Dongtan shabu-shabu buffet, salad bar and 16,900-won lunch: Pyeonbaek

There are so many shabu-shabu buffets popping up lately, and I went to Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Dongtan Branch. The food was good, but honestly what stood out most was how reasonable the price was compared to the trendy shabu-shabu buffets everywhere right now.

Where is Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Dongtan Branch, and what about parking and hours?

Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Dongtan Branch is on the 2nd floor of Granvia Star near Dongtan Station. You can park in the Granvia Star underground lot, and it's free for 3 hours if you eat at the restaurant.

It's open 11:00–22:00, with last order at 20:30.

What is the dining room at Pyeonbaek Hoegwan like?

Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Dongtan Branch is pretty spacious. With shabu-shabu buffets you're constantly getting up to grab food, so it's annoying when the place is cramped or tables are packed too close together — but here it was roomy and comfortable, which I liked.

We went around noon on a weekday and had a reservation, and it wasn't too crowded that day so we ate at a relaxed pace.

It seems like a good spot for group meals or gatherings, and it also worked well for a family outing with a kid, like us.

What the 16,900-won weekday lunch includes

On weekdays the lunch price applies until 3pm, and it's ₩16,900 per adult. Weekday dinner and weekends are ₩19,900 for adults, ₩7,900 for toddlers, and ₩12,900 for elementary schoolers.

You get the same lineup either way — hinoki steam, beef shabu-shabu, the salad bar, kalguksu (noodle soup) and porridge. Shabu-shabu buffet prices have gone up a lot lately, so for this much food, the weekday lunch price really felt like a good deal.

Starting with the hinoki-steamed meat and vegetables

Once you sit down, you start with the hinoki steam (편백찜) first. It's meat and various vegetables steamed together, and I liked that you get to eat this before diving straight into shabu-shabu.

My little one, who's about to turn one, came along too, and since the hinoki steam is just steamed meat and vegetables, it was easy to pick out bite-sized pieces she could eat.

Unlimited shabu-shabu with two broths of your choice

After the hinoki steam, it's on to the real shabu-shabu, all you can eat. You get to choose 2 broths.

There's a good variety of broths — I went with the classic bonito and the spicy mushroom. You can grab as much meat and vegetables as you want.

What's on the salad bar at Pyeonbaek Hoegwan?

At this Dongtan Station favorite, the salad bar has quite a lot going on beyond the shabu-shabu itself — sides, porridge, even dessert.

There's tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), pasta, fried rice, and even ingredients for fresh spring rolls, so you can grab whatever you like in between. I especially loved the bibim guksu (cold spicy noodles) — it was so tangy and good.

Finishing with sujebi, kalguksu and porridge

The shabu-shabu itself matters, but you've got to finish with some carbs, right? Usually it's kalguksu and porridge, but here there was even sujebi (hand-torn noodle soup), which was a nice touch.

Even though I was already full, it's hard to pass up kalguksu and porridge, haha 🤣

For dessert there was even a misugaru (roasted grain powder) slush. Ending with a cold cup of that was a nice way to cleanse the palate.

Is Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Dongtan good for families with kids?

Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Dongtan Branch also works well if you're bringing kids. My older one didn't come this time, but the restaurant has a separate playroom. I didn't get to use it myself this visit, but since shabu-shabu meals tend to run long, having a playroom seems really handy if you're there with a child.

Besides the playroom, there were baby chairs and kids' tableware ready to go, plus a microwave you could use. The staff were friendly too.

Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Dongtan Branch: the verdict

On our weekday lunch visit it wasn't too crowded, and between the unlimited hinoki steam and shabu-shabu, plus sujebi, kalguksu and porridge to finish, we left completely full.

There are so many shabu-shabu buffets these days, but Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Dongtan Branch's edge seems to be that you get hinoki steam alongside it, plus solid amenities for families with kids. If you're looking for a Dongtan Station restaurant that's good to visit with children, I'd recommend Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Dongtan Branch.