Junggye-dong shabu-shabu lunch basic set for two: Hana Shabu Shabu

Today's restaurant review! Clean, good-vibe interior, fresh and good-quality vegetables and meat, generous portions, and solid value for money — recommending this Junggye-dong shabu-shabu spot, Hana Shabu Shabu Junggye Main Branch. Review starts now!

Where is Hana Shabu Shabu Junggye Main Branch, and when is it open?

Hana Shabu Shabu Junggye Main Branch sits in Brownstone in Junggye-dong, Nowon-gu — right in front of the Nowon Space Science Museum!

Monday to Sunday: 11:00–22:00 / Last order: 21:00 / No break time!

Hana Shabu Shabu Junggye Main Branch, located on the corner of the Brownstone building.

Chairs are set out front for waiting customers.

Inside Hana Shabu Shabu: table seats and the dachi bar counter

Hana Shabu Shabu Junggye Main Branch has both table seats and dachi bar seats. The moment you walk in, the clean, upscale interior already puts you in a good mood before you've even eaten.

Since there's no break time, we were able to eat even though we arrived during a quiet stretch after finishing our other plans for the day.

Shabu-shabu lunch at Hana Shabu Shabu: basic set or full course?

The menu at Hana Shabu Shabu Junggye Main Branch is broadly divided into shabu-shabu and seiro-mushi, with sides like gyudon, mentai-ju, and live octopus tadaki available too. Both shabu-shabu and seiro-mushi split into lunch or dinner, and basic, course, or premium. Note that lunch and dinner differ not just in price but in the amount of meat!

My partner and I were debating between the basic set (meat + vegetables + udon noodles) and the course (basic + meal + dessert) for lunch, when the owner kindly told us the course is quite a lot of food and the basic set alone would be plenty filling. Taking that advice, we ordered just the basic — and even so, the amount of meat and vegetables was so generous that by the time we finished the udon too, we walked out very full and satisfied.

My partner and I sitting side by side at the dachi bar seats.

The 3 sauces and side dishes served before the meal

Before the food arrives, they set the table with sauces. Three kinds are prepared so you can eat to your taste: chili sauce, sesame sauce, and yuzu ponzu.

A pre-meal salad and pickled radish, served right away.

Shabu-shabu vegetables plated like a flower

The vegetables for shabu-shabu also come out right away. Mushrooms, sweet pumpkin, tofu skin, quail eggs, and more fresh ingredients all arrive together. A big pile of bean sprouts hides underneath. Packed generously and beautifully into the tray, it felt like being treated to something special. The vegetables really were arranged like a flower, and it was lovely.

Drop the vegetables into the boiling broth and wait, and...

Beef sliced by hand right after you order

After ordering, fresh meat sliced right in front of us shows up too. Quality miles apart from the frozen meat you get at all-you-can-eat shabu-shabu places — good quality, fresh meat.

Following the vegetables, in goes the meat too — splash, and dig in! Shabu-shabu is great because you don't need to wait long to eat. Fresh meat that cooks quickly and deliciously.

Pulling fully cooked meat out of the boiling broth and eating it up — tastes great, feels great.

Finishing the hot pot with udon noodles

Even just the vegetables and meat already leave you full from the generous portions. But you can't skip the udon noodles!!! With vegetable and meat flavors mingling into a rich broth, dropping in the udon noodles and slurping them up was the perfect finishing touch.

Tadaki torched in front of you at the counter

Just as we were finishing up, the owner made us tadaki.

Watching the owner torch the tadaki right in front of us was both fun to watch and delicious to eat. Normally the tadaki comes out not long after the meal, but that day it was a little late due to personal circumstances, and the very kind owner apologized for the delay. Honestly, just having the owner make it for us was satisfying enough.

Is Hana Shabu Shabu good for a family meal or a date in Junggye-dong?

With great vibes and great taste, this seems like a solid spot for a family meal out! The clean, upscale interior you feel the moment you walk in, the beautifully arranged shabu-shabu vegetables and meat, and the kind owner and staff — all of it makes this Junggye-dong shabu-shabu restaurant, Hana Shabu Shabu Junggye Main Branch, a great fit for both a family dinner and a date.