Pork neck platter with myeoljeot dip near Galleria Daejeon: Imdaejang

Imdaejang

Found a solid BBQ spot near Galleria. It's got that trendy, tasteful vibe going on these days. You can get pork belly, pork neck, and pork skin as a combo, or just pick the cut you want. And the minari (water dropwort), bean sprouts, and kimchi that come with it are seriously good..!

Where is Imdaejang Daejeon Dunsan Branch, and what are the hours?

Imdaejang Daejeon Dunsan Branch is at 1F, 32-17 Dunsan-ro, Seo-gu, Daejeon, 880m from Sicheong Station Exit 2. Hours are 16:00–24:00, with Friday and Saturday running until 01:00. Restrooms are separated by gender, and the place accommodates groups, reservations, and parking.

A recommended BBQ spot near Galleria (they grill it for you)

Side dishes, and why you order the ssam wrap greens at the kiosk

At Imdaejang Daejeon Dunsan Branch, cold noodle broth, pickled onions, and cold-hardy greens come as standard, along with salt, bean powder, and ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste) for dipping. We had a reservation, so the side dishes were already set up when we arrived. And here's the tip — lettuce wraps have to be ordered separately! They're not included by default; you order them through the kiosk.

Staff grill the pork for you, so the table can keep talking

At Imdaejang Daejeon Dunsan Branch, the meat comes out already grilled, so there's no need to cut it with scissors yourself — so convenient. I'd recommend this place when you want to focus on talking to each other. You just sit down, eat, and go, which is nice. Plus, the tables are spaced apart enough for privacy, so conversation doesn't feel awkward. BBQ places are usually crowded and loud, but maybe because it's spacious here, that feeling was much less noticeable.

Also, as someone who really hates feeling cramped, I loved how spacious it was. Every table has storage underneath for your belongings, so you can keep your stuff away from the smell of grilled meat. And since the meat is already grilled in the kitchen before it comes out, there was less meat smell inside the restaurant overall.

Our order: pork neck platter, steamed egg, extra enoki and rice

Pork neck platter

Steamed egg

Added enoki mushrooms

Rice

That's what we ordered

The steamed egg at Imdaejang is on the firm, bouncy side

The steamed egg at Imdaejang Daejeon Dunsan Branch was more bouncy-firm than fluffy. Which camp are you in? I prefer bouncy over fluffy, so this was right up my alley. At first, from the look of it, I thought it was soup, haha. Surprised me. Since the steamed egg isn't included by default and has to be ordered, it tasted like they put extra care into it.

Is the 510g pork neck platter enough for three?

Here comes the pork neck platter!! 2.5 servings seems about right. It was a bit much for two people. If you like it crispier, you can grill it a bit more here, but we prefer it soft so we ate it right away without extra grilling. Before digging in, it's good to cut up the minari, kimchi, enoki, and bean sprouts together and cook them with the residual heat.

Imdaejang Daejeon Dunsan Branch menu and prices

• Soft-serve ice cream — free
• Grilled platter set (medium) 610g — ₩48,000
• Grilled platter set (large) 780g — ₩63,000
• Pork belly platter 510g — ₩44,000
• Pork neck platter 510g
• Imdaejang No.1 14-day aged pork jowl — ₩16,000
• 14-day aged pork belly — ₩15,000
• 14-day aged skirt meat — ₩15,000
• Imdaejang special pork skin — ₩10,000
• Loaded fried rice on the platter — ₩6,000
• Beef brisket doenjang stew
• Native pork kimchi stew
• Ice-cold cold noodle soup with kimchi rolls
• 72-hour aged bibim noodles
• Hangover ramyeon
• Fluffy steamed egg
• Add minari
• Add fried rice cheese

The special myeoljeot dip and refillable wild garlic leaves

The house-made myeol젓 sauce at Imdaejang Daejeon Dunsan Branch was genuinely delicious! It felt different from other BBQ places. I usually prefer plain salt as a dip, but here I found myself dipping into the myeol젓 over and over. You can also get free refills on the wild garlic leaves if you want, so you can really eat as much as you like. Just note that if you order more meat, there's a wait since it's grilled in the kitchen, so it's best to order ahead. Once you're done and heading out, you can grab free soft-serve ice cream, so don't forget to treat yourself to dessert — I only realized this looking back at the photos now.. bit of a bummer.

Is Imdaejang a good date or group dinner spot in Dunsan-dong?

Having minari and kimchi together made the meal feel healthier, which I liked. If you're looking for a BBQ place near Galleria, I highly recommend Imdaejang! With over 10 tables of 4-seaters, it's also a good fit for group dinners. The tables are spaced out enough that you never feel cramped or uncomfortable while eating.