Jongno3-ga, Seoul Korean BBQ pork taste test: Cham Dwaejitgan

😋 Today's food spot 📅 Date: September 2026 📍 Place: Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch 📍 Area: Jongno3-ga, Seoul ⏰ Time: Weekday evening

I stopped by Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch, well known as a pork belly spot in Jongno3-ga.

Where is Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch, and what are its hours?

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch is at 1 Donhwamun-ro 5ga-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 1st floor of the Piccadilly CGV Theater, Unit 1-89. Hours are daily 12:00 - 23:00, and parking is ₩6,600 per hour at the Piccadilly building lot. You can join the Catch Table online wait (for 2+ people), and table or group reservations can be arranged by calling the restaurant before 6pm.

The restaurant sits on the 1st floor of the Piccadilly CGV Theater near Jongno3-ga Station. Head straight in and turn left from there. It's just a 1-minute walk from Exit 2-1 of Jongno3-ga Station — the access is really good!!

Ikseon-dong, Cheonggyecheon, and Gwangjang Market are all nearby too, so it'd make a good walk before or after the meal.

How long is the wait at 8pm on a weekday?

I arrived around 8pm on a weekday and the place was fully booked — I waited about 15 more minutes after getting there. I'd checked Catch Table beforehand since they mention there can be a wait even on weekday evenings!

At first there was no on-site waiting open, so I planned to line up in person, but online waiting opened while I was on my way, so I joined that instead. (FYI: once there are 2+ parties waiting on-site on Catch Table, online waiting becomes available!)

On-site waiting is also possible!

The restaurant is fairly spacious with generous spacing between tables. It's apparently popular for work dinners too, and indeed there were a lot of group tables. Quite a few foreign visitors as well — overall a lively vibe.

The basic table setting and five sauces at Cham Dwaejitgan

The standard table setting at Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch comes with minari (water celery), bean sprouts, and kimchi already on the grill. All the veggie side dishes are free-refill except minari.

Minari, bean sprouts, and kimchi sitting right on the grill... so exciting. Looks like I'll get to have minari pork belly!!! They say they only use domestic minari.

They bring out scallion salad, pickled garlic scapes, lettuce, garlic, kimchi, lettuce leaves, and perilla leaves. Free refills on all the veggie sides except minari!!

The sauce lineup is varied too, so it's fun picking what to try. Ssamjang, spicy sauce, salt, wasabi, and shiitake wasabi — five kinds total. The shiitake wasabi was the standout — the sharp kick of wasabi combined with the umami of shiitake mushroom went really well with the meat. Highly recommend!!!

Jirisan black pork five-layer belly and neck, grilled tableside by staff

First I ordered Jirisan black pork five-layer belly (₩19,000/160g) and Jirisan black pork neck (₩18,000/160g). The meat comes out with potato, mushroom, and peppers on the side.

One of the best things about this place is that the staff grill everything for you. They flip, cut, and arrange it all at just the right moments, so you basically just sit and eat haha

The Jirisan black pork definitely had that chewy texture, and the more you chewed, the more of that nutty flavor came through.

They say they use only charcoal for grilling, and you could really taste the subtle smokiness adding depth to the flavor. The grill is also split in two, so you can grill meat on the right side while grilling veggies or keeping meat warm on the left. I really liked this grill setup!!

How the potato slice wrap combo tastes

Take these nicely grilled potato slices and...

As suggested, top them with meat, pickled garlic scapes, and shiitake wasabi. The flavors come together beautifully!! And surprisingly, even though the potato is grilled, it stays really soft.

I ordered a beer and it came with milk thistle lol. Little details like this seem to be a signature of the place!!

Jirisan black pork vs Boseong nokdon: which pork was better?

To compare Jirisan black pork with Boseong nokdon pork, I added Boseong nokdon pork belly (₩16,000/160g) and Boseong nokdon pork neck (₩16,000/160g). Bottom line: the nokdon pork had a slightly softer, more delicate texture, and personally, I preferred the Jirisan black pork.

Nicely browned~~~ Both were tasty, but Boseong nokdon has a slightly softer, more delicate texture, so it might come down to personal preference. Personally, I leaned toward the Jirisan black pork.

Finishing with fried rice and doenjang jjigae

Of course dessert had to be the fried rice (₩3,000)!! They stir-fry it right on the grill and top it with an egg. They stir the egg in with everything at the end, so it comes out mild rather than heavy.

To finish, doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew, ₩6,000) as well. The fried rice paired amazingly well with the stew!!

Service: everything a Korean BBQ table needs

The thoughtful service at Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch also stood out. Phone charging service, hair ties, disposable aprons, plastic covers for your clothes, dental floss, toothpicks, palate-cleansing candy, and even deodorizing spray — everything you'd need at a BBQ place was ready, which made things easy. The deodorizing spray in particular would be great for anyone worried about their clothes smelling like smoke!

Cham Dwaejitgan menu and prices

The menu features Jirisan black pork five-layer belly/neck, and Boseong nokdon pork belly/neck/thousand-layer belly/gabrisal (pork skirt steak).

Side menu items include kimchi jjigae, doenjang jjigae, fried rice, soy sauce egg rice, steamed egg, plain rice, and Jirisan kudzu cold noodles (water or bibim style).

• Jirisan black pork five-layer belly - ₩19,000 (160g)
• Jirisan black pork neck - ₩18,000 (160g)
• Boseong nokdon pork belly - ₩16,000 (160g)
• Boseong nokdon pork neck - ₩16,000 (160g)
• Doenjang jjigae - ₩6,000
• Fried rice - ₩3,000
• Kelly (beer) - ₩5,000
• Zero Coke - ₩2,000

Recommend checking the wait before you go. FYI: once there are 2+ parties waiting on-site, Catch Table online waiting opens up!

Is Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno worth a visit?

Overall, the meat quality and service were both great, making this feel like a reliable choice when deciding where to get pork belly in Jongno. It's a solid fit for a work dinner or group gathering, and it works just as easily for a date or a special occasion.