Night Notebook · 48 stories

A Night Ledger Through Busan and Daegu

Writes about restaurants, bars, and cafes across Busan/Gyeongnam and Daegu/Gyeongbuk. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Bars

PlaceYangsan, GyeongnamRestaurants

New Chinese restaurant in Dong-myeon, Yangsan for early lunch: Rohwa

Rohwa is a newly opened Chinese restaurant on Geumo 2-gil in Dong-myeon, Yangsan, Gyeongnam. For an early lunch, the writer ordered Rohwa's tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) set for two with ganjjajang (dry-fried black bean noodles) and beef jjamppong (spicy noodle soup), plus complimentary dumplings and free yogurt from the self-service bar; the glutinous rice tangsuyuk came in a generous portion, and both noodle dishes tasted great. With a clean interior and a generous set, Rohwa is a good-value lunch spot worth recommending in Yangsan.

Written Oct 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBusanjin, BusanRestaurants

Seomyeon Korean lunch: chive-sauce gondre rice & yukhoe, Hyangtaek

Hyangtaek Jeonpo Branch is the Jeonpo, Seomyeon (Busan) branch of Hyangtaek, a Korean rice restaurant headquartered in Daegu, located opposite Busanjin Fire Station. The writer and her older brother had lunch at Hyangtaek Jeonpo Branch, ordering mackerel gondre rice (rice with Korean thistle greens boiled for over 3 hours) and yukhoe bibimbap (beef tartare rice bowl), and loved pairing them with chive sauce and gopchang gim (thick seaweed) wraps. Well seasoned and neatly plated, Hyangtaek Jeonpo Branch is a good-value lunch spot almost anyone will enjoy.

Written Jun 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBuk-gu, BusanRestaurants

Hwamyeong-dong BBQ, Busan: pork belly grilled for you, Go Ok-hui

Go Ok-hui Hwamyeong Main Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant in Hwamyeong-dong, Buk-gu, Busan, that brings pork belly to the table fully grilled. The writer ordered the small set (aged and charcoal gochujang pork belly plus pork skin) with grilled cheese and doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), found the portion bigger than expected, and especially liked the potato wraps and the shiitake-and-wasabi pairing. Because there is no grilling to do on a hot day and less smell clings to clothes, Go Ok-hui Hwamyeong Main Branch is worth recommending for a family meal.

Written Jun 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSasang, BusanBars

Weekday izakaya in Sasang, Busan: chicken thigh mentaiko, Samajama

Samajama Sasang is a Japanese-style izakaya serving handmade skewers near Exit 4 of Sasang Station in Busan. A Sasang local walked in with no wait on a weekday early evening, shared the grill platter (just over 30,000 won) with a Terra beer, then added chicken thigh tare, beef brisket with garlic scapes and chicken thigh mentaiko skewers. With a wood-toned room and bar seats, Samajama Sasang is a good bar in Sasang for drinking solo or for a second round.

Written Jun 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, BusanRestaurants

Pho tossed stir-fry style in hot sauce in Myeongji, Busan: Mibundang

Mibundang Myeongji Branch (미분당 명지점) is a counter-seat pho restaurant in the Posco Complex 3 shopping arcade in Myeongji International New City, Gangseo-gu, Busan. On yet another repeat visit, the writer ordered brisket pho, chadol (thinly sliced brisket point) and brisket pho, a mixed fried platter and a cola. The writer especially loved the noodle, bean sprout and broth refills and tossing the noodles in hot sauce like stir-fried pho. Mibundang Myeongji Branch is a quiet, great-value lunch spot for eating alone, with generous bowls of pho.

Written Jun 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBusanjin, BusanRestaurants

Korean BBQ in Seomyeon, Busan: kimchi sul-bap with rib bones at Sojay

Sojay Busan Seomyeon is a retro-style Korean BBQ restaurant on Seomyeon 1-beon-ga in Busan, down the alley by the Lotte Department Store rear entrance, serving LA galbi and braised oxtail together. Even on a weekday evening there was a wait at Sojay Busan Seomyeon, and the meal was a chive braised oxtail tasting portion with somyeon noodles, 2 servings of LA galbi and kimchi sul-bap (rice fried on the grill), with yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) included among the side dishes. Verdict: the galbi-and-oxtail pairing and the kimchi sul-bap finish with rib bones make Sojay Busan Seomyeon a satisfying dinner.

Written Jun 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBusanjin, BusanCafés

Jeonpo bakery in Busan: square egg tart takeout at Upper East Bakery

Upper East Bakery is a croissant and pastry bakery café on the second floor of a building between Seomyeon Station and Jeonpo Station in Busan. The writer visited on a weekend and took home an almond croissant, a classic croissant, a classic kouign-amann and 2 egg tarts, and called Upper East Bakery's square egg tart the biggest and crispiest egg tart they have ever had. With a wide range of pastries at reasonable prices, Upper East Bakery is a bakery worth recommending in Seomyeon and Jeonpo.

Written Jun 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSaha, BusanRestaurants

Hadan, Busan private room with tableside bori-gulbi: Yukganmyeongga

Yukganmyeongga (육간명가) is a Korean set-meal restaurant in Hadan, Saha District, Busan, right in front of the main gate of Garak Town Complex 3, known for 12-dish tables and 480°C fire-oven lotus-leaf rice. The writer booked ahead and ordered a mackerel lotus-leaf rice set and a Beopseongpo bori-gulbi (barley-aged dried croaker) lotus-leaf rice set; staff prepared the croaker at the table, and the mildly seasoned side dishes such as soybean leaves and japchae (glass noodles), the fire-oven mackerel and the vanilla ice cream dessert were all satisfying. With private rooms and parking for about 30 cars, Yukganmyeongga is a solid choice for dining with elders or an engagement meeting.

Written Oct 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBusanjin, BusanRestaurants

Tonkatsu in Jeonpo, Busan: soldier/pregnancy perk, two combos, Hets

Hets Jeonpo Branch is a Japanese-style tonkatsu restaurant in Jeonpo-dong, Busanjin-gu, Busan, that says it butchers its own YBD pork and Jeju black pork in-house. At Hets Jeonpo Branch, where every seat is at the bar, the writer ordered the Jeju black pork combo katsu and the YBD combo katsu, and the hirekatsu (pork fillet cutlet) melted the moment it hit the tongue. Hets Jeonpo Branch is an easy, no-pressure pick for a solo tonkatsu lunch in Jeonpo.

Written Jun 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBusanjin, BusanRestaurants

Seomyeon pork galbi, Lucky Parking and pickled garlic stems: Gilchon

Gilchon Sutbul Galbi Seomyeon Main Branch (길촌숯불갈비 서면본점) is a charcoal-grilled pork galbi restaurant near Seomyeon Station Exit 8 in Busan. The writer parked at nearby Lucky Parking and ordered one plate of fresh pork galbi, a half plate of marinated pork galbi, a 300cc draft beer and barley shrimp doenjang stew, and especially enjoyed sides like the truffle-scented potato salad, pickled garlic stems and meljeot (salted anchovy sauce). At ₩5,900 per 100g with no table setting fee, Gilchon Sutbul Galbi is a good-value pick for a family dinner in Seomyeon.

Written Jun 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGimhae, GyeongnamRestaurants

Yulha, Gimhae taco restaurant: crispy-tortilla birria tacos, Holstaco

Holstaco Yulha is a new taco restaurant on Gwandong-ro in Yulha, Gimhae, with a colorful, exotic interior. The writer ordered the burrito set for 30,500 won (2 birria tacos, a chili burrito, a Holstaco snack and 2 drinks) and shared it between two people, and the crispy, nutty tortilla stood out most. With no break time, free parking and bar seating, Holstaco Yulha is a good-value lunch pick in Gimhae.

Written Jun 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYangsan, GyeongnamCafés

Evening bakery café in Hopo, Yangsan: decaf and Dojima roll at Choi

Choi Main Branch is a large bakery café across from Hopo Station in Yangsan, Gyeongnam, which changed its name from Haewoldang (해월당) to Choi. On an after-dinner visit, a decaf Americano, fresh watermelon juice, a slice of Dojima roll (cream-filled roll cake), a chocolate baguette and Choi bread showed a rich decaf, a wide range of breads and reasonable prices. Choi Main Branch is a good Hopo bakery café for light bread and drinks in the evening.

Written Jun 23, 2026Sponsored