Chubby Cattle Wagyu Shabu House | Duluth — Restaurant in Duluth

We met at chubby cattle around 11:30am, right when it opened. Inside was kinda a mix between fine dining and kbbq, dark seats, fancy smoke coming out of the booths, but our server. Ricky, was super welcoming and chill. Since it was her birthday, I'd already decided to splurge on this meal. If we were gonna spend money might as well go all out. I didn't get to celebrate my birthday with a dinner either, so this can do. Gold tier had unlimited AU and US wagyu, but you could only get JP brisket. Whereas diamond you get unlimited JP ribeye, which was the key. We eventually settle on the 100$ diamond tier, and I'm so glad we did.

Since we were the first seating, food came out pretty slow. Out first came the "specialty" dishes that came with the gold and diamond tier. We had chosen the wagyu nigiri and the bone marrow, and eventually got the shrimp and beef tartare too. The wagyu nigiri was probably my favorite. The wagyu was torched, had a nice contrast of a light charred taste and umami of the meatiness. It was accompanied with wasabi but I wish they added more with it. I also wished it was a little less cooked. The bone marrow had room for improvement. The bone marrow itself was fine, wished it had a little more acid or brightness on the side like pickles or green onions to balance it out, but the bread was atrocious. It was stale, chewy, even though it looked like a fluffy milk bread. My SO didn't even take a bite of it. The tartare was mid too, the meat was too loose even after mixing in the egg yolk. Tortilla chips tasted like store brand bagged ones, how hard is it to toss some in the fryer? Even taco bell can do that. The shrimp was a close second, it was carefully presented with the head and tail on, a beautiful dressing accompanied it.

The seafood platter they had, all the seafood is frozen and took forever to cook. The scallops still had ice on it, and when cooked, the outside got rubbery while the inside stayed bone cold. Maybe because we were the first seating? I hope other people aren't getting frozen seafood. Sauces also were pretty limited. I couldn't find hoisin sauce (海鲜将, the sauce used for Peking duck), XO sauce, they didn't even have cilantro or crushed peanuts for Christ sake. Haidilao does this way better.

The meat was great though. The a5 ribeye was amazing, perfect marbling. The shoulder cut was god send and my favorite, as long as you got the center cut. Since we were first seating, you got the ends which were really tough and had no marbling. Same with the a5 brisket. Our first plate was probably the flat or the lean cut of brisket, and we had to switch it out to get the fattier deckle cut. I couldn't really tell the difference taste wise between the JP A5 and the AU wagyu, besides the a5 looking a lot more marbled. I'll probably get the silver or gold next time. The specialty pork is pretty good, but still tasted like pork at the end of the day.

The sides were an afterthought. The mantou was the star of the menu, tiny buns deep fried and served with condensed milk. The tempura shrimp were good too, perfect tempura batter but wish the sauce was a little more potent. The chicken tasted like football stadium chicken, tough coating, why couldn't they go for panko or a lighter breading? The curry was hilariously bad. It tasted like gas station bento boxes, like cheap philly cut up pieces of meat doused in teriyaki sauce, the stuff they serve in the school cafeteria. When you think japanese curry, you'd expect a dark rich roux, big chunks of potatoes and carrots? Nope. It tasted the same as the gyudon.

Overall the meat was amazing and for $98 it was worth the amount of A5 I ate. Everything else feels like an afterthought. I wish they can take a page out of the book from other successful hotpot places in the area like China Hotpot and offer good sides like scallion pancakes or hodduk. Our server Ricky was amazing however, and always made sure we got the best cuts. Also make sure to get the membership, you're basically only paying $8 after the meal discounted. And free after the...

My husband and I had the pleasure of dining here for the first time to celebrate a special occasion. As it was a Saturday, we decided on an early dinner and made reservations for 4:45 PM, just to be safe. We arrived at 4:30 and were promptly seated, and the restaurant wasn't overly crowded. By the time we left, there was a waitlist. If you are in a similar situation, I would recommend making reservations.

Our server, Chloe, was extremely attentive and friendly, taking time to thoroughly explain the sizable menu and dining rules. We enjoyed the "Silver" option and found it to be relatively affordable and more than enough food, complete with a vegetable platter, a seafood platter, and plenty of meat. Our broth selections, the sukiyaki and tomato bases, were flavorful, as were the variety of dipping sauces they offered. The restaurant has a trendy, elegant atmosphere, with appropriate mood lighting and heavily-coordinated decor. There is an impressive display of wagyu beef that greets you upon entering, including detailed certificates of authenticity. The giant bull (the Bull Demon King, perhaps?) that looms over the drink area and the samurai armor were interesting touches. I thought the music was a bit loud, though.

The one aspect about this place that held it back was the attitude and poor behavior of some of the other staff. They were not waitstaff, but seemed to be responsible for bussing/cleaning. As we finished our meal, I noticed two staff members, a young man and woman, very obviously and for an extended period of time, staring directly at me and chatting amongst themselves. They didn't seem particularly busy. It made me uncomfortable, but I didn't think too much of it until I went to the restroom and saw another staff member who seemed to be part of this same group, not cleaning, using the restroom, or doing anything work-related, but instead having some time to herself until her friend (the female staff member from earlier), came in. As I washed my hands, they both were on their phones and staring at me. They spoke in a language I believe they assumed I couldn't understand (I could), and the conversation seemed to be about me. I will give them the benefit of the doubt and say that maybe I misheard them, but the whole ordeal was reminiscent of high school antics. In fact, while they were loitering in the restroom, another patron entered and seemed very taken aback by their behavior. She was hesitant to enter. I'm sure if there's a follow-up about this incident, they will vehemently deny that this ever happened and/or claim that I misunderstood them, but I would not take the time to write such a lengthy, thorough review unless this was something that truly troubled me and that I found to be an area for improvement.

To be such an otherwise pristine establishment with such well-trained and professional waitstaff, the immature and uncouth behavior exhibited by these three staff members clashed horribly with the rest of my dining experience. I have worked in food service; I am all for staff taking their well-deserved breaks. I am also not implying that food service workers are not human and can't ever make a mistake. But this went far beyond what I can normally overlook, especially since we spent over $100 between the two of us. It made me feel like I was under a microscope. Management - perhaps a conversation with your staff is in order. Gawking at guests and carrying on conversations/phone scrolling in the two-stall restroom is hardly appropriate for this, or any, restaurant. It frankly soured my experience and left a blemish on an otherwise...

As a self-proclaimed beef connoisseur, I was excited to try Chubby Cattle, a restaurant that prides itself on serving premium beef. And premium it was - with a shelf dedicated to Wagyu beef, complete with certificates of authenticity to prove it. I was a bit skeptical at first, wondering if the hot pot format would do justice to such high-quality meat. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that the broth only enhanced the natural flavors of the beef.

The beef was sliced thinly, which made it perfect for dipping into the savory broth. And dip quickly you must - 5 seconds top, or the beef will start to lose its tenderness. But don't worry, the broth is hot enough to cook the beef to your liking in just a few seconds. I was advised by our server to cook the beef to medium, and I'm glad I took her advice. The result was a tender, juicy piece of meat that simply melted in my mouth.

But what really sets Chubby Cattle apart is their house boba tea. Made with real tea leaves, not just flavored syrup, the tea is steeped to perfection and served over ice with a generous helping of boba. I opted for the milk tea, which was creamy and smooth, with just the right amount of sweetness. The boba was cooked to a perfect chewiness, adding a delightful textural element to the drink.

Now, onto the not-so-great aspects of the meal. The dipping sauce, while decent, could use some improvement. It was a bit too salty and lacked a depth of flavor that would have elevated the dish. And then there were the veggie options - or rather, the lack thereof. The only option was a whole bowl of mixed veggies, with no option to choose individual vegetables. I was particularly disappointed that our waitress wouldn't let me opt for just mushrooms, which were the only veggie I was interested in. It seemed counterintuitive to me - wouldn't letting me eat more mushrooms, which are likely cheaper than the premium beef, be a cost-effective move?

Another drawback was the limited seafood option - just one set, and it's not refillable. For a hot pot restaurant, I think it's essential to have a variety of seafood options to complement the beef.

But despite these missteps, I was happy with the price. We spent $45-$60 per person for the regular set, which, considering the quality of the beef, is actually quite reasonable. The price may seem steep at first, but trust me, it's worth it. The portion sizes are generous, and the quality of the ingredients is top-notch.

And the best part? It's really AYCE (all-you-can-eat). I was impressed by the variety of options available, and the fact that we could order as much as we wanted without worrying about extra charges. Our server was attentive and knowledgeable, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout the meal.

In conclusion, Chubby Cattle is a great option for beef lovers who want to indulge in premium meat at a reasonable price. The house boba tea is a bonus, and the service is attentive and knowledgeable. While the veggie options could use some improvement, the quality of the beef and the generous portions make up for it. I wouldn't consider eating here too often, simply because I prefer a more balanced hot pot experience with a variety of veggies and seafood options. But for a special occasion or a treat, Chubby Cattle is definitely worth a visit.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Price: High, but reasonable ($45-$60 per person)

Recommended for: Beef lovers, boba enthusiasts, special occasions

Will I return?: Maybe, but only if they expand their veggie and...