I've gone to the Allston location a few times and had a great experience so I assumed I would have a similar one at their Chinatown location as well. While the food and broth met my expectations, which are very high considering the prices, the service was a let down. I came with a party of four and the service was initially fine, but I later found it very difficult to flag our waiter down again to place more orders. This location is significantly smaller than their Allston one, but we had trouble finding where our waiter was most of the time. We ended up having to order through the other staff members who weren't assigned to our table and reorder items that were forgotten about. I think I'm going to exclusively stick to their Allston location. For the same price, you get better service and more accessible parking. read more

Disclaimer: I do not like Shabu Shabu/Hot pot in general - I think there is just something plain wrong about straight up boiling meat and flavoring everything with the same sauces. I ended up here on the choice of a friend, and for novelty. The place is large, clean, has decent service. Most importantly, food is very fresh - we were debating if the fish could be eaten raw, but decided best not to find out. We had the Surf and Turf w/ beef and ordered more beef. The meat is perfectly sliced, the tofu flavorful, fishcake tasty and a good veggie and seafood variety. The broth is quite mediocre but better at the end when the food essences (and fat) have infused. The key item is that their sauce is quite tasty, which is basically what all your food ends up tasting like - I'm not sure, but it seemed lik some kind of fermented bean. $15/person - while pricey for C-town, will barely get you a drink a few blocks away. While the food is really only about a 3-3.5, as much as I ever think I'll enjoy boiled meat. read more

Shabu-Zen - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I love this place for individual shabu shabu (Japanese version of hot pot where you don't drink the rich soup). Not only are there a ton of options (e.g., meat, seafood) for shabu shabu and sashimi, you can get fresh fish paste served tableside. This place is packed during lunch. So, go early or late to beat the rush hour when service may be slow due to being short on staff. Parking can be tough in Chinatown on the streets unless you park in the lot. read more

I came in with 2 friends and we had the vegetable and prime meat deluxe combos (or something like that) and an addition of jumbo shrimps portion. The food was just ok, maybe this is how it is there, or maybe we didn't choose well (it didn't help that the waitress couldn't speak any English). My strongest memory from that place is a strong unpleasant smell of non-fresh fish. That may have been part of my problem with liking the place. It wasn't too expensive, but was definitely not cheap (the beer was actually the expensive part). read more

Monday: March 21, 2022: (Tyler Street Location / Boston Chinatown) It was our first time (5 of us) to Shabu-Zen. A co-worker suggested we check it out and it didn't disappoint. The food was very good: Three of us ordered the Rib Eye Steak / Boneless Shortrib combo; two others ordered the Surf and Turf Combo. In addition, we ordered Wagyu Beef (good, but pricey) and side orders of scallops, clams, gyoza, seafood dumplings and taro. The scallops and clams were amazing! We chose the miso and Spicy Mongolian broths...great choices! We were very surprised at the level of service we received. You don't always get the greatest service at "Chinese restaurants". The two Asian waiters who served our table were outstanding! They constantly checked on us, took empty dishes away without being asked, were very friendly and attentive. We were impressed and told them that! We were seated at a corner table, near the kitchen and bus station, where the staff hung out. It was a little disappointing to overhear one of the waiters "scold" his co-workers (something about how the sauces were set up). It was quite unprofessional, especially since it was in earshot of the customer. In addition, the manager on duty was quite rude. First of all, he wasn't friendly when we walked in. Secondly, he should have offered us a larger table because there were five of us and we ordered a lot! With drinks, sauces and dishes, the table was simply too small. We (and the waiters) kept having to place some of our items on the next table. The manager should have been more attentive to this. And finally, when it was time to pay, he was so abrupt (in how he gave us the checks and took our credit cards). He acted as though we weren't going to pay or couldn't afford to pay: (three separate tabs: one for me because I wanted to treat my friends to the wagyu beef ($86), a second for my friend who wanted to pay for the clams and scallops and a third for everything else. I believe we spent close to $400 and which didn't include tip. Mind you, we were very generous with the tip (the staff deserved it)! Before leaving, we thanked the two waiters for outstanding service (and for the delicious food). I neared the entrance, I stopped by to chat with the manager (I previously asked the waiter if he was the owner or manager). I told him it was our first visit and how impressed we were with the food and service. I also told him the only thing wrong was him. He was rude and abrupt. I mentioned how all five of us work in customer service. We're flight attendants, all with more than 35 years in the industry. We take great care of our customers, just like his staff did. But he was the one disappointing thing. He apologized. I would have given a 5, if not for the manager's demeanor. A great manager is one who leads by example. Fortunately for the owners, his example was not demonstrative of the rest of the staff (except for the rude waiter for scolded his co-workers). Thank you for an otherwise great experience. We'll definitely return! Jim (Honolulu, Hawaii) read more

It's a decent dish. I mean the meat combo. But the price actually is $22, not $12. I don't think it is a good practice to have the price one way on yelp, but put it the other way in the restaurant. I would not say it is a cheat. But it did make me uncomfortable. I just paid it anyway. I am visiting here and want to keep it a happy and relaxed one. read more

Shabu-Zen is one of the better hot pots in Chinatown. With a central location, it's easy to get to and there are plenty of bubble tea and dessert restaurants around too. I think the quality of food was quite good and the broth had good flavor. The only issue I had was it was a bit pricy, especially compared with hot pot buffets. You order per item, so after ordering my broth, beef, noodles, and veggies I was well around $25. I went for a meal during a busy time and I enjoyed the atmosphere despite how busy the restaurant was. I think it was worth the meal but if I'm ever craving hot pot again, I'm willing to check out other restaurants. read more

Shabu-Zen - Hot pot! - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Awesome little place tucked into a side street in the middle of Chinatown. The outside is a funny wooden entrance that makes you really feel like you are in Chinatown. The quality of the meat and veggies was very good, 9/10. The broths that they offered were also very good at a 9/10. The reason I do not give this place a 5 star is because of the way you order. Yiu have to get a main dish that comes with a set thing of veggies. I wanna order specific things!!! This is a sharing smorgasbord! But I would absolutely suggest going read more

Shabu-Zen - Veggies on the side - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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My first time trying a Japanese restaurant where you cook it yourself and I must say I'm impressed, the food was very delicious, had the prime short ribs with the Mongolian broth and egg noodles! Loved the combination and the waiter was kind enough to explain exactly how to mix everything and how to cook it to get the best flavor and experience! Also had the mochi ice cream they had, I only recommend the mango and the strawberry! Definitely go here if you're looking for a different type of restaurant experience ! Def 5 star! read more

Shabu-Zen - Mongolian broth with prime short ribs and Sapporo - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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It's not the most authentic hot pot place, although it is asian fusion so I can't fault it there. It's a nice setting, a brightly lit interior, clean and not overly crowded seating. However, the food was overpriced, especially the vegetables. The pot for broth wasn't very deep so couldn't hold many things and boiled off rather quickly. They don't have many choices for sauce, and while the waiters are nice, they are difficult to find. Overall, it was a disappointing hot pot experience. read more

Hands down, this is the BEST shabu-shabu I've ever had in my whole entire life. My first time here was when I visited Boston for my sister's graduation as a kid almost 10 years ago. She took us here because it was her absolute favorite place for Shabu. Fast forward to 2016, I'm back and this place is still standing.. which speaks volumes about their food. It was a cold, rainy day in Boston, and I ordered the short rib (~$20) with Chinese Spicy soup. Several years later, the food is still as tasty as ever. The broth is immaculate, and the sauce truly enhances the flavor of the meat. If I'm ever in the East Coast, I'll definitely make my way back to Shabu-zen! read more

Shabu-Zen - Short rib, rice, and broth! - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Decent hot pot place with a pretty nice lunch special. For around $15, you can get a bunch of vegetables with a choice of meat. The soup base I got was the herb mix and I liked how light it was There is a car of sauce toppings which they bring to each table. TIP***If you want sesame paste, you gotta ask as they don't provide it!! - I'll be back for lunch again (weekends still have the special lunch price included!) read more

Tasty. Fresh. Healthy. 1 order of beef + 1 order of seafood + 1 kimchi flavored broth + 1 chinese herbal broth + side of tofu! = ~$40 I always love places where you cook your own food. Really, you can only argue about the freshness of the ingredients because if you say the meat or vegetables were over/undercooked...well guess who's fault that was smartie! The ingredients were definitely fresh here though - and I like the fact that they give you so much variety with your vegetables. I hate going to shabu shabu or hot pot where you have to order every individual vegetable separately, and if you're going with just one other person, you end up with no variety. I can't comment on the normal broth - but both of the different flavored ones were great in their own way. And the contrast between the two just made it that much better. I would stick away from the Chinese herbal if you are not accustomed to that taste though. Looking forward to more meals here :) read more

Shabu-Zen - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The soup and the sauce are very delicious. My wife and I hang out with two of our friends. Four of us really like this place. The service is wonderful. The restaurant is clean. The staffs are very quick and respectful. We definitely come back here again. read more

I owe it to this place to write a fantastic review. After almost every midterm and final and a lot of dark frustrating study nights in between, Shabu-Zen has helped me erase those memories with loving food and alcohol. I am absolutely certain I have not spent less than $60 every time I've visited. You're welcome. I have to compare them to Kaze, since my buddies love Kaze more. I like Shabu-Zen's beef better (more flavourful), soup (I HATE tom-yum soup, thank you for not offering it), and they have sesame sauce (if you ask) to go with your ponzu. Also the waitresses here girls here are prettier. They also encourage Sake Bombs as evidenced by their posters advertising them. And they've certainly upgraded their cups. My last trip up here, I slammed the table for the sake bomb so hard the glass broke, releasing hot sake and cold beer over my gal-pal's leg. Sorry. Let's recap. Good food, pretty waitresses, and sake bombs. Cons? It's pretty pricey. But hey, that's Boston for you. read more

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This place is such a fun, relaxing, and delicious restaurant! We came here on a colder evening and were happy to find that the food service is quite fast. In addition, you get plenty of food with each order. Every meat dish arrives with a plate of veggies that includes mushrooms, a piece of broccoli, and some tofu. The broths are also pretty good. I actually ended up liking the chicken better than the pork house broth. The dipping sauces make the meal fun as well. You can mix your soy sauce with garlic, scallion, hot sauce, or sa-cha sauce. Finally, the quality of the ingredients is great. The meats are fresh and nicely sliced and I was really satisfied with the vegetable platter that had some vegetarian fish balls too. read more

Shabu-Zen - Large size lamb plate - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Perfect place to go when it is cold n freezing outside. I ordered their surf n turf for $16.95. Good amount of food for the price (but if you are a guy, you probably need to order extra food). Beef and seafood were both okay. I debated for a while if I just want the regular shabu or pay an additional $3 for the Chinese Spicy Soup Base. Having good spicy food always put a smile on my face, but the Chinese Spicy Soup Base didn't do it for me. It wasn't spicy at all. read more

My issue with this restaurant is that it is overpriced for the amount and quality of food you get compared to the other hot pot restaurants in the area. We ended up going because it was the only hot pot place without a wait and also one of the few that serves alcohol. The meat and shrimp paste were good. The noodles for some reason come out already over cooked but refrigerated, so when you put it in your broth, it becomes mushy and just falls apart. My advice is just to order the rice if you want carbs. read more

Great experience. We were not very familiar with hot pot but the waitress took time to explain all and checked up to make sure we were enjoying it! read more

Shabu-Zen - Meat Combo - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

All COVID precautions are being taken! This is the first restaurant I've been to since quarantine started, and was pleasantly surprised by how good the experience was. Out of the few hot pot places in Boston I've been to, this shabu-zen has just the right balance of quality and price. read more

This is one of my favorite spots. Be warned that there can be quite the wait during peak hours, but go for an early dinner and you'll be quickly seated. The meat combo in the house broth is my go to. The pan fried gyoza is amazing. The sauce is why I love this hot pot spot- it is so good! Service is always good whether you're at the bar or a table. read more

Parking all day across the street is $22 I am a visitor here so I don't know good places besides yelp and word of mouth. My cousins come here often and they brought me. I really liked it. I eat shabu shabu alot and my expectations are high. I got the mongolian spicy with pork and beef. the quantity was worth almost $9. and the soup was flavorful. I really liked it. The yellowtail carpaccio was ok. not as fresh as i had before. overall alchohol drinks were good and strong. Food was good and service was good. Although the people who made the drinks took forever which was weird since it wasn't that packed. I saw them talking more then they were making drinks. lol i'm not tryna be a hater its just dude make the drinks and when its slow talk later. people are thirsty! haha but service was great though besides that part. haha read more

Amazing hotpot place! I've been going here for years- no where else I've been to can top this hotpot spot. Everything is FRESH. We usually get the Surf & Turf combo with beef, alongside with some appetizers like salty beef tongue and salty baby clams. Each order comes with a complimentary veggie plate and udon/rice bowl. That's the way to go. Their mango smoothie is delicious! I wish they kept their peach smoothie though. I used to get that before mango- but mango is still refreshing and yummy!! Everyone is really nice. Never have I ever had a bad experience with Shabu-Zen. 5 stars all the way. read more

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Basis for my starred ratings (which skews heavily to the food or drink): 1 star: Never again. 2 stars: Poor food, poor experience, extraordinary measures in order for me to come back. 3 stars: Average, nothing really special, nothing particularly bad. 4 stars: Very good, would definitely return. 5 stars: A favorite, one of the best. Even trying to keep the traditionalist in me in check, after a couple visits in the span of a week, can't say that I love this place. It's fine, nothing was particularly bad (except for maybe a couple things on the seafood plate), but it's a place I'd come back to with only a little revolt. I tried the beef/pork combo, the seafood combo, and the prime ribeye, along with all the veggies that come with it. Carrot, tomato - no. Especially the tomato, doesn't belong in shabu shabu. The other classic shabu shabu veggies - the napa cabbage, bok choy, enoki mushrooms - were just fine. The two things in the sea food combo that no amount of swishing and cooking in whatever broth could fix was the squid and the white fish. Even with a kimchi broth base, couldn't wring any decent flavor out of those two things. And speaking of the kimchi broth - I appreciate the experimentation, and it tastes surprisingly like Korean mae-un tang, but it kills delicate flavor. So if you just want the taste of spice, get this base. The pork broth base I think is the way to go and after all is cooked and done, the broth ends up being pretty tasty. The prime ribeye was quite good but for much less cost, I might just go pork. The base beef used for the shabu shabu was fine, nothing special. The noodles are a disappointment, the udon especially. These thin udon noodles lack the heartiness and nice chewiness of thicker noodles. The rice noodles also disappoint. Didn't get a chance to try the new ramen noodles. So, all in all, just an average, meh experience. Lunch is certainly cheap and a great value, but even that doe snot overcome the mediocrity of the shabu shabu experience here. read more

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I was wary about Shabu-Zen at first because prices ran a little high and there was no indication of how many ounces an order of meat would be. Still, we were desperate for hotpot and decided to give it a shot. They only have three options by way of broth--pork, chicken and vegetable and flavorings are an additional $4 per person (quite appalling, really). The pork broth my friend got was severely under-seasoned. It was almost bland. The chicken broth was well-salted. The sauce they offer is minimal as well. You get Chinese BBQ sauce, soy sauce, chili crisps in oil, scallion and minced garlic which means if you mix all that up, you basically get the same dipping sauce as everyone else. However, the quality of their meats and veggies is pretty great. We could have used more meat in the combo we ordered, but when had with the veggies that come with the combo, the meal was actually pretty satisfying. If you choose rice as your carb, you'll get a pretty big bowl of it too. I would say you'll get just enough food to feel full. No busting out of the pants here. In all, my experience was enjoyable. I'll definitely be keeping this place in mind the next time I'm craving hotpot in Chinatown. read more

My friend and I came a bit early, and had to wait ten minutes for our friend. In that time, four separate servers came up to us asking if we were ready to order. It was incredibly efficient. The food was delectable. And the ambiance was nice, it was a very conversational area. I will be coming back. read more

First time making hot pot. We told our server this is our first time. The lady was so nice and patient. She walked us through each section and explained how to order. Everything came out so quick. We ordered regular broth and Tum Yum, prefer the tum yum. Food and service was excellent. read more

I went to Shabu-Zen before a concert at Royale. Having been to Spring Shabu Shabu, this place does not compare at all. The broths selection is pretty solid but the portions are incredibly small. For the price of one meat platter it is about $24 dollars, but they only give you a small portion of meat. Compared to Spring Shabu Shabu, you could get unlimited meats for the exact same price. I will say the one thing going for Shabu-Zen is their Chinese Medicinal Broth is pretty spot on. I think it is their pork broth with added Chinese Herbs but it was delicious. Out of all of the things there, our party legit drank all of it! I think this place is popular because it is prime location for if you are going out in Downtown Crossing. Would I go again? Definitely not. It is one of those things were you know something better is out there for the exact same price but are too lazy to get it. That is what Shabu-Zen feels like in comparison to the other hot pot locations. Just underwhelming :( . read more

Been going here for years but staff here now is just rude and unpleasant. Better off going somewhere else down the road.

I've been forced to endure eating at Shabu-Zen far more times than I would care to. This is the worst hot pot restaurant I've ever eaten it, and it blows my mind that many Yelpers seem to think it's good. The food : bland broths and ingredients that lack freshness (veggies look old, my chicken always is dry and looks straight out of the freezer). There's nothing to like about the food whatsoever, especially with tons of better nearby options (Happy Lamb, Spring Shabu, Hot Pot Buffett, and Kaze, to name a few). The atmosphere: cramped and rather drab, with rock hard seats. It's not at all an enjoyable dining experience. The prices: absurdly expensive for what you get. The dinner combos are small and run between upper 20s and mid 30s in price. Terrible value. The service: even worse. Here's a summary of my recent visit: the hostess/de facto manager, Yayi, was cold and unwelcoming when we first entered, seemingly more interested in texting on her phone than on showing us to our table. We came in at 3:15 and she gave us the lunch menu, only to find out when the check came that the restaurant considered it dinner time and we were told that there was nothing that could be done to adjust the price. Next, we were brought to a table at the bar, which was cramped and insufficient for fitting all of the food that we were ordering (my wife orders for 2). We explained this to Yayi and requested a table, as nearly all of them were empty, but were told they were only for parties of 3 of more (despite, again, that the tables were nearly all empty). We requested to speak with the supervisor, but were told that there was none available and that Yayi was effectively the supervisor for now. We made it clear that this was not acceptable to us, but our complaints fell on deaf ears. Yayi did not seem to care and when we asked her to get back to us on whether we could be seated at a table, she never did. She was quite rude, incompetent, and unprofessional. The icing on the cake to what is already a lousy restaurant. read more

I have had better. I guess at this place you are not really supposed to order any broth - shabu literally means water right? Honestly their soups are full of MSGs and not delicious. The meat was good though, but a little bit pricey as I got the prime, large portion. Not sure if I will be back anytime soon... Might stick to other hotpot places nearby. read more

Shabu-Zen - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I've been coming here for 10 years and it's held up but they've slowly scaled back the portions and increased the prices. Now it's a legit expensive place to eat. Expect $40 per peson. Also miss the complimentary bean desert at the end, the black mushrooms they no longer offer, and the veggie plate is so small now. Still super tasty though. read more

Dinner for 3 We took our newly turned 21 daughter as she just arrived from out of state and wanted Chinese food. I do NOT like Chinese food but it was all about her. We had never been to a Chinese hot pot and should have watched YouTube videos or made our own as we had a hilarious experience. We selected pork base with Chinese herbal they brought out a pot split in two with each broth on one side. The veggies arrived and what an elegant presentation! Our sake arrived almost overflowing (truly that was the best part!). The meat arrived shaved in thin slices and seafood was cut in uniform pieces. Unfamiliar with this style of cooking (similar but not quite Melting Pot) we asked our server for guidance. He opened a package of chopsticks, placed the meat in the boiling broth and scooped it out. We were in awe. We could do this! We asked if we had to cook the udon noodles and told yes. Maybe the waiter was messing with us or maybe it was the sake because this was the funniest thing to cook noodles and try to scoop out of the boiling broth via chopsticks or the slotted, wire spoon. We think half the noodles are still in the broth. One think to note, we had small bowls of scallions, garlic, chili paste, barbecue paste and soy sauce to mix our own special creative sauce. The barbecue one was to die for good! Now, I mentioned I do not like Chinese food. I LOVED this Chinese food. So yummy, so fun, and such a wonderful experience. read more

Shabu-Zen - Hot Pot broth - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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We didn't actually get to eat here, because although their website, Yelp, Google, and even their own DOOR listed 11am as their opening time on Sundays, when we showed up at 11:10 they were still not open and we were told they'd be open "maybe by 11:30?" It's probably not a great business model to have potential customers have to guess if you're going to be open during your stated hours. read more

Great place, and not a long wait based on the last time I was here. I was also impressed by their Hello Kitty Martini. Great job for coming up with that. As an avid lover of Hello Kitty, I could be a little biased though... But really, the portion was great. The flavoring wasn't too bland or too strong. Everything was just right. We sat in front of the server so we were able to get whatever we needed then and there. I would say the service was great. Shabu shabu isn't too hard to cook either, so it was definitely a good meal. read more

Amazing experience!! Everything is fresh. They took their time to explain how it works. Really good beers drinks and the service. 100%. Nothing to add or change. Great environment!! Super clean!! You have to go here!! For sure we are going back!! read more

A COCKROACH RAN ACROSS THE TABLE IN FRONT OF ME. I used to come to this restaurant every other week or so, it was my favorite guilty pleasure. Unfortunately I will never be able to go back. Every restaurant can face pest problems but if cockroaches act this bold in bright lights, there is obviously a huge problem in this establishment that is not being dealt with. I was clearly upset. I was given a lukewarm apology, and was then handed my full bill with nothing taken care of, followed by an offer for a smoothie (why TF would I eat any other things here honestly are you kidding???). Was not comped a single thing. Wouldn't have changed anything but just added to how horrified I was by this entire situation. Disgusting and shameful, I'm so incredibly disappointed. This place has always had service that was just 'meh' (excited to get your order, then never check on you again, often leading to me giving up on extra food or drinks I wanted). And it has not gone unnoticed by me or others on here that lately their prices have increased while their portions have decreased. I was willing to overlook all of this because I loved the concept, the broth was tasty, and I felt like the meat and vegetables were at a level of quality I could consistently trust. But I can't overlook a cockroach crawling past me and trying to get in my soup pot. I'm sorry. The underwhelmed reaction from the staff just made it seem like this wasn't the first time this happened, and they weren't that concerned about my business, so that was the final death knell. read more

A+ for the lunch special and being open on the blizzardy days in the winter of 2017 that everyone else closed. Great service, reasonable prices, solid meal. read more

Shabu-Zen - A lunch special, with kimchi added. - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

You have to come here for their lunch specials! Come right at 12 though cause it gets packed real fast after that. Their lunches start at $7.50, prime beef, veggie plate, and noodles. How do you beat that?? I however do not recommend coming here for dinner. They do not allow reservations. A friend tried calling in and they said they would put his name down but when we got there they said they dont take reservations. They said what they meant was it mentally prepares them for how many people would come through the door. What kind of answer is that??? With that said would only come here for lunch due to their lunch special. read more

There is a big difference between cheap price and quality vs this decently priced high quality shabu shabu. This place is smack next to everything in Chinatown. Brought my friend from LA to try it. Our waitress was so cute! 10/10! The food was 10/10 too. Thanks for serving us :) i suggest the szechuan broth and the any meat jumbo orders to make it worth your money. Looking for beers? They also serve Sapporo, Tsingtao, and other leading asian beers. read more