Daegu Jongno makchang grill, frozen pork belly and anchovy dip: Bongja

Today I'm introducing a regular spot our whole family truly loves, out of the countless makchang (grilled beef intestine) restaurants in Daegu. It's famous and has been on TV several times: Bongja Makchang!

Bongja Makchang Jongno: location, opening hours and parking

Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch (봉자막창 종로점) is at 49-1 Jongno, Jung-gu, Daegu, on the 1st floor, just 283m from Exit 1 of Jungangno Station on Line 1, about a 4-minute walk. Come out of the exit, go straight to the intersection, then turn right toward Manggyeongwan.

• Hours: Mon–Thu 5pm to 2am the next day, Fri–Sun 4pm to 2am the next day
• Parking: use nearby paid lots (Hanseong, San Francisco)

How does the waiting list work at Bongja Makchang?

As proof of its popularity, a standing sign out front lists the restaurant's TV appearances. It was on E Channel's 'Set for You' twice, and was introduced on tvN's 'Yeongja and Seri's Why Leave Leftovers' as a 30-year-old restaurant approved by Lee Young-ja and Park Se-ri. There are chairs set out for people waiting.

You register for a table on Tabling. If the wait feels boring, leave your phone number and come back when you get the KakaoTalk message, haha.

Atmosphere and seating at Bongja Makchang Jongno

Overall the place felt clean and comfortable.

You can enjoy tasty makchang and even watch a sports game, so it felt perfect for a get-together with friends or a team dinner!!

What we ordered: Bongja Hanpan platter and a half plate of frozen pork belly

This day we ordered the Bongja Hanpan (the signature platter) for ₩41,000 and a half plate of frozen pork belly for ₩11,000.

• Bongja Hanpan ₩41,000
• Half plate of frozen pork belly ₩11,000

Steamed egg, ramyeon, unlimited refills!!!!

There's a Naver event too ☝️ Book through Naver and get a soy-marinated pork skin coupon; write a review and get a coupon for pork skin or a drink! Don't miss it~

One side of the restaurant has a separate area where many people can sit together. It looked just right for friend gatherings, family meals and team dinners. When we visited, groups were eating there comfortably.

How does the unlimited ramyeon at Bongja Makchang work?

One big reason so many people love Bongja Makchang: the self-serve unlimited ramyeon system! When you're eating meat, you always crave something a little spicy and hot-brothed, right? Here you can boil as much ramyeon as you want without feeling awkward about it, haha.

I heard that pork neck is best cooked only about 80% rather than too crispy, so you get the full juicy, tender texture!

What side dishes come with the meal at Bongja Makchang?

Right after ordering, a variety of side dishes were set out first. Fresh lettuce wraps, spring onion salad, kimchi, pickled onion, garlic, chili peppers and more, neatly arranged and great with makchang.

Does the makchang at Bongja Makchang smell gamey?

I didn't notice any gamey smell in the makchang at the Jongno branch. Offal like gopchang and makchang is hard to eat if it smells, so I think even people who don't usually eat it can try it without worry.

The thoughtful self-serve corner at Bongja Makchang

In the middle of the restaurant there's a corner showing real care for guests: toothpicks and floss, hair ties, silicone handle covers so the grill handle isn't too hot to hold, plus hygienic wet wipes and a container of ramyeon seasoning powder! Top-notch sense‼️

Thick frozen pork belly with meljeot and bracken

The pork belly here is very thick, so when grilled the juices stay locked in and it's so good T_T We grilled tteoksari (rice cake add-on), mushrooms and bracken (gosari, fernbrake) on the grill too, and dipped everything in meljeot (salted fermented hairtail guts), a honey combo 😋

So thick and bursting with juice, it was crazy good.

Even the nostalgic frozen pork belly (naengsam), grilled with plenty of pepper, is thick!!

The makchang is nutty with no gamey smell, so as you chew, the savory juices spread, and with the freshness of the lettuce wraps you keep reaching for more.

Ramyeon self-serve bar with water-level marks for a perfect pot

Can't skip the ramyeon self-bar either 😋 The pots have measurement marks so getting the water amount right isn't hard, and I could boil it deliciously without worrying about messing up.

Choosing the ramyeon you like and enjoying it unlimited, self-serve, is the best 👍🏻

Dessert: free patbingsu

After the meal, patbingsu (shaved ice with sweet red beans) is served as a freebie. Generous red beans and plenty of cornflakes, a satisfying finish to the very end‼️

Final verdict on Bongja Makchang Jongno

With none of makchang's typical gamey smell, anyone can enjoy it, and when grilled crisp it's crunchy outside, juicy inside and nutty 👍🏻 Thickly sliced meat that locks in the juices, plus nostalgic frozen pork belly grilled with lots of pepper at the end: I was very satisfied with the meat!

Every table has its own burner, so you can grill meat and boil unlimited ramyeon to your taste at the same time, which makes it a top value-for-money spot. Add the very kind staff and the patbingsu after the meal 🍨

It's very close, a 4-minute walk from Exit 1 of Jungangno Station, and the nearby paid lots (Hanseong, San Francisco) are convenient, so why not try it for a get-together or team dinner?!!