Jongno, Daegu makchang grill for a work dinner with jjapaguri: Bongja

Daegu's signature food is... makchang!! 💗 It's one of the things you have to eat when you come to Daegu 👍🏻 (absolutely a must). Let me tell you about one of my favorite makchang places in Daegu, "Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch" (봉자막창 대구종로점)! 😊

A must-visit Daegu makchang spot: unlimited ramyeon, egg custard and shaved ice at Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch

Today I went to Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch for a company dinner with my close senior coworkers, to eat makchang (grilled pork intestine), the soul food of Daegu people, and raw pork belly! (Turns out it was my senior's go-to makchang place! 😉)

Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch: location, hours and parking

Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch is at 49-1 Jongno, Jung-gu, Daegu, on the ground floor, 283 m from Exit 1 of Jungangno Station. It is open Monday to Thursday 17:00–02:00 and Friday to Sunday 16:00–02:00, with last order at 00:30 every day.

The restaurant has no parking lot of its own, so you'll need to use a paid car park nearby.

What's the wait like at Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch?

Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch sits right in the middle of Dongseongno and the Jongno food alley. It's downtown, so it's super easy to get to! I'd recommend it as a Jung-gu, Daegu spot for company dinners too! 😆

It's a famous Daegu makchang place, so I recommend booking through Naver! (I waited about 10 minutes at 7pm on a weekday.) There are chairs out front for waiting!

The biggest charm of Bongja Makchang ♥️ is the unlimited self-serve ramyeon bar! The egg custard and shaved ice are free too. I hear it was featured on the TV show Tasty Guys, wow.. 👍🏻 There's a waiting machine at the entrance, so you just go inside and register your name! 💛

Bongja Makchang seating: is it good for a work dinner?

The restaurant is clean and on the cozy side. 😊 There were about 10 tables inside! The tables are spaced generously, so you can eat comfortably. There's an 8-person table at the back, which makes Bongja Makchang a good fit for company dinners. 👍🏻👍🏻

I visited around 7pm on a weekday, and the tables were already full of customers.. 🫢

Bongja Makchang menu and what we ordered for a group

Here's the Bongja Makchang menu. 😊 The signature item is the "Bongja Hanpan" (봉자한판, the Bongja platter), and you can mix and match meats! It's not only makchang; they also have raw pork belly and raw pork neck, which I liked.

✔️ If you join the review event, you can choose one of pork skin, self-serve fried rice or a drink.

🍴What did we order?!🍴

• Bongja platter (raw makchang + raw pork belly)
• Extra half plates of raw makchang and raw pork belly

P.S. How to eat it even more deliciously ✨

They also post tips for eating it well, so have a look! 😊

Side dishes and free steamed egg at Bongja Makchang Jongno

The basic side dishes come out right after you order. You get lettuce salad (겉절이), various sauces and curry powder. Bean sprouts and kimchi, which are great grilled, show up too 😊 Other side dishes you can get from the self-serve bar!!

And here comes the free egg custard ✨ It's unlimited, so if you run out, just ask for more without hesitation!! 👍🏻

What's on the Bongja Makchang self-serve bar?

⭐️The highlight of Bongja Makchang = the self-serve bar⭐️ Seeing how neatly it's kept, the place smells even more like a great restaurant!! ☺️ (You can just spot the ramyeon varieties at the top.. 💕)

There's kimchi, scallion salad, pickled onions, garlic, ssamjang and more, all good with makchang and meat, and you can take as much as you want!!

And now the grand highlight: unlimited ramyeon 🍜 You can boil as much ramyeon as you like ⭐️ (each table has its own burner)! There are different kinds too!!! Kyaa!! Jin Ramen, Yeolramyeon, Buldak and Jjasulaeng ☺️ They have everything.. amazing ♥️

What comes in the large Bongja platter (makchang + pork belly)?

Here's our large Bongja platter!! We ordered a mix of raw makchang and raw pork belly. 😊 (A half plate is one serving, I was told.) With a set order they also give you bracken, rice cake and mushrooms!! 💗 (If you want more bracken, you have to order it separately.)

First the owner puts the makchang and meat on the grill for you, and after that you grill it yourself! 💕

Raw makchang and raw pork belly go onto the grill together 🔥 I thought Bongja Makchang was only great for makchang, but no, the raw pork belly is great too!!! 💗 Everyone, please try the pork belly too!! 👍🏻 The bracken that comes with it is a kick as well!! (Meat and bracken together is love.) Makchang needs no explanation, it's just amazing 💗 For the record, I like round-cut makchang!! 😊

One of the seniors I went with really knows his food..!! And I just waited for things to cook!! 😊 Listen to the ASMR of makchang grilling.. you'll get hungry by magic!! 💗

The sign said makchang is best grilled crispy!! Here's the makchang getting crispy 💕 Doesn't that plump, chewy makchang look like it can't be bad?! While the makchang grills, the pork belly cooks first!! 😊 Eat the pork belly, then the makchang, and the timing is just perfect!! ➰

Bongja Makchang fresh pork belly with jjapaguri

Bongja Makchang does pork belly really well too.. 💕 It was better than the pork belly at most BBQ places!! Golden, juicy pork belly 🐽 The best way to eat it, I'm told, is to grill it golden and dip it in meljeot (salted anchovy sauce)! 😊

Boil some jjapaguri (짜파구리, Chapagetti and Neoguri noodles mixed) and eat it with the pork belly! Everyone, when the meat is almost done, boil jjapaguri and eat it with the meat ♥️ (Pure heaven.. 🐽)

We grilled the bean sprouts and kimchi too, haha. When you grill meat, you have to grill bean sprouts and kimchi, right? Put the bean sprouts, kimchi and a chili pepper on the golden pork belly!! 💗

Is the fresh makchang at Bongja Makchang chewy?

Makchang, the food Daegu brings to mind!! 💕 After hearing the tip that it's best grilled crispy, my senior grilled it golden and crisp for us. 😉 The makchang was chewy and nutty and so delicious!!

The unwritten rule is to dip makchang in makjang (a spicy dipping paste)!! Adding a chili makes it even better, but I can't handle spice, so I coolly added only scallions 😉 Some makchang is just tough, but Bongja Makchang's is soft and nutty, pure heaven.. ♥️

Making jjapaguri with Bongja Makchang's unlimited ramyeon

This company dinner was like a gathering of foodies.. 🐽 Once the meat comes out, one person boils the ramyeon!! That way you can eat the ramyeon together with the meat ☺️

The unlimited self-serve ramyeon..!!! Honestly it's one of the big pluses! After finishing the meat, ending with a soupy ramyeon is the best!

I made jjapaguri to eat with the meat! It's a mix of Oddongtong and Jjasulaeng 💕 Eaten with the pork belly, it was a perfect match 😊

After the meat, a soupy ramyeon is the unwritten rule!! 😉 I wanted a spicy broth, so I boiled Yeolramyeon!! ♥️ (Truly a gathering of piggy-eaters, so to speak…)

Is the patbingsu dessert free at Bongja Makchang?

Bongja Makchang serves patbingsu (팥빙수, red bean shaved ice) for dessert!! And you can eat it unlimited too 🔥 My senior says the shaved ice is a winner too!! (He had two and was very happy.. 🐽)

Finish with shaved ice for dessert and the meal is complete ♥️

Verdict: Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch for a work dinner

The winning combo of "makchang + pork belly," plus unlimited egg custard, self-serve ramyeon and shaved ice for dessert 🍧 If you come to Daegu, makchang is a must, and Bongja Makchang lets you enjoy proper makchang with great value, generous portions and great taste!! ♥️ I recommend Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch ➰