First we started a soup base. We picked tom yum and sukiyaki. Out of the two soups the tom yum was definitely a lot better than the sukiyaki but I think it was more sukiyaki was sweet and I do not like sweets. We had 2 large dishes. We had Kobe Beef and lamb for three people on our table but we did have a 7 person group. I think it was enough for us since I do not eat much but three large dishes would probably been better. I did forget to take a picture before eating but the meat did taste good quality. Service was helpful and nice. The shop might be able to hold one or 2 big parties. We came on a Wednesday and it was a full house. They do accept reservations. The food was great, service was nice and we will definitely be back. read more

This is a great place located in JTown. Service was good and fast. Our favorite base is the Tom yum and the best is the flat iron. They have a good selection of protien and veggies. 10 out of 10 would go again. read more

I hate that I found Shabu Time since I live so far away and I'm going to want it so often. Def recommend : Spicy Sukiyaki broth Fish ball with roe Flat iron Don't recommend: coming without a reservation during peak hours read more

I'm usually not a shabu places that aren't AYCE, but that was not the case with shabu time. I shared a Medium and small meat plate with a friend and it was more than enough food. Each meat plate also came with a bowl of veggies and noodles or rice. We tried the Kobe and lean angus beef. Out of both meat options I enjoyed the lean angus beef more since it was in smaller cuts which made it easier to eat. Both beef were high quality and super soft. For broth we got veggie and tom yum. I would highly recommend tom yum as it was super flavorful and you can actually taste the broth when eating the veggies and meat. Service was top tier. The waiter consistently came to our table and helped adjust the temperature. read more

See all

Food was was really yummy Second time here. Great for family Good service Chill ambiance read more

The food was fresh, flavorful, and satisfying with quality broths and ingredients. However it felt quite pricey for the portions. Also just felt like another trendy shabu place and didn't set itself apart from the others. It's still a solid hot pot option. Staff was too busy for us over this 4th of July weekend. read more

See all

Friends were craving shabu so we walked over from San Pedro square. Food came out quick. Kobe beef was good, broth was ok, the rest of the sides were average. read more

Was looking for a hot pot option while working downtown and didn't wanna drive all the way to Cupertino to my usual spot. Found this place and decided to give it a try. Walked in and was greeted by the staff immediately and was seated right away. They have a good amount of meat options and they all come with your choice of noodles which you can upgrade to udon and vegetables and they have a lot of appetizer options, we also added on the chili dumplings, and those were delicious. Like with any hot pot I definitely overate but everything tasted delicious! read more

See all

Went here with a group of friends for dinner Saturday night (no wait walk-in) and it was top tier. We went with a Tom Yum / Spicy Tonkotsu mix on the broth and I would highly recommend the Tom Yum. The meats were high quality and it was just a great experience when paired with a few sake bombs. Complimentary ice cream at the end! read more

Shabu Time - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Shabu Time is one of my favorite shabu places! They have some of the best broths, my favorites are the miso and tom yum. The BBH broth is really good as well. They're also one of the only spots that actually gives you refills of the same broth. My favorite meats are the Kobe beef; and A5 wagyu if you want to splurge. I also like how you can order a large meat and share it with the table, very family style friendly. My favorite sauce here is the ponzu sauce. Service here is amazing too! read more

See all

Meat quality and broths were good here. The angus and tom yum were our faves. Good amount of veggies that came with it too read more

Shabu Time - Kobe and creamy vegetarian (left) Angus and tom yum (right) - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

It was my first time coming here. I ordered the American Kobe Beef (Large 10 oz) for $32 and added 10 quail eggs for $5. For the soup bases, I chose Spicy Sichuan and Spicy Miso because my husband and I really love spicy food. For the soup, I think it was just okay--not extremely delicious, but still good enough to enjoy. However, the meat was excellent. I really loved the quality of the beef. The dipping sauces were great too. They had a white sesame sauce (I'm not sure of the exact name) and ponzu. I mixed both sauces together to dip the beef, and it tasted really amazing. The restaurant itself is not very big, and it's not a buffet. You might need to wait in line a little bit, especially during busy times. The atmosphere is decorated in a Japanese style, and the restaurant doesn't smell too smoky because they have good ventilation. The staff were friendly and attentive. I will definitely come back again someday. read more

See all

Shabu Time is another good spot for Shabu! The food is always fresh, and they have a great selection of meats, veggies, and broths to choose from. Everything tastes amazing, and you can really customize your meal to make it exactly how you like it. The price is super reasonable for the quality and amount of food you get, which makes it an easy choice when I'm craving hot pot. It feels like a great value every time. What really makes Shabu Time stand out is the service. The staff is friendly, attentive, and quick to help with anything you need. They make the whole experience smooth and enjoyable. The restaurant itself is on the smaller time, so expect a small wait if you come on the weekends. If you're looking for a cozy spot with great food and even better service, Shabu Time is the place to go! read more

Sooo good! We got half spicy tonkatsu and half tom yum for the broth base with angus lean beef, rice, and noodles. The tom yum was delicious and had a good balance of acidity. The spicy tonkatsu was mild, but good as a basic savory base. I love the variety of veggies provided with each entree too. The dumplings were so addictive too. The establishment was clean, staff were very attentive, knowledgeable, kind, and helpful to first timers! I'll be back for more!! read more

See all

This small Japanese hot spot restaurant is located in downtown Japantown. Street parking so plan accordingly. On a Saturday, we arrived around 7pm and ended up waiting an hour for a table of 3 after a large party of about 12 was seated ahead of us. For such a small restaurant, that decision caused a very long wait for several other customers. That said, the staff was extremely kind and clearly doing their best to accommodate everyone. We shared the tonkatsu and miso broth. The tonkatsu was super rich and flavorful, while the miso broth was on the bland side so we really needed to spice it up on our own. The meat options overall were good and everything tasted very fresh. The side of vegetables is a good portion per person--which is nice since their sides are expensive. My husband paid $5 for a side of kimchi! Overall, good food and friendly service. I'd likely return, but definitely at a less busy time for a better experience. read more

Shabu Time - Small Angus Lean Beef - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

Great place to go eat. We wanted try something new and we had no idea what to order or how it work. The waiter was a great help. He explain everything and gave us some idea what we may like. We plan to visit again. Best time to go is when they first open. read more

See all

Great service as usual! Soup selection and music were great as well! Will be back in the future.

We love their tom yum broth and miso broth (for the kids). Service is fast and it's so tasty! This is starting to be one of the regular spots we have in our rotation. The broths are good. The proportions are good and the ponzu and sesame sauces are great! Tonight we ordered DoorDash pick up for a family meal of 4-5. I didn't even know you can do that for to go orders. You can also order their sauces to go and broths as well. We like eating there and the servers are really nice and accommodating to young kids. Bonus that they have 2 tvs on haha I like getting the large lamb and my husband likes the angus beef. No complaints! So happy this is part of Japantown. read more

Shabu Time - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

This place is one of my favorite hot pots. We ordered Broth: Sukiyaki, spicy tonkatsu broth and Meats: toro beef belly and kobe to share, and I would highly recommend this combo!! It comes with rice/vermicelli and a set of veggies. I still think about this meal so often... Our waiter was helpful in answering our questions, and shared that the kobe was the most popular meat choice. We did not have to wait on a Thursday night for 2! read more

Shabu Time - Broth: Sukiyaki (left), spicy tonkatsu (right) Meats: toro beef belly (top), and kobe (bottom) - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

This was my second time doing hot pot and my first time trying a Japanese-style hot pot, and honestly... this is the place that made it finally click for me. We ordered the beef toro belly and a seafood combo, which came with a really nice spread of vegetables. For the broths, we went with the yukisaki and spicy Sichuan, and both were so good in different ways. One was more clean and comforting, the other had a nice kick without being overpowering. We added vermicelli and udon noodles, and those ended up being one of my favorite parts once they soaked up all the flavor from the broth. What I really appreciated was how organized everything felt. It made the whole experience easy to enjoy instead of feeling like you're guessing your way through it. I've had hot pot before and didn't feel full or like I fully experienced it, but here I left completely satisfied. Also worth mentioning, they have a bunch of sauces and add-ons that actually taste good and elevate everything. Overall, I was super impressed. This is the kind of place that makes you want to come back again just to try different combinations. read more

See all

I haven't been here in so long and came here on Sunday for lunch with a friend :) Lots of street parking and we were seated quickly. We ordered the miso and tom yum soup with the quail eggs, udon noodles, white rice, toro beef belly, and the angus lean beef. Service here is fast and we got our food quickly. The broths were flavorful and yummy! I love the sauces here as well. I was surprised they had a matcha series :o Would definitely come back to try it next time along with the other broths! read more

See all

Shabu Time is my favorite non-ayce hot pot place. The portion sizes are decent compared to other places. I enjoy the Kobe beef and the toro beef belly. We usually try to come before 6 pm to beat the dinner crowd. Street parking is usually easy to find. Service is efficient and friendly. I wish they would bring back the BBH (bun Bo hue) broth! It was super tasty! Note: they do have a drink happy hour that ends at 6pm ($2 off beer hot sake and cocktails). read more

Shabu Time - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

We came here to celebrate our 10 year anniversary and left full and happy. We got to Japantown around 5:15 and were seated at Shabu Time by 5:20. We knew if we ate later we would have had more of a wait and this worked perfectly for us. Our family hadn't been out to hotpot ever, so we tried to pick something a little lowkey. This spot is relatively small, but doesn't feel too crowded. Staff were cordial, service was quick, prices weren't outrageous, and the food was great. When it comes to the food, I was surprised by what a large portion of beef is - seemed small. But, now I know for next time and can plan accordingly. The broth we got was miso and tonkatsu, next time we may need to leave the kid at home so we can be more adventurous with spice! read more

Shabu Time - Angus Lean Beef Vegetarian (1 Size) - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Yummy!! I was really impressed with the tom yum broth here! Very flavorful and perfectly sour. I loooved how rich and tomato-like it tasted. I highly recommend! They give a wide variety of veggies, which is really appreciated. The waiters were super quick and attentive as well! Always refilled our broths and waters. Checked on our heat plate often too! For meats, I recommend the Toro Beef Belly and the Angus Lean Beef! Both were well marbled and thinly sliced. Perfect for shabu shabu. Portions were a little small, but decent enough for a weekday evening meal. I would love to come eat here again! read more

See all

Came here on a weekday and had to park a few blocks away- we were seated immediately upon arriving! I've been wanting to try this spot for a while. The sukiyaki broth here is really good and not too salty. I got the medium toro beef belly with udon noodles, and this was more than enough food for me (especially after factoring in the veggies)! The water had a bit of a chlorine taste to it, to be honest. I'm not sure if it is because of the metal cups or because of the tap water in DTSJ. This is great for anyone who wants a more cozy soupy meal as the weather gets colder. read more

Shabu Time - TORO BEEF BELLY - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Came here Thursday at around 6 pm and no wait. Most tables open! The servers seated us immediately and took our orders super quick! They also consistently checked in on our table. Restaurant has a small bathroom & not too many tables due to the small sizing in downtown sj so if you come during peak times be prepared to wait. For food, we enjoyed both the Toro Beef Belly & American Kobe Beef! Only downside was very small portions as we ordered the 6oz and it was very pricey. The Tom Yum soup base was my favorite as it was so flavorful and good! Would come back here again :) read more

Shabu Time - Toro Beef Belly & American Kobe Beef ~ Tom Yum Soup & Tonkotsu - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

This is the absolute best Shabu shabby restaurant in South Bay by far. Great service great selection of meats everything you could hope for from a great Shabushabu restaurant. The restaurant is owned by Vietnamese so they have some really interesting broths like bun Bo hue! Highly recommend read more

Shabu Time - Interior at 3:27 PM on a Saturday... usually very packed, but it's late. - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

GREAT FOOD AT A GREAT PRICE! The music was nice it brought me back to my childhood. Darkish low lighting ambiance. read more

Shabu Time - Sichuan mild broth and miso non spicy broth - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Not my first time here and definitely not my last! Always a good go to for when you're in the mood for shabu/hotpot. Service was great and food was fantastic as always. We got the tom yum and miso broth and both were well seasoned and super flavorful! They have a great selection of quality cut meats as well as fresh veggies! My only complaint is that their rice is rather hard like undercooked and this isn't the first time it's been like this as well. If you're in the area definitely check them out! We never had issues with wait times but def check before :) read more

Shabu Time - Tom yum and miso broth with Kobe beef plate and A5 wagyu - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Food is sooo good!! I love the food here and the quality and freshness is unbeatable. We got the spicy sukiyaki and the miso (with spice powder on the side). We originally ordered the 10 oz angus lean beef to share but then quickly realized we definitely needed more meat so we added on 6 oz of a fattier beef. The lean beef was still really good compared to the fattier cut so I would definitely recommend it. Vegetable platter was very fresh and had good variety. The service here is also so good! They are so friendly and so attentive, they will make rounds and adjust the cooking level in case it looks like your pot is boiling too hard or what not. It feels super hands off aside from the actual cooking which I appreciate in a shabu experience! The store also has a good vibe. Its pretty spacious and very casual, I can definitely see it being a date spot or a casual meal with friends type of place! read more

See all

Shabu Time is such a hidden gem in Japantown. It's the best hot pot that is not ayce that i've ever had! This place is pretty small but usually on weekdays there's no wait. We get seated almost immediately and the food comes out just as quick. Everything is priced separately which is great because you can really choose what you want and everything is inexpensive. The best thing about it is they don't charge for the soup base and it is refillable. The tom yum broth is my absolute favorite. The only expensive part is the meat but the portions are big so one or two orders is perfect. I really enjoyed the wagyu and beef because of how thin and tasty they were. The dumpling with roe, quail eggs, and enoki mushrooms were a must add on for us. Last time, I tried the spicy edamame and mussels but I don't think I would order again. Our total was about $75 which is super affordable for the best tasting hot pot. The servers here are always super friendly and quick! Always prebussing and checking on us. We came in on Thursday at 8:00PM and the guy server made our experience so memorable. He made great recommendations and helped us out with the menu. 100% will be returning every week for this place. read more

Shabu Time - Beef toro (the best) - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

I've had a lot of tonkotsu broths before but this is RICH!!! This tops it all. My lunch partner couldn't stop talking about how tasty the broth was. Their dumplings is the right amount of sauce and filling proportions, it was so good and spicy that I choked from coughing for a good 3 mins. Service was fast and tables were clean. We will come back often. read more

See all

Not sure what happened but 2025 became the year we went to Shabu Time so often.... we became regulars. Which we're actually really happy about and kinda wish we had a stamp card or something for veggies. On weekends this place can get pretty busy but we've been fortunate that everytime we go it's right before the peak. On the off chances we do go during peak we put our name down and go talk a walk around Japantown. As for Shabu, we get the Sukiyaki and as of late, add Tonkotsu as well to switch between flavors. I've also found that I really enjoy the Squash and Carrots in the Sukiyaki broth while enjoying the green veggies in the Tonkotsu broth as it really soaks that creamy flavor. It would be really nice if they could offer the Japanese Wagyu as a side meal if you wanted to up the meat but unfortunately they do not, but grabbing the Flat Iron or even the Kobe are just as fine choices since the broth really makes the meal taste better. The service is really quick too, once you sit down and tell them what you want, it's there and in front of you in like 5 minutes. Also shoutout Eric for always knowing what we want too since we've become regulars LOL. read more

Ever since I tried Shabu Time, I literally crave it every week. After trying a majority of the meat, the American Kobe Beef has become my favorite along with the Sukiyaki. Pricing is so good for the quality they provide. Service is always super quick & they're pretty attentive. Parking: metered street parking but free after 6pm & free all day Sunday. Don't sleep on this spot! read more

Shabu Time - Sukiyaki (no-spicy) & ANGUS LEAN BEEF - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

There was yummy food, we came in a Friday night with no wait time, very cute environment.

The quality has gone down here since I last visited a few years ago. The broths were delicious and flavored the toppings well - we did medium spicy Szechuan and mild soy based sauce. However the included vegetables and default rice were old, a little spoiled, and dry af. The matcha tiramisu dessert was TERRIBLE - no flavor and half frozen and half melted? Really topping off the disappointment Logistics: - indoor seating only - limited street parking nearby - expect to wait during busy times read more

Shabu Time was a good vibe!! The service was great, the music was nostalgic (early 2000s R&B), & most of all the quality of meat was good!! Ohh by the way, drinks are priced reasonably, so indulge as you wish! I would come back again! read more

This is a good standard shabu restaurant in Japantown that offers basic combos perfect for two people. Serving staff was kind and attentive to our table and it's a do-it-yourself shabu time. read more

See all

Yummy Shabu!!! Came here for Mother's Day and it was such a delicious time! The service was amazing and the vibe is fun. Glad to have found this cute spot. Definitely would be back! read more

Shabu Time - Kobe Beef (meat only) - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

this place was really good! great service from waiter, eric & the tom yum broth was rly nice. the portions are a good size and the sauces on the side pair nicely with all the veggies and meat would highly recommend this place to others. i also like that this place is not too loud inside and easy to find parking nearby read more