Daegu shabu-shabu buffet with egg porridge: Shabu20 Bokhyeon

The weather has suddenly turned chilly lately, so I was really craving a steaming hot broth. That’s why I visited Shabu20, a very famous shabu-shabu spot in Daegu. It’s all you can eat, so it’s great value, and it’s also known as a good restaurant near Kyungpook National University’s North Gate and Daegu Airport.

Location and parking near Kyungpook National University’s North Gate and Daegu Airport

Shabu20, a Bokhyeon-dong restaurant in Daegu, is near Kyungpook National University’s North Gate and Daegu Airport. That’s why it’s also well known as a shabu-shabu spot near both.

There’s a large parking lot in front of the restaurant, so it’s convenient to drive here too.

All-you-can-eat selection and weekday lunch

Shabu20 is an all-you-can-eat shabu-shabu place in Daegu, with unlimited beef, pork, Vietnamese rolls, vegetables, drinks, desserts, and draft beer‼️ There are also lots of side dishes, and every one of them is unlimited.

Please use this for the prices! We went for weekday lunch and ate for ₩22,900—such amazing value 👍🏻👍🏻

The restaurant is huge. There are well-arranged group tables too, so it seems like such a good gathering spot in Bokhyeon-dong, Daegu...! Even though I went at weekday lunchtime, customers kept coming in nonstop. There are plenty of coat hangers, so it should be comfortable even in winter. Blankets are available too.

Choosing katsuobushi and spicy broths

Shabu20 says it checks the salinity every day and carefully prepares delicious broths that aren’t overly salty. You choose two broths, and there were so many kinds!? The descriptions are clear and come with pictures, so first-time visitors should be able to order without getting confused. We chose katsuobushi + spicy. (There is an extra charge for sukiyaki or hot pot.)

Every table has instructions on how to enjoy shabu-shabu, so you can refer to them as you eat.

Fresh vegetables, beef, and pork

As soon as we ordered, we went to get vegetables and meat. Just because it’s all you can eat doesn’t mean the ingredients are in poor condition—not at all. The vegetables were super fresh and kept very neatly.

I loved that there were so many kinds of vegetables, including tons for Vietnamese rolls! There was such a variety, including tofu, dumplings, and fish cakes. There are two types of meat: beef and pork. Shabu20 says it selects and serves only premium, fresh, high-quality meat. Its premium beef for shabu-shabu is sliced fresh one piece at a time, so it boasts peak freshness. Maybe that’s why—even at a glance, the meat looked so fresh.

Side dishes from sweet crispy chicken to buckwheat soba

The biggest advantage of Shabu20 is its wide variety of side dishes. There are so many, including salad, minari and freshwater snail vinegar salad, acorn jelly, tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), and fried rice—and they’re all delicious!

The sweet crispy chicken is an absolute must at Shabu20 🫶🏻 It’s crispy and juicy, honestly good enough to rival specialty chicken shops. They even have buckwheat soba.

And there’s egg porridge, an essential shabu-shabu finish, plus rice cakes that make a great dessert. (The rice cakes are chewy and insanely good, so please make sure you try them...) There are soooo many sauces too. Chili sauce, soy sauce, yuzu ponzu, sesame sauce, and more—just take whichever ones suit your taste.

Plus, draft beer is unlimited with no extra charge. Isn’t that incredible value...? There’s juice for children too. Ready to eat 🤤🤤

Meat and Vietnamese rolls in rich broth

At some shabu-shabu places, the broth can taste bland, almost as if it has been watered down. Shabu20 was nothing like that—the broth was richly flavored and deep, which I loved. Soy sauce + wasabi, sesame sauce, and chili sauce: these are the three I always use at Shabu20!

Fried rice, sweet crispy chicken, and tteokbokki: the top three side dishes you absolutely have to eat at Shabu20... We piled in lots of meat and vegetables and waited for them to cook. From this point on, the drooling began... Maybe because they use premium beef, it was so tender. No unpleasant smell at all, and ridiculously delicious 🤤🤤 Dunk it deeply in chili sauce and it’s seriously the best ㅠ_ㅠ

Vietnamese rolls are essential too!!! You know you have to pile in vegetables and add meat as well. Then dip it deeply into sweet-and-spicy chili sauce and take one huge bite—ahhh. Of course, it’s insanely good with sesame sauce too. Maybe because the vegetables were so fresh, they had a lovely crunch and tasted even better. One great thing about Shabu20 is that even the sauces are delicious... Nothing falls short; it’s all delicious at this Daegu shabu-shabu spot!!!

Pick up tender meat with crunchy bean sprouts, dip it in soy sauce and wasabi, and it’s game over ^_^

Egg porridge and kalguksu I couldn’t skip, even full

How could I possibly resist egg porridge and kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), even when I was full...

The egg porridge was so nutty and seriously delicious. You absolutely have to eat it, even if you’re full. The kalguksu was great because the broth soaked into the noodles well, and the noodles were chewy and springy too.

Finishing with topped ice cream and coffee

Coffee and ice cream for dessert made everything absolutely perfect. You can add toppings to the ice cream and even make an affogato! I finished with ice cream piled high with toppings, haha.

The coffee and ice cream are also available to take away. Shabu20 is my favorite all-you-can-eat shabu-shabu restaurant in Daegu! It had been a while since my last visit, but it was still just as delicious. I ate until I was about to burst. Everything is unlimited, the value is fantastic, and the meat quality is great, so if you’re looking for a good shabu-shabu place in Daegu, I really recommend visiting Shabu20 Daegu Bokhyeon branch at least once ♥