Gyodong Daegu noodle restaurant: bulgogi pho and pad thai at Thai Yami

We hadn't gotten together in a while, so a group of close friends decided to meet up on an exciting Friday night. Instead of the usual pasta, meat, or pizza places, we wanted something different. While browsing, I came across Thai Yami, a well-known spot in Gyodong, Daegu, and got such a craving for pad thai that I just had to go.

Where is Thai Yami in Gyodong, Daegu? Hours and parking

Thai Yami / 105, 1F, 222 Gyeongsanggamyeong-gil, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea

• Located on the hot Gyodong street in Daegu, behind the Novotel. Across from Dosibam.
• 1 hour free parking at Jungang-ro Hyundai Sun & Vill!
• Closed every Monday
• Open 11:30 AM–10:00 PM (break time from 3:00 to 5:30 PM)

** If you turn on Naver notifications, you get a coupon for a small bowl of rice noodle soup. Don't miss it, it's delicious! **

Gyodong really feels like the hot place these days. Thai Yami's exterior had such a... hip vibe. I looked around wondering if I had the right spot, and sure enough it's right across from a place called Dosibam, so keep an eye out for that! They're open during the day too, so if you're looking for a lunch spot in Gyodong, Daegu, this would be a great atmospheric place to eat.

Inside Thai Yami: open-kitchen bar seats that work for solo diners

The interior atmosphere at Thai Yami was really nice too! People our age... totally love this kind of vibe!! Since it's an open kitchen, you can watch the flames flare up while the food's being cooked, so for anyone looking for a solo dining spot in Gyodong, Daegu, the bar seats seem like a great option.

The Thai Yami menu and what we ordered

The menu is really varied. Besides Thai food, they also have Vietnamese dishes like rice noodle soup and bun cha, so it felt like they'd picked out the very best dishes from across Southeast Asian cuisine. We wanted this, we wanted that... we practically had a debate over it... and after a long while of picking, we went with the dishes that had the best reviews: kai phrai (handmade chicken salad), pad thai, and bulgogi rice noodle soup, plus some drinks. (I've already picked out what I'll order next time. Next visit I'm getting bun cha, poo pad pong curry, and an orange juice...)

What does the pad thai at Thai Yami taste like?

Here's the pad thai I'd been eagerly waiting for. The visuals are amazing, right?? Big shrimp, ground peanuts on top, chewy noodles, and a proper smoky char — it tasted just like the real thing you'd get in Thailand :-) But my top recommendation is... none other than... the kai phrai (chicken salad)!!

Kai phrai: the must-order dish at Thai Yami

This is the dish I strongly recommend you order. The visuals alone are overwhelming... it's a handmade fried chicken salad you can only get at Thai Yami!! The handmade fried chicken was tender inside with a crisp coating outside — crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, exactly what you want! The savory flavor hits right away, and my friends, who were exhausted after work, took one bite as soon as they arrived and... their eyes lit right up, they said it was that good!!

A perfect combination. Kai phrai and pad thai — highly recommended!!

Eating it together with the salad like this, the flavors blended really well. Tangy but sweet at the same time~ And finally, the bulgogi rice noodle soup arrived!!

Bulgogi rice noodle soup: rich broth with a slight kick of spice

First off, the smell alone is intensely rich. The broth is really thick. As someone who can't even handle spicy Shin Ramyun, I'd say it might be a bit too spicy for preschoolers, but the broth was rich, the noodles were chewy, and those bean sprouts especially were still crunchy and fresh — it made me think, wow, they're good at Vietnamese rice noodle soup here too!?

And to top it off, a refreshingly tangy lemonade came out in this cute little glass. I really want that glass.

For anyone looking for a place to eat near Daegu Spark Land, or a good spot in Gyodong, Daegu, I can recommend Thai Yami for lunch or dinner. I even saw a delivery rider show up... so apparently they deliver nearby too... so jealous....