Incheon shabu-shabu buffet, 3 extra beef chuck flap plates: Shabuway

My mom loves shabu-shabu. Last time we went to Ruwon City for meat, I noticed there was a shabu-shabu place here and said we should come sometime — so I just went ahead and made it happen. Honestly, my mom isn't that into buffets (she can't eat that much, haha), but this time she genuinely ate until she was stuffed. This is a Cheongna shabu-shabu spot my mom actually approves of! Let me introduce it.

Shabuway Ruwon City Cheongna Branch / Hours: Weekdays 11:30–21:30, break time 15:30–17:00 / Weekends 11:30–21:30, no break time

Parking and seating at Shabuway Ruwon City Cheongna Branch

You can use the parking at Ruwon Top Plaza, or if that's full, there's also parking at Ace Tower behind the building, so there's nothing to worry about. Not finding a parking spot is so stressful, but Shabuway gives you two options, which is really convenient.

Honestly, I was surprised at how spacious the layout was — if you hate eating packed in with other people, you'll be really satisfied here. There's a room-style space too, so this would be great for a work dinner or a big family gathering! I really didn't expect such a modern vibe going in, and the atmosphere was pretty nice, so it's a place you could comfortably bring older family members too.

We went on a weekday a bit early, so seats were still open and we could pick where we wanted. We chose one of the partition-style seats — even if you end up at a regular table because it's crowded, these dividers let you eat fairly privately. Better to eat cozily just the two of us than sit face-to-face with a neighboring table like we're all one group — smart design.

QR ordering and the half clear, half spicy broth

These days, ordering by QR code at the table seems to be everywhere. It really is more convenient! But my mom, for instance, was seeing QR ordering for the first time, and older folks can find it tricky, so a staff member came over and helped us order directly — I thought that was a really thoughtful touch. It's nothing for younger people, but it can definitely be a hurdle for older guests!

At this Cheongna shabu-shabu spot, once you order the shabu-shabu, not just the meat but everything else is unlimited too! Total value for money. There were several broth options — we ordered half clear broth, half spicy broth. We actually debated the mala broth too, but watching another table eat it, it smelled like real, authentic hotpot, so we decided to try the mala broth next time...

What the self-bar is like: shrimp jang, vegetables and soup

Honestly, how good could the food at a shabu-shabu buffet really be, right? That's what I thought going in — total miscalculation! There weren't a huge number of dishes, but every single one delivered. And it's way better than places that have tons of variety but mediocre quality. This wasn't a buffet with lots of options but nothing worth eating — every single dish felt genuinely good! There was shrimp jang (soy-marinated shrimp) too, not fishy at all, already shelled, so it was really easy to eat. The soy sauce wasn't too salty either, so it was good even without rice.

The buffet was kept spotlessly clean. Whenever a dish ran low, staff refilled it right away!

There were side dishes too, and unlimited vegetables and salad! It was buffet-style, so you just help yourself, which was great. My mom said the vegetables all looked super fresh. I checked, and yeah — the condition was really impressive!!!! I've been to other shabu-shabu places before where the vegetables looked wilted and on their last legs, but Shabuway clearly manages their food really well.

Three all-you-can-eat meats, and draft beer for an extra fee

And here's the really crazy part — meat usually isn't unlimited, right? At Shabuway, even the meat is all-you-can-eat. There are three types of meat; the first plate of each is brought out for you, and after that you just pick whichever you like and go get it yourself. They keep refilling the trays so the meat never runs out, so you can grab several plates at once.

There were plenty of drinks too, and for anyone who likes a drink, you can pay a bit extra for unlimited draft beer. Isn't this seriously a great-value shabu-shabu place? No need to hold back — just help yourself, which I loved. When I told my dad we were going for shabu-shabu, he immediately knew it was Shabuway.... he loves this place that much.... A spot my mom and dad both pick — this one's the real deal.

Sauce combinations to try, plus mom's own mix

Unlike some other places, you can actually make your own tasty sauces here, and my mom loved that. She said even the sauces were great!! There's a sauce combination guide, so you can follow that, or my mom made her own special sauce. I just followed the guide for mine.

After excitedly piling up buffet food, I came back to find the broth pot waiting at our table. You really could bring your parents here — the taste and the atmosphere are both this good?

All-you-can-eat: how good is the quality?

When you hear "all-you-can-eat," you might honestly think the quality has to be mediocre, right? Like maybe they're serving cheap stuff to fill you up? I'm sure some people think that, but here, from the freshness of the vegetables to the freshness of the meat, the quality was genuinely so much better than expected that we went back for three more plates of meat. I think the freshness comes through even in the photos.

My first plate was piled entirely with my favorites. If you're going to Shabuway, make sure to try the soup! Adding almonds or corn flakes to it is also really good, haha.

My mom piled up a huge plate of food and said she wanted to eat it with Vietnamese rice wraps — she went back for that twice more!! Moms are really picky, so this counts as a pass!!! I think it felt even better because the vegetables were so fresh.

The spicy sauce and sesame sauce I made — once you add green onion and chili, it's seriously delicious. There's a shabu-shabu place I normally love, with great quality and atmosphere, but it's a bit pricey so I couldn't go often. But Shabuway? It has similarly great taste and atmosphere, plus a full buffet, all at this price — total value for money. I think my mom and I will be coming here a lot from now on.

Three plates of beef chuck flap, the best thing we ate

Let go of the idea that all-you-can-eat meat has to be low quality — Shabuway proves otherwise! Genuinely good. The color alone tells you. My mom and I loved the beef chuck flap the most, and we went back for three plates of just that. It's kept fresh in a showcase-style fridge, so you can bring it back to your table without it thawing out too much!

Finishing with kalguksu noodles and fried rice, and mom's verdict

Shabu-shabu plus buffet food? That's not the end of it. The finale — kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) and fried rice — is what really completes the meal. But honestly, I was too full and only had a little kalguksu, so I can only imagine how good the fried rice was... I guess I'll have to go back to find out.

My mom personally said this place has better food than some other shabu-shabu buffets and doesn't feel like a crowded, chaotic market at all, and picked it as somewhere she wants to come back to! I had such a great meal too, so I think we could even host a gathering here next time. This is a Cheongna shabu-shabu spot I want to visit again soon!!!!