Looking for comforting winter food in Sydney? Bonjuk in Haymarket specialises in Korean juk (rice porridge), serving 33 varieties from abalone with truffle oil and chicken with ginseng to sweet versions. Get the lowdown on this Korean chain's first Australian outpost and find out what dishes to order.
Bonjuk is a Korean chain selling "juk" or rice porridge. Bonjuk was founded in 2002 and currently has 2,030 locations worldwide (over 2,000 in South Korea) with stores in 19 countries. The first branch in Australia opened in early 2026 in Sydney's Haymarket district. This tiny 14 seater restaurant fills up quickly.
It's why Mr NQN and I arrive at 5pm on a Friday. By 6pm all of the seats will be taken and there will be people waiting for a table. There are three tables for two (so it's not exactly the place for a large group get together) and then there is bar seating for eight. This is a place designed for a quick meal.
Bonjuk's proposition here is quite simple: juk or congee in 33 different flavours. This thick rice porridge is perfect for winter. Served in cavernous bowls, it is often a dish for those convalescing.
When you sit down they hand you a small printed out version of the menu. Ordering and paying is done at the front counter. All of the juks come with complimentary banchan or side dishes and plum juice on a tray so it's a meal in one. The congee flavours range from octopus and beef, oyster and mushroom or spicy seafood as well as chicken and the most popular abalone.
We are not waiting long before our food arrives and they bring our trays out. On the side of each juk there are crunchy radish pickles, kimchi and sweet beef with the scent of star anise and chilli sauce. To eat, ladle up some juk into the smaller bowl which helps cool it off.
The abalone and truffle juk or Jeonbokjuk is very aromatic and comes out piping hot so after your first bowl, it really warms you up from the inside. The abalone is thinly sliced with a good contrasting texture to the rice and comes with a ring of sesame oil and finely crushed dried seaweed.
The chicken juk or Dak-juk is delicious and it is quite a thick congee so it really does stick to the ribs and we can't really finish the bowl. The texture of the rice is velvety as the congee is slow cooked, releasing the starches gradually giving it a creamy, thick texture. On top is a jujube or red date, sesame seeds and gim or toasted seaweed powder.
The only reason why I prefer the truffle one is because the chicken juk is something that we make at home a lot already, so while it's nice I'd go for something that you can't or don't normally make at home.
I'm curious to try a couple of sweet ones. I thought they would be smaller because they are less expensive but they come out just like the other ones with the banchan and the plum juice.
Mr NQN adores the sweet red bean juk or Danpatjuk. It's not sweet like Japanese red bean azuki, and inside are numerous chewy saealsim mochi balls. It is very satisfying. I think the only thing is that I would love it a smidgen sweeter, but that's me treating it as a dessert. It's a good level of sweetness if you want it as a main meal.
For me, I really love the pumpkin juk or Hobakjuk, also with saealsim balls, which is similar to a silky pumpkin soup with the added bonus of delicious chewy balls inside.
So tell me Dear Reader, have you ever tried congee or juk? What flavour do you like the sound of the most?
This meal was independently paid for.
Bonjuk
Prince Centre, QG14/8 Quay St, Haymarket NSW 2000
Phone: 0414 320 448
Monday to Friday 11 am–9:30 pm
Saturday & Sunday 10:30 am–9:30 pm
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