Trying snow crab for the first time at Jukdo Market, Pohang: Gallilli

I went to Pohang and it turns out this place is really famous for snow crab — I had no idea until this trip. It was my last swim of the year before the season ended, and after enjoying the sea all day, I found this restaurant to properly enjoy Pohang in the evening.

Gallilli Daegae Hoe Sikdang hours and what the Jukdo Market crab restaurant feels like

I visited Gallilli Daegae Hoe Sikdang. It's open from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. If you're traveling around Pohang, it's a great crab restaurant for a lunch visit with family or parents — but the banchan (side dish) spread here is so generous that plenty of people come in the evening just to drink.

The tanks had shrimp and crab kept fresh and lively.

Because of Pohang's coastal location, the whole feel was noticeably different from a seafood restaurant in the Seoul metro area. Even the same crab somehow tastes and feels better when you're eating it right by the sea.

The interior had that classic sashimi restaurant vibe — spacious, with no worries about finding a seat. It was busy with big groups so I couldn't get a photo of the full interior, but it's definitely a good spot for group gatherings.

A table that captures the sea. This is the kind of place where you can taste seasonal seafood and fresh raw fish through all four seasons — they carefully select the best gifts of the sea each season and lay them out generously.

Bakdal snow crab set or Gallilli set: what is on the menu?

Here's the menu. The main headline item is the Gallilli set, which lets you enjoy both bakdal snow crab and Dokdo shrimp sashimi in various ways.

The bakdal snow crab set comes in domestic or Russian versions. Domestic bakdal crab has a closed season from June to November, so since I visited in September, I had the (Russian) bakdal set. Honestly, it was reasonably priced, the meat was packed full, and it was delicious.

There's also a red crab set, wild-caught sashimi rice bowl, and more — and every single one comes with such a strong banchan spread that nothing here feels like a waste of money.

Side dishes with the bakdal set for two, from abalone porridge to mulhoe

Assorted shrimp sashimi to cool mulhoe (cold raw fish soup)!? Pohang means mulhoe, and mulhoe means Pohang. I ordered the bakdal crab for two, and even this set comes with complimentary mulhoe.

First up: abalone porridge? It kicked off the meal with a rich, savory, deeply flavored start.

Then came the banchan course. The mulhoe arrived with no broth at all, which was surprising — but once you stir it a bit with chopsticks, the broth forms just like proper mulhoe. The broth was genuinely sweet and tangy and delicious.

The quality of the side dishes was incredible. We'd ordered crab, but so much sashimi came out — seasoned raw fish, mulhoe, and plain sashimi. We got to properly enjoy seafood even before the main crab showed up.

For soup, mussel soup came first, and once you finish that, a spicy fish stew arrives as a complimentary follow-up. You have to pace yourself — the food just keeps coming.

Soy-marinated crab and corn cheese, plus a bit of this and that — squid? blanched seafood, maybe. Honestly, this place goes way beyond drinking snacks — it's a full playground for grown-ups.

Of everything I ate in Pohang, this stuck with me the most. Getting a table this full made me feel properly taken care of, and it was so generous that the price didn't feel expensive at all — every single dish was high quality.

We ate seafood until we were completely full and never got sick of it — every dish had its own distinct flavor to enjoy.

Sweet potato fritters, white kimchi, broccoli dipped in chogochujang (vinegared chili paste), bread dipped in cheese sauce — we tried all sorts of combinations. Getting a spread like this before the main dish even arrives, this calls for three bottles of soju.

We picked at the seafood with chopsticks, and everything was portioned for the number of people, so we shared it all peacefully.

The julienned carrots were surprisingly interesting — carrot as the main ingredient with sauce drizzled over it, with an addictive crunchy texture.

The sea squirt and abalone practically radiated freshness in the mouth. Full of ocean scent — I felt like I had all of Pohang in my mouth.

The soy crab was seasoned just right too — sweet and salty, pairing perfectly with rice, an absolute rice thief.

For the sashimi, I dipped some pieces in chogochujang, some in sesame oil-salt sauce, and had some with white kimchi on the side.

I originally came just for the crab, so I didn't expect this much seafood, but it kept coming endlessly — one gasp after another.

I shared a glass of Sprite with a friend who doesn't drink, trying to make up for the fact that we couldn't have alcohol.

Eating bakdal snow crab for the first time: how much meat was in the legs?

Finally, today's star: the bakdal snow crab. I was eating snow crab for the very first time in my life, and the meat was so packed, sweet, and tender, with the crab's aroma coming through clearly.

I've usually only had blue crab, and snow crab meat is definitely different. Even a single leg felt generously filling.

The meat was packed so full, and along the way came boiled shrimp too — since it's fall shrimp, it was plump and delicate as well.

The body was also packed with meat, and the tomalley (crab innards) was incredibly rich. Dipping the crab meat into the crab shell filled with tomalley was genuinely amazing — it went even better with the innards than with chogochujang.

There was no hollow, empty feeling at all — it looked appetizing because it was so full. Bakdal crab is known among snow crabs for being especially meaty, and I could definitely tell. Plump yet tender in texture, with a subtle sweetness and depth that grows the more you chew.

Crab roe fried rice and the complimentary spicy fish stew finish

You could also get fried rice made with the tomalley, but personally I preferred mixing in crab meat as well — it tasted more delicious that way. This was genuinely a luxurious flavor, something special you can't get anywhere else.

To finish, a spicy fish stew came out too — even full, I couldn't resist it. I ordered a bowl of rice and finished it off completely.

At first it came out white, and I wondered why this was called a spicy stew — but the more it simmered, the spicier it got, and the fish was packed with meat too. Unlike the usual idea of just drinking the broth, I properly finished the meal by picking apart the fish flesh. If you ever visit Pohang, this is a restaurant I'd definitely recommend.