Jongno 3-ga Korean BBQ after a Samcheong-dong fall foliage date: Cham

After an autumn leaves date in Samcheong-dong with my cutie (깜찍이), I was craving pork belly for dinner and went searching, and landed on Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch, which serves Jirisan black pork and Boseong Nokdon pork! We came after our leaf-viewing stroll, and thanks to the perfect ventilation system we could enjoy black pork belly without worrying about smell. I loved the grilling service, the fresh side dishes and the potato wrap kick. Here's the review, let's go!

Where is Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch, and what are its hours?

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch is at 1-89 Piccadilly CGV Theater 1F, 1 Donhwamun-ro 5ga-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea, and it's open daily from 12:00 to 23:00. It's 30 seconds on foot from Jongno 3-ga Station Exit 2-1, a ridiculously close station location.

• Highlights: specializes in Jirisan black pork and Boseong Nokdon pork, downdraft ventilation (no smell on your clothes), staff-only grilling, self-serve bar
• Special kick: the "potato wrap" (gamjassam), with golden-grilled potato + pickled garlic stems + black pork
• Ordered: 2 servings of Jirisan black pork belly, doenjang (soybean paste) stew, fried rice, somaek (soju and beer mix)
• Facilities & reservations: restroom inside the restaurant, good for Jongno group dinners and year-end gatherings

What is the atmosphere like at Cham Dwaejitgan for a Jongno 3-ga group dinner?

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch is just 30 seconds on foot from Exit 2-1 of Jongno 3-ga Station, so it's easy to reach by public transport and a convenient spot for meetups or group gatherings.

The place has the seasoned feel of a hangout for Jongno uncles, and after 18:00 it filled up quickly with office workers just off work.

If you're coming for a year-end company dinner or group gathering, book ahead, definitely!! The ventilation system is well built, so meat smell and smoke didn't cling to our clothes, and the place is spacious and pleasant. My cutie said it would be great for Jongno group dinners, club meetups or friend gatherings (and I agree!!)

What are the side dishes and self-serve bar like at Cham Dwaejitgan?

Once you sit down, neat basic side dishes like kimchi, bean sprouts and dropwort (minari) come out, and they were very fresh. The self-serve bar has ssam-mu (pickled radish wraps), Cheongyang chili peppers and sesame-oil dipping sauce, all clean and well stocked, so we helped ourselves happily.

We have a sickness where if there's black pork we absolutely must try it, so we went straight for the black pork, go~

What we ordered and the prices

• Black pork belly, 2 servings: ₩38,000
• Doenjang stew: ₩6,000
• Fried rice: ₩3,000

I got to drink my somaek in peace without any meat-grilling chores, and the pork was grilled to just the right doneness, crispy outside and chewy inside, truly the "crunchy outside, juicy inside" ideal!

How does Jirisan black pork belly taste, and how is the grilling service?

Behold, thick slabs of pale pink black pork belly!

Another plus of Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch is the grilling system, where the staff grill all the meat for you! The thick black pork belly balances chewy skin with the nutty richness of the lean meat, and I really liked the springy chew of the meat itself, cooked savory on the grill. It goes perfectly with all the accompaniments.

How do you eat the potato wrap at Cham Dwaejitgan?

The recommended "potato wrap" was the highlight. Grill the potato only until it turns slightly golden, then top the thin potato slice with sharp pickled garlic stems and black pork belly, and wrap it up with grilled dropwort and kimchi. The savory and fresh flavors just burst.

Finishing with doenjang stew and fried rice

Doenjang stew (₩6,000), earthy and clear-tasting, for a palate cleanser~ It has plenty of solid ingredients in it, so it's nice to scoop up!

For the finale, fried rice (₩3,000) stir-fried right on the grill!!

I even scraped up the crispy stuck-on fried rice, and now I'm totally stuffed~

Final verdict on Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch

The super-close station location, odor-free ventilation, grilling service and the potato wrap combo all won me over at Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch.

If you're looking near Jongno 3-ga for a place to drink with black pork belly, a Jongno 3-ga bar or a Jongno group dinner spot, I really recommend it, you won't regret it!!~!! (The comfort and ventilation were the real selling points)