A Local Korean Restaurant in Daegu I’ve Been Visiting for 4 Years

If you want to know what I actually eat when I go out for a casual Korean lunch, this is one of those places.

The restaurant is called Neurim (느림), and it’s located in Dong-gu, Daegu.

I’ve been coming here for about four years, which probably says more than any restaurant review I could write.

I love Korean food, but I’m actually pretty picky about it. There are plenty of places I try once and never really feel the need to visit again.

Neurim is different. I keep coming back.

The food is simple, clean, filling, and reasonably priced, and I especially like coming here for lunch.

The Lunch Set Is Only Available at Lunchtime

On this visit, I came for the pork stew lunch set (통돼지찌개정식).

According to the menu when I visited, it was ₩13,000 per person and required an order for at least two people.

One thing I really like about this restaurant is that I can call ahead before I arrive.

If I let them know I’m coming, they can have things ready for me, which means I don’t have to sit there starving while I wait for my food. It’s a small thing, but when you’re hungry, it makes a difference!

The Side Dishes Change

One of the things I enjoy here is that the banchan (Korean side dishes) aren’t necessarily exactly the same every time.

They can change depending on the day.

This is what I got on this particular visit, so if you come here, your table might look a little different.

And honestly, that’s part of the fun of eating a Korean set meal.

On this day, I especially loved the ureong ssamjang (우렁쌈장) and the kkaennip (깻잎, perilla leaves).

The ureong ssamjang was so good with rice and vegetables.

You Have to Eat the Pork as Ssam

The spicy stir-fried pork was made for ssam (쌈).

Take a lettuce or perilla leaf, add a little rice, some pork, and a bit of ssamjang, wrap everything up…

And then please—if you’re reading this because you’re visiting Korea—

don’t take tiny bites out of your ssam. 😂

Make it small enough to fit comfortably in your mouth and eat the whole thing in one bite.

Please. I’m begging you. 😂

That’s the fun of ssam! You get the meat, rice, vegetables, and sauce together in one big bite.

Of course, don’t make one the size of your head. The trick is making the perfect one-bite ssam.

I Really Like the Stew Here, Too

[PHOTO 5 — Pork stew close-up]

The stew is another reason I like coming here.

It’s warm, spicy, savory, and full of ingredients, including pork and vegetables. It’s exactly the kind of food I want with a bowl of rice.

Take a bite of ssam, have a spoonful of hot stew, eat some banchan, and then go back for another bite of rice.

This kind of meal might look simple, but to me, this is one of the most satisfying ways to eat Korean food.

You Can Also Come Here for Korean BBQ

Neurim isn’t only a lunch-set restaurant.

The menu also includes pork cuts for grilling, including ogyeopsal (오겹살) and moksal (목살).

When I visited, both were listed at ₩14,000 for 120g.

So depending on when I come and what I’m in the mood for, I can have a simple lunch set or sit down and grill some meat.

That’s another reason I’ve kept coming back over the years.

Prices and menu items can change, so check the current menu when you visit.

A Note for Vegetarians, Vegans, and Muslim Travelers

This is important if you have dietary restrictions.

This restaurant serves pork, and pork is a major part of the menu.

If you’re vegetarian or vegan, avoid pork for religious reasons, or require halal food, I would recommend checking directly with the restaurant before visiting.

Even dishes that don’t obviously contain meat may use animal-based ingredients in sauces, broths, or side dishes, and I have not independently verified the restaurant as halal or suitable for a particular dietary requirement.

It’s always better to ask rather than assume.

Why I’ve Been Coming Here for 4 Years

This isn’t a restaurant I found online just so I could write about it.

It’s simply one of the places I genuinely like and have been coming back to for about four years.

I like that the food is straightforward and satisfying. I like the banchan. I like the stew. I like being able to wrap some pork and rice in a leaf and eat it all together.

Sometimes that’s exactly the kind of meal I want.

So if you’re in Daegu and you’re curious about the kind of Korean lunch I actually enjoy in everyday life, this is one of my places.

And if you come here and try ssam…

Remember: one bite. 😂