Seaweed soup Korean set in Daemyeong-dong, Daegu: Cafe Dongi

I went to Cafe Dongi Daemyeong Station Branch, a well-known Korean set-meal restaurant in Daemyeong-dong, looking for a hearty, home-style meal. The food overall was mild and not too intense in flavor, so it turned out to be a great spot for dining out with a kid too haha

Where is Cafe Dongi Daemyeong Station Branch, and what are the hours?

Cafe Dongi Daemyeong Station Branch is located at 122, 1st floor, Daemyeongbokgae-ro 4-gil, Nam-gu, Daegu. Hours are 11:00 - 21:00, with a break time from 15:00 to 16:30. Takeout, delivery, and reservations are all available.

Inside Cafe Dongi: a wide, clean dining room

I visited right around lunchtime, so the dining room was packed with guests! The interior didn't feel like a typical restaurant at all — more like a café, clean and cozy — so it was comfortable to eat there.

What to order for lunch at Cafe Dongi

Here's the menu at Cafe Dongi Daemyeong Station Branch, a well-known Korean set-meal restaurant in Daemyeong-dong! Serving a generously full table is this place's signature feature. Their representative dishes include the grilled spicy pork set, the Dongi grilled pork bulgogi set, the beef brisket doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) set, the 40-years-master's kimchi jjigae set, the shoulder-cut Japanese curry set, and the grandmother-style jjukkumi (spicy stir-fried octopus) set.

You can also order sides like tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork), king shrimp tempura, kimchi pancake, and meatballs. There are also new menu items and seasonal menus available at discounted prices.

Beyond the solo Korean set meals, they also have a solo Dongi basic set, so with such a wide range of reasonably priced menu items, it seemed like a place where anyone — young or old — could enjoy a satisfying meal to their taste.

On top of that, there's even a kids' set at a reasonable price, so I felt like I'd made a good choice bringing my kid here for a family meal today!

The self-bar: rice, gim and fried eggs, as much as you like

There was a self-bar set up in the middle of the restaurant, where you could help yourself to as much rice, seaweed, and fried eggs as you wanted. We made fried eggs for each of our family members too.

One more thing! If you sign up for the Dongi membership, you get a free tangsuyuk coupon, and if you participate in the Naver receipt review event, you can get a free lemonade — so if you're planning to visit Cafe Dongi, it's definitely worth joining in :)

How the Cafe Dongi set meal arrives at the table

All the dishes I ordered came out together at once. A staff member brought everything to the table directly, so I could enjoy the meal comfortably.

Dongi grilled pork bulgogi set with miyeokguk (seaweed soup)

This is the Dongi grilled pork bulgogi set I ordered, wanting a meal that wasn't too intense in flavor!

Since it was my very first meal after waking up, I found myself craving a warm bowl of miyeokguk (seaweed soup), so I went with the set that included it.

The miyeokguk had a refreshing, clean flavor that felt like it really settled my stomach. It was also packed generously with seaweed, so it was great to scoop up along with the broth.

There were three side dishes total, and the pickled radish type in particular really suited my taste!

The grilled pork bulgogi had a subtle smoky char to it! Its sweet-and-salty flavor went really well together with rice.

It wasn't overly greasy, overly salty, or overly sweet — the seasoning was just right, so I could enjoy it deliciously without any burden.

Tangsuyuk sampler: the side the child ate most

This is the tangsuyuk sample I ordered as a side. It came with fried rice cakes, tangsuyuk, and sauce together, and it was just the right amount to pair alongside the meal.

It came dip-style, and with thick chunks of meat and a crispy batter, the texture was really good. My kid ate it happily too, so I felt like it was a good order.

Solo-brazier grilled spicy pork (jeyuk) Korean set

If you want something warmer and more filling, I'd recommend the solo brazier grilled spicy pork Korean set!

First, it comes with a stew — the default is doenjang jjigae, but you can upgrade to kimchi jjigae for an extra charge! The doenjang jjigae, simmered in a stone pot, had a savory, deep, rich flavor.

And!! The grilled spicy pork stir-fry served on the solo brazier came in a generous portion, so it was really filling as a full meal on its own.

Perfectly presented! The spicy pork stir-fry had a rich smoky char to it too! It wasn't very spicy, so even people who can't handle spicy food well could enjoy it without worry.

Eating it together with the vegetables added a crunchy texture that paired well with the chewy meat!

Finished off with a refreshing tea ^^

Dessert at Cafe Dongi: barley gangjeong to finish

With crispy, sweet barley gangjeong even prepared for dessert, the meal at Cafe Dongi Daemyeong Station Branch, a well-known Korean set-meal restaurant in Daemyeong-dong, was complete from start to finish! It offers a hearty, home-style meal along with menu options for kids, making it a great place to dine out with a child :)