Baby-friendly shabu-shabu restaurant in Nowon: Hana Shabu Shabu

My husband had been away from home for about 10 days for overseas training, and he finally came back!

Since it was the day we were seeing each other again after 10 days, it felt a little sad to have dinner at home as usual. It was also the day our baby was seeing Dad after a long time, so the three of us went out for dinner at Hana Shabu Shabu Junggye Main Branch (하나샤브샤브 중계본점). When dining out with a baby, the food matters, of course, but it is also quite important whether there is something the baby can eat, whether the restaurant is comfortable, and whether the staff are at ease with guests who have babies. In that regard, we had such a pleasant meal that day.

Hana Shabu Shabu Junggye Main Branch near Junggye Station

Hana Shabu Shabu Junggye Main Branch is about a five-minute walk from Exit 4 of Junggye Station. It is close to the station and located on the first floor of Browstone Junggye, so it was easy to find. Parking is especially important for many people, and I was told that you can register for two hours of free basement parking. The listed hours were 11 AM to 10 PM, with last orders at 9 PM and no separate break time.

There were counter seats and table seats inside.

The atmosphere was neat and lovely, so it looked nice for a date too. It also seemed suitable for family meals, gatherings, or company dinners, and it was more comfortable than I expected to visit with a baby like we did.

They had a high chair and children's tableware too, of course. ^^

Shabu-shabu and seiro-mushi menu

Looking at the menu, lunch shabu-shabu and seiro-mushi started at ₩23,000, while dinner menu items started at ₩29,000. I wondered what seiro-mushi was, and it turned out to be a hinoki cypress steam basket filled with vegetables and meat!

Along with the delicious meal options, they had a wide selection of drinks that would pair nicely with them, so it seemed like a great place for a pleasant drink with dinner. Sadly, because of parenting duties, we only added one Coke. Seiro-mushi sounded good too, but shabu-shabu seemed better for eating with our baby, so we ordered shabu-shabu for two.

From the moment the shabu-shabu ingredients were set on the table, they already felt quite generous.

There were generous portions of many kinds of vegetables and mushrooms, so it was fun just looking at everything before we even got started. The vegetables were in such good condition too.

Also, it was my first time seeing shabu-shabu meat presented so elegantly and beautifully. I thought, ah, maybe that is why it is called Hana Shabu Shabu.

It goes without saying, but the quality of the meat was good too.

Shabu-shabu that was easy to share with our baby

Our baby usually really loves mushrooms, and she ate them very well that day too. Shabu-shabu is great for adults, but it also has lots of things you can portion out for a baby, such as vegetables, mushrooms, and udon noodles. I think it is a very good family dining option with a baby. Truly, it is one of our go-to dishes whenever we go out with the baby.

Cooking the meat and vegetables one by one in the broth made for a warm, light meal. There was such a variety of vegetables that it was fun choosing different things to eat too.

There were several sauces prepared as well, so we could enjoy the same meat and vegetables according to our preferences. Personally, it felt like a very satisfying, well-rounded meal.

Service I appreciated even more because we came with a baby

What especially stayed with me that day was how kind the owner was. They were so attentive because we had a baby with us, even preparing meat and rice separately for the baby. Those of you who have taken a baby to a restaurant will know how meaningful these small gestures can feel. They took care of things first without us having to ask for this and that, so we were able to eat much more comfortably.

At the end, they even gave us pudding for the baby, and she polished that off too. It made me think that on our next visit, I would like to order a course and properly try the dessert as well.

Tataki service through the review event

We also joined the review event that day and received tataki as a complimentary dish.

Honestly, since it was a complimentary dish, I ate it without high expectations, but it was much more delicious than I expected. It was delicious in a completely different way from the shabu-shabu. Watching the tataki being seared was quietly fun too. I definitely recommend joining the review event and receiving it as a complimentary dish.

It was our first dinner together as a family of three after my husband came home from overseas training, 10 days later. The food was delicious, but I think it remains an even better memory because they took such thoughtful care of our baby. If you are looking for a good shabu-shabu restaurant in Junggye-dong, or a place around Nowon for a meal with your parents, a family gathering, or dining out with a baby, I think Hana Shabu Shabu Junggye Main Branch is worth a look. We are planning to come back next time for a course that includes dessert. :)