Daegu Jongno makchang and pork skin with mel-jeot sauce: Bongja

Today I'm introducing a place famous for makchang (grilled pork intestine) in Daegu — Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch. It's a makchang restaurant near Jongno in downtown Daegu, and I happened to be craving makchang, so I went to check it out!

Where is Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch, and when is it open?

• 📍 49-1 Jongno, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea, 1st floor
• ✅ A 4-minute walk from Jungangno Station Line 1 Exit 1 — go straight to the intersection and turn right toward Mangyeonggwan and you'll find it easily
• 🅿️ Parking is available at nearby paid lots (Hanseong Paid Parking / San Francisco Cafe Parking)
• Mon–Thu 17:00–02:00 the next day / Fri–Sun 16:00–02:00 the next day
• Last order 00:30

There's a waiting area outside with seats to rest. It seems like there could be a wait on weekends or during busy hours. Bongja Makchang has even appeared on shows like 'Real Man's Way of Traveling' and 'What's the Point of Leftovers.'

Inside Bongja Makchang: seating and kiosk ordering

Inside Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch, there were several 4-person tables, each basically equipped with a grill plate and an extra burner, and orders were placed via kiosk. The gap between tables felt comfortably wide too, so it's a good place to chat and eat in a relaxed atmosphere.

The menu is divided into full-platter menu, set menu, and single-platter menu. There were also plenty of side dishes and rice/noodle dishes, and I liked that most of the menu was the kind of thing anyone would enjoy!

Ordering through the table kiosk is super convenient. These days it's nice to be able to look at the menu directly and order quickly and easily through the kiosk!

After we ordered, a staff member personally brought over aprons for everyone at the table 😇 ✨️

Banchan and the free-refill doenjang ramyeon, steamed egg and patbingsu bar

Basic side dishes

Here are the basic side dishes. Scallion salad, kimchi, seasoned bean sprouts, onion sauce and more come as standard, and if you run out, you can add more yourself at the self-serve bar.

Free refills

Above the self-serve bar there was a big stack of various ramyeon (instant noodles)! Doenjang ramyeon, steamed egg, and patbingsu (shaved ice dessert) are all free refills apparently! Since anyone can boil up their own ramyeon too, you can really eat until you're full.

The self-serve bar was kept completely clean too. It looked like the basic side dishes were being restocked right away since there was always plenty available.

Ordering a makchang platter plus half a samgyeopsal platter

Platter + half platter

I ordered a makchang platter plus a half platter of samgyeopsal (pork belly). Since this is Bongja Makchang after all, I went with a full platter of makchang, and it was a great choice! Some bracken fern also came as a side. Grilling it alongside the meat and eating it together was really delicious.

A staff member put the meat on the grill for us directly. They let us know when the meat and makchang were cooked enough to eat, and they were so friendly about it. From the moment we walked in to the moment we left, the staff guided us so kindly!

The samgyeopsal and makchang on the grill, slowly cooking on the wide stone plate. The makchang came pre-cut into just the right bite-sized pieces, so grilling and eating it as is was perfect.

The samgyeopsal was really tasty too. Who knew a makchang place would have such good samgyeopsal — eating makchang and samgyeopsal together meant we never got tired of it and got to enjoy more variety, which I liked even more.

Since makchang is famous in Daegu, I feel like I've been to pretty much every makchang place, but I genuinely recommend Bongja Makchang! It's a real makchang restaurant. Grilled until crispy, it was crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside — the texture was really excellent.

The samgyeopsal was genuinely delicious too. I only ordered makchang and samgyeopsal, but I have a feeling the meat in any of their other menu items would be great too! Whatever meat dish you order at Bongja Makchang, you can't go wrong.

How to eat makchang with mel-jeot sauce and makchang sauce

You can dip the samgyeopsal in bean powder or sesame oil salt.

Samgyeopsal dipped in mel-jeot sauce (fermented anchovy sauce) is also delicious. They put the mel-jeot sauce right on the stone plate so it stays nicely warm, and dipping the meat in it gives it a totally different flavor — I definitely recommend trying it.

Bongja Makchang paradise ⭐️ absolutely insane flavor... I love Bongja Makchang.

⭐️How to eat makchang the best way — pour a generous amount of minced chili into the makchang sauce, then dip the crispy, well-grilled makchang deep into the sauce and eat it. That's how you reach paradise.

You can't skip a generous spoonful of steamed egg alongside the meat either.

The bubbling doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) was clean and satisfying too. There's an extra burner right next to the stone plate, so you can keep the doenjang jjigae simmering and warm while you eat!

Grilling pork skin with the press tool

Pork skin

I also ordered pork skin! A wide, large piece of pork skin came out.

They also gave us a tool for pressing it down, kind of like grilling hotteok (Korean pancake). When you put pork skin on the grill, it curls up and only the edges cook, but pressing it down cooks the inside properly too!

This is the kind of food that makes the drinks go down smoothly.

Febreze and candy on the way out

<Not disinfection> After we finished eating and were heading out, a staff member sprayed us with Febreze — and that alone was endlessly touching 🥹 They sprayed us head to toe with Febreze and topped it off with candy on our way out 🩷

Is Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch worth a visit?

If you're looking for a good restaurant near Jongno in Daegu, I can confidently recommend Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch — it's right in downtown Daegu, so it's very accessible! It's within walking distance if you take public transit, and if you're driving, there are plenty of nearby paid parking lots to use!

This was a place where you could properly enjoy makchang and grilled meat, and the relaxed atmosphere worked for dates, family gatherings, company dinners, or family meals. Since doenjang ramyeon, steamed egg, and patbingsu are all free refills, you get service that stands out from other barbecue restaurants! If you're looking for a Daegu makchang restaurant, I recommend Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch — a reliable makchang spot you really can't go wrong with!