Daegu Dongseong-ro makchang restaurant with 1kg raw makchang: Bongja

I'm back with a review of my number-one soul food whenever I visit Daegu — a real deal makchang (grilled pork intestine) spot. It had been so long since I'd wandered around Dongseong-ro in Daegu that the streets had completely changed and I could barely find my way haha. After dropping my bags at the hotel, I did a frantic search for a good Daegu makchang restaurant and landed on 'Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch'!

I actually had a great memory eating at a Bongja Makchang near my place in Ilsan, so I trusted the brand and went for it — and sure enough, makchang in Daegu is on a whole different level... Here's my stuffed-to-the-brim, deeply moved food review, let's go =3

Where is Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch, and how long is the 9pm wait?

Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch is at 49-1 Jongno, Jung-gu, Daegu, 1st floor, in a Jongno alley walkable from Dongseong-ro. The wait was intense — I was killing time at a PC bang and showed up at 9pm to find 4 teams already waiting ahead of me, wow.

• 📍 Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch
• Address: 49-1 Jongno, Jung-gu, Daegu, 1st floor, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 17:00–02:00 (last order 00:30) / Opens 16:00 on Fri, Sat, Sun!

There were plenty of chairs set up for waiting, and time flew by watching the Jongno alley right in front. With about 2 teams left, I waited outside the restaurant, and staff kept coming out to check on the wait list kindly and often — it made the whole wait so comfortable and pleasant haha.

What comes with the makchang: table setting and side dishes

Once it was our turn, Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch had the table neatly pre-set before calling us over! The side dishes were all the essentials that pair perfectly with makchang — especially the baechu kimchi (napa cabbage kimchi) and seasoned bean sprouts, whose seasoning was amazing and just right for grilling alongside the makchang ❣️

Raw makchang 500g + 500g with two bottles of soju

We went straight for raw makchang 500g+500g without a second thought! When in Daegu, Chamiseul soju is a must — and that day the soju just tasted so good that we ended up drinking two whole bottles. Greasy, savory makchang absolutely calls for soju.

You know the makjang (dipping sauce) is only right when you mix in a mountain of chopped green onion and spicy cheongyang chili to taste, right? Plus, they give you free steamed egg (gyeranjjim), soft and fluffy in a stone bowl — and get this, it's even refillable! The table next to us confidently got a refill, but we were already too full from the huge portion of meat, which I still regret to this day ㅠㅠ

How big is the portion, and is the 2,000-won doenjang jjigae worth it?

We asked them to put the whole platter on the grill and also ordered doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) to eat with rice! At just ₩2,000, it was packed with tofu and vegetables — such great value! And then the raw makchang arrived, with genuinely big, chunky pieces and an insane portion — I gasped the moment I saw it. Big eaters like me get our hearts stolen by this kind of generosity, honestly ㅠㅠ

My boyfriend went with draft beer! Draft beer really does pair well with makchang haha. Ah, I want to go back down just for the soju again.

Grill heat and makchang that is crisp outside, tender inside, with no gamy smell

The grill's heat was so strong and good that even thick makchang cooked up crispy-outside-tender-inside in no time! The chewy mushrooms and fragrant bracken fern that came as default sides cooked quickly, so we grabbed those first — savory and delicious as an appetizer 💓

Grilled carefully until golden brown and crispy, it finally became the makchang of my life!!! Taking a bite of the well-cooked makchang, there wasn't a hint of gamy or off smell — the outside was crispy, the inside chewy, and savory juices burst out ㅠㅠ Daegu really is the root of makchang after all... Piling kimchi and bean sprouts underneath the grill to sizzle in the pork fat and wrapping them together makes any greasiness vanish in a second!

Unlimited self-serve ramyeon and self-made fried rice

Bongja Makchang has self-serve unlimited ramyeon completely free, believe it or not. Is the owner an actual angel..!!! There were several noodle types to choose from, and we picked the plump odongtong noodles and boiled them up ourselves haha. Taking a sip of the spicy, tangy broth washed away all the greasiness and made for the perfect finishing drinking snack!

There's no way I could give up carb-loaded fried rice!!!!!!!!!! ㅜㅜㅋㅋ We added a self-serve fried rice for one, cut up the leftover golden-brown makchang on the grill with scissors, and stir-fried it together with kimchi! Fried rice cooked in the leftover makchang fat and kimchi was seriously, tearfully delicious. From makchang to ramyeon to fried rice — a perfect lineup with no weak link!

Candy and fabric deodorizer on the way out: the small services

Even as we paid and left the restaurant, the staff walked us all the way to the door, kindly handing us sweet candy and even spraying deodorizer on our clothes so we wouldn't leave smelling like meat haha. Every little detail of service was thoughtful and touching — a truly impressive makchang restaurant in Daegu!

If you're around Dongseong-ro or Jongno in Daegu looking for a genuine makchang spot that nails value, taste, and friendliness all at once, I strongly recommend Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch! I'll definitely be back on my next Daegu trip (whenever that may be....)