Some of the best korean barbecue and hotpot I've ever had! The quality of the meat was top notch, the service was great, and the atmosphere was super nice! I'll be back for sure. read more

Halves Boiling Pot + Grill - Beef Bulgogi Fries - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

See all

Delicious spot. You have the option of grilling and having hotpot. The venue is really nice. Service is great too! The 1855 and shortrib in the spicy tonkatsu read more

See all

Had this place booked mark for a minute. It has also been a minute since I wrote a review but why not pay it forward. I got inspired after leaving another review a few minutes ago but that is neither here or there. We came here because we went to another Shabu place in Irvine that apparently they (owner or manager) must have forgotten to spring forward the clock because they forgot to open and all the employees were waiting in the parking lot. I whipped out Yelp and saw my bookmark and drove to Foothill Ranch. Glad we did. Ambience: Hours for a Sunday is 12pm. We got there at 11:50 and they said they will open shortly. However, when they opened, there was a party of 11 and looks like they only had one server and a runner. The runner did not look to happy but he eventually lightened up. He was sufficient but a smile could have helped. The place was clean, classical music playing, and it was all set up. Music wasn't overly loud as some other cranky post mentioned. Food: Love the Shabu and Grill combo. The Jennifer had the Angus and Ribeye. I had the Ribeye and Short Ribs both with Tonkatshu broth. The broth is really good and the quality of meat is very good. The sauce and veggies were good. The check-in edamame was good. The little canister that the udon and veggies came in was a nice touch but not very efficient as the cabbage were packed in on the bottom. Overall: Good experience, already talking about bringing my sister and bother in-law here since they live up the street. They could have used one more server but they did do a good job. The table next to us ordered seafood and it looked so fresh. He recommended if someone is ordering a grill option to grill the lobster since the seafood is only boil. That was a nice suggestion. Comments: Another post said it smelled like grease? It could be from the outside since the Flame Broiler is always grilling. However, it is a grill meat place not sure what she expects‍. And the hot drops? This isn't a traditional Shabu place so they might not have everything . Also, a lot of places now don't allow you to place the drops in the pot because it can get air born and bother other customers. Don't be a Debbie Downer! This place is good and enjoy it. read more

Halves Boiling Pot + Grill - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

See all

I love Shabu, like really love Shabu and this place is super cool. I have never done half Shabu half "grill". We were a little confused at first on how it worked and the service was a bit slow at first but we got the info on how it works and put in our order. The quality of the food is great, my only complaint would be to offer some kind of oil or something for the grill side as some of the food sticked but I also understand that opens up for more oil popping and liability. Overall a great little spot, would definitely go back. read more

This may be one of the best shabu/kbbq places I have ever been to. The concept of shabu and kbbq at once is creative and unique and halves does it right. Kbbq: Their beef quality is so good - the Miyazaki wagyu was beautifully marbled and tasted as good as it looked. You get a lot value wise for what your paying and halves doesn't skimp out on the meat. I'd recommend the signature combo or 3 meat combo if you're looking to try out a variety of high quality meat. Shabu: We got the spicy tonkotsu shabu and miso shabu and both soup bases were so flavorful and light, and paired well with the sauces provided. The vegetable portions were generous. Service was very good and I would definitely come back again! read more

Halves Boiling Pot + Grill - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

Excellent experience. Food was delicious. Service was excellent. I asked our server for some instruction for my friend's fist time visit and she explained what the sauces were, how to cook the meats, veggies and made suggestions. Great place to have an experience with a date or friend over good food. I highly recommend! read more

Halves Boiling Pot + Grill - Amazing experience Excellent food Great service - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

See all

Came here for lunch. Very packed being a major holiday and all. Was told this place originated from Taiwan, definitely felt the excitement as we were waiting to be called in. Inside the restaurant one can immediately smell the BBQ. Almost as if you were at a Korean BBQ restaurant. Ordered the half pot half grill combo. The amount of food was definitely substantial. I've never seen anything like this. Half boiling pot and half grill, all on the same plate setting. Very cool indeed. Food itself was pretty good. Nice dipping sauce to go along with the meats. The veggies were nicely cut and fresh. So in short, it's like being at a combination of k BBQ and a modern hot pot place. Overall a nice experience. I would say the price can be a little high, for one person, it's at least $20 for the meal. But worth the try at least. read more

Halves Boiling Pot + Grill - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

See all

Saturday night. Store was open and few tables were open and counter was also open. We were the first customer in line. They took almost 10mins to let us in the seats even tho they have open table here and there. They brought receipt early but we're ready and wanted to pay but no one, there was 5-6ppl walking around, notice in more than 5mins even tho we tried eye contact or wave hand. Food portion was good enough, actually big for my hubby and me. Some ordered boil/cook and they tried lower heat when they notice boiling but it also reduce heat for cook side so wish they have any better idea for heating. read more

3rd time here, and we like the half and half style. They have different selection for the soup and this half hotpot and half grill is a pretty good idea that sells well to millennials. Everything is relatively ok but a few points... *They need proper mesh grill... I'm used to Japanese Shani Shani style and they give u proper mesh to take out all the dirt from the meat that forms as u cook the hotpot. Hotpot is supposed to be healthy eating but with all these dirt/fat floating around, they gave me this metal version but doesn't get the job done. Also it's like digging for food since u can't see what's inside and that's inconvenient. *They need a button to get server attention like Korean places. Only way to get service is to wait for an eye contact with the worker and I don't like that. read more

Halves Boiling Pot + Grill - Dirty pot of meat fat that I couldn't filter because they don't have proper mesh tool. - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

after movie with son, this is the best place to go again and again! This has been the best choice for me to have it in OC. Michael has been a great host as aways! He was not here today but no worries rest of the team were awesome too! Comfortable air and nice deco with just good enough talk can't be any better! read more

Halves Boiling Pot + Grill - Nothing is betrrr than this - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

GET THE WAGYU!!!! OMGGGGGGG SO SAVORY, SO JUICY!!! I got the Halves order. For the broth, I for the spicy miso with All America Wagyu for the Shabu soup, and Signature Combo which includes beef tongue, short ribs, and A5 Wagyu!!!! I highly recommend coming here just for the Wagyu. read more

#ilovehalves This is my favorite shabu place in orange county. In anywhere actually. It's so freaking good. read more

A good sized shabu spot with tables and a large bar seating area. Came on a Friday around 7PM and it wasn't crazy busy so we were seated right away. Servers are super nice and attentive. This place has different options , you can eat shabu, grill or do half/half. Just FYI, if you choose to do both the broth portion is very small so you get little to no soup action. I went with the shabu only with a small choice ribeye. I got the spicy tonkotsu broth which was okay, I've had better. The veggies were fresh but definitely not a huge portion. Had to knock them on price and the mediocre soup base. **FYI they add gratuity for big parties. Came in with 5 adults and a baby. read more

This place is hands down one of THE best Shabu spots in OC. Quality selection of meats(not stingy with the serving portions either) and most importantly, always quality service. They get extra credit for experimenting with new appetizers too! Special shoutout to the 2 servers holding it down tonight. They were busy af yet these guys had a steady flow and were very attentive to the packed house. Pro tip: if you have a large group and know you all are splitting the bill, please have the common decency to let your server know BEFORE he works up the tab and not AFTER?!! read more

What a fun place!! Have you ever thought to yourself, I just can't decide between hot pot and kbbq? Well, now you can! The server makes it easy to order, they were great at accommodate our group of 6. I would say the ideal group number is 4 people. Most tables seat 4, if you have 6, two people have to sit at a different table separated but still close to the 4 seater. Highly recommend! read more

My grandson wanted to try a Boiling Pot for his birthday, so tonight my wife and I took our grandson and granddaughter to Halves Boiling Pot + Grill. We weren't familiar with the concept, and the server was more the gracious to explain and helped us order, WOW, it was absolutely delicious. I think I found a new happy place. read more

The servers were nice, but the waygu was rubber. I wouldn't recommend. We were pressured out at 8:30 by being told it was last call, when closing time on a Saturday is supposedly 9:30. I won't be back. read more

Great concept to be able to grill, shabu, or both! Prices are fair for portions, but note that you could possibly go for an AYCE with similar meat quality for just a few dollars more (but then you don't get the half/half experience). Service was attentive and restaurant has a very hip ambiance. Tip: this place is NOT good for groups over 4. The way they have the tables set up, essentially any group over 4 gets split into another adjacent (but not connected) table. Also, be prepared to wait, as essentially you need a minimum of 2 parties to get up at the same time to accommodate. read more

AMAZING! How have I not tried this place before??? I love the concept, the service, and the food! I had an amazing experience here. Special shout out to our server Michael for making it such a great first experience. He made sure we were well taken care of - always asked if we needed anything, filled our waters and sauces, and made sure we were pleased with all the food that came out. If you haven't been here yet, please do yourself a favor and visit. It is now one of the top places I love to eat at in OC (and I eat everywhere...) I got the toro beef for my shabu with spicy tonkotsu broth and the USA Angus beef for my grilled kbbq choice. I love the taste of grilled meat so this really changed the game for me. They will also provide vegetables, noodles, and rice for you. There is so much food and the quality is up to par for sure! The restaurant is modern and clean and I really have so many good things to say about Halves. Keep it up, I love this spot! read more

See all

Amazing food and great service by Michael. He made recommendations and gave us a menu tour, introduced us to the concept and how everything worked. I definitely recommend visiting Michael for the best service. Food is amazing!! read more

Was in the mood for some Shabu on a rainy Saturday night. Had bookmarked this place for awhile because the half hot pot, half grill looked pretty cool. I was surprised that this place was so popular! But I can finally see why it was. The prices are a bit steeper than your average Shabu place and for me, it's on the tipping point of kinda worth it and not. We ordered the Halves: American wagyu and the 3 meat combo (short rib, beef tongue, and ribeye). I was honestly disappointed in the quality of the American wagyu, I thought that it would be more fatty. The beef tongue and short rib was really delicious though. The highlight of the whole meal was the spicy tonkotsu! I love a good soup. The dipping sauces were delicious as well. Be careful as they do charge $1 for extra soup, which we did not know until we got our bill... I am not usually a fan of sake, but I really enjoyed the Yuzu Aladdin! I would come back if I were to crave shabu and grilling, but for the price.. would probably come every so often. Our bill came out to $99 with tax. That's pretty steep for a normal dinner meal. read more

Halves Boiling Pot + Grill - American wagyu + 3 meat combo + Yuzu Aladdin sake - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

Halves is the best restaurant in Orange County. Perfect service, impeccable vibes, and, most importantly, bussin food. I would come here every day if I could. Even the water is top tier. Do yourself a favor and take friends and family to Halves Boiling Pot + Grill for an unforgettable experience that will make you want to come back as soon as possible. Go-to order is the boiling pot with spicy tonkotsu broth and large black angus ribeye. Love you, Halves. read more

When we first got there we were seated and then the server left. No one brought us Menu's so I got up and got them myself. We had to ask for a water refill 2 times and when we asked for a fork they placed it down at the wrong person and for half the meal we didn't even know it was there. We have been there 2 times and the service is very rocky, I ordered the large size 1855 Angus Cut for $19. When he came out he said a different name of the meat and I told him I didn't order that, and that I ordered the Angus Cut. He then said "oh yeah this is it" It seemed really small when he brought it out so I asked if this was the large. He didn't know so he went to the back to ask. Then when I asked how many slices the small come with, he said it just depends on the weight. The meat however, is really good, everything we have ever tried tastes very fresh and the presentation is always very nice. They had a yelp Check in and we got free Edamame and with a Yelp review we got a free green tea slice of cake. read more

Halves Boiling Pot + Grill - Large 1855 Angus Cut ($19) - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

It was so good- one of my favorite restaurants now. The vegetables were delicious, the angus ribeye was super good, and the salmon was one of the best salmons I've had. I got the tonkatsu broth, which I will definitely try another one as there was a lot of kinda foam bits on top? The sauces were amazing too, they have a ponzu mix that's pretty good with meats, a soy sauce mix for fish or veggies, and then a, I believe, sesame seed mix which wasn't my favorite. I really recommend this place, it's a bit pricey, but for a date or a dinner with your parents, it's really nice. read more

Great place, great food, definitely going back! Our first time was a little intimidating, but the servers were very helpful and guided us to the perfect meal! read more

The best hot pot place i have ever been to! Ever meat is delicious! They are honest about the spice level and while my husband can handled the spiciest they have, I go with the spicy tonkatsu which is the perfect amount for spice for me! The vegetables are very fresh and the mushrooms are especially one of my favorites and they know the names of them which was super awesome! A great atmosphere and they have delicious hot sake also! I truelly look forward to eating at this place everytime we go! read more

Very expensive and not worth it. Especially if you have to cook your own food. Sauces are bland, not a lot of flavor. And if you've never been here before and don't understand how it works, don't bother asking your server cause it won't help! read more

I love the concept of being able to enjoy a nice hot pot and grill freshly cut meats simultaneously. It's a perfect spot for a date or large parties. They have a decent selection of broths and cuts of meat. What I found strange, however, was that they didn't offer sukiyaki broth which is a typical broth flavor. The restaurant is spacious, clean, and the staff members are very accommodating and friendly. I really enjoyed having dinner here and would definitely recommend for those who live in the area. read more

Halves Boiling Pot + Grill - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

This place is way too expensive for the amount of food that you get. I would rather pay for AYCE and get my moneys worth.

My friends and I are KBBQ and soup connoisseurs, which means we love meat and we loooove a good broth. When we pulled up, the tables outside were empty. Awesome they offer outdoor dining if that's what you prefer, however it's been a hot day so we wanted to dine in. We were greeted immediately by the two gentlemen dressed clearly in the restaurant's uniform, also wearing a masks. Cool, safety first. Our server asked us if we've ever been to Halves before, figuring out that we haven't, then explained the entire menu to us and answering all our questions. My husband and I ordered the spicy tonkotsu, which isn't spicy at all (which was a let down a bit because I love spicy food, also the reason why I gave it 4 stars and not 5) but still really tasty. The pork bone broth was rich and savory. It came with basic shabu veggies (cabbage, mushrooms, squash, sweet potato, udon, glass noodles, etc.) We did order the "halves" so half was soup and the other half was meat on the grill. We got ribeye and short rib paired with the house ponzu sauce is to die for! My husband loved the toro meat in our soup dipped in the ponzu sauce and said he will be coming back to eat here again. It was also his first time at any shabu place and he was thoroughly impressed. The meat quality was really fresh and really tasty! I love the idea of half shabu and half grill! It's genius! We also ordered the wagyu bulgogi fries as an appetizer and it was up to expected standards! Although we didn't tell him specifically it was my birthday, the subtle hint of "start with the birthday girl first" was enough for our server to bring me a slice of green tea cake at the end of our meal. It was surprising and a very nice gesture. Will definitely be coming back :) Great service and better food!! Definitely recommend. Our friends kept saying "excellent food" read more

Halves Boiling Pot + Grill - Spicy tokotsu - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

Been 3 times. Each time the service is pretty lack luster. Missing sense of ownership and pride. However food is good. Try it, see what you think, but definitely more friendly places to visit based on our experiences. read more

4th time coming here (2weeks ago), and they are doing a fantastic job during this pandemic. They halved their servicing staff (service is going to be a bit slower than normal), seating at every other table, and also they are rotating seating (they don't let you sit at the table where people just finished even though they wiped it down... they seat you at the table next to the one that just left) that's why there seems to be vacant tables and staff is "ignoring" you. The quality of meat matches the price. All the broth is good cause it doesn't taste like packaged stuff like most other places (that Hokkaido broth is so good, 10/10). Love seeing a restaurant keeping safety in mind especially during this pandemic. read more

Halves Boiling Pot + Grill - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

I would recommend getting short rib for the grill Beef toro for the shabu portion. Broth in my opinion could use some work. read more

Halves Boiling Pot + Grill - Beef toro + beef short rib - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

See all

Very over priced with small portions, I would recommend another option for KBBQ. Four people almost cost 300$ excluding alcohol

Pretty cool concept where you can have shabu and Japanese bbq. Ordered the spicy tonkotsu broth with American wagyu and creekstone prime short rib for the grill part. They give you a bucket of veggies and 3 sauces too. I usually go to ayce shabu places to get my fill because it can get a bit pricey imo to get the same fullness. However you do sacrifice meat quality, just depends. I also think that the Halves portion was good enough in that it's probably how much I should be eating instead of overeating...but I still felt kind of hungry leaving. Service is good and didn't have to wait long for a table. Overall I thought it was tasty and worth going back to. But I think I'll stick to my usual ayce shabu spots :) read more

See all

Super cool restaurant if you like Shabu Shabu and grill at the table type restaurants. I love that you can do both. Fresh ingredients, a lot of choices, from wagyu to beef tongue, and all choices of beef in between. Excellent quality and quantity, not skimpy portions at all. Choose your broth, comes with a free sauce, and plenty of veggies. Love the squash and sweet potato. Extensive appetizer and side options, gyoza, squid balls, and bulgogi fries to name just a few. Great presentation for all of it, you eat with your eyes first! Sake, wine, and beer as well. Service is great, don't be shy to ask for some help, they're super friendly and want you to enjoy your experience. Very casual, nice spot to come and enjoy delicious yuzu sake, udon AND vermicelli, with some tasty grilled short rib. read more

Ordered the hot pot (spicy tonkatsu) and another order of the halves ( A5 Wagyumeat for the grill and spicy tonkatsu with beef toro for the broth). A5 Wagyu meat was spectacular and melts in your mouth, as it should. Total of about 6/7 decent size peices for our order. Pretty thin cut in my opinion but still great. Broth of the soup had no flavor for me. I added hot drops, garlic and onions, a bit of ponzu sauce, and a ton of chili oil - yet still not spicy. Added 6 hot drops in my goma sauce - still not spicy. The goma sauce tasted like pure grinded peanut to me, therefore it wasnt amazing (unlike mokojjis goma sauce yumm). Also our server (the only girl working at night in addition to 3 guy servers) called the clear gelatin noodles that came with our order vermicelli. PLEASE. I AM VIET AND THAT WAS NOT VERMICELLI. You know what it was? The clear tapioca stuff inside CHE BA MAU or che dau do! Educate your server..or simply dont put that on the menu as it was not tasty nor belongs with the soup. I have to point out how droopy my veggies were. They werent fresh! The green onions werent fresh either. Please use only fresh veggies when you own a hot pot place, its just honest business. Beef toro meat was fatty and good, but again not GREAT. Maybe I am from GG and we have better hotpot options therefore I had higher expectations - yep I think thats my only explaination - i expected more than what this place had to offer. Ps: i ran out of broth during the middle of my meal, and none of the servers asked if i wanted more. I honestly felt like i would have to pay extra if i wanted more broth bc none of them asked ONCE even after looking at my pot... this should never happen at a hot pot restaurant. Please make sure your customers never run out of broth. See image attached. read more

Halves Boiling Pot + Grill - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

See all

Fabulous food, price and service! Would highly recommend, food was super fresh and ordering was easy.

I am so happy that my husband decided to eat here! It was the neat shabu2 and GRILL I've ever had. I will definitely come back and bring the rest of the gang. Highly recommended if you are looking to have shabu2 read more

Halves Boiling Pot + Grill - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

I've been meaning to get around to giving this place a review. This is my go to spot after hiking the trails in Whiting Ranch. They give great portions and offer many options to choose from: boiling pot, half boiling pot and half grill, and grill. There's a great selection of meat and soup broth to pick from. It's one of my favorite Shabu Shabu place to go to in the area. read more

Halves Boiling Pot + Grill - Shabu shabu for lunch - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

See all