Busan Korean BBQ after work: Donnamu Jip pork belly

When I’m craving samgyeopsal (pork belly), sometimes a comfortable neighborhood barbecue place sounds more tempting than a famous restaurant far away, right? This time, I went to Donnamu Jip (돈나무집) in Daeyeon-dong with my husband after work.

The Kyungsung University–Pukyong National University area is packed with restaurants and bars, as you’d expect from a university district. I heard Donnamu Jip is popular for its delicious Jirisan pork. Let’s get into our proper Friday-vibes pork belly feast!

Getting to Donnamu Jip from Kyungsung University–Pukyong National University Station and parking

Donnamu Jip is near Kyungsung University–Pukyong National University Station. It is easy to reach when you’re looking for somewhere to eat around the two universities, so it is also a good option if you have plans in the university district.

Since lots of people use public transportation around Kyungsung University and Pukyong National University, it is convenient to visit by subway or bus. I took the subway too, and it was less than a two-minute walk from the station. There is no parking support, so you’ll need to use a nearby paid parking lot.

Donnamu Jip uses Jirisan pork, Korean rice, and kimchi :) In a world full of Chinese-made ingredients!! It was so nice to find a place using such honest ingredients, haha.

A retro atmosphere and seating by the folding doors

Barbecue restaurants have that uniquely comfortable atmosphere, don’t they? Donnamu Jip also has the kind of setting where you can grill pork belly at ease and enjoy your meal.

It has such a retro feel that it is cozy, and it seemed like the perfect place for a day when you want to casually grill meat rather than have a formal meal. I happened to spot a framed golden tree—presumably a money tree?—on one wall, and it made me happy.

The weather was nice, so instead of sitting inside, we chose a spot by the wide-open folding doors :) It felt wonderfully outdoorsy and open! Highly recommended!

Pork belly and stew with an optional bang-a herb addition

Donnamu Jip’s menu is very simple. You can choose a full plate or half plate of Jirisan pork belly. There is also kimchi-jjigae (kimchi stew) and countryside doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew), and you can choose whether to add bang-a herb.

Chewy Jirisan pork belly grilled at the table

The food came out right away! The first thing my husband and I were amazed by was the color of the meat—it looked incredible. I thought, Jirisan pork really is different, and immediately wanted to get it on the grill.

There was only one goal that day: pork belly! You grill the meat yourself here, and grilling it in that retro atmosphere was so nice.

It comes with ssam vegetables, seasoned scallion salad, and kimchi, but the kimchi is the real star at Donnamu Jip!! Grill it alongside the meat and it is insanely delicious...

We put all the meat and vegetables on the grill. Personally, I loved that it came with potatoes and mushrooms.

The golden-brown pork belly was great on its own, and ssam or the side dishes gave it a different flavor too. I think pork belly tastes best when you sear the outside nicely to keep the juices in. As you eat piece by piece, the meat on the grill somehow starts disappearing at lightning speed...

People said the countryside doenjang-jjigae was delicious with lots of bang-a herb, so we ordered it. It was packed with tofu and vegetables and really tasty! It felt made for soju, so we ordered soju too :) Ahh, it felt like a whole workweek’s effort was melting away!!!

I cut the meat into bite-size pieces :) Wow... is this what makes Jirisan pork special? I could feel how springy and chewy it was even while cutting it. It was delicious with just a little salt, and absolutely heavenly with ssam vegetables!

In the end, it was so delicious that we ordered another half plate, hahaha. For two people, I recommend a full plate plus a half plate rather than just one full plate!

An easygoing Daeyeon-dong barbecue restaurant after work

Rather than a barbecue restaurant with a flashy, special atmosphere, Donnamu Jip is a great place to go when you simply want to enjoy pork belly comfortably near Kyungsung University–Pukyong National University. If you have dinner plans with friends in Daeyeon-dong, crave pork belly and a shot of soju, or want an unfussy place for meat after work, I really recommend it!

More than anything, the meat is seriously delicious—one of those places that stays on your mind.....