Makchang grill in Jongno, Daegu with a curry powder dip: Bongja

I was craving makchang (grilled beef tripe) in Jongno, Daegu, so I visited Bongja Makchang's Jongno branch!

Where is Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch, and what are its hours?

Bongja Makchang Daegu Jongno Branch (봉자막창 대구종로점) is at 49-1 Jongno, Jung-gu, Daegu, on the first floor. It is open Monday to Thursday from 17:00 to 2:00 the next day, and Friday to Sunday from 16:00 to 2:00 the next day. Last order is at 00:30.

Outside and inside the Jongno branch

There's a big menu board at the entrance, so you can check the menu and prices before going in! Set menu contents and signature dishes are written on it too, so first-timers should find it easy to decide what to order. There are also waiting chairs on one side of the entrance in case there's a queue, so waiting looks comfortable!

Inside, the staff greeted us brightly and showed us to our seats kindly, which was nice! There were about 7 four-person tables, and it looked like a few more tables near the kitchen! There's also a TV by the entrance, so you could enjoy baseball while you eat~

Bongja Makchang menu: set menus and extras

Bongja Makchang has a solid lineup of set menus, extra meats and meal dishes. The signature VIP SET and BEST SET come with makchang plus kimchi-malli guksu (cold kimchi noodles), seasoned bracken, steamed egg, ramyeon, patbingsu (shaved ice with red bean) and more, so they look great for trying lots of things at once, and you can pick a set by group size and taste, which seems handy! Makchang grilled with the seasoned bracken in particular is a combo that feels unique to Bongja Makchang!

• Extra menu: raw makchang, raw pork belly, pork neck, frozen pork belly, thin-sliced beef brisket, seasoned makchang
• Side menu: kimchi-malli guksu, spicy Buldak (fire chicken feet), steamed pork belly, Bongja tteokbokki, pork skin, beef brisket doenjang stew

You can order extras to your taste, and the sides cover both a proper meal and drinking snacks, so the meal felt even fuller.

Bongja Makchang's side dishes: curry powder?

The basic side dishes at the Jongno branch come out generously and suit makchang well: spring onion salad, seasoned bean sprouts, kimchi, ssamjang (dipping paste), pickled onions, chili peppers, garlic and more. What struck me most was the curry powder! It's not a combo you usually see at makchang places, so I got curious and dipped some, and it went together way better than I expected. Curry aroma on rich, nutty makchang had a different charm!

The self-bar and 7 kinds of ramyeon

The self-bar is pretty well stocked too. Besides the basic sides, there's plenty of dongchimi (radish water kimchi), pickled radish wraps, wasabi, green onion kimchi and lettuce, so you can grab whatever runs out anytime. At a BBQ place you always end up wanting a refill once or twice, and it's convenient not to keep calling the staff. I liked being able to take just as much as I needed.

The ramyeon corner on one side of the self-bar caught my eye too. Many places only have one or two kinds, but the Jongno branch had Odongtong Myeon, Jin Ramen mild, Jin Ramen spicy, Gan Jjamppong, Buldak Bokkeummyeon, Yeul Ramen and Jjasulrang.

If you like spicy ramyeon, you can pick Buldak noodles or Yeul Ramen, and if you prefer milder, Jin Ramen mild or Odongtong Myeon, so everyone can choose to taste. Personally, soup ramyeon is great, but I really liked stir-fried noodles like Buldak noodles or Jjasulrang together with makchang. Chewy noodles with nutty makchang went together much better than I expected. It's a nice pairing for when meat alone feels a little lacking, and I'd want it again next time 😋

What we ordered for two: two-plate makchang set and ₩2,900 draft beer

I visited Bongja Makchang's Jongno branch with my boyfriend, the two of us. We ordered the two-plate makchang set with seasoned bracken, steamed egg, ramyeon and patbingsu, plus cold draft beer to go with it, and at ₩2,900 a glass it was easy on the wallet.

Watching the makchang turn golden on the grill, I could hardly wait to eat. It had almost no gamey smell and got nuttier the more I chewed, so my chopsticks kept going back. Dipped in makjang (soybean paste) or curry powder, each had its own charm. The curry powder especially was a combo you rarely see, so I was curious and tried it, and it went together far better than I expected.

The seasoned bracken in the set was impressive too. The bracken's distinctive texture and the nuttiness of makchang blended nicely for a fresh combination. The soft steamed egg, eaten in between, also soothed the mouth, which I liked!

One more serving of makchang, then doenjang stew and rice

Enjoying makchang with cold draft beer, we somehow ended up ordering more. We got one more serving of makchang haha. After eating happily, we finished with doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) and a bowl of rice. A spoonful of warm rice with the savory stew filled us up and was a perfect way to end the meal! We were too full for the patbingsu though ㅜㅜ Next time I'll definitely try the patbingsu too :)

Is Bongja Makchang's Jongno branch worth returning to?

I'm 100% coming back ☑️ Overall the food was tasty, the side dishes were good and the staff were kind, so we left in a great mood. The makchang dipped in curry powder was far tastier than I expected and I still remember it.

If you're looking for a good makchang place in Daegu, or for somewhere to meet friends for dinner, I recommend trying Bongja Makchang's Jongno branch! Tasty makchang, generous sides and kind service made it a satisfying meal. Next time I go for makchang, I'll be back 😊