I wholeheartedly agree with a lot of the yelpers on here. I got to take the team out for a great lunch here today. It was absolutely amazing. For $25 you get a starter (think edamame, marinated cucumbers, dumplings, etc.), a choice of Chicken, Pork or Beef, and a soft drink. It also includes all the dipping sauces, broth, rice and vegetables. Everyone loved that you could customize it to their own liking and it was just a fun experience cooking together with everyone. Definitely will come back and it was an awesome value at only $25 a person. read more

I want to start by saying that I very much enjoyed eating at Tabu Shabu. It's very fair to state that my three star experience is mostly my own doing more so than the restaurant itself. Our server was fantastic, the setup clean, and the menu was fairly easy to navigate. Where it fell apart for me all came after that. This is not my style of cooking. So many places I've been to, where you cook your own food on a grill or hot plate at your table, you're mainly dealing with thin cuts of meat, salt and pepper, and possibly a dipping sauce. This makes the cooking simple, a quick sear, a light crust on the beef or pork, and the finished product is basic and delicious. Shabu, though ... it's boiled meat. That's not to say that Tabu Shabu isn't good, but unless you're really adept at making soups, it's easy to be completely out of your element. And I can safely say I was a bit over my head at this restaurant. You start with your broth, where I am ashamed to admit that instead of opting for the Tonkostu with its deep and rich fatty flavor, I chose the basic umami of the White Miso. Because of that, I spent most of my meal mistakenly chasing flavors I would normally find in a Ramen Shop. They give you a plate of chopped herbs to add and some basic instructions ... I like garlic, so I added the whole thing, radish sound alright, so add in the whole ball, what was the last thing I put in? They give you a few squeeze bottles of oils with paper labels ... this one makes it more sour, this one makes it more spicy, this one has sesame, and I'm too timid to add enough of any to truly add to the flavor of the broth, so it just keeps that basic umami flavor without being as salty as it should be. Then you have a plate of vegetables to steep in your creation. Cabbage, broccoli, spinach, bok choy, tofu ... all of it serves as a way of soaking up that broth you've made. Other options, like the carrots, mushrooms, and squash, become sweet and tender after taking their turns in the pot. And they're nice as they offer a different flavor other than that umami. And then there's the meat. A wide variety of options ranging from salmon, to chicken, to pork, all the way down to multiple versions of beef. But, all of the meats we ordered seem to differ only in texture after spending some time in that broth. Some fell apart on the tongue, some still had a nice chew, but all shared that umami from the pot, with an aftertaste of beefy flavor before swallowing. After a few initial pieces, I found myself thankful for the dipping sauces to distract me from how boring I had made my broth to be. You also get a choice of rice, which I don't think you really need. You get a choice of noodles, which they give you a good amount where it doesn't fill you up with carbs. And anything left over is readily bagged up to eat at home after the flavors mix together and mature. In the end, it's a very filling and fairly healthy meal. I think it's difficult to not compare this to eating a bowl of Pho or Ramen. All the ingredients are there, just instead of eating it with a spoon, you pull out the individual bits with some chop sticks and pretend you're not eating boiled beef and spinach. If I were a better cook, or had another ten visits worth of practice, Tabu Shabu could easily be 4-5 stars. As it is, though, I think I would rather just go to GONZO and get another chef's creation to be sure of the flavors I want. Regardless, I want to come back here and try again one day. The variety of options and the wait staff alone are enough for me to learn more and expand my Shabu options, as well as recommend this place to others. read more

Tabu Shabu - Carlsbad - Chicken & Veggie Dumplings - Keep an eye when you cook them. Too long and the fall apart. Too soon and they're way too chewy... - Japanese Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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This place is a gem to the community of Carlsbad. We were in the area for a week vacation and my friend picked this place for lunch. Tabu Shabu is tucked inside the plaza and parking is available. They do get busy so be patient. We all had the lunch special and it is plenty for individual serving. It comes with the appetizer and drink. Service was excellent and the place is very clean and moderate noise ( pleasant). You each have your own pot to cook your food. Delicious vegetables and great meat. All fresh! Definitely a comeback place. read more

Tabu Shabu - Carlsbad - Japanese Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Upon entering, we had great service and a great explanation of everything and how to do it. It was our first time and I got the premium two meat combo. The server took care of the heating of the pot. I wish I could control the heat more. You get a lot of veggies for your pot overall would do it again. read more

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I recently moved to North County and have been exploring more. We loved the original location in North Park and it was one of our go-to spots. The Carlsbad location is great too! We like that this place doesn't get as busy as the North Park location and parking is great. Tabu Shabu is a great spot and you can get all the fixings and a good portion of vegetables. If you haven't tried this style of hot pot before, it's definitely worth trying. It's a fun and casual spot! read more

This place is fun! Seats are arranged at the counter in a circle- think bar or old dinner. So it's easy to get help if you need it. Kids love the place because you get to play with your food Broths are tasty. Portions are huge and I end up taking enough home for 2-3 meals. It's not all you can eat but honestly I feel like it's a better deal because I can't eat a crazy amount in one sitting. read more

Coming here after moving because I need soup. I love hot pot it's so good especially now that we're in the fall season. I came here with a picky eater and he enjoyed himself. He thought it was really good for his first time. I got tonkatsu with brown rice, fresh kale noodles, and Colorado lamb. The broth was fantastic, I wish I chose white rice instead. I wasn't feeling the brown rice texture. The fresh kale noodles were great, I'd get those again! The Colorado lamb was perfect for my soup. I love all the veggies you get especially the mushrooms! Bethany is really sweet and very helpful. She let my friend taste the broths before choosing. It's a bar seating style with individual hot pots. They have a lot of sauces. My favorite is the miso and sesame oil and seasoning. I'd definitely come back, it was so tasty! read more

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The food is amazing and I love how you get to cook it yourself. The waiters are very polite and friendly. The vibes there are very good and the pictures are cool. read more

This was one of the worst experiences I've had ordering from this restaurant. The issue was not with DoorDash....it was with the restaurant. Several items that were supposed to be included with our order were missing from the bag. We called because this wasn't the first time it has happened. Tony answered the phone, and instead of apologizing or trying to make things right, he was rude, dismissive, and argumentative. He immediately said that he packed the order himself, implying that nothing could have been missing. I have no reason to make up that items were missing. In fact, this has happened multiple times before, and I've never complained...I simply accepted it and moved on. This time I called because it keeps happening and defintely asked for a refund from doordash. Instead of trying to resolve the issue, Tony acted as if our concerns didn't matter and simply said he could give me an email address if I wanted to complain. It was completely unprofessional and showed no interest in making the situation right. I've been to the restaurant and have been ordering from this location often through DoorDash for my mom. If management looks at my DoorDash order history, they'll see that I've placed many orders from this restaurant and have never once complained or requested a refund. I only called this time because the same issue has happened repeatedly, and I felt it needed to be addressed. The repeated missing items show a lack of attention when preparing DoorDash orders, and Tony's response made the experience even worse. Customer service should never involve arguing with a customer over a legitimate concern. The fact that he thought me calling to make a valid complaint was being rude still has me shocked. I hope management addresses both the ongoing order accuracy issues and the way customers are treated. Very disappointing read more

First time experience there, visiting from Los Angeles. So warm and welcoming. Clean and spacious. The staff is so friendly and welcoming. Even to a first timer like me...walked me thru how to do my broth. Bethany was my server and she was great! Went with my friend who is a regular and she also showed me how to prepare my dish. I had the lamb which was good. I like lamb so it was not an odd flavor note to me. It was filling and tasty. I will definitely be back next time I am in Carlsbad. read more

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Decent price, yummy Japanese hot pot and great service! We wanted some comfort food and a dinner that had some delicious meat and soup. We found Tabu Shabu on yelp and gave it a try. Overall it was delicious and had decent portions. I believe it was the store manager that served us and she was great! Super friendly and made us feel at home. All the safe were very friendly and it made our email enjoyable. The restaurant has a simple bar set up where each person has their own hot pot. Overall an enjoyable dinner and worth the price we paid. read more

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Fun concept! Love the kids options. Wish there wasn't an up charge for every little thing (chili paste? Ramen noodles instead of udon? Soy broth instead of miso? Seems silly). But service is uber friendly read more

Great place. Excellent food, with super friendly staff that both remembers your name and your (sometimes obnoxiously custom!) order. Been coming here nearly once a week for almost six years now. It's not the cheapest dinner around, but everything is high quality, super fresh, and the closest I've had to "real" shabu in Japan. The only thing to watch for, is that It can be a tough place to get into on a popular night like Friday or Saturday. The linear bar-style seating makes it very hard for them to fit in large parties together, and the lack of reservations, plus their policy to seat all parties in the order they arrive, can lead to major logjams when a large party shows up. But if you're only 2-3 people, and it's a not a weekend or holiday at time primetime, it's definitely worth your while to drop in and try. This place is a good 20+ minutes away from me, and still worth the trip every time. read more

I cannot explain how much I love Tabu Shabu. So lovely, staff is always really nice! Food is always legit, I love the customizations! Vibes are so fun, cool artwork. read more

Tabu Shabu - Carlsbad - Japanese Near Me - Carlsbad, California

We were in town for Legoland and we got tired of American food and theme park food. So we found this place from Yelp and gave it a try. We are family of 4 with 2 kids (age 10 and 7) and our kids are familiar with hotpot as we have hotpot at home or at hotpot restaurant regularly (almost weekly during the winter time). We had a really good experience. Meat quality was nice. Service was more attentive than I expected. We didn't have problem for not having enough space for plates/bowls/drinks even each of us have our own set of meal. Their kids' meal includes regular size veggie plate (!) so mainly the price difference reflects a smaller protein portion (3 oz. if I remember correctly). My only complain is probably portion/price. It's good that they have a very transparent pricing structure but at the same time I also feel like they nickels and dime everything. I do think this place is on the expensive side (even coming from SF Bay Area). However, I get that there's not many hotpot places in the area so I think the higher price point is still probably ok. I wish to have an option to double noodles if we choose not to have a bowl of rice. I won't recommend this place if your children are toddler or preschooler because of their setup - all seats are the high bar seats. But if your children are older and can manage to seat the bar seats, definitely it's doable. This is the perfect spot for small group/couple date night :) read more

Absolutely love this place, service is great as usual and food is wonderful. Meat quality is superb and vegetables are fresh. I always get the miso soup base and Kurubrata pork and never disappoints. Once you're finished the sever helps you finalize your dish with the noodle of hour choice. They have great selection of beers and you can rack up rewards points on each visit and save it for next time use. It can be super busy during rain days so be aware. read more

Tabu Shabu - Carlsbad - Japanese Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Tabu Shabu is my favorite place for hot pot! They have some of the best quality meat from Snake River Farms. The workers here are on top of everything and always friendly. I love how the seating is like a wrap around bar. They have Happy Hour from 5-6pm on weekdays for 20% off! Make sure you sign up for their rewards program too. I always make sure to order the Large Combo option with the Ribeye and Short Rib cuts. I love the tonkotsu broth and kale ramen noodles. The veggies are always fresh and delicious. I frequently visit Tabu Shabu and am always satisfied with the quality and consistency. I will be back soon! read more

Tabu Shabu - Carlsbad - The Spread - Japanese Near Me - Carlsbad, California

I have had the best time here. I was in on Saturday night (11/22) and the food was amazing! I left thinking I was never gonna eat again! Our server might have been one of the best servers i have ever had! Cody was EVERYWHERE! He was personable and thoughtful and I could hear him explain the process to everyone that hadn't been here before. It was so much fun I brought my coworker back for lunch today! Lucky me Cody was here again and I looked like a rockstar. Way to go Tabu Shabu and way to go Cody! read more

My boyfriend and I came here for dinner and we loved it! The restaurant is really clean and has a nice vibe. It's kinda cool how the eating arrangement is around the bar and the team preps food in the center. Service was very friendly and the quality of the food was fresh. We both got the miso broth and selected our proteins and carbs. There was an assortment of veggies that came with our orders. If you don't finish your food, they box it up for you so you can have leftovers. We had enough for leftovers the next day. We loved this place and will be back! read more

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The fam and I were craving Shabu while we were in the area for Mother's Day weekend and this place conveniently just opened for dinner. We were the first ones in and not even 10 minutes later, the place was bustling with people and even had a waitlist going on already! Service was 100/10, felt like we were taken care of with high quality service and genuine kindness. The food was good and high quality for what it was, but nothing special. Normal pricing for a la carte shabu shabu but expect to pay more if you want better-flavored broth and good quality noodles. I was kinda on the fence about having to pay $4 extra for flavored broth but the quality service and good quality protein made up for it. read more

Tabu Shabu - Carlsbad - Beef belly (a fav) - Japanese Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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My first time trying Shabu Shabu. The concept is fun, though I found the food to be overpriced. I had leftovers which was nice but for $40 to make soup it just felt like overkill. The service was good, the waiter checked in on us and answered any questions we had. read more

Food and service was great. Good hotpot! Would definitely come back. Quick and easy meal

I can't consciously give this more than 3 stars. Let's start this off by stating that this "Shabu" thing is not for me . . . or my wife. Too much work. Why would I again pay so much for a lunch meal for two that I essentially do all of the work (~$91, no cocktails, tip included)? Most everything on the menu was an upcharge. I guess traditionally, Japanese food is careful to artfully plate for presentation. Well done Tabu. However, my customer experience guided me to accept only mediocrity in its most blatant form on all other touch-points. The quality of the food was decent, but seemed to rely solely on fresh, yet somewhat lacking the 'good'. The broths were sloppily mixed directly in front of us, poured haphazardly into the Shabu pot and placed on an induction burner at each bar station. That just began the process of placing everything and then more on the already crowded place setting. I had to get creative with placement, because having something in the wrong spot could mean the difference between eating or wearing the item. Too much crowding of the utensils, tongs, ladle, water glass, ice tea, plate of protein, plate of vegetables etc. etc. etc. The front seats just inside the door seem to be where all of the "newbies" sit since it's most convenient after the owner/manager would say "sit wherever ". I began to think I was sitting in the wrong restaurant. Kinda disgusting seeing the ventilation system overhead has allowed the steaming pots of broth to begin corroding the fixtures. I kept feeling as if I was doing something wrong or was otherwise incorrectly doing the "Shabu" thing. The way the roundabout construction of the winding 'bar' is set up, I kept catching momentary eye contact with multiple people that were observing me flail the mess into my mouth . . . or the counter area and induction cooktop. I didn't find any way of not making a mess. Maybe this is the latest craze for healthy dining, but I think I can find a more suitable way of spending my lunch money. Dicks read more

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We love this place! You can customize the broth - do a mix of your choosing. We also take home the leftover broth and make another meal the next day by adding shrimp, veggies and thinly sliced meat. Prices are reasonable, the staff is friendly and attentive! read more

Great food, service, and atmosphere. My kids love this restaurant and ask to go all the time. Highly recommend.

Came in on a monday night and immediately got seated. Finding parking in this plaza can sometimes be tricky. Sukiyaki broth was great and I love that this place comes with free rice and noodles. The minced radish/garlic/green onions are great too. The sauces were ok and I wish they had a better selection. The ponzu is too lemon-y. I also wish the veggie platter was bigger and had more selection. Meat selection is good but a little pricey. Overall its a cute restaurant to bring a friend, but the food could be a little better. read more

Tabu Shabu - Carlsbad - Regular lamb - Japanese Near Me - Carlsbad, California

2.5/5 rounded to 3 stars. Lots of mixed feelings here. On one hand, my husband and I are really excited and appreciative of a Shabu place in the Carlsbad area - there really isn't anything similar around. On the other hand, the quality and execution of the food was not great and it was priced pretty high given the quality. The interior is very modern, all bar seating in a semi circle. Service was okay. Our poor waitress seemed friendly but super overworked - it looked like she was the only one working there post holiday so while we didn't get tons of attention it definitely wasn't on her. We ordered the miso and sukiyaki broths and the combo Angus and Ribeye plate + the Premium Waugh short rib. They had all the right themes (sesame sauce, ponzu, pasteurized egg dip, and the standard broths like Sukiyaki or Miso) but the actual taste of the food was not it. The sauces were really acidic, somehow the sesame sauce tasted just as acidic as the ponzu with no peanut flavoring. Ponzu was too citrusy and needed a bit more sugar there. Broths were really light, the miso tasted kinda amateur (think DIY water plus miso paste at home) and the sukiyaki was really watery so none of it actually stuck to the meat or veggies cooked with it. Meat quality was okay - honestly not fantastic given the steep price point. You can probably get something similar at an AYCE place for the same quality. read more

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Was able to get in on a Sunday night without a wait. This place is best for a couple, not large groups. Loved the fun music, holiday lights, and the muted football game on the TV. Service was friendly and educational. Splitting a 6oz (large) entree was perfect. Ribeye was yummy! read more

Food, service and atmosphere was great! Plenty of parking. Kid friendly. All the different beefs we order were delicious! read more

Tabu Shabu has good food and fresh ingredients, but honestly, it feels a bit overpriced for what you get. The portions are on the smaller side, especially for the price point. Everything tasted good, the broth and meats were solid , but if you're looking for better value, Mokoji definitely gives you more bang for your buck. Still worth trying once, but I'd probably head to Mokoji next time. The service is great and there's limited seating so I would recommend going early. read more

We love Tabu and the service and food are great!!! Our kids ask to come here for every birthday. It's such a fun and yummy experience.

One of my favorite places for date night. SO good. My go-to is the premium combo (ribeye and Wagyu short rib), brown rice, udon, miso (get spicy , sauce comes on side), flavor bomb. They have happy hour prices 5-6pm Monday- Friday. Also there's a Yelp check in for Mochi too! read more

Tabu Shabu - Carlsbad - Premium combo ribeye and short rib - Japanese Near Me - Carlsbad, California

This was my daughters first time at Shabu Shabu and thanks to Cody (amazing service!) we all had a wonderful time!! Everyone sits bar height around the counter and everyone gets their own hot pot to cook with which was awesome! We all got different broths and I can honestly say all were outstanding! My favorite was the sukiyaki (sweet and salty). The tonkotsu and spicy miso were close seconds! We also loved the free "broth bomb" sauces and spices we could add at leisure. While the difference between the large and regular portions of protein was substantial (my husband got the large and I was fine with medium) we honestly didn't notice much of a difference ($8 more) for the Prime level ribeye vs the cheaper Reserve angus ribeye. The reserve angus was just as delicious! The quality of the meats and vegetables was top notch! I also how they give you complimentary substitutions on the vegetables! For example I subbed out carrot for double pumpkin. Yum! The kids meal at $16 (for ages 10 and under) is a great value and pretty much the same exact thing as we adults get, only a smaller portion (but still a great size portion). For dessert they have ice cream and mochi: green tea, mango and strawberry. We got the mango and strawberry. All of the employees were super nice and helpful! Especially Cody! Overall, we loved it here and will definitely return as well as trying out their other locations in SD and Orange County! read more

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This is my third visit to this spot. My first was during Covid and there were partitions between each patron and we had no idea what we doing, the second was in the winter. The wait was long. The aircon kept blasting us and we were freezing. The hot soup helped but it was cold. This last time was the best. I met 3 friends and we pursued the menu. I think we got different things. Having been a few times I felt much more prepared and confident in what I wanted. I got the the sukiyaki broth with a broth booster, fresh ramen noodles and the short rib. I don't think I had done the broth boost in the past and I really liked it. It's fun to cook everything to your liking and it ended up so good that even after I was full I couldn't stop eating. It was a pretty hot day so the air on felt good this time. The signs on the wall aren't clear but I think they have a 20% off happy hour special. Hours for that weren't listed but it makes the prices much more reasonable and we all wanted to come back. It is rare that we are unanimous on a place. read more

Tabu Shabu - Carlsbad - Japanese Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Went on a Friday night at about 530pm and was seated right away. Very friendly server who walked us through everything and gave great suggestions. As a ramen lover we chose the tonkotsu broth and added the spice bomb. Not too hot at all since you control how much you put in. Definitely order the two item combo and the ramen. Also the mango mochi was a great dessert ! read more

Tabu Shabu - Carlsbad - Tonkotsu broth with flavor spice bomb. Beef belly and regular ribeye. Brown rice Tabu For 2 - Japanese Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Very glad we tried- birthday dinner so I took us somewhere new. This is a great place for people with different diets, and the server was so on top of it and considerate. We had a vegan, a vegetarian, and a meat eater in the group, and as soon as she asked about allergies/preferences I knew we would be fine. Multiple noodles options for vegans, and two broth options. I went with the spicy miso and loved it, a little too spicy for my mom so next time we'll do the very plain broth and doctor it up with sauces. The veggie plate was great, I could have had a whole plate of just the kabocha squash and mushrooms, they were so good. Definitely come early to snag a spot, we waltzed in right at 6:00 and had our choice of spots but it was packed by 7:00. It's also on the louder side, and a more casual bar-style seating. read more

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Funny af they play country music & Mr. Brightside here cuz it's westernized. But a bit pricey. Also their neon sign is so funny but camp. They also have this $180 Godzilla Challenge where if you eat 3 lbs of meat plus all veggies in 30 mins or less you get all that for free. Seems like a great place for vibes. Bar searing. Wine Wednesdays. Lunch specials. I was sus at first when I read it was westernized hot pot and was like there's no way they can mess up boiling raw ingredients in a soup right. Actually not bad. read more

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We came for early dinner so didn't have to wait. Food was great and good service, those waiter/waitress worked really hard and kept a positive attitude. We would definitely come again when we're in the area. read more

Celebrated Mother's Day here with the family. My daughter joined the waitlist via their kiosk at the front, and our party of 6 waited for about 10-15 minutes. Service was attentive and friendly. Meat and veggies are of great quality, and the broths are flavorful. Seating is bar style/counter height. Each customer has their own hot pot. I always get sukiyaki broth whenever I eat hot pot, and theirs is tasty, not too sweet. It is not all you can eat, but the regular size of meat is filling. highly recommend! read more

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A good experience! I'd definitely come back. Before I say anything else, I'd recommend the porridge at the end for $7 extra, it's a whole meal or even two for later! They add rice, egg, green onion, sriracha, truffle oil, etc. to your hot pot broth to make your porridge and it was so good. My server was amazing at making it and giving me tips on how to reheat and prep later! It was about three little meals for me the next day. Aside from the porridge, the shabu was good! It's not AYCE but I think it's still a good experience. Also note that the mochi ice cream is not included! I thought it was so I said yes when offered, but it turns out it's not. As for parking we parked on the street right on the side, unsure if there's a parking lot. read more