Dal Shabu Annandale is by far the best hot pot restaurant in the DMV. Today I went with friends to celebrate a birthday, and even in the middle of being so busy, they brought out a birthday balloon, a Choco Pie, and even sang a birthday song for us. We were all so excited and happy. The fresh vegetables and meat, japchae, tteokbokki, and finally the bingsu at the end were all so delicious. The prices are so low that I actually worried whether they could even make a profit selling it this way. In particular, the owner pays so much attention to every single customer -- she was running around drenched in sweat. Not just our table, but she went around to literally every table asking if the food was good and if anything was uncomfortable, which honestly surprised me. You don't see owners like that these days. And it's not even a small restaurant. Actually, among Koreans, word has really spread about how kind and wonderful the Dal Shabu owner is. Just last year, business was really slow. Every time I went, there were empty tables. The food felt skimpy and the servers were unfriendly too. I stopped going for a while myself. My friends had also come and stopped coming before, but they heard the word of mouth and came back, and now everyone's satisfied. All the servers have changed, the food changed to a buffet style, and they actually increased the variety of food and sauces at the sauce bar even more while keeping the prices the same -- you can really tell how much care and effort the owner is putting into every single detail. Truly, truly wonderful. I highly, highly recommend it!!! read more

FINALLY got to try out Dal Shabu this past Saturday around dinner time, and this place was packed (and I can see why). Luckily, our table of 4 only had to wait about 5 minutes before being seated. We went with the all-you-can-eat menu for $35.99 per person. There's a whole buffet where you can grab your own noodles and vegetables, along with a sauce bar dedicated to making your own dipping sauce. Workers were constantly cleaning and refilling which left the place clean and organized. As for the meat and seafood, you mark down what you want and how much on an order card. The buffet actually has a great selection. The vegetable selection felt bigger than what you'd find at most hot pot places, and there were plenty of other fun ingredients to add to your soup. Meat quality was pretty good, though I think there are only 3 beef options to choose from. Unfortunately, the seafood was a letdown. Everything seemed to be frozen (not fresh), and the quality just wasn't there. The scallops were fishy, the clams were essentially meatless, and the fish were just mid. read more

Dal Shabu Hot Pot - meat - Korean Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

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Food, and service were mostly good with a couple of hiccups. The noise level is high. Went for hot pot on Sunday for lunch around 1pm. It was busy but not full. Felt like the church crowd got there just minutes ahead of us. We stood by the front door waiting to be acknowledged and seated for a long time. No one else was waiting. Servers walked by us but ignored us. Finally, we stopped a server and asked to be seated and he promptly did. It's a large restaurant though not as big as some hot pot places. We were seated at a table for two which was okay but felt a little small when all the plates of food arrived. When we got seated the table already had hot pots filled with the veggie broth. No one came over to take our order or explain anything and since it was our first time here I pushed the call button. A server came over promtly and explained the menu to us. Btw- if you are "elderly" you can have the discounted option of ordering once and you get smaller portions. "Elderly" are those sixty and over. When you choose a both you get a small bowl of concentrated broth with which you flavor the veggie broth. There are several broth options available. I just stayed with veggie. Then you can order up to three orders of meat at a time. They also have seafood options such as scallops which were good though quite small. You fill out a slip of paper with a pencil and call the servers and hand them the paper. Then you go to the self-serve bar and choose your vegetables and carbs such as rice cakes and noodles. They also have dumplings. They have a wide selection. They do not have kimchi but instead they offer gotjeuri which is a freshly made and unmarinated kimchi-like dish. It is tasty but does not impart flavor to your broth like kimchi does. The meat cuts were good and three orders is a good amount of meat to get at once. Of course you can order as many times as you want if you get the ayce option. They had watercress at the veggie bar which is a plus for me. I noticed that when some items ran low it was a while before it was refilled. If you call a server, they will do it right away but they weren't walking around monitoring and refilling as needed. The sauce bar was relatively clean but could be kept neater. I liked the mix coffee option. The ddukbokki (spicy rice cakes) were not the best. The bingsoo was actually really good. However, I found how you get the bingsoo a bit problematic. At times the bingsoo machine is turned on and it goes for about ten minutes shaving bingsoo into a large metal bowl. During this time people hold their bowls underneath the bingsoo maker and get shaved ice directly into their bowls. After a while the bingsoo maker is turned off and people are required to scoop from the bowl. This is not ideal for several reasons. It feels like you are scooping the leftover remains from when people were holding their bowls over the metal bowl and shaved ice fell into the bowl between customers who were holding bowls underneath. Also, since the bingsoo has been sitting there for a while it is not fresh and already melting a bit. Bingsoo needs to be fresh. Ten minute old bingsoo is not worth eating. The toppings for bingsoo were good but as toppings ran low they were not refilled. The bathrooms are worth a mention. Hey were clean enough. However, the stall doors are the kind with several 1-2 inch gaps where people can see right into the stalls. I don't know anyone who likes these sort of stalls. Bathroom privacy should be a given. read more

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We came here to celebrate a friend's birthday after they recently opened a while back. I was intrigued as they offer some more unique soup bases and ingredients. I went with their pho soup base that went surprisingly well as a hotpot soup. They offer your standard hotpot ingredients but also have a little Korean food bar that has tteokbokki, soba and more! Food quality here was decent and staff were friendly and attentive. Not my favorite hotpot spot but definitely a solid spot. read more

Dal Shabu Hot Pot - Hotpot - Korean Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

BEST shabu shabu spot! Everything was so delicious! I was surprised at the meat quality here ~ since it's ayce with a reasonable price. The beef was tender and I loved the tonkatsu and mala broths. They have so many veggie options and noodles for your hotpot. The restaurant was also VERY clean & organized! The serve yourself veggie/ noodle bar was clean & the veggies were all fresh~ no wilted greens! They also have a dessert bingsoo station, which was the perfect way to end the meal. I'll definitely be back here with my family! The restaurant is spacious with lots of seating, so it's perfect for big groups read more

Dal Shabu Hot Pot - Korean Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

Dal Shabu Hot Pot is sandwiched between the K Market grocery store and L&L Barbecue. We must have come at the tail end of the brunch crowd on a Sunday afternoon. Even though it was busy, we were able to be seated in a snug booth immediately upon arrival. By the time we left, most of the customers had left. By the way, there's a 90 minute maximum on how long you could stay. A very good selection of vegetables, noodles and condiments are available to add to your hot pot. The meat and seafood quality is good. But a note of caution, the meat orders are huge, and I mean huge. I had a hard time making it through my single order of lamb. They have a dessert that is creamy with a vanilla flavor. It's tasty but is not ice cream. Plenty of toppings for this dessert are available. Dal Shabu a perfectly decent hot pot. But I didn't super care for the broth. There is only one kind of broth, though you can add concentrated flavors to boost the taste of your broth. There's also various hot sauces you can add to your broth. My favorite was oyster sauce with sesame oil sauce. The burners in the table worked well. Like I said, Dal Shabu is decent, but I still prefer Urban Hot Pot in Mosaic. read more

Dal Shabu Hot Pot - Hot Pot - Korean Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

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Our favorite hot pot place!! Best service! Fresh veggies and meat, a great selection of broths and sauce options! AND BINGSU when done. Perfect dinner!! read more

We wanted to try Dal Shabu Hot Pot after they replaced Gom Shabu in Annandale. - AYCE for $34.99/person I was surprised that the soup base was brought in paste form for us to pour it into the broth. After seeing that I knew the broth would not be spicy enough for me even though I chose the Mala broth. They have some of our usual selection of meat, seafood and vegetable as well as a bingsoo station to look forward to at the end of the meal! The service was good and the staff were attentive; constantly checking if we need a refill for our broths. read more

Dal Shabu Hot Pot - Mala broth [paste] - Korean Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

Best hot pot spot in the entire DMV! The food is always delicious, the ingredients are fresh, and everything is worth it. If you're looking for the hot pot, you have to come here. i had the yummiest time ever. the servers were so nice especially angelina who made sure i was doing awesome all the time. the halloween decorations were so festive and cute. i especially loved the kuromi at the front. read more

Dal Shabu Hot Pot - the halloween decorations were so cute - Korean Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

Dal Shabu Hot Pot is absolutely fantastic. From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere is inviting and modern, perfect for a fun meal with friends or family. The staff are friendly and attentive. Good hot pot selection of fresh seafoods, meats, vegetables, and flavorful broths that you can customize to your liking. I loved how they have a sauce bar, buffet style bar to add more toppings like tofu, fish cakes, noodles, potatoes, etc.), and vegetable station. Everything is high quality and well-prepared, and the dipping sauces add an extra layer of deliciousness. Love how there is e a bingsu station which is so refreshing after hot pot. read more

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Dal Shabu Hot Pot on John Marr Dr in Annandale, VA, is a shabu shabu eatery specializing in hot pot dishes. Their menu offers an all-you-can-eat option featuring a variety of meats, seafood, and vegetables, as well as an à la carte selection. You can also cook items like fish cakes and tofu in your own broth. The broth options are extensive, including House Veggie, Pho, Tonkatsu, House Spicy, Mala, and Tom Yam. They also offer a sauce bar with a variety of dipping sauces. During our recent visit, we found the service to be slow, and our first order was incorrect. The bell button at our table was broken, so we had to change tables. Additionally, the overall area could be cleaner to improve the dining experience. read more

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SOOOOO GOOD!! Wanted hotpot on a cold cold day and this HIT THE SPOT! Great service high tech system and the employees themselves are so wonderful and sweet. Very fast too. Loved the large variety of food options from seafood to meats to veggies. Also so much soup and sauce options. Everything was delicious! Meat quality was PEAK Lots of seating inside and the pots are super easy to control. Love that they're all spaced out for each person. AND FREEEE BINGSOO!!! read more

Dal Shabu Hot Pot - Bingsoo - Korean Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

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8/6/26: They changed the restaurant awhile back. I love the change! You can still do AYCE and they bring the meats to you after you order on the little paper. But the change is, now there are salad bars and you can get all your fixins yourself. I LOOOOOOVE this. I do mountains of kim chi, udon, watercress and bok choy. There is so very much to choose from--diff kinds of veggies, noodles, dumplings, rice, seaweed salad, lotus root, it just goes on and on. It is A LOT OF variety. They also added a new tea and coffee bar and a make your own snow dessert section. I always come here with the same friend and we talk a lot. I love how they don't rush us through dinner. The owner is very nice. She was giving kids balloons and we asked for balloons to take home to our kids and she was like, "of course!" read more

I've been coming to Dal Shabu Hot Pot since they first opened, and it continues to be my favorite place for Korean-style all-you-can-eat hot pot in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) area. The quality and consistency have always been outstanding. They offer a fantastic selection of fresh meats, crisp vegetables, rich and flavorful broths, delicious dipping sauces, a variety of Korean side dishes, and even desserts--all included in one amazing dining experience. Everything is fresh, well-stocked, and perfect for customizing your own hot pot. Whether you're celebrating with family, catching up with friends, or simply craving a comforting meal, Dal Shabu Hot Pot is the place to go. If you're looking for the best hot pot in the DMV, I highly recommend giving it a try! read more

Dal Shabu Hot Pot - HOT POT - Korean Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

A pretty solid hot pot restaurant with good quality meats and vegetables. There isn't as much protein variety compared to other hot pot spots, but that's probably how they keep the prices low. Overall, I was very satisfied with both the food and the service. read more

Dal Shabu Hot Pot - Mala and tom yum broth - Korean Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

I'll start off with the pros- the restaurant is very clean, and everything was very fresh, particularly their meat, even when we went on a weekday night aka when it's usually a slower turnover of food. The variety of food is a bit more limited than some of the other shabu/hot pot places around but still more than sufficient for i think 90% of people. The staff was also generally attentive and the call bell really makes it very efficient to get a member of the wait staff. Here's where it goes a bit downhill for me. We got there at 8pm, and we saw that they closed at 9:30. We figured thats 90 minutes until close which is also their time limit to eat anyway so we didn't think it'd be a problem. We got seated around 8:05 and our first order went in around 8:10. Everything came out around 8:20. By around 8:45 they were really pushing us. First they told us last call for the kitchen is at 9pm- again, fine since the main thing to get from the kitchen is really is the meat. But the part that really got me was that they started clearing the vegetable and condiments section around 8:55-9 also. So it was basically empty by around 9:05-9:10, and they were coming around to our table about every 3-5 mins to clear plates to really get us to finish up. I get that closing on time is important and it's annoying to get late night customers. But then they should make it clear that they basically won't have anything available from 9PM and make sure that's still ok because we paid the full price but it feels like we couldn't really get the full time allotted to us. Essentially you either need to get there at least 2-2.5 hrs prior to close to make it worth it. read more

Review average 4.25. My husband gives it 4.5 overall and I give it 4. Thank you for inviting us back after an unexpected visit. The manager explained it was a very busy day when we had the sub-par experience and even they were surprised by the volume on that day/ it wasn't a usual situation. We went back on a weekday. Everything was much smoother, all items were available on the buffet and noise level was much better. I was very happy to have a chance to talk to the manager. A lot of places get defensive and act like your experience did not happen. It's obvious Dal Shabu takes customer care seriously and I appreciate that. read more

Dal Shabu Hot Pot - Bingsoo maker is a highlight! - Korean Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

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Gom Shabu is my favorite hot pot restaurant. I appreciate that finding parking is never an issue, because it's located in a shopping center with plenty of spaces. The restaurant has many tables, so I've never had to wait a long time to get seated. The workers are also consistently friendly and prompt. The ambiance is pretty casual and family friendly. The space is clean and well maintained. The ordering process is straightforward. Once you are seated, they give you a sheet of paper and you can choose what meats and ingredients you want. The vegetables and meats that I've ordered were really fresh. The broth is rich and flavorful. You have the option to add ingredients to change the flavor of your broth such as mala, pho beef broth, tom yum, etc. read more

Dal Shabu Hot Pot - Korean Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

My go to place. They recently have Ramen seasoning broth. I tried it and liked it. However, I'd always go back to Pho broth or Tomyum read more

Dal Shabu Hot Pot - Korean Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

Every time we go, the service is excellent and the food is delicious! I'm definitely hooked on the food now. Excellent service and delicious food. It's sooo good read more

Here's a draft: Went here with a friend and it did not disappoint! One of the best things about this place is the buffet/salad bar, it's loaded with extras like broccoli, cabbage, bok choi, tofu, eggs, bean sprouts, spam, noodles, and dumplings. Most hot pot spots make you order these separately, so having them just sitting there to grab whenever was such a nice touch, especially for pickier eaters who could just grab dumplings whenever they wanted. We did the all you can eat and it was so worth it. The brisket and pork were great, and the angus beef slices were amazing. Loved that there were so many mushroom options too, and the hoisin sauce on the bar was a nice bonus. Each person gets their own individual pot of broth, which was clutch since I was the only one getting seafood and didn't want to mix it in with my partner's and our friend's pots (neither of them eat seafood). Got to customize everything exactly how I wanted without worrying about it messing with anyone else's meal. We left stuffed and even got a take home container for the leftover broth, which was so good on its own. Definitely coming back! read more

Came here for my birthday lunch around 1 PM on a Saturday. We were seated right away even though half of our party was still on the way. Personal hot pots allow for each person to choose their own broth. The salad bar had a lot of great options that I don't normally see at shabu spots (minari, chapchae, ddeokbokki, watercress). Meat was good and AYCE option even comes with free bingsoo with a topping bar next to the sauce bar. For $35 pp, I'd say it's worth the price (come hungry so you can fill up)! We asked the server about a limited time birthday offer - they recently changed ownership so the new owner was unaware this was on their website, but they still honored the deal with a gift card which was nice. read more

I've been meaning to leave a review for a while, and since my last visit, some things have changed! They now have a veggie/toppings/noodles bar where you can grab as much or little as you want. I thought this was a great way to allow more flexibility for folks to pick what they want. They also have a bingsu station which is great to finish with something sweet. I love this place because the staff are friendly and efficient, it's big space so it doesn't feel crowded or overly loud, and you have your own hot pot to customize. Lunch menu is $19.99 for one side of meat with unlimited trips to the veggie bar or AYCE for $35-38 (I forget the exact pricing). Either way, you're gonna leave with a warm and happy belly! read more

My group of 9 came for Friday dinner and really enjoyed our experience here. I've been to many hot pot restaurants but I've never been to one that allows serve yourself options. In addition to the standard create your own sauce bar, this location has a buffet style bar for vegetables and other add ins (noodle, potato, fish cake, tofu, etc)- pretty much everything other than meat and a few select items on the menu that you order through your waiter. I thought this was unique and a great idea! My group enjoyed that everyone was able to select their own add ins and cater to exactly how much they wanted. We noticed that the waiter was very mindful of the amount of meat we were ordering at one time and expressed that food waste is a big concern so we were only allowed to order more when the previous plates had been cleared. This location has a 90 minute time limit for their all you can eat option and they seem to be strict about it. We were warned when we had 15 minutes left and felt pressure to leave from staff when our time was almost up. I understand that maybe there was another large reservation coming in that needed the table but we felt uncomfortable with stares from the staff urging us to leave lol Lastly, another unique feature of this hot pot restaurant is that they have a serve yourself bingsoo station! I've never seen that before and really loved it. They have a little machine that makes the shaved milk ice and you scoop it into a bowl then add toppings (condensed milk, fudge drizzle, sprinkles, cookies, nuts, etc). Overall I would recommend this place and would come back read more

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This is my and my family's go-to place when we get hungry for Shabu Shabu. The place is clean and staff is attentive. Food is well served and fresh! With cold weather coming around, we will be coming to this place more and more! read more

Dal Shabu in annandale is so good and we go there alot. The people who work there are super nice and the place is really clean, and the meat is always fresh and it tastes so good when you cook it in the soup. At the end you get Frozen dessert and you can get like as many bowls as you want which is the best part. read more

Gom Shabu is a solid AYCE hot pot restaurant in Annandale. They have options to customize your broth, and you can choose what ingredients you want. The options included meats, vegetables, noodles. You can make your own dipping sauce or choose their signature sauce! read more

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Dal Shabu Hot Pot has really good quality foods and meats and the price is affordable. Everything is fresh and tasty (chrysanthemum, taro, lotus, pumpkin, dumplings, fish balls and all others I've seen and tasted). Service is quick and each table has a button to call waitstaff which is super convenient. The tables and booths are well spaced and the restaurant size is perfect. The sauce station is clean and again the ingredients like scallions are fresh. The shaved ice machine is a nice finishing touch. Also the bathrooms are clean and spacious which is a big plus. read more

Hotpot here is pretty average--nothing special but nothing bad either. It's good for an AYCE fix if you're in the mood and want variety without breaking the bank. The highlight is definitely their bingsoo machine, which is a fun and refreshing way to end the meal. read more

Dal Shabu Hot Pot - personalized broth - Korean Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

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It's $19.99 for all adults on weekdays lunch and everyday for adults over 60 until 3pm. The waitresses are most friendly. High ceilings and great selection of veggies - all you can eat! Wow~! read more

So this was Tuesday that me and a group of friends went to Dal Shabu for my birthday and I want to say thank you to the server who had the time and patience to help my rowdy but fun group of friends with understanding the menu and we all had a delightful time being there. The food was stupendous and I ate so much veggies I literally would eat nonstop from their tofu, to their ear wood mushrooms, the broth was light and delicious and I could go on! Their bingsu was so good for the end, I'm a sucker for red bean topping so I did drown in it. I'm not a huge meat eater but their selection of meat was grand and my friends did enjoy it too! We hope to go back again soon! read more

I was finally able to make a visit for the first time which was located in a strip mall along with other businesses such as Taco Ssam, Sno Cream Company and K Market International. The restaurant has plenty of seats from booths to tables. They offer two options on their menu (Main and AYCE) with two separate prices but if you have a group, then your table has to agree to one selection. Everyone has a small hot pot heater in front of them. The menu has unlimited variety of broth options. In a separate area, plates are available for your vegetables, kimchi, toppings, noodles and some proteins like fish balls and tofu. Other proteins such as seafood and meats you would have to order through the server. Unfortunately they only offer two hot item at the buffet line which are: tteok bokki and jap chae. They also a station where you create your own sauces and bingsoo (shaved ice) for dessert with a few toppings to your liking but unfortunately their condensed milk and chocolate sauce are watered down. It doesn't matter how much you pour on top with the liquid toppings, the more add it will have a consistency as a soup and it will never be sweet enough. All staff members are friendly, attentive and knowledge. read more

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We went here for the first time on a snowy afternoon. I don't know if it was the weather, but the place was jammed packed. Everything was pretty good, but not better than my family's favorite Shabu place. The only thing I did like enough to return is that they had Bingsoo. I've paid $18 just for a mediocre Bingsoo the other day. So, this was a pleasant surprise. Dtukbokkee and Japchae weren't good at all. They tasted like someone who has never eaten them had made them. Dtukbokkee wasn't spicy & chewy at all. Japchae was extremely greasy. Also, there were little bowls of dipping sauce(?) on the the same table. Because there was no label, I've no idea what they were supposed to be but wasn't good at all. Not only that, there was no warning label about the peanut ingredient. If I pretend that that particular table wasn't there, then the rest of the meals were very good. To be fair, I'll have to return to decide if I like the restaurant. It was so loud that day. If that's how it is every day, then no thank you. read more

Had a fantastic lunch on a Wednesday and this place was crowded. AYCE for $20 with one order of meat. Food was delicious, fresh, and plentiful at the buffet so you are not dependent on waiting for the waiter. Meat was brought to your table. Lots of great vegetables, tofu, fish balls, assortment of mushrooms, all kinds of noodles , etc are available at the buffet. Shaved ice with assorted toppings was a tasty way to end the meal. Service was impeccable and friendly. Spent a ton of time explaining the system to us. Facility was very clean and had lovely decorations. Lots of parking. I will definitely be back with family and friends. read more

Dal Shabu Hot Pot - Korean Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

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A spacious hotpot place at Annandale. Came here for lunch - $35 all you can eat, they also have $17 lunch options. Food - awesome, the all you can eat menu has a variety of selections, they bring out small dishes and you can refill as much as needed, each person gets his own pot. You can request the restaurant's special sauce or go to the sauce bar to mix it yourself. Service - fast, they have an on call button so you can ask for service easily Ambience - modern setting with kpop music blasting in the background, the restaurant is clean, restroom has changing table for young kids. Price has definitely gone up since 4 years ago. The good old days of $25 all you can eat is gone. Next time if I go back I will get the $17 option to see what they offer. Will recommend to people who love hotpot! read more

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Review Update (after my third--and last--visit): I'm updating my original review because it wasn't an honest reflection of my experience. I felt pressured to leave a positive review while I was still at the restaurant because the owner was standing over me and repeatedly asking for one. At the time, I wanted to support a local business, so I gave them the benefit of the doubt. After three visits, I want to share my actual thoughts. They charged my 2.5-year-old as a child ages 4-7 without even asking his age. They only corrected it after I questioned the bill. Then they charged an automatic 20% gratuity because we were "a party of five," counting my 2.5-year-old as the fifth person. When I asked, I was told they even count infants toward the party size because the menu says parties of five or more. If that's your policy, put it on the menu. Don't hide behind vague wording after the bill arrives. This is all-you-can-eat hot pot. The staff brings out the food, but we cook everything ourselves. Counting a toddler toward mandatory gratuity (without a pot) without clearly disclosing it is a business practice I don't agree with. It's not like they poured us water once, so what gratuity? I cooked my own child's food and did all the work so what did they actually do? Brought out meats twice, ok. The food is ok, but the customer experience and lack of transparency have completely changed my opinion. We won't be back. read more

Really, really fantastic place. Clean, fast, affordable, and great service. The hot pot bases are really tasty, everything is remarkably fresh, and the volume of meat is almost overwhelming. Definitely worth checking out! read more

It was a very good experience at Dal shabu fresh, great quality of food and service is excellent. I would say this is the best hot Pot place in DMV. The owner is very kind and helpful and she is really caring and loves children. I recommend this place. read more

Dal Shabu Hot Pot - Korean Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

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I enjoy the bingsu the most there. The meat ok but if you are a veggie lover its the best place to eat since its self serving and true buffet style. read more

Best food and best service. I especially love all vegetables you can eat section with make my own receipt. read more

Dal Shabu Hot Pot - Salad bar - Korean Near Me - Annandale, Virginia