Had such a great experience here! My family and I were celebrating my brother's birthday so we went big and ordered a variety of items including their A5 Wagyu, Zabutan, pork belly, sirloin bavette, and salmon spoons. We also tried their spicy crab, miso, dashi kombu, and tonkatsu broths. Literally everything we ordered was amazing! The meats were very fresh, and of course the most notable was the A5 Wagyu - literally melted in your mouth like butter! The Salmon Spoons were one of the most bougie-est (is that even a word?) apps ever but such a tasty bite! We loved how the sauces, rice, udon noodles, and veggies were included and presented so neatly. Lastly, our waiter Tony made our experience all the better! He gave us suggestions on the best sauce/broth/meat combinations to ensure we had the best meal and even gave us the step-by-step process on cooking times. He was so enthusiastic about his role and very attentive. This place is one of the highest quality shabu spots that I've ever been to, and I'd love to return! read more

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Clean. Simple. Minimalist restaurant. Friendly and helpful staff. Our waiter was patient and answered all our questions about the shabu experience, since it was our first time there. The veggies were fresh and looked nice. The small portion of the meat was plentiful. The meat tasted well and looked good. The broth was flavorful. One order of of the 6oz meat and the veggies was plenty for a one person lunch portion. Because it also comes with rice and noodles. I'd recommend getting one 6oz protein per person and going from there. I also enjoyed the salmon spoons, truffle edemame and sauces. I will be back and I'd recommend to friends who wanted to try the Shabu experience. read more

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Great shabu. I wish the AYCE you can get more appetizers but it's still a hell of a deal. Worth getting the top tier. read more

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I loved this place and really wished we had one in Colorado! This place is very clean and Modern. If you wanted to come here with a big party it is impossible because the tables don't move. They offer all you can and a la cart but no lunch specials. One tray of meat cost as much as the all you can eat price. We came in for lunch and it was not busy, I think they needs to figure out a lunch menu or all you can eat lunch price because you don't eat as much and arent able to enjoy during a fast lunch break. The menu online isn't accurate at all. We ordered the tonkatsu and miso broth- both were very flavorable and delicious. Everyone gets two dipping sauce, not sure of the names but the liquid wasn't my favorite. The paste with all the garlic was the best! I wish there was more veggie selection, but it was a good mixture. And as for the meat, you can tell the quality was top notch. We definitely did have seconds. They do offer carbs as well but were on a diet. When in Houston you def have to come try this place out! read more

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First time here , everything was awesome. We all had the lunch specials which comes with everything and was very good. Lunch specials offers from 12pm to 4pm , service was one of the best I've had , just be on the look out for parking it does get busy at lunchtime. Next will go back and try different types of soup base and the seafood. Go check out this spot. read more

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For price and quality, I would definitely come back again. The only reason for the knock off of rating is that they were sold out of a lot of things even though we weren't even there close to closing. Service can be a bit slow. We had different people coming and asking if we needed anything and sometimes asking for the same things that never came out. Will have to come back again when it's less crowded maybe to give it a better judgement. read more

We had the all you can eat for $35. We picked a spicy tonkatsu broth which had a bit of a kick but not too spicy. The meat was nice and thin sliced and really good quality. I liked how the meal came with rice and veggies as well. The server took a little bit of time to get our order but otherwise service was good. read more

Love going to Shabu Shabu. It's one of mine & my cousins favorites! We love the service & the chill ambiance. Chili cucumbers are our favorite appetizer! Love the zabutan & waygu options. Crunchy garlic is my fave sauce to add to rice or noodles! read more

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This place prolly has one of the best broth I've ever had in my entire life- the spicy crab. I typically don't drink a lot of the broth, but I chow down almost the entire soup bowl whenever I'm here. Makes me wish I can buy their broth to go lol. My only problem is you now have to pay an extra $5 for a veggie bowl read more

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Great foods , nice service, got all kind the beef. good for friends and family party. We will coming again! read more

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The only real shabu shabu in Houston. I spent 3 years in S. Call where shabu shabu is huge and used to eat it 4 or 5 times a month. My key for shabu is do they have hot drops. If the answer is no, then it's not going to be real shabu but more hot pot. Shabu2 has hot drops! If you haven't tried shabu or never had hot drops, ask and you will be like, wow! They really kick up the spice level. I'm a 2 or 3 drop person, start with 1 or 2 and check it, they are liquid heat. We tried the tom yum and mixed broths, both were very good with the tom yum having that sour taste we all know and love. The spicy cucumbers and scallop appetizers were great. We did 2 large orders of sirloin and Angus, along with shrimp and fish balls with roe. Everything was really good! My only comment to the owner would be to double the size of the tofu or give 2 portions, it's really small. The other would be to NOT cut up the Napa cabbage so small. It should be larger pieces to make it easier to dip and to eat. Highly recommend a visit! read more

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This place is awesome...the ambiance is above belief. Very casual, laid back experience. The food was awesome, but I must say, I am totally new to this dining experience so found it somewhat confusing. Fortunately, my two sons and their wives led us in the right direction. Once my wife and I got into the process-it was a unique but awesome experience. The service was awesome. They knew when to service us and when to stay away. I would have to say that this dining experience was one of the best dining experiences in Houston. read more

Sooooo excellent. Service was great, quality of food was excellent, and a lot of variety!! Honestly tho it was kind of expensive for it was. But quality was so good and I was pleasantly delighted with everything we ordered. Standouts: Fishball has ROE in it which was super flavorful and unique Tonkatsu and mixed crab broth was really flavorful and excellent based. Put egg in the half n half spicy broth and it absorbs all that flavor. The Tonkatsu is such an excellent and universal base. I wasn't a big fan of sukiyaki cuz it was too sweet but cooking the meat in it and putting noodles in it was excellent. The sauce selections were sooo good but didn't think price was too justified. I'd DEF return again. read more

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I honestly don't have too many expectations coming in. But the service was great. The broth flavors were a bit odd, but intriguing. This is a Japanese style hotpot. So it's a little different. The meats were great. Good quality meat. Which you usually can't expect at a hotpot. My issue was that the vegetables and noodle that come with the broth was a bit skimpy. And, the broth flavors want strong enough. I needed a little more pop in the flavor. Other than that. It was fine read more

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I never had the bad experience with Shabu square. Not once, but tonight I felt there was some question in my opinion, sure it's busy I understand I was put in the waiting list and I agreed to wait 20-25min as what the waitress said. Moving forward, two people who were right behind me had no reservations at all either and they got a table before us, then 3 more people came in after with no reservation at all either, and they still got a table, after that another 4 people with no reservation got a seat too. I came to shabu square to have a good time with my gf. But hey I'm happy the waitress neglected us and we never had a call either from the waitress because she knew we left. read more

Shabu Squared - Lunch. Two broth; spicy crab and spicy tonkatsu. Meat; wagyu strip and prime ribeye. - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Plenty of parking. Last time we went, there was a lot of regular tables that were reserved so we only had the option of the bar or high top table seating. Great place if you want some hot pot. It is definitely pricier than other places, but you come for the quality meat. For the broth, you have the option of choosing two to try if you want - ask your server for recommendations! Choose the type of meat you want and sides. We tried the beef belly and zabuton last time and really enjoyed the fattiness on the beef belly - again, ask your server if you have questions as they come in different (6/8/14 oz servings). The meat is really soft and I really like that it all just melts in your mouth. The vegetable bowl no longer comes with the meal, you have to pay for it now. I always enjoy dipping the meats in the creamy sweet sesame sauce they give. There is also lunch specials available. Overall, though good place to go once in a while if you want hot pot with high quality meat and tasty broth! read more

Shabu Squared - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Shabu Squared is Houston's first Shabu Shabu restaurant and bar. If you don't know what this is, Shabu Shabu is a Japanese nabemono hot pot dish of thinly sliced meat and vegetables boiled in water. The term is onomatopoeic, derived from the sound emitted "swish-swish" when the ingredients are stirred in the cooking pot and served with dipping sauces. It's very different than the typical Chinese hot pot restaurants all over Chinatown. We have been frequenting Shabu Shabu for years now, and we can confirm it is one of our favorite restaurants in Houston. They have a free private parking lot which always has space available. We typically go for lunch on the weekends, and it's usually not super busy. If going for dinner, you may experience a longer wait, so keep this in mind. As for food, we always order: +Sukiyaki broth for $3 with Spicy paste ($1 extra) +Beef Belly (6 oz) for $16 +Sashimi Grade Salmon (6 oz) for $21 Each broth comes with a bowl of vegetables, mushrooms, and udon noodles. It also comes with two dipping sauces and a bowl of rice. Make sure to ask for the spicy hot sauce drops for the dipping sauces! If dining with more people and sharing the broth, they will charge extra for these items. Overall, Shabu Squared is a great restaurant in Houston. It's clean, the service is great, it's spacious, it's modern, and the food is incredible and tasty. Sure, you may be spending a lot more than you're used to, especially for food in/near Chinatown, but it's worth it for what you get. I would highly recommend checking them out! read more

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Hands down! The best Shabu all you can eat ever! Tried the S tier, the meat quality is so so goooddd!!! Ordered the kuri, salmon, zabuton, and the wagyu picanha. Zabuton is da best. Reasonable priced. Veggies are fresh too, and the soup - we tried the spicy crab and the mixed broth. Super super goooddd. Will definitely come back. Service is okay. Ambiance is greaaaatt!!! Da best, da best, da best!! read more

We got the lunch special but they have not updated their menu so it was a revised one today. Choice of broth - we chose tonkotsu- very flavorful 3 oz Beef belly - yummy 3 oz Chuck flap - more dry and not fatty, still good $15.00 Added 8 oz Kuri Wagyu - can't say no to wagyu, had the right amount of meat to fat ratio Everything was good. We enjoy their goma sauce which is thicker than most places but taste delicious. We would totally come back for lunch specials again. read more

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I have been to MANY shabu spots (including in Japan) & after so many of our friends saying this is the spot, my sisters and I made sure to check it out. Indeed it was by far the best service and the best quality of meat. Their salmon was sashimi grade which is a major plus for me. We did the S tier ayce and it was amazing. The owner is super cool. A must for all of you who haven't gone there. read more

Shabu Squared - Their crab soup mixed with tonkotsu was the soup we chose. - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

I came for their lunch special and it was a great value. It was about $16 for a plate of beef, veggies, and broth! I was very satisfied by the portions. The beef was good quality, there was a nice variety of vegetables, and I loved the dipping sauces. The tom yum broth was a little more sour than I would've liked but it was still good enough to sip on at the end of the meal. Definitely come here and take advantage of the lunch special! read more

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My favorite Shabu in Houston and probably actually anywhere that I have been. I usually pick the pork bone broth or half pork bone half spicy crab, but you cant go wrong with either. They have plenty of meat selections but the best value is the lunch specials or all you can eat. You bet we ate all you can eat and I had to be rolled out on a dolly back to my car lol! If you have been on the fence about eating here, do yourself and favor and check it out. The staff are all friendly and they are very accommodating to their guests. I come here all the time for lunch and sometimes for dinner, and not only is the value good but the flavor and meat selections make it stand out from any of the other choices we have here. I will definitely be back Shabu Squared has earned the coveted Five pigs! read more

TLDR: Do it. IMHO it's the best Shabu spot in Houston! Visit: Weekday (lunch) Order: AYCE Premium 8.4/10 The selections of QUALITY meat and the broth FLAVORS are a step above any other hot pot joint I've experienced in Houston! Choosing the All You Can Eat option was a MUST. In addition, if you're a spicy food lover, I highly recommend requesting the hot chili extract/oil added to the broth. I got 7 drops and it was fire... Do it. read more

The broth, meats, appetizers, sauces, and service were all a hit!! Best suited for even numbered groups during the cold weather but not too heavy or overwhelming during warmer season. Appetizers - chili cucumbers are packed with flavor and so addicting! I got to sample a new item on the menu. Dynamite crab, creamy lump crab meat with shrimp taco, which was also delicious. Broth - The spicy crab and regular tonkotsu are the two most popular. I prefer the creaminess of the tonkotsu over the crab. The crab broth does come with half a blue crab but mine was frozen and the meat came out mushy. You have the option of adding more garlic, daikon, sesame oil, soy sauce, or togarashi in your broth to your liking. Meats - ribeye was so tender and beef belly was good but the cuts were thick and too fatty for me. 6 oz is just enough for 2 people allowing room to try other proteins. Ponzu and goma sauces are the perfect accompaniment to the proteins. I loved being able to grind the toasted sesame seeds for the goma sauce! You could really use those sauces for anything. Presentation and service was on point and I thoroughly enjoyed my experience. I'm excited to go back to try their pho (lunch only) and happy hour! read more

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Shabu Squared has to now honestly be one of my all-time favorite hot pot spots. Initial impressions the service and atmosphere was the best that I have had in a while. You could tell that they really put time and effort into their food and making the experience as nice as possible. Evelyn was the sweetest waitress and really took her time explaining how to eat Shabu Shabu. She also took the time to tell us what she liked eating personally and even constantly checked on us to make sure we were doing okay. The food was prepared perfectly and the sauce to dip the meat in was intoxicating. If you are in the area and are looking for a *nice* place to eat / have a date. I definitely recommend giving this place a shot if you haven't already. Will definitely be coming back in the future! read more

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Came here twice $10 lunch combo (as of 3/25/2022) - drink, any broth, veggies and noodle, 3 oz beef brisket, 3 oz angus strip Broths we tried 1) Spicy Miso 1/5 - tastes SO bland, no spice or seasoning! Would never get it again 2) Spicy Crab 4/5 - yum! Not too spicy and tastes like crab; they has a half a crab to the broth 3) Mixed Broth (Spicy crab + tonkotsu) 4.5/5 - MY FAV! I started crying when I ate it Bc it was so yummy. They add half a crab in the north as well! Tonkotsu added a bit of flavor 4) Tonkotsu 3/5 - make it spicy and add ghost pepper drops; taste ok! Nothing special; needs more Other dish Gyudon 3.9/5 - simple dish but flavorful ($13 for lunch 3/24/2022) Sauce ponzu - 2/5 too sour (compared to spicy ponzu at an AYCE) Goma - 5/5 read more

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Casual/modern vibes and a fun place to eat! This was my first time trying Japanese style hot pot. Group of 4 picked a spicy and not spicy broth, a couple different meats, shrimp, and veggies. The spicy broth was delicious but the non-spicy was super bland. I enjoyed their sauces and added some oil drops in mine to make them MORE spicy. Service was good and the price was VERY REASONABLE. We had a good time and enjoyed the meal. My first time won't be my last! read more

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Was a new experience for us! Stopped here for dinner while visiting in Houston. Highly recommend if you're in the area. Really cute place and the staff is super friendly. read more

Shabu Squared - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

First time trying hot pot and I must say the food and service were top notch. Our waitress broke down the menu and recommended how to plan our meal. The ambiance was very chill. There are so many choices on what broth to get and what meats to try. They also offer seafood options for those that don't do meat. Definitely recommend trying the scallops appetizer as well. We will be back! Very solid spot and I hope you all continue the awesome job you're doing here. read more

Food is amazing! I did the AYCE Tier 2. Love the Spicy Sukiyaki broth, its my favorite hotpot broth. Salmon spoons are also super yummyyyy. The service is okay. Ambiance is nice. read more

Shabu Squared - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Hurry and get yourself over to Shabu Squared before there's a line out the door. This is the newest player in the Shabu game in Houston. First off, you pick a broth, we tried the spicy crab and spicy tonkotsu and next you pick a protein we got the A5 Wagyu and the XL serving of the Ribeye. The veggies come preassembled in a cute bowl, you can get more If you need to. We got 2 appetizers the kimchi and truffle edamame, both were delicious. Once the broth comes out wait for it to boil up and enjoy! By far my favorite was the A5 Wagyu, it literally melts in your mouth and by far the best experience I've ever had with hotpot. The other part I enjoyed was the udon at the bottom of the veggie bowl. I recommend waiting and taking it for a short dip in the broth and making yourself a udon bowl with the broth. Both the broths we had were super flavorful so the udon alone was a meal. We topped our lunch off with their mochi. We had the salted caramel and the red velvet. The salted caramel was very unique and definitely my favorite. I'll be back to sample their other proteins and broths! read more

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Nice modern restaurant, like a casual sushi spot. They have high table seats, booths, tables, and a big community bar to enjoy your little hotpot. If you're trying to go in a big group, you might have to break it up to different tables like we did. Appys: --Truffle Edamame (5/5) - Edamame cooked perfectly topped with truffle and onions. --Chili Cucumbers (5/5) - Crunchy, tasty, refreshing! Similar to the one at Gyu Kaku. --Spicy Garlic Edamame(4/5) - Flavorful, saucy, but I liked the truffle better. Just preference. --Daikon Kimchi (3/5) - Wasn't much flavor to this, just sour. --Cabbage Kimchi (3.5/5) - They forgot to give this to us until the end of dinner. We weren't charged which was nice, but still disappointing because I would have rather had the cabbage instead of the daikon. It was good, crunchy, but a little too sour. Broth: --Spicy Crab (3/5) - Seafood based broth with half a crab in it. A tad fishy, but it had the most flavor out of all the broth. --Spicy Miso (3.5/5) - Ties up with the Tonkotsu. Almost tastes like "chao" a dip that Vietnamese people eat. Thicker than the other soups. --Spicy Tonkotsu (3.5/5) - Pork flavored broth, brown, but clear. I mixed the miso and tonkotsu for my soup which turned out not too bad. --Spicy Dashi Kombu (1/5) - My least favorite would be their traditional broth. Tastes just like water..though they did warn me, but I guess we wanted to see what it might possibly taste like. I'm a soup girl so I'm all about the broth. I felt like all of them were flavorless but had just slight hints of either pork flavor, seafood, no savory/sweet taste to any. Meats: --Japanese A5 Wagyu Ribeye (3/5) --Wagyu Strip (3/5) --Wagyu Ribeye (3/5) They all tasted the same to me. The slices were too thin to distinguish the taste of the quality, how marble it was, or even how good it was. I would choose the cheaper meats knowing they were that thin and can't taste much of the quality. Overall the meat was too expensive for the amount you get, if it was a little thicker I probably would have enjoyed it more. For your dip there were two sauces, a peanut buttery one and a ponzu one. Pick your poison, jk! I prefer the peanut butter with some of their spicy drops (request for it) --Red Velvet Mochi (5/5) - Best mochi flavor I have ever had. Has this chocolate-y taste to it. They say it's flown in from Hawaii. --Pistachio Mochi (5/5) - Your norm pistachio mochi except this had pistachio pieces inside of it! They just opened so there's a lot of tweaking still to do. I would say it's better than other Shabu places I have tried. I would probably come back once they have everything situated. Service was great too! read more

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Love this shabu place, the service is great, and the meat quality is good. I think its the best shabu in Houston. They have many options to select and you can get the largest size and share with a friend. I would tell them to not cut the cabbage to small as other yelpers have commented. The sauces are on point and the price is reasonable. I would come back if I am in Houston again. read more

Shabu Squared - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

No doubt the best Japanese style hot pot that you can find in H-town. Definitely costlier than other hotpot place around, but you can't go wrong here. I always go for the tonkotsu and spicy crab for the broth choice. Shrimp balls was quite pricey ($9 for 3) , but definitely worth the try. Same with the beef choices, but they all so good. Serves was good and VERY attentive. It became a little bit annoying and unpleasant when your server checked on you every 5 minutes ... read more

Shabu Squared - Toro Beef Belly and prime ribeye - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

If you want flavorful broth and high quality meat - this is the place to go to! You can choose your broth and protein and it comes with a bowl of udon noodles, veggies, tofu, and squash. My personal favorite broth is spicy crab! It has a very bold and spicy flavor that will leave you craving more! For protein, I highly recommend the Zabuton! If you love beef, you need to get this one. Service has always been amazing every time we come here - very polite, great attention to detail, and quick. There's not a lot of seating, so I think it's better for smaller groups. Also, I recommend calling to make a reservation because it gets pretty packed! read more

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Food and atmosphere was great. I recommend the spicy crab and tom yum. All the meats were very high quality and vegetables were fresh. Our waitress vy was also very welcoming and knowledgable about the selections. read more

Shabu Squared - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

We came in late and had a big party so we really appreciated them seating us and giving us great service. It was my first time having hot pot, but it was soooo delicious! We all really enjoyed it. I highly recommend the spicy crab broth and shrimp balls. read more

Probably the best shabu/hot pot experience I've had in Houston to date! To start, this is nothing like the plethora of all you can eat hot pot restaurants scattered around Chinatown. Menu is a la carte and geared more towards typical ingredients you would see in Japanese hot pot (shabu). Broth selection is pretty standard and our party ordered a spicy tonkotsu and sukiyaki broth to taste. The spicy tonkotsu broth was great and had a nice depth to it (not watery like other hot pot places)! The sukiyaki broth was more of a sukiyaki inspired soup than a traditional sukiyaki but had a nice light taste to it for those wanting something more neutral. We ordered the beef belly and chuck flap and just wow! By far the best meat quality I've had for hot pot in Houston! Shaved perfectly and did not come out as frozen rolls. An order of broth and protein comes standard with an assortment of veggies and udon noodles for each person in your party and contained a nice spread! One note is that it is more family style oriented at the larger tables so be ok with sharing a pot with your party. If individual is your thing, they have plenty of bar seating with individual hot plates. In all would definitely recommend!! read more

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This is my second time coming here. I find this place very clean and the food great. My only issue is they are now charging for vegetables. I'm used to hot pot coming with a serving of veggies and you pay for your protein. I'm very disappointed that they don't give you simple vegetables. They do give you a small scoop of rice. I ordered one 14oz serving of meat and with all the little charges, my bill ended up being $130.00. I wish they would keep the rice and give the vegetables instead. Will I be back? Maybe. Service was excellent and food was great. I think that of late consumers have been getting nickle and dimed so much that every little thing just adds up. I know business have to absorb the cost of higher products as well. Not faulting the business which is why I gave 4 stars. I just feel it's a small thing that they should revisit. read more

Shabu Squared - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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They don't seat more than 4 people at the tables and we had a party of 7, so we sat at the bar. I didn't mind, our waiter was very attentive and always asked if we needed anything. He had a Green Bay Packers mask. I'm not a huge fan of hot pot, but I really like this place. To start you off, they give you a bowl of veggies and udon noodles as well as a small bowl of rice. They also have their sauce already made and set up for you. I love the sesame paste sauce, especially with one drop of the spicy oil. He said it's one million Scoville! I really don't think you need more noodles than what they give you. My friend got their seafood meats and she said it was really good. It looked super fresh. The truffle ponzu is also so good! I got the spicy tonkotsu broth -- which will be my new go to. I recommend getting the beef belly as your protein! So yummy! Would come again! read more

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