Jangan-dong Korean BBQ: Friday wait & doenjang rice rolls, Donbyeorak

It had been a long time since I last ate pork belly. So I went to a truly great pork belly spot in Jangan-dong!! It's Donbyeorak Kimchi Samgyeopsal Jangandong Main Branch (돈벼락김치삼겹살 장안동본점).

Aged kimchi made by a kimchi master plus Korean Hanwoo-brand pork belly is the ultimate combo 😋 This is my very satisfied review of Donbyeorak, a Jangan-dong pork belly place with a wait.

Donbyeorak Jangandong Main Branch: location and info

Donbyeorak Kimchi Samgyeopsal Jangandong Main Branch is at Jangan-dong 342-24, Dongdaemun, Seoul, by the Jangan intersection, and it's open daily 15:00-00:50. It has group tables, a room that fits up to 8, full-venue rental for up to 70, and waiting seats. Corkage is allowed, and there's takeout, Naver reservations and separate men's and women's restrooms.

There's parking for 3 cars in front, and if that's full you can use the Useok Town paid parking lot.

How to get to Donbyeorak from Janghanpyeong Station

It's a 15-minute walk from Janghanpyeong Station, or you can take a bus for about 5 minutes from Exit 3 and get off at Samseong Cherville, which is close by. It seemed like almost every bus from Exit 3 goes that way!

How long is the Friday-night wait at Donbyeorak?

I went around 8 p.m. on a Friday, put my name on the waiting list and got in after 10 minutes. The place was packed with customers, and there's a good reason for that: it's a truly great restaurant!!

It holds up to 70 people, so it's good for company dinners and family gatherings. It's a good spot in Jangan-dong for dates, group meetups and going with kids.

Care for pregnant guests and kids, and the hygiene grade

Donbyeorak was a well-run restaurant with lots of thoughtful touches 👍

• For pregnant guests: seated right away without a wait, plus a complimentary cold noodle dish
• Ministry of Food and Drug Safety restaurant hygiene grade: 'Excellent'
• OK Kids Zone: baby chairs and children's tableware

There's a self-serve bar in one corner of the restaurant where you can easily grab what you need.

Donbyeorak menu and prices

Donbyeorak Jangandong Main Branch is said to be certified for 100% antibiotic-free domestic Hanwoo-brand pork!! Kimchi pork belly and kimchi pork neck are ₩18,000, and kimchi pork jowl is ₩21,000.

• Mains: kimchi pork belly ₩18,000 / kimchi pork neck ₩18,000 / kimchi pork jowl ₩21,000 / handmade cheese tteokgalbi (rice cake patty) ₩16,000 / Hanwoo beef brisket (1+ grade or higher) ₩24,000 / steamed egg (free once) ₩5,000 / mixed mushrooms ₩5,000
• Meals and extras: cold noodles (100-year Songcheol noodles) ₩7,000 / spicy mixed noodles (100-year Songcheol noodles) ₩7,000 / flying fish roe fried rice (grill plate replaced) ₩5,000 / extra cheese on fried rice ₩4,000 / doenjang rice rolls ₩8,000 / doenjang stew ₩2,000 / steamed rice ₩1,000

What we ordered that day

• Kimchi pork belly, 2 servings ₩36,000
• Kimchi pork jowl, 1 serving ₩21,000
• Mixed mushrooms ₩5,000
• Doenjang rice rolls ₩8,000
• Soju and beer

The soju and beer come in ice buckets. My drinker's heart is pounding 💥

Donbyeorak side dishes and the free egg roll

The side dishes at Donbyeorak come in generous variety. I added the mixed mushrooms, and I totally recommend them 😋

Seasoned bean sprouts, pickled chili strips, pickled radish wraps, ssam vegetables, barbecue sauce, sesame-oil dip, ssamjang (wrap sauce), garlic and even tteok-ssam (rice cake wraps)!!

The fluffy volcano egg roll was great too, and it's free once.

Interestingly, an hourglass comes out, and you just flip the meat when the sand runs out ⏳️

Master-made aged kimchi: the heart of Donbyeorak

At Donbyeorak in Jangan-dong, nearly a whole head of aged kimchi comes as standard!!

It's aged kimchi managed directly by a kimchi master from the World Food Master Association, and they age it in a really scientific way, apparently? A place that's serious about kimchi... the best, so delicious 👍

How to grill kimchi pork belly at Donbyeorak, and how it tastes

Put the pork belly on first!! The creamy white color of the pork belly looked like good quality at a glance 😋

Grill the pork belly until it sizzles. Watching the juices rise from the thickly cut pork belly made my mouth water 💥

Grilling kimchi, bean sprout salad, onion and mushrooms in the pork fat is a must. I lined up the pork belly neatly and took a shot. The look of it is brutally good 😋

The pork belly is crispy outside and full of juice inside, so it's tender and moist and really delicious.. It's good just dipped in the sesame-oil sauce, and I kept eating nonstop with all the different combos of the pickles, bean sprouts and more 😭

Wrapping it in a lightly grilled tteok-ssam (rice cake wrap) was a special treat!

Moderately ripe aged kimchi plus pork belly, crazy good again!! Pork belly with grilled kimchi is a common combo, but it's surprisingly hard to find a place where you actually exclaim "this is really good!" Donbyeorak is the real deal 😭

We also grilled the fatty, chewy pork jowl and cleared 3 servings in total!!

What do the doenjang rice rolls at Donbyeorak taste like?

Ordering a side is always a dilemma.. this time I went with the doenjang rice rolls (₩8,000)! They're filled with vegetables like enoki mushrooms, tofu, onion and zucchini.

The bits of minced meat you hit here and there made it even more savory and delicious 🤍

Who Donbyeorak Jangandong Main Branch is recommended for

• Perfect for group gatherings and family meals: great for company dinners and group meetups, and also for family outings with kids!
• A dream combo of meat and grilled kimchi: the juicy pork belly is good quality, and the kimchi grilled golden in the fat is the best!
• Great value and service: from the side dishes to the service, this Jangan-dong pork belly spot with a wait will make you a regular after one visit