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    Malubianbian

    4.5 (281 reviews)

    Order Malubianbian Takeout or Delivery

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    MALUBIANBIAN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Dogs allowed
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Malubianbian

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    Romuel Dave C.

    This place is a hidden gem, hidden in the middle of a strip mall, sharing a parking lot with a Yoshinoya. First off, I came alone, which garners a $3.99 fee for a solo-trip. No worries. the $24.99 price tag warrants that, and still puts it under $30. The inside, I felt, was really cool. It's what I assume a trendy restaurant in Chengdu would be like if they were imitating an American Restaurant. Space/Cars/Lights. All of it. Amazing. Bottomless Beer for $9? Bet. However I had to drive home, and didn't have anyone to drink with, and my alcoholism is a social problem, not a solo one. First off, the sauce bar had a lot of options for mixing. 10/10. They also had shrimp chips and crispy steamed mini bun that were amazing! I think I had 3 plates, and 7 buns. Meat options were great, including items you don't' normally get like gizzard and liver. I love those options. Lots of vegetables and noodles to choose from. I love the option for lotus root and taro. Fresh made meatballs were really good! Their beef options were a different type of texture, like they had marinated with baking soda, and it was ready for stir fry. The sliced meats were an additional charge, ordered through the app/QR code. The garlic beef, and the chicken thigh were my favorite options. Service was great, the lady was super nice. Spent dishes were picked up almost immediately (though, it was rather slow) I have to try other spot before I make my verdict, but I think Malubianbian is a go-to for AYCE Chinese Hot Pot in the area.

    Tiffany M.

    5 stars for service! Everyone working was super attentive and took dirty plates almost immediately. Food was also brought out quickly. The restaurant wasn't very busy so there was no wait on a Sunday. It was $35 per person and we were excited to find out that you get one free soda per person. They have a lot of skewer options and some sliced meats and other things you can order by scanning the QR code on your table. Unfortunately it has been a few weeks since I dined here and I can't really remember what I got but my favorites were the duck blood and wide potato noodles. The sliced meats were a little beefy and the skewered meats were just okay. The mussels tasted too much like the ocean but the shrimp balls were good. I wish their fried mantous were replenished more frequently because they were cold when we got there and didn't see anymore come out before we left. Sauce options were solid!

    Shannon Z.

    We came for the 20$ all you can eat lunch special. This is one of those places where you can order some meats but also grab skewers and vegetables from the fridge. I enjoyed the cilantro beef and enoki skewers. Meat here was tender and soup bases were yummy. They had a pretty large interior that has a casual ambiance. Service was nice as well.

    Pot full of skewers
    Chien S.

    Been here a couple of times. Both times have been tasty. Service has been great each time. Love that you get to go get your own skewers and there's a wide selection of skewers to choose from. You could literally just grub off the skewers and not even order any of the sliced meats. Not that there's that much to choose from. If you're doing the basic all you can eat, there's only like 4 meats to choose from. But like I said, plenty to choose from with the multiple fridges of skewers to get your belly's nice and full and happy! Only thing lacking for me is there's no eggs. Quail or chicken eggs. Which I think they should have. The restaurant itself is kept very clean and tidy. The sauce bar is basic, but has enough for anyone who wants to experiment.

    Zien T.

    Love the food, service and ambiance! Unlimited beer for an additional $8.99 per person! Not everyone needs to order beer! The meats, skewers, meatballs, fishballs, tofu and veggies were so fresh and delicious! I will definitely come back! Kids friendly!

    Nghia H.

    Absolutely delicious and worth every bite! If you're a hotpot lover, Malubienbien is a must-try. From the moment you walk in, you're greeted with a warm, modern vibe and friendly staff who are quick to help explain the menu if it's your first time. The broths are incredibly flavorful--especially the signature spicy and tomato base. You can taste how fresh everything is, from the tender cuts of beef and lamb to the seafood options and perfectly prepped veggies. The dipping sauces are fully customizable, and their sauce bar is well-organized and clean. What really stood out was the attention to detail and quality. The presentation was on point, portions generous, and everything came out fast and fresh. The service was also fantastic--our server checked on us frequently, refilled drinks without asking, and made sure we were having a good time. The atmosphere is great for both casual nights out and special occasions. Definitely recommend coming hungry because you'll want to try everything! Highly recommend Malubienbien Hotpot--5 stars all the way! Will definitely be back!

    Ana Z.

    This plaza offers ample parking, spacious restaurant with cutesy decor that reminds me of having hot pot in China and a convenient service bell. You can place orders through your phone, and they have a sauce bar along with a fridge stocked with skewers and a variety of veggies and meats. They are currently offering an AYCE option that includes one drink. The service was excellent and attentive; our server, Oliver, was very friendly and even remembered my friend from a previous visit. I'll definitely return if I'm in the area.

    Crayfish (membership selection), meat (non membership selection)
    Sing T.

    Great broth selections, high quality of veggies and meat, cool vibe and very attentive staff! Highly recommend this place. I have the membership which provides great additional seafood and meat selections.

    Attempting AYCE spicy hot pot
    Angelica T.

    We came for their AYCE hotpot and we were very impressed. The service was quick and friendly, with the lady answering all our questions and guiding us on how to order and where everything was. The place is very nicely decorated and it was a fun place to eat. They even have a cute mascot at the door. We got the traditional ox Spicy butter and mushroom broths and they were both delicious (the spicy ox was delicious but I couldn't handle it for too long and was grateful for the mushroom soup). I wanted to eat more of the spicy one but the mango slushee and plum juice we had, albeit delicious, couldn't really help my tongue recovery quickly. Wish they had some kind of dairy drink to help with the spice. We tried all their meats and skewers and my absolute favorites were the BEEF ENOKI MUSHROOMS and the FISH BALL WITH ROE inside. I kept going back for more. The ICE JELLY was an awesome dessert for the end of our meal. Overall we were very happy when the food, the service, and the price. Definitely coming back to this place soon.

    Beef Slice
    Alan K.

    Great place for traditional Chinese hotpot. Relaxing all you can eat place with Greta verity!

    IG: happyfoodieoc
    Vy D.

    Have you tried this skewer AYCE hot pot? Yes you heard it right, they're now AYCE!! I had: 1. Broth: mushroom and tomato soup base 2. Meat: beef, pork 3. Seafood: shrimp, octopus, squid, mussels 4. Fish balls, shrimp balls, fish tofu 5. Fried tofu skin 6. Quail eggs 7. Mushrooms, vegs, corn, taro 8. Crispy pork Unlimited skewer is better than before. I love hot pot night.

    Lily S.

    Weekend AYCE lunch $29.99/pp Overall I think the broth flavor is decent 选的是AYCE带的锅底 but the tomato broth is very fragrant. The AYCE dishes are decent but have to separately pay to order 小酥肉 or fatty beef slices. I did feel a little stomach pain after

    Load up freely on skewers
    John T.

    Broth is quite tasty and not watered down whatsoever ever. Ayce menu is pretty straight forward. Grab a large plate and head to the fridge and pick whatever type of skewers you'll be devouring. Please note it can be quite challenging in determining if the meats are properly done as they will appear to be reddish upon cooking in the broth. You can also order plates of beef and lamb (included on ayce) from the server as they'll bring it to you and stage it on the carts. Be wary of the spicy beef ( the seeded one in dish) very HOT!! They've got a good selection of sauces to customize to your liking. 90 minute limit as posted.

    Pepper pork tripe chicken soup + tomato soup

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    Page 1 of 8

    Malubianbian Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Malubianbian

    Hi, what is the ayce prices now?

    24.99 for lunch 34.99 for dinner

    Is lunch menu and dinner menu any different, like meat selection, or everything is the same and it is just the price?

    How much are kids for the AYCE?

    For children under 1.2 meters is free. For children under 1.4 meters is half price.

    How much is the AYCE?

    weekday lunch 24.99 weekend lunch 29.99 weekday dinner 34.99 weekend 39.99 dinner including one drink

    Is it all you can eat?

    They have an AYCE menu now!

    View All 9 Questions

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    4.6(252 reviews)
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    This is an authentic Hot Pot spot in Irvine that hits the spot if you're looking for spicy Chinese…read morehot pot. But be warned - the spice on their spicy broth is unreal. I'm Asian so I know how to handle spice, but even a level 2 on their spice level will be a bit painful. The interior looks newly designed, and the inside is very clean. The standout dish for me was the fried rice. For a hot pot place, they really know how to cook up a delicious fried rice. The meat was unremarkable, but with how thin they slice the meat at hot pot/shabu places, I've never been too impressed with any meats a hot pot place. The service is okay - you'll probably have an easier time communicating with the staff here if you speak Chinese, but even with limited English, there's not much to convey; and to be frank, with how spicy the food is, your typical Westerner might suffer here as I did (but in a good way). Parking is a bit tricky since the lot is small, but I always managed to find parking.

    Authentic Chinese style spicy hot pot One of the most spicy…read morehot pot in the area! Beware to order less spicy if you can't handle the heat! First time trying fish maw broth here, comes with tons of Chinese meat, fish maw and jumbo shrimps Also ordered beef short ribs, goose intestine, duck paws, duck blood, shrimp paste in mushrooms ‍, tofu cubs and winter melon Snack bar is a must visit! Tons of appetizers, dipping sauces, fresh fruits and desserts. Jello is my favorite

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    Prime Hot Pot

    4.0(192 reviews)
    2.3 mi

    We went for a late lunch on a Saturday, it was fairly empty and we got seats right away. We both…read moregot the cheapest set for $35/person, I believe everyone might have to choose the same menu to avoid cross sharing. You get to choose a broth and order from the tablet as much as you want within 100 minutes, but there is a wait time between ordering on the tablet so I recommend just putting in everything you want at once, but also not over ordering because it's extra if you don't finish. The meats were nice, they were not as fatty and didn't have as much marbling so it could be a little chewy after cooking but for the price we really couldn't complain and it was still delicious. And I'm sure the higher priced menu sets have higher quality cuts. We loved all the veggies and noodles you can order and there was a sweet rice cake dessert that was absolutely delicious. Each order of meat was also quite large so I would watch out for how many sets you initially plan to order.

    Prime Hot Pot recently switched their menu from AYCE to a la carte - while I had never tried them…read morewhen they were AYCE, I can say that the quality of their dishes and meats/seafood on their new menu is fantastic. In particular I really liked the grilled beef tongue and Wagyu platter. Of the two broths I tried (Beef Bone and the mild House spicy), I preferred the Beef Bone, which was rich and flavorful. The House spicy had a decent Szechwan kick to it even at mild. The staff here were very nice and parking is plentiful at the District. Overall definitely recommend to anyone looking for a good hot pot spot.

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    Kaizen Shabu

    Kaizen Shabu

    4.7(1.9k reviews)
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    My go-to non ayce shabu spot!! The food here always hits. They have alot of delicious and flavorful…read morebroths to choose from as well as alot of protein options from beef, lamb, and fish. They also have a garden plate for vegetarians so just about anyone will be able to eat here. Don't sleep on their drink menu either- the cocktails here are both pretty and delicious. Service here is always amazing; all of the staff is friendly and has great energy :) Parking here can be rough being in DTSA but there is a paid structure nearby. The inside seems a little dark and is only bar seating. There are tables outside for larger groups. The owner of Kaizen also owns Sonder next door so check that place out if you like the food here!

    This review pains me to write but I'll keep it as simple as I can: yes, inflation is up. Yes, we…read moreare collectively boned as a society. I can understand how business owners, managers, servers, and customers are all caught within the vicious fluctuations of markets and so on. However, what I was recently served at Kaizen Shabu last week was, to my mind, an egregious example of a restaurant offering well below the bare minimum of what should be expected for the prices listed (and my photos will show this, I believe). At the outset, I want to say I have no grievances with the servers. Our server was kind, attentive, and was elegantly multitasking. Bravo. Now, the food: we ordered the salmon "sashimi" plate, and what we were handed was a platter of the thinnest, grainiest, obviously-thawed and poorly sliced salmon I've ever eaten in my life. I was a bit shocked. At Cal Shabu Shabu (and other shabu places I tend to frequent more often), sashimi is... sashimi. It *looks* like sashimi because it IS sashimi: a piece of salmon purchased by the restaurant and knife-cut into appropriate portions depending on what portion size the customer has ordered. It is sashimi that gleans in the light, where the striations of fat and tissue are visible to the naked eye on the fish itself. As you can see from my photos, we were served paper-thin salmon that I could barely peel off of the plate with my chopsticks without ripping the fish into smaller, grainier pieces. It was all but inedible, in my opinion. This is not sashimi, and to serve such a thing for the price listed is beyond atrocious: it is an outright deception. Now, onto the side of veggies and noodles that come with every order of meat or fish. Perhaps the cooks could not be bothered, but what I received was broken tendrils of 2-inch udon haphazardly thrown into a bowl. I'm not sure if this is an issue with the chefs, with a dwindling supply of food nearer the end of the night, or if this restaurant truly does not care about the quality of what they are serving customers. Again, I think my pictures speak for themselves. I used to love coming here as the atmosphere was chic, and the servers are so kind. After my last dining experience, however, I cannot justify the price of my bill in the face of the quality of the food I am being served. I won't be returning, sadly. I hope the manager has an opportunity to look at these photos and perhaps reassess what can be done to improve what they are serving their customers.

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    Shabu Shabu Bar

    4.3(2.1k reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    I hadn't been to Shabu Shabu Bar in a long time, so coming back felt pretty nostalgic. This was…read moreactually the first place where I was introduced to shabu shabu, and it's what started my love for this type of food. I remember it being really affordable back then, but of course prices have gone up over the years. These days, the cheapest small size is around $22-$24, which isn't shocking with inflation and higher wages. One thing that hasn't changed, though, is the tiny cup of ice cream they give you at the end of the meal, which is a nice little touch. The seating is all bar-style, which can feel a bit overwhelming if you're an introvert like me and prefer having your own space. That said, it's not uncomfortable. People mostly keep to themselves, and the servers don't bother you much either. They'll check in once in a while to see if you need anything, but they're not constantly hovering. What really stands out to me about this place is the goma sauce. When it's done right, it's seriously good--rich, nutty, and super flavorful. Honestly, it's one of the best goma sauces I've had, and it makes the whole meal that much better. Even after all this time, that sauce alone reminds me why this place left such a strong impression on me in the first place.

    Love, love, love this spot! The experience here stands out from other hot pot places and I…read moreabsolutely love it. The meat is always high-quality and consistent, but my favorite part is what they do once you're done with the meat...they make your leftovers into a flavorful ramen bowl! Nothing goes to waste and it's such a fun, satisfying way to end the meal. Plus, they top it all off with a little ice cream at the end! Every visit has been nothing short of wonderful. Highly recommend!

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