Sincheon-dong Korean BBQ in Daegu with highballs for two: Hubaldae

What are the opening hours at Hubaldae Dongdaegu Station Branch?

Hubaldae Dongdaegu Station Branch (후발대 동대구역점), a well-known spot in Sincheon-dong, Daegu, is open every day from 17:00 to 00:30 the next day. It's open 365 days a year, and the hours are always the same, they say.

I was wondering where to go for good meat near Dongdaegu Station, and that's how I ended up at Hubaldae Dongdaegu Station Branch. It's close to Dongdaegu Station and Shinsegae Department Store, so it's easy to find, and since it's a 15-minute walk from my home, I walked over, partly to enjoy a cold highball.

Exterior and waiting seats at Hubaldae Dongdaegu Station Branch

Outside the restaurant there are seats for customers who are waiting, so even when there's a line you can wait comfortably.

Inside Hubaldae on a weekday evening

It was a weekday evening, but there were so many customers that the place filled up right away.

They also put baskets beside the chairs where you can store your bag or coat.

Pork belly and pork neck prices, and how much to order for two

At Hubaldae Dongdaegu Station Branch, pork belly and pork neck are ₩14,900 per serving, and each serving is 150g, so the portions are generous. We ordered 2 servings of pork belly and 1 of pork neck, and it was plenty for two people.

How much honey potato slice do you get?

The meat was good quality and tasty, but the best part of Hubaldae was that they give you potatoes to grill almost without limit. And it isn't just any potato, it's honey potato slices. They're cut thin so they cook fast, and they're thin and sweet, so wrapping meat in them was a real treat.

I put myeongi namul (pickled wild garlic leaves), kimchi jjagori (kimchi stew) and wasabi on the potato, then topped it with meat, and all the flavors came together and went really well with the meat.

Pork belly with basil

Another unusual thing at Hubaldae is that they give you basil to eat with the meat. Having basil at a BBQ place felt a little different, but adding it to a piece of meat brought a fragrant aroma, and it went better together than I expected. It's a different combination from how I usually eat pork belly, so it was fun trying out different things together.

Do the staff grill all the meat at Hubaldae?

Yes! At Hubaldae Dongdaegu Station Branch the staff grill not just the meat but also the potatoes and vegetables, from start to finish. If you find grilling meat a hassle, you'll like this place even more, since you can just sit back and eat.

You don't even need to ask for more potatoes. Just as we were finishing, they refilled and grilled more, and they kept the meat ready to eat at the right moment. Literally all we had to do was sit and eat, so it was so comfortable. There's no missing the timing while grilling, and I could chat with my companion and eat at a leisurely pace, which made it even better.

Both the pork belly and pork neck were cut thick, and they looked great. On the grill they got golden on the outside and stayed juicy inside, so the texture was good, and with such thick meat even one bite really tasted like proper BBQ.

The potato really is the kicker here!

Pork belly and a highball

I had a highball at Hubaldae too. These days I always seem to order a highball whenever I go out for meat. A bite of meat followed by a sip of cold highball cuts the greasiness and goes well with the meat, so now I naturally reach for one. Above all, it's just tasty, so I end up drinking it like a soft drink.

Finishing with rice and kimchi jjagori

I also ordered an extra bowl of rice at Hubaldae and ate it with the kimchi jjagori. It's good as a side while eating meat, but piling plenty of kimchi jjagori on warm rice was another treat altogether.

The spicy, savory flavor of the kimchi went well with the rice, making it a great way to finish the meal after the meat. Even when you're somewhat full from the meat, the kimchi jjagori and rice just slide down. In the end I cleaned out the whole bowl. Walking out stuffed after good meat, I felt like I'd really had a proper BBQ meal for the first time in a while.

Who is Hubaldae Dongdaegu Station Branch good for?

If you have plans near Dongdaegu Station or you're looking for somewhere to have dinner in Sincheon-dong, Hubaldae is worth a stop. Especially if you find grilling meat a hassle, the staff grill everything from start to finish, so you can eat really comfortably.

It's good for chatting with friends, and a decent choice for a family meal or group gathering at a BBQ place, so I'd recommend it. Next time I crave good meat near Dongdaegu Station, I'd like to go back. If you're looking for a relaxed place to eat BBQ in Sincheon-dong, Daegu, I recommend Hubaldae Dongdaegu Station Branch.