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    Shabu King

    4.3 (287 reviews)
    ModerateBuffets, Hot Pot
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:30 pm

    Shabu King Photos

    Business Info

    SHABU KING ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Loud
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Shabu King

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    Sylvia K.

    Saw their sign at the outlet showing $20.99. Went to the restaurant , the cheapest lunch was priced at $22.99. They should really change that at the outlet since it's false advertisement. The food was ok. We got the $22.99. Nothing premium or write home about. Just normal AYCE . The appetizer was good option. Not sure if I would come again

    Chicken Karaage
    Gene B.

    On a Saturday afternoon, parking lot was fully occupied. Neighboring businesses were definitely a factor. However, plenty of parking available at the adjacent lot. Between premium and ultimate was an easy decision given the price points being just a few dollars. Primarily here for protein so the wagyu options made plenty of sense. Self-help bar had more selections in comparison to other similar establishments. Turnaround on requests were quick and responsive. There were always trays of meat on the table. Never felt the impression of them holding back on the orders. Not a fan of the chicken karaage but they've won me as a returning customer. Check your receipts as we were mistakenly charged for an additional person. A minor mistake that was quickly corrected. Excellent service!

    Chicken Karaage and sweet red bean sesame ball
    Nancy C.

    October 2025: Shabu- Shabu at Shabu King, Dublin This is an All You Can Eat Japanese Hotpot! The broth was delicious! I got the Tonkotsu Broth. The soup was tasty, but I added some crab and shrimp to enhance the flavor. They also have kimchi and sweet radish cubes that I love. For dessert, we had the fried sesame balls which came out hot and delicious! Great attentive service from the staff. A great variety of delicious add-ons from the buffet bar. Great selection of sauces as well. The meat was fresh! I would come back again when I'm in the area!

    Spread
    Emily X.

    Came here for hot pot and was impressed by the overall selection. Shabu King offers a good variety of meats and cooked items, plus a well-stocked cold bar where you can pick your own vegetables and fish sticks. It's a nice setup if you want to customize your meal exactly to your taste. Everything felt light and easy to eat, which I appreciate for hot pot. The meats were especially good -- flavorful, nicely sliced, and with just the right amount of fat for cooking in broth without getting greasy. Solid choice for a casual hot pot meal, especially if you like having lots of options and control over what goes into your pot.

    Menu
    Sophia H.

    This is my go to shabu place when I need my fix. Wide range of meat cuts and broth choices for whatever you're feeling. The self serve veggie and noodle station is always stocked and the build your own sauce station is also a nice touch. Ordered the spicy miso and the spicy beef broths. Broths needed salt, but were definitely spicy! Service was quick, but forgot a few of our sides. Pretty clean place for the most part, a few tables had some trash on them.

    Thinly sliced meats
    Lincy H.

    I came here to celebrate my brother-in-law's birthday on a Sunday evening around 6pm and there was no wait. If you have a party of 7 or more, you can make reservations ahead of time. The six of us (5 adults and one toddler in a booster chair) fit perfectly into the larger booth. We went with the ultimate for $32.99 per person, which gives you access to the premium meats, such as wagyu. First step is to decide on your soup base. Our whole table got tonkatsu, which I really enjoyed. Next, you order the meats and appetizers through the server. While you are waiting for the food to arrive, go to the bar to grab all your sauce and fixings. When I went up, it was pretty busy and overwhelming, because I wasn't sure where the line starts and ends. For my sauce, I did shacha sauce, ponzu sauce, minced garlic, green onion, and a little bit of red chili paste. For my sides, I got spinach, napa cabbage, fish ball with roe, corn, zucchini, and japanese ramen noodles. I'm not sure if I saw any enoki mushroom? The broccoli looked bad, so I didn't end up getting any. I like that the meat was all thinly cut! But they don't really note which meat is which when they drop it off, so I can't really recommend which one I liked most, but there wasn't any meat that I was displeased with. I'm more about the thinness of my hot pot meat, so I can't really speak to the quality of it. For appetizers, I enjoyed the spicy kaarage chicken and shrimp tempura. I'm grateful that we got decent service. The staff was good about picking up empty dishes promptly, which allowed us to re-order meat and appetizers at the same time, without needing to chase anyone down. There were times that we had to ask for something more than one time though. We ended the night with vanilla ice cream and red bean sesame ball. I had a good experience and would go back!

    Spicy miso and suiyaki with all wagyu cuts
    Thao L.

    3.5 out of 5 stars - The ambiance was relaxed and modern, making it great for casual outings. We didn't wait in line which was good; place was kind of empty on a wed evening. I love the new option of variety of having 2 broths, but we didn't try that this time. We both got the spicy miso and sukiyaki, which were both pretty good but nothing we haven't tried. The meat selection was good but we did get the highest tier for wagyu cuts, some marbling. The veggies and noodles were fresh and self serve which is always a plus. Appetizers were decent as well, regular ones you would see (we tried gyoza and fried chicken wings). I did like the seaweed rice option. Service was a bit hit or miss; sometimes we felt neglected, though the staff was friendly when they were around. Overall, it's a good spot to satisfy your Shabu cravings, would come back.

    Danielle P.

    We love when there's a new hot pot spot and it's AYCE like the Lord heard my prayer for real! Been here a couple of times already and tried a few of their different broths at dinner time (spicy miso and sukiyaki). In terms of hot pot, I liked the spicy miso flavor here as it was really tame on the spicy level yet still delicious. The sukiyaki had a nice general flavor for anything you wanted to put, so I'd recommend getting this if you want a "neutral" broth base. Tonkotsu is not as rich and hearty that you would get at ramen places, but works well here in my opinion for hotpot. They have lunch and dinner menu, where the dinner option is offered at $29.99. Dinner menu has more options in terms of broth base (Tom Yum and Tomato), meat options (lots of beef), and side dishes. In my opinion, dinner is pretty worth it because of the wonderful meat options you get at large serving sizes (ribeye, belly, shank, brisket) unless you just want a simple broth and don't care as much about the side dishes lunch is also great. Sauce bar and AYCE/veggie station was up to par. Had the main things I always reach for: udon noodles, fish balls, all kinds of cabbage and veggies, and lots of cilantro / green onions available. The only thing I would note is that sauce bar was missing the sesame oil the second time I went, so I wasn't able to get my sauce off that day. Nothing too crazy with the side dishes -- rice cakes were a bit too chewy and chicken karaage was a little dry. Very small portions given though just to keep in mind! I did really enjoy my Sesame Ball with their Vanilla Ice Cream dessert to end my meal off however. Overall, solid & casual spot for hot pot. I'd come back again and try more of their broths. Not very comfy seats though, so I'd last an hour here sadly...

    Menu - October 2025
    Scott L.

    Shabu King as the name implies is a pizza joint. Not! I wanted to see if you were paying attention. It's an individual hot pot, AYCE with three dining options: Ultimate, Premium, and Lunch - see menu picture for the latest prices. The main option difference is more meat choices and side dishes in the Ultimate to lesser but still very good choices in the Premium and affordable Lunch options. The setup is you order broth, meats and sides from the Server and you self-serve on the carbs, seafood, veggies, funghi, herbs, etc from the food counter / bar. Since it's an AYCE, cleanliness is important and we noted that the raw food and sauces counter is kept clean and not messy. Items are constantly replenished. We went for lunch and were seated in a quiet area in the rear which had four tables of six. Each table had a heating element for six hot pots. The lunch hot pot menu had 5 broth, 8 sides, and 7 meat options. Since it is all individual and the items are all fresh, you're the cook as you choose the options and ingredients, thus you only have yourself to blame for a bad meal combination! I chose a two broth combo for lunch; Savory Tonkatsu and slightly Sweet Sukiyaki. I specifically chose this combo for the contrasting flavor profiles of the broth and was very satisfied. For meats I chose brisket, lamb, and beef short plate. For sides, our group had the Sesame Balls (came out hot and nicely chewy gooey) and Rice Wrap. All of these items can be reordered over and over as long as you don't waste the food. There are warning signs that they will charge you for being wasteful. All of the meats were fresh and thinly sliced for fast cooking and you have many choices for dipping sauces: sacha, sesame, chili oil, goguchong, wasabi, mustard, etc.... You can't go wrong with the sauces as you can keep mixing until you find the right combo. Overall, we liked the choices, affordability, the cleanliness and the service. Will definitely go back.

    Prices
    Harvey K.

    Shabu King is an AYCE shabu shabu restaurant located in the Fallon Gateway, occupying the space left vacant by Little Dipper. I came here for dinner with a group of friends on 01/23/2025. Since we had nine people total, we called ahead to make a reservation. But as it turned out, we didn't need to. The place was pretty quiet when we walked in at around 6:30pm. We were seated at two side-by-side tables away from the main dining area. The interior had gone through some renovations, most notably the addition of a buffet island. The interior was very clean and bright. Multiple TVs provided entertainment for diners. AYCE dinner was $29.99 per person. Their menu featured a decent selection of appetizers, broths, and meats. I also did not see any mention of a dining time limit or how many plates of meat you can order per round. Food wise, the spicy miso broth I had was decent. The buffet island had a wide selection of seafood, vegetables, mushrooms, etc. All the items I had were fine. As for the meats, my favorite was the top blade. It had a lot less fat than the other beef cuts. The lamb was also decent. Service was good. The staff were friendly and efficient. We got all the appetizers and meats we ordered. Overall, Shabu King is a good alternative to all the Chinese hot pot spots in the area. The pricing is reasonable, and the food and service are good. If you are a budget-conscious diner, their AYCE lunch is a good deal at just $20.99. Note: Came back on 08/12/2005 and my assessment remained the same.

    Krysten H.

    Perfect for a cold rainy day! Came here early for dinner before the rush- we loved all the meat options and open buffet style for veggies, sea food, sides and sauces. Service was fast and friendly. Will definitely be back to try the premium menu.

    Korean curry soup base hot pot
    Derek T.

    Very reasonable price for dinner at this place. The meat quality I fresh and I like the small portions being served. This way I don't have to over eat and end up wasting food. The short ribs cut is the best I think. I like the Korean curry soup base. Service is courteous and friendly.

    outside
    Amy Y.

    Weekday lunch is a great deal, and many people know about it too, as it was poppin on a weekday! The meats are sliced incredibly thin, like just a tad thinner than what would make them optimal, and are pretty cheap cuts. But, you get what you pay for, which I don't necessarily mind in hot pot at times. Good * Very reasonable pricing, especially for shabu-shabu (though the meat cuts and ingredients are more in line with ones you'd get from Chinese hot pots, but with Japanese broths and random banchan). * Individual pots with space to fit a bunch of things and an option to swap your broth for a minor charge. * You can grab your own starches, veggies, sauces, and other side items like seafood and tofu at a self-serve bar. * They keep the soup refills coming. * A clone of Shabuya if you like that chain. Bad * Broth flavors just meet standards by design; original tastes like a dashi miso soup base without the cloudy miso paste, and the spicy miso is watered down and not spicy. * Side items are whatever, like the same you'd eat from frozen premade groceries. * The fattier meat cuts had too much fat, and the other meats were a little indistinguishable from each other in terms of enjoyment. * They forgot to bring a few orders. * They have a claw machine in the front which was a scam. Shabu King is a good thrift hot pot experience. If you don't care about expense, then yeah I can see why it's subpar as they serve ingredients with a budget in mind. However, I'm still young enough to enjoy the casual all you can eat without having to worry about getting my money's worth at this price.

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    Shabu King Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Shabu King

    Anyone know if they do free/discounted for birthday person?

    My birthday is coming up soon too. Unfortunately no birthday special or discount.

    Is spicy miso vegan?

    No it is not

    Do you take reservation? If so is there a minimum?

    Yes we do We take reservations minimum member 7 people You can call the restaurant to make the… Read more

    How much is for kids?

    $11.99 or $16.99

    Are you able to seat a party of 8? From the pictures I'm only seeing tables big enough for a party of 4.

    We do have tables for 8 people with 8 pots

    I'm confused. Is there shrimp and crab?? I don't see it on the menu but I see it in the pictures. Also no noodles?? :(

    They do have shrimp with head on. It's very tasty. They do also have some crab but it wasn't too fresh when I tried it so I stuck with the shrimp.… Read more

    Do they have vegetarian option broth?

    I believe the miso and spicy miso are vegetarian. Note: they do not have a vegetarian option for pricing.

    View All 9 Questions

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    Hinata Sushi Kitchen

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    This review is strictly for their cafe side…read more Hinata is located on the second floor of the building next to the movie theater. When you get to the second floor, there are kiosks to your left where you can order cafe menu items and to the right is the sushi restaurant. The doors lead to the balcony waiting area, which I'll admit has beautiful views of the hills and downtown Hayward. Best to come in the evening when lighting is photo worthy. The menu options are mostly matcha and sandos, which are sweet or savory, and sushi bento boxes. Stopped by with family and got the following 1. Strawberry matcha - 10/10 omg the matcha was DARK, well mixed and frothy. This is what matcha is supposed to taste like. The strawberries and cream at the bottom were perfect and not over sweet. 2. Mango matcha - 10/10 same as above 3. Salmon sashimi sando - 10/10 this savory one was so good. They mixed it in a spicy mayo sauce and crisped the bread to a yummy buttery perfection. 4. Strawberry sando - 10/10 so dang good! They also crisped the bread in butter but it was a sweet butter flavor. 5. Banana sando - 10/10 absolute banger if you love bananas. The bananas were perfect and the cream was banana flavored. Ugh I can't stop thinking about this one. Highly recommend! The atmosphere is great and I have to emphasize the patio was just beautiful. You just wait in the patio area and someone will come out to call your number at the counter, that's it! I'll be back soon!

    I tried both the AYCE sushi restaurant and the cafe side, and honestly, my experience was very…read moredifferent between the two. For the AYCE sushi restaurant, it was good but not exactly mind-blowing. The fish and seafood variety didn't taste like the freshest quality, and after a while, a lot of the rolls started tasting the same. For around $45 AYCE, I personally think there are better options out there. Some of the skewers came out burnt. Takoyaki was 1/5, you can skip on taht. But that being said, the service was really good. The lady serving us was super friendly and attentive, and overall the staff was kind and welcoming. However, there was only one other table besides ours at the time, so I'm not sure how service would be during peak hours. Now the cafe side, I loved it. The vibe made me feel like I wasn't even in Hayward. The sandos were really good, and the matcha looked amazing. I'd definitely come back for the cafe experience alone. My biggest concern though is the elevator situation. It wasn't working during our visit, and I heard it hasn't been working for quite a while. It honestly made me wonder how elderly or mobility-impaired guests are supposed to dine there. That definitely seems like something that needs attention.

    Amakara - Italian Dragon Roll...

    Amakara

    (3.7k reviews)

    $$$

    Food: Everything we ordered was generous in portion and…read moreworth the price. The sushi rolls were large and filling. The fried oysters were also a great size and came with two dipping sauces, which was a nice touch. The maze ramen was a big portion and even my toddler enjoyed it. The standout for me was the tempura ice cream--perfectly crisp with a thin, light shell. Service: Our server was friendly, efficient, and very accommodating. However, the host experience was frustrating. The Yelp waitlist wasn't working on a busy Friday night, which seemed to cause some disorganization. We were quoted a 25-minute wait for a party of three, but ended up waiting 45 minutes. During that time, multiple parties of three who arrived after us were seated first. When I checked in at 35 minutes, I was told we were "next," but that didn't seem to reflect what was happening. At 45 minutes, after checking again and explaining how long we'd been waiting, we were seated immediately. It was confusing and especially difficult with a hungry toddler. Parking: Parking can be tricky. The restaurant is located under an apartment complex with limited guest spots on the first floor of the garage. If it's full, you'll have to exit and find street parking (which is minimal) or park across Dublin Blvd and walk. Overall: This was close to a perfect experience. The food and server were great, but the disorganized wait and host interaction took away from it. Hopefully they improve their system for busy nights, especially if the Yelp waitlist goes down again.

    I came here for my friend's 30th and had a great experience! The restaurant offered a lively…read moreatmosphere, super friendly staff, beautiful dish presentation, and very fresh and unique flavors. Our party of six were seated in a spacious booth towards the middle of the restaurant and were warmly greeted by our server. The restaurant had good vibes! After the birthday girlie opened a few presents, one of the managers came to our table to ask if we wanted some group photos b/c she noticed we were celebrating! She was soooo sweet, observant, and attentive! c: After looking at the extensive menu, I knew I wanted to try some of their sushi rolls so I shared a few with a friend. We ordered the Caterpillar Roll, Klondike Express, and the Chili Spider Salmon Roll. These are my ratings / thoughts on our order: - Caterpillar Roll (4/5): This roll is under Amakara's Common Rolls. Filled with unagi, cucumber, avocado and glazed with teriyaki sauce, this roll is a classic and was delicious! The avocado was creamy, the teriyaki was sweet/ umami, and the unagi was delicate and tender. I also appreciate that the pieces were perfectly bite- sized. I'm glad I tried this roll but would prefer to try a new one next time. -Klondike Express Roll (5/5): This roll was tasty and oh so colorful! Rolled with cucumber, crispy, tempura shrimp, fresh crab, and avocado w/ scallop mayo, this roll was an explosion of flavors. I love that it was garnished with bits of crunchy tempura and 3 flavors of tobiko for texture. The tobiko really added "wow factor" to the roll and each color had a subtle citrus flavor! My friend and I were trying to decipher the 3 flavors of tobiko and concluded yellow = lemon, green = lime, and orange = orange. This roll was fun and would definitely order again! -Chili Spider Salmon Roll (5/5): The Chili Spider was BEAUTIFUL and hands down my favorite roll of the night!! This roll is under Amakara's Spicy Rolls and was interestingly topped with vibrant tomatoes, thinly sliced onion, and tender salmon. Filled with avocado and tempura soft-shell crab and drizzled with chili oil and ponzu, this roll was uniquely fresh and delicious! I've never had onions and tomatoes on a roll but it worked and I would definitely come back and have again! I had a great time here with friends and really enjoyed the food! I will definitely come back to try some unique and flavorful dishes!

    Shabu King - buffets - Updated May 2026

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