Jongno3-ga Korean BBQ thousand-layer pork belly: Cham Dwaejitgan

The weather finally cooled down so I went out to Jongno for a wander haha. At a pork belly place near Jongno3-ga Station I had high-quality ogyeopsal (five-layer pork belly) and hangjeongsal (pork jowl) that I'm still thinking about — the service and menu lineup were so good that I'd definitely want to come back, so let me introduce this Korean BBQ spot.

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch

One minute from Jongno3-ga Station: how long is the wait?

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch is a one-minute walk from Jongno3-ga subway station. You can join the waitlist through Catch Table, and since there are dedicated waiting seats set up outside the restaurant, even though there was a wait, it was a comfortable one.

The interior is clean and spacious, without that heavy meat smell, and the tables weren't greasy or sticky, so it felt pleasant. It was packed with customers there for the meat — all ages, genders, and plenty of foreign tourists too. I got in after a 30-minute wait myself >_>

What Cham Dwaejitgan gives you free, milk thistle included

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch was full of thoughtful touches for guests: kids' tableware, plastic covers for your clothes, floss and mouthwash, deodorizer, hair ties, phone chargers, and more. Isn't it this kind of attention to detail that makes a great restaurant?

A pork belly restaurant that hands out milk thistle, a liver supplement, lol. No wonder the drinks tasted so refreshing and good — they must be serious about alcohol here too.

What we ordered: black pork ogyeopsal, samgyeopsal and cheongyeopsal

Cham Dwaejitgan had such a wide variety of meat, we ordered black pork ogyeopsal, Boseong nokdon samgyeopsal, and Boseong nokdon cheongyeopsal (thousand-layer pork belly), one each 💚 Beyond the meat, the rice and noodle dishes were great too — Jirisan mulchik naengmyeon, egg rice, fried rice, doenjang jjigae, kimchi jjigae — all hearty and delicious options.

Table setting and side dishes at Cham Dwaejitgan

What I loved most when we sat down was the base setup that was already prepared. Minari (water celery), kimchi, bean sprouts, scallion salad, pickles, wrap vegetables — literally every side dish you'd want with pork belly was there.

There were aprons ready at every seat too. Such thoughtful service 👍🏻 There's a reason you see so many foreign tourists alongside Korean visitors here in Jongno.

Onto the grill it goes

Next to the pork belly turning golden brown were well-fermented kimchi, bean sprouts, and fresh minari. The side dishes matter a lot when you're out for pork belly, and this Jongno3-ga restaurant was full of exactly the things I love — such a good combination.

Staff-grilled hangjeongsal (pork jowl) and ogyeopsal

At Cham Dwaejitgan, staff grill the meat carefully from start to finish, so you just chat and watch, and once it's ready they set it aside for you to enjoy easily. Among the cuts, hangjeongsal and ogyeopsal were the absolute best.

That chewy, juicy texture is something you have to try if you visit Cham Dwaejitgan in Jongno. It was some of the best-quality pork I've had recently.

Once the meat is fully cooked, they set it aside on one part of the grill, so you just pick it up and eat. Samgyeopsal and ogyeopsal were grilled first, then hangjeongsal came next. Cut into perfect bite-sized pieces!!

Juices bursting out~

It would be a crime not to eat golden-grilled meat and well-fermented kimchi with plain white rice. Order an extra bowl and they generously heap it up for you.

Wrapped generously with vegetables, one bite with shiitake wasabi sauce.

The potato wrap combo that's unique to Cham Dwaejitgan

This is a combination unique to Cham Dwaejitgan. Grill thin slices of potato, top with meat and pickles — crispy potato, savory meat, and pickles to cut the richness at the end. A combo that deserves applause haha.

Pork belly in Jongno3-ga: would I go back to Cham Dwaejitgan?

Even the small touches for customers were on point here! Walking out with a Chupa Chups lollipop in my mouth for a sweet finish just made the whole experience feel even better. With plenty to see nearby and great accessibility, if you're looking for a good pork belly restaurant near Jongno3-ga Station, this well-composed, delicious meal is one I'd recommend.