Offal BBQ in Cheongju Dongnam-jigu: marinated heart set at Chodaechang

A brand-new offal BBQ spot, "Chodaechang Cheongju Dongnam-jigu Branch" (초대창 청주동남지구점), just opened in Cheongju's Dongnam-jigu, so I went to check it out!! The result: it was so classy and delicious, and I definitely want to go back ♥♥

Chodaechang Dongnam-jigu: location, parking and opening hours

Chodaechang Cheongju Dongnam-jigu Branch is open every day from 16:00 to 24:00, with last order at 23:30. Parking is available, reservations are possible, Cheongju Pay is accepted, and there are high chairs too.

The address is 13-2 Junggogae-ro 141beon-gil, Sangdang-gu, Cheongju, Chungbuk, units 101 and 102. It's in the central commercial district of Dongnam-jigu, so it's easy to get to. It's in the Penta Square building, the same building as No Brand Burger!

Building parking is available for 2 hours 30 minutes. The car park entrance is on the opposite side from the Chodaechang entrance, so you need to drive further into the Dongnam-jigu commercial district.

What kind of restaurant is Chodaechang?

I heard the name Chodaechang means "inviting a precious guest and treating them to a full, hearty meal." Its grilled daechang (beef large intestine) is famous, and it's said to have been picked for the Blue Ribbon guide three years in a row! I'd seen it getting ready to open while passing by, and since I live in Cheongju and had hardly seen any restaurants focused on daechang, I thought, 'I have to try this place!'

Atmosphere and bringing kids

The inside of Chodaechang Cheongju Dongnam-jigu Branch is bright, clean and tidy overall. The tables aren't cramped, and the vibe works for families as well as for a big company dinner in Cheongju.

On one side, wine that you can enjoy with daechang is on display. A daechang place that sells wine is rare, so Chodaechang feels really special!

There are TVs on both sides of the restaurant, so it's nice for eating while watching sports. High chairs are of course provided, and they even have baby meals, so it's an easy, comfortable restaurant to come to with a baby.

Chodaechang menu and ordering rules

The menu has grilled assortment set menus, and you can also order à la carte. However, à la carte items can only be ordered for 3 or more servings.

There's a separate space low beside the table for cups, tissues and so on, so nothing clutters the tabletop and you get a wide, tidy surface.

Spoons and chopsticks come in paper sleeves, so they felt hygienic to use. Individually wrapped like this, it felt neat and carefully prepared, which I liked.

How are Chodaechang's side dishes?

After we ordered, the side dishes and sauces were set out first, and even the basic lineup felt clearly different from other restaurants. Each item looked neat and upscale, and you could tell they'd put care into even the basic sides.

And of course, what matters is the taste! It wasn't just pretty: every side was well seasoned and tasty, which made it even more satisfying. That corn salad in particular, a flavor I'd had plenty of times, but I kept reaching for it. A more upscale version of the taste? It went so well with the daechang too.

A set grilled over charcoal by the staff

What sets Chodaechang apart in Cheongju's Dongnam-jigu, and what I especially liked, is the charcoal grilling, and that the staff grill everything for you!

The grilled assortment A set comes with daechang, makchang (beef abomasum), teugyang (special beef tripe) and heart for ₩66,000. We ordered the A set, and it looks neat at a glance, with a generous amount.

They grill it all for you from start to finish. You can eat so comfortably.

Marinated heart: not tough, wonderfully tender

They grilled the heart first. Oh, and another unusual thing about Chodaechang: the assortment is marinated! It was my first time eating marinated offal, and it was way better than I expected? The seasoning isn't overdone and blends well with the meat, and the marinated heart in particular was seriously good!

It had none of heart's usual toughness and was so tender, which made it delicious. (And I felt like they grilled it really well^^) Whether you love heart or don't usually eat it, please try the heart at least once! (I'd been torn between this and the B set, which doesn't include heart, and I'm so glad I picked the A set... haha)

Teugyang with seaweed wasabi

Next, the teugyang, grilling up nicely.

The tables at Chodaechang list which sauce suits each cut, so of course we ate it that way. Teugyang goes with seaweed wasabi (gim wasabi). The texture of the teugyang is amazing,, honestly I'd been a bit disappointed by teugyang elsewhere and had decided to stop eating it, but Chodaechang's teugyang is totally different! Chewy but not tough, and the more you chew the better the texture gets haha

The signature grilled daechang with soy sauce

Chodaechang's main event, the grilled daechang haha! I heard you should eat it with the soy sauce. The soy sauce is sweet and delicious. The daechang is golden and chewy outside, and soft and juicy inside. You really get that rich, nutty daechang flavor with a faint smoky char on top, so good. It's greasy, yet strangely I kept eating it haha

Makchang dipped in makchang sauce

Makchang dipped in makchang sauce. Makchang has a great texture too, right? A different kind of texture from teugyang! Not tough but nicely chewy, and dipped in the makchang sauce, the flavor of the makchang really comes alive!

Opening event minari yangmuchim and kimchi-mari guksu

As an opening event, Chodaechang gives out minari yangmuchim (marinated tripe salad with water dropwort) until the event ends. The portion is enormous, packed with both tripe and minari. It's sweet and sour, perfect as a palate cleanser alongside the grilled meats.

But eating it together with the side order of kimchi-mari guksu (cold kimchi noodles) and the minari yangmuchim made them even better together. I wondered if both being tangy would be too much, but no, it's just more delicious lol

Restroom and dessert ice cream

The restroom at Chodaechang Cheongju Dongnam-jigu Branch is inside the building. After enjoying the daechang, you even get ice cream for dessert! And it's Excellent brand ice cream, not some cheap ice cream, Excellent! Classy right to the very end.

Is Chodaechang Dongnam-jigu worth a return visit?

Staff-grilled charcoal BBQ, classy side dishes, amazing marinade, and every offal cut delicious: there's no reason not to come back. I recommend it as a Dongnam-jigu restaurant!! ♥♥