Shabu-shabu for two at COEX Magok: tomato broth over mala, J's Pot

J's Pot Magok Branch: location, hours and parking

J's Pot Magok Branch (제이스팟 마곡점) is a shabu-shabu and hot pot restaurant in COEX Magok Tower A, B2, Unit 208, by Magongnaru Station. It is open daily 11:00-22:00, with a break from 15:00 to 17:00 and last order at 21:00. There is no break on weekends and holidays. Parking in the building is free for 2 hours.

J's Pot is in COEX Magok. The main building has everything from restaurants and cafés to things to see, so it's a great place for a date all in one spot. Stuff yourself, go to a café and work a bit, then shop at Daiso~ (Building parking is covered for up to 2 hours, and spending ₩10,000 at Daiso gets you 1 more hour!) We spent our time at COEX very comfortably.

Is J's Pot Magok Branch good for solo diners and groups?

You can reserve through Naver, and groups can eat comfortably here. Even with a big party, everyone gets a single-serving pot and picks the flavor they like, so there's no menu argument, which is a real plus. At lunch there were a lot of office workers, and there were quite a few solo diners too, probably because the bar table makes eating alone easy.

Oh my gosh, the panda doll was so cute,,, so you eat hot pot too, huh.....?

What two friends ordered at J's Pot and what it cost

My friend and I ordered one beef set and one tomato set at J's Pot Magok Branch and added extra beef belly. The total came to ₩55,000.

• Beef set ₩24,000 (beef / assorted mushrooms / corn noodles / 2 shrimp balls)
• Tomato set ₩24,000 (beef / assorted mushrooms / thin glass noodles / 2 shrimp balls)
• Extra beef belly ₩7,000
• Total ₩55,000

First visit to J's Pot? Order a set

On a first visit, the easiest way is to order a set in whichever of the three flavors you like: beef, mala or tomato. Ordering was a bit hard at first, but a set comes with meat, vegetables and shrimp balls all laid out, so you eat plenty. I came expecting hot pot and was going to pick mala without a second thought, but the reviews said tomato was better than expected, and I couldn't resist my curiosity, so I went with tomato haha

The mushrooms and vegetables are really, truly fresh and generous. Sets always come with beef, so I added beef belly too. If you're a seasoned regular, you can skip the set and mix and match the meats you want! Still, I think the set plus extra beef belly was a great choice. The portion isn't overwhelming, and it was just right for two people to eat until pleasantly full!

The self-serve sauce bar at J's Pot Magok Branch

The self-serve sauce bar has more than 20 sauces. If you know your stuff, make one to your own taste. There are also sauce recipes for beginners written on the wall, so follow a recipe if you want it to taste good, or build any combo you're curious to try!

My friend and I have totally different tastes, so our finished sauces look totally different lol

What does tomato broth hot pot taste like?

The tomato broth at J's Pot Magok Branch was tastier than the beef broth. It was my first time trying tomato broth for hot pot, so I thought, tomato...? It felt unfamiliar, but it was a success! I totally get why the reviews are good. I thought the beef would be better, but the tomato was, ugh (T_T). It's mild enough for kids, addictive, and pairs well with all kinds of ingredients, so I honestly ate endlessly.

Beef broth: the safe pick for shabu-shabu beginners

The beef broth at J's Pot Magok Branch is the kind nobody would dislike. It isn't heavily seasoned or harsh, so it goes down smoothly, which makes it the best flavor for shabu-shabu beginners!! The beef set comes with corn noodles, so I split them half and half with the thin glass noodles from the tomato set and put both in. Yep, delicious!!

Is J's Pot Magok Branch good value for money?

It isn't all-you-can-eat, so extras cost more, but the basic set is already so generous that it didn't feel expensive. I love shabu-shabu anyway, but being able to pick the flavor you want in your own pot was great, the meat was good quality, the vegetables were fresh, and everything was tasty, so my satisfaction was top-notch. If you're deciding where to eat at COEX Magok, and you like shabu-shabu, or you're craving hot soup? I definitely recommend it!