Daejeon Korean BBQ restaurant with a ₩49,000 makchang set: Sangdaedon

Last weekend my boyfriend and I visited Sangdaedon, a well-known Korean BBQ restaurant in Sangdae-dong, Daejeon. The charcoal-smoked, pre-grilled meat had no gamy smell at all, which I really liked. For anyone looking into Korean BBQ spots in Sangdae-dong, here's some info that might help.

Where is Sangdaedon in Daejeon?

The address is 7-16 Sangdae-dong-ro 2beon-gil, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, tucked into the food street near Tripple City Complex 5. Even though we arrived early in the evening, other diners were already eating away, which made it clear this is a genuinely popular spot in Sangdae-dong.

Sangdaedon hours and reservations

The restaurant is open from 4 PM to 11 PM and closed every Monday. Since Naver Reservation and the Catch Table app both work here, I'd recommend booking ahead for weekends or peak evening hours when it tends to get busy.

Is there parking at Sangdaedon?

If you're driving, you'll be glad to know there's parking right in front of the restaurant as well as nearby roadside parking, so getting there by car was fairly convenient.

Inside the restaurant and the kids' play zone

The interior of Sangdaedon is spacious and comfortable — it seemed like a great spot for family gatherings or work dinners.

There's also a kids' play zone, which makes this Korean BBQ restaurant in Sangdae-dong, Daejeon a good option for visiting with children.

The ventilation system is well set up too, so I liked that we didn't have to worry too much about smoke or smell while grilling.

Sangdaedon menu and the ₩49,000 Signature A Set

Sangdaedon, this Sangdae-dong, Daejeon favorite, offers charcoal-grilled perilla-leaf-smoked makchang along with charcoal pork belly, pork neck, skirt meat, brisket-style pork belly, frozen pork belly, and other Korean pork cuts. Since ordering just one item felt like it wouldn't be enough, I went with the Signature A Set (₩49,000), which lets you try makchang, cold pork belly, and assorted sundae together.

Ordering the Signature Set gets you the special makchang sauce and the special cold pork belly sauce. The makchang sauce has cheongyang chili, minced green onion, sesame salt, and whole perilla seed powder mixed in — savory yet spicy, and really memorable.

The set is priced quite reasonably too, and I loved that ordering it comes with a free bowl of either naejangtang (offal soup) or kimchi jjigae.

The side dishes were also neatly arranged, so I felt like I'd be eating a properly hearty meal. It had been a while since I'd had kimchi jjigae at a BBQ place, so I had high expectations — and the broth was refreshingly spicy beyond what I'd hoped, so I was glad I chose it.

Assorted sundae (Korean blood sausage)

First I tried the assorted sundae (blood sausage) included in the Signature A Set. I liked that you could enjoy not just sundae but offal too at a BBQ restaurant.

The sundae was tasty on its own, but pairing it with the salted shrimp served alongside made it even more savory and delicious.

Cold-aged pork belly on the charcoal grill

Sangdaedon's cold pork belly comes with enoki mushrooms, garlic scapes, and sweet potato.

It's seasoned with pepper from the start, so when grilled on the pan, a subtle peppery aroma brought out the characteristic savory taste of cold pork belly really well.

The owner told us the golden-grilled cold pork belly tastes even better dipped in the special cold pork belly sauce, so we tried it that way — the sauce was salty with a deep savory flavor that paired perfectly with the meat.

Charcoal-seared makchang, the signature cut

Sangdaedon's makchang is pre-grilled the moment you order it, so I liked that we didn't have to wait long before digging in. The outside was golden and the inside stayed wonderfully chewy — this is exactly why people eat makchang.

The special makchang sauce in particular was outstanding — I kept dipping the savory makchang into it and somehow finished the whole plate before I knew it.

Bibim naengmyeon to finish the meal

It felt like too soon to end the meal, so we ordered bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold noodles) for dessert, and the tangy-sweet, slightly spicy sauce really woke up our appetite — it was great.

The quality of the meat was so good that I'd love to come back with my family — how about visiting Sangdaedon in Daejeon on a day you need some delicious meat to recharge?