Kawabe Teppanyaki Seoul: Fine Dining at Riverside Hotel

Want a proper special-occasion dinner in Seoul where the chef cooks the whole meal in front of you — fire show and all? 카와베 (Kawabe) Teppanyaki, tucked inside The Riverside Hotel by the Han River, is exactly that: a plush, theatrical, Hanwoo-and-abalone teppanyaki course that also happens to be one of the rare fine-dining rooms in the city that genuinely welcomes kids — and quietly spoils birthdays.

Here’s the detail I love telling people: Kawabe sits on the site of what was, in the 1990s, one of Seoul’s most legendary nightclubs — “Mool” (물) at The Riverside Hotel. Where a generation once danced, a chef now flambés prawns on a mirror-polished griddle. I came for a celebration in 2026, and between the history, the river-side setting, and a chef (Chef Baek) who talks you through every course, it turned into one of those meals you keep bringing people back to.

Where Is It — and What’s the “Mool” Nightclub Story?

Kawabe is inside The Riverside Hotel in Seocho, right by the Han River — a 3-minute walk from Sinsa Station (Line 3) Exit 5, a short stroll from Garosu-gil and Apgujeong. The Riverside Hotel is an old-Seoul institution, and its nightclub “Mool” was a 90s nightlife landmark; today that grand space has been reborn as a sleek teppanyaki dining room with a dramatic circular counter and mood lighting. It’s easy to reach, has hotel parking, and feels like an occasion the moment you walk in.

The Course, in Order

Kawabe is a set teppanyaki course — no à la carte, just a procession of premium courses cooked in front of you. The signature dinner runs around ₩198,000 ($134); a lobster course (~₩140,000 / $95) and a cheaper weekday “compact lunch” also exist. Here’s the full lineup, then each course in the order it arrives.

1. Appetizer — Chilled Scallop

The meal opens light and elegant: a chilled scallop appetizer, sweet and clean, dressed with a little citrus-chili and micro-greens. A gentle, refined start that signals the care to come.

2. Grilled Seasonal Vegetables

Next, 그릴 계절 야채 (grilled seasonal vegetables) — on our visit, batons of grilled eggplant rolled around a savory filling, caramelized on the griddle until sweet and tender. A quiet, vegetable-forward palate-cleanser between the cold opener and the seafood to come.

3. Black Tiger Prawn — the Fire Show

Now the theater. The black tiger prawn is flambéed with a splash of brandy right at your seat — a wall of flame, then a plump, smoky, sweet prawn. Here’s the moment, sound off:

4. Seafood Papillote — Steamed in Edible Film

The fourth course is a 해산물 파피요트 (seafood papillote), and it’s a neat piece of technique. “Papillote” is a French method of cooking food sealed inside a pouch so it steams in its own juices — and here the pouch is a twist of edible film that looks exactly like a wrapped candy (사탕봉지). The chef sets the little clipped bundles right on the griddle, so the scallop, mushroom, leek and greens gently steam inside the film, trapping all the aroma.

Snipped open at the table, the film peels back to reveal a clean, milky seafood broth with slices of scallop, shiitake, leek and greens — delicate, hot, and pure. It’s the most understated course of the night and one of the most memorable.

5. Rock-Salt Abalone — Slow-Cooked Under Kelp & Salt

It begins with plump abalones fresh from the shell, lined up on the hot griddle:

The other showpiece: 암염 전복찜 (rock-salt abalone), and it’s all about patience. The chef lays the abalone on a bed of kelp (다시마), tops it with more kelp and a big mound of coarse salt, and slow-cooks it on the griddle — the salt and kelp gently steam and season the abalone until it’s meltingly tender, never rubbery.

Unpacked from the salt, it’s scored, glazed, and served with its own liver sauce — deep, briny, and luxurious. Lifted to the light, you can see the crosshatch scoring and glossy glaze. It’s the course people photograph and then go quiet over.

6. The Hanwoo 1++ Steak

The centerpiece: a Hanwoo 1++ ribeye steak, seared on the griddle to a rosy medium-rare, sliced, and plated with wasabi, flaked salt and soy, plus sweet-potato crisps. Lifted to the camera, the marbling and the pink center do the talking. It’s tender and clean; if you’re a steak person, upgrade to the Hanwoo tenderloin — it’s the move.

7. Garlic Fried Rice

The savory full-stop: 마늘 볶음밥 (garlic fried rice) — griddle-fried with garlic, scallion, and a shower of grated parmesan, served with a little soup and pickle. Somehow there’s always room for it.

8. Dessert — and a Free Birthday Bingsu

The meal finishes with a seasonal bingsu (shaved ice). A lovely touch worth planning around: if you’re celebrating a birthday, Kawabe brings out a birthday bingsu with a candle — free of charge. Ours came topped with matcha cream and a blueberry, plated on a slate hand-lettered with a gold “Happy Birthday.” Just mention the occasion when you reserve.

Can I Bring Kids to a Fine-Dining Teppanyaki? (Yes)

The tip that makes Kawabe special for traveling families: it’s a genuine fine-dining room that welcomes children. Ask for the kids set and they’ll make a hamburg steak (함박스테이크) with rice and a fried egg, plus ice cream — a proper kid-pleaser while the adults work through the Hanwoo and abalone. Between that, the private rooms (6–16), and the counter show kids find mesmerizing, it’s one of the few places in Seoul for a serious celebratory meal with the little ones in tow.

How Much Is It, and How Do I Reserve?

Kawabe is a splurge: the signature course is around ₩198,000 ($134) per person, with beef upgrades on top, so a celebratory dinner for two lands well north of ₩400,000 ($271 USD). For less, the weekday compact lunch and the lobster course are gentler. All major cards are accepted, foreign-language service is available, and the chef explains each course. One must-do: reserve ahead (Naver reservation or 02-2643-7700), and if you’re a group or family, book a private room (6–16 people).

Planning more of Seoul? For another hotel fine-dining room, see Mugunghwa at Lotte Hotel; for a Gangnam-area fusion-hansik spot, Baesan in Samseong-dong; and for a lovely Seoul cafe, Gwajabang in Yeonnam.

Is It Worth It? The Verdict

Kawabe is a top pick for a Seoul splurge. You get a full fine-dining teppanyaki course — scallop, grilled vegetables, flambéed prawn, seafood papillote, kelp-and-salt abalone, a Hanwoo 1++ steak, garlic fried rice, and bingsu — cooked in front of you in a plush hotel room by the Han River, on the ashes of Seoul’s most famous 90s nightclub. It’s expensive (~₩198,000 / $134) and that’s the only knock. But it’s polished, warm, English-friendly, unusually welcoming to kids, and it quietly spoils birthdays with a free bingsu. Reserve ahead, come hungry, and let the chef run the show. Strong recommendation.