Jongno Korean BBQ: Saturday Catch Table wait tested 3 times, Cham

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch: location and hours

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch (참돼짓간 종로본점) is at 1-89, 1st floor of Picadilly CGV, 1 Donhwamun-ro 5ga-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul. It is open daily 12:00–23:00, and the High Oil Price Relief Support Fund can be used here.

Saturday evening wait at Cham Dwaejitgan: how long does it really take?

You can join the waitlist remotely through the Catch Table app, and on a Saturday evening the actual entry was much faster than the estimated wait. I tried the waitlist three times that evening.

• First try: 3rd in line at 5:10 pm, estimated wait 60+ minutes, but the entry alert came in just 3 minutes
• Second try: 5th in line at 5:20 pm, estimated wait 80+ minutes, but the alert came in 15 minutes
• Last try: 8th in line at 5:40 pm, estimated wait 100+ minutes, but we got in within 30 minutes

The line moved so much faster than estimated that I kept cancelling and rejoining, and ended up getting in at 6:10 pm, the time I wanted. If you're planning a Saturday evening visit, hope this helps!

Seating and side dish setup at Cham Dwaejitgan

When you arrive, check your Catch Table alert and ask the staff to show you to your seat. There weren't a lot of tables, but they were nice and roomy. As soon as we sat down, the side dishes came out neatly set up.

Kimchi, bean sprouts and minari (water dropwort) go on one side of the grill, and each person gets cabbage salad, scallion salad, wrap vegetables and condiments. So tidy, I loved it. The sauces are varied too: ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste), garlic, salt, spicy sauce, wasabi and shiitake wasabi, so you can eat it however you like.

Look at those neatly set side dishes. Once Mr. Potato gives it a shake-shake on the grill, you just sit beside it and nom-nom-nom away. Mr. Potato is the best.

Hygienically wrapped cutlery and milk thistle service

Each set of cutlery is wrapped in hygienic paper, so it feels clean and sanitary. Ugh, I get moved by this kind of thing every time. And if you order alcohol, you get one milk thistle drink per person. Such a thoughtful touch 🥲

What the two of us ordered: 2 servings of pork belly, Saero and Cass

The two of us ordered 2 servings of pork belly, Saero (a soju brand) and Cass (a beer).

Is 150g of pork belly per serving enough?

The pork belly at Cham Dwaejitgan is 150g per serving, but it's cut so thick that my worry about the amount vanished quickly. The meat looks gorgeous. Thick pork belly is the seal of a great Jongno pork belly spot... I worried for a split second that the portion might feel small, but the meat is so thick that I forgot all about it.

1:1 staff grilling service

The staff grill for you 1:1. Experts grill the delicious meat from start to finish! No more awkwardly wondering who's going to grill. = Perfect for a Jongno office-worker dinner.

Potato slice wraps and a recommended combo

Once the meat is nicely grilled, the staff move it to one side and put potato slices on the grill. These potato slices are so good. They're sliced super thin, and wrapping them with the meat is pure heaven. They cook quickly, so wrap potato + pork belly + minari + shiitake wasabi into one bite and eat it big.

The golden rule for the first piece is dipping it in salt. The meat and fat are so chewy and delicious, T_T I want to eat it again.

Seriously, doesn't it look amazing? The kimchi here is the real deal. As a kimchi lover, I vouch for it. But the meat was so good that I mostly ate it with just salt or with shiitake wasabi.

+ One more serving of pork belly, please!! The extra pork belly was even thicker, and even after clearing 3 servings I wanted more.

Fried rice to finish: ₩3,000 per serving

The fried rice at Cham Dwaejitgan is ₩3,000 per serving, and the staff even crack an egg in for you, which is the touching part. And then... I couldn't resist and ordered 2 servings of fried rice. It's gochujang-based and delicious even without kimchi, and kimchi lovers like me can chop up the leftover kimchi and fry it in too.

Overall review of Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch

• Taste ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Friendliness ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Portion ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Hygiene ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I seriously found the perfect Jongno pork belly restaurant.