

Still, it was delicious, so I finished it all, haha.

Even after a while away, the flavor didn't disappoint, and I got to enjoy a healthy, hearty meal. If you love yukgaejang, or you're looking for Korean food near Gamsam Station and Seonam Market, this is well worth a casual visit :)