California Shabu Shabu — Restaurant in Costa Mesa

I would have given California Shabu Shabu 4 out of 5 stars until a RIDICULOUS restaurant rule and staff response to the rule brought down the rating to a ONE! The rule is so ridiculous that I signed-up for Yelp just to post a review on the restaurant. My son and I have been looking for a new shabu shabu restaurant worth my money since Koji at the Block closed down. We were quickly greeted and seated upon entrance. Upon placing our order, the server was notified we would be taking some food to go. The meat was cut fresh and presented to us within 5 minutes. We had finally found our replacement for Koji’s, which meant we would be returning on a weekly basis. We were ¾ the way through our meal when we ordered another entree for take-out. When we were ready to pack up the left overs and to-go entrée, we asked for a container to put the ponzu sauce in. For those of you who are not familiar with shabu shabu, it’s all about the sauce as the meat is unseasoned and cooked in unflavored water. We were told they are not allowed to give out to go cups for the sauce and they were not supposed to let any of the sauce leave the restaurant because the sauce is homemade. However, they did permit us to pour the sauce over the meat. My son poured one cup over the left overs and asked for another cup of ponzu for the to-go entrée. With hesitation to give us any more sauce, we were told they could pour the sauce over the entrée but could not replenish his sauce bowl. Are you kidding me! He wanted to mix in the add-ons (garlic, green onions, horseradish and sesame seeds) to the sauce before pouring the sauce over the entrée. They quickly changed their mind and refilled the sauce bowl before I had to say anything. My son wanted a little more sauce but we dared not ask for more because of their stinginess. For heaven’s sake, it’s ponzu sauce. Do they think I’m going to bottle it up and sell it as my own? Do they really think I’m going to put the sauce under a microscope to reveal their secret recipe? It would have really been nice had they let me know about their policy when I ordered the to-go entrée. What good is the to-go entrée without the sauce? I spent $99+ ($4 beverages, rest food) and they had a fit over less than $.50 of sauce. They then had the audacity to offer me free ice cream since we were first time customers. The ice cream would have cost more than the sauce. Are they serious? Just give me the sauce. I brought my concerns to the manager and was told that was just the policy and there was nothing he could do. For less than $.50 in sauce, they lost a customer who would have been a regular and got a bad yelp review. Congratulations. Hope you’re happy. I will be taking my business to Tabu Shabu...

California Shabu Shabu was amazing! They can get super busy so expect to wait a little while, especially if you have more than a few people in your party.

The food was excellent! I was with a group of 6 and between us we ordered basically every kind of meat they offer, and they were all delicious. The hot sake was actually hot (you'd be surprised how often that is not the case...) and they had Kirin ON DRAFT. No one ever has Kirin on draft. 5 starts in my book just for that :) .

The interior is very thoughtfully and elaborately decorated with a giant mural of anime-style characters on one wall, and port holes containing all kinds of toy models and such.

The service was great. While it was obvious that we had one person who was assigned to us as our server, all of the staff worked together as a team to make sure everyone in the house was well attended to, regardless of that "assignment." We had no trouble getting anything and everything we needed, almost immediately.

I really like the way the room is set up - it's set up kind of like an elongated bar, with all of the staff moving about in the center and the guests along the edges facing in. Some people may not like it because it's not really conducive to conversation when there are more than a few people in your party, but I didn't mind it and I actually enjoyed being able to see the staff hard at work.

Price was good, too. The total tab for the 6 of us after eating our fill was $125 before tip, so about $20 a plate. Their signage indicated that they add gratuity to parties of 6 or more, but they did not automatically add gratuity to our bill, so I don't know if that policy is actually enforced.

Overall: great food, great ambiance, great service. Could not have...

California Shabu Shabu is a hip Japanese eatery with murals on the walls. Sliced meats & veggies are cooked at the table in this fun and interactive dining experience.

I had the pleasure of dining at California Shabu Shabu recently and I was blown away by the food and service. The atmosphere is very modern and stylish, with bright colors and fun artwork on the walls. The staff is friendly and attentive, and they were happy to answer any questions I had about the menu.

The shabu shabu is the star of the show, and it's definitely worth trying. You start by choosing your meats and vegetables, which are then cooked at your table in a simmering broth. The meats are all incredibly fresh and flavorful, and the vegetables are cooked to perfection. I also really enjoyed the dipping sauces, which added a nice touch to the dish.

In addition to shabu shabu, California Shabu Shabu also offers a variety of other Japanese dishes, including sushi, sashimi, and tempura. I tried the sushi and it was some of the best I've ever had. The fish was incredibly fresh and the rice was perfectly cooked.

Overall, I had a wonderful experience at California Shabu Shabu. The food was delicious, the service was excellent, and the atmosphere was fun and inviting. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a great Japanese dining experience.

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The food was fresh and flavorful. The service was friendly and attentive. The atmosphere was modern and stylish. The prices were reasonable. I would definitely recommend this...