Izakaya second stop in Suseong, Daegu: pork jowl steak, bok choy

Planning a trip to Daegu, I was trying to decide where to go and ended up choosing 'Izakaya Wakoan Suseong Beomeo Branch,' which is famous for its great atmosphere!

Wakoan Suseong Beomeo Branch location and parking info

• Address: 21 Dalgubeol-daero 496-gil, Suseong-gu, Daegu, South Korea (1st floor)
• Hours: 17:00 - 01:00
• Parking: no street parking enforcement on weekends / on weekdays use the Daegu Bank alley public lot or the free lot in Dakgalbi Alley

I had a wedding to attend earlier that day so my stomach was already a bit full, but looking at Wakoan's menu, there were plenty of dishes light enough to enjoy ^^ It seemed like a place I could comfortably go to as a second stop.

A classy izakaya from the outside in

Wakoan looked classy and cozy from the outside. It seems like a great place for important occasions or entertaining guests. Also, you can check the menu posted outside beforehand, so it's nice to know what's on offer before going in.

Inside the atmosphere — from blind dates to a 14-person group room

The moment I stepped inside, it reminded me of an izakaya I visited on a trip to Japan! I was impressed by how well they captured that local feel. The tables are set up privately, so it's great for anyone looking for a blind date spot in Beomeo-dong. There's also a separate room that can hold up to 14 people, so I'd recommend it for company dinners too.

The menu and corkage-free policy

Wakoan has a wide variety of Japanese sake ready, and they offer corkage-free service for one bottle of any alcohol they don't sell in-store. They even have fancy wine and champagne glasses ready, so pairing it with a well-matched seasonal dish sounds amazing, right?

The menu is varied enough to come for a full meal, or to drop by lightly for a second stop like we did. My stomach was full, but I still wanted to try the pork jowl steak (salt) and the stir-fried bok choy, so that's what we ordered.

While waiting for our order, they gave us the basic side dish of potato salad and crackers, and it was so good. Perfect for whetting the appetite.

And the bar seats even had chargers ready. There was mouthwash and hair ties in the bathroom too — the owner's attention to detail is no joke, honestly 👍🏻

First taste of Ebisu draft beer

Can't have good food without a drink, so we ordered alcohol too. This was my first time trying Ebisu draft beer, and it was genuinely so good. Rich malty flavor and a smooth finish. I was a little thirsty and it quenched it instantly 😆

What does the stir-fried bok choy taste like?

Anyone who always orders morning glory when they go to Southeast Asia? I love that dish, and this tasted exactly like it. There were garlic flakes and small bits of meat mixed in. The red chili barely had any spice — think sweet and salty, a flavor that makes you crave rice. If I hadn't been so full, I would've immediately ordered fried rice to go with it.

It was so good that our draft beer was already gone... 🤤 Please, please order this.

Pork jowl steak (salt) — try it with whole grain mustard

The pork jowl steak came out quickly too, served with onion, sprouts, garlic flakes, and stir-fried kimchi.

Can you tell how tender it looks? The hot plate keeps it warm for a long time. It was sliced thick, so the texture was excellent too.

It's tasty topped with onion or kimchi, but for me the whole grain mustard combo was the best. The savory pork jowl paired with the just-right tanginess cuts through the richness. You can mix it up depending on your mood, so it never gets boring and you can keep eating it as a drinking snack all the way through.

Having a drink in such a great atmosphere, I felt like love could bloom on its own 💗

Naver review service and final thoughts

Also, if you write a Naver review, you get a free order of fried eggplant, so be sure to claim it ^^ For anyone looking for a great-atmosphere izakaya near Beomeo-dong or Suseong-gu Office, I highly recommend this place.