Yongsan Station sukiyaki restaurant with peanut sauce: Shabu in Seoul

Since I only go to this area occasionally, finding a good place for Samgakji lunch is always the hardest part. But there's one Yongsan Station restaurant I can trust no matter when I visit — Shabu in Seoul Yongsan Main Branch~

It's a shabu-shabu specialist located between Samgakji Station and Yongsan/Sinyongsan Station, and I've grown to love it for serving a well-put-together meal at a reasonable price in an upscale atmosphere.

Alright, let's go! I'll give you the full rundown on Shabu in Seoul Sinyongsan, my go-to recommendation whenever I want shabu-shabu near Yongsan Station, so follow along.

Where is Shabu in Seoul Yongsan Main Branch, and is there parking?

I mentioned it's between Samgakji Station and Yongsan/Sinyongsan Station, but strictly speaking Samgakji Station is closer. That also puts it near the War Memorial of Korea, and the National Museum of Korea isn't far either.

No parking on site~ You can use the nearby Samgakji temporary public parking lot for a fee, at ₩1,500 per 30 minutes, so even 2 hours of parking comes to about ₩6,000.

Menu and prices at this Samgakji lunch spot

It's a shabu-shabu specialist, but with 5 different broths and a finishing meal that changes depending on the broth, you get a different taste even if you go often.

Prices vary depending on which of the 6 meat cuts you choose, from black pork belly all the way up to Black Nine wagyu chuck flap, and also depend on whether it's lunch or dinner.

For Samgakji lunch, prices run ₩20,000–₩33,000, with dinner adding ₩3,000 on top. Whatever menu you choose, broth, 11 vegetables, a finishing meal, and dessert are all included the same way.

(Psst) Highball is ₩10,000, Saero and Terra are ₩7,000, Suntory draft beer is ₩9,000, and you can add various sides like mushrooms, vegetables, meatballs, kalguksu noodles, glass noodles, dumplings, sujebi, and rice cakes.

How to reserve and order: pick the broth by its finishing course

Since this is such a popular restaurant near Yongsan Station, I made a reservation before visiting. Naver, CatchTable, and phone reservations are all possible, but I basically did an opening run and got in without any wait.

Once seated, you order via the tablet at the table. Choose your meat, then pick one of the 5 broths. The finishing meal that's determined by the broth needs 10 minutes to prepare, so you call the tablet once you've mostly finished eating.

Personally, I pick my broth based on which finishing dish I feel like eating that day.

The best-seller, clear mushroom broth, ends with egg porridge. Spicy mushroom broth ends with rosé risotto, crab doenjang ends with doenjang rice rolls, sukiyaki ends with yakisoba, and the new beef tomato broth ends with tomato risotto.

What we ordered: eye of round beef plus assorted mushrooms

This Yongsan Station shabu-shabu spot has 6 meat cuts, but today I ordered the most basic — eye of round beef. I added the most popular assorted mushroom option too, making the already generous portion even more generous.

The 11 vegetables that come with the set

I said vegetables, but it's not just vegetables. A bowl about 22cm across comes packed with napa cabbage, enoki mushrooms, broccoli, minari, oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, burdock root, onion, glass noodles made from mung bean starch, tofu, bean sprouts, glass noodles, and sweet pumpkin. There are also 4 sheets of rice paper for wraps, 2 per person.

Eye of round beef at Shabu in Seoul

The thin, wide-cut eye of round beef comes out as 2 plates, one per person.

The egg sauce for sukiyaki

If you order the sukiyaki broth at this Yongsan Station shabu-shabu spot, egg sauce comes included by default. If you love it, you can add extra for ₩1,000.

Is the assorted mushroom add-on worth it?

Napa cabbage at ₩4,000, minari at ₩4,000, bok choy at ₩4,000, and fried soy skin at ₩3,000 are all popular, but my absolute favorite is the assorted mushrooms. A bowl about 18cm across comes packed with shiitake, oyster, king oyster, and enoki mushrooms — I love it so much.

How to eat Kanto-style sukiyaki

You might be used to sukiyaki made by pouring in a thick, concentrated soy sauce and simmering it down like a braise. But this one is Kanto-style, so you pour in a generous amount of mild soy broth and enjoy it just like regular shabu-shabu. As you eat, the broth naturally gets saltier and richer, and using egg as a dipping sauce works the same way.

The umami of bonito flakes blends beautifully with the soy sauce for a savory-sweet balance. Whatever ingredient you add in, it comes out delicious.

Ingredients that take longer to cook, plus the base cabbage and green onion, go in first, then you add whatever you like next and enjoy it step by step.

Yuzu soy sauce, chili sauce, peanut sauce, minced garlic, and minced chili are all set out so you can make already-delicious ingredients even better.

My personal number one pick is peanut sauce~ Add cheongyang chili and garlic to it, and the rich, nutty flavor makes me so happy.

With fresh, high-quality ingredients, everything tastes great no matter how you eat it. Adding the assorted mushrooms made it an even more satisfying Samgakji lunch.

Finishing course: yakisoba

Regardless of which meat you choose, picking the sukiyaki broth automatically gives you yakisoba as the finishing dish. After pouring out all the broth, you stir-fry the noodles right in that same pan.

Stir-fry the meat and vegetables, add the noodles and soy seasoning, stir-fry more, then finish with mayonnaise and bonito flakes~ The sweet-savory flavor meeting the rich mayonnaise created an explosion of umami.

Dessert: omija (Korean magnolia berry) tea

From the finishing meal all the way to the omija (schisandra berry) tea, everything is included in the menu — zero extra charge. The refreshing sweetness was the perfect palate cleanser!!! A proper ending all around.

Current events and offers at Shabu in Seoul Sinyongsan

There are various events to help you enjoy the place even more affordably. Write a photo review and get a free fried soy skin. There are even 2 coupons available if you make a Naver Reservation on your birthday.

Those are a coupon allowing you to bring in a cake and candles, and a lion's mane mushroom coupon. It's a great way to make a good day even better, so be sure to check out the events too.

Shabu in Seoul Yongsan Main Branch: hours, address and contact

• Address: 61 Hangang-daero 62-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, 1st floor, South Korea
• Hours: Mon–Thu 11:00–22:00 (break 15:00–17:00, last order 14:30, 21:00) / Fri 11:00–23:00 (break 15:00–17:00, last order 14:30, 22:00) / Sat 11:00–23:00 (last order 22:00) / Sun 11:00–22:00 (last order 21:00)
• No parking available
• Corkage fee charged
• Reservations via Naver Reservation, CatchTable, or phone
• Room available. Room charge ₩30,000. Up to 6 people