I don't see anyone talk about the vegetarian or vegan experience so want to share that! Went with my husband last night. The standard broth isn't vegetarian so we used a divider, and I started with hot water. The sauce bar has lots of options including regular and spicy miso, so I used that and added some other things to make my own broth. After that it was smooth sailing! Lots of vegetable options - I steered clear of the prepared foods just in case. The only strange thing was the corn which was somehow kind of... rubbery? My husband enjoyed all the meat and seafood options on his end. Staff is very courteous - it's on the casual end but was a great date night option for us - $38.99/person for all you can eat (that's their weeknight pricing). Thanks for a great meal! read more

pretty busy even on a weekday lunch. for $29.99, this is a good deal. you order the meat. the other things like vegetables, noodles, etc buffet style. they also have cooked dishes like chili shrimp, mapo tofu, etc. all really good. this is a really filling meal and the selection is good. read more

A variety of food is available , meat, seafood, vegetables, etc. Good service and fair price if you have a good appetite

I've been going to dad for a while now and I have to say that it is by far the best shabu in Irvine purely for the quality of their ingredients! I've been to Mokkoji, All that Shabu, Hidilao and none of them compare to the quality I've had here. AND it's consistent! The only downside is the lack of parking nearby and sometimes the wait. There are times they get busy so make sure to check in on yelp as soon as you're in the near vicinity (I love that this is an option for this establishment). The servers are usually attentive and very friendly as well so don't be shy to wave them down! They also have a cooked foods sections which is actually SO good, whereas for most shabu places the cooked foods sections seems more like an after thought. Try the fried shrimp and chicken, you won't regret it! read more

Have been here numerous times with family and friends and each time they have not disappointed. One of the best all you can each shabu shabu in town, possibly in SoCal as a whole. For meat selection they serve a choice of chuck top blade, briskets, chuck eye roll, pork belly, chicken breast, and lamb meat (unlimited order). But note there is a 90 minute time limit. At the end of the restaurant, there are about 7 stations that consist of various seafood, veggies, side dishes, sauces, and shaved ice stations. Here is a breakdown of the different stations: 1. Veggie station: Napa cabbage, bokchoy, spinach, pumpkins, broccoli, cilantro, bean sprouts, zucchini, onions, and carrots. 2. Noodles (ramen, udon, rice noodle, flat noodles, clear noodles), rice cakes, dumplings, fish cakes, mushrooms, lotus, tofu, corn on the cob, and sausage. 3. Seafood: shrimp, mussels, clams, crab, crayfish, white fish, baby octopus, fish balls, fish cakes, imitation crab. 4. Sauces: minced garlic, green onions, cilantro, chili oil, jalapeño, grated radish, Korean spicy paste, miso/spicy miso, wasabi, sesame seeds, sugar, red pepper, black pepper, sriracha, hoisin sauce, sesame oil. Soy sauce and ponzu and peanut sauce is at the table. 5. Side dishes: kimchee, clear noodles, chicken wings, ribs (honestly not work wasting your tummy space on) 6. Dessert: shaved ice with toppings to add (condensed milk, red bean, cheeky rice cakes, fruity pebbles, fruit cocktails. Very good option for shabu shabu with very seasonal price point. Been coming here for years and will continue to visit. read more

See all

AYCE shabu shabu with shaved ice for dessert! Yes, the meats could've been better, but the veggies and noodles were good. Kids have different pricing if they are under 4ft or 5ft fyi! Service was good and so on top of everything! read more

Dada Shabu Shabu Buffet - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

One of my favorite shabu places. They have lots of variety, veggies and proteins to choose from. Make your own sauce and broth. Dessert bar and hot bar is also decent. read more

Dada Shabu Shabu Buffet - Meet selection is fresh - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Good spread. Clean buffet stations. Table could have been larger or seat us at a larger table for all the dishes. Good warm food selection. Seafood options were nice for Shabu Shabu. read more

See all

i have been meaning to leave a review for quite some time and just got around to it. I like that you're able to customize what kind of flavor your broth will be with what's provided at the buffet line! They start you off with their house broth and you flavor it up yourself. The chicken gizzard over at the hot foods is SOOOO good. I try not to fill myself up with the hot foods, but it's just too hard to not grab every time i come. Service is good, they come by often to pick up any empty plates and to grab refill orders. The buffet/salad bar has a lot of variety of veggies, they offer DIY bingsoo for dessert, and they also have coffee+soft drinks! All included AYCE for the price, I would say its pretty worth it (: read more

I've never been to an AYCE hotpot place that has so many amazing sides!! They had KFC, Japchae, Tteobokki, and more. They only had one broth to choose from and a small selection of meats but I didn't mind because those are the meats I usually eat. I would definitely recommend to anyone who hasn't tried AYCE Shabu! Can't wait to come back! read more

See all

Take advantage of the Yelp Waitlist if you can! My family and I only waited for maybe 10 minutes ahead because my sister was able to check in ahead of time. This place is huge! Once you're seated, you order your meats with your server. From there, you head to the buffet area to get your sauce, sides, hot foods, drinks, and dessert. There's lots of options to choose from for sides. However the aisles are a bit tight so be careful not to bump into anyone. Heads up they are strict about 2 hour seating and will tell you to leave once your time is up. read more

Dada Shabu Shabu Buffet - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

I often search for a new AYCE shabu shabu place and I'm glad that I found Dada. The place is a bit small, but clean. Servers are friendly, attentive but not intrusive. Soup base are provided in buffet line. Drinks station are self-serve as well. Lunch price is $29.99 pp. Ample selection of seafood, vegetables, hot food line. I'm happy with the seasoning selections in the buffet. I think it's nice to have the ponzu, mustard and sesame sauce on table. The meat quality is better than other AYCE places I've been to. The chuck top blade is so tender and melts in your mouth. Nice little touch is the shave ice station for desserts! Last but most importantly, the level of cleanliness they maintain throughout service. Bathroom is very clean !!! read more

See all

I make the drive from LA to OC a few times a year just for Dada. What got me hooked was their AMAZING hot food selection - especially their sweet & spicy chicken wings. I feel that Dada makes their hot food an integral part of their shabu experience and not an afterthought. I love it when they have their jjokbal spread with ssam and garlic. Super delicious. Dada's beef quality has consistently been good. Their brisket has beautiful marbling and prime steak chuck eye roll is very tender. They also have an abundance of seafood - crab, mussels, clam, shrimp and crawfish which you can add to your broth for more umami. To finish out your meal they have a shaved ice station where you can make your own bingsoo. Wait times during dinner hours can get long but overall the waits have never been more than half an hour to be seated. Parking is plentiful in shared lot with Zion market. read more

See all

Meats were good, ban Chan was okay sides were minimal. Jap chae was good. Could use pickled radish to wrap around meat. Also would help to label squirt bottles on table read more

Not ADA compliant. We have a 6 month old baby who cannot sit on her own and they told us that a stroller is a fire hazard. Clearly this place does not have wheelchair accessibility if they can't accommodate a stroller either. Would not recommend if a stroller or a wheelchair is needed, does not follow CA laws. read more

Always solid to come here. Service is always friendly and the location is great. I like all the veggies and the fish et the bar because I'm inpatient and just want to grab some sesame balls and veggies to get cooking right away as I wait for the meat read more

We had an amazing experience dining here! Allen, was absolutely delightful -- super duper friendly and knowledgeable about all the menu options. A true Dada connoisseur, if I had ever seen one. He made sure our shabu shabu experience was perfect from start to finish, keeping everything running smoothly. The food was tasty, but Allen's service really made the meal spectacular. Dont ever change bro read more

Excellent broth base and varieties of things to eat. Fresh vegetables and seafood and unlimited amount of beef. The ambience is chill and relax. Customer service is excellent and very attentive. We came around 1 o'clock so we only have a few hours to eat before they break for lunch. Will definitely come back highly recommend it. read more

The food is great, even the cooked food bar, which I find myself filling up on even though my primary reason is for the shabu.

I've never seen a more chromed up sexy server in my entire life. Allen's service was out of this galaxy. I will forever be indebted for the exemplary experience that Allen gave me!! read more

Dada Shabu Shabu Buffet - I'm never seen a more chromed up sexy server in my entire life. Allen's service was exceptionally!!! - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

It's my b-day! And we came here for Shabu Shabu. Service was good, and food tasted always good. The ambience was warm and nice..

The buffet option is great, but I really wish they had more variety of non-pork options! The displays don't even specify that it has pork in it, so I had to keep asking an employee :/ I love the idea of creating my own broth and having my own pot to cook the meat. It's a nice restaurant for a big group of people too. read more

First off, this place is humongous! Like great spacing between the tables/sitting area and parking was equally the same (I guess I shouldn't really be so shocked by this because of the location) but because I'm from San Diego -I just have to point that out first and foremost! Food selection was divine, especially the dessert bar/area, it's a build your own shaved ice Love that off the bat, we were given a pot with dividers that gave us 3 options on how to dress the soup base. Can't say enough about the selection of ingredients to make your soup base even better. And even with a lot of people constantly in the restaurant -hardly any wait (we waited like 10-14 mins max). Staff kept cleaning up the everywhere, taking empty plates/bowls off the tables as they was by. And they were courteous as well Definitely will go back again read more

Dada Shabu Shabu Buffet - My younger baby and Baby Daddy enjoying some snow cream - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Pro-tips: They take reservations and there's also a Yelp waiting list. Highlights: In addition to the hot pot items, I really love the hot food bar and snow dessert bar. Although there's only five meat options, there's some variety in the hot pot meats and they are all very high-quality and I couldn't believe how fast the meats came out. I liked the selection of the hot food as well and even the toppings for the snow dessert are good - personally I liked the fresh watermelon and the homemade red bean paste. I love the concept that the hot pot pots are sectioned so people can decide to each have their own soup or have different types of soups for everyone to share. Lowlights: Personally I don't like how the broth is not flavored because I don't know how to make my own broth tasty with their sauce bar and ingredients. I felt like the buffet foods could have been hotter. The seating is a bit tight between the tables, so it's hard to walk by if there's people seated in both chairs. It would have been nice to see more fresh fruit for the snow bar instead of two buckets of canned fruit and one bucket of maraschino cherries. read more

The first couple times I came was with a date & I really enjoyed it. The most recent time I came I brought my mom and sister. I was really excited to show them what it's like. The first thing I realized was the broth was lukewarm. I could be wrong but past times I remember the broth already being hot by the time we went to the buffet & came back it was always ready to start cooking. Instead we had to sit with our food & wait for it to boil. We also had to ask 3 different times for a second round of meat. I don't like to make it a big deal because I know that they were busy but having to ask 3 different times is too much. I felt ignored and each time WE had to flag them down. Our waiter wasn't being attentive. They also didn't have the crunchy shrimp, instead it was crunchy crab. That really bummed me out it was one of my favorites. read more

Dada Shabu Shabu Buffet - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

Been here twice due to the high recommendation but always ended up disappointed. The food is very mediocre and nothing special. Their broth is also very bland, so we ended up having to make our own broth at a Shabu-shabu restaurant! We used all the sauce they provided us at the counter and remade the sukiyaki and miso. You can tell by the picture at the beginning, the color of the broth is so clear like they just put tap water in the pot and called it hot pot broth! We also had to add some corn and seafood hoping the broth could taste a but sweeter and be better but that couldn't save the meal. I will give 3 stars since the meat and seafood look very fresh; the restaurant is clean and the wait is incredibly fast on the weekend. Literally there is no wait on a weekend brunch for a restaurant with more than 1k review! Also a plus is a reasonable price for this economy! If you just don't mind the quality of broth and willing to make your own taste of hot pot, this place is for you! read more

Dada Shabu Shabu Buffet - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

Food selection was great, nice ambience, and service was great would love to come again soon.

First time here, and this may be my new favorite shabu place at the moment! The amount of selection is INSANE! Funny enough the only limited choices you have are the shabu meats themselves. With this many options and selections, you wouldn't find a place like this in the SF Bay Area. It's disappointing. They have multiple buffet lines in the back where you can choose all kinds of additional toppings, or separate hot foods entrees as well if you're not craving shabu (they have Korean fried chicken, Japchae, Dukbokki, and more). They serve you one kind of shabu broth, but you can go up to the buffet line where there are ways to customize your broth flavor with other soup pastes, broths, MSG, and more. Drinks are included and there's a soda fountain, also coffee and tea are options! This place is so good there was a line several minutes before official opening. In fact there was a group of some senior citizens who were arguing with the host because she had ask us to line up orderly near the windows. I suppose it was a bit off since she took our names down on a waiting list but when we lined up we weren't in the same order, but god damn did those senior citizens literally argue and yell like their life depended on it. Like they were HELLA mean to the host, I felt really bad! I guess that's a testament to how good the food is? read more

Dada Shabu Shabu Buffet - Everything was so good (except the hot dog, skip it) - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

This was my first time at a shabu shabu restaurant where you fetch your own vegetables, sides, soup bases, and everything else besides the meat. They even offer cooked dishes like pork feet, short rib patties, and stir-fried shrimp and crab. It was a lot to take in at first, but once you get familiar with the multiple stations, it's pretty straightforward. There's a huge variety of meats to choose from, including brisket, pork belly, and more. You can customize your soup at one of the stations, while condiments like soy sauce, peanut sauce, and ponzu are conveniently available at each table. Most AYCE places are lenient with their 90-minute time limit, but Dada is strict about theirs due to the high demand and long wait times. It's a busy restaurant, but for good reason! read more

One of the best Shabu Shabu's Buffet I've ever been to. Really love the little spicy crispy craps I could just go there and only eat the craps. OMG it's that good. For the hot pots you're given a small selection of beef and along other stuff. It doesn't look like they offer much but the quality is fantastic. Though the restaurant is a bit dark but it's different in a positive way. read more

Excellent ayce shab experience! Decided to do a delayed father's day luncheon and was seated immediately on Sat at noon. The extensive Korean hot foods bar, shaved ice, and seasoning section truly made this place shine. My favorites were the sweet and spicy wings/drummies, short rib patties, and glazed shrimp (?) but the fried chicken was a little oily for me and the jokbal was okay. Being a hot summer day, the shaved ice bar came through, notable the homemade red bean paste, fun little cubes of watermelon, mini mochi, canned cherries, and condensed milk. Though I rarely ever end up drinking much soup at ayce shab places, I thought it was neat that you could select/customize your own soup bases by grabbing the paste from the seasoning section. The seafood offerings were comparable to dpot but smaller than, say, All That Shabu Shabu and Oishi. The meats and veggies felt standard but I only rly pay attention to seafood, anything unique, and whether or not there are mushrooms or assorted fish balls (which were both there) to begin with. For a group of 4, we had two duo pots set up at each table which delayed cook time but the staff was extremely friendly and kept offering to refill our soups. Wknd pricing was also standard for the area at $37.99 but the 10% senior citizen discount came in clutch. Parking is easy and plentiful with the location being right around the corner from Zion. To fulfill a shab itch with no wait, I'd highly recommend this restaurant. read more

The service is exceptional, and the atmosphere is inviting. Everything is self-serve except for the meat, which the attentive servers brought out immediately. The service is amazing. They have several options of the meat but the top blade cut and lamb is a must! The salad bar has an amazing amount of selection to choose from ranging from shrimp, fried chicken, Korean rice cake, and much more. It's $34 per person for all the food! Completely worth it. If you're in the mood for delicious shabu this is a must visit . read more

See all

The food here is fantastic, but Allen's service? Next level. He made us feel like VIPs the second we sat down--new meat brought before we could say anything, sauces topped off without asking, and perfect check-ins right when we needed them. He explained everything with genuine care and treated our table like we were his only priority. Allen doesn't just do customer service, he masters it. I'd come back for the food, but honestly--I'd come back for Allen alone. If Yelp let me give 10 stars, he'd get all 10 read more

Best hot pot in area, good choice of extra things, AYCE, including drinks and little dessert. We also really like service read more

Dada Shabu Shabu Buffet - Korean Near Me - Irvine, California

The food was good. I felt like the staff kept following us to clean up as we were getting food. Really small spaces so not good for big groups. They had the shaved ice for dessert which was different. read more

I've been to Dada Shabu Shabu countless times, and every time it is very good! The service is excellent, asking about meats and bringing them out very fast. The thick noodles are my favorite especially paired with the spicy miso sauce and fried rice. The food is all layed out nicely, and the ambiance is overall calm and good for a buffet. I hope Dada stays good for a long time. read more

Came here for Sunday dinner around 6 PM--usually peak hours--and surprisingly there was no wait at all. We brought our baby and they were able to accommodate us quickly, which we really appreciated. Place was clean, nice ambiance. It was my mom's first time and she absolutely loved it. She was a big fan of the seafood selection and all the ready-made food options, especially the wings, and she kept going back to the bingsoo station. She's already talking about coming back with her friends and coworkers, so that says a lot. It made me really happy that she enjoyed it so much. Service-wise, we didn't need much, but the staff was attentive and consistently checked in to see if we needed more broth. The quality of the food was very good overall. We usually go to other shabu spots, but the long wait times can be a dealbreaker. This was a great experience without having to wait hours just to be seated. I'd definitely come back again. read more

Love the buffet. Not many restaurants have buffetr and cook your on meat on the table. Shabu shabu & Hotspot was awesome.

Dada is one of my favorite AYCE hot pot spots. They offer a wide selection of sauce ingredients, fresh vegetables, and excellent protein options. Their prepared dishes are also delicious--especially the chicken wings, which are seasoned perfectly and cooked just right. Even the fountain Coke has the best fizz! The service is polite, attentive, and always on point. It's a no-fuss place that delivers consistently great experiences. I truly love this establishment. read more

There are so many ways to describe this wonderful restaurant. Some might say the salad bar is the best part, some may say the price. BOTH WERE ABSOLUTELY FIRE. the wait time took 5-10 minutes for a 38 dollar dinner with my friends. Not to mention that they serve chuck eye angus short rib and Kobe steak for LESS THAN 38 DOLLARS. This place also has wonderful staff that by the way check on you about every five minutes. Just wonderful. And the decorations are top spot. They don't have top notch music that blast your eardrums. Count on me to come back here soon, if not next week. read more