Spicy yangtang and dwaerogukbap at 24-hour Hanwoojang, Daegu

Hanwoojang 555 Gukchaebosang-ro, 1st floor, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea

A gukbap institution on Daegu's Gukchaebosang-ro since 1968

While traveling in Daegu I was craving something hot and soupy, so I headed to Hanwoojang. It's an old-school gukbap (Korean soup with rice) restaurant on Gukchaebosang-ro in Jung-gu, Daegu, running since 1968. What caught my eye first was the number of Blue Ribbon Survey stickers on the door — turns out it's been selected several years running, making it a pretty famous seolleongtang (ox bone soup) and gukbap spot in Daegu.

Hanwoojang isn't one of those slick, trendy new gukbap places — it's more the kind of spot where you feel the atmosphere of a restaurant that's held its ground for decades. It was fun looking around at the celebrity autographs on the walls and the Blue Ribbon awards from various years. With such a wide menu, it was also great for a group where everyone could pick their own thing — seolleongtang, dwaerogukbap, yangtang, and so on.

Being open 24 hours is the biggest perk — perfect for finding an early breakfast spot or craving a hangover soup late at night while traveling in Daegu. You can go with a mild, clean broth or spice it up as you like, so if you're hunting for a good gukbap restaurant in Daegu, a seolleongtang spot, or a 24-hour place in Dongseong-ro, this one's worth a visit.

Open 24 hours — a good late-night hangover spot near Dongseong-ro

These days it's genuinely hard to find a restaurant that's open 24 hours, so Hanwoojang being available around the clock — for breakfast, late-night snacks, or hangover soup — is a real advantage. It's a convenient location if you've been out late around Dongseong-ro or Jungang-ro in Daegu and want a warm bowl of soup.

Walking in, the whole place had that woody, old-school gukbap restaurant vibe. The walls were covered in autographs, and there was a write-up about Hanwoojang's history on one side, which really gave the sense of a place that's held down this spot for a long time. There were plenty of tables, so it looked comfortable whether you're eating solo or with a group.

Menu options: seolleongtang, dwaerogukbap, yangtang

The menu has quite a range of broths — seolleongtang, dwaerogukbap, sogomeori gomtang (ox head soup), kkori gomtang (oxtail soup), dogani-tang (ox knee cartilage soup), yangtang (tripe soup), and more. If you're not a fan of seonji (congealed blood), it's nice that you can just go with seolleongtang instead. I even saw reviews pointing out that selling both seolleongtang and dwaerogukbap is a plus. We ordered yangtang and dwaerogukbap.

Dwaerogukbap: soup and rice served separately

As the name suggests, dwaerogukbap comes with the rice and soup served separately. Rather than dumping all the rice in at once, I tasted the broth first, then added rice little by little. Scooping up the toppings along with the broth made for a pretty filling bowl, and it was fun experiencing this local Daegu-style gukbap.

Pairing it with kimchi and kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) helped cut through the richness of the soup now and then. A hot bowl of gukbap topped with a bit of kimchi is always the classic combo, haha.

How the seasoning sauce changes the yangtang broth

Yangtang normally comes in a relatively clear broth, but I wanted it spicier so I added the seasoning sauce set on the table. Once mixed in, the broth turned noticeably red — a totally different feel from before! It was loaded with chunky green onion and toppings, and you could really taste the distinct texture of the tripe. If you like a clean broth, try it plain first; if you're like me and prefer something spicier, adding the sauce little by little to taste works well too.

For when mealtime feels awkward during a Daegu trip

Daegu has plenty of spots famous for dwaerogukbap, but what stood out about Hanwoojang was the range of options — from seolleongtang to yangtang to gomtang. Being open 24 hours means you can drop by early in the morning or late at night, which makes it a great one to remember for those awkward mealtime gaps during a Daegu trip.

If you're near Dongseong-ro in Daegu looking for a good gukbap restaurant, a seolleongtang spot, or dwaerogukbap, consider checking out Hanwoojang and its long history. 😊