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    Cal Shabu - Costa Mesa

    4.2 (1.7k reviews)
    Open 11:30 am - 2:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Business Info

    CAL SHABU - COSTA MESA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Cal Shabu - Costa Mesa

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    a kitchen with a mural on the wall
    Mike G.

    Great customer service, every single staff member was friendly and knowledgeable. Everyone around us was happy and having a great time. People taking shots of tequila and even staff members were taking shots, everyone was having a fun night. We were having a hard time with the menu and ordering the right thing but our server was patient enough to walked us through every step of the way. They offered us drinks multiple times, we only had tea and water. We felt like we had our own personal cook, she did everything for us. Next time we will not need as much help . We liked that the whole place felt inclusive and welcoming. Everyone kept checking up on us. Be ready to be on the waitlist for a while, we waited for about an hour. Highly recommended restaurant.

    Donkey Kong was huge. Delicious!
    Peter H.

    After 13 years of eating here my review still stands as a blazing 5 stars. Consistent QUALITY everywhere from service to the food. Cal Shabu is my favorite Shabu shabu this side of the Pacific. Only Shabusen in Ginza Tokyo ranks higher. Great atmosphere and the people running the place treat you like an old friend. No wonder so many locals and non-locals alike frequent this restaurant.

    First time here, definitely won't be the last.
    Nathalie Q.

    Cal Shabu has some of the best service I've experienced. The waiters are incredibly attentive and genuinely mindful. Sonny, in particular, was so thoughtful . He brought me lemon tea and even asked if I wanted Raw honey after noticing I had a sore throat. The Kobe beef was AMAZING. Absolutely mouth-watering. I'm definitely coming back. Broth is light and flavorful not too overpowering, atmosphere is calm chill with loft style music. Perfect for lunch dates BTW. Thanks Jonny for packing my leftovers porridge! Great customer service!

    lychee and mango ice cream
    Danica B.

    The food and vibes were amazing, but what really made the experience was the service!!! Felt so at home here. All the workers are so kind and attentive, making you feel extra taken care of. Special thank you to Sunny for the hospitality! You can tell how much they really care about their business and the environment they create for their customers. 1000/10 recommend. The lychee and mango sorbet were to die for

    Katrina P.

    5 stars. No words. Amazing. We got the Sunny special, he made our sauces taste so flavorful and turned our shabu into an udon soup at the end. All the staff are so friendly and the yuzu sparkling sake was so yummy. Come here if you're looking for real shabu.

    Donna L.

    Update: the manager surprised me with some kabocha slices today after seeing my review I posted a while ago. I appreciate businesses that listen and pay attention to their customers. Now I know that I can request for these on future visits. I already gave them a 5-star review earlier. This review just further justifies why they deserve that rating.

    Helia K.

    I gotta start by saying that the customer service here is top notch. All the workers are very attentive and come over if you need help. This was my first time trying Shabu and I didn't know how it works but our server came over and explained everything and offered some recommendations. This great place and everyone knows each other and the quality of the food is 10/10

    Tammy N.

    We love California Shabu! We have been coming here since it's opening back in the day. Dinner time is always a lengthy wait. We usually go for dinner, but this time around, we decided to go for lunch. Lunch was quick and efficient. Sonny was there to help us and he is SO AWESOME! We ordered the large prime ribeye and the pork belly. The meat is sliced in front of you. We received our veggie noodle plate, our sauces and we ordered hot sake and Orion beer. I like my sauce spicy, so I requested for 3 hot drops in my ponzu. Restaurant is really cute. They have anime inspired murals all over and a cute little waiting area with a TV and a little arcade game. Very clean. Restrooms are clean too. Highly recommend. Get there early if you are planning on dinner. Lunch is usually no wait. Last seating for lunch is 1:30PM.

    Peter T.

    IMO, all entrees at any of these shabu places are all the same. But the service here is excellent and the one thing they have here that none of the other shabu places has is the jelly fish appetizer, everyone should try it, it not as weird as it sounds, it's really good.

    My "large" portion of beef belly and pork belly...
    Delphinus K.

    As a local girl who grew up in Costa Mesa (Pinecreek Village, baby!), it pains me to write this review. Like many have already noted, Cal Shabu is easily one of the best shabu places in Costa Mesa, if not most of Orange County. I was excited to dine out tonight--my first shabu of the New Year--but had a far less-than-stellar experience. While my partner and I arrived mid-dinner rush, we waited patiently only to be finally seated at the last two bar seats closest to the hallway leading to the kitchen and bathrooms. Perhaps my nose is a bit more sensitive, but the smell was somewhat overwhelming coming from the bathrooms. I asked if we could be seated at another bar seat (on the first "island" of seats), and was instead sat at a lower, "regular" seat at the second "island" of seats. I would have been happy to wait longer, but there was virtually no opportunity to alert a staff member to my preference or willingness to wait for a seat further away from the bathrooms/kitchen. However, my biggest issue with my experience tonight was our server seemingly gaslighting me when I asked her why my allegedly large combo plate seemed to have less meat on it than my partner's whose order was identical to mine (a large pork belly and beef belly combo). She said my plate was large and that the meat can simply look "deflated" after it's sliced. Eager to not be a bother or an annoying customer, I said "okay," and then proceeded to count the slices of beef belly on my plate, and then count the beef belly on my partner's plate. I had 5 slices of beef belly, whereas my partner had about 10. I was waiting to get the attention of one of the owner's but he seemed to be chatting up some regulars who ordered a massive bottle of sake (I understand wanting to give your high-spending regulars the attention they deserve, so it's all good), so, crestfallen, I finished my meal embarrassed and decided it was best to just call it, pay for a "large" portion I didn't receive, and then lick my proverbial wounds on the way home. It is always a balancing act figuring out how to stand up for yourself as a customer while acknowledging that running a restaurant in this economy is incredibly difficult; I don't wish ill will toward the owners, and I certainly would *never* want Cal Shabu to go out of business. I just hope the owners see my review and are willing to make some kind of good faith gesture for a long-time customer and local who loves Cal Shabu, Costa Mesa, and the resilience of all hard-working immigrants for whom these dining experiences are part of what makes life enjoyable and shareable with the people we dine with and love. I am attaching photos of our plates of food to hopefully get some clarification on the disparate portions (and, in case it needs to be stated, I tipped more than 20% tonight despite feeling somewhat bamboozled by the meat portions, because I don't believe servers should be punished vis-a-vis poor tipping).

    Menu
    Celine V.

    My top 2 favorite shabu in all of OC. The broth doesn't taste like water, but the actual Flavor that you order! As it should be. Wayyyy better than some chains we've all been to.... I got the spicy miso, and it was actually spicy in a great way! Lots of flavor to coat the udon/vermicelli/veggies that come with the entree orders. I got the shrimp, and it was great quality. The sauces are fresh and zingy. Garlic, green onion, vinegary ponzu, etc. very good. They also have the popular peanut sauce everyone enjoys with the meats. Mariah was a great server, and the entire staff was very awesome! I'll be back for the meats. Parking is alright if it's not busy. Family friendly restaurant. People also go here for birthdays, I guess. Average sized restaurant (not big not small)

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    29 days ago

    Delicious food, prompt service, fun art and music. We always enjoy ourselves when we dine at Cal Shabu!

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    3 months ago

    Always great service and excellent quality food. I always take the broth to go and make a nice udon soup the next day.

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    6 months ago

    Easily the best Shabu I've ever had!!! Hands down! Sonny is awesome and the environment is great! I love this place!!

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    6 months ago

    What an amazing experience! The food was great and Sunny took it to the next level! Definitely coming back

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    4 months ago

    Great service! You really feel at home and everyone working there is so friendly! Also amazing food.

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    Page 1 of 44

    Cal Shabu - Costa Mesa Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Cal Shabu - Costa Mesa

    This place used to be in Long Beach on second street right?

    Do they have a happy hour?

    No they do not

    What are your social media @?

    @calshabucm

    Is there high chair for toddler?

    Yes, they do have high chair for toddler. Every time we are there, the high chair is very clean :)

    Are they open for dinning or just Togo only?

    They are back open for dining :)

    Is available sitting right now? Is there a way to make reservations?

    They have a list you put your name on at the door or on Yelp! It's a great system!

    What sauce do they use? By which sauce, I'm talking about the light brown sauce they give you. Many use it to dip their vegetables and/or meat in. If anyone knows the name of this sauce, it'd be greatly appreciated. Thank you!!! 😊

    Ponzu is the one for vegetables. Goma is the thicker sesame one.

    Does this restaurant work for parties of 8? Do they take reservations for lunch?

    We take customers at a first come, first serve basis. We can accommodate larger parties as well. We do require that the entire party is present prior to being seated. The Cal Shabu team works at a face pace to help aid with quicker turnover and… Read more

    What broths do they have ? Are any vegetarian broths?

    They have spicy miso, tonkotsu (pork broth) and then just the plain seaweed water. Hope this helps!

    What is the restaurant health rating? It's not posted on the front.

    They're rating is A

    Are the sauces gluten free?

    I don't believe they are.

    Does this location have fish balls with roe?

    Yes they do now :)

    Is it all AYCE or a la carte?

    A la carte

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Ruin Bar - Drinks for the night #tasteofcsuc

    Ruin Bar

    4.1(476 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    Fun little spot! Would definitely swing by again. You just go in and order your drinks and find…read moreyour own seat. They whip up the drinks super fast! Came on a Saturday afternoon and was such a cozy area to sit outdoors and enjoy drinks with friends :) Tucked in the corner with a vintage, maximalist, whimsical vibe. I got the bees knees and the estoy enamorado and both were a tiny bit sweet for me but still really good!

    A very special bar, from the drinks to the decor. I really like that they are open during the day…read moreand also late at night, with mixed indoor and outdoor seating (though the outdoor seating is a bit worn). Vibes are always good. If you have some time while browsing The Lab during the day, I recommend stopping by for a drink! It's also nice to include in your barhopping itinerary in the evening since there are a number of breweries around too. I've had mixed experiences with the bartenders. Luckily, the gentleman manning the bar during my most recent visit was very friendly. Drinks are always great. I've tried a variety of drinks from the menu here, but my favorites are: -Love in Drunk, a lovely cocktail with cucumber and grapefruit flavors that create a fresh watermelon taste when mixed together -Bee's Knees, short but strong and sweet -London Mule, very herbal thanks to the gin and very refreshing

    Photos
    Ruin Bar - Old fashion. House bourbon. Better than anywhere else.

    Old fashion. House bourbon. Better than anywhere else.

    Ruin Bar - Coconut pineapple peach shots. Phenomenal.

    Coconut pineapple peach shots. Phenomenal.

    Ruin Bar - Outside patio

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    Outside patio

    Bootlegger's Brewery - Costa Mesa

    Bootlegger's Brewery - Costa Mesa

    4.2(181 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    Overall, this is my favorite brewery in this area where there's quite a few breweries! I was a bit…read moredisappointed recently as they took a lot of beers off their menu and have such a short list right now. I liked how much variety they used to have and they make good beers which is why I'd always come! I really enjoy that they have an indoor and outdoor area. The people working here are usually nice and helpful. I love that they have TV's so my boyfriend can watch sports & they even have a whole shelf of games to play too!

    Totally enjoyed game time with my son, his gf, and his friends! They have sports and random video…read moreplaying on a couple of tv screens. There are indoor high tables and outdoor bench tables under a lighted tent. Ample seating, metal chairs. Nice women's restroom (FYI the faucet on the left doesn't turn off. I turned it off each time I went to the restroom and I don't know how long it had been running.) They don't serve food, but you can bring in your own. They have a bunch of games for you to borrow, enjoy, and return. They have a pretty fun collection of beers, some with interesting names; plus some non alcoholic ones (such as Athletic). They provide the alcohol content for each and you can taste before ordering. Alas, two of us were there for the fellowship and don't like beer. For us, there was a refrigerator with a variety of sodas, a mineral water, and an apple juice. There's also a water dispenser with cups if you prefer. Sorry, no ice, but if you grab a can or bottled beverage, you can ask for a glass, and the cashier found a straw for me as well.

    Photos
    Bootlegger's Brewery - Costa Mesa
    Bootlegger's Brewery - Costa Mesa
    Bootlegger's Brewery - Costa Mesa - Games to play

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    Games to play

    Salty Bear Brewing - Just Add U Strawberry Blonde

    Salty Bear Brewing

    4.1(253 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    Stopped into Salty Bear Brewing Co. while I was in Orange County on a business trip, and it turned…read moreout to be a fantastic find. The IPAs were excellent -- fresh, flavorful, and well-crafted. Great variety, too. Whether you like something hazy and juicy or a more classic, hop-forward profile, they've got you covered. Everything I tried was balanced and easy to drink. The bartender was fantastic -- knowledgeable, friendly, and genuinely engaging without being over the top. You can tell they care about what they're pouring and about the people sitting at the bar. The overall vibe is just right -- a chill environment where you can relax, have a real conversation, and enjoy quality beer without any pretense. I ended up having some great conversations with good people, which made the stop even better. If you're in Orange County and appreciate solid IPAs and a laid-back atmosphere, this place is absolutely worth a visit. I'll be back next time I'm in town.

    Great atmosphere and outdoor area. Unfortunately, they were out of their "only hazy IPA" today…read more I've been going to craft breweries in CA for over 30 years now, and this is the first time I've ever been to one that did not have an IPA on tap. "Busy weekend" said the bar keep. "No excuse for this. Total fail," thinks I. The guava beer was ok. Just ok. Apparently that's their best. Would be totally happy if a decent sports bar moved in here.

    Photos
    Salty Bear Brewing
    Salty Bear Brewing - Teddy

    Teddy

    Salty Bear Brewing - Salty Bear Brewing in Costa Mesa, CA.

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    Salty Bear Brewing in Costa Mesa, CA.

    Green Cheek Beer Co. - BBQ & Vegan BBQ Burgers

    Green Cheek Beer Co.

    4.2(465 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$
    Vegan friendly
    Free WiFi

    Green Cheek lives up to the hype. The beer lineup is strong -- especially the IPAs with those…read moretropical, juicy hop profiles. You can tell they care about quality. The huge outdoor patio is a big win -- plenty of space to relax and hang out, and it gives the place a laid-back, social feel. It gets lively, but in a good way. Staff was friendly and welcoming. Food was great, but you're really going for the beer -- and it delivers.

    Went here for drinks on a Friday around lunch and it was pretty packed. The atmosphere was pleasant…read moreoverall. It's a smaller brewery in terms of size, so there wasn't much indoor seating, but they make up for it with a large outdoor seating area in the parking lot, which was a nice bonus. I can't remember the exact beer I ordered, but it was a light, fruity, crisp beer that I enjoyed. In terms of variety, the brewery seemed to focus more on lighter and hoppier beers. There weren't many IPA options or darker beers available. The smash burgers were delicious. I ordered the original smash burger and it definitely did not disappoint. I feel like a lot of places offer smash burgers nowadays but don't execute them well -- either you can't taste the beef or they overload it with cheese and sauce. Here, everything felt balanced. The beef had a great grilled crispiness to it, and the flavors all came through nicely. The tater tots were also really good, soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. Parking can be a bit difficult. They share a small lot with other businesses, so it fills up quickly. You'll probably need to find street parking nearby, and there isn't a ton of it available either.

    Photos
    Green Cheek Beer Co. - One of our Hazy IPAs

    One of our Hazy IPAs

    Green Cheek Beer Co. - Tons of seating outside

    Tons of seating outside

    Green Cheek Beer Co. - Another view of the indoor private event area

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    Another view of the indoor private event area

    Karl Strauss Brewing Company - Pizza Rolls

    Karl Strauss Brewing Company

    4.1(1.5k reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    Some places are just good beer. This was good beer and great people…read more Max behind the bar deserves a shoutout. Friendly, sharp, and somehow making a busy bar feel calm and personal at the same time. You don't forget service like that--it's the kind that quietly upgrades your whole experience without making a big show of it. Karl Strauss already has the food and drinks dialed in, but Max is the kind of bartender who makes you want to come back and sit at the bar specifically. Will absolutely be back.

    The cheeseburger at Karl Strauss Brewing Company walks into the room like it knows it belongs there…read moreconfident, polished, paired perfectly with a cold house brew. Visually? Strong. Toasted bun, melted cheese draped properly, solid build integrity. Structurally, it's a well composed burger. But here's the honest take. The patty itself felt like it was holding back. The texture was good juicy enough, cooked properly yet the flavor didn't quite punch the way you expect from a brewery burger. It needed more salt, maybe a stronger sear, maybe even a blend with a bit more fat to bring depth. Right now, it tastes safe. And a place known for bold craft beer shouldn't serve a safe burger. The cheese and toppings carried more personality than the beef did. Every bite had balance, but not enough edge. A sharper cheddar, a house-made sauce with some acidity, or even a slightly more aggressive seasoning profile would elevate it from "good" to "I'm coming back for this." That said, it's not a bad burger. It's dependable. It just hasn't stepped fully into its potential. In a brewery setting where flavor is the brand, the cheeseburger should taste like it belongs next to a flagship IPA not like it's auditioning for it. Room for improvement? Definitely. Foundation to build on? Absolutely

    Photos
    Karl Strauss Brewing Company - Bar area

    Bar area

    Karl Strauss Brewing Company - Chop Shop Chicken

    Chop Shop Chicken

    Karl Strauss Brewing Company - Quesidilla

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    Quesidilla

    Cal Shabu - Costa Mesa - japanese - Updated May 2026

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