Shabu-shabu restaurant in Magok, Seoul for a group dinner: Okso Ban

Hi, it's Ally haha. Today I'm bringing you a review of Okso Ban Magok Main Branch (옥소반 마곡본점), where I went for a get-together with my former coworkers.

We booked for 4 at 6 p.m. on a Friday, and it turned out I was the first one to arrive. So let me give you my honest review of Okso Ban Magok Main Branch.

Why we picked Okso Ban Magok for a group dinner

It had been a while, and I was setting up a dinner with 3 former coworkers. We all eat pretty much anything, so we chose a place with all-you-can-eat shabu-shabu (hot pot where you swish thin slices of meat in broth).

Okso Ban Magok Main Branch comes up often when people talk about shabu-shabu in Magok, so I made a Friday 6 p.m. reservation and headed over.

Friday at 6 p.m.: reserve and walk right in with no wait

It's a Friday evening, so I figured getting a seat without a reservation would be tough. Thanks to booking ahead, we had no wait at all and walked in right at 6 p.m.

Atmosphere and table spacing at Okso Ban Magok

When I arrived under the reservation name, the 6 p.m. table was already set, so I could sit down right away without waiting.

The first thing I noticed when I walked in was that more than half the tables were already full.

If it's already this busy at 6 p.m. on a Friday, I figured the tables must turn over pretty fast.

The interior is wood-toned and the tables are spaced generously, so conversations next to you didn't bother us much. The layout is easy to move around in, which suits group or family gatherings too.

What we ordered and the price: Dinner Set B for 4, ₩91,600

We ordered Dinner Set B – shabu-shabu (chuck eye roll) x 4, ₩91,600 in total.

Vegetables are unlimited. You order more through the table order screen and the staff bring them over.

Side dishes: salad, pickles, kimchi and cherry tomato marinade

The side dishes were salad, pickles, kimchi and a cherry tomato marinade. I kept popping the marinated tomatoes one by one to get my appetite going before the meal haha.

Lots of vegetables and chuck eye roll! Both the vegetables and the meat looked really fresh. Besides the greens there was tofu, dumplings, mushrooms and more, so I was happy thinking I'd be having a healthy meal lol.

Broth seasoning and meat thickness

The shabu-shabu broth was medium-seasoned, neither strong nor too bland.

The meat was cut at a thickness that cooks through with no pink after just a quick dip, so it was easy to eat.

I dipped into each of the 3 sauces (soy, peanut and chili) one by one to taste the difference.

Finishing with abalone porridge and omija tea

As we kept refilling and adding vegetables, the vegetables and meat infused the broth and it got richer and richer. So we ordered the porridge right away.

We went with abalone porridge. A friendly staff member came over and made it for us, and it was so good.

Abalone porridge made with vegetable stock and meat broth!!! The seasoning was just right, and with the vegetables and abalone to chew on, it was so delicious.

For dessert, omija tea (a tea made from five-flavor berries) wrapped things up nice and clean haha.

Ally's honest review

"A shabu-shabu place in Magok where, as long as you reserve, you can eat comfortably in a nice setting without the stress of waiting."

Recommended for

• Couples or anniversary dinners at a nicer restaurant
• Family gatherings and meals out with your parents
• Group events and company dinners
• Anyone who wants a healthy meal
• Vegetable lovers

That's my review of the shabu-shabu at Okso Ban Magok Main Branch, where we went for a Magok get-together. I included the tip about reserving for 6 p.m. on a Friday too, and I hope it helps haha.