Makchang grill in Jongno, Daegu to treat a Busan friend: Bongja

My friends came to visit Daegu for the first time in ages, so I took them to Bongja Makchang, a place I trust for makchang (grilled pork large intestine)! Let me introduce this pork grill restaurant on the trendy Jongno street in Daegu.

Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch (봉자막창 대구종로점)

How do you get to Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch, and where do you park?

Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch is a 4-minute walk from Exit 1 of Jungangno Station on Daegu Subway Line 1. If you come by car, there is a paid parking lot a 5-minute walk from the restaurant, so driving is easy too!

It's close, so public transport is convenient, and the streets are well laid out, so even first-timers can find it easily. We went late on the night before a public holiday and there were still quite a few customers, so we waited a bit in the waiting area out front haha

What did we order at Bongja Makchang?

You can order comfortably at Bongja Makchang using a kiosk. I wanted my friends to taste really good makchang, so I ordered a half plate of plain makchang plus a half plate of seasoned makchang!

Thoughtful utensils and friendly staff

Have you ever seen such a thoughtful meat restaurant?! Bongja Makchang prepares these utensils to prevent the little annoyances that can happen while eating haha The staff were also so kind that I fell for the service.

Unlimited self-bar and ramyeon corner

Bongja Makchang has a self-bar and a ramyeon corner you can use without limit! A makchang place where you can even cook all the ramyeon you want...

When you're feeling greasy after makchang, a spicy, hot-broth ramyeon combo is just so good, right? There are also all kinds of side dishes and vegetables that go well with makchang, so you can enjoy it in different ways without getting sick of it.

Self-serve areas can sometimes get a little messy, but at Bongja Makchang the staff are always walking around keeping things clean, so you can eat deliciously with peace of mind. I liked that too!

Side dishes start with steamed egg

The side dishes at Bongja Makchang included steamed egg, pa-jaeragi (seasoned scallion salad), seasoned bean sprouts, pickled onion, kimchi and more. Each one is tasty on its own and even better with makchang, absolutely delicious! Before the makchang arrived, I inhaled the steamed egg to settle my stomach.

Chamsoju vs Jinro: somaek with makchang

Not ordering somaek (soju mixed with beer) with makchang is a foul. We were in Daegu, so I wanted to drink Chamsoju, but my Busan friend said she's team Jinro and ordered Jinro hahahahaha Middle-aged women's friendship lasts till we die... 🍻

How do you grill Bongja Makchang's pork makchang for the best taste?

Bongja Makchang's pork makchang tastes best grilled over high heat with mushrooms until the outside is crispy, almost fried. While we chatted and waited, the main dish of this Jongno, Jung-gu favorite arrived: Bongja Makchang's pork makchang. Seeing how cleanly prepared it was, I got excited before it was even grilled.

Makchang is known for its rich, chewy texture. There's no gamey smell, so even people who don't like offal might find Daegu makchang pretty decent if they try the makchang at this Jongno favorite!

I love makchang and have tried it at all sorts of places, and at Bongja Makchang I found it tastes better eaten crispy, as if fried on the outside. A crunchy outside with juicy, moist meat inside goes down tenderly, and it's great!

It's good on its own, but please try dipping it in makjang (Daegu makchang's signature sauce, a seasoned soybean paste) mixed with ddaengcho (hot green chili). The flavor gets deeper and the chili firmly cuts through the richness.

What does Bongja Makchang's spicy fire makchang taste like?

I liked that the spicy fire makchang (yangnyeom bulmakchang) comes fully grilled, so you can eat it right away! The makchang soaked in spicy seasoning blends its signature chewiness with a hot, savory kick, and I kept reaching for more!

If plain makchang is more of a drinking snack, the fire makchang seems great as a side dish for a meal. It's good on its own, but I guarantee it's even more delicious with rice haha

How do you cook the self-serve ramyeon at Bongja Makchang?

For the self-serve ramyeon at Bongja Makchang, ask a staff member for a ramyeon pot, pour in water, and pick your ramyeon! After finishing the meat, our ramyeon pick was Oddongtong noodles hahaha

There's something like a mini burner on the table, so each of us could comfortably boil ours at our seats, which I liked. The killer point is how the spicy broth pushes down the greasiness from the makchang... I don't know how anyone could not love Bongja Makchang, where you can eat all the self-serve ramyeon you want.

Finish with old-style patbingsu

The true, true, true finale at Bongja Makchang is patbingsu! It's a real nostalgic patbingsu: old-style finely shaved ice topped with cereal and red beans, with condensed milk drizzled over.

Sure, it's good in summer too, but after makchang and ramyeon it's a cool way to finish, so I was satisfied from start to end haha Even my Busan friend says she misses Bongja Makchang and wants to eat it again. If you're looking for a makchang restaurant in Jongno, Daegu, definitely stop by!