Beomeo-dong pork BBQ in Daegu: extra gabrisal at Matdongsam Beomeo

Matdongsam sits deep in an alley in Beomeo-dong, giving off exactly the vibe of a neighborhood pork BBQ place. It's set in a renovated old house, so the exterior feels a bit different from a typical BBQ restaurant. Once you step inside, the space is bigger than it looks from outside.

They say the name Matdongsam is short for 'delicious neighborhood samgyeopsal (pork belly),' and after visiting, I kind of get why they picked that name.

That day I had pork belly and gabrisal along with doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) and steamed egg, and it ended up being a satisfying meal from the meat all the way to the side dishes. So today I'm sharing my visit to Matdongsam Beomeo Main Branch, a go-to spot for BBQ in Beomeo-dong.

Finding Matdongsam Beomeo Main Branch: exterior and parking

Matdongsam Beomeo Main Branch has room for 2 cars right in front, and we got lucky with an open spot so we parked right away. If there's no space, they say you can park along the white line in the alley.

Given the nature of the Beomeo-dong alleys, parking isn't exactly plentiful, so if you're driving, it's good to keep that in mind.

The outside gives off a classic neighborhood BBQ feel, but once you go in, the renovated-house layout gives it a slightly different atmosphere.

Inside Matdongsam Beomeo and its separate annex

Once inside, Matdongsam is bigger than expected. There are a lot of tables, and the space keeps extending further back, so it felt much more spacious than it looked from outside.

There were quite a few guests when we went, but it never felt chaotic. There's also a separate annex further inside.

-annex-

Matdongsam menu and the 3-serving first order rule

Matdongsam's meat menu keeps it to the essentials! There's ogyeopsal (pork belly), gabrisal, and jjondeuksal, and the first order has to be 3 servings or more. We started with 2 servings of special pork belly plus 1 serving of gabrisal.

And then I spotted a Naver receipt review event on the table. Can't pass that up haha. Write a review and get to choose one of: grandma-style doenjang stew, ramen in a hot pot, melona ice cream (on your way out), one highball, or one bottle of soju — so I made sure to take part after eating :)

How to grill and eat the pork at Matdongsam

Haha, they even have a sign for how to eat here properly.

• Put the meat on the upper part of the grill
• Put the kimchi and potatoes on the lower part
• Don't flip too often — let it get nice and golden
• Start by dipping it in salt first

Seeing that, of course I had to follow the instructions haha.

The basic side dishes came out in a full spread too. Kimchi, shredded scallions, onions, lettuce wraps — a pretty wide variety to eat alongside the meat 🥰

How did the special ogyeopsal and gabrisal taste?

Chewy fat layers in the special ogyeopsal

Finally, the meat! 2 servings of special pork belly + 1 serving of gabrisal. You could tell the fat layer on the pork belly was beautifully marbled even before cooking, which had me excited.

Onto the grill it went~ Kimchi and potatoes sizzling alongside haha. Flipped the meat just 2-3 times. Now it's finally time to dig in...!

Took the first bite from the well-cooked pork belly. The outside was golden and crisp, and chewing into it gave that signature chewy texture of pork belly. It wasn't just dry lean meat — the fat layer chewed along with it, making it nice and chewy, and the texture was great.

For the first piece I just dipped it in salt, and eating it with the lettuce salad cut through the richness nicely, making it even tastier haha.

Went for another round haha. This time I grilled the kimchi extra crispy and threw on some mushrooms too, eating it properly. Kimchi grilled in the meat's fat — well, need I say more haha.

Sides at Matdongsam: steamed egg and doenjang stew

Oh wow haha, Matdongsam's steamed egg came out properly puffed up. Soft, fluffy, and moist — great for a bite in between pieces of meat haha.

And of course, the finishing touch had to be the doenjang stew haha. It came out bubbling hot, and eating it with rice was just perfect haha. Meat first, then doenjang stew — that's how you properly wrap up a meal!

The chewy texture of the pork belly was great, and the sides were all satisfying too. If you're looking for a relaxed place to eat BBQ in Beomeo-dong, Matdongsam is definitely worth checking out :)

Is Matdongsam Beomeo Main Branch worth a visit?

Matdongsam had great chewy pork belly and solid sides to go with it! Not too crowded or hectic — it had that comfortable neighborhood BBQ restaurant feel in Beomeo-dong haha.