Daegu makchang restaurant with kimchi noodle soup: Bongja Makchang

Today, I went all in on makchang in Daegu's Jongno area. The place I visited was Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch! When you think of Daegu, you have to think of makchang, right? Haha. But this was not a place where you eat only makchang and leave. Makchang + samgyeopsal, kimchi noodle soup, tteokbokki, ramen, steamed egg, and finally patbingsu... Writing it out, I ate a lot again... 😂

Bongja Makchang within walking distance of Jungangno Station

Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch is within walking distance of Jungangno Station, so it is easy enough to visit by public transit too.

There were quite a few customers inside when we went. As you can see in the photos, there is a line of tables and the atmosphere is well suited to sharing grilled meat with a group, so I thought it could work well for anyone looking for a team dinner spot in Daegu's Jung-gu too. It had that lively Daegu makchang restaurant feeling—meat sizzling and drinks being poured. Haha.

I quietly liked this too. When you eat grilled meat, the smell can cling to you, and people with long hair can find it inconvenient, but the useful items were ready to use. I like these little details.

An order ranging from makchang to tteokbokki

The menu has quite a variety beyond makchang, including samgyeopsal, beef brisket, and chicken feet. We ordered the Bongja One Platter (samgyeopsal + makchang), plus Bongja kimchi noodle soup and Bongja old-school tteokbokki.

And one thing I loved at Bongja Makchang! Unlimited ramen refills. Hahaha. There was not just one kind of ramen; several kinds were lined up, so choosing one was part of the fun. When the grilled meat starts to feel a little rich, cook a ramen... game over. And it is not only ramen. Steamed egg is unlimited too!

At first I was like, “Even the steamed egg is unlimited?” But it really was. Haha. It was fluffy and soft, perfect for taking a spoonful between bites of makchang or samgyeopsal. Especially after something spicy, steamed egg brings peace back to your mouth. 😂

The makchang and samgyeopsal pairing on the Bongja One Platter

Finally, the main event arrived! We ordered the samgyeopsal + makchang combination. When it first came out, the portion looked quite good too. Along with the samgyeopsal and makchang, there were bracken fern, mushrooms, and rice cakes, filling up the grill. Seeing a spread like this instantly puts me in a good mood. Haha.

It started sizzling away. Makchang tastes best when you let it get nicely golden.

As time passed, the makchang turned golden on the surface and the samgyeopsal developed that properly grilled color too. The outside of the makchang became lightly crisp while the inside stayed springy and chewy. The more I chewed, the more nutty flavor came through, and its distinctive odor was not too strong, so I kept reaching for it.

A piece of makchang. Ah... just seeing the photo makes me want it again. Golden outside, bouncy and chewy inside! Makchang can get tiring when it is too tough, but this had a pleasant chew without feeling heavy.

Samgyeopsal cannot be left out either. The outside was golden while the inside still held its juices, so I liked alternating a piece of makchang with a piece of samgyeopsal... Eating two things together is definitely more my style than eating just one. Haha. This is a good combination for anyone looking for Daegu makchang and wanting samgyeopsal too.

Bongja kimchi noodle soup: a surprising amount

And here is the dish I really want to talk about. Bongja kimchi noodle soup! When it first arrived, I said, “Wait... this is one serving?” Hahaha. The bowl is considerably bigger than I expected. It may be hard to tell from the photo, but when it arrives in front of you, the portion will surprise you.

And the broth was truly refreshing. The cold broth had the tang of kimchi and the nutty flavor of shredded seaweed, making it perfect after the rich makchang and samgyeopsal. The noodles went down easily, and the cool, sweet-tangy flavor kept calling me back. Personally, after grilled meat, there are times when kimchi noodle soup goes down better than naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles). This was exactly one of those days. Meat → kimchi noodle soup → meat again: repeat forever. Haha.

Bongja old-school tteokbokki with a school-front feel

And tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes)! Its name is Bongja old-school tteokbokki, and once I tried it, I understood why. It was not the super-thick, topping-loaded style that is popular these days. It really tasted like the sweet-spicy tteokbokki I used to buy in front of school.

It was even better bubbling away as we ate it. Haha. A sweet flavor comes first, followed by heat, and the sauce clings to the chewy rice cakes so well that I kept picking at it despite saying I was full. I never thought I would order tteokbokki at a grilled-meat restaurant, but it goes surprisingly well.

Patbingsu that still finds room at the end

You thought it was over, right? Not yet. Hahaha. Bongja Makchang even has unlimited patbingsu (shaved ice with sweet red beans)! We had grilled meat, ramen, steamed egg, kimchi noodle soup, and tteokbokki... but there was still room for patbingsu. There must definitely be a separate stomach for this. The cool ice, sweet red beans, and crunchy cereal made a nice palate cleanser after the meat. The ability to enjoy ramen, steamed egg, and bingsu together is also mentioned as a strength of Bongja Makchang in several reviews.

And the result... we finished it cleanly. Hahaha. At this point, can we agree we ate well?

A word for when makchang is calling

Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch was where we went when we were craving makchang in Daegu's Jongno area. Grilled golden, the makchang was lightly crisp outside, chewy inside, and nutty; choosing the Bongja One Platter was great because we could have samgyeopsal alongside it. Then there was the cool, generously portioned kimchi noodle soup and the sweet-spicy old-school tteokbokki that tasted like something from in front of school! Above all, the combination of unlimited ramen, unlimited steamed egg, and unlimited patbingsu is seriously powerful. Haha. You go for makchang, then fill up much faster than you expect while trying all sorts of things. The restaurant's layout also works well for groups, so it seems like a good fit for a team dinner in Daegu's Jung-gu or for friends looking for somewhere to eat grilled meat.