Dongseongno Korean restaurant in Daegu: weekend squid-pork, Banwoldang

On a weekend trip to Dongseongno in Daegu with my partner, we stopped by Banwoldang Bujasikdang (반월당부자식당) for lunch.

I'd been curious about this place for a while — I was on the lookout for a good Korean restaurant around Dongseongno, and this spot has already been featured on several TV shows and is famous enough to have a wait.

It's about a 5-minute walk from Banwoldang Station, so it's easy to reach by public transit, and there's also parking space out front, so driving over works too. If you're looking for an accessible Korean restaurant near Banwoldang in Dongseongno, the location alone is a plus.

Where is Banwoldang Bujasikdang, and what are its hours?

• 📌 938-8 Namsan-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu
• ⏰️ Mon-Sat 11:00 - 20:45
• ⏰️ Break time 15:30 - 17:00
• ⏰️ Last order 20:00
• ⏰️ Closed every Sunday
• 🚗 Parking available

How long is the wait at Banwoldang Bujasikdang for a late lunch?

This place apparently gets a wait pretty often during peak hours.

So we deliberately timed our visit for a slightly later lunch, to avoid the rush.

But sure enough, being a well-known Korean restaurant near Banwoldang, there was still a wait even at that later hour. We waited a bit, and once it was our turn we were able to head inside.

Right from the entrance there was a lot to catch the eye — signatures and photos of famous celebrities and athletes filled the walls, so it was fun just to look around.

On top of that, the place has a history of being featured on various TV programs, so our expectations for the food were already sky-high before we even sat down.

Ordering the new fire-grilled ojebokkeum (squid and pork stir-fry)

After a short wait we were seated at a table. Looking through the menu, the dish we ordered was the new menu item: fire-grilled ojebokkeum (오제볶음)!

There are times when you want squid stir-fry and pork stir-fry at once, and it's a shame to pick just one — this dish was perfect for that. Getting to enjoy squid and pork together meant no need to agonize over the menu.

A little while after ordering, the basic side dishes were set down first. Miyeok julgi (seaweed stem salad), radish salad, salad, bean sprouts, and onion in soy sauce were all neatly arranged.

The ssam vegetables in particular can be picked up yourself at the self-serve bar, so we grabbed as much lettuce as we wanted.

I quietly liked this part — being able to take as much as you want yourself made the meal that much more comfortable.

What the fire-grilled squid and pork stir-fry looks like at the table

And then, finally, the fire-grilled ojebokkeum we ordered arrived. The moment it hit the table, the visuals were just overwhelming.

It looked delicious just to look at, and with that distinctive smoky fire-grilled smell wafting up, my appetite was naturally triggered.

The fire-grilled ojebokkeum, its look already seeming to carry that smoky char, had tender pork and chewy squid together, so you could enjoy a range of textures all at once.

The pork wasn't tough at all — it was tender — while the squid kept its chewy bite, and the combination of the two together was really good.

On top of that, the flavor of the fire grilling came through, spreading a deep, rich taste through the whole mouth. It's tasty with just rice, but of course a dish like this can't be without ssam.

I piled plenty of pork and squid on a lettuce leaf and took a big bite — the crisp lettuce and the spicy ojebokkeum went together really well. It made me realize there's a reason this place gets mentioned so often as a Korean restaurant near Banwoldang.

The cheonggukjang doenjang stew included with every order

Another thing I liked about Banwoldang Bujasikdang is that ordering a menu item comes with cheonggukjang doenjang stew (fermented soybean paste stew) as standard.

The stew was loaded with plenty of ingredients too, so it was great with rice.

With the ojebokkeum waking up our appetite and the savory cheonggukjang stew in between spoonfuls, the combination worked really well. Eating the stir-fry alongside the stew made for a more filling meal overall.

I thought this would be a good Korean restaurant near Banwoldang to visit on a day when you want to eat hearty.

Is Banwoldang Bujasikdang worth it for a weekend lunch in Daegu?

Chatting away with my partner as we ate, before I knew it the food was almost all gone.

At first the portion looked pretty big and I wondered if we'd finish it, but we ended up cleaning the plate as we kept eating happily.

If you're out in Dongseongno on a weekend and want a hearty lunch, this is a place worth stopping by.

Being close to Banwoldang Station made it easy to find, and having parking was another plus. Above all, since it's popular enough to have a wait, I'd recommend avoiding peak hours if you visit.

Fire-grilled ojebokkeum, where you get to enjoy tender pork with that distinctive smoky flavor together with chewy squid — it seems especially well suited for anyone who has trouble choosing between squid stir-fry and pork stir-fry.

If you're looking for a hearty, filling meal in Dongseongno, Daegu, or want good Korean food near Banwoldang Station, this Korean restaurant near Banwoldang could be a solid choice.

We really enjoyed the fire-grilled ojebokkeum on this visit and finished the meal satisfied. Next time I'm out in Dongseongno again, this is a place where I'd want to try other menu items too.

If you want a hearty lunch during a weekend date in Dongseongno, give the fire-grilled ojebokkeum a try at Banwoldang Bujasikdang, a place plenty of people are willing to wait for.