Grilled fresh + frozen pork belly combo at Bongja Makchang, Daegu

Today I'm bringing you a story from a place my family loves — one of those restaurants everyone already knows, Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch.

📍Address: 49-1 Jongno, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea (1F) ⏰Hours: 5 PM–2 AM / Sat–Sun 4 PM–2 AM (last order 12:30 AM) 🅿️Parking: No dedicated lot, use nearby paid parking

It's a makchang place, so why did we order pork belly?

When people hear Bongja Makchang they immediately think of makchang (grilled beef intestine), but honestly~~~ the hidden real star is 🥩 the pork!! Today we came to grill up a proper plate of meat instead of makchang haha

Weekday evening wait and how to check in

We went on a weekday evening and, as expected for a popular spot, there was a wait haha. Right at the entrance there's a table-ring machine — you leave your phone number and can check in real time how many groups are ahead of you, so waiting is easy haha

Even though it's a barbecue place, it's clean and comfortable, and honestly one of the reasons I keep coming back to Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch is the staff — they're so kind every single time 👍🏻 Visiting with my kid, this thoughtful and friendly service is exactly why we keep returning ❤️

A cozy inner space, good for groups and families

Deeper inside the restaurant there's a cozy space slightly separated from the main hall, great for group gatherings or family meals! There's even a second, separate self-bar back there, so refills are easy and the flow is convenient!

What we ordered: Bongja Meat Half-Half for ₩43,000

✔️Order Bongja Meat Half-Half (fresh pork belly + frozen pork belly) = ₩43,000

The basic side dish setup. All the basic sides are available at the self-bar, and the steamed egg is unlimited.

Unlimited ramyeon at the self-bar — what kinds are there?

On one side of the self-bar there's ramyeon and yellow metal pots. Jin Ramen, Yeul Ramen, Ganjjamppong, jjajang ramyeon and more — a good variety, and you can cook whichever you like as much as you want! At the self-bar you can also help yourself to kimchi, seasoned bean sprouts, sliced green onion, pickled onion, lettuce and other basic side dishes, as much as you need!

There's a measuring cup set up so you can pour exactly the right amount of water — so convenient, and it really helps you cook the ramyeon just right 😋

Next to it there's even a silicone pot handle, toothpicks, hair ties, and dental floss set out — such thoughtful touches ☺️

How's the fresh pork belly? And they grill it for you too

A quick-handed staff member set everything on the grill for us in no time! Thick-cut, with a good ratio of lean meat to fat, plus mushrooms, rice cakes, and bracken fern grilled alongside on the plate 🐷

Crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside, trapping in all that juice — the moment you bite in, your mouth fills with juiciness 🥹 The meat quality is great and it's so delicious. This is exactly why you order pork at a makchang place!!

Grilled together with kimchi, it goes down endlessly without feeling greasy haha

Frozen pork belly and the house special sauce

Frozen pork belly — sliced thin and grilled to a golden brown on the plate, crispy outside and full of nutty flavor inside!!

Dipped in the house special sauce, it's salty with a subtle sweetness that cuts through the richness of the meat cleanly~😋

My kid polished off a whole bowl of jjajang ramyeon,

and for me, one sip of the spicy Yeul Ramen broth completely reset my stomach after all that meat. Unlimited ramyeon refills were a genius move haha

Finishing off with free patbingsu

We finished with patbingsu (shaved ice dessert). And get this — even the dessert patbingsu is free and unlimited! 🍨 My kid loved it too, and thanks to the patbingsu we ended the meal on a happy note all the way to the end 😋

If you're looking for a date spot, a family meal, or a place for a work dinner around Jongno in Daegu, or if you just want something budget-friendly and filling, give Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch a try 🏃‍♀️