Bao and Cal Shabu for the win, man. This is my new go-to for Shabu. Heard about this place, made the drive out from Echo Park... Worth every mile and cent. From the quality of the food to the taste to the service to the parking. All of it is A+. Bao and the young-lady that was on shift that day were all class and made the experience well worth it. We went with the King Kong order of the prime. Everything was super fresh and delicious. The sauces mixed takes everything to a 5 star rating for me. We will for sure be making the drive out here again. Thanks, Bao!!! read more

We stopped in here because we were going to a different place that we thought was closed and Shabu sounded good and healthy enough. We found out this place is family owned for almost 30 years and one of the original in the area. The gentleman was very nice. Service was 100% excellent. We ordered two of the ribeye plates and had a dish of vegetable vegetables with some noodles on the side as part of our meal. This is a traditional Japanese style Shabu and if you want a different broth as an upgrade for it. The vegetable you get is what you get without refills and everything is all the cart. This place, reminds me a little bit of mojikiko Shabu except they actually give you unlimited vegetables. The meal I had was good. The service was excellent and the place is clean with individual table top seating. I'm not sure if I'll be back because the food is not really in line with what my boyfriend likes, but for me, it was good. read more

Cal Shabu - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

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Wayne (the owner), Shabu (the worker/owner's son), and May made the experience amazing for us! The food is of the highest quality. The broth and sauces were phenomenal! The service was personable and incredible. The ambience is very warm and welcoming. We had the Kobe beef and it was melt in your mouth tender. I would give this place 10 stars if I could. read more

Great service, clean, bright, easy parking,... The food is fresh and the menu has plenty to offer. We've been many times and plan to go back. read more

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Cal Shabu is our go-to spot for the best Japanese shabu shabu. We have been enjoying this wonderfully delicious hot pot-style restaurant for over 10 years and counting. The goma sauce is the best, hands down, and even tastier with the hot drops you can request for your dipping sauces. Cal Shabu is a family-owned and operated business and it's always a pleasure seeing the family in action. They are so gracious and pleasant and make you feel extremely welcome. They take pride in their food and work ethic and it shows. The restaurant is always clean and spacious; however, due to popularity the seats fill up fast. You can join the waitlist on Yelp and view the live wait times, as well. We like to visit at the top of the lunch or dinner service and fill our bellies with plenty of yummy food and drink. The meat-eating hubby enjoys the variety of meat choices and switches it up depending on how hungry he is. I always special order a veggie plate (in addition to the starter veggies) and I request several hot drops to my double serving of goma. We like to season our water pots and sauces with the provided condiments, but you can order from different broth options. I like having family dinners here and they all seem to enjoy the fun experience and amazing food! read more

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My daughter took me there last night for my 85 th birthday and I was impressed!! Wish I could give it 10 stars !!! First , it was absolutely spotless and clean. Second , the people who were working there were fantastic and very friendly and helpful and lastly the food was out of this world !!! Best Shabu I've ever had. The broth was not too spicy, the vegetables were tender and crisp, and the main meat dish was perfect. I had salmon and shrimp combo and had generous portions that cooked and tasted great. My daughter had the rib eye and I had a taste and it melted in my mouth. Absolutely perfection. I wish all restaurants had people who cared and were so kind. Please get there early and get on the wait list, you will find the food and service unlike anywhere else is worth the wait. Absolutely first class operation you will not be disappointed. read more

Date night win at Cal Shabu Fountain Valley! Everyone working here was so cheerful, it set the tone right away. The big U-shaped counter with individual burners makes the whole room feel lively and fun, a real vibe. You can keep it simple with water + kombu or upgrade to broths like rich tonkotsu or spicy miso. Proteins range from different grades of beef to chicken, pork, and seafood, something for everyone. Each set comes with a gorgeous veggie plate, and the sauces really shine once you add the hot drops. Pro tip: don't sleep on the complimentary soup base. It's given to you in a big bowl with a soup spoon. Pour in some hot water from your pot and boom! Instant noodle/veggie soup that ties the whole meal together. Every visit here has been a great time, and this one was no exception. Bao and team went above and beyond. Perfect spot for date night or just a cozy, interactive dinner. read more

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Shabu nights make me feel like a chef ‍ Fresh veggies, quality meats, and a comforting Japanese-style hot pot that's both a meal and an experience. This spot keeps it traditional with a simple konbu (kelp) broth -- light, umami-rich, and perfect for letting the ingredients shine. What surprised me most? At the end, they add a flavorful soup concentrate that transforms the broth into a rich soup you mix with rice. I've never had a restaurant do this. Light, hearty, and interactive read more

Cal Shabu - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

We went to Cal Shabu last night!!! Such a great experience! Food was bomb!!! Service was even better. You first order your meat (tons of choices). I ordered the rib eye (there is a variety of sizes to order). You also choose your broth (three choices), I did a mixture of the miso and tonkatsu in mild. You get two sauces (one for veggies and one for meat) and they doctor it up with green onions garlic and ground sesame. Dad and Summer added spice to their sauces. The rib eye is sliced right in front of you and given to you based on your order. Shabu comes with white or brown rice and a plate of veggies and udon. The rib eye was delicious. Dipped in broth for three seconds and then dipped in the sesame sauce before placing it in my rice bowl to add some rice with each bite!! Wayne (the owner) and his family were so kind and attentive to each guest at the restaurant. After all your meat is finished, Wayne comes around and makes the broth with your noodles and ends your meal with a bowl of udon noodles! We will definitely be back for more!! I'm shocked I've never been there before! Great recommendation from Summer's neighbors!!! read more

Cal Shabu - Rib eye, miso broth, veggies and rice - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

This is definitely an overdue review because I have been coming here for years (way back when Ebisu restaurant wasn't burned down and Ebisu Market was still next door - RIP to some good cold soba) and never took the time to give this place a shout out. The quality of food and customer service are exactly the same compared to that very first day when I was walked through the door. Inside is a bar seating style only where you'd get your own individual pot to enjoy your high grade, quality meats with your fresh plate of veggies, and in-house made sauces (ponzu and goma). I've been to a few Shabu place but I have always resort back to Cal because of the staff and quality of food. If you want to enjoy a good, fulfilling meal with the most awesomeness crew ever, then Cal Shabu is THE place you need to visit whenever visiting the OC. Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Price: 4/5 Parking: 5/5 read more

Cal Shabu - Kobe Wagyu - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

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Cal Shabu is amazing. It's always fresh and flavorful. I ordered a "regular" Prime Cut and, just like my dating life, it was good at first but quickly became overwhelming; I needed my own space. Y'all, it's deceiving! I could have easily gotten the "mini" and filled up on veggies and broth. Ended up taking the rest home to enjoy later. Hot drops are a must!!! That stuff is spicy enough to keep me coming back for more. read more

Cal Shabu - Yummmmz - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

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This was our first time here, and honestly, Dante made it one to remember. Super friendly, super upbeat and just good vibes all around. From the second we sat down to the minute we checked out, he made sure we were taken care of. I ordered the half-and-half spicy miso and tonkotsu with two seafood items. The broth was already packed with flavor before I even touched the seasoning and that is always a good sign! I'm a big spicy fan, so adding the spicy oil took it up another notch. It was the kind of good where you keep eating even after you're full because you don't want it to end. I always say this: it doesn't matter if a place is fancy. What matters is the service and they nailed it. It's not a fancy place by any means, but the food and the service were both 10/10. Definitely recommend if you want good food and even better people. read more

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I had an amazing experience here, service was phenomenal. The staff was charming, made us feel so welcome, and always checked in on us. I was walked through the menu & explanations were so thorough. I appreciate that they were so attentive which isn't common with other places when dining nowadays. Prime beef was great quality, I'd definitely order Large or more because it was so good. Veggies were great, sauces were perfect, broth was balanced. Definitely will be back as a regular read more

Pretty much the same as their Costa Mesa location. Good food, good service. And their jellyfish appetizer is amazing. read more

Cal Shabu - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

If I can give them -10, I would. We are frequent shabu diners and have eaten at many shabu restaurants. Unfortunately, our recent experience at this location raised serious concerns about food allergy safety. When you are seated, sauces are placed on the table immediately--before you even have the menu in hand. At that point, there is no verbal explanation of what the sauces contain and no clear allergen warning provided by staff. Any mention that the sauces may contain peanuts appears only in small print on the menu, which we had not yet seen. My child has a peanut allergy. One of the sauces looked like a typical sesame-style sauce commonly served at shabu restaurants. My 11-year-old kid tried a very small amount before we were aware of its contents. This resulted in an allergic reaction, which required medication and could have led to much more serious consequences. Being a medical professional, I was able to help him early and prevent more serious, potentially irreversible consequences. After we raised concern, the server had to search carefully through the fine print on the menu to show us where it says that the sauce contain peanuts. This information was not readily available anywhere in the restaurant, and the server did not appear to know this at the time where this information can be found on the menu. What was most concerning was the response from another female server, who told me that I "should have known" the sauce contained peanuts because "it looks like peanut butter". That comment was significantly inappropriate and troubling. Parents should not be solely blamed for a restaurant's failure to clearly disclose major allergens, especially when sauces are served automatically before any explanation is given. Peanuts are a major, high-risk allergen, particularly for children. Allergen information should be clearly communicated upfront, and staff should be trained to proactively warn guests--not place the responsibility on families after an exposure has already occurred. Because this represents a serious safety concern, we will be reporting this incident to the appropriate authorities, including regulatory and disability-related agencies, so that proper review and corrective action can take place. We are sharing this experience so other families with food allergies. Avoid this place! read more

Cal Shabu - Other than this fine print, there is no other verbal explanation or visible sign anywhere in the restaurant to warn us. - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

...it's been a hot minute since we've been here, but it's still my favorite shabu. Great quality cuts of meat, fresh veggies, the best sauces and super friendly staff. Today we had great service from Dante, Heidi and Lori. read more

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Been coming here for 25 years. They were closed for a few years while the shopping center was remodeled. We tried several different Shabu restaurants during that time. Nothing compared to their food, goma sauce, & service (handmade by owner Wayne). Beef servings are very generous. Go early; place fills up by 6-6:30 on weekends! read more

My childhood shabu will always be my favorite shabu and I don't care if I'm biased bc it's so true!! Please come visit here if you're ever wanting a quick fix for shabu or need to satisfy your cravings. The food and meat quality is AMAZING and they only have the best. I recommend the prime or choice beef ribeye but definitely go with prime between the two. Their beef belly and pork belly are super yummy too. My boyfriend and I always choose different meats and soup bases to share between us! But if you're not feeling any soup bases, don't worry, you can keep it simple and traditional with konbu (seaweed) and water! I always get 50/50 of spicy miso & tonkotsu, while my boyfriend gets sukiyaki bc theirs is the best and doesn't tasted diluted even after more water is added. Add an egg too if you want for an egg wash/dip or even to cook it inside your broth! At the end of the meal, I usually leave a few veggies, slices of meat and udon for the last savory dish. The soup is amazing and healing. I'm so full at this point since I literally wipe clean my veggies and meat plate but it's all so worth it every time. Service is always on point and amazing! The servers really care about your dining experience and try to make it a great and fun one. Inside is newly remodeled for quite a few years now but I haven't been back since I was much younger, so I was in awe when I saw the inside and even the outside for the entire plaza! It's a nice place to hang out and catch up with friends and family over some high quality food! Thank you to the owner and all the staff that help support this restaurant and keep their customers full and happy! read more

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Great food, the portions are right and Wayne made our first experience there delightful! We will be going back again when we come back to the area. read more

Very friendly and attentive staff! My wife got the Tonkatsu broth and a splash of the Spicy Miso broth. It's fairly spicy but manageable. She wished they had just regular Miso broth that could be added to provide more salt but less spice. Next time she would get the same but get even more Tonkatsu to provide more saltiness. I tried the sweet Sukiyaki broth with a splash of Spicy Miso broth to it. It was fine. Next time I would get what my wife got. But I'd ask for a little side bowl of some Sukiyaki to dip my vegetables in after I cook them, and to pour a bit on my rice. You can customize your vegetables by substituting in onions and mushrooms for other items you don't care for. We each got the large 10oz Prime Beef Ribeye. In hindsight, my wife only needed a Regular 7oz. They provide a variety of additional mix-ins like garlic, green onion, daikon radish, soy sauce, chili oil, ponzu sauce, peanut sauce. Ambience is modern and inviting. read more

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The food is super fresh and everyone who works there is so accommodating and very friendly!

Loved this place.. had to wait a bit to be seated, they were busy, but once we got seated, no wait for our order preferences. I've been to the other shabu place which is also good but more of a corporate restaurant vibe. Cal has a more welcome friends vibe. This is my daughter and her husband go to spot, my first time. The meat portions were plenty, I got the pork belly (regular size) and it was more than enough for me. The vegetable platter had a good variety. I asked for the tonkatsu broth and it was delish. They kept checking on us to fill up waters added broth or anything we needed. We came at a later time 8ish pm, so I imagine during normal dinner hour it may be a bit of a wait, but worth it. They overheard it was my birthday and surprised me with free scoop of green tea ice cream and sang, which of course the other diners joined in. read more

Love how bright and clean the restaurant is. Nice setup as well. Most importantly, the meat quality was good. We opted for 3 different meat plates to try out (prime rib eye, choice rib eye, and pork belly), and all the meat quality was pretty good. Funny that we thought the prime rib eye would be the best, but we actually preferred the choice rib eye and pork belly better. So tender and soft. Loved that the veggies were crispy and fresh too. Service was fast and super friendly. I especially enjoyed the spicy sauce they recommended to try, it went so well with the sesame/goma sauce. It def added a good flavor to it. (Note: just one drop is enough. Only if you can handle heat really well, I tried two drops and it was quite spicy) Also, would recommend getting a complimentary bowl of kombu soy sauce from them, it was a nice mini treat to enjoy your ramen at the end of the meal. Enjoy! read more

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Saddest review I ever had to post, I been coming here since 2007 and never did I wanna leave a bad review. Since I live in Las Vegas I had time for lunch and may it in before 1:30pm. It looked like they were closing up since only 5 people were finishing up their meal but I was ensured they were still open since their neon OPEN sign was lit and of course they don't close until 2pm. They finally came out to seat me at 1:38 since they were in the back with no staff on the floor. They ask how many? While looking for an area to seat me. He pretty much turn as soon as he heard when I said 1 and I was told unfortunately we just closed. Never have I felt that my business was not wanted which makes me sad to review them at lowest possible which is two since I still loved their food. Unfortunately I'm heading back home to Vegas which I can't stay for the dinner that opens at 5pm. read more

What a fantastic restaurant, fresh food, friendly service! Very reasonable and good prices for what you get one of the best places to go for Shabu . One thing to be aware of they close early all the time.! Sometimes even an hour early. So call before you go. read more

Good food. Great service and friendly staff. We will definitely come back here next time.

We ordered the prime beef ribeye for oue dinners, absolutely amazing. We had one with the tonkotsu broth and one plain. We met the owner Wane which made the experience that much better. read more

cal shabu might be my new favorite shabu spot!!! i've only been here twice, but both times i was very pleased with my meal! first off, the service is always amazing, the servers behind the bar are so sweet and attentative this place is fully bar seating all around & they have bag hooks thankfully, i recommend coming right when they open because there's very limited seats, you're pretty much guaranteed to be sitting right up next to someone i got the tonkatsu pork broth with the regular choice beef ribeye. the meat quality here is very high quality & consistent. plenty of veggies + noodles and rice, i left very full and happy read more

This (as well as the Costa Mesa one) is my favorite shabu! My first time having shabu was at the Costa Mesa one when I was little and it developed my love for shabu. This location is just as good! Very clean interior with bar style seating both with tall and regular chairs. Servers are always so friendly and give off good vibes here as well as the Costa Mesa one! A great selection of meat cuts and you can customize your veggie plate as well! Just let your server know! What I ordered: -Choice Beef Ribeye: This is my go to order! I get the large if I'm hungry and the Jack if I'm HUNGRY. But both are very filling if you get the soup base after! Meat was beautifully marbled and super soft. I never encounter hard, chewy meat here! Super delish in the soup after! 5/5 -Veggies: I replaced the cabbage with spinach and added mushrooms! Veggies were fresh. Mushrooms were so good as well! 5/5 -Ponzu: This place has the best ponzu imo. It's such a great savory sauce to dip the meat in as well as to add to your soup after. 5/5 -Goma: I really like their goma but I will admit that I like other shabus' better. It's on the more nutty, almost bitter side but it's still a solid goma. 4/5 -Soup: The soup base with my left over veggies, meat, and noodles were amazing! The soup base is a bit sweet but is a good difference in flavor from the goma and ponzu. I also added the spicy sesame oil which gave it even more of a different taste that I really enjoyed. 5/5 Overall, this place has such top quality everything, from the meats down to the sauces. You really can't go wrong with coming here for lunch or dinner! It's on the pricier side but that's because of the quality of meats they serve so it's definitely worth it! I've been a long time customer and always will be! If you love shabu, you've got to try this place. read more

Cal Shabu - Large Choice Beef Ribeye and Veggies - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

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Happy to return to California Shabu with its expanded menu and my all time favorite goma sauce. The vegetarian portion was ultra generous. Thank you, Wayne and family! read more

What can I say! A TRUE gem ! Everything from the quality of the meats and veggies to the ambiance and let's not forget the best part SERvICE! You truly get all 3 here. The entire staff is uber friendly and make the experience an enjoyable one! Check out Cal Shabu! Special shoutout to EMALY you the real MVP, mama! read more

A friend recommended we visit Cal Shabu, we loved it! The meat and veggies were very fresh, service was lovely! Will 100% go back!

The food is delicious and always fresh, and the Service is the best in fountain Valley. We never have a bad experience at this location and they're very patient with our kids every time we come. We will be coming back here so long as they keep their doors open read more

I have been coming here for years and it always hits the spot! I've tried the sukiyaki and spicy miso broth and they're both really good. Veggies are always fresh (but they don't do veg refills like Mokkoji). I like that they include two types of noodles (udon and another clear-ish chewy noodle). Meat is always quality and portion! Servers here are super attentive and everything comes out quick. Def recommend if you're craving shabu! read more

Cal Shabu - Half pork belly and half beef belly with spicy miso broth - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

Cal shabu isn't as fancy ambiance wise, but the tasty broths and high quality of meats makes this place stand out. I ordered the regular choice with spicy miso for lunch. And with the side of veggies and noodles, it was the perfect amount for lunch. Wasn't too full or left hungry. The broth was flavored well and did not taste as watery as other broths from other shabu restaurants. And I was definitely surprised at the meat quality of the choice beef. They also had garlic, radish, and green onions if you wanted to season your sauces to your liking. Service was on point as well, asking if we needed extra broth, rice, sauce, etc. Great place for a quick lunch. Overall: 9/10 read more

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First time I came here was more than 10+ years ago. I would say this is one of the very few SHABU SHABU places in so cal at that time. Since then they have opened more locations such as Costa Mesa. This is NOT a AYCE place. They offer variety of meats, grades, and sizes. I usually always get a cup of their (UCC?) coffee as well. It is sad to see they no longer offer that. Easy to locate. It is in a plaza with a large parking lot. Value for money 5/5 Quality of food 5/5 Service 5/5 read more

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I was charged $20 for an extra veggie set and a bowl of rice. The menu said $6.50. when I questioned the charge, they said because we were sharing 2 beef sets. I was with my 2 small children. . I have been coming here for 10+ years and they robbed me tonight. Charge what the menu says. read more

Let me lead with the following statement: I Love Shabu Shabu! In my humble opinion, what sets one Shabu apart from another is how high-end their cuts of meat are and the quality of their dipping sauces. I'm referring specifically to Ponzu, a citrus-based soy sauce, and Goma, a sesame and peanut based sauce. This is where Cal Shabu rises above the rest and why my family and I have been coming here for decades! They have a few different locations, but we prefer Fountain Valley even though it's a further distance from home. The wait tends to be shorter and the staff here go above and beyond (shout out to Dante and Heidi!). If you don't mind spending a little more, the Prime Beef Rib Eye is where it's at! I order it EVERY time without fail. It's always a yummy meal - cook your meat & veggies, dip, eat with rice and enjoy! Pro Tip: if you like spicy, ask for hot drops in your broth and/or dipping sauces! Cal Shabu also serves up a good selection of mostly Japanese beers and sakes. Closing out your meal with ice cream (not included) is also an option. You're the chef here and if you want quality you can taste, Cal Shabu is where it's at! read more

Cal Shabu - Prime Beef Rib Eye (King Kong size) - Japanese Near Me - Fountain Valley, California

Very good customer service the best customer service fresh food give m"the owner makes his own sauces. They are very super friendly people working here consistently grateful and amazing service.. read more

I enjoy Japanese shabu from time to time whether its a la carte or ayce, but my favorite place for shabu has to be here. Maybe its the taste of the food or the service that is usually friendly, but I always have a good time. A regular size meal will you fill you up! I usually do seafood shabu with salmon and shrimp. The shrimp I received last time was big and plump. I just get the regular broth and add sauces and condiments to flavor it up and it tastes fine. I usually get brown rice, which is cooked well here; it's nice and fluffy. Their peanut/sesame dipping sauce is a lot better than most places in my opinion. They also have an assortment of ice cream flavors to end your meal with. Hot or cold sake as well as beer is available for those who want to drink. Tasty shabu, friendly workers, and a good time sounds like win-win to me. I am literally craving for it again while writing this review even though I had it just yesterday! read more