Gangseo hot pot lunch at J's Pot, a Seoul hot pot restaurant

On a weekend afternoon, my wife and I did some light shopping at Magoknaru COEX, then stopped by J's Pot Magok Branch (제이스팟 마곡점), a Magoknaru hot pot restaurant we visit often. It always catches my eye when I am looking for restaurants at Magok COEX, and I was curious about it—it also looked like a good spot for a company dinner, so it is one to keep in mind for the next gathering.

Individual hot pots enjoyed side by side with mala and beef broths

Seating and atmosphere at J's Pot Magok Branch

J's Pot on B2 of Magok COEX Le West City

With bar tables, solo seats, rooms for 5–10 people, and group seating for up to 50, it looked well suited to everything from dining alone to a Magoknaru company dinner. I also heard corkage is available free of charge.

Choosing a hot pot broth to suit your taste

J's Pot is a fusion hot pot restaurant that first established itself in Pangyo before opening at Magok COEX. There were plenty of broths—beef, kimchi, mala, tomato, tom yum, katsuobushi, tonkotsu, and Mongolian—so even people with different preferences could each enjoy the broth they wanted.

Each table has a kiosk, which made ordering easy, and the full-height glass made the inside of the restaurant clearly visible. It felt like an easy place to walk into when looking for a restaurant at Magok COEX.

A self-serve sauce bar for mixing combinations to your taste

Signature hot pot sets and lunch menu

Signature hot pot sets and lunch menu

Items marked with ★ are what we ordered. Broths can be selected from beef, kimchi, mala, tomato, tom yum, katsuobushi, tonkotsu, and Mongolian.

Ordering lunch beef brisket hot pot and vegetable tangsuyuk

The hot pot and sides laid out on the table

For the lunch beef brisket hot pot, we could each choose one broth and order according to our own tastes. I chose the mild beef broth, while my wife chose the spicy mala broth, and we added vegetable tangsuyuk (sweet-and-sour fried vegetables) for a hearty meal.

How did the beef and mala broths taste?

Beef broth hot pot

Mala broth hot pot

The beef broth was mild with a deep, developed flavor, while the mala broth was tingly and intensely aromatic, so we were both happy with our own choices. The beef brisket was tender even after just a brief dip in the broth.

Vegetable tangsuyuk

The vegetable tangsuyuk stayed crisp rather than turning soggy, and its sweet-and-tangy sauce also went nicely alongside the hot pot.

Finishing with self-made rice porridge and Cass draft beer

Finishing rice porridge and draft beer

We added a raw egg and made rice porridge ourselves at the end. The rice and egg came together in the broth to finish the meal neatly. It also went well with a cold glass of draft beer and soft drinks.

Final thoughts on hot pot at Magok COEX

If you are looking for hot pot in Magoknaru, I would recommend J's Pot Magok Branch. There was a wide variety of broths and a substantial selection of dishes, so it seemed well suited not only to a weekend date but also to a company dinner. Next time, I would like to return for one of the set menus.

Like the bubbling broth, the weekend afternoon filled up warmly.