Bornga — Restaurant in Jakarta

Born Ga Korean Restaurant Wolter Monginsidi South Jakarta February 2019

Pork Cheese Dwaeji Gochujang Barbecue for 268 K IDR ++ and a small pitcher of watermelon soju for 60 K IDR ++

Wrote a long review yesterday but the internet and mobile phone gods lost it somehow, so here's hoping for this one to survive this time.

The pork was tender and the gochujang works oh so perfectly with the cheese. They clearly used high quality ingredients and although 268++ may sound steep at first, i can assure you that the platter is chock full with meat and is quite filling. Now anyone who knows me knows that i can eat. A lot. So this hot plate serving - on its own - could satisfy almost two of me, so that should translate to about 3-4 normal people. Definitely worth the asking price.

Then comes the watermelon soju. Oh my god the watermelon soju. It's 60 K++ for a small pitcher - which means at least 5 or 6 small cups. It's good quality soju and it seems to me that they chose the freshest watermelons to juice which they then strained to make it oh so smooth. It all goes down so well i really wanted to order another, but as i raised my hand to flag the waitresses, i realized just how potent it was. It really is worth the price tag (which is like half of what most bars and restaurants in Jakarta will charge for a small glass alcoholic beverage!!).

So i really would recommend this place as one of (if not) the best Korean restaurant in town. We also tried the Yeosan Tteokgalbi which are patties made of the most tender beef rib meat for 180 K ++ which is really tender and succulent. They really crisped it out so well, it goes down so smooth, and it's always tastes moreish but i would have to say that the cheesy gochujang pork eclipsed it that night. One could also nitpick that their free appetizers/side dishes are just slightly above average (although the mash potato with raisins is interesting and nice), but seriously it's all still really...

What happened here? Bornga used to be that Korean BBQ spot in Senopati. Now? It’s a complete embarrassment—charging premium prices for meat that tastes like it was fished out of a frozen aisle clearance bin.

If I’m paying top-tier prices, I expect top-tier meat—not dry, chewy scraps pretending to be quality cuts. This isn’t Korean BBQ, it’s a scam on a sizzling plate. You’d get better texture and flavor throwing supermarket beef on a home grill. At least then you wouldn’t be charged like you’re dining in Gangnam.

And the salad? A tragic side character. Normally I’m asking for seconds, even thirds. This time I couldn’t bring myself to finish the first round. Limp, tasteless, and completely phoned in—like the kitchen gave up halfway through service.

Bornga didn’t just drop the ball—they lit it on fire, rolled it in MSG, and served it with a smile. What used to be a favorite just became a warning sign. One of the worst Korean BBQ experiences in Jakarta, hands down.

This place isn’t worth your time, your money, or your...

This place is absolutely amazing. I was invited here for dinner here and I had searched up the prices beforehand and I expected it to be very pricey. So I did what I could only do and prepared for the worst. However, Bornga actually provides great value for its meals.

You start off with a bunch of complimentary dishes ranging from kimchi to a platter of lettuce leaves and greenery. By itself it isn't too appealing but after ordering two meat dishes (which were around the 200 thousand mark) I was super pleased about how this turned out. The combo of veggies and meat was great and I would not have liked it any better.

It was busy but didn't ruin my dinner at all and if anything, provided a more immersive Korean experience.

Great food. Great atmosphere. Great staff.

Happy to have gone there and if you're on the wall and don't know whether to go or not, you might as well try it out but be prepared to dig deep into your wallet if you...