Jongno 3-ga Korean BBQ team dinner, Jirisan black pork belly: Cham

Lots of you are probably hunting for a team dinner spot near Jongno 3-ga Station, right? I recently went to Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch (참돼짓간 종로본점), and the meat quality was much better than I expected, so here's my review. If you've been looking for a good pork belly place near Jongno 3-ga Station, I hope you'll read to the end.

Why we picked Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch for our Jongno 3-ga team dinner

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant on the ground floor of the Picadilly CGV cinema building, easy to reach on foot from Jongno 3-ga Station. We chose it after gathering the team's opinions, weighing meat quality, atmosphere and how easy it is to get to.

Honestly, the hardest part of choosing a team dinner spot is meat quality, atmosphere and getting there, and it's not easy to find a place that nails all three. This time we pooled everyone's opinions and went with Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch, which had good reviews near Jongno 3-ga Station.

It's on the ground floor of the Picadilly CGV cinema building, so it was super easy to find. It's also within walking distance of Jongno 3-ga Station, so getting there by public transport was no hassle. For a team dinner, good access already earned it a passing grade before we even started.

Charcoal and rice-husk smoke

The first things that caught my eye after sitting down were the charcoal and the rice husks. Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch uses charcoal and rice-husk smoking to bring out the meat's natural flavor. I always check whether a BBQ place uses charcoal, so my expectations were already up.

How was the Boseong pork belly?

We ordered Boseong pork belly, Jirisan black pork belly (ogyeopsal, five-layer pork belly), and for the finish, kimchi stew and steamed egg. The Boseong pork belly was just the right thickness, and the more I chewed, the more nutty juices came out.

It tasted clean with no gamey smell, and went really well with a glass of soju. A staff member grilled it for us, flipping at exactly the right moments, so all I had to do was eat. It came out crisp outside and juicy inside — you can tell this place knows its meat.

Jirisan black pork belly, the best of the night

The Jirisan black pork belly clearly had a richer flavor, a different character from the regular pork belly. It was chewy, and the nuttiness deepened with every bite, so personally it was the most satisfying dish that night. Even among pork belly spots near Jongno 3-ga Station, I don't think many serve black pork at this quality.

Grilled minari and thinly sliced potato

What impressed me especially was that the staff at Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch sliced minari (water dropwort) and potatoes thin and grilled them alongside the meat. The minari's fresh fragrance cut the richness of the meat, and the thin potato slices came out golden and made a great side snack on their own. One thoughtful touch like that really lifted the whole experience.

Kimchi stew to finish

Of course we finished with kimchi stew. It was boiled up spicy, and the broth had deep savory flavor. After a hearty meal of pork belly and ogyeopsal, ending with that spicy broth made me think a team dinner couldn't get more perfect.

What's the group dinner atmosphere at Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch?

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch has generous spacing between tables and plenty of seating, so even a big team dinner felt comfortable. Ventilation was good and service was quick, so we enjoyed it without any wait.

The atmosphere was great for a team dinner too. With the tables spaced out, we could chat freely without worrying about the next table, and the place seemed well kept and clean. The smoke and smell typical of BBQ restaurants didn't bother me much thanks to the good ventilation. Even though our team was big, the seating was roomy enough for a group, and the staff were quick, so we had no wait.

Overall verdict

If you're looking for a pork belly place near Jongno 3-ga Station, or still deciding on a team dinner spot, I recommend Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch. Charcoal-grilled pork belly and black pork plus attentive service — all three things came together nicely. The meat quality for the price was satisfying too, so it felt like being treated to a hearty meal within a team dinner budget.

The vibe suits a relaxed, lively team dinner or bonding get-together especially well. I want to try other cuts next time, so I'm one hundred percent coming back.

• Name: Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch (참돼짓간 종로본점)
• Address: 1-89 Picadilly CGV Theater 1F, 1 Donhwamun-ro 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: 12:00–23:00