Shabu shabu near Incheon City Hall with pork minari pancake: Guksuhwa

I met up with a college friend in Incheon after a while, to hand over a wedding invitation haha. My friend said she'd always wanted to try Guksuhwa, so I went along with her.

I love shabu shabu so I went in with high expectations, and the portions were more generous than I thought, which was satisfying. Shabu shabu especially lets you eat lots of vegetables without worrying, which is great these days when there are so many invitation gatherings and eating out haha. So after visiting that day, I thought it'd be worth introducing as a good restaurant in Namdong-gu.

Where is Guksuhwa? Parking and opening hours

The Namdong-gu main branch of Guksuhwa is at 565 Sorae-ro, Namdong-gu, Incheon, South Korea, and parking is free. The building is used entirely by the restaurant, so the parking lot was really spacious.

• Address: 565 Sorae-ro, Namdong-gu, Incheon, South Korea
• Hours: 11:00 - 21:30
• Break time: 15:00 - 16:30
• Last order: 20:40
• Parking: Free

Inside Guksuhwa, a restaurant near Incheon City Hall

Guksuhwa is split between the 1st and 2nd floors, and we sat on the 2nd floor.

We visited after making a reservation, and there was group seating available too, so it looked like a good spot for gatherings as well.

When we visited, there were also families eating there, and it felt like a comfortable atmosphere for a family dinner too.

Personally, what I liked most was the big window! The sky visible from the window seat was really pretty. The weather was nice that day and the sunlight was so lovely that I felt good the whole time we ate haha. So if you're looking for a good restaurant near Incheon City Hall that's also nice for gatherings, this kind of atmosphere is worth considering.

What we ordered at Guksuhwa and what it cost

That day we ordered the spicy shabu kalguksu for two at ₩15,000 and the crispy pork minari pancake at ₩12,000! The prices weren't too heavy, and the shabu shabu set itself was more generous than expected, more than enough for two.

A salad came out as a default side, and it was fresh and refreshing, nice to eat lightly before the meal. I liked that even the basic side dishes came out so clean.

And the beef we ordered came stacked on two levels, and the amount was bigger than I expected haha. Really plenty for two people.

If you're worried about the portions not being enough while looking for a good restaurant in Namdong-gu, this is worth keeping in mind. Shabu shabu isn't just meat and vegetables — it continues on into kalguksu (noodle soup), which made it even more satisfying. We also ate the yeolmu kimchi and regular kimchi that came as default with the noodles, and that was surprisingly tasty too. I like this kind of shabu shabu course where you can eat a variety of things right up to the end.

Spicy shabu kalguksu for two: how is the broth?

For Guksuhwa's spicy shabu kalguksu, you put vegetables and meat into the broth and simmer them together before eating.

Cooking the meat and dipping it right into the soy sauce was really delicious. Above all, I liked the broth. Despite being called "spicy shabu," it wasn't overwhelmingly spicy or sharp — just moderately spicy, which was exactly to my taste.

Crispy pork minari pancake, the side dish to order with it

And here's what I think is the killer point!! Definitely order Guksuhwa's crispy pork minari pancake alongside your meal. I ordered it because I really love minari (water celery), and true to its name, it comes out truly crispy haha.

There was a subtle minari aroma, and eating it together with the meat gave a completely different feeling from the shabu shabu. Shabu shabu alone might feel a little lacking, but ordering the pancake alongside it let us enjoy a real variety of food. So for anyone looking for an invitation gathering spot near Incheon City Hall, the menu lineup here should work well.

Finishing with fried rice and omija tea

We couldn't just stop after finishing the shabu shabu and kalguksu, could we haha.

We had them scoop out a bit of the broth and fry rice for us. Even though we were pretty full, we still ate every bit till the end.

After finishing our meal, they also gave us an omija (schisandra berry) drink as dessert. It was refreshing and perfect as a palate cleanser at the end. I feel like even elderly family members would enjoy visiting here.

Is Guksuhwa a good spot for a wedding invitation gathering?

This time I visited to hand a wedding invitation to a college friend, and I liked that we could eat and talk more comfortably than I expected. I've been visiting a lot of restaurants lately for invitation gatherings, and if a place is too loud or the seats too uncomfortable, you can't really talk properly.

Guksuhwa had a pretty sky view from the window seats and a fairly spacious dining room, so it felt like a good gathering spot even among the good restaurants in Namdong-gu. There was also group seating, so it looked good for friend gatherings or family dinners too. Especially if you're looking for a place to eat with parents or elders, the shabu shabu menu shouldn't feel too heavy.

If you're looking for a place to eat while delivering a wedding invitation to a friend in Incheon like I was, Guksuhwa is worth considering as a good restaurant near Incheon City Hall. The weather was so nice that day, and the sunlight coming through the window was so pretty that I felt good the whole time we ate haha. A place I'd want to visit again next time I'm in Incheon!

Getting to eat generous shabu shabu together with the crispy pork minari pancake made this invitation gathering even more satisfying. If you're looking for a good restaurant in Namdong-gu — for a family dinner, a date, or an invitation gathering like mine — Guksuhwa is worth a visit. Those searching for a good restaurant near Incheon City Hall should check it out too!