Japanese restaurant in Bucheon: abalone porridge at Haehwagaban
In short
Haehwagaban Lotte Department Store Jungdong Branch is a Japanese restaurant serving seafood rice bowls and noodles on the B1 floor of Lotte Department Store Jungdong in Bucheon, Gyeonggi, connected underground to Sinjungdong Station. Over lunch with her mother, the writer ordered shiitake abalone porridge at 17,000 won, eel rice bowl ochazuke at 19,500 won and fried shrimp at 4,000 won; the porridge tasted rich right down to the abalone innards, and the eel was crisp outside and tender inside with no muddy smell. Haehwagaban is a quiet place to treat parents to a restorative meal.
Good to know
- Address
- B1, 300 Gilju-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do (Lotte Department Store Jungdong)
- Hours
- Mon–Thu 10:30–20:00 / Fri–Sun 10:30–20:30
- Closed
- On department store holidays
- Location
- 67 m from Sinjungdong Station Exit 3; the store's B1 floor connects directly to the subway
- Eel rice bowl ochazuke
- 19,500 won
- Shiitake abalone porridge
- 17,000 won
- Fried shrimp
- 4,000 won (choice of shrimp, mushroom or pepper)
- Parking
- 1 hour free with 10,000 won spent, 2 hours with 30,000 won, 3 hours with 50,000 won
- Seating
- Shared seating in front of the restaurant
- Event
- One free canned drink for writing a Naver receipt review
- Price reference
- ₩10,000 ≈ $7.4 · ₩30,000 ≈ $22.5 · ₩50,000 ≈ $37 (2026-09-15)
as written by the visitor on Sep 13, 2026
📍 300 Giljju-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, B1 ⏰ Mon–Thu 10:30 - 20:00 / Fri–Sun 10:30 - 20:30 🚗 Parking available ⭐ Closed on department store holidays
How to walk to Haehwagaban from Sinjungdong Station
Haehwagaban Lotte Department Store Jungdong Branch, a Sinjungdong Station favorite, is just 67m from Exit 3, and the station connects directly to the department store's basement level, so it's easy to reach by subway. 🚇
Haehwagaban, the hot seafood rice bowl and noodle specialist from Daehak-ro, has opened in Bucheon too‼️ It's great for a meal before or after shopping, and also good for meeting friends.
There's spacious, comfortable shared seating right in front of the store, so you can sit wherever you like!
Haehwagaban menu and its most popular dishes
Haehwagaban Lotte Department Store Jungdong Branch has a really solid lineup — from eel, salmon, and cod roe rice bowl ochazuke, to savory abalone porridge, sweet shrimp and sea urchin cold soba, and karaage — so there's plenty to pick from depending on your taste. 😊
The best menu item at Haehwagaban, a Bucheon Japanese restaurant: grilled eel rice bowl (ochazuke)! You have to try this one,,🍚
Join the Naver receipt review event and get a free drink~! 🥤
Origin labeling was clearly displayed, and there was an allergen information sign, showing thoughtful consideration for anyone with food allergies. 😇
How much free parking do you get at Lotte Department Store Jungdong?
Since it's inside a department store, you can visit without worrying about parking! 🚘 Free parking is 1 hour with ₩10,000+ spend, 2 hours with ₩30,000+, and 3 hours with ₩50,000+.
What we ordered at Haehwagaban and what it cost
- Eel rice bowl ochazuke ₩19,500
- Shiitake abalone porridge ₩17,000
- Fried shrimp ₩4,000
Every dish came out neatly arranged on a tray, giving it the feel of a high-end Japanese restaurant or a hanjeongsik (Korean set-course meal) place! 🍚 Perfect for bringing your parents or for a date course in Sinjungdong!
Shiitake abalone porridge, 17,000 won: the restorative dish Mom approved
📌 Shiitake abalone porridge ₩17,000 The visual of this Wando-sourced abalone porridge just radiates savoriness even before you taste it!
With abalone intestines mixed in for a rich, deep color, generous slices of abalone piled on top, and an egg yolk garnish, it felt like a proper nourishing meal before you even took a bite! 💪🏻
The porridge had a really thick, rich texture, and the moment I took a bite, the deep flavor of abalone spread gently through my whole mouth. 🤤
Popping the yolk and stirring it in doubles the savory flavor, and the chewy texture of abalone you bite into here and there is excellent! 😊
Fresh abalone was packed in generously. Highly recommended for anyone wanting nourishing food that's rich in nutrients without being overly strong in flavor.
Adding salted seafood on top of the savory, rich abalone porridge makes the umami explode! 🤤 My mom, who really loves abalone porridge, totally approved and said we have to come back next time.
Eel rice bowl ochazuke, 19,500 won: a whole freshwater eel
📌 Eel rice bowl ochazuke ₩19,500 Living up to its reputation as Haehwagaban's best-selling menu item in Bucheon, the visuals are perfect from the start! A whole freshwater eel brushed with the chef's special sauce sits on top, and it looks nourishing just from the visuals alone! 💪🏻
I usually don't like the sharp, spicy taste of ginger, so I set half of it aside at first — but when I actually tasted it, the ginger here wasn't spicy at all, just clean and appealing! 🥹 I ended up adding the ginger back and finished it all cleanly ^0^
Thick, hearty eel, crispy outside and tender inside,, the sweet-salty sauce soaked all the way through for maximum umami!
Not just the eel but the rice, topped with flying fish roe, chopped green onion, and seaweed flakes, was lightly coated in the special sauce, so the rice alone was really delicious. ❤
Wrapping the rice and eel in crispy seaweed is amazing! The eel had zero fishy taste, was chewy yet plump, and kept the naturally fatty, savory flavor of freshwater eel while completely eliminating any off smell — so good. 🤤
Piling thick eel on top of the abalone porridge is also amazing><. Two nourishing dishes coming together made for a combination that was great both in taste and in nutrition!
The savory doenjang (soybean paste) soup served alongside paired well with the eel rice bowl.
How to eat ochazuke the right way
How to enjoy ochazuke‼️ When about a third of the rice is left, mix in furikake (seasoned seaweed sprinkle), then pour in the ocha (tea) and wait a moment before enjoying~!
The savory umami of the bonito broth soaks into every grain of rice, making it a real specialty!⭐ With so much eel packed in, I could enjoy it all the way through without running out, and being able to enjoy it in two different styles made for a hearty, satisfying meal.
Fried shrimp, 4,000 won: the side dish to add
📌 Fried shrimp ₩4,000 For anyone who found the mixed tempura portion a bit much, there's also a ₩4,000 fried side dish menu that's perfect to add on. 🍤 (choice of shrimp, mushroom, or pepper)
The crispy texture of the batter stayed intact, so one bite gave a satisfying crunch and filled my mouth with a savory flavor><. Freshly fried and piping hot — what more is there to say~!
Dipping it generously in tartar sauce is also amazing! Crispy outside with plump, springy shrimp meat inside — delicious. 🧡
Is Haehwagaban worth a meal with parents?
Savory abalone porridge that even my mom approved of, paired with the truly delicious eel rice bowl ochazuke — a perfect meal! 🍚 If you're looking for a Sinjungdong Station Japanese restaurant or a Bucheon Japanese restaurant, I recommend Haehwagaban Lotte Department Store Jungdong Branch!
Where it is
300 Giljju-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, B1경기도 부천시 원미구 길주로 300 지하1층
