Bucheon Korean BBQ for chewy pork jowl: Dwaeji Gongbang

Dwaeji Gongbang in Okgil-dong’s food alley

There are so many barbecue places in Okgil-dong that I’m always torn, but I heard about a great meat spot where you can enjoy everything from special cuts to pork tail at good value, so I went straight over!

Dwaeji Gongbang Bucheon Okgil-dong Main Branch (돼지공방 부천옥길동본점) is on the first floor at 7-4 Yangji-ro 184beon-gil, Sosa-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. It is open 16:00–24:00 on weekdays and 15:00–24:00 on weekends, with last orders at 23:20. There is space for around three to four cars in front, so we parked right outside. If it is full, you can park free for two hours at Okgil Tower.

It is in Okgil-dong’s food alley! It has that casual Korean pub vibe, and even the exterior looks delicious somehow...!

There is also a menu banner in front of the restaurant, so you can see what they sell before going in! They have not only special cuts, but pork tail—the thing I had wanted to try!! Oh my!!! I went in full of anticipation, haha.

Floor-to-ceiling windows and the self-service bar

Maybe because of the floor-to-ceiling windows, the interior did not feel stuffy at all, and the tables were spaced fairly well, so it was comfortable! I arrived just before 18:00 on a Thursday and we were the first customers, but it was nearly full in less than an hour. I think this was a great spot that only I didn’t know about!!

There was also a private reserved-table area beside the counter! They say the space can be rented out too, and it seems popular for work dinners and family gatherings. The food is absolutely good enough for a group occasion!!

The restroom is inside too, which is so convenient!! An indoor restroom is one of my favorite things, so I boldly award them a pass!!

You can use the self-service bar for extra side dishes too, so you can have more without feeling self-conscious!! Busy places are busy for a reason, haha.

Ordering fresh pork belly and pork jowl

Dwaeji Gongbang’s signature dishes are premium Iberico Black thick pork neck, pork belly, and special Korean pork cuts! They have lots of cuts that other barbecue places do not often sell, which made it feel even more distinctive. We were craving something thinner and chewier than pork neck, so we ordered pork belly and kkodeulsal (chewy pork jowl)! Kkodeulsal is from the pig’s nape, and it is incredible..!!

To give ourselves a reason to come back, we decided to save the pork tail for next time, haha. I was so curious, but since we were full, we kept it simple with just two portions today! They also have yukhoe (Korean beef tartare), doenjang-sulbap (soybean-paste rice soup), highballs, bokbunja wine, makgeolli, and plenty of other drinks, so it is a lovely place to enjoy whatever suits your taste.

Quite a few barbecue restaurants do not serve myeonginamul (pickled wild garlic leaves), but this one does, and that was one reason I wanted to come here, haha. The basic sauces are wasabi, salt, and soybean paste; the side dishes include napa cabbage kimchi, pickled shredded chili peppers, pickled garlic stems, seasoned chives, and myeonginamul! You can get garlic and ssam greens at the self-service bar!

And they even serve soft tofu stew as a complimentary side!! What a precious place... It was packed with soft tofu too, such a perfect stew to eat with rice,,

We ordered one portion each of chewy pork jowl and fresh pork belly!

How to enjoy pork jowl even more

If you love fatty cuts like I do, you will absolutely love this one! I enjoyed its chewy yet tender texture so much that, as I write this, I already want it again,,

My friend is serious about meat and quite picky, but even though they had already eaten, they said all the meat was so delicious and ate it with gusto!! They grill directly over charcoal using premium binchotan charcoal to bring out the flavor. They recommend cooking the meat only 80–90% through to lock in the juices!

For an even tastier bite, dip the meat in the salted hairtail innards sauce on the grill, then grill the white kimchi on the grate and eat them together!!

The pickled shredded chili peppers and pickled garlic stems were so good that I piled on myeonginamul, white kimchi, chili peppers, and garlic stems and ate it all in one bite—heaven right there.. Trust me and try it 🙏🙏 Even on a weekday it was nearly full, so I recommend Dwaeji Gongbang’s Okgil branch as a famous Bucheon spot for pork belly and barbecue! They operate two locations: the Okgil main branch and a directly run Anyang branch :)