- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Shabu Shabu Bar
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 2 pm
Mon-Sun 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Tue, Fri, Wed
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
513 reviews for Shabu Shabu Bar
Review Highlights
"Goma sauce is unique and very tasty (1 of my favs."
(in 78 reviews)
"If you like spicy, don't forget to ask for hot drops."
(in 37 reviews)
"Don't forget to get the black sesame ice cream."
(in 12 reviews)
Loading...
513 reviews in English
-
Review from Pearl T.
Orange, CA
2/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
My husband & I came here for "date night" and it is a very good place for a date. The night started with a very friendly greeting from the host, and drinks while you wait. It's a very hip little place once you get passed the strip mall entrance.
Once seated, you are greeted by your personal wait staff on the other side of the shabu shabu "bar". The entire restaurant consists of 2 U-shaped bars to enjoy the dining experience. It all starts by grinding your own sesame. It is truly an experience as opposed to simply a meal. The people are very friendly and have a great sense of humor (Geomar was great!)
I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and plan to revisit. My husband has had other forms of "hot pot" in the past and wasn't a big fan, but he left there saying that he likes shabu shabu, at least at this restaurant.
Be ready for a long wait, but this gives you plenty of time to chat while waiting, and the experience is well worth it. -
Review from Tiffany H.
Irvine, CA
2/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Solid 4.5 stars for me!
I was enticed by the buy 1 get 1 50% off deal (Daily Yelp Promotions - explained in detail below!)
This place is pretty damn good. It gives Ayame a run in my shabu world.
But, I think what makes them stand out is their sauces. Their sesame one is DELICIOUS. And you get to crush your own blend of sesame seeds with a pestle. And the ponzu isn't too sour like California's. Shabu Shabu Bar also has the hot drops. woo.
AND what sweetened the deal even more, was the yelp check-in for 12 free sake shots. SHABULICIOUS FTW. They have a few different kind of sakes including fruity ones like the shabulicious one I mentioned..which is a pink fruity tasting one. They had one that was like orange bang. But had a gross vodka-y aftertaste. But, they do have traditional dry sakes. The Shabulicious didn't even taste like alchy. Never knew I could enjoy sake so much!
Service was great. When you ask for the noodle base, they even do it FOR you. Awesome. But I think what puts Ayame #1 for me is that Ayame has rice cake & tsumire + it's closer to me. But, Shabu Shabu is a heavy contender in my book. TRY IT! Make sure to check out yelp for different promotions everyday. -
Review from Daliya H.
Paramount, CA
2/1/2012 3 Check-ins Here
This is my favorite Shabu Shabu restaurant. A group of friends and I came here for dinner a couple of times and each experience has been wonderful. The employees are super friendly and helpful.
If you check into yelp you get free shots or a discount on your order (different promotions each night)
I ordered the ribeye = delicious, also the goma sauce is yummy!! If you like spicy food add a couple of hot drops. -
Review from Michael C.
Buena Park, CA
1/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
Best Shabu Shabu hands down!
Me and my lady have been sampling Shabu all over the area (downtown fullerton, cerritos) and this restaurant takes the crown hands down.
If you go on the weekends remember these times: 5:30p, 7p, and 8:30p. If you don't show up at those times, have fun waiting! This place gets packed! And it usually takes an hour and a half for someone to leave.
The staff is very friendly (most of the time). And the owner walks around and works alongside his staff making sure everything is tip top.
Me and my lady usually get a regular and large rib eye which runs us about $50 total with tax and tip.
The sauces are the best and the vegetables are very, very fresh!
Try this place out! -
Review from Pamela S.
Irvine, CA
Updated - 2/1/2012 7 Check-ins Here
Cynthia makes the best soup and Geomar makes you feel like a celebrity! ;)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
1/23/2012
This is my favorite place for shabu shabu! Their sesame sauce is amazing as well as the service. The… Read more »
-
-
Review from Malin T.
Irvine, CA
1/30/2012
When we entered there were only a few customers but soon every seat was taken with a fairly large queue at the entrance, so be sure to be there as soon as it opens or you'll be waiting for the 2nd seating cycle between 12:30-1:00.
The place is clean and typical of a shabu house, nothing bad but nothing special. Customer service is the same, nothing spectacular but not bad either.
The veggies are the typical assortment you find at the majority of shabu places. I like that they have hot drops available on request but wish they had additional spicy sauces like Sriracha or chili paste. Dipping sauces, ponzu, goma and peanut were tasty but the thick, slimy consistency was a turn off. A friend told me the sauce wasn't like that when she went so I'll have to give it another try. -
Review from Luu H.
Irvine, CA
2/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Good food. Nice staff. Lots of fun. Remember to get the soup base at the end and don't overdo your broth (I don't add anything to the water).
-
Review from Susan R.
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
1/28/2012
I regularly go to Shabu Shabu Bar for lunch since it is near my work, but tonight was my first venture there for dinner since it'sa bit of a drive from home. The stakes were high because it was for my husband's birthday AND it was my parents first time shabu-ing.
We got there when they opened at 5:30 p.m. and got in line (yes, there was a line of people waiting for them to open). We had the good fortune to have Cynthia as our server - she was extremely friendly and very helpful to our shabu trainees, making sure our water glasses were full and all our needs were met throughout the evening. The food was delicious (from ribeye to prime beef to shrimp and scallops...plus all the yummy veggies) and we just had an overall great experience.
It was capped off with a birthday shot of fuji apple infused sake for the birthday boy which was a perfect ending to a great meal. We are all stuffed and say that "we will never eat again"....until tomorrow morning. -
Review from Tracy n.
Fountain Valley, CA
Updated - 1/20/2012 1 photo
Nordstrom-like management turns a sour experience into a sweet one.
After my initial review, the management contacted me right away. I received an apology and he guaranteed that type of incident won't happen again. I was happy to see that they do care then I was contacted again for an complimentary dinner so they could some how make it up to us. I could tell that one customer's experience really mattered. He let me know that this kind of service is unacceptable and wanted to make it up to us.
Some people may say that the employees is a reflection upon the management . Rather, I tend to think that a business is a reflection upon management . If you look carefully through all these reviews then you will constantly see people talking about Randy and see how he gets back to the customers. He responds to you in a timely manner and treats you as an individual. The way I was treated after my experience, actually made me feel like I wanted to delete my initial review BUT I decided to do an update instead to express the validity of my overall experience. I need to give credit where it is due and the management here far exceeds my expectations for any kind of restaurant.
4 stars by Yelp definition means that "Yay! I'm a fan" and thanks to Randy's exceptional service he has made me one.
Advice:
To me, food quality at different Shabu Shabu restaurants doesn't range much. You need to look for a short wait time and service. At other shabu shabu restaurants management is hardly seen. Here at Shabu Shabu Bar, you can see Randy greeting customers and walking around. If you have ANY PROBLEM just simply ask for him and just let him know, he will take matters in his own hands and fix it. He is very approachable and through my experience of communicating with him then I know that he was sincere with his words. If you have any type of problems then just look for the tall guy walking around because he is there to take care of you.
With management like this, who is willing put down their egos and correct their mistakes then you know that the business/service here is either 1) staying the same and continue being exceptional or 2) just even get better.
I prefer the latter =)1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
1/17/2012
Horrible experience with a drunk waiter and false advertising.
I rarely give a 1 star but after… Read more »
-
-
Review from Huckleberry L.
Fountain Valley, CA
1/31/2012 1 Check-in Here
I went here with my wife and two good friends. There was a long wait but we checked in on yelp and received some free drinks. There was not much alcohol in the drinks but I really can't complain since they were free. We also had some appetizers: the gyozas and the edamame. Both were unremarkable. Note: I believe if you order drinks and appetizers, a 20% gratuity is automatically charged to your bill.
As I said, the wait was very long. At one point they called us for our table and after we got up and walked halfway over, they said they were not ready for us yet. As an apology, they comped all our appetizers.
The shabu here was fantastic. The meat quality was superb and the goma dipping sauce was amazing. The vegetables were fresh and service was excellent. My wife and I are not huge shabu fans but we both find ourselves craving for this place from time to time.Comment from Randy S. of Shabu Shabu Bar 1/31/2012
Thanks Huckleberry, we're happy that you enjoy our Shabu.… More » -
Review from Tami S.
Anaheim, CA
2/1/2012
Fantastic! We are visiting from Georgia and are trying to figure out a way to get a Shabu Shabu Bar closer to home! The food is fresh and plentiful! The manager keeps a close eye on his wait staff and makes sure everyone is pleased with their experience. The only thing they need is some chili garlic sauce. But no worries... we just brought our own!! We'll come back here whenever we are on this side of the country!!
-
Review from Peter P.
Hands down my favorite shabu shabu place ever! SSB is a great place to go for a casual dinner with friends or to take your special someone for date night. The food tastes delicious, is prepared fresh and is super affordable. Thinking about going? Here's what you need to know:
+Amazing customer service. Servers are genuinely friendly and helpful (shoutout to Jennifer!). They will actually skim your pot for you to take out the floating residue and prepare a tasty udon noodle soup for you after you are done with your rice. Make sure to tip accordingly!
+Quality meat selection. While I'm perfectly content with rib eye beef, they also have wagyu, kobe and prime for all you ballers out there. Chicken, seafood or all veggies is also available.
+Bomb sauces. Botj their goma and ponzu sauce are excellent. You grind your own sesame seeds for the goma sauce which is a really nice touch. They have hot drops if you want a real spicy kick.
+Yelp love! The owners are really cool guys and loves hooking up Yelpers. There are constant Yelp check-in deals and promotions viewable on the Yelp page, i.e. for free sake or BOGO 50% off on certain days.
+Clean restaurant and design with 2 separate shabu shabu bars. There is a waiting area with couches and a television in case there is a wait. If there is a wait, the line generally moves pretty quickly and they let you order drinks while you wait!
All of these things made more one of the most pleasurable dining experience in recent memory. Nothing but love for SSB! :) -
Review from Kristen K.
Los Angeles, CA
1/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
Fun Shabu Shabu dining experience!! All the servers are so sweet and nice. If it's your first time eating Shabu Shabu, they're more than happy to walk you though what everything is...and they don't try to rush you while going through it either.
The food is good...but I think it's a bit too highly priced for the amount of food that they give you. But they give you a free (mini) bottle of sake for checking in!! So I think it balances out :) Overall very happy with my experience and will definitely come again!! -
Review from Jessica H.
Irvine, CA
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Food
I like the beef here the best out of ALL the shabu shabu places I been to. I think the veggies were really fresh. The only thing that I don't like about this place is the sauce. There is something wrong the the sesame sauce, I have been to MANY shabu shabu's and all of them has this stronger taste of peanut or sesame, but this place has their's is....sweet with VERY little flavor at all.
Service:
This is interesting. I didn't like it much. I felt like I had to keep asking the servers for my sauce, green onions, daikon, and garlic. I didn't feel like I was being served that well. Then I said something about where I am from...the server said something about how we say shit about that place? I feel its important to make the customer feel like they are entertained, but let's keep it PG?
Overall, the food was great. The service bought it down.Listed in: Shabu Shabu! Gotta Love it!
Comment from Randy S. of Shabu Shabu Bar 1/17/2012
Happy New Year Jessica.. I'm glad you enjoyed our meat and… More » -
Review from Bernice C.
Irvine, CA
1/12/2012
Good place for a dull date because you're either busy cooking your food or eating.
I am a shabu shabu newbie, and if you are too....make sure you bring someone knowledgeable before you feast. I was playing follow the leader the whole time. She was throwing in ingredients, and squirting sauce in the hot pot left and right. I was half expecting her to yell "BAM!" like Emeril Lagasse every time she threw something in. If you want to "kick it up a notch;" ask for some drips of hot oil, but don't get greedy. I had the prime beef, and it was pretty good. I have tried two other shabu places, and I like the peanut sauce here best. Also different from other places, I got to grind my own sesame seeds which was a thrill because I have always had a small desire to become a Chinese herbalist.
Shout out to our waiter, Derrick. Attentive, with a pinch of humor with my shabu shabu, the best side you can ask to go with your entree. -
Review from Qui C.
1/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
I haven't been to many shabu shabu places. Something about boiling water just doesnt appeal to me like hot pot does. But I've been hearing alot about this particular shabu shabu bar lately and decided to give it a go. And I was pleasantly surprised and satisfied.
It is really a bar style dining. I still don't know how I feel about that because I like to face people when I'm talk to them but it was a unique experience nonetheless. The servers were very attentive. We did the check-in and got the free sake shots. Very cool! I liked the Shocker out of all of them. There's a tang similar to Gaterade Lime flavor that was better than the rest.
We got the Ribeye dinner set for $16 each person and it was more than enough. I was stuffed to the max at the end.
Our favorite server is Jennifer! She's so sweet and made sure we were well taken care of. She even brought out black sesame ice cream for one person in our party's birthday. The manager, Randy, is definitely the guy that Yelpers make him out to be. Randy is awesome! Give it a ago and try this place. We're glad we did. -
Review from Kate M.
Newport Beach, CA
1/12/2012
Great food but the service was horrible. We were told that the wait would be 20 mins but it ended up being 2 hours while the host sat her friends but said they called in to reserve. When I spoke to one of their friends, they said they just called and made their reservations about 20 minutes ago.
Wish I had friends that worked there.Comment from Randy S. of Shabu Shabu Bar 1/12/2012
Happy 2012 Kate, despite the terrible service you received… More » -
Review from Cynthia Y.
Culver City, CA
5 stars for the food & manager! Deducting a star for our sucky waiter...
So, I brought my boyfriend here last night on a Saturday evening. We drove all the way from El Monte. I haven't been here in over a year because I no longer live in the OC. I was eager to bring my boyfriend here because the last time I came, I really enjoyed it. I'm a little disappointed in the service we received from our waiter.
We arrived at around 6:30, dinner peak hour. Randy(?) the manager greeted us and he looked concern when he said the wait was about 45 minutes haha which was sweet. He took our number and let us know that he'd call when our seats would be ready. The place was packed!
We were finally seated after about an hour. It took about 5 minutes for our server/waiter to greet us.. I understood at first cause it was busy, but throughout our dinner, he was super slow and he only had one side of the bar to serve. I saw the other waitress busting her butt over the other side and plus another side of the other bar. We saw she was a lot more attentive to her customers. I think we saw our guy probably 3 times, to take our order (someone else brought us our food), when we flagged him down to get a spoon, and when Randy asked him to bring our check, which took about 10 minutes!! Even Randy saw how slow he was and said, "wow did he not bring you your check yet? I'm gonna kick him!" and even offered us dessert on him. We saw Randy more than our server.
Please note that the food here is amazing and top quality! Randy was awesome. But sorry, it was frustrating how slow our server was..Listed in: Top Restaurants, My Favorite Japanese Eats
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
4/29/2010
I think Shabu Shabu Bar is the best Shabu place in Orange County!
I've been to a few Shabu places in… Read more »
Comment from Randy S. of Shabu Shabu Bar 1/9/2012
Happy New Year Cynthia! Thank you so much for thinking of… More » -
-
Review from Jun P.
Carson, CA
1/13/2012
When you feel the need to Shabu, there's only 1 place you need to go, Shabu Shabu Bar. The friendly staff and atmosphere add to the full enjoyment of your visit and not to mention, the amazing food! Their sauce is unbelieveable.
Ever since we introduced our friends to this place, they all have made this into a weekly thing. 1 friend comes once a month from SF!!! The vibe is chill and after your meal, you can have a drink or 2 in the lounge area and watch tv.
Whether you want Shabu for lunch or dinner, this is definitely the place to go.
Hands down the best Shabu!!!! -
Review from Anthony L.
Santa Ana, CA
1/30/2012
Now THIS is what I'm talking about. This is definitely my favorite place for Shabu Shabu. Great service, great ingredients, great quality... seriously... try it out! (beef is my favorite here)
-
Review from Natassia S.
Las Vegas, NV
This place is awesome!! everything from the service, the atmosphere, n the food. Definitely a place to check out if your ever in Santa Ana. I got the large order of the sirloin steak n it was alot, and believe me I love meat. U need to add the drop of extra hot oil in your sauces cause that just makes everything taste ono (better).
I recommend getting there early with everyone cause it gets busy quick. Definitely #1 on my list of hot pot shabu shabu!!Comment from Randy S. of Shabu Shabu Bar 1/8/2012
Happy New Year Natassia! Thanks for the wonderful kudos :)… More » -
Review from connie c.
Anaheim, CA
1/15/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Plenty of food and great service.
I thought at first cooking shabu shabu on plain water might not have enough flavor but the sauce gave enough flavor to the meat and the vegetables. Plus the udon cooked in the broth at the end was great. -
Review from Zavanna P.
Garden Grove, CA
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Ok so I wasn't that impressed. I mean it had pretty cool decorations but man was it small! I understand space is limited but for a place like this, they really needed more space. The waiting area was just ridiculously small (i guess to compensate for the U shaped bars) My best friend and I literally had to stand waiting by the entrance door until we were called to sit down and eat at the bar. The greeter was real nice and polite so that's always GOOD!
+Food= well the food was okay. Not jumping for joy but also not crying that the meal was bleh... i'd give it a 3/5 stars
+Service= well the greeter 5/5 stars! Polite & apologized for the long wait (of course I know he cannot control how fast/slow the other customers will eat) The waitress 1/5. Although I understand it gets busy, she only came by ONCE to check on us or ask if we needed anything. The cook (or assistant waiter) was an excellent 4/5! He came around almost all the time refilling our drinks and asking us if we needed more of something & explained to me how shabu shabu works (it was my 1st time there) i knew he wasnt supposed to be OUR waiter because when we got the bill it had the waitresses name, not his.
+Decoration/Ambiance= 4/5 I was really feeling the vibe BUT again space space space!!! It's hard to enjoy or say "it was worth the wait" when you pressed up against the front door =(
+Cleanliness= outside the bar (waiting area etc.) 4/5 not bad. Sitting at the bar and it being a U shaped bar so the waiters are inside and you see the sink and everything else exposed was NOT appealing. Especially with the leftover half eaten noodles & veggies sitting there in the sink where they wash their hands. It was completely EXPOSED just laying there, I wish I took a picture because the whole time I was eating, my view was of the sink with the leftover foods compiled that the other customers had eaten. Id suggest putting it in a bag in the back OR dumping them in the back kitchen all together and leaving that sink clean and free and used just for washing hands. The dirty dishes were there too :( thats a horrible NO NO for me!!! so for that i gave it a 1/5.
OVERALL= i might go back, when its less crazy and hectic. we did go around lunch hour so obviously it would be long wait BUT i dont know. i usually give 2nd chances and my experience wasnt all that bad but i wish i enjoyed it a bit moreComment from Randy S. of Shabu Shabu Bar 1/2/2012
Happy New Year Zavanna! Thanks for all the helpful… More » -
Review from Mel L.
Irvine, CA
1/13/2012
You'll like this place if you crave for something healthy and warm in the cold days.
Grind your own sesame seeds: you'll have a little traditional hand grinder to make sesame seeds powders, that's very fun to do and the freshly grounded sesame seeds smells wonderful.
Portion is good for most people: a 250-lb guy would get filled by the amount of meat and veggie. On top of the veggie and meat, you'll have brown/white rice AND a bowl of udon soup.
The staff is very friendly. There are a lot of regular customers, and the staff would chat and DRINK with the customers.
The only reason why I took off 1 star is that there are so many regulars, and the staff spend more time serving them, so other first-timers or new customers comparatively get ignored a little bit. -
Review from Devyn T.
Irvine, CA
12/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great managerial service. The food was tasty, very crowded. Enjoyed the atmosphere, great music, somewhat ample waiting room/bar area with television to drink and have appetizers while waiting for a seat. Sometimes the staff get overwhelmed and tend to neglect, so I'd recommend just getting on their case. Expect a 20 minute wait to get your meats during busy hours. If you order an appetizer, expect to get it after the person next to you who sat down after you.
If you're unsure about the meat, there actually is a difference in flavor between the rib-eye and the prime rib-eye (prime is better, more flavorful and tender). The pork meat is mediocre. Regular portion is enough for the average person. This is also one of the few progressive restaurants that serve not only white rice but BROWN rice too. When you're almost done with your meal, the staff make a noodle soup for you with your remaining ingredients. BEWARE of the spice drop - one too many can be fatal (I exaggerate only a little).
Definitely let the staff know if it's your first time so they can help you out. My friend and I sat there staring at other folks (there are quite a few regulars) and felt silly, so save yourself a little time and blushing.
Overall, it's a really fun place to go with friends or a date. Groups are welcome but given the seating arrangement around a bar area and high chairs, it's hard to get larger groups together in a setting where everyone can converse. They only take reservations for groups of 6+. Shabu Shabu Bar also does check-in deals!!!Comment from Randy S. of Shabu Shabu Bar 12/28/2011
Happy Holidays Devyn! Thanks for giving us a try and… More » -
Review from Celina L.
Placentia, CA
1/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
Let me just say - this place provided the best customer service EVER. Hands down. I was greeted at the door, they helped me find my party at the bar. Unfortanetly, they didn't have enough seats. That's fine, I understand. The place was packed anyways. A few minutes later the same guy who greeted me at the door found a chair for me. How sweet. Our server was great. Food came out pretty quickly and my beer mug was full the whole time. You really get what you pay for here. Fresh food, good company, friendly service. Cheers, Shabu! May you live long!
-
Review from Sunna K.
San Francisco, CA
1/20/2012
I must say this is one of the best Shabu places I have ever been to. I live in San Francisco and whenever I'm in the area, I have to stop in. The food is amazing with all the yummy sauces. I'm addicted!! The staff and service here is great. Very attentive, especially Randy, who always makes sure we are having a good experience. I highly recommend coming here!
-
Review from Jaime L.
Huntington Beach, CA
12/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
12 free shots for a Yelp check in? Say whaaa? Good thing it tasted more like rasberry kool-aid than shots otherwise after 36 (there were three of us, for those doing the math) we would've been on the floor!
Very clean set-up, large bar and super friendly staff make this a great location to get your shabu fix.
The veggies were fresh and the best presented that I've seen to date.
I had the ribeye and shrimp combo and asked for extra rice noodle instead of the udon and unlike the other spot, was happily obliged.
Like the other place, they let you grind your own sesame seeds for a fresher taste on the goma.
The veggies were crisp, and like I said beautifully presented. The shrimp was excellent as well. I wasn't too keen on the meat. Not very flavorful. Probably my least favorite meat of the shabu places I've been to. So far the winner in that department is Ka Shabu in downtown HB.
It's kinda hard to hear your friends when you're here. I had to make friends with the little kid next to me, because my friends would talk and I couldn't hear them.
But a great place and great meal nonetheless!Comment from Randy S. of Shabu Shabu Bar 12/23/2011
Happy Holidays Jaime, thanks for the positive feedback! … More » -
Review from chanel l.
Irvine, CA
1/22/2012
Yummy! I just love all soup dishes so much! Manager really knows what service means. I waited 30minutes alone for a friend and he made me feel so comfortable! Pricey but worth it. Nom nom.
-
Review from Laura S.
Orange County, CA
11/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
444 reviews currently ... what hasn't been said? I'll just highlight what you need to know.
-The place is super clean.
-The servers are friendly and will help you out if you need it.
-You grind your own sesame seeds here.
-There are some awesome yelp check in deals.
-You'll have to connect to their free wi-fi to redeem these deals as the reception is horribly crappy inside.
-Their vegetables are the best I've had at shabu.Listed in: It's All Yelps Fault!
-
Review from Michael M.
Anaheim, CA
1/12/2012 2 Check-ins Here
ZERO STARS!! They dont deserve even 1 star. I got here at 7:30pm, put my name on the waitlist, they said the wait would be 40 minutes... We Finally got seated at 10:15pm! By this time i had lost my appetite, my back hurt from the uncomfortable seats and i was completely annoyed.
-The host was rude and was taking shots every few minutes with some other guests next to us which i assume were her friends by they way they interacted.
-The owner was drunk and reeked of alcohol.
-The whole staff was drunk
-We got pushed around in the waiting area because it was so small
-We tried to order some appetizers and drinks to where we were waiting at and it went to the wrong table, where is sat for 30 minutes which we were unaware of.
-We were the last people to get seated, we watched other parties come in and put there names on the wait list and get seated within 20 minutes.
-We waited for 2 hours and 45 minutes.
- They totally screwed up and by the time they realized it we just wanted to leave.
- The owner told us the reason why things were so screwed up was because it was booze day tuesday and all of his staff was drunk. THIS WAS THE OWNERS RATIONALE FOR THE BAD SERVICE. Then he had the audacity to try and make it up to us by saying he would give us free appetizers and thats all he could do and that we should be understanding...wow. never coming back here againComment from Randy S. of Shabu Shabu Bar 1/24/2012
Happy New Year Michael despite the Horrible Tuesday I heard… More » -
Review from Nicole C.
Los Angeles, CA
12/25/2011
I LOVE THIS PLACE.
I've come here 3 times for lunch and I always get their large rib-eye.
For lunch, I personally think it is a little costly. I believe it runs for about 13-15 dollars a plate? It's pretty much $20 with a drink, tax and tips.
BUT, you do get a lot of food. So, it's definitely worth it if you can eat a lot- like me!
Now, there's something special about that sesame sauce they give you. It's so good! It's got this thick consistency, it tastes kinda bland but at the same time can add some much flavor to your meat. ( I SWEAR I AM NOT CRAZY.) I love to mix it with my white rice! I'm not usually a big rice eater, but with this sauce- I can eat the whole bowl and more!
Their meat is fresh. However, I don't think it's anything too DIFFERENT. It's good, though. AND again, with their sauce. Wahhh.
Their plate comes with vegetables AND udon+another type of noodles.
You have the option to have them cook the noodles for you. In which they will also make your soup. Or if you are an independent eater, you can cook that yourself, too.
So basically for 20 bucks, you are getting a big plate of meat, a good portion of veggies, a bowl of GOOD white rice (or brown if that's what you like), and a bowl of noodles.
I'm sold.
Lastly, their hot drops are pretty amazing too. I am a chicken and 1 drop in everything is enough for me.
I can't wait to go back on another cold, lazy day. Hehe.Comment from Randy S. of Shabu Shabu Bar 12/25/2011
Merry Christmas Nicole, Thank you for sharing your… More » -
Review from Johnny P.
12/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
I used to be a regular here and still love this place if I am in the area!
PROS:
- They give more meat here and the cuts are thicker as well!
- More veggies
- Little cheaper than most popular places
- Great customer service
- Goma sauce is unique and very tasty (1 of my favs!!!)
- (For you Yelpers) - Check in and they offer free sake with your meal
CONS:
- Sometimes can be crowded, so there can be a wait....(but that can be a good thing right?)
Recommendations:
- Try their "Yuba" style Shabu (instead of water in the pot they use a water-downed soy milk) adds texture and flavor to the meat. not on the menu, you have to ask for it
- Sesame Ice Cream (If you have room)
- If you are super hungry....check out the "Yokozuna" (but little cheaper to go with 2 separate orders if you are eating with 2)
Highly recommended!!Listed in: Shabu Shabu Sensations
Comment from Randy S. of Shabu Shabu Bar 12/23/2011
Hey Johnny, it's been too long since I got to say hi! We… More » -
Review from Cindy CiCi L.
Anaheim, CA
So...10 hot drops is not enough for me anymore...I need 15+ drops now.
If you see my left eye tearing up...it is not because of the hot drops...it's because my left eye has a bad case of allergy.
Anywhoo, I went here again recently and everything is so damn good that the next day it made me want to go again, but of course I didn't. I didn't have the time. I have been wanting to try the seafood plate but i keep going back to the ribeye.
I think quail eggs would be soo good with shabu =] Just a thought.
NOTE TO YELPERS: Check in to get 12 free shots of sake. Shabu-licious is my fav.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
10/6/2011
My favorite shabu place to eat. just read all the reviews i dont need to say much =]
PS. It's def the… Read more »
Comment from Randy S. of Shabu Shabu Bar 10/6/2011
Thanks Cindy, we really appreciate your support and… More » -
-
Review from brian b.
Los Angeles, CA
1/13/2012
Amazing is the only word to describe Shabu Shabu bar... Food, alcohol and most importantly the service is the reason why I drive an hour to dine at their fine establishment... Not to mention the eye candy
-
Review from Steffanie M.
Santa Ana, CA
1/12/2012 2 Check-ins Here
If you're going to tell me that the wait time is going to be 40 minutes, then the wait time should be FOURTY MINUTES. Not 2 hours. Had I known in advance that it was going to be that long of a wait, then I would not have wasted a perfectly good Tuesday night. And if I did want to waste a perfectly good Tuesday night, then I would have done at the chipotle next door. At least there I know everyone is getting served in the order of which they came. I hate to be blunt(no I don't) but the hostess sucks. I understand that working in the food industry can be hectic and I can empathize with that, but come on, LEARN HOW TO PRIORITIZE. It's part of the job. And if you can't learn how to do that, at least learn how to be nice and courteous to your guests rather than ignore them, or serve them their drinks warm, or give the drinks to the wrong customers. My sister has been a loyal customer to this place and has gotten this place ALOT of business. You'd expect that with every visit her and her guests would be treated with a little more regard and appreciation. But the more we've gone, the more this place has been less satisfactory. This place, and it's employees, as well as it's seating system ALL need to be revamped if it wants to attain loyal customers.
P.S. If you're thinking of buying the servers shots while you're there, DON'T. They can't hang. It's a freakin Shabu resturaunt on a Tuesday night...not some raging club in Las Vegas. Calm down and serve your guests. -
Review from Crystal L.
Irvine, CA
11/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ehhhhh. I wonder if we were discriminated against. I wouldn't know why though. Our server TOTALLY ignored us. I had to waive down 2 different servers to get more hot tea, more lemonade for my sister, and for our soup base. She only came once around to ask us if we were doing okay.
Another thing that irked me was that we came in before another set of customers who were seated beside us and they got their meals 15 minutes before ours. I find that totally unacceptable, since all shabu shabu is is slicing some frozen meat from the back kitchen. The broth didn't have konbu (dried seaweed) in it either, which I have always believed that to be rather traditional.
The "grind your own sesame seeds" aspect of your dining experience is SO superficial. Trust me, it doesn't add much flavor or texture. Or perhaps I was already perturbed by the appalling service that I already forsaken my dining experience to be redeemed by anything forthcoming. Nothing came to redeem the experience, by the way.
The meat quality is pretty amazing though. The Prime beef was so tender and flavorful from all that fat ribboned through the meat. They have choices for Wagyu beef at some ridiculous price. Before you even THINK about ordering that, think it through: wouldn't you want a nice honkin' steak of Wagyu for the same price INSTEAD of wasting all that delicious beef fat to be melted away in broth? Brown rice was SO dry, totally ignored the poor bowl the entire meal. I got a ton of udon on my veggie plate and my boyfriend got like, 4 noodles. I don't get it.
Luckily (sort of) there was a deal online though Yelp for 69% off on Tuesdays. We were scolded that we didn't mention it at the beginning of the meal. I HATE that. I tell you at the end because I don't want 69% off of my service (which happened anyway) or 69% off of meat/food quality (heck, my first time here, I don't know how your establishment operates and hell no, I don't trust the people in the back). The deal, however includes an automatic 20% tip added to your bill. My dining partners and I all agreed that we would have rather paid FULL PRICE THAN GIVEN OUR SERVER ANY TIP. Yes. She was that bad. Serviced EVERYONE else except us.
I think the only highlight is that Tiki Ghosn (Ultimate FIghter trainer, Team Bisping) sat across from us, but I HATE Bisping - he's a frickin jerk. So, it wasn't all that great. -
Review from Jackie P.
Updated - 11/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Upped to 5 stars for a couple more reasons:
- Peanut sauce available if you prefer a thicker "goma" that's served at most other places (which is actually more peanut than sesame). I like they have the option and we had all 3 sauces: ponzu, goma, and peanut! All very tasty.
- Offers/Specials galore: Check their Yelp page for awesome offers, a couple of nights ago yelling "69 baby" got you buy one dinner get the 2nd 69% off! Also, we got a lot of sake shots (think flavored soju) for checking in!
- Quality and presentation: Veggies are always fresh looking, not limp. Beef slices are huge, bright red in color, and delicious!
- Service: Our server was always on top of everything and even made our soup for us, yummy! I forget her name, petite Asian girl with long lashes. When I yelled "69 baby" for the special, someone from the kitchen yelled it back. They know how to have fun and be on top of everything!1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
3/5/2010
I've heard about this place with their fresh sesame seeds for the goma, so decided to check it out.… Read more »
-
-
Review from Christina K.
Yorba Linda, CA
12/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
The wait was a bit long but it was worth it. Really great service - if u ask nicely they will even help you with making the broth, sauce, etc. :) My stupid smart phone was out of batteries but they were gracious enough to extend the Yelp Check-in offer to me.
Really fresh ingredients, and who doesn't like to grind their own sesame seeds?
Will be back for sure! -
Review from Michael K.
Santa Ana, CA
1/19/2012 9 Check-ins Here
Needed to see what all the hype was about. Came in for dinner and got seated in 15 minutes. The service was excellent considering the place was full. Our server Jessica was attentive and explained how the sauces worked. I ended up with the large ribeye which had a very nice marble to it and tasted even better. Over all a great experience and I wouldn't hesitate to come back again. Topped it all off with green tea ice cream which ended the meal perfectly
