Hapjeong shabu-shabu with a ₩6,000 mushroom add-on: Shabu in Seoul

Hapjeong makes you think of so many great restaurants, right? Today I'm introducing Shabu in Seoul (샤브인서울), near Hapjeong Mecenatpolis, where you get shabu-shabu in a calm, clean atmosphere with a neat spread +_+ If you don't want a rowdy let's-eat-and-drink vibe and prefer a quiet get-together and meal, pay attention 🥳

Where is Shabu in Seoul Hapjeong Branch and how do you get there?

Shabu in Seoul Hapjeong Branch is on B2 of Delight Square, which connects to Hapjeong Station. Head toward Exit 8, but before going out, take the passage toward Kyobo Book Centre, then ride the escalator down to B2.

Opening hours and free parking

• Hours: daily 11:00-22:00
• Break time: 15:00-17:00 (no break on public holidays and weekends)
• Last order: 14:00 and 21:00
• Free parking: available at the Delight Square 1 car park (not Square 2), up to 3 hours free depending on usage

What are the atmosphere and seats like?

With its full-glass exterior, calm lighting and warm-toned interior, Shabu in Seoul Hapjeong Branch is a perfect spot for a quiet get-together. The glass front already looked clean and nice from outside, haha, and inside, the soft lighting and warm colors would be just right for a quiet gathering.

Most of the chairs are cushioned with backrests, so eating was really comfortable 🥰 It's shabu-shabu, so being easy on the stomach and comfy in your seat made it twice as good, haha.

Menu, prices and how to choose a broth

You can choose your meat from 2 pork and 4 beef options, and lunch and dinner prices differ, so keep that in mind. There are even five broths, so choosing is half the fun!!

• Grade 1 black pork belly ₩23,000
• Prime Angus chuck eye ₩25,000

I'm a pork person, so I ordered the black pork belly, and my husband, a beef person, ordered the chuck eye.

We chose the clear mushroom broth. The final meal option changes depending on which of the 5 broths you pick, which I found fun, haha. For an extra charge you can get a half-and-half broth, but they told us that with half-and-half you can only have kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) as your finishing meal 🙂

Honest review of the sauces and table setup

Shabu in Seoul sets the table neatly with the pot of broth, sauces and sauce bowls. A tidy spread, nice to look at, right?

There are three sauces, sesame, chili and yuja soy (citron soy sauce), plus minced garlic and chopped chili, and we got three sauce bowls, so it was easy to try every sauce. There's also a guide on the table to eating the sauces deliciously, so give it a read, haha. It even recommends mixing sesame + chili 😋

The clear mushroom broth is the most basic of basics, but it was deep and rich, with great flavor.

The ingredients also came neatly arranged.

Included vegetables and noodle add-ins

When you order at Shabu in Seoul, vegetables and mushrooms come as standard: napa cabbage, bean sprouts, red chard, bok choy, green onion, shiitake, king oyster and enoki mushrooms. On top of that there are quite generous extras: panda-shaped bunmoja (konjac-based chewy noodles), square rice-cake-like (?) bunmoja, rice paper and glass noodles, so you can eat in a filling and varied way, which I loved.

Is the ₩6,000 extra mushroom plate worth it?

We also ordered an extra assorted mushroom plate (₩6,000), and if you like mushrooms I highly recommend it. They gave you so, so many that the extra money didn't feel wasted, haha.

Is the amount of meat enough?

Honestly, the meat isn't an amount that will fill you up by itself. Is it just us.. thinking this? 😂 If you mostly eat the meat in shabu-shabu, you'll probably need to order more, but with the generous vegetables and noodle add-ins, you end up really full once you've eaten everything..!

Above all, you can tell it's good-quality meat, so you can savor the meat flavor more, which was a plus 👍🏻

The broth was so rich and tasty that the main ingredients almost felt like they were just along for the ride 🥹

The vegetables soaked up that rich broth, needless to say, and the meat is thin but has just enough thickness that its texture isn't lost against the mushrooms and vegetables, which I liked.

And the noodle add-ins give you a dopamine-hit of chewiness here and there, haha.

Rice paper wraps and egg porridge to finish

Shabu in Seoul also gives you rice paper as standard, so you can enjoy two flavors from one dish +_+

The wraps (월남쌈) went especially well dipped in the sesame + chili mixed sauce.

To finish, we had egg porridge, the partner of the clear mushroom broth. I was definitely stuffed, but it went down so easily once I started eating, I was surprised, haha.

What kind of gathering suits Shabu in Seoul Hapjeong Branch?

Shabu in Seoul, the shabu-shabu spot near Mecenatpolis in Hapjeong, offered a filling meal with a calm, clean atmosphere and a neat spread. They also served omija tea (five-flavor berry tea) as a after-meal drink. Above all, for this atmosphere and this quality, I thought the price was quite reasonable. If you're looking for a quiet, atmospheric spot in Hapjeong for a get-together or a date, I recommend Shabu in Seoul.