Korean BBQ in Jongno, Daegu with ₩2,900 draft beer after work: Bongja

I met up with a friend after a long time, and we headed out for after-work beers. No need to think about where to go: straight to Bongja Makchang (봉자막창), a famous spot in Jongno, Daegu.

I've been back to Bongja Makchang more times than I can count, so I'm a true regular. The food is great, the portions are generous and the prices are easy on the wallet, so it's always the first place I think of when I want a good-value meat restaurant. I leave satisfied every time, so here's my review!

How to avoid the dinner wait at Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch

The Daegu Jongno Branch has long waits at peak dinner time, so go early or make a reservation. Word keeps spreading and it's often on TV, so the wait at peak hours is no joke. The row of waiting chairs by the entrance tells you how popular it is.

To dodge the wait we arrived a bit early in the evening, and luckily got in really easily. If you want to eat comfortably without waiting, I'd recommend reserving or simply coming early!

Ordering and the review event at Bongja Makchang

Every table has a tablet for ordering, so you can order right from your seat. And here's a tip you shouldn't miss: if you join the review event, you get really nice extras like pork skin, self-serve fried rice and drinks. Don't forget to take part when you visit!

Raw pork belly plate + half plate makchang for two, with ₩2,900 draft beer

For the two of us we ordered one plate plus a half plate (one plate of raw pork belly and a half plate of makchang), and started with two cold 300ml draft beers.

The draft beer here is a friendly ₩2,900 a glass, so you can drink without worrying about the bill.

The seat lid opens up to store your clothes and bag, so we were all set to eat without worrying about smelling like meat.

Self-serve bar and free refills, great for group dinners in Jung-gu, Daegu

The basic side dishes are brought out at the start, and you can help yourself to more at the self-serve bar. The spicy-sweet seasoned bean sprouts were so good I went back for more. Grill them on the edge of the grill alongside the meat and they're amazing. The lightly seasoned scallion salad cuts the richness of the meat perfectly, so it's a must!

While you wait with the savory makjang (dipping sauce) for the makchang, loaded with chopped Cheongyang chili and green onion, they bring out steaming egg custard. And the surprise is that the egg custard and ramyeon are free to refill!

Shaved red bean ice after the meal is also unlimited, so no wonder it's popular for big group dinners and get-togethers. That said, the meat portions are so generous that after one pot of ramyeon I'm stuffed, so I've never actually had a refill. Haha.

The best order for grilling pork belly and makchang

At Bongja Makchang, grill the pork belly golden first, then cook the makchang a bit longer until crisp. Crunchy outside and rich inside, it tastes so much better!

I don't usually go looking for bracken (gosari, fernbrake), but I don't know why it tastes so good when it's crisped in meat fat. Paired with the meat, it's a work of art.

There are countless places in Jongno, but if you asked me for a Daegu makchang spot with good prices and properly rich flavor, Bongja Makchang comes to mind right away. It's the textbook good-value meat restaurant where you can eat your fill without pressure.

To finish: kimchi ramyeon from the self-serve bar

As the meat was running out we added one more beer each, and finished with ramyeon, of course. I grabbed my favorite ramyeon from the self-serve bar, added a little kimchi and boiled it up. The spicy, refreshing kimchi ramyeon was a perfect, clean finish.

How was the service at Bongja Makchang?

Normally you tell the staff near the end of the meal and they bring shaved red bean ice, but this time I hadn't said anything and a thoughtful staff member brought it over on their own!

On the way out they gave us a deodorizing spray for our clothes and even put a mouth-freshening candy in each of our hands. Every time I come I feel how genuinely kind the staff are, so you leave in a good mood right to the end.

So many restaurants have been opening in Jongno lately. If you're looking for one that stands out for friendly service and generous portions, I hope you'll try Bongja Makchang. I'm satisfied every single time I go back. It's a truly great place!

Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch: hours and facilities

• Address: 1F, 49-1 Jongno, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea
• Tue, Wed, Thu: 17:00 – 02:00 next day (last order 00:30)
• Fri, Sat: 16:00 – 02:00 next day (last order 00:30)
• Sunday: 17:00 – 01:00 next day
• Monday: 17:00 – 23:00
• Free refills: ramyeon, egg custard, shaved ice
• Groups welcome, reservations, baby chairs, Wi-Fi, waiting area, wheelchair-accessible entrance and seating
• Corkage allowed (free)