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SHABU-WORKS

4.5 (1.9k reviews)
Closed • 11:30 am - 10:00 pm

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SHABU-WORKS ATMOSPHERE

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Casual
Trendy
Moderate noise
Good for kids

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Mei T.

Love this Shabu place. One of my favorites in San Diego. It's in nestled in Miramesa/Scripps in the plaza at the end of Miramesa Blvd right off of the 15. It's AYCE Shabu. Lunch is $27.95 (11.30am-3pm M-F) and dinner is $39.95 (3pm-close M-F and Sat and Sun all day) holidays are dinner prices all day You pick your soup base (up to 2 per pot). My favorite is the Mongolian or Sichuan, but for those who don't like spicy we get a split pot and also do either the garlic miso or tonkotsu. You can order 2 trays of meat (per person) at a time (meats include beef, chicken, pork and lamb). They have the veggies, noodles and some seafood at the self serve bar. They also have a hot food bar with fried rice, chicken katsu, gyoza and curry. The sauce bar has a variety of sauces and different condiments for dipping. For dinner, they add shrimp, mussels, clams and crawfish to the self serve bar. The drinks are self serve, they have Coke products (Yay!) and some teas. And to finish off... for dessert, they have a shaved ice self serve bar. This place gets pretty packed so try and come early or get on the waitlist before hand. The restaurant is clean and the servers are very friendly and attentive. They also have a membership price. It's $35 a year and it drops the lunch price by $4 and dinner by $5 (per person).

Julie D.

We've been here many times and have always had a great experience! Tommy was our server tonight and he was very attentive and kind. The sauce, veggie, and seafood bars have a great variety of options. Our favorite soup bases are the tomato, Mongolian, and umami mushroom. Definitely one of our favorite hot pot spots in San Diego! ps free on ur bday :)

Beef meatball
Jennifer A.

Ready to get your shabu on?! @shabuworkssd Shabu-Works is giving one lucky winner dinner for two! Their menu has something for every craving, with broths like Tonkotsu Pork Bone Garlic, Miso Tonkotsu, Sukiyaki, Spicy Miso, Spicy Curry, Sichuan Ma-La, Mongolian, Spicy Tokyo, Tom Yum, Tomato Harvest, Vegan Kombu & Umami Mushroom. Pair it with your favorites from Angus Beef Belly, CAB® Top Blade, US Wagyu Chuck Tender, US Wagyu Bottom Round, Angus Chuck Eye, Premium Eye Round, NZ Lamb Shoulder, Pork Belly, Pork Collar or Chicken Breast.

Seafood and fish balls
Clara C.

This might be the best AYCE hot pot in San Diego?!! It has my vote. For dinner and weekends, it's $39.95 per adult. Kids are cheaper. This place can do yin yang pots (2 soup bases split). If you have five or more people, you get two pots at the table (up to 4 soup bases). Meats are ordered via servers, and everything else is self-served. There's a section for sauces, hot food, veggies, seafood/protein, drinks, and even shaved snow!! Location is just off the freeway. Need to drive up a hill and immediately turn right into the parking lot. Even part of the parking lot is on a slant. Service is great. They keep asking if we want more meats. Food quality is pretty good. My fave meats were the Wagyu tender and bottom round. I liked the Mongolian and tomato soup bases, but I did not like the curry and spicy Tokyo. They have whole raw garlic at the sauce bar! But I noticed they didn't have shacha sauce. Restrooms are in the back. Female room has a baby diaper station.

Michele P.

Been coming here since my college days. It's definitely my favorite shabu shabu spot in San Diego. We've always found parking in the lot, but I can see how it might be difficult during peak hours. There's a little waiting area with some refreshments, too, which I think is super thoughtful of the business. The restaurant is also spacious and can accommodate for large parties. Tons of broth choices, we love to get the sukiyaki or garlic miso tonkatsu. Meat selection is standard BUT I really like how there is also a big variety of hot pot items to choose from as well (fish balls, veggies, carb/noodles etc.) and let's not forget about the shave ice dessert! Shabu works is a solid choice for big groups or families.

Amy K.

Came in and got seated right away. All the servers were really friendly and helpful. The meat choices are limited but more than enough. Our favorite was the top blade. Overall clean environment. Everything gets refilled quickly and cleaned.

Gianne D.

Amazing experience for my birthday! Thank you to Toan for serving us for the night. We had the garlic miso tonkotsu and the mushroom broth, and the meats were fresh and delicious :3

Menu
Michelle W.

Overall, not too bad of a place for some decently priced AYCE shabu. Because it's AYCE the quality of the food is pretty subpar. We ordered lamb and 70% of it was pure fat. The self-serve bar had a selection of noodles, vegetables, seafood (mostly fish balls) and hot foods that were all just ok. The best part of the meal was actually the broth. The Mongolian broth is the best one in my opinion even though it was not as spicy as I would have liked it to be. The service was fine, nothing amazing. There was one point where we ordered a round of meat but it never came out but since they were busy we brushed it off and ordered it again with another server. The restaurant itself is clean and modern. And they serve complimentary green tea and water at the front waiting area which I thought was very nice and considerate. This place is good for a big group or if you're celebrating a special occasion!

Presh N.

Had a quick birthday treat today, and everything was great! Our server, Kat, was so welcoming, helpful, and provided super quick service. We ordered the tonkotsu broth, and it was just as delicious as always! Definitely a great way to celebrate!

Matthew P.

Great AYCE Shabu spot! Super quick service and endless refills of all you can eat meat! I liked the self serve buffet as they had so many choices for veggies, sides, and sauces. Also a great plus that the beverage bar is included in the AYCE price!! The standouts were the beef belly and pork belly. My spicy miso broth was super flavorful and tasty! Lots of tables, as this is a great place for a big group or small party.

Krajicek K.

Love the varieties of soup base selections! Love the tender chuck eye, chuck tender, and top blade! Ordered the seafood platter at extra cost to celebrate a milestone. Fresh and big size! Big shoutout to Tommy, our server for excellent service! He came by our table at the appropriate time to take meat orders until we were full. Finished dishes were cleaned out promptly. Visited once for lunch and once for dinner. We found our new favorite hotpot restaurant. Will visit again!

Menu
Grace L.

I've been to Shabu-Works a handful of times now, and it's usually a solid experience. Out of all the soup bases I've tried (sukiyaki, Sichuan ma-la, spicy Mongolian, spicy miso, and tomato harvest), the sukiyaki is still my favorite. It's well balanced, and I like how it complements the meats well. I also appreciate the wide selection of hot pot ingredients, plus the added bonus of a prepared hot food section. The drink options are great too, especially the milk tea, and the self-serve shave ice bar with toppings is a fun touch that rounds out the meal. With that being said, the meat quality can be a bit inconsistent depending on what you're served. On my most recent visit, the first two rounds were great. We received good quality US wagyu chuck tender, angus beef belly, and top blade. But by round three, the wagyu chuck tender was about 80% fat. We asked for a different plate, but unfortunately the replacement had the same issue. I feel that the meat quality should remain consistent across rounds, and not be so drastically different. Service-wise, things were slower this time around as well, especially when it came to clearing dishes. Overall, I'm still giving 4 stars because of the positive experiences I've had in the past, but there's definitely room for improvement in consistency and service.

Veggie fix
Ashley N.

Shabu ANYTIME, ANY DAY! My family and I often visit here. Embarrassing to say, we go here at least once/twice a week. It's convenient and I don't have to deal with any cooking and cleaning. You can say it's one of our favorite places to eat. Customer service is always superb and the meats are tasty with many selections to choose from. Our favorite manager is Suki . She always has a warm smile on her face everytime we come as well as her fellow managers and co-workers. They always greets us with the warmest smile when we come. Applying and getting the membership card is so beneficial for us considering how much money we saved at every visit. Inquire and apply for it, it is well worth every penny !

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11 days ago

So full! Love the variety, fresh meats and even drinks and shaved iced bar with tons of dessert options.

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18 days ago

The wagyu beef options are amazing! Would definitely come back here with friends, especially for birthday celebrations

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4 days ago

Great place for hotpot. Food was tasty. Our server Willy was helpful and friendly. Will surely come visit again.

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SHABU-WORKS Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - SHABU-WORKS

Some of the reviews mentioned that all of the broths are made of fish. Is this true? Are there any vegan options?

No, that is not true, One of them is all made of veggie and rest of them are based on pork or beef (I am not 100% sure but 90%)

If you buy a membership does the membership meal price apply to the whole party or does each person have to buy a membership?

I believe it has to be each person

Is this place cash only? and can I go by myself, single party?

They take cards and welcome single parties

What is the membership price? How can I use the membership price for meals?

30 dollars and it's discounts your meal and +1

What is the membership price, and how to sign up for the membership?

$37/year. I just asked my server and signed up after our meal.

Can I eat here alone?

Yes

Do they do free birthday meals?

Yes, they do free birthday meals, I had them before. You just ask the staff and show them your id.

What time does lunch pricing end?

Lunch pricing ends at 3pm everyday

Is msg used in broth I have a severe allergy and have to medically ask?

No, my brother has a reaction to msg and he didnt, just ask your server before hand.

Do you still have outdoor dining?

They do not.

Do you take reservations?

They do not. First come, first serve. The staff does a great job of staggering parties so the line inside never gets too long.

What time do lunch hours end?

3pm

Is this place pet friendly?

Hi, there's no outdoor dining option, and appears only service pets are welcome. Gyu Kaku up the… 

What is the dinner weekday price?

Between 34.99 29.99 it varies

What are the seafood options for dinner do they still serve crab and clams and shrimp and crawfish?

Yes to all!!

Have they opened for AYCE hotpot for the lunch special?

Yes, they have a AYCE lunch menu

Is there dine in or only dine outside?

Inside dining

Why is this restaurant address being used for some other place called Wow Bao? On GrubHub, Wow Bao is listed for 9841 Mira Mesa Blvd, and not Shabu-Works?

It's a ghost kitchen. Wow Bao doesn't have a door front but uses the kitchen at this address for popular delivery services.

What is the status of this business? Do they offer dine-in? If so, what are their lunch and dinner hours? And what are their prices for Lunch/Dinner?

They are doing dine in with social distancing. According to their website: Lunch (Monday - Friday until 3pm): $19.99 per person… 

Has This location opened up for dine in again (09/12/2020)?

Yes. Available for dine outdoor or indoor.

View All 46 Questions

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SHABU-WORKS - hotpot - Updated November 2026

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