Chuseok-open shabu-shabu buffet near KNU north gate, Daegu: Shabu20

Among all the shabu-shabu spots in Daegu, Shabu20 stands out for slicing premium beef fresh right in front of you, so my husband and I went for a proper health boost. With the chilly mornings and evenings lately, all I can think about is hot shabu-shabu broth. It's a spacious place with room for 190 guests, but it's such a popular spot near Gyeongdae Bukmun that there's always a wait, so I booked through Naver Reservations.

There aren't many restaurants open on the holidays, but Shabu20 stays open on Chuseok, which is fantastic. Beyond the premium beef, the buffet is unlimited on Vietnamese rice paper rolls, hot pot, fried chicken, desserts, and best of all — unlimited beer too. That makes it a great budget-friendly spot for work dinners and gatherings.

You can even take coffee, drinks, and ice cream to go on your way out, which is perfect if you want to head straight to the riverside park for a walk after eating.

Where is Shabu20 Daegu Bokhyeon branch, and what are its hours and parking?

• Shabu20 Daegu Bokhyeon branch
• Daily 11:00–22:00
• Open on Chuseok holiday
• Free parking: large lot in front + free lot at Gonghanggyo (2 min walk)
• 79 Gonghang-ro, 1st floor, Buk-gu, Daegu, South Korea

Five minutes by car from Daegu Airport: the Shabu20 storefront

Shabu20 is about 5 minutes by car, or 20 minutes on foot, from Daegu Airport, so it's a spot we always make a point of visiting on our way to the airport. Inflight meals are underwhelming and airport food is pricey, so this is where we get a proper hearty meal before flying out and after we get back.

There's a large parking lot that fits 30-plus cars, but even if it's full, there's a free lot at Gonghanggyo just a 2-minute walk away, so parking is never something to worry about at this Gyeongdae Bukmun favorite.

It's a major franchise with over 60 locations nationwide, so it's a Daegu buffet that's proven itself on taste, quality, value, and service.

Inside the 190-seat dining room and the private room

Walking into Shabu20, the huge dining room and floor-to-ceiling windows make me gasp every single time.

Is this a hotel restaurant?

The soft wood finishes and the warm recessed lighting on the ceiling feel so upscale and cozy.

It's a spacious place that fits 190-plus guests, so it's great for group gatherings and work dinners. There's a private room in the back, so I'd recommend booking ahead. The buffet spread is also neatly organized into sections.

What is on the self-serve bar at Shabu20?

Shabu20's self-serve bar is divided into a vegetable garden section, a Vietnamese rice paper roll zone, a meat-carving station, a sauce station, a hot food corner, and a salad bar. The vegetable garden has produce so fresh it looks like it was picked that morning, and the rice paper roll zone has finely julienned ingredients laid out over ice.

Premium beef and pork keep coming out freshly sliced at the meat station. You can see the meat being trimmed behind a small curtain, which makes it even more trustworthy. The color of the meat alone — a bright reddish pink — tells you it's fresh.

The sauce station even has tips written up for enjoying shabu-shabu even more, and following that exact recipe combo really does make it taste better.

And now for the star of the all-you-can-eat buffet — fried chicken, pad thai, takoyaki, tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), fried rice, whelk salad, pasta and more, all kept warm.

The salad bar has fruit, rice cakes, salmon salad, dessert options, porridge ingredients, and knife-cut noodle ingredients ready to go.

And wow — there's even an automatic draft beer machine. It pours the perfect ratio of foam, so it honestly tastes better than a dedicated beer bar. The drinks and draft beer are unlimited too, so if you're looking for a Daegu buffet, Shabu20 is the obvious choice.

Make sure to grab coffee, ice cream, and drinks to take out on your way home!

Shabu20 prices and what is all-you-can-eat

At this Gyeongdae Bukmun favorite, adult pricing is ₩22,900 (80 minutes) for weekday lunch, and ₩26,900 (100 minutes) for weekday dinner and weekends/holidays. Sukiyaki or hot pot broth is an extra ₩1,000.

• All-you-can-eat menu: premium-grade beef, pork
• Signature fried chicken (seasoned, soy)
• Vietnamese rice paper rolls (various fillings)
• Guaranteed-quality draft beer
• Coffee, drinks, ice cream takeaway service
• Broths (spicy, soybean, bonito, sukiyaki, hot pot)

Kids' pricing is ₩13,900 for elementary school age and ₩5,900 for preschoolers (36+ months). We ordered weekday dinner for two adults.

Weekday dinner with a half-and-half spicy and bonito broth

We went with spicy broth and bonito broth. While the broth was coming to a boil, we happily loaded up our plates from the all-you-can-eat spread.

I absolutely love fried chicken — the kind where I could eat a whole box in one sitting — and Shabu20's fried chicken stays crispy even when it cools, with a moist inside, so it's honestly better than a dedicated fried chicken shop. At other places, just fried chicken and a beer alone would run over ₩20,000, but at Shabu20 it's just one of dozens of buffet items, which makes me so happy. Add some garlic on top and it turns into garlic fried chicken ♡

The draft beer machine pours a fantastic foam ratio. The foam is so soft it tastes like a cream beer, so I just kept drinking it — I'm so glad it's unlimited.

Every dish is seasoned just right, so every bite is satisfying. Everything is cooked in a healthy way, so it never feels heavy.

I usually love shabu-shabu because you can eat more vegetables than meat, but the beef quality here was so good that I ended up eating way more beef than usual this time. The rice paper roll ingredients were also sliced thin, so with all the different fillings and sauces to dip them in, I almost wished my stomach were bigger.

Dessert was ice cream — my husband likes to pour coffee over his ice cream to make an affogato. I just had ice cream on its own, since afternoon coffee keeps me up at night.

♡ Honest review of Shabu20 Daegu Bokhyeon ♡

• Among Daegu buffets, Shabu20 has amazing value, and my husband and I had such a satisfying dinner here.
• It's a Gyeongdae Bukmun favorite where they slice premium beef fresh on the spot, and sukiyaki, hot pot, and countless other buffet items are all unlimited.
• The best part is the unlimited draft beer — with its own beer machine, you can drink as much soft-foamed draft beer as you want.
• Everything is cooked in healthy ways so it sits easy in your stomach, and I love that you can pick a half-and-half combo from 5 different broths.
• It's open on holidays too, so I'm definitely booking a family gathering here for Chuseok.