My friend and I wanted to try a Korean restaurant in San Diego. We're both vegetarian so we chose Shabumi because of its location and its Yelp description as "vegetarian friendly!" And we totally made the right decision! It was our first hot pot experience and we couldn't be more happy. The wondeful servers guided us on our choices and made excellent recommendations. The food is amazing and delicious and we are already planning our next Shabumi adventure! read more

Shabumi - Vegetarian hot pot with a miso broth. - Hot Pot Near Me - San Diego, California

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Best KBBQ in town! Food was really good. I enjoyed the staff as well! I recommend it!

Service is great, food is great, atmosphere is great. What's special about this spot is you can choose either kbbq or hot pot, and your whole party does not have to pick the same thing. So I always get hot pot and my fiancee always gets kbbq. It's 42 dollars for an ayce which is pricey but about average for this type of restaurant. Let's start with the hot pot. I chose the house broth, which isn't super flavorful but once I add in all my extras (green onion, cilantro, salt) the base becomes so so flavorful. They have about 8 or 9 meats to order (3 at a time) and then a full ingredient bar with veggies, noodles, and seafood. I absolutely adore the beef belly and shoulder! Beef belly I had like 5 plates alone. I also always load up on ramen noodles, zucchini, bean sprouts, shrimp, crawfish, bok choy, and fish balls. They also have a full sauce bar where you can mix and match. And many different kimchi's to try! Kbbq has a lot more meat selection that you order from the server. Beef, chicken, and pork options. Along with access to everything else. The bulgogi is a favorite for sure! You never go without here. There is always a server passing asking what else you would like to order so there isn't much waiting around. Everything is also sooo fresh here. There is always a staff member making sure all the ingredients are fresh. Well worth the trip!!! read more

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Went to Shabumi for Korean BBQ and it was honestly one of the best AYCE experiences I've had. The meat quality was really good and everything came out fresh and well-marinated. The brisket and bulgogi were definitely my favorites. The grill was changed frequently and the staff was very attentive, which made the whole experience smooth. The restaurant itself is clean, modern, and has a really nice atmosphere. It didn't feel too crowded and the ventilation was good so you don't leave smelling like smoke. The side dishes and sauces also complemented the meat really well. Overall, great food, great service, and a fun place to go with friends or for a date. I'll definitely be coming back again read more

Shabumi - Brisket beef belly rib finger - Hot Pot Near Me - San Diego, California

Soup-er good! We had a really great experience here overall. The service was excellent! They were attentive without being overbearing, and everything came out quickly. The seafood selection was impressive and felt fresh, with plenty of options to choose from. I also appreciated the generous soup portions; they definitely don't skimp, which makes it feel like a great value. The only downside was that the broth itself was a bit on the bland side, and the sauce bar could use more variety and stronger flavors to really elevate the experience. That said, everything was still delicious, and we left full and happy. I'd absolutely come back! read more

Came here on a Tuesday night and was seated right away. You get your choice of ayce hotpot or kbbq. Not everyone has to choose the same thing but it does decide the the top of stovetop you get so, if you're craving both. Be sure you're with people who is willing to share!. There is a buffet of the sides, the only thing was because with wasn't busy I felt some of the hot sides were cold and the rice paper was hard, so was disappointed about that. However, decent selection of meat and very attentive service. I guess I could have asked for fresh rice paper. Would be willing to try again if other ppl have wanted to try. read more

Shabumi - Hot Pot Near Me - San Diego, California

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This was my first time here. This is a great place for a mix of Hot Pot and Korean BBQ. This allowed you to share choices with friends and family. There is also a choose for little kids. If you have a little one that does not eat a lot. They charge $2.50 times their age. There is a great selection at the two bars. For veggies, seafood, some red meats, and fermented veggies. The service is vast and polite. Someone is always checking on you. The ambiance is your typical Korean restaurant. The only con, would be the smoke flow from the grill plates. Since the had the front door open and the AC on. The smoke would get into our faces on occasion. I will come back to do a review on the Hot Pot itself. read more

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3.5 stars Called a few days ahead to make reservations for an early Sunday evening. The price was $41.99 per person for either AYCE hot pot or KBBQ (dinner/all-day weekend pricing). Surprisingly, the restaurant was never fully packed during our visit. Service was attentive when ordering meats, and items came out quickly. Each person gets their own individual warmer for either hot pot or KBBQ. You are allowed to mix and match within the table which was great for sharing. There's a self-service bar for hot pot with seafood, vegetables, noodles, plus a separate sauce bar and an appetizer bar offering items like japchae, fried rice, oranges, and fish cake. That said, the sauce bar was a bit messy - bottles were sticky and the hot food/appetizer area didn't look very appetizing and was cold, so I skipped those and stuck mainly to meats and veggies. The restaurant is located in a large plaza with Vons and CVS - no issues with parking. read more

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Went here for a team lunch and a party of 4. Got here when they opened at noon and before you know it.. the lunch crowd came. First time here and the service was on point. You have the option of hot pot or KBBQ. The best part is, two of us got hot pot and the other two KBBQ. Order and share all around. Its great that we all DIDN'T have to order one OR the other. The KBBQ and the hot pot station were individual sizes so it was nice that you can only cook so much food at one time and not have to cook 3 orders on the one huge tradition grill. The buffet section had great options and the sauce section had different type of space mixes. All things meat marinade was fantastic. While.other meats will need some sauce dipping. Great time read more

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I love how your whole party doesn't have to choose shabu vs kbbq but everyone gets their own individual bowl/grill. Soo smart!! Service was awesome with very friendly and attentive workers. The self-serve bar was filled with fresh and tasty ingredients. I especially liked the japchae and marinated fish cake. Some of the labels were incorrect, but it was easy to figure out if you knew the items already. Funny enough, my entire party didn't notice the sauces bar behind as we were distracted with getting our fill from the bar. I got the Miso broth shabu. It was pretty bland before any additions. My party said the same thing about the other broths they had. I tried a variety of meats with Prime Top Blade as my #1 and Black Angus Eye of Round as my #2. I actually wasn't impressed by any of the other meats I tried. The quality of meat overall was mostly average. I really wish they had more variety especially for the price. Besides that, I was very happy with my visit and would come again! read more

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The place is good. The service was on point. I really wish they had shrimp PASTE instead of shrimp. The establishment was clean.

Stopped in for lunch and enjoyed an early bird pricing (until 3pm) I was greeted by friendly young staff and a clean restaurant. The dining room is spacious and well layed out. You can choose from different brothe and a basic or premium meat selection. I was happy to enjoy the basic option with house broth. The best part of Shabumi is the self serve cold bar which offers not only noodles and veggies, but also a full spread of Banchan ( Korean BBQ sides) This is the first shabu shabu restaurant Ive been to that had the all Korean BBQ sides that I love. The fish cakes, the sauces, seafood. I wouldn't settle for a regular shabu place that does not offer this, from now on. I was macking so hard, they offered me a stylish bib. It was black and disposable. Since I was returning to work, I appreciated it. Just writing this review makes my mouth water. Don't hesitate to eat here, you won't regret it. read more

Shabumi - Hot Pot Near Me - San Diego, California

This was a wonderful place to visit and celebrate a new life adventures. The food was fresh and high quality. Staff eye kind and helpful, especially for a first timer like myself. The vibe is chill and welcoming. It's somehow intimate yet open. This is just a fun and delicious experience. I am so thrilled to have finally been able to try hotpot, and Shambumi is a great place for that. Try something different and stop in here. You won't regret it! read more

We went on a Sunday night and the place had so many open tables it was perfect. We were seated right away, and the options were great. The staff comes by often so you are never left out, if you want more it will come! They happily answered all of our questions and we left stuffed and happy. read more

First time trying hot pot and I am IN LOVE. The food was fantastic!!!! so flavorful so good, you can change your level of spiciness. You can add more seasonings if you want to. There is so many options. It's buffet style so you grab your food and you bring it back to your table. The only thing they bring you is your drinks and your meats. You're allowed to order three meats at a time. The service was excellent. Everyone was super friendly and helpful. The ambience was cute. It had like a Korean barbecue feel which you can also have Korean barbecue if you want to or hot pot. I really like that concept because sometimes family members don't want to have hot pot but some want to have Korean barbecue and everyone has their own grill. I love the whole concept. Just keep in mind. The price is higher on weekends and on holidays. It is a set rate because it's all you can eat. Come hungry!! I hope you enjoy as much as I did. read more

Shabumi - Hot pot plates with sides and meats - Hot Pot Near Me - San Diego, California

We love coming here. My husband wants to come here weekly. Great grill and hotpot options.

This is my go to hotpot spot and it never disappoints! The servers are always friendly, attentive, and make the whole experience even better. I've been coming here for years and the quality has stayed consistently amazing. Food: Super yummy Atmosphere: Perfect for hanging out Parking: Easy and convenient Definitely one of my favorite comfort spot highly recommend! **** Ahjumma there is very sweet. I forgot to ask for her name. read more

Shabumi - Hot Pot Near Me - San Diego, California

My friend and I came here on a Monday and there was barely anybody there. We got hot pot and ordered meat right away. While we waited, we went to the self serve bar to get noodles, vegetables, sauce, etc. My fire kept going off so that was annoying. Service was good. About $50 after tax & tip which is expensive. read more

Shabumi - hot pot - Hot Pot Near Me - San Diego, California

pretty good spot! i liked how you can choose between AYCE hotpot and kbbq. they have lots of vegis for hotpot and a sauce bar. they also have plenty of side dishes but i'd say side dishes and rice are okay. you can ask the staff to change the grill with a button. parking is not too bad for weekday dinner! read more

Shabumi - kbbq - Hot Pot Near Me - San Diego, California

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The food and service were amazing. Everyone was very attentive and the place was really clean. read more

Shabumi - Hot Pot Near Me - San Diego, California

This is my 2nd time here. The 1st time was a whole different experience since it was during Covid. So I'm basing it off this experience which was pretty good. The waiter was really nice and attentive. They have an all day HH for drinks 50% off which is pretty cool. They have the option of either hot pot or kbbq for $40/person for dinner which I think is pretty steep compared to OC or other nearby spots. I say pretty steep because the flavorings/options could be better for that price. My party of 3 did a combination of hot pot and kbbq. There was a small selection of meats for kbbq and an even smaller selection of meats for hot pot that you had to order with a waiter. Everything else such as seafood, vegetables, noodles, or condiments were out in an open self serve bar. I got the house special broth and it was pretty plain but no worries I just used condiments from the bar to spruce it up and it tasted just fine. We only did 1 round of meats and getting up for the bar before getting full. Pretty fun concept to have the best of both worlds. read more

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Been wanting to try this place for a while- I like the idea of each person having their personal grill or hot pot at the same table! We came on a Friday around 5PM and it wasn't too busy yet but it was pretty packed when we left. We got seated right away and all chose the shabu. It was fun picking my own veggies, sides and sauces and the meats all tasted good quality. Service was pretty good and they cleared tables and checked on us constantly. I got the beef bone broth and it was more bland than I expected as they're usually more rich. Not my top choice for shabu, was about $42 per person which is pretty pricey but good to try! read more

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We love coming here because at 1 table we can have either the All you can eat Korean BBQ or the All You Can Eat Hot pot Style . They have a great selection for your Broth to choose from for your Hot Pot , and a good quality meats for your Korean bbq to grill . My wife and I always choose their Hot Pot while my Son chooses the BBQ grill. This is all you can eat Buffet. You order your meat all you-can eat from your server and they also have a section where you can stand up and get your veggies, some meat, noodles, Seafood, your sides and condiments. This place is Fun, you cook your own Hot Pot or Grill your BBQ. Great spot for Family and Friends to enjoy a Hotpot or Korean BBQ and hang out together. read more

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We got together for my son's birthdays. One wanted a buffet and the other wanted hot pot. Shabumi provided us the variety we were looking for. Nice Korean BBQ & Hot pot options. read more

We got the soup base and the grill meat. Staff very polite and the ambiance was nice music playing while we cooked our food. read more

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Absolutely fantastic service by Ryan, he was fabulous. The food was 100% and it was such a fun experience. Brought 3 friends from out of country and they loved it! Thanks for the amazing service and food read more

Been here a few times before and recently stopped by with family. I chose the hotpot with the house soup base. It comes with a few less options for the meats and are thinner cut, so you can swish swish and cook the meats quicker. Unfortunately a fault of my own, I included too many noodles which thickened the soup quite a bit, with the consistency of a gravy, but flavorful! The rest of my party went with the KBBQ side which included a lot more premium meat options, thicker and fattier cuts. Their salad and sauce bar is awesome, as it's self serve and spacious, granting you lots of extra things for you to flavor or bolster your soup as well as having banchan staples. Although I do prefer some of the banchon at other establishments flavor and texture wise. Service was very good, servers were very attentive and friendly. Bringing out cuts of meats, gathering used plate, topping off pots with more soup and changing grills quickly. Overall it's a great casual spot for both lunch and dinner if you can't decide between soup or KBBQ, or sample both if you party has bigger eyes than their stomachs. read more

Fast service and delicious food. Seating placement was perfect as well and the ambiance. Mimi is the GOAT os services and is very funny and attentive. Would come again! read more

One of the coolest experiences! First time having both, Korean bbq and hot pot at the same table ! We first did the Korean bbq we got several meats. My top two was the galbi and the spicy bulgogi. Then we did the hot hot pot. You get to choose the broth you want, and then get noodles, meats, veggies, & more from the salad bar. My favorite combo was the glass noodles with the top blade steak. Second was the ramen noodles with the seafood protein( lobster, shrimp, crab, & crawfish). They also have alcohol drinks I haven't seen before ! Finished off with some Korean ice cream ! Service was great and the restaurant was clean which is always a plus ! read more

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Staff is very friendly and very quick to serve you! There is so many options with the side bar too

Every time we come here the service is impeccable. Calling out Ryan for this one! The quality of everything is always exceptional. Super kid friendly and ran very efficiently. read more

Can't decide between AYCE hotpot or Yakiniku? Hit this place up! One person can get hotpot and the other person can get yakiniku and share. PRICES for BBQ & Hotpot Lunch $29.99 (Monday to Friday, 12-3 PM) Children 5-12 years old - shared with adult $12 child's own $16 Dinner $39.99 Children 5-12 years old - shared with adult $17 child's own $21 If your child doesn't eat that much sharing is fine. But if they eat a decent amount the few extra dollars is worth it. They get their own pot or grill. My kids like the miso soup and I like the beef bone soup. You order the raw meat from the server. If you order BBQ you get unlimited rice, spicy tofu soup, beef pain soup, and steamed egg. **If you only want BBQ I would go somewhere else that just focuses on Yakiniku BBQ. There are cheaper Yakiniku BBQ places. If someone in your party wants hotpot and bbq this is a great place! Another perk of getting BBQ is you have your own grill. It may be small but you can be your own cook which the kids love :) There are different seafood, vegetables, noodles and appetizers available for you to grab on your own. PARKING Free, own lot and good amount of parking. SERVICE Courteous and attentive. There's a button to call the server over. My whole family enjoys coming here. It's usually me that wants hot pot and yakiniku. It's the only place I know that offers both of the options. read more

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I was pretty skeptical at first, especially because when seated, there was a bug in my salt/sauce tin for my KBBQ. I do understand this can happen anywhere and is more frequent but just initial impression, it rubbed my appetite the wrong way (hence the -1 star). HOWEVER, I did like that this place can provide you with KBBQ/HotPot all in one. When I came with my boyfriend, he actually wanted hotpot where I was craving KBBQ. I think this place does a great job at handling both types of foods - the warmers are pretty small but it's fitting for each person at the table. Meats were pretty okay, I only wish there were more options for KBBQ lovers like myself - only steamed egg, a tofu option and rice. Versus a whole selection for the hotpot lovers. Staff were pretty attentive, especially when it comes to changing grills if you're eating KBBQ! Wouldn't mind coming again... hopefully there isn't a bug next time. read more

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Very low quality meat - checkout Kanpai Bbq & Shabu for the same type of buffet style shabu but much better quality.

I love the fact that you can either choose to do bbq or hotpot. But I am disappointed that you can't do both. You have to chose one vs the other. For an AYCE place, I'm not sure what benefit the restaurant has for not offering both at the same time. The food quality is good. The meat and accompaniments were all fresh. The hot food bar is surprisingly delicious. Usually with these types of places, the hot food is just a filler until you cook the food so restaurants aren't motivated to make it good. It is however, a bit pricier than other AYCE in the area. But if you have people in the party who want bbq and others who wants hot pot, this is the place for you. The only reason I can't give it 5 stars is that the ventilation system isn't great. The black smoke from next table kept wafting into our faces instead of being sucked into a vent like other KBBQ places. I really hope they invest in a better vent system. read more

I had a very upsetting and unsafe experience at Shabumi in San Diego. I ordered hot pot and one of the metal serving plates was placed directly next to the burner, making it extremely hot to the touch. There was no warning from staff. When I attempted to move the plate, I burned three of my fingers (see picture below) and had to go to urgent care immediately for treatment. What made this situation worse was the lack of response from staff and management. No incident report was filed, no one took down my information, and shockingly they still tried to charge us even though I didn't even eat anything! There was no sense of urgency or concern shown after I was injured. For a restaurant serving hot pot--where safety should be a top priority--this level of negligence is alarming. This injury was completely preventable. I'm deeply disappointed by both the unsafe setup and the failure to handle the situation responsibly afterward. I hope management takes customer safety seriously before someone else gets hurt. read more

Shabumi - Hot Pot Near Me - San Diego, California

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Love the idea of AYCE Shabu Shabu and AYCE Korean BBQ in the same place. The selection of meat is decent but the sides are limited for the KBBQ not like the other spots. The Shabu option is ok, you get 1 broth and it costs extra to change. I got the sukiyaki and it was really sweet so be aware! The meats from the Shabu were nice and thin sliced and cooked quick! The Shabu toppings bar was stocked pretty well. The price is a little above average $42, I like the fact you can share with someone that gets KBBQ if you get the shabu. Nothing I tried really wowed me. Plenty of seating not good for bigger groups of 5-6 ppl. I give it 3.5 stars in honesty. read more

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Best bbq and friendly server Come here every week Recommend is the best Gooddddddddddfdffff read more

Shabumi - Very good see they eat all - Hot Pot Near Me - San Diego, California

We've been coming to this place for a while now and the food and service are always exceptional. The place is clean and they always have fresh sides for you to pick out. read more

Amazing food and services, food is really good and had a fun experience. The place is really wide spaced area with loads of room to breathe.