Makchang restaurant in Dongjak, Seoul with free ramyeon: Chammak

Where is Chammak Isu Station Branch, and how do you get there?

Chammak Isu Station Branch is a Daegu-style makchang (grilled beef intestine) restaurant on the 1st floor of Apple House, at 29 Dongjak-daero 27da-gil, Dongjak-gu, Seoul. It's 174m from Exit 13 of Isu Station, about a 3-minute walk, and it's open daily from 16:00 to 3am the next day.

I was getting off work and wanted to grab dinner with my husband, and suddenly all I could think about was savory, delicious makchang! I lived in Daegu for a long time, so my standards for makchang are pretty high — Daegu makchang is genuinely amazing 👍🏻 So when I saw that this newly opened spot near Isu Station, Chammak, claimed to have the taste of first-generation original Daegu makchang, I thought, oh, this is the place, and went to check it out.

It was about a 3-minute walk from Exit 13 of Isu Station. Come out Exit 12 or 13 and walk straight past Hana Bank, and you'll find it in no time! It's on the first floor of Apple House so it was super easy to spot. Besides makchang, they also sell pork belly, pork neck, beef, and more, so there's plenty to enjoy, and the doors were wide open, giving off real open-air dining vibes.

What are the interior and seating like at Chammak?

Chammak Isu Station Branch is a spacious restaurant that seats up to 100 people. There are 4-person round tables and larger square tables, plus baby chairs on hand.

Even from a distance, the place looked really clean and tidy. Since it can seat up to 100 people, it felt very spacious. Traditional touches on the entrance and around the restaurant gave it that authentic restaurant feel.

Since it seats up to 100, there are 4-person round tables and larger square tables for bigger groups — great for club meetups or company dinners — and with baby chairs available, it also works well for families with young kids.

What kind of makchang does Chammak serve?

This Isu Station favorite, Chammak, turns out to be certified by Daegu City as an outstanding Daegu food product. With multiple patents on their signature makchang, it promises chewy texture and deep flavor — a real deal makchang restaurant, so I had high expectations ✨

They offer makchang, beef makchang, raw pork belly, raw pork neck, oak-charcoal pre-grilled pork belly, thin 3mm pork belly, and even beef — a good variety of quality meats to enjoy however you like.

What comes in the 39,000-won two-person set, and how much meat is it?

What we ordered at Chammak Isu Station Branch was the two-person mixed makchang + Korean pork belly set for ₩39,000 (440g after pre-grilling). The sets are divided into makchang-only, mixed makchang + Korean pork belly, and mixed makchang + beef.

This Isu Station BBQ spot, Chammak, had a really satisfying set menu lineup and nice review event perks too. And being able to order comfortably from your seat via the tablet ordering system was really convenient.

• Makchang-only set (mixed makchang)
• Mixed makchang + Korean pork belly set
• Mixed makchang + beef set

We ordered the two-person mixed makchang + Korean pork belly set for ₩39,000 (440g after pre-grilling). The portion was more than enough for two of us — we waddled home afterward, we were so full.

What's on the self-serve bar at Chammak?

The basic side dishes included seasoned chives, garlic, ssamjang (dipping sauce), and cabbage salad. One special thing about this Isu Station favorite, Chammak, is the neatly organized self-serve bar — you can grab whatever you want and pair it with your meat.

Self-serve bar

The self-serve bar had a huge variety of items ready. Lettuce for wraps, bean sprouts, kimchi, potatoes, eggplant, enoki mushrooms, sweet pumpkin, spicy peppers, garlic, ssamjang… all sorts of ingredients that taste great grilled alongside makchang or meat, plus salt, sesame oil, and other sauces all neatly arranged — so easy to just help yourself to as much as you wanted. And things like plates, scissors, tongs, ladles, and utensils were also right there at the bar, which was so convenient. Real thoughtful touch 👍🏻

How did the pre-grilled makchang and fresh pork belly taste?

Two-person mixed makchang + Korean pork belly set, ₩39,000 (440g after pre-grilling). The makchang came pre-grilled already, while the pork belly came out raw — and the portion was plenty.

They grilled the pre-grilled makchang once more until golden brown, and with pork belly, kimchi, and bean sprouts grilling alongside it, my mouth was watering 🤤 I thought makchang alone might not be enough, so I ordered the pork belly set — and that turned out to be a great call! The combo of savory makchang and rich, salty pork belly was excellent.

The makchang was plump and had that satisfying chewy texture with every bite, and since it's pre-grilled over smoky charcoal, it had an amazing smoky char and savory flavor. (It was as good as the makchang I ate in Daegu! It's even better dipped in makjang sauce with some cheongyang chili mixed in. Adding green onion makes it even better too.)

How does the free ramyeon at Chammak work?

Chammak Isu Station Branch provides ramyeon (Korean instant noodles) for free, and you can choose from 3 kinds. Go tell a staff member inside which ramyeon you'd like, and they'll pour water into a pot for you. We picked odongtong noodles, which we hadn't had in a while.

We were already full just from the meat, but you just can't pass up free ramyeon. Chammak Isu Station Branch has two burners at each table — one grill burner for the meat, and another burner for stew or ramyeon — so you can grill meat and simmer stew or ramyeon at the same time. We finished off with the ramyeon and were too full to eat any more, but next time I'm definitely coming back to try the meal menu — doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), kimchi jjigae, kimchi-mari guksu (noodles in cold kimchi broth), mul-naengmyeon and bibim-naengmyeon (cold noodles), jjolmyeon (chewy cold noodles)… they all looked so good.

Who is Chammak Isu Station Branch best for?

Overall the restaurant was clean and spacious, which I loved, and with the cool weather these days and a nice breeze blowing through, eating meat felt even better! With the full window wall open, we got that open-air dining feel too. The makchang really lived up to its claim of first-generation original Daegu taste. Chewy, savory makchang was the star, and the pork belly was also high quality — grilled to a golden brown, it earned an involuntary round of applause.

They also run various review events, which was a nice bonus! If you want delicious makchang, want to try a variety of meats, or are looking for a spot for a company dinner, gathering, family meal out, or date, I highly recommend this Isu Station favorite, Chammak.

• Free whiskey and wine corkage
• Baby chairs available
• Pet-friendly
• Free parking on basement level 2
• Naver reservation available