Wonju Terminal makchang restaurant: 200g par-grilled at Yeon Makchang

Looking for somewhere to eat dinner in Wonju, I found a really unique makchang restaurant haha. Today's star: Yeon Makchang Dangye Branch!

This isn't just a place that sells makchang (grilled beef intestine) — apparently it's the only place in Korea serving lotus-leaf-aged makchang, which made me even more curious 🌿

Where is Yeon Makchang Dangye Branch? Dangye-dong, near Wonju Terminal

Yeon Makchang Dangye Branch is at 66 Cheonsa-ro, 1st floor, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do. It's in Dangye-dong, Wonju, so it was easy to stop by when looking for a meal or a drinking spot near the terminal.

Among Wonju Terminal restaurants for Korean BBQ, this one isn't your typical samgyeopsal place — it specializes in makchang, so the menu already feels distinctly different!

What makes lotus-leaf-aged makchang different?

The most special thing about Yeon Makchang Dangye Branch is definitely the lotus-leaf aging. It looked like plenty of people had already scouted this place out — there were already a lot of guests there haha.

They developed the lotus-leaf-aged makchang after long research, inspired by the old method of wrapping meat in lotus leaves for storage. Some people avoid makchang because it can be chewy or have a strong smell. But here, low-temperature aging in lotus leaves is said to bring out a soft, savory flavor.

Par-grilled makchang, 200g for 14,000 won with plenty of vegetables

We started with the signature par-grilled makchang! 200g for 14,000 won — from the moment it arrived, it came with onion, green onion, sweet pumpkin, tomato

and a bunch of other vegetables, so it looked really generous.

Since it comes par-grilled, you just finish it off on the grill until golden brown 🔥 As the makchang starts to cook, the surface gets this glossy shine, and that's when it becomes really hard to resist haha.

How to grill the makchang: golden brown all over

They cut it into bite-sized pieces and loaded it onto the grill. With green onion, garlic, and sweet pumpkin grilled alongside the makchang between pieces, it really felt like a proper spread. Grilling it so the outside is golden and the inside stays chewy really brings out the savory flavor.

One thing I really pay attention to with makchang is any off smell, and maybe thanks to the lotus-leaf aging, it was easy to eat without any off-putting smell at all. The more you chew, the more savory and chewy it gets — the kind of taste that makes you keep picking up piece after piece haha.

The self-serve bar: vegetables and kimchi

Yeon Makchang Dangye Branch also has a self-serve bar stocked with assorted vegetables and kimchi that you can take as much as you need. Since I like loading up on vegetables when eating meat, this kind of self-serve bar actually matters a lot to me haha. After eating makchang for a while, pairing it with vegetables cleanses your palate and makes the makchang go down smoothly again.

Spicy clam wine stew for 18,000 won

And then the spicy clam wine stew (ttaengcho baekhap suljjim) that looked generous even in photos! It's 18,000 won on the menu, with large clams packed in and a mound of fragrant vegetables on top. It comes out with hot broth too, so in between bites of makchang

there's cheongyang chili in it too, so the refreshing broth and clam combo felt like it revived my appetite between bites of savory makchang! A great side dish to order if you're having soju or beer with your makchang 🍻

Meal menu at Yeon Makchang: noodles, jjajangmyeon and doenjang stew

It would be a shame to skip carbs after all that meat haha. They also had meal options ready: yeolmu bibim noodles for 6,000 won, icy yeolmu makguksu for 6,000 won, old-style jjajangmyeon for 6,000 won, and country doenjang stew for 3,000 won.

Yeon Makchang Dangye Branch was also running an SNS review event where you can get a side dish.

Is Yeon Makchang Dangye Branch worth a visit?

Among the many Wonju Terminal BBQ restaurants, what made Yeon Makchang Dangye Branch memorable was probably that distinctive point of being Korea's only lotus-leaf-aged makchang haha.

It's different from ordinary makchang from the aging method on, and since it comes par-grilled, it was also easy to just finish grilling at the table. With chewy, savory makchang paired with grilled vegetables, plus the hot clam wine stew, it made for a proper drinking session haha.

It would also be a good spot for dinner plans with friends in Dangye-dong or a company dinner near Wonju Terminal!

Especially if you're looking for a Wonju Terminal BBQ restaurant and craving something other than samgyeopsal, try the lotus-leaf-aged makchang 🌿

If you're a makchang lover like me, just watching the grill fill up with golden-brown makchang will make you happy! If you're looking for something special as a Wonju Terminal BBQ restaurant, Yeon Makchang Dangye Branch — home to Korea's only lotus-leaf-aged makchang — is worth remembering >_<

Yeon Makchang Dangye Branch hours, address and prices

• Address: 66 Cheonsa-ro, 1st floor, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea (Dangye-dong 842-1)
• Hours: Daily 16:00–24:00
• Last order: 23:00