San Diego | Shabu-works

Not sure why, but a bunch of hot pot spots in San Diego have been closing down lately—even my favorite, "Meet That Year," shut its doors...😭 As soon as the weather cooled down, I started craving hot pot, only to find my go-to places gone. So I pulled up Google Maps and went hunting for a new spot. Ended up giving Shabu-works a try. Gotta be honest—when I walked in and noticed there weren’t many Chinese customers, I got a little nervous. Like, is the flavor not gonna be authentic?🤔 But I sat down anyway, slightly hesitant, and ordered two broths: Sichuan Spicy and The Mongolian. And wow—the Sichuan Spicy broth hit me hard from the very first bite! I consider myself someone with a pretty high spice tolerance, but that numbing, fragrant heat totally caught me off guard. It’s intense and lingers—definitely the real deal 🔥. The Mongolian broth, on the other hand, was much milder. It reminded me a little of Little Sheep’s cumin-spiced broth back in China—super aromatic but not overly spicy. Perfect for those who prefer less heat. The selection of ingredients was pretty impressive, especially the seafood section! The crab 🦀 was cleaned well, and I went hard on the shrimp 🦐—plump, sweet, and fresh. The crawfish 🦞, though, didn’t seem as fresh, so maybe skip those. They also have self-serve drinks and a DIY shaved ice station—I happily downed two bowls 🍧. So refreshing and the perfect way to cool down between bites! All in all, this place totally exceeded my expectations. The meat was fresh, the broth options were solid, and I left seriously satisfied. #SanDiegoEats #SanDiegoHotPot #LifeInTheUS #HotPotForChillyDays