Bucheon pork belly with unlimited veggie sides: Cham Dwaejitgan

Where Cham Dwaejitgan Bucheon Sinjung-dong is, and its 24-hour hours

As the weather's been cooling down lately, I've been craving grilled meat and a shot of soju more and more. Sinjung-dong in Bucheon has plenty of good restaurants and great spots for gatherings or work dinners, so this time I visited Cham Dwaejitgan Sinjung-dong Branch, a great option whenever you're craving pork belly near Sinjung-dong Station.

It's about a 3-minute walk from Exit 3 of Sinjung-dong Station toward Lotte Department Store, so it wasn't hard to find. It's tucked in the alley between McDonald's and KFC, so first-timers can use those landmarks to find it easily.

What really stood out was that Cham Dwaejitgan Sinjung-dong Branch operates 24 hours a day. That makes it pretty convenient for office workers with tricky schedules or anyone wanting a late-night meal.

Sauces, wrap vegetables and domestic minari at Cham Dwaejitgan

One of my favorite things about eating at Cham Dwaejitgan was how many things there were to enjoy alongside the meat itself. Pork belly and ogyeopsal are already delicious dipped in just salt, but pairing them with various sides brings out a whole different flavor.

Cham Dwaejitgan has a variety of sauces ready — ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste), spicy sauce, salt, wasabi — plus minari, scallion salad, garlic scapes, lettuce, bean sprouts, mushroom wasabi, garlic, and peppers to pair with the meat however you like. What impressed me most was that they use only domestic minari.

Which vegetable sides refill for free, and why minari doesn't

When you grill minari with pork belly or eat it alongside, its distinct fragrance really brings out the richness of the meat. Another great thing about Cham Dwaejitgan is that all the vegetable side dishes come with unlimited refills. Just note that minari itself is excluded from that.

The grill plate they cook the meat on was a bit different from the usual ones, too.

Handmade grill, charcoal, Jirisan black pork and Boseong Nokdon

They use a handmade grill plate designed to cut down on oil splatter, which is great news if you're worried about grease flying everywhere while cooking. On top of that, they use premium charcoal.

Grilling meat over charcoal definitely gives a different flavor than pan-frying at home. Watching the meat sizzle away on the grill makes even the waiting fun. Cham Dwaejitgan uses good-quality Jirisan black pork and Boseong Nokdon pork.

Pork belly wrapped with minari: how the combination tastes

The meat had juicy, live flavor and a charcoal aroma that let the pork's natural taste really shine. Since it's smoked with the distinct scent of domestic rice husks, I could pick up a subtle aroma from the meat as it cooked over the coals.

I grilled the pork belly until the surface turned golden brown, then cut it into bite-size pieces. It was great wrapped up with garlic and scallion salad, and also delicious with just a touch of wasabi for a cleaner taste. Personally, I loved pairing pork belly with minari — eating meat alone can get a little greasy after a while, but the fragrance and crisp texture of minari kept me reaching for more.

Beyond the taste of the meat, Cham Dwaejitgan Sinjung-dong Branch was also well equipped with thoughtful amenities and service for customers.

Clothes-storage bags, kids' tableware and other extras on hand

They have phone charging, hair ties, disposable aprons, clothes-storage bags, kids' tableware, and Wi-Fi, plus floss, toothpicks, mouthwash, after-meal mints, and Febreze.

• Phone charging, Wi-Fi
• Hair ties, disposable aprons
• Clothes-storage bags
• Kids' tableware
• Floss, toothpicks, mouthwash, mints, Febreze

After eating at a BBQ place, it can be annoying when your clothes soak up the smell of grilled meat, so having clothes-storage bags on hand was a genuinely practical touch. Families dining out with kids will also appreciate the kids' tableware.

Is Cham Dwaejitgan good for a work dinner, family meal or date?

Given how close it is to Sinjung-dong Station and how convenient the place is to use, I thought it would work well for family meals, get-togethers with friends, or office dinners. If you're looking for a place in Bucheon where a group can gather easily, accessibility matters.

It's close to Sinjung-dong Station and easy to continue on to a second round nearby afterward, so it's worth keeping in mind if you're looking for a group spot. On a date, you could enjoy good meat and then wander around Sinjung-dong together, so it suits anyone looking for a Bucheon date course too.

Pork belly is the kind of dish you can crave and enjoy casually even without a special occasion, so it's reassuring to have a place like this nearby. If you're in Bucheon Sinjung-dong looking to try pork belly and ogyeopsal properly grilled over charcoal, or need a spot for a family dinner, friend gathering, or work dinner, Cham Dwaejitgan Sinjung-dong Branch is worth considering. With domestic minari, a variety of sides, and meat grilled over real charcoal, anyone who loves meat should leave satisfied.

※ We recommend checking with the restaurant on the day of your visit for exact hours and break times.