My mom and I love coming here for the Vietnamese food menu. We have never actually tried the shabu shabu, the Vietnamese menu is small but so good that we always end up ordering the same thing every time. My mom is a big fan of their canh bun here which is a crab cake and water spinach noodle soup. You can also add fried soft shell crab for an additional cost & it tastes great with it. They are also known among Vietnamese people for their Bún Đậu Mắm Tôm because not a lot of restaurants in this area have it on their menus. During our most recent visit in April 2026, they have added a new noodle soup called Bún mọc which is a rice vermicelli noodle light broth with pork meatballs, mushrooms, and carrots. For the Vietnamese food, it tastes authentic and is very popular in the Vietnamese community. read more

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A HIDDEN GEM. Ever since I got back from Japan, I've been craving shabu shabu, specifically with sukiyaki broth. I will say the seating is a bit strange, but in a cool way. It's kind of like bar seating, so you can see all the action from the workers in the middle. And. Let. Me. Tell. You. The ladies working in the middle are so nice. They explain the menu, walk you through how everything works, and make sure to check for any allergies before you order. They start you with a side of veggies, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, etc., and a side of udon, even though they tell you not to use the udon until the end. Then you order the protein or proteins you want. After that, you basically squish squish until the meat is cooked and go for it. I got the signature beef, which is what they're known for, and the scallops. Both were very good and fresh. At the end, they mix all the veggies you have left with the udon, and it basically becomes a big noodle soup. You can always order extra sides or add ons, though. Definitely one of my new favorites! read more

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My daughter and I went there a couple of weeks ago. The servers were awesome, but the food, eh. Overpriced and we were charged for even breathing :). The portions were ridiculous, even on veggies!!! We both had one small piece of broccoli on our plates!! We had the spicy miso broth which was good. Overall experience was not good. read more

First I would like to say service is 100% a 5/5. Food was more of a 3/5 for me and overall it was okay. I enjoyed the beef with chicken broth but I was not a fan of the two sauces ..for some reason the sauces tasted very sour to me. The broth tasted a little watery but definitely not the worst broth I've had. Would I return ..yes I would ..I didn't get a chance to try the sushi at this place but the vibes are amazing there's also a bar. I would recommend checking this place out it is very lowkey and all the people are very nice I will say if you never had shabu shabu try it out.. this was definitely a new experience for me. read more

California Shabu Shabu - Soup - Japanese Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

This place felt different than other hot pot places I've been to. Usually, the soup was poured for us from a big kettle, all premixed and cooked. Here, the water was brought up to temperature first, and a thick soup base was poured in. It sounds the same, but it's an efficient system. The staff isn't carrying a hot big kettle - just a tiny bowl of soup base. The overall layout of the restaurant is also interesting. The middle area is for the staff to walk in and out of the kitchen. Everyone sits around this walkway - it feels like a runway model show. It's very efficient, and the attentive staff get you what you need fast! The pork bone broth I had was quite tasty, and the other ingredients tasted better because of it. That's the key to a good hot pot place - the flavorful soup. I also discovered I quite liked Dassai 45 sake. Whenever I'm hungry during my Microcenter visits, I'm absolutely eating here. read more

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Bottom line: uncomfortable, overpriced, and not family friendly. We left still hungry. The restaurant was uncomfortably cold. We kept our winter coats on the entire meal, even while eating hot soup. The ambiance itself is visually interesting and thoughtfully designed, but that didn't make up for the experience. The food was bland and did not justify the price. Portions were small, and the flavors were underwhelming. The staff were polite, but the menu explanation was directed only to my husband, who was seated too far away for me to hear. That felt dismissive and uncomfortable. Most concerning was the environment for children. Multiple screens were playing a movie with nudity and violent scenes. I asked for the content to be changed. It initially was switched to sports, but later the screen directly in front of us was changed back to the inappropriate movie, while the others remained on sports. This was not a family friendly setting. One of the younger servers or hosts appeared disengaged and was not particularly helpful. Overall, the space looks cool, but the experience was uncomfortable, expensive, and disappointing. I would not recommend it for families. read more

The service here is impeccable. Everyone is so kind and friendly. The staff explains everything. The food is so fresh. You can taste all of the flavor flavors and spices. follow my instagram for more reviews: @daithefoodie read more

The food here is amazing especially the Bun Dau and also my fav Canh Bun. Great food, great service, and a cozy atmosphere. Everything came out fresh and full of flavor. Definitely coming back! read more

Delicious and a fun experience! We had a group that included picky eaters and someone who is gluten free and everyone left happy. I got a xtra veggies from our more particular diners and GF noodles available. The waiters were very attentive and taught us how to eat shabu shabu. We sat at the bar which was entertaining and the restaurant had nice murals and felt inviting. read more

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It's a fun dinner. The first timer will be confused with the process. First, you choose the broth. Kombu (seaweed) free but if you choose the rest extra up-charge $3.Then choose meats (extra charges). It comes with veggies, udon, and an option of white rice or brown rice. Napa cabbage refillable. Then you make your sauce. Beware of peanut allergies because one of the bases of the is Peanut butter sauce. The servers are all informative and helpful. The customer has an option to not do shabu shabu and can sit at a regular table. We sat on the countertop with a built-in stovetop. We choose one option with beef at $25 per person. We ordered a spicy tuna roll, a California roll, and a shrimp tempura roll. Well ...maybe it's just us we are picky with our sushi NOT recommended. The rice is dry, not stick together, not plump, and not seasoned enough. Overall is a good experience but economically not a good deal. My daughter did the review on line for them and get free mochi ice cream. The restaurant is clean and slow mussic on the back grounds: read more

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My fiancée and I went here for the first time and really enjoyed our meal. The ambiance has a modern Japanese feel. Restaurant was clean, split into a sit down area for sushi and hot pot area. We both got the hotpot with the ribeye. We were glad we upgraded to the prime rib eye as it was very tender and flavorful. The assortment of sauces was nice. Service was great. The waitress explained everything and was very friendly. Hope to come back again. read more

Awesome food. Awesome vibes. Great atmosphere to catch up with some friends. Highly recommend!!!

Food was very good and the service was excellent. Plus 70s/ 80s music in the background at a soft volume that allows us to talk without a problem read more

California Shabu Shabu - Shabu shabu with pork tenderloin and spicy miso sauce - Japanese Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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Excellent service and the food was delicious! Servers were very nice and helpful --they explained everything step by step. Next time I'll be a pro! Definitely will be back. read more

California Shabu is easily one of the best hotpot spots I've visited. The food is incredibly fresh, and you can really taste the difference in the meat, the quality is noticeably higher than other hotpot restaurants in the area. Our waitress was awesome and ensured we were comfortable with the process which can be a little confusing for a newcomer. If you're looking for a clean, delicious, and premium shabu-shabu experience, this is it! read more

Terrible experience. As someone who's experienced top notch Japanese hot pot in the DMV and Japan, I was disappointed by this place. The server barely understood the menu. On top of that, we were told to move seats to make room for hypothetical future customers. Very unprofessional. They lost our business forever. read more

This is a great restaurant - exceptional food quality, friendly and welcoming staff, and a great atmosphere. Would highly recommend.

Plenty of seating on a Saturday evening! Interesting set up where everyone is seated along a long table facing the inside, with everyone having individual pots. So probably not the best for a large team dinner. The menu options are packaged up nicely so all you have to choose are the meats / seafood and the broth type. I got the choice meat and scallop--the meat was very fresh and flavorful and the scallop was large but not the most flavorful. The tonkotsu broth was very flavorful! Note that the free broth (traditional kombu) is just water with a seaweed in it. Service was great, with help with cooking the noodles and making the sauce, etc. The service ended with a nice bowl of soup with udon - very well done! read more

California Shabu Shabu - TONKOTSU BROTH - Japanese Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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Went for an early dinner, great service. The staff there were incredibly helpful and informative. The place was very clean and organized. They have tables and at the bar you can get your individual pot to cook in. We sat at the bar and proceeded to eat! It's the traditional shabu shabu experience where you swish your meat and veggies in the broth, but the bonus is that at the end they help cook your udon noodles (and anything else you have left) into a bowl for a great udon soup! Will come back again for the food and service. read more

California Shabu Shabu - King Kong order of prime rib eye beef with the sauce and veggies. - Japanese Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Underwhelming food and vibes, but the staff were kind and assisted us with ordering. I don't see myself returning here as it wasn't particularly my favorite food. read more

Cal Shabu Shabu delivers a satisfying hot pot experience with standout beef quality and fresh ingredients. The meat is consistently tender, flavorful, and well-marbled, making every bite rich and enjoyable. Their broth options pair perfectly with the premium beef selections, creating a comforting and customizable meal. Service is attentive, and the atmosphere feels relaxed yet lively, ideal for both casual dinners and group outings. Portions are generous, vegetables are fresh, and the overall dining experience feels worth the price. It's an excellent spot in Fairfax for anyone craving authentic, high-quality shabu shabu with especially impressive beef options. read more

Delicious and great service! They were great about walking us through the meal and super accommodating of my kids.

Came here with a group of friends. Tried different hotpot soups with beef. This place has good food and friendly service. read more

Located in the Pam Am plaza - now being under construction is this high quality hot pot! Indoor decor is pretty clean and looks more sophisticated than other hot pot places ~ has a cool island round table style ~ My server was exquisite! He was quick to provide service, information about all select items, and was extremely kind! This is NOT all you can eat. But I definitely had my fill! I chose the beef option + seafood... I got a large but I definitely should have gotten the regular They have a good variety of preselected veggies/noodles and I also tried their sushi - delicious! Overall, great quality - the meats were nicely marbled and lean. The scallops / shrimps were generous in size as well! Overall 8.5/10 experience and would come back for the quality! read more

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Quality beef cut - get the primer one and you won't regret. Service was friendly and fast. Birthday ice cream on the house. Bar area can be hard for big groups for conversations. read more

California Shabu Shabu - Quality beef - Japanese Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Delicious and.a great experience. Definitely coming back!! Friendly folks and a fun experience !!

Great service and delicious food! Everything came out smoothly. We came with our two kids and they loved it! Kids loved eating sushi with their shabu shabu. read more

Aoy is our server , she is great but goma sauces and ponzu sauce need to adjust a little bit , every things else is great .

Food is definitely quality. Service always excellent. You can sit at the shabu area or at the bar and they also have 2 tables for bigger groups. They have a full bar with excellent selection to choose from. read more

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Their canh bún is off the chain, tasted as authentic as ones in Santa Ana CA, with even better softshell crabs as side disk.

The best! Absolutely outstanding service, attention, and amazing food! 100% recommendation. Can't wait to return

Delicious food, attentive service, and a great overall introduction to shabu shabu! Will definitely be coming back here!

The food and service here was great! We will definitely come again! We got the prime beef and it was great

Every is good. Bun dau mam tom is the best thing . A lady very nice, she always smiles

Good food, great service, at this joint in the Pan Am Center. Nice Gyoza dumplings to start. You choose your broth (I went with the Tonkatsu, my daughter the traditional Kombu, and my wife the sukiyaki), and your primaries (chicken, shrimp, mussels, etc.) then cook your ramen and assorted stuff at the bar in front of you. The server helped us along. The final ramen produced was delicious. It is sort of like going to a regular ramen joint, but having it deconstructed. A bit pricey, so I'd err on the side of a Mini instead of a Regular size. read more

If you like Chinese style Hot pot this is a great spot. Pretty spendy but also very good. Vegetables were fresh, meat was cut the perfect thickness to cook well it took us a while to get served, but they did bring us some complimentary mochi at the finish so the Mel was redeamed! read more

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It was a really nice experience the food great the people serving you always have a smile and there are always there I had a really good time the Place it self is beautiful and nice read more

Best food best experience first time the lady was serving us she was the best by explaining everything to us. Thank you for your exceptional service. I will recommend the food to everyone as #1. read more

California Shabu Shabu - Japanese Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

We came here for the first time and shabu shabu was really good. Great service and quality food. We will definitely come back here again.

good hot pot on table. good customer service and the udon at the end is very yummy. the ambiance is nice and clean