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    Shabu Squared

    4.5 (367 reviews)
    PriceyJapanese, Hot Pot, Soup
    Closed 12:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Shabu Squared Reservations

    Shabu Squared Photos

    Business Info

    SHABU SQUARED ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Intimate

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    Recommended Reviews - Shabu Squared

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    Emily H.

    Always consistent. My faves are the tonkatsu broth and the spicy crab. I always get the Kori Wagyu

    Christina L.

    Normally not a fan of shabu shabu as I prefer Chinese hot pot, but this was absolutely delicious. (And indulgent because it's AYCE and /expensive/). Broth is essentially the deciding factor on good/mid hot pot and the tom yum broth here was sooooooo good and flavorful. Not the most wide variety of vegetable options but they had a lot of what I personally like so I didn't mind (squash, bok choy, watercress, cabbage, mushrooms, broccoli, tofu, udon)--plus it all tasted very fresh. The table is also set with premade sauces: one that is dark and sweet and has the fishiness of dashi, and another one that I really liked that's thicker and more of a sweet tahini base.

    Meat
    Darian C.

    The service was a bit slow here even though there wasn't that many people. The meat choices were great and I really liked their salmon spoons were yummy as well. The tom kat broth was unique and tasted good but I'm not sure if I like it over just a tonkotsu broth. It was clean inside and the workers were nice it was just a bit slow.

    Victoria N.

    One of my favorite hotpot places in Houston! It can get busy sometimes, but parking is plentiful and I'm always seated quickly. There's bar and booth seating available. The service is always amazing and quick. My favorite broths are the spicy crab and sukiyaki. The beef served here is great quality and love the variety available here for seafood, vegetables and more. Sad to see that the concept of the restaurant is changing but will be coming back before it does!

    Beef belly
    Jacky D.

    With all the hotpot places in houston I wanted to give shabu squared a try before they close down because of the good things I heard. We had a reservation at 7 for 10 people and had to wait just a little for them to get three tables set up us as one table was just finished. One of the smaller hotpot places and the bowls are more for sharing than individual so nice for choices if you have a duo! I liked the artwork on the wall as well. During dinner time they have an S tier or tier 2 for AYCE! I did the tier 2 as those were the perfect meat choices for me. Beef belly, wagyu, chuck, and ribeye were our go to. All other places i been to recently for vegetables and seafood are buffet style and i realized how much i like that coming here. It feels a little weird trying to get a specific amount of veggies by asking for it. No enoki mushroom is a bummer. Overall meat quality is top notch for sure. Service was slow at some point when the restaurant started getting packed more. Their premade sauces offered a variety of umami and strong flavors! If some other shabu choices did not exist I would be devastated as this would've become a choice for me to insert into the rotation. 8.2/10

    Salmon
    Jennifer N.

    This place was recommended to me by a friend and so once we heard that they were potentially shutting down soon, I knew that we needed to try it out! Walking in, the place is very cozy with tables surrounding a center u-shaped bar style seating. We noticed that it's a pretty small restaurant so always good to have a reservation and smaller parties. This place has a 90 min time limit, and so you do usually need your entire party to be there if eating AYCE! If you're someone who gets overwhelmed with options, this place is for you because they have most of items you would expect at shabu but lesser variety which is a pro and con. For vegetables, instead of ordering individually, they provide of vegetable platter which features all they offer. I'm not a huge vegetable person at shabu so not a big deal but my husband did wish they had more variety. For meats, they offer two tiers for ayce and we went with Tier 1 which offered a fair variety and came with a soup spoon of salmon. My favorite meats were beef belly and ribeye - the presentation is also beautiful. I think the broths here are stellar and their premade sauces are to die for - way better than any that I could diy at other hot pot sauce bars. They do charge extra for noodles which was surprisingly. Overall, a good hot pot experience with no frills and decent variety to fulfill their hot pot craving.

    Brisket
    Brandon D.

    Tried out Shabu squared for the first time. One very nice thing about this place is that it is down the road and not actually in the heart of Chinatown, so the parking is not an issue here. Since it was the weekend, only tier 2 or s was available for all you can eat. This includes everything from tier 1 (chuck flap, beef belly, brisket, crab sticks, shrimp, fish balls w/ roe) as well as some extra options specific to tier 2 (ribeye, wagyu bavette, lamb). I tried the mixed broth (tonkotsu + spicy sukiyaki) and sukiyaki broths. They also provide their ponzu and goma sauces. I thought the ponzu was too citrusy but the goma was good! It's a sesame sauce that is sweet and savory. I tried all the meat options and my favorites were the beef belly and chuck flap, followed by the ribeye. I also got some of their ramen and it's actually a lot so I would recommend sharing it with someone. I think it's really good if you just keep getting the beef belly and chuck flap only, therefore I'd say it's really only worth it if you go during the time period for tier 1 because tier 2 is more expensive and I didn't like their meat options as much.

    Charnie D.

    Would recommend coming in early if you want a seat. The meat had amazing marbling and tasted better after dipping it in my broth. The vegetables and meats came flowing, thanks to the workers who made sure our meat orders come to us as much as possible. I would recommend the spicy crab broth to help make your food delectable.

    Cuts of meat and veggie bowl (and an egg yolk for the sukiyaki!)
    Laura L.

    I've been here so many times, one of the waitresses recognized me By far, my favorite shabu place in Houston! All of the meats here are super good quality and fresh. Every cut of meat is either fatty and tender or lean and juicy, but both types are irresistible. They have a good variety of soup flavors with the sukiyaki, tonkatsu, and spicy crab being my favorites! Their all you can eat menu is so worth it in my opinion, especially if you eat a lot of meat. The ayce is not buffet style so you can't pick and choose veggies and other sides, but each person gets a veggie bowl and a bowl of rice. They have two default sauces where one of them is sesame based and the other is a yuzu ponzu, but you can order other sauces they have. The staff here are friendly and nice! The waiters and waitresses are attentive and will come by to either lower or raise the heat of your broths if they see it's boiling too much or too little. It can get a little cramped if there's a lot of people, but they have a good amount of seats and benches for larger parties. They always play good music here too which is also a bonus! This place is a very solid place for shabu, and it's perfect to go on a rainy or cold day. Every time my friends want a recommendation for a shabu place, I recommend this place!

    Giang T.

    came here for dinner on a weekday and it was packed (despite sign saying it will close on mar 10, but will reopen with new concept) service was rly rly quick i love how the veggie bowl comes with an order of udon as well my favorite was the shrimp balls beef was very tender plenty plenty parking spots as the plaza was quite empty

    Lunch AYCE tier
    Alanna Y.

    Parking is great, service is even better! We went for lunch and got the basic AYCE tier. The meat was very good quality, all the veggies were fresh and the broth was amazing. They do not have a bar for veggies and noodles, but I think that is better because there is less food waste. If you want more of something you just ask and it will be brought out promptly. We will definitely return when we're craving hotpot!

    Salmon bite
    Patty C.

    This has been the premier spot for hotpot for a few years now, and I can see why. With the start of an AYCE option, Shabu Squared continues to impress and draw in clientele. My dining buddy and I came in on a weeknight, and it wasn't busy at all. We ended up doing the AYCE option, which was only a few dollars more, though does contain certain restrictions. Like you could only have one order of the salmon bite per person, and some more premium meats were not included. The menu is a little confusing, but the server will offer more in depth instructions. My lamb came out great, and I stuffed myself silly. We ended up choosing the Tom Yum broth, and it was okay. With hindsight, I would have chosen a different broth or a 50/50 split. The broth was more sour than I like. Definitely worth a return on a cold or rainy evening.

    AYCE lunch menu!

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    Soups were very flavorful. Meat options good. Service was great! This will be my go to hotpot spot!

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    Page 3 of 10

    Ask the Community - Shabu Squared

    Is it all you can eat?

    They have that option now!

    Does your goma sauce contains peanut? Someone from our group is highly allergic?

    Our goma sauce does not contain peanuts. It does contain sesame seeds. If there are more allergies we should know about, please make a reservation with us and indicate the allergies. That way we can have time to use new clean equipments to prepare… 

    Are you guys opened?

    Yes, we are open.

    When are you guys re opening?

    Sorry for the late reply. We are open everyday except for Monday.

    Could we get pick up during Covid 19?

    I'm unsure if you can do Togo orders but they are open for serving, I went recently and social distancing was in place with every precaution.

    Are you open for take out?

    Yes.

    Is it a buffet style ? if not whats the pricing like , i cant see it on the website.

    Sorry, no we do not offer buffet.

    Is this place actually open? When I call, I get sent to a personalized voice mail. The first poster's photos look great.

    We are having our Grand Opening this Sunday, 12.8.19. We hope to see you there!

    View All 11 Questions

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    Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House

    Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House

    4.7(256 reviews)
    0.7 miChinatown, Sharpstown
    Kitchen open late
    Takes reservations

    Came here for dinner and it was amazing! The wagyu and seafood were excellent (we chose the gold…read morelevel). We tried the house and tom yum broths and both were really flavorful. Big shoutout to our server Alex! She was so friendly and attentive. She put alot of care into our experience. We felt like this was an elevated AYCE because of her. Great food, great service, great vibes. Definitely coming back, and hoping to get Alex again next time!

    If you are looking for the ultimate luxury hot pot experience in Houston, Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House…read morein Chinatown is the gold standard. I recently opted for the Diamond AYCE set, and it was hands-down one of the best dining experiences I've had.  The Diamond tier is worth every penny. It unlocks the entire menu, giving you access to the most premium cuts and decadent sides. Here is the breakdown of why this spot is a must-visit: The Meat & Seafood * Japanese A5 Wagyu: The star of the show. The marbling is incredible, and it literally melts the moment it hits your tongue.  * Australian & American Wagyu: Even the "lower" tier meats here are exceptional. The ribeye and brisket were fresh, tender, and flavorful.  * Premium Seafood: The Diamond set includes a fresh seafood platter featuring succulent lobster (Boston and Norway), sweet shrimp, and sashimi-grade salmon that was incredibly fresh.  Signature Sides & Appetizers The Diamond set isn't just about the pot; the appetizers are high-end restaurant quality: * Wagyu Bone Marrow: Rich, creamy, and decadent--a rare find for an AYCE spot.  * Foie Gras Toast & Wagyu Nigiri: These elevated starters set the tone for a luxury meal. * Truffle Wagyu Beef Don: If you have any room left, this bowl is packed with umami. The Atmosphere & Service The service is top-notch. The staff is attentive, constantly refilling broths (the Sukiyaki and Spicy Miso are personal favorites) and clearing empty plates without you ever having to flag them down. The 90-minute limit is more than enough time to get through several rounds of premium cuts.

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    Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House
    Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House
    Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House

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    Old Alley Hot Pot - My sauce: sesame paste, soy sauce, satay sauce, fresh red chilies, sesame oil, hot oil, cilantro, peanuts

    Old Alley Hot Pot

    4.4(291 reviews)
    0.8 miChinatown, Sharpstown
    $$

    I hate writing this review because I absolutely loved the Austin location. In fact, that's exactly…read morewhy we decided to make the drive to the Houston restaurant. The good news? The food was every bit as good. Houston also has an all-you-can-eat option, which I actually prefer. Instead of trying to predict your appetite and ordering everything at once, you can keep placing rounds throughout the meal. We took full advantage of that. The broths were just as rich and flavorful, the meats and vegetables were fresh, and everything tasted exactly how I remembered from Austin. Unfortunately... after we placed our final round of food, an uninvited dinner guest showed up. A whole ass cockroach decided it was his turn for hot pot. Not on the floor. Not scurrying across a wall. He confidently climbed onto our table and proceeded to do a full lap around the actual hot pot like he was making sure we ordered enough for everyone. At that point, dinner was over. Look... I live in Houston. I know we have roaches. But when one is comfortable enough to climb onto a customer's table in the middle of service, that's not something I can just shrug off. This one genuinely pains me because the food deserves so much better than a 3-star review. If I were rating the meal alone, it'd be an easy 5 stars. But sharing our table with a cockroach that looked like it had visited before knocked a couple stars off the experience. I really hope management gets the issue under control because I'd love a reason to come back. Until then... I'll happily make the drive to Austin.

    I've had my eye on Old Alley for a while, but just didn't get a chance to check it out until this…read moreweek. + Excellent weekday lunch special, one of the best value hotpots in Houston. You can get more than one broth to choose from + Good variety of food to choose from, though you have to order via QR code/server + Grilled beef skewers were very tasty, we ordered a lot! + Dessert soups (snow fungus, and eight treasures) felt very homemade, as if by my mom. + Attentive service + Nice ambiance, does feel a little like I was back in Chongqing/Chengdu. - The sichuan broth has a good spice level but it is much too salty, even as they add more broth base. - Beef rolls had a fairly strong 'gaminess' that extended that flavor to the vegetables also cooking in the same broth. Very open to coming again, just need to address those two (somewhat personal) painpoints.

    Photos
    Old Alley Hot Pot - Dining area

    Dining area

    Old Alley Hot Pot - Toothpick beef

    Toothpick beef

    Old Alley Hot Pot - Beef ribeye

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    Beef ribeye

    Happy Lamb Hot Pot

    Happy Lamb Hot Pot

    4.0(940 reviews)
    4.7 miGalleria/Uptown
    $$
    Large group friendly
    Casual dining

    We love Happy Lamb Hot Pot! This is our go-to location that never misses…read more We're thrilled about them adding the Tom Yum broth base- it is absolutely delicious. We've previously enjoyed doing the best of both worlds pairing, but since they've added Tom Yum, we now do the pot split 3 ways. The self-serve buffet always has fresh veggies and seafood choices. Our favorites include the spinach, bok choy, shrimp, clams, sweet potato, corn, and pumpkin. I think they've done away with the lobster balls which used to be my favorite, but I've since switched to dumplings which are tasty. I love the items from the hot bar- the orange chicken is yummy. The service here is always attentive and friendly. Hot Pot here always hits.

    My friend and I agreed that a celebratory hot pot was the perfect treat after our climbing sesh,…read moreand I've been meaning to try Happy Lamb for a while! Service was fast, and what seemed like a seemingly small building was actually bustling. We ordered the Best of Both Worlds option and requested the Spicy Bone Marrow along with the Tomato Broth; they complement each other quite well, with the Spicy Bone Marrow being our personal favorite. It is definitely spicy, but nothing that I couldn't handle. The Tomato Broth was delicious as well, but added a nice sweetness to our meal. We chose the Classic All-You-Can-Eat lunch deal, and ordered a plate of the Natural Prime-Aged Lamb, the Hand Sliced Beef Short Plate, the Marinated Garlic Beef, and the Pork Belly; I can't say I'm a huge fan of how they divided the meat selections, however, since I could get premium meat elsewhere without being limited. But overall, the meat was of decent quality, and the buffet offered various options. Compared to other hot pot places, they even had a section where you could serve yourself egg rolls, white rice/fried rice, and stir-fried noodles, though I can't speak to the quality... very much buffet-quality if you catch my drift, but still lovely nonetheless. Similarly, you can fetch your own iced drinks and dessert too. I do wish Happy Lamb's sauce station had special pre-made flavors or instructions for making them, much like Shabu Zone or Haidilao; sometimes I don't trust myself to freestyle my own sauce. There are some cross-contamination concerns as well, since there'd be about 4 tongs at foot/pants level, but at least 9 food options (e.g., noodles, dumplings, veggies) to choose from. Not sure if other people share the same sentiment, but I guess they all get boiled in the end anyway. Overall, it's a decent option if you're in Downtown Houston! But I wouldn't call Happy Lamb my go-to spot.

    Photos
    Happy Lamb Hot Pot
    Happy Lamb Hot Pot
    Happy Lamb Hot Pot

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    KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot

    KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot

    4.0(186 reviews)
    16.7 miWillowbrook
    $$$

    Great service our waiter was amazing. He brought us new grill tops three times and kept them fresh…read morehe always made my grandmother garlic butter and brought it to her. That was a first for us and was amazing he really made our night. Didn't get a name but got a side pic. . The food was excellent much better than other locations and the service again five stars. We took my 101 yr old grandmother and she loved it. What an amazing experience for her and the family to celebrate my daughters birthday.

    Had a great meal with friends on New Year's Day…read more The venue is older and needs a bit more effort on upkeep. It is eclectic, decorated in an Asian pop culture theme with [sometimes promiscuous lol] music videos playing on a big projector screen. And, it is honestly loud (booths are in rather close proximity to one another and there's constant clatter & commotion from the table action). We had a few issues - the grill didn't stay hot (either malfunctioning or low on fuel), there weren't any hot buffet options (like other locations offer), and a few menu items were unavailable (ran out) - but we enjoyed our meal, nonetheless. Even with a few missing offerings, there is plenty of variety - meats, seafood, vegetables, soups, noodles & rice. The sauce bar has many condiments & dips; you can play mad scientist with your seasonings/marinade. And, there was a cold buffet that offered kimchi and a few fruits. They also had a long list of beverages that included boozy cocktails and exotic smoothies or teas. Kevin was an outstanding server - extremely attentive & superbly patient (bless his heart for accommodating our rowdy and very needy group of newbies lol). He was assisted by a hard working team of table runners and busters who kept us stockpiled and refilled. The crew made sure things were never amiss. Some tips for first-timers: -The AYCE pricing is applied to the whole table, so you have to make a group decision if you want to do bbq or hotpot or both ($5 add on). -Holidays and weekends are priced for Dinner all day. -They don't take reservations, so there may be a wait (especially if you have a large group). -It is booth seating throughout, with a max of 6 people per booth. -You have a 2 hour time limit (which seems like a lot, but you do have to wait for meat to cook on the grill). Venue: 4.0 Ambiance: 3.0 Food (Taste / Variety) 4.5 Service: 5.0

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    KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot
    KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot
    KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot

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    Shabu Squared - japanese - Updated September 2026

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