Nowon shabu-shabu restaurant, so full on a diet I skipped dinner: Hana

Why Hana Shabu Shabu for lunch with a friend in Nowon?

Hana Shabu Shabu Junggye Main Branch (하나샤브샤브 중계본점) is a shabu-shabu place in Junggye-dong, Nowon, where you can eat a tasty, generous lunch. I was meeting a friend in Nowon and couldn't decide where to go, so we ended up here. The price isn't scary and the place is clean and tidy, so it's already a well-known Junggye-dong favorite. If you're looking for shabu-shabu in Junggye-dong, I really want to introduce it to you.

How to get to Hana Shabu Shabu Junggye Main Branch, and parking

The restaurant is about a 5-minute walk from Junggye Station Exit 4 and Hagye Station Exit 6, so it's easy to find. It's inside the Junggye Brownstone building, so the building isn't hard to spot, and I parked without any trouble. Whether you come on foot or by car, I recommend it all the way.

There's a menu board outside, so you can check prices and dishes before you go in. It's easy to see as you pass by, so first-timers shouldn't feel nervous about walking in.

Should you arrive at opening time at Hana Shabu Shabu?

I heard the place is usually crowded, so I went right at opening time. It felt like it fills up fast if you're even a little late, so I was glad I made the opening-time run. If you're after shabu-shabu in Junggye-dong, going with some time to spare will make for a more comfortable meal.

Seating: bar seats, tables and a group room

There are bar-style seats too, so two people can sit side by side like on a date, and it looked comfortable for eating solo as well.

The table seating is roomy, so I'd also recommend it for family meals or get-togethers with friends. There's even a group room at the back, which looked like a good fit for anyone struggling to find a place for a gathering.

When we sat down, the table was already neatly set, and the first impression was really clean and nice. The salad comes in a pretty bowl, and the sauces and basic sides are served so tidily that the whole thing feels a bit more upscale.

Hana Shabu Shabu lunch menu and prices

For lunch, my friend and I ordered two of the shabu-shabu brisket + sirloin sets (₩23,000 per person). I picked it because I wanted that warm shabu broth, and we enjoyed it.

The menu has seiro-mushi (steamed meat and vegetables) as well as shabu-shabu, so you can choose by taste. There are also separate options for extra meat and udon noodles, which is handy if you're still hungry partway through.

Fresh vegetables served on a wooden tray

The vegetables come neatly arranged on a wooden tray, and they looked fresh just sitting there. There were lots of kinds of mushrooms, plus kabocha squash, bok choy, napa cabbage and fish cake, and the colors were so pretty that it was great for photos. Seeing that generous pile of vegetables, my expectations were already through the roof before anything went into the broth.

Brisket and sirloin: enough to skip dinner

I ordered the set with both brisket and sirloin, and the meat came beautifully fanned out, which looked great from the start. And the amount! I was so full that I skipped dinner.

You cook in a sturdy, impressive-looking cast-iron pot filled with broth, and maybe because the presentation pops so much, it really felt like being treated to a special meal. I loved that.

What is the free tataki for a receipt review like?

When I visited, Hana Shabu Shabu was running a Naver receipt review event, and if you take part you get a free tataki (lightly seared beef). Take note and be sure to get it.

Look at them cooking the meat with a torch. It makes my mouth water just looking at it. The outside is lightly cooked while the inside stays tender, with sauce spread inside. You just eat it in one bite, and it was somehow spicy yet soft. Totally recommended!!

Even though it's a free item, it didn't feel like an afterthought. It felt like a nice bonus to start the meal, and I was really happy about it. (It beats a free drink by a million times.)

How to eat cast-iron pot shabu-shabu

Once the broth in the cast-iron pot started bubbling, I added a big load of the vegetables. They were so fresh and there were so many that it was perfect for eating slowly while chatting with my friend.

When the vegetables had cooked a bit and the broth had deepened, I dipped in the thinly sliced meat. It cooks quickly, so there's no waiting, you just fish it out and eat, and it vanishes in an instant ^^

Dipped in the sauce together with the vegetables, it was light yet filling, and my chopsticks kept going back. At first the vegetables and meat looked pretty generous, but as we talked and ate, the pot was empty before we knew it.

Finishing with udon in the leftover broth

At the end, I put udon (thick wheat noodles) into the leftover broth and boiled it once more. The broth had all the flavor of the vegetables and meat, so the noodles soaked up that savory depth and tasted even better. I'm on a diet these days and have been cutting way back on food, but at Hana Shabu Shabu I just could not stop my chopsticks. I really, truly understood once again why so many people come here.

Who is Hana Shabu Shabu Junggye Main Branch good for?

Overall, the atmosphere was clean and the lunch set was generous, so I was satisfied with Hana Shabu Shabu. Parking is easy and it's close to the station, so it would work for a family meal, a date, or just a casual lunch. For anyone wanting a warm, filling meal, I recommend Hana Shabu Shabu for shabu-shabu in Junggye-dong.