Busan shabu kalguksu restaurant my kids ask to revisit: Yunujae

Why do we pick Yunujae Munhyeon Shabu Kalguksu when eating out with the kids?

Yunujae Munhyeon Shabu Kalguksu (윤우재 문현샤브칼국수) is a shabu kalguksu place in Munhyeon-dong, Busan, that my kids are the first to say "let's go back" about. When you eat out with children, finding a menu everyone likes is harder than you'd think. Someone wants meat, someone wants noodles, and kids often barely eat unless it's their favorite, right?

But there is one place my kids say they want to visit again: Yunujae Munhyeon Shabu Kalguksu in Munhyeon-dong. Since the kids love it, it's the place that naturally comes to mind for family meals. We went with them again this time.

With one menu you get shabu-shabu (hot pot), then kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup), then fried rice, so it really feels like you've had a proper meal. That's why I'd personally recommend it to anyone looking for a good Munhyeon-dong restaurant or a good kalguksu place in Busan.

The shabu spot my kids call their favorite

The shabu kalguksu at Yunujae goes like this: you eat the meat, put noodles into that broth, and finish with fried rice. The kids never get bored and eat right to the end. When choosing a restaurant with kids, taste matters, but what matters most is whether they actually eat. On that front, Yunujae scores quite high with our family.

The kids like shabu-shabu anyway, but I think the best part is that after the meat you add noodles to the broth and finish with fried rice. The dish keeps changing during one meal, so the kids don't get bored and it's fun to eat. First, you put meat and vegetables into the bubbling broth,

then once you've had a fair amount of meat, you add the noodles, and at the end you stir-fry rice in the leftover broth. The order flows naturally, so even ordering just one shabu kalguksu makes a pretty filling meal. The menu as currently listed includes sirloin, vegetables and mushrooms, house-made kalguksu noodles and fried rice.

Where is Yunujae Munhyeon Shabu Kalguksu, and what about parking?

Yunujae is at Daerim Munhyeon City Plaza, 26 Suyeong-ro, Nam-gu, Busan, close to Jigegol Station, so it's easy enough to reach by public transport. From the outside you get that typical Korean restaurant feel. As you can see in the photos, there are big food photos at the entrance so you see at a glance what they serve, and the inside is bigger than you'd expect.

If you come by car, parking matters too. According to current information you can use the building's parking lot, and visitor reviews also mention parking support. When you travel with kids you look for restaurants with easy parking, and that's one more reason this is a good family spot.

Shabu-shabu first, then kalguksu

When you order shabu-shabu at Yunujae, the broth comes first along with meat, vegetables, mushrooms and more. Lightly cooking the meat in the broth keeps it tender, and with the vegetables going in too, the broth seems to get deeper and deeper. What I find fun about shabu-shabu is that the taste changes over time, compared with the first sips of broth and the first bites of meat.

House-made kalguksu noodles aged 48 hours

After the meat and vegetables, it's finally the noodles' turn. I love kalguksu so much that, honestly, there are days I go for shabu-shabu just for the noodles. Yunujae uses house-made noodles, so the chewy texture is the signature. The current menu also lists 48-hour aged house-made noodles and flat kalguksu noodles.

The shabu broth has become richer after cooking the meat and vegetables, so noodles in that broth taste different from the first bite of the meal. That's why even the kids, who've been busy with the meat, pick up their chopsticks again when the noodles come.

Fried rice to finish

To me, the last highlight of Yunujae is the fried rice. After the shabu-shabu and the noodles you're already fairly full, yet somehow you still eat the fried rice. Stir-frying rice while the umami of the shabu broth is still in there is definitely different from just eating plain rice.

When eating out with kids, a place where one order gives you several dishes is convenient. Here the meal flows from shabu-shabu to kalguksu to fried rice, so the whole family can get properly full without ordering extras. That's why I like this setup. "A perfect meal from shabu to noodles to fried rice" fits this place exactly.

Why it's good for family meals with kids in Busan

I think the reason my kids call Yunujae their favorite shabu place is simply that they eat well there. They can have the meat they like, the noodles, and fried rice at the end, so even with kids whose tastes differ a little, there's less to agonize over when choosing.

Current visitor reviews also show purposes like family meal, with kids and lunch, so many families seem to visit. Above all, when eating with kids you look for a place where you can relax rather than somewhere too quiet or where you have to mind the atmosphere. In that sense, I think it's a Munhyeon-dong restaurant that's easy to visit without pressure.

How much is the shabu kalguksu at Yunujae?

The shabu kalguksu at Yunujae is currently ₩11,000 per person, and includes 70g of sirloin, vegetables and mushrooms, house-made kalguksu noodles and fried rice. Considering today's eating-out prices, it's fairly easy on the wallet for a family, which is probably why we go so often.

There are plenty of kalguksu specialty restaurants these days, but eating shabu-shabu first and then cooking the noodles yourself in that broth has its own charm. With fried rice at the end, it feels clearly different from just having a bowl of kalguksu.

If you're looking for a family meal in Munhyeon-dong

With kids, the place they eat well at is the one that gives the highest satisfaction in the end. For our family, Yunujae is exactly that kind of place. Shabu-shabu, tasty kalguksu, and fried rice at the end. With one menu the meal flows naturally, so it's good to visit with kids, and adults get a hearty meal too.

Let's go back there

Because my kids are the ones who say "let's go back there" first, it naturally ends up on the list whenever we pick a family restaurant. If you're looking for a comfortable place to eat with family in Munhyeon-dong, or a good kalguksu place in Busan, it's worth a visit. You'll understand why my kids call it their favorite once you try it. Yunujae Munhyeon Shabu Kalguksu: we had a proper meal, from shabu to noodles to fried rice.