So after hearing a lot about this place we decided to give it a try. We arrived just as it opened so we had a choice of seating at the U shaped large table. Was interesting to see how the servers all work together with the customers in creating each unique dining experience. Folks working here are very helpful in explaining how it all comes together and the choices available. I chose primarily a vegetarian pot with a spicy broth. My friend and I 'cooked' our veggies and she her meats into our individual broths to create our individual dinners. Veggies needed more of their unique flavor as somehow for my palate it all blended together. Broth was good, although not great. Was a fun night as we leisurely ate and chatted. And I was finally happy to have finally had the experience. read more

Awesome quality food, especially the meat! The broth was delicious &service was super friendly, but I was a little confused by the lack of an extra plate to eat off of as is usually customary w/ shabu shabu. That said, I'm absolutely coming back. Pricing was very fair as well and worth it! read more

I was so surprised to see a shabu shabu place in Thousand Oaks, so I knew I had to try it. I met my friend here for dinner on a Thursday night and it was fairly empty inside, with more people eating on the patio. We chose to sit inside at the bar. We both went with the spicy miso broth and shirataki noodles. I ordered the Wild Mexican Shrimp and my friend got the Wagyu Short Rib. I really enjoyed the shrimp and my friend said that she liked her short rib. The assorted veggies that we got were delicious as well. I have to say that my favorite part of shabu shabu is the "do-it-yourself" part. My experience at Tabu Shabu did not disappoint. Our service was also amazing. Gianluca checked on us often and was very helpful with answering our questions. I can't wait to come back! read more

It's a pretty straightforward menu, you pick your soup base and cut of meat, and that's it! All dishes come with a plate of veg and rice, and you also have the options to buy additional meat if you want to. I wish they had the option to add on additional veg or other toppings too... I was pretty ok with the 1/4 order of meat, but my boyfriend ordered the 1/3 lb and still had room left at the end. If you're hungry, I'd recommend sizing up. Service was pretty good! All of our servers were really friendly and happy to help. You can ask them to turn up/down the heat and to add more soup base if needed. It's bar style seating inside so I wouldn't recommend going if you're with a big group, otherwise it's a fun experience and worth and visit! read more

Tabu Shabu - Japanese Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

This place is so fun, the staff are great, and the food is on point. Can't say enough good things. So yummy!

Uncomfortable, can't talk to anyone only the person sitting next to you (a bar) salty, can't see what you're cooking. Over charged for cooking sauce. NEVER AGAIN. read more

I was curious about Tabu Shaba for a while and decided to finally try it out. Upon arriving I was seated immediately at the bar. I have been to many shabu and hot pot restaurants, so I am familiar with how things usually go. Tabu Shabu goes for a more individual approach. Everyone gets their own pot, meat, veggies, and noodles. Then the price of everything is determined by the type of meat chosen. The overall portion of the set was good. There were plenty of noodles and veggies. Commonly shabu-shabu uses a plain broth made with kombu (seaweed). Since the broth generally has little flavor, the side dipping sauces are important to bring a lot the flavor. Tabu Shabu's sesame sauce was not that good. This was a big disappointment because it is one of the most iconic flavor notes. Tabu Shabu does have a more modern take on shabu and has a menu that expands beyond just shabu. Through I felt both the sukiyaki broth and the tonkatsu broth were both just ok, neither packed a punch and tasted a little water-downed. The food was overall underwhelming. The placement of the hot pot was a little awkward as well. The counter was a little taller than most other places that I have been to and was set back. I am sure this was to leave the room and make things a little safer, but it made it awkward to reach the pot. The staff was super friendly and helpful, the main highlight of this experience. Overall in comparison with my other experiences, this place falls short in the execution of shabu-shabu. Not bad, but also not good. read more

Tabu Shabu - The set up - Japanese Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

If you like making your own ramen bowls & paying a lot of $ to do it yourself, then this is the place for you. I've eaten here twice and although the staff is very helpful & friendly, Meh. Not a fan. read more

We wanted to try a different shabu shabu spot and came across this place. First off, this place was easy to find and easy access to parking. We went on a weekday, so if the lot does get full, you may need to park on the street. We were immediately greeted and sat inside. You also have the option to eat outdoors. Our server was kind enough to explain their menu since it was our first time there. Our food came out quick, but our utensils did not. We had to wait until we got someone's attention. While I was eating, I noticed that they were quick in clearing out the area once the guests left. However, I noticed that they didn't often wash their hands after clearing out. If someone wanted water, for example, they would quickly get it and serve it to them. I thought this was gross especially considering what is going on today. As for the food, it was great! The vegetables looked fresh. The meats were high quality. You definitely pay for what you get! Would I come back? Nope. That price is too much for the amount you get. I know I am able to get more with equal quality meat somewhere else. It was worth trying out though because at least now I know. read more

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Just got back from Japan last month and was craving shabu. This place did NOT disappoint. The quality was amazing. I had the grass fed ribeye with spicy miso broth. Added the broth booster. It was amazing!! Kayla helped us and made the experience even better. She started with asking my group if we had any allergies and was detailed. She was super friendly and genuine. Raul was also a joy! Great energy and loved the overall experience, on top of the delicious meal! 100% recommend Tabu Shabu!! read more

All done. This meal was amazing. It was a long wait but we'll worth it. Sam and Nick are rockstars. They never stopped moving and making sure everyone was taken care of. I had the sukiyaki broth and the rib eye. I couldn't be happier with the flavors and the experience. read more

Tabu Shabu - All done. - Japanese Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

The restaurant is not hard to get and parking seems to be pretty good. I like that there is a variety of Shabu soup choices and very tasty. read more

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Great vibes, excellent food!!! Such a fun exchange and the staff are so great. It was our first time and they guided us three it. Really delicious. Will be back! read more

Good food and service! I like the tonkustu broth better than the spicy one. I love spicy normally too.

Service is amazing. The people working there are so friendly and so helpful. Food is absolutely delicious. The overall ambience of the place is wonderful as well. I love going there with friends and family. read more

My son has been wanting to come back to this place for a year. We finally went for his birthday. Everything was fresh, our server was nice, portions are big. Will be back. read more

Showed up at 6 on a Saturday night, the place is super busy, checked in with a party of 4 and grabbed a drink while we waited, wait was about 45 minutes and then we sat down and had an amazing dinner, great service, great food. They explained the menu to us and answered any questions we had. Food is so good and fun to cook. Minus 1 star because you have to know that is a small place and they DO NOT prioritize first in line. They prioritize seating ($$). We had people come in 10 min after us, get seated and we waited another 10 to be seated, they were a party of 2, us a party of 4. Otherwise, great experience, just don't come with a big party. read more

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Great food, great service, wonderful customized shabu shabu experience!!! I'm a rookie and cooked everything at once, next time I'll cook bites at a time. One kid's split order was more than enough for the two kids. Note that the edamame and salmon appetizer are spicy. Mochi variety plate was great! read more

Tabu Shabu - Kids had fun - Japanese Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

What a fun experience! We had never had Shabu Shabu before and were so excited to try it. The staff was great at explaining everything and their recommendations were perfect! All of the food was fresh and tasted absolutely delicious. They even packed up our leftovers for us to take home! I recommend the pork tonkatsu broth with the udon noodles. We ordered the prime short rib to add and it was amazing! We can't wait to go back! Definitely fans for life! read more

Tabu Shabu - Tonkatsu broth, udon noodles and prime short rib. - Japanese Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

Stumbled upon Tabu Shabu after finding the Yelp listing and we will definitely be back. Great assortment of veggies and noodles. The broths were fantastic and not salty. The meats we ordered were high quality from Snake River Farms. And Raul & Kayla were very friendly and attentive. read more

Food is expensive. Service was horrible. We didn't have plates or bowls. No sauces. Everything we needed we had to ask for them. Food came so late that all our broth dried up. But I'm giving it 2 stars instead of 1 because the quality of the beef was good. read more

Definitely our go to place now for shabu-shabu. The quality of the meat and vegetables are great. The place is clean and organized and the servers are all very friendly and helpful. I have to bring my younger son who doesn't eat shabu-shabu and they allow him to bring foods from outside, they even make conversation with him. I really like business like this who understands the needs for parents with spec needs to be able to have a great dining experience with amazing customer service. If you haven't been there, please give the place a try and you won't regret it. read more

VERY good food. The service is fast. And they have a tv to keep you occupied. It's very pretty inside. I highly recommend coming here. You get to cook your own food and choose what you want. 10/10 read more

Was craving something warm and comforting and found this gem on our way home. Clean bar tops, no tables. Service- I was a bit thrown off as the girl who initially helped us spilled a decent amount of water onto our table while setting them down and just walked away without cleaning it. Luckily, our server was top notch with service, quickly apologized and cleaned it up, gave us great recommendations, and advice. Friendly and nice. Recommending the right portions and ended up being perfect. Atmosphere leans towards an bar type scenery. Wouldn't really say intimate for dates unless you're ok with strangers sitting next to you. Again, no individual tables so you're sitting next to your party versus facing them. Most importantly food- I would say is a fusion of hot pot and Japanese style ramen. From reading the questions, the tonkatsu soup contains msg due to supply issues which we didn't know at the time. Hubby had the tonkatsu soup base and loved the food. He ordered extra ramen noodles and extra beef. I had tonkatsu/seaweed mixed broth with mostly veggies and pretty good. This spot was the closest hotpot spot from us. Would recommend for those new to hot pot and easier for American palettes versus the true authentic Asian hot pots. read more

This place is great for your shabu fix. Great customer service especially from Sam; he has great energy and very friendly. I'm glad there's a good shabu place close to me. I've already been here a handful of times! Worth giving this place a try read more

Tabu Shabu is amazing! I had the arduous task of picking a place that could accommodate my vegan aunt and uncle, vegetarian cousin and gluten free cousin and we decided on Tabu Shabu, also a perfect choice in the rain. The manager Tom was stellar at explaining the steps in ordering and picking our options for the vegans and gluten free peeps. I got the 90/10 tonkatsu and spicy miso with beef belly and wagyu, a bountiful amount of vegetables, fresh ramen and it was so so so good. The sesame dipping sauce is amazing. They also have rotating local breweries on tap (tarantula hill & 14 cannons) and lots of sake. I definitely will be back again! read more

Tabu Shabu - Japanese Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

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Kayla and Raul were amazing! I BEYOND appreciated that they asked me if I had an allergy because I am allergic to peanuts, not any please ask but Kayla was sure to make sure no one had any allergies. We came here to celebrate my best friend! The service was so fast thorough and so delicious!! Everyone was extremely friendly the music was a good time! Would come here and recommend to everyone and anyone I know! read more

Tabu Shabu - Shrimp meal - Japanese Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

Love the food and ambiance. So glad to have an authentic Shabu in Conejo. Friendly, kind service and delicious sauces to accompany and wonderful meal. read more

I thought this would be some overpriced yuppie bar. I was very pleasantly surprised. The food was excellent. The servers were really nice and welcoming. Highly recommend going there and trying it out. We will be back again. read more

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Terrible service. Waited 1 hour to be seated. This was due to mismanagement on the staffs end. Walk-ins told they would be seated however would not inform you of "actual accurate wait times" Floors were filthy and bathroom was not clean. read more

Tabu Shabu - Trash along the whole bar - Japanese Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

This was my first time trying shabu and I had no idea what I was in for! I liked the idea of putting in the meat slowly as you eat, allowing it to cook to your preferred wellness. My friend and I shared a large bowl but I should have gotten my own! Haha... it was so good he ate most of it before I could catch up. Loving the outdoor patio too! I'll definitely be back! read more

We waited for over 20 minutes and no one came to serve us. Plenty of staff passed by and asked the tables next to us if they needed anything but they never took our order. Another table came after us and they got their rice and other food while we were still waiting. Too bad we really wanted some hot pot /: We got up and decided to leave and the waiter looked at us and told a new customer "oh yeah, there's a table" referring to ours, still not attentive to us. If we ever decide to come back and we have a better experience we might consider changing our review. We understand they get busy but there were multiple instances where we could've gotten service. We were the only table that did not get their order taken. read more

Such a fun and delicious place to have dinner. Makes the meal memorable. Awesome healthy eats and all the servers are so cool. I can't wait to go again. I don't know if it's more the food or the people!!! Both!! And the kombucha BoochCraft is the perfect pairing!!! Thank you Benjamin and Jordan all all of you!! Be back soon!! The YOLT girls. Pork base Or 75 spicy/25 sweet. Natural ribeye Brown rice Udon Ask for chili garlic to add to your peanut sauce. Yummmmmmmmm read more

Tabu Shabu - Sisters! - Japanese Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

7 years ago, I ate at the Tabu Shabu in Costa Mesa. In short, I absolutely loved it, and at that time, it was one of the best places for shabu shabu I've ever eaten at. When Tabu was being built nearby, I was excited to 1) get any shabu shabu (it's one of my fav things), and 2) a place I was familiar and happy with before! It opened about a year back, but I didn't go until yesterday: 1) I've been spending a lot of time in NoCal, 2) the gf doesn't like shabu shabu, 3) Covid-19 hit, and 4) she traveled this week for business, so I had a free night to come! They built up an inside area that's modern and nice, too bad it can't be used yet. So, they built a substantial outdoor deck that I hope they'll able to keep once/if the pandemic passes. Lots of options for meats (or veggie): veg, chicken, pork, lamb, salmon, shrimp, scallops, certified Angus ribeye, prime ribeye, wagu short-rib, grassfed ribeye. Choices of soup base: seaweed, spicy miso, sukiyaki, or tonkotsu pork. Available in 4 sizes: reg, large, XL, and Mega. You get a mountain of veggies and noodles, too! If it's not mentioned, you have to DIY cooking. I tried the spicy miso with prime ribeye -- so dang tasty! The XL ($37) was such a big portion, I Ieft feeling very full, and actually took home a large size 'to go' container. [BTW -- It was great!] The service is very social and talkative. Shabu shabu is nothing short of greatness, and Tabu did not disappoint. read more

What a spectacular place. Pre-Covid we loved going to Tabu Shabu. The people are fantastic and the food is even better! Since Covid we have been able to continue to enjoy and support this amazing place through their awesome takeout. They rent you the burner and pot and package everything perfectly to-go. Holy moly, not only is is so so good it is so much fun for the whole family. We ordered the Wagu and it was so buttery and perfect. You can't go wrong on the quality of food here. I wish we could do Tabu Shabu every weekend! Can't wait to order again! read more

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Wow, My son and I went to have lunch there and the meat was mediocore! I mean when the meat is cooked, it turns brown, like it's old stale meat. 2nd point. The cost was $76 including tax. Really for lunch? I was barely full and my son got a bit sick! 3rd point. I'm not sure why my son became a bit sick, rather it wasn't food poisoning, but his stomach started to hurt a bit into lunch. I'm not sure why but I ate about half his portion and he did not like it! We love Shabu and this was not worth it. Just saying. John read more

We had a great experience here at Tabu Shabu! The service was wonderful! I specifically have food allergies and the servers were very attentive to my allergies and didn't forget throughout our entire experience. The food was great! I really enjoyed the spicy miso. I would definitely come back. Thank you! read more

This place is always good. Food is delicious and service is good. Always feels like you are going to a good neighborhood joint where people know each other . My kids love it !! I dream of their spicy miso when I am home in NY!! read more

Tabu Shabu - Japanese Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

This place is very over priced for what it is... 5 Oz of meat, vegetables, rice, and a couple bites of noodles for $30... and you cook it yourself... there is absolutely no flavor at all too... I also never understood how you would tip someone who doesn't even serve you... you probably should just stay home if you were thinking about coming here. read more

Extremely happy to have a Shabu Shabu restaurant in my town. Great quality of food. In this very challenging time, I wonder if you have considered Shabu Shabu take out? I will be your first customer to get the to-go Shabu Shabu. read more