Galbi BBQ in Jongno, Daegu on a rainy Sunday with steamed egg: Jangjak

I heard there's a great place for fresh galbi and pork galbi in Jongno, which is super hot these days, so I headed out on another rainy evening!

Where is Jangjak Saenggalbi Jongno Main Branch, and how is parking?

Jangjak Saenggalbi Jongno Main Branch (장작생갈비 종로본점) is about 200m from Exit 1 of Jungangno Station on the Daegu subway. There's no private parking lot, so you'll need a nearby paid lot. It sits right in the middle of hot Jongno!

All three floors are dining space: good for groups and company dinners?

The restaurant uses floors 1 through 3, so I thought it was perfect for big groups, company dinners and gatherings. We were shown to the 2nd floor. From outside the place has a wood-heavy, firewood-style look to match its name, but inside the retro interior really caught my eye.

We went on a Sunday evening, and guests kept coming in after we sat down. Even as the weekend was winding down, a popular place is a popular place!

The menu and what we ordered

You can browse the menu easily on a kiosk. This time we ordered the original fresh galbi, pork galbi, soybean stew (doenjang-jjigae) and steamed egg. One wall was covered with special dishes that would go well with meat, like grilled kimchi acorn jelly noodles, crab-shrimp soup, ttagwijjim (braised cheek meat), fire noodles and spicy potato stew. We were craving meat so badly that day that we went mostly with the meat.

What side dishes come out?

The side dishes were water kimchi, shredded radish kimchi, pickled celery, something like a chili seasoning, and acorn jelly soup, all great combinations with fresh galbi and meat. I didn't know the exact name of that chili seasoning, haha, but it wasn't spicy, and the zing of the chili went really well with the meat. I loved it!

Then they bring out the charcoal. It felt a little chilly when we first walked in, but once the fire arrived that feeling vanished, lol. It got so hot that I almost wanted to ask them to blast the air conditioning, hahaha. The meat expert who came with us said they use good charcoal, so he was looking forward to the meat.

The acorn jelly soup that came as a side has a cool, tangy broth that's so appealing. One spoonful of the chilled broth freshens up your mouth, and with the springy, soft acorn jelly, kimchi and cucumber, the textures were great too.

Staff grill everything to the end

The staff grilled the meat for us from start to finish, which was really convenient, haha. They took great care to keep even a little smoke from spreading, so we felt looked after, and the service was wonderful from beginning to end.

How was the original fresh galbi?

The charm of the original fresh galbi is that you enjoy the taste of the meat itself with no marinade... And that moment when the meat cooks on the grill and the juices start to rise slightly?!! My mouth started watering........ haha. One bite of well-cooked meat, juicy with that deep, rich flavor..... ah, you all have to try it!

It's tender before you even chew, hahahaha. This is why we eat beef! No wonder the signature dish is the fresh galbi. It's good with just a touch of salt, or dipped in the various seasonings, and I especially love pajaeregi (seasoned scallion salad), so it was nice to take my time and savor the true flavor of the meat.

Marinated pork galbi: the sweet, classic flavor

The marinated pork galbi had a sweet, salty signature marinade you could really taste. For marinated pork galbi, that sweet sauce is the foundation, of course.. It's surprisingly tricky to grill, so I was so grateful the staff handled it so well...... One bite of the golden-brown meat and the special marinade came through!

The marinade soaks into the meat so it's good as is, and the lightly charred parts have a subtle smoky flavor and a nutty richness.. I'm not the only one who likes the slightly burnt bits of pork galbi, right.... Put a piece on top of rice and you barely need any other side dishes, lol. Thanks to the salty-sweet marinade, it's the familiar, reliably tasty pork galbi that kids and adults alike would enjoy.

Steamed egg: a side that's good for kids too

The steamed egg (gyeran-jjim) was fluffy and soft and not strongly seasoned, so it's a side dish that's good to share with kids. You can't skip the steamed egg, haha! One spoonful had a cozy flavor, different from the rich taste of the meat. It's gently seasoned, so it's mild and plain in a good way, and I liked how it melts softly in your mouth. Having warm steamed egg between bites of meat made a great combination.

Finishing with spicy, tangy soybean stew

The soybean stew had a spicy, tangy broth, and with rice it was a hearty way to finish. After the meat, finishing with doenjang-jjigae, the Korean dessert, really fills you up, right~~~? The stew looks fierce from the first glance. A bite of leftover meat, then a spoonful of the broth, and as you'd expect from the Korean dessert,,,,, it was a familiar, comforting combination.

You all know why we ask for soybean stew at the end of a BBQ meal. It presses everything down and settles your stomach,, but you really do have to try the stew here, haha.

Jangjak Saenggalbi Jongno Main Branch: overall verdict

From the nutty fresh galbi to the sweet marinated pork galbi, plus the soft steamed egg and cool acorn jelly soup in between, alternating among dishes was fun, and we never got tired of eating! At the end we wrapped up with the savory, spicy soybean stew and rice.

It's not just meat: you can enjoy a variety of side dishes too, so it's a great setup for sharing at group gatherings or company dinners. If you're in Jongno, Daegu, definitely stop by Jangjak Saenggalbi!