Daegu izakaya for chicken nanban and soju: Gyodong Nakwon

Looking for a warm, cozy bar among the hot spots in Gyodong, Daegu? Then let me recommend Gyodong Nakwon! It's such an appealing spot — a warm, snug space where you can enjoy good food with a drink.

Gyodong Nakwon 📍 Address: 627 Gukchaebosang-ro, 1st floor, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea (next to Melting Point) ⏰ Hours: Weekdays 18:00–02:00, weekends 17:00–02:00 🅿️ No parking ✏️ Naver reservations available, corkage allowed, groups welcome, sports broadcasts

Where is Gyodong Nakwon, and is there parking?

Gyodong Nakwon sits right along one of downtown Daegu's main roads, so it's easy to get to from anywhere. It's within a 5-minute walk from Exit 3 of Jungangno Station on Daegu Subway Line 1, and there's a bus stop about 100m away, so I'd recommend coming by public transit. If you're planning to drive, note that you can park free at the City Hall lot on weekends.

It's been open since January 2022, and in the ever-changing Dongseongno bar scene, four years is a pretty long run for a beloved izakaya. The exterior has this orange glow that gives off a warm vibe and really catches the eye.

The little drawing of motsunabe is so cute *_*

I couldn't read the main sign since it's in Japanese, but if you see "Gyodong Nakwon" written beside it, you've found the right place!

Inside Gyodong Nakwon — can it seat a group?

Like the orange exterior, the inside of Gyodong Nakwon has warm, soft lighting and a comfortable feel. I was surprised there were more table seats than I expected! Bars around Dongseongno and Gyodong that can fit large groups aren't that common, but this place seems more than capable.

I'd heard the highballs here were amazing and popular, and sure enough, empty highball bottles were lined up cutely all around the space.

There are lots of two-person tables, and the spacing between them is unusually generous, which makes it a great date spot too.

Every seat has a separate hanger for coats and a basket for bags. As someone who always shows up loaded down with stuff, I really noticed and appreciated these little touches of consideration!

There's also a bar-style counter (tachi seating), which would be great for solo drinkers or couples who like sitting side by side.

Gyodong Nakwon menu and prices

As a signature izakaya in Gyodong, Gyodong Nakwon has a wide range of small plates, sake, liquor, and drinks. The hot pots let you adjust the spice level in detail, and there's plenty of crowd-pleasers across sashimi, hot pots, fried dishes, and pasta.

• Motsunabe hot pot ₩26,000
• Osaka beef brisket jjamppong soup ₩23,000
• Crab tomalley pasta ₩16,000
• Aged salmon sashimi ₩27,000
• Stir-fried beef tendon and scallion ₩13,000
• Chicken nanban ₩17,000
• Cabbage rolls ₩14,000

An izakaya needs sake, right? Usually izakayas just list endless sake names, which makes ordering hard if you're not familiar with it, but here each sake comes with a detailed description, so it's fun to browse even if you're not into sake.

Even beyond sake, there's beer, soju, highballs, and traditional liquor, so you can pair to your taste. Personally, I thought the range of highballs was fun to work through one by one.

Honest taste review: crab tomalley pasta, beef brisket jjamppong, chicken nanban

Shrimp chips come out as a starter snack. A place that gives you shrimp chips...I love it...♥

The first thing I ordered was the crab tomalley pasta. Last time I had this at a different izakaya, I loved it so much I was practically lovesick, so when I saw this uncommon dish on the menu, I ordered it right away.

The shrimp were plump and full, and the distinctive smell of crab tomalley wasn't too strong, so even people who aren't big fans of tomalley could enjoy it. The crab stick topping and scallions worked beautifully with everything else too, like receiving a well-matched gift set.

Next was the beef brisket jjamppong soup — if you're Korean, you need at least one hot pot dish, right? Osaka beef brisket jjamppong soup is Gyodong Nakwon's signature menu item, apparently selling over 10,000 bowls a year. Honestly, brisket + jjamppong + hot pot is a combination that just can't miss.

It's loaded with mushrooms, bok choy, brisket, and bean sprouts, so there's plenty to dig into. We ordered it at medium spice, about as spicy as Shin Ramyun, and it was just the right amount of spicy, pairing wonderfully with the crab tomalley pasta. I was worried it'd be too spicy, but it was totally manageable and delicious.

With three of us sharing two dishes, we naturally got hungry again and ordered chicken nanban on top^_^

Wow, the chicken nanban was seriously good. I'm not exactly a hater of mayo-based tartar sauce, but I'm not a big fan either. But this one had crispy chicken with a sweet-and-sour, almost creamy sauce that worked really well together. I want to go back and order this again. The generous amount of tomato and cabbage served alongside was a nice bonus too.

And so one bottle of soju became... two bottles... became three... A cozy, fun time.

We finished off the pasta, the chicken nanban, and the jjamppong soup down to the last bite before leaving..^^

Is Gyodong Nakwon worth a visit in Daegu?

• ✔️ Recommended if you're looking for a warm-mood bar in Gyodong, Daegu
• ✔️ A Gyodong izakaya that can accommodate groups
• ✔️ Must-order dishes: beef brisket jjamppong and chicken nanban
• ✔️ Works great for dates, gatherings, and everything in between!

Three close friends and I had a cozy, warm time chatting away together *_* I hope you'll pay a visit too and have a great time eating well 💛 That's today's review. The end.