Lunchtime soju-beer at a Jongno3-ga Korean BBQ: Cham Dwaejitgan

I heard there was a great pork belly place in Jongno3-ga that also does lunch, so I went with a friend~

Where is Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch and how do you get there?

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch is about a one-minute walk from Jongno3-ga Station Exit 2. It's on the first floor of the building with the CGV, so it was easy to find.

Outside and inside Cham Dwaejitgan

Since this place does charcoal direct-fire grilling, the meat was bound to be good.

On top of that, Cham Dwaejitgan only uses grade-1 domestic pork, so you can eat with peace of mind ><

Inside there were about 15 four-person tables. Some tables were pushed together too, so it looked good for group gatherings. The tables were spaced far apart, which made it really comfortable haha.

Cham Dwaejitgan menu and side dishes

The pork was broadly split into two types — you can choose between Boseong Nokdon or black pork. Within each category there were various cuts like samgyeopsal (pork belly), mokssal (pork neck), and gabrisal.

Each table has a tablet so you can order right away. Below it shows the side dishes that go especially well with the pork belly. I figured I'd try them all one by one once the meat was grilled hahahaha.

Right after we ordered the meat, they brought out lettuce wraps, shredded scallions and other sides. The color of the kimchi and wild minari (water dropwort) sitting on the grill looked seriously amazing ✨ The minari smelled so fragrant and went perfectly with the meat — the owner really knows what's good.

Cham samgyeopsal and kkotmokssal, 16,000 won each, one portion per person

There were two of us, so we ordered two portions.

• Cham samgyeopsal (pork belly) ₩16,000
• Kkotmokssal (flower-cut pork neck) ₩16,000

Wow, just looking at the color of the meat you could tell it'd be delicious. The fat was mixed in just the right amount, and the bright red color of the meat had me drooling already.

Pork belly without a soju-beer would feel incomplete, right? haha The nice touch of giving us milk thistle to look after our livers meant we could drink our soju-beer with a clear conscience hahahaha.

A staff member grilled the meat, potatoes, and even the mushrooms for us directly. It's really a Jongno3-ga Station pork belly spot where all you have to do is eat comfortably. They even cut everything into nice bite-sized pieces, so you truly don't have to lift a finger 😆

Couldn't wait for the meat, so we clinked our soju-beer glasses first. It'd been a while since a daytime drink, and it was so refreshing and crisp.

Laid out so neatly, it looked even more delicious. The pork belly already had amazing visuals, but the pork neck was no slouch either.

Once fully cooked, they moved it down to the lower part of the grill. Then they went on to grill the potato slices. Thinking about wrapping the meat with the well-grilled minari and kimchi already had me drooling.

Grilled kimchi, potato slices and mushroom-wasabi sauce

First I tried wrapping it in a perilla leaf, and the spicy, crunchy grilled kimchi completely cut through the greasy richness of the pork belly. Adding a little wasabi on top made the flavor even better haha.

I also tried the potato slice with minari and mushroom wasabi combo. The minari was fragrant and the mushroom wasabi was pretty spicy, giving it a unique, special flavor. Eating all the good stuff together was the best ㅠㅠ

Doenjang jjigae and Jirisan kudzu cold noodles to finish

As a carb lover, whenever I go to a Korean BBQ place I have to have doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) with rice, and this place's doenjang jjigae was seriously great haha.

Try mixing some doenjang jjigae broth into steaming white rice and topping it with meat 🔥 Honestly, I think this might be the ultimate combo.

My friend's pick was the Jirisan kudzu cold noodles, perfect for a hot day. Just looking at the shaved-ice-topped noodles cools you down. They drizzled on some mustard to boost the flavor and added vinegar to taste. The refreshing coolness completely chased away the heat.

Near the exit they had useful items for before and after the meal. The owner's thoughtfulness in stocking dental floss and mouthwash was impressive all over again.

Is Cham Dwaejitgan worth it for lunch in Jongno3-ga?

A Jongno3-ga pork restaurant where you can enjoy hanwoo-grade Korean pork comfortably and at a good price

The clean interior was great, and on top of that the service of grilling everything perfectly left nothing to complain about. If you're looking for a great pork belly spot in Jongno, I'd definitely recommend Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch. The meat quality speaks for itself, and the meal menu was hearty too — I really enjoyed the whole meal~