ho • shabu — Restaurant in Xinyi District

While Shabby restaurant offers an exclusive and upscale dining experience, I was disappointed with the limited food options available. The hot pot was simple, fresh, and with premium produce and meats. However, it lacked the variety and flavors that is typically offered in Chinese hot pot restaurants. While the vegetarian option was appreciated, it was still underwhelming and failed to impress.

One redeeming factor of our visit was the attentive and quick service provided by the staff, who remained on hand to answer any questions and ensure we felt pampered. English was welcomed. The private and exclusive ambiance of the restaurant added to our dining experience, making it feel like we were indulging in a true luxury experience.

The clean and chique washrooms were also a nice touch, and it was clear that the restaurant takes hygiene seriously and are attentive to details. However, the high prices were not justified by the limited menu options and simple and almost flavorless hot pot. While I appreciated the unique take on the dish, it was simply not worth the exorbitant costs.

In conclusion, if you're looking for an exclusive dining experience, Shabby restaurant may be worth a visit for the attentive service and impressive ambiance. However, the limited food options and high prices may leave diners feeling underwhelmed and...

Started off as a train wreck, saved by Tina.

We were told by a male staff member to order a personal set and add ala carte items. We followed his advice and ended up doubling on ingredients (e.g. taro, mushrooms) that were already included in the set. No heads-up, no explanation—just let us waste time and effort cancelling after. We told him it’s our first time in this restaurant, first meal in Taipei.

Then another server came along and tried to dump raw shrimp into a broth that wasn’t even boiling. When I told her I just ate a piece of paper that was hidden between vegetable stacks, she froze. No apology, no urgency. Just blank stares.

At that point, I’d absolutely had it. If you’re charging top dollar for hotpot and want to differentiate with premium service—this ain’t it.

Enter Tina.

She turned the entire experience around. Calm, patient, and kind—especially when I was on the verge of losing it. She took full ownership, replaced everything we needed without excuse, and did it with genuine grace. No “not my problem” energy—just quiet professionalism.

She even brought us complimentary dessert to make up for it. 5 stars for Tina. Zero for the rest.

If you...

We had a thrilling dining experience at 合•Shabu. The atmosphere was excellent with spacious seating and good lighting. The staffs were very helpful and explained the menu and combinations to us thoroughly. Staffs helped us with processing the food and serving us throughout the whole time. The food quality was excellent, no matter you order wagyu, pork or seafood, they provide you with the top quality stuff. The seafood was still alive when they were sent to the table and looked super fresh! You can’t complain of anything if you are dining in this restaurant! Highly recommended for anyone who loves seafood and top quality meat. It may seem a little bit pricy as we have the bill with around 11500 NT for 4 ppl, but with the service and the quality of food, you will find it worth it...