Jongno3-ga Korean BBQ with a kimchi stew add-on: Cham Dwaejitgan

Today I'm sharing my visit to Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch, a great Korean BBQ spot in Jongno for gatherings and work dinners!

Location and hours of Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch is at 1-89, 1st floor of the CGV Piccadilly theater, 1 Donhwamun-ro 5ga-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul. It's open daily from 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM.

Entrance of Cham Dwaejitgan

You can find Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch, a Korean BBQ favorite near Jongno3-ga, about 54m from Exit 2-1 of Jongno3-ga Station! It's on the 1st floor of the CGV building, so it was easy to spot!

Even the sign gives off that savory pork-restaurant smell, which got me excited haha. The sign lists three special things about Cham Dwaejitgan — worth a read before you dig in!

There's a menu board near the entrance, so I gave it a quick browse!

A wait even on weekdays? Check Catch Table beforehand

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch often has a wait, so they run Catch Table for reservations~ There can be a line before you get seated, so it's a good idea to check the app in advance~

*Quick tip!* Check the wait on Catch Table before you visit!

We finally got in! The fresh meat fridge right at the entrance caught my eye~ The big cuts of meat stored neatly and freshly inside made me feel like I could trust what I was eating!

They said there might be a wait, and sure enough, the place was packed the moment we walked in! A real Korean BBQ hotspot near Jongno3-ga Station! Even on a weekday, it seemed like the group right after us had to wait! Total lucky timing~~

When you're led to your table, they call you once it's already fully set! No waiting around for the setup, so we could order right away — loved that part!

Side dishes

The side dishes at Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch were simple: cabbage salad, lettuce wraps, kimchi, bean sprouts, minari (water dropwort, and a huge bowl of it..), plus dipping sauces for the meat!

What we ordered: cheongyeopsal ₩19,000, black pork neck ₩18,000

We ordered right at the table, and while going through the menu, we found the black pork samgyeopsal (pork belly) was sold out — such a shame! ㅜㅜ Guess you need to come earlier if you want it,, (well, now I have a reason to come back haha)

First things first, we ordered two servings of meat and, of course, drinks to go with it! haha Just thinking about it again makes my mouth water,,

Boseong nokdon cheongyeopsal (thousand-layer pork belly) - ₩19,000 Black pork neck - ₩18,000

And get this — when we ordered drinks, they gave us milk thistle as a free service..!! What a thoughtful touch!! My liver was already bracing itself since it'd been a while since I'd had a drink, so this little gesture really meant something,,, wishing the owner all the success ><

Thick cuts of meat, grilled by the staff

And then the meat arrived — you guys!! Look at the thickness of this!~!~! The color looked so fresh too,, I was worried two servings wouldn't be enough, but seeing the thickness put my mind at ease haha

All the meat is grilled by the staff themselves, so all I had to do was sit there drooling while I waited!

They grilled everything so evenly,, they must get special training, right?! Teach me too please!!

Wetting our throats with my husband before digging in!! A happy toast to start~~

Once the meat is grilled, they cut it up right by the kimchi and minari, which made for a great pairing! That minari aroma~~

A whole plate of perfectly grilled meat!

Adding kimchi jjigae midway, and the potatoes stole the show

Partway through, we started craving something with broth so we ordered kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew) too — nice and spicy and delicious haha

Personally, these potatoes were my favorite(?) — such a great touch! Fried crispy in pork fat, they were basically potato chips, and I devoured them happily haha

We cleared everything down to the last bite! From the amount of side dishes to the taste, this meal was satisfying in every way! I'd definitely go back, and I'd highly recommend it if you're ever near Jongno3-ga!