Banwoldang tuna restaurant for three: bluefin plate at Jongno Darang

On days when you want to lift your mood with delicious food or chat over a special dish, fresh, high-quality tuna is always the first thing that comes to mind, right? This time I visited Jongno Darang, a tuna restaurant near Banwoldang and Jongno in Daegu known for its thick, quality bluefin tuna.

We went as a group of three and ordered the bluefin tuna à la carte plate and a seafood ramyeon, and the portions were more generous and the flavor deeper than we expected — everyone in our group was impressed. Even my eldest sister, who doesn't usually eat tuna, tried a piece and was surprised at how delicious it was. Here's our satisfying review.

Where is Jongno Darang? 3 minutes from Jungangno Station Exit 1

Jongno Darang is located just over a 3-minute walk from Exit 1 of Jungangno Station on the Daegu subway, so it's very easy to reach by public transportation. It's also close to Banwoldang, Dongseongno, and the Jongno restaurant strip, making it a great spot for a date or a meetup.

Opening hours: 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily

✅️ Daily 15:00–01:00 (last order 00:00)

Since it opens early in the afternoon, it's a comfortable spot for anything from a relaxed daytime drink to a late-night second round.

Inside Jongno Darang: what the room feels like

Walking inside, calm, cozy lighting softly lit up the tables.

Overall the space was clean and pleasant, well suited to a date with a partner or a cozy get-together with close friends.

The table setting and the pudding-soft chawanmushi

Once we sat down and placed our order, a neat set of side dishes arrived: a refreshing, crunchy cherry tomato salad, pickled radish (rakkyo) and mountain peppers that go well with tuna, clean-tasting baek-kimchi (white kimchi), pickled ginger, crispy seasoned laver, plus sesame oil sauce and soy sauce, all set out neatly. What stood out most was the complimentary starter — a Japanese-style steamed egg custard (chawanmushi).

It came out in a pretty ceramic cup, one per person, topped with chewy shiitake mushroom and delicately shredded crab meat — it looked full of care even before we tasted it.

Taking a big spoonful, the texture was springy like pudding yet melted the moment it hit my mouth — wonderfully soft.

The mild, savory broth was fully soaked into the egg, warming and settling our stomachs before the main meal began.

What three of us ordered: bluefin tuna à la carte and seafood ramyeon

I ordered the 'bluefin tuna à la carte,' made up of the freshest, most premium cuts, along with a spicy 'seafood ramyeon' to finish with a warm soup.

The bluefin tuna plate at Jongno Darang, cut by cut

Before long, the main dish, the bluefin tuna à la carte, arrived. The round plate was packed edge to edge with bluefin tuna, its vivid red color and pale marbling drawing gasps the moment it landed.

The portion, cut thick and generous, was more than enough for three people to share comfortably.

Alongside the plate came a generous helping of sushi rice (shari) — 4 pieces — so we could make our own tuna sushi, plus fresh radish sprouts and fiery fresh wasabi.

Belly, navel and rare cuts: how each piece tastes

First, I placed a piece on crispy laver with fresh wasabi on top. It had a clean, chewy savoriness without any greasiness, and no fishy smell at all — just the clean, deep flavor of pure bluefin tuna.

Next, I picked up a piece of the navel and belly (toro) cuts, marbled like flowers, and dipped it lightly in sesame oil sauce. The thickly cut belly burst with rich, savory juices the moment I bit into it, melting away instantly. Behind the springy, slightly crunchy texture of the navel cut came a deep, smooth savoriness that made me smile.

Because it was such a fatty cut, even a generous dab of wasabi didn't overpower it — it balanced perfectly with the rich savoriness. The specialty cut, with a tight grain reminiscent of raw beef tartare, also had a chewy, springy texture that grew more appealing the more we chewed.

Wrapping a fatty piece of tuna with radish sprouts and wasabi in laver delivered a great flavor no matter how you combined it.

The tuna sushi we made ourselves — placing a thick piece of tuna on the sushi rice with wasabi and soy sauce — was just as good as something from a proper omakase. My eldest sister, who usually avoids tuna because of its rich, greasy flavor, said, "This place has no greasiness at all, it's chewy and really delicious," and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it.

This place has no greasiness at all, it's chewy and really delicious

Spicy, clean-tasting seafood ramyeon to finish

After enjoying the tuna, the seafood ramyeon we ordered to finish arrived. Served in a stylish striped bowl, its bright red broth looked like it would clear your palate just by looking at it.

The ramyeon was generously loaded with large chunks of blue crab, chewy clams, crunchy bean sprouts, and chopped scallions, giving the broth real depth. Taking a sip, the savory, refreshing spiciness from the crab and clams filled my mouth.

The chewy, well-cooked noodles paired with crunchy bean sprouts cleared the palate perfectly after all that rich tuna — a truly satisfying finish.

Is Jongno Darang worth it? Quality and portions near Banwoldang

Jongno Darang lets you enjoy a variety of premium bluefin tuna cuts in a generous, reasonably priced set, and all three of us left fully satisfied. From the soft chawanmushi starter, to the ultra-fresh tuna, to the hearty, refreshing seafood ramyeon, every part of the meal was excellent.

Jongno Darang / 46-1 Jongno, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea

If you're looking for a high-quality tuna restaurant near Banwoldang or Jongno in Daegu, or want to share good tuna and a drink with someone special, I recommend Jongno Darang.