There's just something about this place that I love. The taste of the soup tastes perfect and the meat is marinated just right. I always eat here by myself. They do little individual pots on the side. Everything is self serve and it's not ayce. You get charged depending on how many plates you get. They provide rice, porridge, tea, water and the soup for free. There's always just one lady working the floor and she's been there for years. I will say that the prices have increased a lot :( now it's about $20 for 4 plates. Of course it's better to come with more ppl so you can order more things but sometimes it's nice to just dine alone. read more

Cocary Shabu Shabu BBQ - Hot Pot Near Me - Monterey Park, California

Best thing about cocary is the unlimited congee and soup and its grill + hotpot. The prices are higher than before when it was 1.99 or 2.99 a plate. I still like getting chicken and cooking it to almost burnt and eating it with congee. The soup is usually really good but my friend added intestines in it and i almost cried cause it ruined the taste but after diluting it with more soup it kinda went back to normal. Also asked the lady to clean the table but the other worker came and put stuff on it and she halfarse wiped down the table. used to come here alot back then but now its a lot dirtier than usual but i guess that is cocary. read more

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This used to be my favorite spot but now it's extremely poor service and quality. Prices have increased but I can see why no one frequents here anymore. We requested them to move us because the grill was not getting hot enough. It took extremely long to cook and the worker was dismissive. Not coming back here read more

One of the few shabu and bbq places in the locale that doesn't break the bank, no frills, but still worth going to for simple meals and eats. read more

In the mood for quick grilled meats or shabu shabu? Just pop over to Cocary. You don't have to have soup and can just have grilled protein or veggies. It's quite reasonable as each protein meat plate is about $5. To note - you are seated and then just help yourself to the items in the refrigerators. Everything is labeled. There is no charge for rice. There is however a charge for the house sauce, about $3 per bowl. I recommend this place for quick self serve grilled meats and shabu shabu. read more

Cocary Shabu Shabu BBQ - Bill August 2025 - Hot Pot Near Me - Monterey Park, California

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We've been coming here for years. I can't believe I haven't written a review yet true the price has gotten a little bit more and the portions have gotten smaller but just like everything. It's a sign of the times. It's great that they have unlimited free, rice or porridge. We like that you have the soup and you can grill your own meats as well. They will refill the broth if you need more. They have a wide assortment of different meats, different seafood and different vegetables as well as they have Boba offerings and some pudding for dessert. It's very self service get up and grab your own trays from the refrigerated section and cook it on your own. there is butter if you need it. It's very casual. It can get crowded and you may start smelling like food despite the vents. read more

Cocary Shabu Shabu BBQ - our first round setup - Hot Pot Near Me - Monterey Park, California

Returned to Cocary BBQ for the first time since after COVID and it was still packed -- always a great sign The ambiance is casual, lively, and very no-frills BBQ vibes. It's busy, loud, and full of energy, which honestly adds to the experience. Ordered the brisket and it was tender, juicy, and packed with smoky flavor. The sides were comforting and paired perfectly with the meal. Service was quick and efficient despite the crowd, and staff kept things moving smoothly. Parking can be tight during peak hours, but turnover is steady and totally worth it. Cocary BBQ still delivers after all these years! #YelpElite #BrisketLovers read more

Cocary is a hotpot/ bbq kind of place, it's nothing fancy compare to the usual kbbq or shabu shabu. I went here on a Friday night and was seated immediately. The interior of the restaurant looks old and run down but don't let that be the judge of it. The waitress gave us our utensils and tea. How it works is , there is a pot/grill in the middle of the table where it is shared among your party. The broth was simple but yet very comforting. I could be wrong but it did taste like chicken and rice wine. It was very a familiar taste. The dishes of meats, veggies, fish balls and your typical hotpot hot pots are all in the fridge when you can go and grab. The place is not ayce btw it's is per plate of whatever you grab and the price is different depending on the plate. The satay sauce is about $3 per small bowl. Rice is free and I think there is also sweet potato porridge as well. The food here is good and simple. The service here is pretty much self serve where you grab your own food. However the waitress did refill our broth for us. There's a street parking in the front of the restaurant and there's also a parking lot in the back of the restaurant. read more

Cocary Shabu Shabu BBQ - Hot Pot Near Me - Monterey Park, California

I was recently introduced to this spot and absolutely love it. There are places you go to eat for a great dining experience. And there are places that you go because the food is absolutely unbeatable. This place is definitely the latter. The ambiance and service are not bad here but it's relatively low-key and almost a self-service spot. Their soup base and marinate on their meat is absolutely amazing. The price especially at lunch is insane for the value. And it has a really cool retro diner vibe as well read more

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Ever constantly go to a place without ever knowing the price? lol My family and I have been coming here ever since I was little. I realized we constantly be grabbing plates without ever knowing the prices of each plate. We never bother to check if the prices gone up. This is how much we adore and enjoy this place. We would ask for the check, see the total, and just paid & tip. Yesh, depending on which server...the services can be meh. Even so, we always have such a great time here. The foods always hit the spot. The broth is always flavorful. They don't really marinate the meats, but once we grill it..the taste? AMAZING! They offer free rice, porridge, and tea. Parking available RR avail This is such a great place to enjoy with friends and family. There are so many hotpot & bbq around. This place remains to be my favorite. read more

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This place is a hole in the wall and so dam good. I believe it's the same 2 ladies that work there and they know a little English so it could come off rude. You self serve and the prices are decent! The broth is good and tasty and the selection for meats is standard but good! They have so many options and sided to add to your broth. Make sure you cook your meat in that butter. This place should be a lot more packed! Make sure to have their pickle side dish, it's one of my favorites! read more

Solid spot for shabu shabu and BBQ. Prices are decent, especially for the quality, and service was good considering it looked like there were only two people working. Meat quality is pretty good and the soup base actually has flavor, which I appreciate. Nothing super fancy, but it hits the spot. Would definitely keep coming back since it's close by. read more

2 people was $121 and we was still not full. Very Small portions. Waitress took cash change as tip her $20 without saying a word. Not what it use to be. Wont be back. Place was empty on a Monday night as well. I now know why. Avoid this place. Plenty other places for 120 you'd be way more satisfied. read more

If you're looking for an old school, zero frills bbq and hot pot spot, this is the spot. But do not expect all the varieties like modern day hot pot and bbq spots. You pay by the plate. The fridge is organized by bbq plates, hot pot plates and then a veggies and misc fridge. read more

Run down but homie flavors. if you are looking for an old school hot pot place where its all self service. this is your place. You grab almost everything yourself. It's dirty.. everything has some type of grime. its just run down and on its last leg. I'm surprised so many people still come here so my home is that the food is still fresh because of that! You grab food from the fridge and just load it in the hot pot or the bbq surrrounding it. My daughter loves it because this 6YO feels like a boss grabbing whatever she wants. Everything is ala carte even down to the sa-cha sauce, buttery, etc.. only thing that is free is rice i think? read more

3.6 stars Warning: this is an incredibly biased review! This is one of those old school establishments that is greasy, sticky, and smoky (from bbq). It is definitely not going to be everyone's cup of tea. With that said, the food is good. You get seated, they give you bowls, cups, tea, utensils, and you go to pick whatever meats and veggies you'd like located near the cash register. In front of the cash register is rice and congee, which is free/unlimited. Prices range from $3 to $5. I recommend coming for lunch b/c there's a 15% discount. As someone who has been coming here on/off since early childhood, it's not as trendy or comfortable or asthetically pleasing as kbbq establishments. Heck, it's not even the friendliest of services, but it is a restaurant frequented by locals. If you're ok with hole-in-the-wall type restaurants, this could be your next pit stop. Just lower your expectations and shower after you get home, not before. read more

Definitely the old school type of shabu shabu at Cocary. I've never heard about this place until recently. A good option if you want to try something different. Lunch is the best time to go since it's 15% off. Everything is self serve so service is non existent here. They have refrigerators where you go and pick out the veggie or meat you want. They charge by plate and each plate is about $4.39ish. Don't forget to get the butter and slap it on the grill before grilling. Yea, they charge for the butter too. Surprisingly, the meats had decent flavor. They have chicken, beef, lamb, pork. The only things they don't charge for are water and rice. Parking lot in the back. read more

Cocary Shabu Shabu BBQ - Hot Pot Near Me - Monterey Park, California

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We usually love this place! But today 9/22/25 around 7pm the Lady who helped us was super rude (not the first time) dont ask us if we want drinks or need anything I had to ask for my drinks ask for hot sauce ask get spoons forks napkins myself and still has the nerve to ask for a tip! I understand we need to tip and we did but I go based on how I'm treated cuz ur already getting paid just like I do my job and get paid for it! Not the first time this happens and I just think is very rude! read more

The workers here are always so nice and quick. service is fast and attentive. The food is great, though I'd say it feels a bit pricey for what you get. Even so, this place has always been my go-to dinner spot with my mom. Always a cozy, reliable choice we keep coming back to. read more

I had a great experience here. Came on Saturday at 7 pm and didn't wait at all. They have a lot of free items like butter, rice, porridge, and tea. Pretty much you pay for anything that you pick out of the refrigerators. Meats and seafood was $5 a plate while veggies were like $3. Certainl fun to be able to cook both hotpot style as well at kbbq style grill. Food tasted fresh but will say certain dishes were more worth it in terms of "value" like $5 worth of a chicken plate is definitely not worth it since it's the same size as the beef. Service was good and everything tasted great. For 3 people I spent $52 eating 9 meat plates and one veggie plate. I'd be back! read more

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Amazing value but inconsistent food quality questionable sanitation. The worker is always friendly and attentive. read more

Cocary Shabu Shabu BBQ - Hot Pot Near Me - Monterey Park, California

Pros - complimentary rice and soup, can do hot pot and kbbq-style cooking, and self service Cons- The place is dated, ambiance can get loud, super casual Came in today after a Chinese new year festival with my kid's friends and their families. It was hesitantly recommended to us by a local. He mentioned the food was good but the ambiance wasn't fancy. I was getting the vibe that Cocary was a guilty pleasure. Anyhow, me and the wife wanted to go with the flow and try it out. Thanks for the recommendation E! At first we were a bit shocked. The matching staff uniforms reminded me of old school diners. Although most of the stuff was self serve, the staff were friendly and attentive. They gave our kids some attention which is always pleasant. When I say self serve. We'd get our own pitcher of water, fill up our own rice, and grab our own dishes to cook ourselves at the table. It was a very interesting experience. One of the things I enjoyed was the ambiance. Everyone's coming here to eat so I never felt the shame of getting a 3rd or 4th bowl of the complimentary rice. Or if I'm grabbing a plate of pig's blood. I'd say the must have dish is the pickled lettuce 100% must try. Today I ate beef, veggies, tofu skin, tofu, pig's blood, 2 varieties of Chinese veggies, pickled lettuce, and pickled cucumbers. All delicious. Oh and the sauces are also self serve you can make it however you want. And to top off ,when the bill came, I was surprised of how affordable it was. read more

This place is my favorite restaurant in all the world, and it's been that way since I was a kid!! My family and I have been coming to Cocary since I was probably 5 years old...I love the soup broth, it is so flavorful and light at the same time. You can get free refills of the broth, and it's absolutely delicious. I love getting enoki mushroom, kabocha squash, spinach, and the filled fishballs for my soup toppings. Like other reviews mention, you pay for each plate of toppings you get. For the meat, I always opt for the beef. I don't know what they marinade the beef in, but I think it comes straight from the refrigerators of heaven because it is so flavorful and delicious, and there's no other restaurant that has beef as delicious as here! Same goes for the broth. You get your own rice or porridge, and you can get as many bowls of it as you need. I love the staff members here, they are basically my friends since I've been coming for so long. Please be patient because at times it can get really busy and it's usually only 1-2 staff members working at a time! They offer a lunch time discount until 3:30 pm I believe. Weekends too! Isn't that awesome? The prices here are extremely affordable, and I always leave feeling stuffed and my tummy feeling super happy because of how yummy the food is!!!!!!! read more

We haven't been here for a while and it's sad to say that the service has gone tremendously downhill. Don't get me wrong, the food is okay but the service was so horrible and the price of the food was unclear to a point that we don't even want to come back.. so that others know...each small plate cost $4.99, large plate cost $2.99, appetizer are also $4.99 and the house sauce was $2.99. Now if I can give a zero star, that's what I would give bc of the HORRIBLE SERVICE.. The two workers there didn't bother greeting but rather preferred to chit chat amongst themselves. Pointed us to a table and that was it.. brought out the plates, utensils, and hot tea. One of them wasn't even paying attention and walked into my child with the pot of hot soup, didn't bother to apologize or see if my child was ok; instead just looked at me as if my child walked into her. When really she wasn't looking and walked straight into my child. Next we weren't sure about napkins, so we asked for more. The worker kept pointing down on the ground and we were like what's she pointing at. Turns out there was a napkin already on the ground and she pointed to it (I'm guessing so that we can pick it up?) Then she comes with a few napkins and tells us that if we want more (points) it's over there. We asked for the bill, no thank you greetings or anything, counts our plates and walks to ring it up. When she comes back with the check I hold out my hand for it, instead of handing it to me, she placed it on top of the dirty plates she just counted... then the two workers proceed to watch and wait for me to pay the bill while I reviewed my bill... as if I was going to just walk out without paying.. Needless to say, we will not be coming back here again based on this service we received. read more

Cocary Shabu Shabu BBQ - Hot Pot Near Me - Monterey Park, California

Love the food here. Price is relatively inexpensive and definitely gets more value for your buck compared to other restaurant. Try their beef, chicken, fish cake and quail eggs. Definitely a great place for families to go to where there a much variety here. read more

First time trying this spot and it totally surprised me. The place has a retro, no-frills vibe, with old-school diner decor and uniforms. There were only two servers working the floor, but both were attentive and on point the entire time. It's self-serve style with a solid selection of standard cuts of meat. Nothing fancy, just affordable, delicious food done right. Great value, great taste, and definitely worth coming back for. read more

It was our first time at this restaurant and will be the last time we will ever be stepping at this very disappointing restaurant. First, the server was not transparent on the prices when she explained to us that the middle is for broth and the sides around it is for bbq and that we will be getting the food ourselves in the fridge to cook. We dont really mind about the prices, it is just we appreciate if the server is transparent to let us know how are we getting charge. Secondly, the broth does not taste anything, its more like a water heated on the grill with all the stuff we got from the fridge (what a joke!!!). I was jokingly telling my husband that we should have buy those fish balls and other stuff at 99 ranch and just cook them at home in our own grill in a lot more cheaper prices. There is nothing special in this restaurant, everything is all disappointments. Not only that, the server told us the last call and was told about the bill which is fine, she handed us the receipt and then I continue eating, she came back rushing us to pay so I left my card on the receipt tray thinking that she will stop bothering us, so I continue eating then she came back rushing me again to sign the receipt..... I was like, what the heck?!! I always give a fair amount of tip to our servers but these servers does not deserve anything even a cent, so I gave something and see how they will react, I watched the lady who grabbed the signed receipt, she went to the other server to show the paper and then they laughed at each other...i was not even surprised they did that! The receipt also asking for gratuity, (not a tip, lol!!) where on earth you get the nerve to ask for gratuity? It was just the two of us and it is a self serve restaurant, it was not even AYCE. Lastly, when we were on our way out of the restaurant , we said "bye, thank you" to the server we saw that was seated on the counter, she did not even look or respond as if she did not hear anything. See, everything in this resaturant is a trash, the food, the behaviour, the servers. DO NOT EVEN TRY THIS RESTAURANT, THIS IS SUCH A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY. Be mindful that they charge per plate even the tasteless sauce has a price, lol !!! ... read more

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I know Cocary doesn't always get the best reviews. Some of it is probably service related, some of it is from the age of the venue and that there have not been many updates made since they opened. However, I have been going to Cocary on and off since I was about 6/7, since before they were at this location and started down the street. For me, it's been consistent. I know what I'm craving when I go and I know what I'm going to get. My go tos are veggies and mushrooms in the soup with the occasional pork blood cubes. Lamb for BBQ on the grill portion. Usually white rice but the occasional craving for the yam congee. I can usually go through 2-3 plates of the lamb and just whatever veggies I have room for that day. One of my favorites is the broth. I will usually sit there and go through 3-4 bowls of broth each time I'm there. Two complaints that I do have, it's hard to keep the grill portion of the cooktop hot enough to get color on the meat while also not hard boiling everything in the pot. If the soup becomes too condensed, then I just add some water so it doesn't get too salty. And on a hot summer day, the AC isn't on very high in the dining room. It usually set to 82-84 and eating hot pot causes sweat but I still go anyways lol. Just drink enough ice water and eat quick. I know that sometimes when it gets busy, it takes a while for them to round back to the table for service. I don't mind getting things like water, broth or extra bowls and plates on my own since they are out in the open area and easily accessible for guests. Since you already have to cook the food yourself, I don't mind self-service add-ons either. I also tend to go for lunch when there is a discount. So I can usually fill my belly and go home happy at around $25. Definitely a place I will be visiting often as well as their other location in City of Industry. Just wish that one was open for lunch on the weekdays too. read more

I've been coming here since I was small with my family, and it was a great concept back then, but now we have so much good food that this is average. It's a two in one meal, hot pot and grilling meat. The meat quality is not the best but still tasty. You pick out the meat and vegetables you want from their fridge to your table. They also provide porridge and white rice, which are free and as much as you like. The vegetables are $2.39 and the meats are $4.39 per plate. The meat is a bit pricey for how much you get, but everything is going up these days. Service is so so. Sometimes, they forget what you ask and have to tell them two or three times. And their plates/bowls are cracked, which I feel they should throw out and change them. PARKING- A couple street parking in the front, but they have more in the back side. read more

Cocary Shabu Shabu BBQ - Hot Pot Near Me - Monterey Park, California

Awful Customer Service! Since my Favorite Shabu Shabu is closed for Remodeling, figured we came here since we craved hot pot that night. Had to ask for Soup 3 Separate times, each time Waitress poured only a little bit.... Waitress was unfriendly, mean, rude, fob, etc.. Our 1st time here and will be our last. Turns out the soup ain't all that great had light headache, dehydrated and extremely thirsty that night, maybe they put too much MSG in that soup. Very tiny Micky Mouse Portions and i was being conservative by NOT eating my Max Potential knowing this is NOT AYCE! This Place is very Stingy, they Charge for BBQ Sauce and Hot Sauce. That's ALL the Sauces they have unlike Other Shabu Shabu places where there's a wide selection of Condiments and Sauces.. Can't find Utensils or Napkins anywhere near.... Very disappointed we came here..... Piece of Dump! read more

Good food, horrible customer service. First of all, it is a self serve restaurant. My girlfriend and I tipped what we thought was fair. After paying with cash and trying to leave, one of the workers quickly counted the tab then demanded more tip. The tables are sticky, the utensils are dirty, and it feels run down/janky. We literally grabbed everything to cook it ourselves. Hell, you have to get the waters yourself! The establishment should be lucky to have customers who tip at all. OH WAIT, YOU CANT LEAVE UNTIL YOU DO. What a joke. If you look at all the reviews regarding tip, they literally told someone to clean up the table if they weren't going to tip. It's like they had forgot cleaning is apart of their job, but expect us to tip with no customer service/satisfaction. LOL. Now picture this, if they're so entitled to tip, let's say you paid with card, didn't tip enough, and somehow able to leave. Would there be a possibility they change tipped amount after you leave? read more

Came here a lot when I was younger and after 5 years I stopped by with my boyfriend and he loved it. The flavor is still there . The lamb is delicious, the soup is light and savory . Rice and porridge is free. The service is still meh but it didn't make the food taste any less better. So when u go all u need is butter and ur meats and whatever you want to put in ur hotpot. Butter is also free. Don't get any sauces it's a ripoff lol. If you go in the morning I think before 3pm it's 15% entire check on weekdays. read more

Food is good but service is AWFUL. The two ladies always have a bad attitude and when they clean the tables slam the kitchenware and it's incredibly disruptive. Usually I'll give them a pass but today they gave especially rude service. We asked for an extra plate of green onion like we always do (EVERY WEEK). And today they gave us a huge bowl of garlic and onion. We were initially pleasantly surprised and thought they were being extra generous. At the end of the meal, we realized we were charged $5 extra. It's not much money but we told them they DID NOT tell us we would be charged extra for the condiments. They stood their ground and insisted that the way we "motioned for the green onion" looked like we wanted a bowl. And that there was "no way" that a bowl of green onions could be free. The fact that the servers could 1) knowingly give us an extra charged item and NOT TELL US AT ALL and 2) ARGUE in front of the entire store over a cup of green onions is ridiculous to me. Most stores would actually apologize, give us the condiment complimentary since it was their mistake in not telling us, or just not cause a scene. But they insisted that "they are unable to give us a cup of green onions for free". I think it says a lot about a restaurant and the service if they are willing to make so much commotion and give regular customers such an unpleasant interaction ... over a cup of GREEN ONIONS that probably costs $0.10 in terms of actual material. It's laughable. read more

I have been to the Roland Heights location and was meeting an out of town friend and saw that they had a location in Monterey Park. They had a great parking lot in the back since parking in the front it tough. Sadly this location is not like the other. I was very disappointed. I usually hate putting bad reviews because understanding that there can a time you just catch them at a bad time. But, the location was dirty which sets off the ambiance and since we had taken 2 tables they gave us a broken chair that part of the back support was missing. This restaurant you go to the refrigerator and they have dishes to grab of meat, seafood and vegetables. The veggies that I got were bad. I didn't end up using it. But, the waitress was nice and friendly . read more

No frills! I grew up eating this, combo bbq and soup. Their marinated beef on the grill with their satay bbq sauce hits the spot every single time. They have unlimited rice and porridge, but I prefer to stack up on the protein. read more

I've been a customer since 2012... and I love coming all the time! This is the definition of hole-in-the-wall. There is 1/2 servers depending on the day/time. You pick the meats out from the fridge and pay per plate. I like the idea of being able to control portions vs unlimited kbbq/hot pot. I don't live in the 626 anymore but every time I visit, Cocary is my #1 spot to go to. Note: use butter on the frying area to avoid splatter. read more

The food is excellent! Fresh and tasty ...I drive from Montclair to this place & look so forward to my meal. The only constructive criticism that I may offer to the owner(s) is to better train their staff....servers are not very polite. Since this is more less a self serve place I try not to focus too much on that as the food is great and out weighs the poor what little service is given. I recommend read more

Advocate of all things hot pot and shabu here ! I just remember how small and dingy the restaurant itself was, probably because we were seated in the very back (but there's better tables in the front, as they seemed cleaner and lighting was brighter). As for food selection, it's basically AYCE and I will admit that they had a wide array of selection from meats, seafood, veggies, etc. The staff was always busy but they made time for everything we asked! As for experience and customer service, it was great! As for the actual taste of my soup and other ingredients, it just seemed. lackluster ~ read more

Cocary Shabu Shabu BBQ - huo guo - Hot Pot Near Me - Monterey Park, California

12/31/2024 Dinner tonight at Cocary Monterey Park, got seat and ready to grad food from the refrigerator just pick up one barbecue chicken the guide wear white uniform and hat yelled on me said after you grab the food do not put it back, and no refund. I'm shocked what the hell staff can yell to the customers without any reason I did nothing wrong with the food. I keep calm and say nothing before go back to my table. I did report to the server just wondering staff can yell to customer like this. Hope the owner of this restaurant can go into this happened to avoid this guide yell to other customer in future. read more

I full recommend Cocary, a Fresh ingredients, friendly waiter, ok price restaurant. Fully recommend. read more

Cocary Shabu Shabu BBQ - Restaurants front image - Hot Pot Near Me - Monterey Park, California