COEX Magok hot pot date: tomato broth and egg porridge at J's Pot

I went to eat hot pot with my boyfriend at J's Pot Magok Branch, in COEX Magok. Usually when you think of hot pot or shabu-shabu, you're sharing one pot between everyone — but here, even if you visit together, each person gets their own individual pot.

The interior is also fancy, like an upscale Chinese restaurant, so it worked well as a date spot too. Apparently the original flagship of this fusion hot pot chain is in Pangyo, but this time I visited the branch at COEX Magok.

📍 J's Pot Magok Branch / B2, Tower A, COEX Magok

Where is J's Pot Magok Branch, and where do you park?

J's Pot Magok Branch is on B2 of COEX Magok Tower A. Once you enter the underground parking lot, you park near the Square Ballroom area on B2.

Parking is free for 2 hours, and after that it's ₩1,500 per 15 minutes. Two hours was plenty of time even after eating, so it's also a good window to wander around COEX Magok afterward.

One pot per person on an individual induction burner

Walking inside, I noticed every seat had its own individual induction burner. This seemed like it would work well not just for couples but for meals with coworkers or bigger groups too.

Sometimes when you order a hot pot or stew meant to be shared, it's awkward to portion it out, but also uncomfortable for everyone to eat straight from one pot.

At J's Pot Magok Branch, each seat has its own induction burner so you don't have to worry about that. The seats were also fairly spacious, and there was group seating available too.

Why we picked tomato broth from the 8 broths at J's Pot

Once seated, you pick the broth you want. Options included beef, mala, tomato, tom yum, kimchi, katsuobushi, Mongolian, and tonkotsu. My boyfriend and I both went with the tomato broth this time.

Having always gone for mala-heavy hot pot before, this was my first time trying the tomato broth — and I finally understood why everyone always says to try the tomato broth when you go to a hot pot restaurant.

Peanut sauce: the best mix from the sauce bar

After ordering, you make your own sauce to taste. There was a sauce bar with base sauce, peanut sauce, spicy chili sauce, chili sauce and more, with recommended combinations posted.

I usually just mix my own sauce however I feel like it when eating hot pot, but this time I tried the recommended combo of base sauce and peanut sauce. You really have to try the peanut sauce.

Adding sausage and bok choy to each pot

When I got back to the table after making the sauce, a whole spread of ingredients was laid out.

Even though we both picked the same tomato broth, we could each choose different ingredients in detail, so visiting as a pair means you get to try a really wide range of ingredients.

When you visit together and each pick different ingredients you want, then share with each other, you end up tasting a much wider variety than if you'd each just ordered the same thing.

The shrimp balls, meatballs, lamb, tofu skin, mushrooms, and other ingredients all looked fresh, and the portions were just right. Since we're a couple that always adds sausage and bok choy (cabbage-like greens) whenever we eat hot pot, we ordered those extra too.

The vegetables that came as standard were already a good amount, but since we were going all out, we kept adding more of this and that. Honestly, between talking and savoring every bite, I was completely absorbed the whole meal.

What J's Pot Magok Branch feels like on a date

Eating each our own pot felt like a fun change of pace, and even on a date, we could each eat exactly to our own taste.

The atmosphere in particular was clean and fancy, like an upscale Chinese restaurant — not just a place for solo dining, but genuinely nice for a date dinner with my boyfriend. I found myself thinking we should come back like this again sometime.

Finishing with corn noodles and egg porridge

At the end, we added corn noodles and ordered a raw egg to make egg porridge. Between adding all sorts of ingredients from the start and then finishing with noodles and egg porridge on top, it was seriously filling.

Thanks to that, I stayed full and never got hungry for the rest of the day after the meal. Unlike the hot pot I usually eat, being able to each pick our own broth and ingredients made this a great spot for my boyfriend and I to each eat exactly to our own taste.