Daechang and yangbap at Ami Yanggopchang, a Busan gopchang restaurant

Ami Yanggopchang near Kyungsung University: the mixed platter and yangbap

Ranking the top dishes I ate in Busan, my group unanimously agreed on Ami Yanggopchang, a gopchang restaurant near Kyungsung University, as number one. It's a hidden gopchang spot with 30 years of history, and it's genuinely amazing.

Inside Ami Yanggopchang: atmosphere and seating

Ami Yanggopchang has the vibe of an old-school place you'd stumble on in some back alley. There's a hall near the entrance and two more long tables further inside. The staff were friendly across the board too, which made the whole experience even better.

On one wall there are autographs from celebrities — after eating, I honestly felt like leaving my own autograph too, that's how good this Busan restaurant was.

Ami Yanggopchang menu and prices

Here they serve daechang (large intestine), gopchang (small intestine), yanggopchang (beef tripe and intestine), and even Japanese Kobe wagyu. They're proud enough of the wagyu to put a certificate right on the menu.

From teukyang (premium tripe) to gopchang, mixed yanggopchang yakiniku, and even Kobe beef, they've also kept the Iberico pork they used to serve. I heard the Korean beef tongue is great too — next time I'm in Busan I'll order the Kobe beef and beef tongue to make up for the trip to Japan I never took. For sides there's doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) and yangbap — strongly recommend the yangbap. As always, carbs are the proper way to finish.

Looking back, the food was so good I wanted to keep eating, and I regretted not just ordering the set menu. Do yourselves a favor and order the set. I can vouch for the taste.

The drinks menu is just for reference.

Why the daechang and gopchang here stood out

The basic side dish spread: assorted pickles, potato salad, garlic and onion, plus pickled onion and yakiniku sauce.

A soft, fluffy steamed egg also comes as standard.

Here it is — the mixed yanggopchang for three we ordered. It comes with potato, king oyster mushroom and kkwariogochu (small green peppers). It arrives pre-seasoned lightly, and it wasn't overpowering at all — genuinely delicious.

And then I lost my mind looking at the quality of the daechang. Having run a daechang rice bowl restaurant myself, I know how rare it is to see large intestine of this quality — and getting to eat it today was such a treat.

The yanggopchang and gopchang quality were just as good. This was the day — eat until you drop. It's been a while since I had gopchang, and my heart is racing.

Staff grill everything for you at the table

The charcoal comes out, then the grill plate. Ami Yanggopchang uses a grill plate where the fat doesn't pool but drips away below. The staff grill everything for you overall, and if something looks like it's burning, they flip it themselves without being asked. They might not be able to come by if they're busy, though.

The gopchang pieces are absurdly big too. Never in a million years did I imagine I'd pick a gopchang restaurant as my number-one meal in Busan.

A day like this needs beer. Had a glass for the first time in a while, haha. Looking at how little I poured, I clearly wasn't sharing, haha.

Starting with the beef heart

We started with the heart, grilling it lightly and dipping it in sauce — so good. Soft yet chewy, no off smell, and the seasoning was spot on. Heart, approved.

Next up, my gopchang grilling away. Looks delicious, drooling already.

What the yanggopchang (tripe) tastes like

The yanggopchang was so good. Rich and fatty with that distinctive crunchy, springy bite — kind of like stepping on the first snow of the year? I've been to a few yanggopchang restaurants, but Ami Yanggopchang's was especially good.

Daechang and gopchang, the main event

And then the outrageously good-looking daechang. This was... I just lost it. The moment it hits your mouth, it's a party of flavor and juiciness. I could have grilled and eaten daechang all day long, it was that good. I'm still craving it right now.

At Ami Yanggopchang, the gopchang restaurant near Kyungsung University in Busan, even the gopchang feels like daechang. Full of fat, savory, not chewy at all, and no smell whatsoever. It's like they kept only the delicious parts of gopchang. How do they trim it this well?

Finishing with yangbap, rice fried in beef fat

No meal like this is complete without carbs at the end. We ordered yangbap too — fluffy grains, a generous portion, and rice fried in beef fat? There's no way that isn't delicious. A total cheat code of a dish, perfect for finishing the meal.

That was my review of Ami Yanggopchang near Kyungsung University, the best restaurant I ate at in Busan. If you're heading to Busan, trust me and make sure to visit this place at least once. You won't regret it!!!