Shabu-shabu near EXCO in Daegu with a cream pasta self-bar: Shabu20

I was looking for somewhere to eat near EXCO and ended up at Shabu20 Daegu Bokhyeon branch (샤브20 대구복현점). I love shabu-shabu so I did some digging before choosing this place, and honestly, it turned out satisfying on so many levels 🍜 It's a great spot to swing by right after seeing an exhibition or event at EXCO, so anyone in the area might want to keep it in mind.

🚗 Parking at Shabu20 near EXCO

The first thing that stood out about Shabu20 Daegu Bokhyeon branch was the parking. Around EXCO, parking can be a real headache during events or exhibitions — I once wandered forever trying to find a spot after an EXCO event, so this was something I was low-key worried about. But here, there was plenty of parking space and no trouble at all getting my car in. Not having to stress about parking turned out to be a bigger plus than I expected, especially for anyone heading straight over after an EXCO event.

🏢 How big is the dining room?

Walking into Shabu20 Daegu Bokhyeon branch, the size of the place hit me right away. It was way bigger than I'd imagined, honestly a bit surprising. The tables were spaced out generously too, so I could eat comfortably without worrying about the next table over. With all that room, it seemed like a great spot for families or larger groups, and it also felt easygoing for someone like me who just wanted a quiet meal. Because the place is so big, even waiting didn't feel as stuffy. The interior was clean and tidy too, so it wasn't bad for photos either.

🍥 Choosing your broth at Shabu20

At Shabu20 Daegu Bokhyeon branch, you can also choose the broth — the heart and soul of shabu-shabu. Having options based on taste was great, and I personally went with the deep-flavor broth. It wasn't bland at all — the umami really came through, and the more ingredients I added and simmered, the richer the soup got. Starting off light and then deepening as the ingredients cook in seems to be the whole charm of shabu-shabu. The broth quality held up all the way to the end, even when I added porridge and noodles at the finish. Since everyone I went with had different tastes, having a range of broths to choose from meant everyone could pick something they liked.

🥩 Unlimited meat refills

Another great point here was the unlimited meat. No need to worry about portions — I just kept refilling and adding more meat as the broth simmered. The thinly sliced meat cooked up soft with just a quick dip in the broth, so I never got tired of it and kept reaching for more.

This is a huge plus especially when you're eating with a group — nobody has to stress about portions and everyone can eat as much as they want. Every refill came out fresh, so the quality never dropped off even toward the end. If you love shabu-shabu, the unlimited meat alone makes this place feel like great value 🥩

🍽️ What's on the menu

Another big strength of Shabu20 Daegu Bokhyeon branch was the sheer variety of choices. From meat to vegetables to noodles, there was a lot to pick from, so it was fun mixing and matching instead of sticking to one thing the whole meal — that kept things interesting all the way through. It was fun switching up ingredients depending on the broth too. The vegetables were pretty fresh, so I kept refilling those, and the meat came in a range of cuts to pick according to taste. With such a wide selection, it seemed like a great spot to bring people with different tastes — everyone could find something they liked.

🌯 The Vietnamese roll corner

Another thing I liked here was the Vietnamese roll (spring roll) corner. Rice paper, various vegetables, and sauces were all set out separately so you could wrap your own. After just eating shabu-shabu and self-bar dishes, having this build-your-own station added a whole extra layer of fun to the meal.

Piling fresh vegetables and meat onto rice paper and dipping it in sauce made for a light, refreshing bite. It was a nice way to reset the palate every so often after all the heavier food. Making the rolls myself was fun too, and it was a good excuse to chat with the people I was with.

With the main shabu-shabu, the self-bar, and the Vietnamese roll corner all going, there was so much to enjoy that the meal never had a dull moment 🌯

🍗 What the self-bar holds: chicken, tteokbokki, pad thai, cream pasta

Something else I really liked was the self-bar. It wasn't just vegetables and sauces — there was a whole range of side dishes, so it was fun grabbing different things to go along with the shabu-shabu.

There was chicken first — right around when the shabu-shabu started feeling a bit heavy, grabbing a piece of crispy chicken really brought my appetite back.

There was tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) too, and the sweet-spicy sauce was so well soaked in that I kept going back for more. Right as I was getting a little tired of the broth flavor, having tteokbokki as a palate cleanser kept the meal feeling fresh.

The sweet pumpkin salad was soft and sweet, and it did a great job resetting the palate between all the punchier dishes — perfect for cutting through the richness or spice.

I was a bit surprised there was even pad thai — the noodles were stir-fried well in a sweet-and-tangy sauce, giving it an unexpectedly exotic flavor. I never expected to eat pad thai at a shabu-shabu place, but the execution was pretty solid.

There was cream pasta too, which was great to finish on. The rich cream sauce wasn't overwhelming, so it went well alongside the shabu-shabu without clashing. The self-bar dishes alone were substantial enough to make a full meal on their own.

Being able to enjoy this many side dishes, unlimited, from the self-bar on top of the main shabu-shabu really seems like this place's biggest appeal. I never got tired of one flavor since I could keep switching things up, so I enjoyed the meal all the way through.

🍦 Dessert: coffee and ice cream

After finishing the meal, I grabbed coffee and ice cream for dessert. After eating my fill of shabu-shabu and self-bar dishes, finishing off with

a warm cup of coffee felt like a clean, tidy way to wrap up the meal. There was ice cream too, so I could finish with a sweet little palate cleanser.

Having dessert this thoughtfully prepared really made it feel like a complete, well-rounded meal.

Getting the main dish, all these sides, and dessert for one price is definitely a clear advantage of this place ☕🍨

✨ Is Shabu20 Daegu Bokhyeon branch worth a stop?

Shabu20 Daegu Bokhyeon branch was satisfying on every front — easy parking, a spacious dining room, broth you can pick to your taste, and a wide variety of dishes. It's a place I'd definitely come back to whenever I'm craving shabu-shabu near EXCO. I'd especially recommend it to anyone looking for a spot for a group gathering or family meal, or heading over after an EXCO event 🍲