Oxtail soup restaurant in Dongseong-ro, Daegu: Hanwoojang

Hanwoojang

What kind of place is Hanwoojang?

Today I visited Hanwoojang, a traditional Daegu gukbap (Korean soup with rice) restaurant that's been running on Jongno in Daegu since 1968. It's famous as a gukbap spot that has kept its tradition alive in the same location for a long time, and it's a Blue Ribbon selection, so I was even more excited. It's open 24 hours, so it's a great place to go when you want a hearty bowl of gukbap or crave a warm one late at night.

I mean, how good does gukbap have to be to get picked for the Blue Ribbon 12 years in a row?! I was so curious that I tried it myself, and sure enough, it's not a beloved favorite for nothing. The moment I had a spoonful of the hot broth, I felt so much better — this would be a perfect hangover soup!

Where Hanwoojang is and what the dining room is like

Hanwoojang is located on Jongno in Dongseong-ro, Daegu, right on the road toward Gyodong, so it's easy to spot even if you're just passing by. It's easily accessible too, making it a perfect spot when you want a bowl of gukbap while out in Dongseong-ro!

The interior was really spacious, and even though we visited well after lunchtime, customers kept coming in! Apparently at lunchtime this huge space fills up completely and there's even a waiting line.

Hanwoojang menu and prices

The menu had a wide range of gukbap and soups — seolleongtang, special seolleongtang, ttaro-gukbap, special ttaro-gukbap, ox head gomtang, oxtail gomtang, doganitang (knee cartilage soup), and yangtang (tripe soup). Prices weren't intimidating either, starting from ₩11,000 for seolleongtang, and if you visit with a group, adding sliced boiled meat alongside the soup would make for an even more filling meal.

A 2012 Jung-gu good restaurant certificate on the wall showed the years going by right in front of us. A certificate over a decade old — you could really feel the depth this traditional Daegu gukbap restaurant has built up staying in the same spot for so long.

Our oxtail gomtang and ttaro-gukbap arrived with the basic side dishes! Seeing the neatly set table made me want to dig in right away. But the kimchi looked so good — that bright red seasoning got my appetite going before I'd even taken a bite.

How did the ttaro-gukbap taste?

This is the ttaro-gukbap I ordered! It was my first time trying it so I wasn't expecting much, but wow, it was way better than I thought! And that minced garlic on top was the real kicker!

It felt like a rich beef-radish soup with a hint of yukgaejang about it, and the broth was so deep and delicious that I really enjoyed every bit. There was a big piece of sundae (blood sausage) in it, plus plenty of scallions and radish, making the broth so refreshing 👍 The broth itself had a deep, rich flavor that hit me the moment I took my first spoonful! Still, it wasn't heavy or thick, and there was no beefy off-smell at all — it was such a clean taste.

Oxtail gomtang with big, meaty oxtail bones

This is the oxtail gomtang my boyfriend ordered. It had big chunky oxtail bones in it, and the broth was insanely refreshing!

The lean meat paired so well with the sweet-and-tangy onion sauce and the sharp kick of wasabi, which cut through any richness. A spoonful of broth with a bite of meat was just the perfect combination!

The rich, savory broth was seriously amazing! Apparently it's been simmered for 12 hours a day, every day, since 1968. My boyfriend added rice to the broth and finished every last drop.

Kimchi, kkakdugi and the self-serve banchan bar

A gukbap place also needs to have good kimchi and kkakdugi (diced radish kimchi), right? Hanwoojang's kimchi and kkakdugi were really good — crunchy with just the right seasoning, and they paired so well with the rich, hot gukbap!

If you need more side dishes, there's a self-serve bar, and peppers, garlic, and ssamjang are also available. There's even dessert coffee ready after the meal.

Putting a piece of kimchi on plain rice and then having a spoonful of the rich, savory broth was such a treat! Gukbap really is best eaten with kimchi!

Is Hanwoojang worth a visit?

After a hearty meal with hot broth, I really felt like I'd properly nourished myself! You can feel the long history and skill built up since 1968 here, and it reminded me that gukbap really should be eaten at a place that knows what it's doing! Since it's open 24 hours every day, it seems like a great place to go anytime you're craving warm gukbap late at night. If you're looking for a hearty bowl of gukbap in Dongseong-ro, Daegu, I'd recommend this place.