Korean BBQ restaurant in Seo-gu, Daegu for makchang: Daraewon

A longtime makchang restaurant in Seo-gu, Daegu, from the wait to the outdoor-stall mood

On my way home from work, this place was always packed with customers, so I kept wondering just how good it was. And as a makchang lover, I had to visit Daraewon Makchang Daegu Main Branch, one of the oldest makchang restaurants in Seo-gu, Daegu‼️ I finally got to try it👏

After work, I hopped on a bus and flew over to Daraewon Makchang🚌 It is at Nampyeongni Intersection and is about a 13-minute walk from Duryu Station, so it is easy to get to!! There is gravel out front, which really gives it that old-school restaurant feel🥹 No smoking on this gravel area‼️ The cigarette smell drifts indoors😭

I arrived around 7:30 p.m., and naturally there was a wait—this is a famous Daegu makchang spot after all!! But I was first in line, so I got in quickly😊

While waiting, I took a little look around. I absolutely love this old-school vibe, and just as people said, it really is a beloved longtime restaurant in Daegu🥹

Finally, we were in!! Of course, we got a table with that outdoor-stall feel!! The gentle breeze in this weather was so lovely🥹 There are indoor tables too, but if you have come for this old-school atmosphere, you have to sit outside!!

Mixing an order of Korean beef makchang and boneless chicken feet

The menu has Korean beef makchang, fresh pork makchang, fresh pork belly, thick pork neck, beef rib meat, hagfish, and boneless chicken feet!! I ordered two servings of my favorite, Korean beef makchang, plus one serving of boneless chicken feet because the hagfish I wanted was sold out!! You need to order at least three servings, and you can mix items like I did😊

The side dishes were laid out like this!! While waiting for the meat, I just kept looking around the interior!!

Isn’t the atmosphere insane!!! Celebrity signatures, lights, and even streetlights indoors?!? Plus that pojangmacha (Korean tent-bar) outdoor-stall mood with a clear view outside!! It is the kind of place where you could finish a bottle of soju without any snacks🥹 They also put a fire in, so I had a little time zoning out by the flames.

Fragrant Korean beef makchang with no off smell

Finally, the Korean beef makchang appeared!!! Fresh makchang is all about freshness, so not many places handle it, but just look at that color—it looked fresh itself!! Even though it was raw, it looked tender🥹 Yes, I could not wait and put it straight on the grill!! The sound alone got my mouth watering🤤

Garlic went in too!! They gave us rice cakes, onion, and scallions to grill alongside it, so those went right on as well!! My makchang was getting beautifully golden!! Other makchang can be hard to cut even with scissors, but this cut so easily!!

It looked perfectly cooked, so time to eat!! I mixed this makjang (fermented soybean dipping sauce) first and dipped it in... wow, it was pure nuttiness. Seriously unreal. Once you taste it yourself, you will smack your forehead and say, “This place does makchang right”💡

Wow, this is good. They really know how to make makchang here.

My friend is not really into makchang or gopchang (beef intestine), but took one bite of the makchang and said that—so surely this earns its status as a great Daegu makchang spot?!? Aged with fruits such as pineapple and kiwi, it had absolutely no off smell, and its chewiness and nutty flavor were truly number one🥹 You can keep the cooked makchang on the grill rack and eat it warm the whole time!! I grilled the rice cakes properly too, but I planted one spy among them. Which one is the file~~~t?

Boneless chicken feet with the owner’s recommended combination

While I was happily eating the Korean beef makchang, I got a feeling that something was my order of boneless chicken feet. So I immediately took a photo📸 The boss’s fire show!!! While waiting for the chicken feet, I filmed the outdoor-stall-style interior again!! You truly have to come in this weather!!

Finally, the boneless chicken feet arrived too!! I am not very good at eating chicken feet with bones, but I do love boneless chicken feet—and these were boneless chicken feet!! Everything I like🥹

The owner told us how to enjoy the chicken feet: dip them in the sauce and eat them with ssammu (pickled radish wraps). Yes, I am good at following directions, so that is exactly how I tried them. Yes, delicious—absolutely eat them this way!! They are spicy-sweet even on their own, so if you are craving something a little spicy, definitely order the boneless chicken feet here. The seasoning is seriously delicious😭

Everything I picked up was delicious, so we got a refill of the grilled vegetables too!! The owner also put the chicken feet on the grill like this so we could keep them warm!! The owner and staff here are incredibly kind too!! It was so busy, and they were running around sweating, yet always smiling as they helped customers. Respect..👍

Yes, while we were eating, my friend took this photo saying the atmosphere was so good!! Isn’t it insane?!? This old-school mood and food this good in Seo-gu!! Another Seo-gu, Daegu restaurant approved!!

Volcano steamed egg and a great setting for group gatherings

And I could not skip the review event either!! I chose the volcano steamed egg!! Yes, it really was a volcano🤭 It was fluffy, and the steamed egg perfectly softened the slight heat of the chicken feet, making the spicy flavor even better👍 As I kept eating, there was only one last piece left!! So sad😭

I have been cutting back on drinking lately, but it was so delicious that I finished another bottle of soju, gathered my things, and left😊 Daraewon Makchang is number one for makchang in Seo-gu, Daegu—no, in Daegu!! Other tables were ordering lots of pork belly too, and the color of that pork belly looked unreal. There are plenty of tables, so it seems many people come for group work dinners!! The atmosphere and tables are perfect for a group gathering👍 When I went, there were lots of groups, as well as couples coming for dates and dinner!! Daraewon Makchang is not far from Duryu Station and has that lovely outdoor-stall feeling in this weather, so do stop by at least once!! I will be back again soon👋