Wagyu Masters Shabu House... have we all been sleeping on this place?! Seriously, this was one of the best all-you-can-eat shabu experiences we've had. The food bar was the cleanest I've ever seen at an AYCE spot. Everything was beautifully organized, constantly stocked, and so well presented. The selection of meats, seafood, veggies, and all the extras was incredible. A huge shoutout to Waimin, who took such great care of us. He was so friendly, welcoming, attentive, and made the entire experience even better. Service like that is hard to find. I almost don't want to post this because I know the wait times are about to get longer , but this is officially our new spot. Hands down, 5/5. If you are Shabu-er this is definitely where you wanna be Shabu-ing read more

Went here for my mom's birthday dinner. It was about 100° outside and the AC inside was barely working. The whole place felt like a sauna. We were all dripping with sweat the entire meal--shirts sticking, faces shiny, constantly wiping ourselves down. Trying to enjoy anything while you're that hot and uncomfortable is honestly miserable. Made it really hard to get through the food, which just ok to be honest. The servers were genuinely nice and tried their best, which was the one bright spot. They were attentive and friendly even with how uncomfortable everyone looked. Would've been a much better experience if the dining room wasn't an oven. But not sure if the food was that good or worth the price to begin with. It was hard to tell because of the heat. read more

I rarely leave negative reviews, but this experience was disappointing from start to finish. The first thing we noticed when we walked in was how incredibly hot it was inside. You're eating hot shabu, so having a comfortable dining room is especially important. The restaurant had a large portable A/C unit, but instead of helping the dining area, it was aimed directly at the employees who were standing around. When we politely asked why it was so warm, we weren't offered a solution or even an apology. Instead, an employee gave us a lengthy explanation about their air conditioning system. Honestly, I wasn't looking for an engineering lesson I was hoping someone would simply angle the portable A/C toward the customers who were sitting there sweating while eating boiling hot food. The service experience was equally disappointing. Nearly everything was self-serve. While the quality of the meat was good, and some of the sushi was enjoyable, there was virtually no guidance from the staff. No one explained the different cuts of meat or what made each one unique. Instead, customers had to walk around reading small description cards posted at each station and figure it out themselves. For a restaurant that's supposed to provide an enjoyable dining experience, this really takes away from the overall experience. It felt more like navigating a cafeteria than being welcomed into a restaurant. The final nail in the coffin was the false advertising. One of the main reasons we chose this restaurant was a beautiful Yelp photo featuring a uni lobster roll topped with caviar. It looked incredible and was something we were genuinely excited to try. After arriving, we asked about it and were simply told that this location doesn't serve it. If that's the case, then why is it being advertised for this location? Advertising dishes you don't actually offer is misleading and sets customers up for disappointment before they even sit down. read more

Wagyu Master Shabu House - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

TL;DR - it's like a Vegas buffet but hot pot. Cool to try once but I think there's better AYCE shabu for the price elsewhere. I've been excited to try this place! The concept seemed fun and I generally trust Chubby Cattle group to deliver good restaurant concepts. Walking in, it's overwhelming. There are so many options! We went back and forth from the area to the table about 5 times to get all that we wanted in the 1st round. They have the usual things you'd expect at shabu but also a lot of other things. Like you can get cheeseburgers, fries, egg tarts, cakes, milk tea, sushi, sashimi. It's overwhelming! Ultimately, the best things were the milk tea, sushi, and sashimi. The hot pot broth was good but I felt the meat quality wasn't that great. Even the rice wasn't good! I think it's worth trying once if you like the idea of ayce shabu but I'm not sure I'll come back. read more

Dined here for Fathers Day dinner. Made a reservation in case, but there were actually a lot of tables open on weekday night. We arrived early but oddly enough, they made us wait till our reservation time to get seated lol. So based on their menu, it's basically like a $50 buffet for weekday dinner. You can pick out your own meat and all the other fun hot pot ingredients, fried snacks, curry, drinks, etc. We ended up getting the gold menu since it seemed most worth it, definitely the gold menu meats would be better quality than what they have at the bar. Although, service was kinda slow getting the meat.. we ended up getting the protein at the bar first. For the broths, we chose the sukiyaki and spicy pork tonkotsu broth. The tonkotsu broth wasn't spicy at all, but definitely reminded me of something you would have with ramen. Sukiyaki broth was kinda salty, so I think we all preferred the pork tonkotsu broth. It was a unique flavor to have with wagyu meat. Trying the meats, we enjoyed the wagyu cuts the most! We do like the more lean meats, but the one that said it was a lean meat was kinda tough, despite how short we cook it. The Rib Eye Jumbo Nigiri was also the best one. The lobster roll and the teppan steak were nice, but also a little tough and greasy tasting. All the flavors were quite nice. Overall, as a Japanese hot pot concept, I thought it was okay. Chubby Mart and Chubby Cattle were both better experiences in my opinion. The experience was also a lot better at both times too. Today's visit just felt like a regular restaurant, so it didn't really have that Chubby flare, just felt like a nice buffet. Considering service was slow, the table setting or restaurant didn't feel too clean? but the food was still pretty good in general. Just not at the Chubby Club level I have experienced at other Chubby restaurants. I also got my parking validated at the restaurant but the machine still made me pay $6? I was here for at most 2 hours, which the structure is $1.50 per 30 minutes. So it still made me pay for parking lol read more

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Good shabu shabu option at the Paseo! If you're a member of chubby club there are some freebies depending on tier. For silver tier we went to get our own drinks, meats, seafood and veggies buffet style. Higher tiers give access to additional premium meats. Good selection of Wagyu beef and seafood including sushi. We enjoyed the curry rice (self service). Depending on party size and the orientation of the table setup you can get your choice of 8 broths. We got the Wagyu tomato and the passionfruit. The passionfruit does list as spice level 5 but it was not too spicy and it was quite flavorful and fruity. The tomato used to have bones but our server said it wasn't available anymore. It did feel a bit watered down today. Parking validated to 90 mins at the Paseo lot but if on Sundays street parking is free (pay attention to signs). read more

Wagyu Master Shabu House - Exterior - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I had a good experience here as there are a variety of meats, veggies and greens. The quality of meats is pretty good especially the beef tongue and wagyu meats. I didn't try the sushi which I'll have to go back and try but I was feeling meats 100% today. I do enjoy to be served in an upscale place like here than me getting up constantly to grab items to cook especially the price I'm paying, but it is what it is They need bigger scoopers for the sauces because it took many scoops of peanut sauce to fill my container. I did enjoy the rice drop and the wagyu curry. I just got the curry, potatoes and carrots to eat with my shabu meats. Too bad they didn't have rice paper like at kbbq places cause I'd enjoy that eating it with my meats instead of rice. It be something different from the normal. Like really who's going to eat a cheese burger. My friend attempted to but it was overcooked and dry. The server came to take our broth order and delivered that and collected the bill at the end. That really doesn't require a gratuity imo. The ambiance was nice and soothing. It was a quiet affair and I enjoyed being able to hear my friends while eating. 90 minutes of free parking with a parking stamp from the restaurant or park on the streets read more

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You will get really excited walking past all the food displayed at the buffet lines. But unfortunately for us, the excitement was short- lived. We opted for the Gold tier, which is the in the middle. You get one special dish, and our table was all eyeing the otoro sashimi and king crab leg. The saddest part was that we were not informed that both items were sold out prior to selecting the tier. We thought, Well , at least they have a sushi/ sashimi section at the buffet line. True...except it was empty most of the time. It was only refilled once throughout the duration of our meal, and was quickly depleted. When we asked the server if the kitchen will be refilling the sushi section. He came back and said no, they are done for the night. Halfway through our meal, we started becoming impatient because the meat took forever to come out. When we brought this up to the server he apologized and said there was only one meat cutter working today, so they are very backed up. Again, this was never communicated from the beginning. Towards the end of our meal they started cleaning up the buffet lines, and sauce bar. But, no one ever came to our table to advise us that they were cleaning up the buffet lines or that it was last call. I have never been to a buffet where they don't advise the customers before cleaning the buffet lines. At least give the customers a last chance to get anything before cleaning up. I do appreciate the manager for being proactive in recognizing our subpar dinning experience, and took 2 $20 off our total bill. BEWARE*** : We were charged automatic gratuity on our party of 5. But on the menu it clearly states auto gratuity is charged on parties of 6 or more. We brought this up to the server, who went to ask the manager. They ended up removing the gratuity. The best part of the meal was the drink station. Because it was the only consistency and continuously fully stocked. The restaurant is pretty spacious with ample seating The food is forgettable, and subpar. The service is slow coupled with bad communication. This is the worst Chubby Cattle location I have ever been to. I'll go to Mikiya for my hot pot fix. I will not be returning. Tip: Don't forget to ask for Parking Validation before you leave. read more

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I've been here at least 6 times now and I hate to say it, but I feel like the quality has been dropping. On a few recent visits the broths have been noticeably saltier than before. Even the dashi broth, which is usually more balanced, tasted pretty salty on my last visit. The buffet side also seemed to take a hit. The sashimi selection was very limited, only about two types the whole night, and it was empty most of the time. The veggies didn't seem as fresh either, and the sauce bar didn't look very clean. The cilantro and green onions looked like they'd been sitting out for a while. The ponzu sauce also leaned more sweet than sour, which threw me off. The dessert options also seem more limited now compared to before. Service was just okay. We were seated near the register and could hear staff saying they didn't want to be there, which wasn't the best vibe. It also wasn't busy that night, so it made everything feel a bit off. A few other things I noticed, they now validate parking for 90 minutes which is nice, but they removed the unsweet tea from the drink machine and the rice machine wasn't working during my visit. The only thing that still seems consistent is the quality of the meat, which is still decent. Not sure if it was just an off night, but overall it felt like the experience has slipped compared to before. It's honestly a bit disappointing since I used to recommend this place to everyone. I might give it another shot, but right now I'm a lot more hesitant to come back. read more

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Server ed was amazing. He explained the different tiers to us and showed us what the differences were. He explained the self service items as well. He kept coming by to make sure everything was good and gave us extra napkins as well. Got the gold but next time ill get silver. They have soo much items at the selfservice station. I felt like i got fill off of then instead of the hot pot. For the hot pot meat, beef tongue was the best but for gold you can only get it once. The others were either too fatty or too lean. The sushi section does get refilled pretty often because everytime i went to grab something else, i would have to go back and grab more salmon items. They need to have a sauce bowl for soy sauce and wasabi though. I didnt like the lobster roll. I think it was mixed with ubi which i am not a fan of. They have fruits on top of the sauce bar. read more

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The food is really good here. I really enjoyed the all you can eat options. The sushi, seafood, and vegetables were very fresh which I appreciated. I would come back again. We got the Miso Tonkatsu and Sukiyaki and my favorite for the meat was Sukiyaki since it had lots of flavor. read more

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Visited Wagyu Master for an early dinner and was impressed with their AYCE selection. You can help yourself to items like sashimi, sushi, burgers and curries....or pick from a plethora of ingredients for a delicious hot pot feast. Our servers were attentive and helpful, especially Kit who recommended and prepared the best dipping sauce paired for any bite. The restaurant accommodates many tables but mostly of groups of 4 so if you have a large party, expect to be seated at separate tables. We really enjoyed the large selection of fresh ingredients and the broths were tasty. We especially loved the opportunity to choose our own portions and not have to wait for it to be served to us. But their dessert selection was just ok. The egg tarts looked promising but the flavors were disappointing. We all agreed that it would've been better if they offered an ice cream selection instead. read more

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Came here on a Monday night and got seated right away. Wen was our server and he was very patient with us and explained everything as it was our first time. Similar concept to chubby cattle and you order from the iPad. The quality is solid and the sauce bar has various options. You can park underground as they validate for the first 90 minutes. Definitely would come back. read more

Overall, a decent experience for the new 2.0 setup. First and foremost, a very big shoutout to Kit and the excellent service he provided from start to finish. Outside of being very attentive, I really appreciate him listening to my SO's comments and addressing whatever he reasonably could. In terms of food, Wagyu Master has all the usual Chubby fixings for a hot pot location. Meat, veggies, sides, rice, and desserts were on point minus a little slowness for the meat coming out. The leaner cuts of meat were a little hit or miss, but anything a little fattier was delicious. On the flip side, the veggie bar was REALLY good and has my favorite -- the treasure bag! Another standout -- the sauce bar was super clean and I really liked the plastic covers that "protected" each section. The restaurant itself was clean and the individual hotpots per person was a nice change of pace compared to a lot of other AYCE hotpot places. I for sure would come back with the hope that the meat could come out/be restocked a bit quicker. read more

Came to Wagyu Master in Pasadena for my friend's birthday and honestly it lived up to the hype. We went with the Diamond tier ($98/person, but with my Chubby Plus membership it came out to $88 each). Totally worth it. Our servers Steven and Kenny were amazing the whole night, super attentive and friendly without being overbearing. For broth, she picked the oxtail tomato and I went with the Yunnan passionfruit. Both were really good and flavorful in their own way. The meat quality here is seriously impressive, even the A4 Wagyu cuts were super tender and rich. What I really like about this place is the setup. You grab your own veggies, hot pot items, and sauces, which makes it feel more fun and customizable. The self-serve sashimi bar was also a nice surprise the yellowtail and salmon were fresh and on point. I was a little bummed they didn't have otoro though. With the Diamond tier, you get two special items per person. Our favorites were the A5 Wagyu nigiri and the lobster with caviar and uni roll. Both felt like a treat. The Wagyu bone marrow with rice was a bit too fatty for me, so that was probably the only miss food-wise. Only small downside is the layout. We came on a Thursday around 7:30 PM and it was fine, but the aisles are pretty tight. I can see it getting crowded and a bit chaotic on weekends. Also wish they had sacha sauce at the sauce bar. Ambience is modern and comfortable, easy to have a conversation without yelling. Parking is validated for 2 hours at Paseo, which is a plus. Overall, I'd definitely recommend this spot if you're celebrating something or just want a solid shabu shabu experience. It's right next to DSW at Paseo if you're trying to find it. Would've gotten 5 stars if they had sacha bbq sauce, caviar on the lobster roll and if they still had otoro sashimi. Love this place more because of more broth options compared to other chubby establishments. read more

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Wagyu Master has mastered the art of modern Shabu in Pasadena. The food was high quality and fresh, and the service from Wen was stellar. He was friendly, attentive and made the overall experience better. read more

Wagyu Master Shabu House - Decor - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I had such a pleasant experience with Wagyu Master Shabu House! I came with a party of 7. We did have a reservation, but it surprisingly wasn't busy for a Saturday night. I would love to shoutout our server, Rheiven, for being so warm and friendly! He consistently checked on my table and offered amazing customer service. He had amazing recommendations off the menu and made my party feel so welcomed. The Wagyu beef selections were high-quality meat. They were so flavorful and delicious. For broth selections, I would recommend the Sukiyaki and the Spicy Miso Tonkatsu. Those really paired well with our beef! Under the Gold dining option, please also try the Lobster Roll. It was such a hit and had the perfect amount of Lobster. But overall, love the self-serving experience! In terms of parking, it's validated to 90 min at the Paseo lot. Would definitely come back again for sure! read more

Came in with a party of 6 on a Friday night so it was quite difficult to get a reservation (which needs to be done through Yelp, though I was able to edit my reservation by calling in). Despite being packed, the service was great and we really felt attended to. The selection of items is extensive and high quality. I loved the endless milk tea and lychee slushies, along with an array of fresh sushi and steamed dumplings. The meat selection was also pretty great, with wagyu even on the standard menu. My group opted for the Gold menu, which I don't think is really worth the extra cost. It all gets cooked in the same broth and honestly ends up tasting about the same, so save yourself $20 by getting the Silver. Parking in the Paseo is validated for up to 1.5 hours. Overall a really good hot pot spot in Pasadena. :) read more

This is an AYCE hot pot resturant and part of the Chubby Cattle group. The restaurant is located on the 2nd floor next to DSW. You can either take the elevator or the stairs. I recommend making a reservation in advance. The Wagyu beef was great. It was self-service so you could help yourself and have as much as you want. They do come in small portions to prevent over-grabbing that leads to waste. I loved the variety. The sushi and sashimi quality were very good. I also enjoyed some of the hot dim-sum items and the yakitori. I didn't even get to try the rice dishes. I got the silver level and the dashi broth. The dashi broth was already very flavorful for me and in my opinion, a bit salty. I enjoyed all the veggie choices. The ambiance was nice: modern and clean. The only thing I didn't like was the Portuguese egg tarts. The inside was too creamy. Service was good. Pro Tip #1 - Park directly downstairs at Paseo Colorado. The restaurant validates for 2 hours so essentially parking is free as long as you don't stay beyond the 2 hour limit. The restaurant has a limit of 90 minutes. Pro Tip #2 - Join the $28 annual membership. It pays for itself. You get $8 off per guest that night off your bill (that was a $16 savings for me since I had an eating partner) and you get a free birthday meal which is worth $50. All in all, I was not disappointed! read more

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It was good but not worth the price. We got the middle gold $78 set. You only get one premium order item. The wagyu tasted like regular meat. It wasn't buttery. The selection was huge. So much stuff to eat and drink. The service was great. Place is beautiful. Felt like we could go to all that shabu or shabuya for half the price and get the same quality of food. HAPPY SHABUING! read more

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For its namesake I would say you really need to order their A5 option for it to taste good. I tried their San Jose location back in mid-February I liked the food selection but had some issues with the overall experience due to staffing inexperience. This time my friend and I went with their silver (lowest) tier. Here it's buffet-style as opposed to San Jose's ordering-only. I came with my friend who raved about their sashimi and chicken skin dumpling. With the sashimi being quite good in my San Jose location visit, I was quite disappointed with the selection. They had salmon and I believe yellowtail (maybe some other white fish). The salmon was was slightly fishy and I (and my friend) ended up cooking it a bit in the hot pot. There was no tuna which I was hoping for. The hot bar was also kind of disappointing since a lot of it sat under the heat lamp for quite some time as opposed to having it served freshly cooked at the other location. There was no chicken skin dumpling my friend and I were anticipating. There was takoyaki, fried chicken wings, some other chicken products, and some curry/stewed beef options which were entirely quite hard to bite due to being sitting in a hot bar. there was also some dim sum option like soup dumpling but those didn't appeal to me since they were sitting there as well. Now for the meats and hot pot ingredients, there was a good variety of beef cuts and seafood and vegetable options. My favorite ended up being I think it was the chuck (whatever was on the rightmost). I also got kabocha pumpkin, some mushrooms, and other veg. I mostly ate this cut of beef until I was full since nothing else really appealed to me (especially since the sashimi was not that great). It went well with the pasteurized egg from the sauce bar. The sauce bar had a good variety, my only recommendation would be to use roasted sesame seeds over raw. They had a good drink bar, with a soda fountain and some slushes and fruity drinks. Personally I went with water with a splash of a lemonade since I don't drink too much sugar. Overall I was able to find something I could eat a lot of but it ended up being nothing that I originally was looking forward to eating. For the price point I could go to another restaurant and get a much better experience taste- wise. My friend said it was not as good as when she first visited when the restaurant was newer. Perhaps coming on a weekday may have limited the selection available. read more

Update 7/3: I really wanted to give this place another chance so we decided to come on Friday night around 8 (the day off before July fourth) and the restaurant was only a third full. The hostess even told us they will probably close early that night because it was slow. ON A FRIDAY NIGHT BEFORE JULY 4th! We got sat immediately but the booth was still dirty so while waiting for someone to come by to clean it, we decided to walk around to check out the quality of the options. Everything looked like it's been sitting out for a long time. The meats have changed to a darker color and the sushi looked dry. After seeing that, we decided that's where the second chance ended. We walked right out and to a better place for dinner. I am not paying so much money for food that's been sitting out, collecting dust for hours. read more

Wagyu Master Shabu House - Uni caviar lobster roll. Uni was not fresh and crumbly Caviar was super fishy Imitation lobster - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Note to self, do not leave your friend visiting for the first time to order while you go to the buffet bar.. we never made it past the first round of meats (10 plates!). No new photos this round, but hats off to Kit, Patrick, and Edward for the providing "impressive" service and entertainment throughout the night with our shenanigans! I have a new favorite meat - the 10-second crispy tongue (available on gold+ menu). I am not sure what makes it crispy, but it is a perfect thin cut tongue that was absolutely perfectly tender and delicious after being cooked in our broths. Next time I think I could order this alone for my entire meal (yes, 10 plates of tongue please!). They have made some changes to the specialty dishes since the soft opening, and it seems to still be an evolving menu (thank you manager Chris for asking for our feedback as I'm sure it is instrumental in fine tuning the menu for this location!). The sashimi is still super fresh and delicious - by far still one of the best quality that I have had at an AYCE location anywhere. I am also still in love with their chicken gyoza wrapped in chicken skin.. had to start my meal with it as we waited for our broths. Update: They validate parking now for 90 minutes ($4.50) now! Make sure you ask at the front desk for validation! read more

Wagyu Master is a great addition to the Chubby group! I loved that this has Wagyu hotpot, with a lot of options from the buffet line. It isn't a chubby restaurant if it's not an overwhelming one in the first 30 minutes! My group had to be split in 2 tables since the biggest they had seats only 10/11 people. We were seated near the buffet line, which was a pro and a con. Pro - quick access, con - lots of people walking by. The buffet line had multiple drink selections (Lychee Slush and Milk Tea are my tops, they also had other beverages and sodas). They had sliders, dim sum, dessert, fried appetizers, curry rice, veggies + meats and sauce bar for hotpot, sushi and fruits. For the hotpot, my group chose Gold tier which was $78 pp w/o membership. We had options to order from the tablet and I think it was a great option because I was able to tell the difference from the premium meats ordered from the tablet vs. meat selections from the buffet line. Our group favorites were their Wagyu nigiri, bluefin toro, Wagyu steak and the A5 Wagyu lean cut. I really do not recommend the lobster roll! It tasted weird. We chose the hotpot bases: sukiyaki and tomato. Sukiyaki won by a landslide and certainly paired well with the A5 wagyu meat and the veggies. For the price and taste, I would love to come here again! I booked my reservation via IG when they just opened and thankful for the staff who assisted! They were also very helpful when we arrived and had to have adjustments with # of guests and the wait time. They also validate if you park in the underground structure! Last but not least, Eric was our waiter - always checked in on us and provided all of our requests. He did an amazing job handling a big group and did not make us feel rushed. Thank you Eric! read more

Wagyu Master Shabu House - LOBSTER ROLL - LOOKS GOOD BUT NOT GOOD LOL - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Amazing service from Matt! This location now has 90 minute parking validation in the underground parking lot. It was easy to find in the ground floor. You just woke up a flight of stairs. We had a reservation and we got seated right away with a group of five. They explained very thoroughly of the menu items. We chose the diamond here without membership. I assume it's cheaper with the membership plan. Everything was full and refilled pretty quickly. The meats kept coming as we ordered more and more. I believe that there is a 90 minute time clock from the first order you put in. Great ambience and tasty food. I will definitely be looking forward to the next time I come back! read more

Wagyu Master Shabu House - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Not my favorite of Chubby Group's concepts, but that's okay! Part of the reason for my lukewarm feelings about this restaurant is the fact that the Gold tier option (the one my boyfriend and I opted for when we came by to try this place for the first time), which is priced at $78 per person, was substandard to the lowest tier offered at Wagyu Factory ($49.99 on weekends). The "premium" meat they offer as part of the higher tiers was so fatty that it was kind of off putting, and the slices were so thin that it was impossible to lift them without them breaking apart and sticking onto the tray. I honestly couldn't even tell that these were supposed to be of a higher quality than the other "regular" meat out in the buffet. They offer king crab out on the buffet line as well, but only the cast-off, little leg segments. If you want what normally comes to mind when one thinks of king crab, you'll have to opt for a higher tier (gold and above) and order it as a "specialty" item -- and you can only put in one order. I was surprised to see that they would actually put out such small, obviously discarded pieces, but props to them, I guess, for not wasting anything? For one of our "specialty" items, my boyfriend ordered the lobster roll, which was topped with uni and caviar. Sounds good on paper, but when it arrived, we found that it was mostly filled with...filler, for lack of a better word. Some sort of fishy, mushy, shredded filling, with a couple of lobster pieces up top, where they'd be most visible. Our questions were: a) if you're going to skimp on using lobster for the whole thing, why not make the lobster rolls mini, then? Why make it full size? and b) if you're going to skimp on lobster, why even bother with the caviar and uni?? It's so bizarre...it's like putting truffle slices on a fast food burger. The restaurant itself is super crowded and cramped -- it was hard to navigate around all the waitstaff, other customers, and just how closely all the furniture and everything is positioned together. Apart from the disappointing experience, the service was very nice and waitstaff came by regularly to check up on us. However, I wouldn't come back; the variety and quality of the food doesn't justify the price, and I'm kind of confused as to what niche in their existing ecosystem Chubby Group was trying to fill by creating this restaurant. I would recommend Chubby Group's other concepts, Yumiyaki and Wagyu Factory, over Wagyu Master. read more

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Wagyu Monster feels like someone made a list of every food craving imaginable and decided the correct answer was, "Yes." We went with the Diamond menu, which unlocks an almost comical number of choices. Wagyu, nigiri, rolls, seafood, hot pot, appetizers, desserts...by the time I thought I'd seen everything, another menu page appeared. Nobody is coming here expecting the city's best nigiri or sashimi, and that's perfectly fine. The fun is the variety. One surprise was the wagyu nigiri. Instead of a thin slice of beef, they drape an entire shabu-sized sheet over the rice, then torch it tableside. It's a bit of dinner theater. Personally, I prefer my wagyu sliced thinner with a better rice-to-beef ratio, but several people in our group loved both the presentation and the richer bite. The biggest surprise for me was the wagyu itself. I expected the ribeye to be my favorite--it usually is--but despite the gorgeous marbling, it was cut a little thicker than I prefer. Ironically, the leaner cut won me over with better texture and a more pronounced beef flavor. The snow crab in the Hunan broth was outstanding, and I'd order that again in a heartbeat. Don't overlook the supporting cast. The egg tarts were dangerously good, the mini burgers disappeared much faster than expected, and the selection of vegetables and hot pot add-ins was extensive enough to convince myself I was making balanced life choices. Service kept pace with the endless parade of food. Kiervan was attentive without hovering, and the hostess did a fantastic job explaining the Diamond menu and steering us toward some of the better selections. Come hungry, wear forgiving pants, and don't get emotionally attached to your first order. Odds are you'll spot something else you want before it's even finished cooking. read more

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Servers are kind, well dressed, helpful and attentive. Love the dark walls, red lighting and decor. Very classy, sexy for AYCE. The skewers: shrimp and steak, very well done. Tasty. Love the access and sushi quality for the base level. Time limit is a bit short at 90 mins so slow eaters may not get their bang for their buck. read more

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Out of all the chubby locations, this was mediocre at best. We came here for lunch and they don't even validate parking in the parking garage downstairs. In fact, they don't even validate for their own employees which is crazy to me. We opted for the individual pots since some of us have allergies so we didn't want to mix. And we got the gold tier. For our 1 selection, we got the uni caviar lobster roll, steak and jumbo nigiri. Everything was mid. I thought the lobster roll barely had any uni and my friends didn't care much for their steak or jumbo nigiri. We also got their Wagyu chuck roll and fatty cut which was limited to one per guest. Unfortunately either the quality of the Wagyu was subpar or not true Wagyu because none of them had that fatty/tender taste that I'm used to with the other chubby locations. This is why I have a feeling that something about the meat is not up to par with good Wagyu. Their sauce station was also incredibly lacking. They don't even have soy sauce or chili oil which are the basics for any sauce bar. For their unlimited food selection, it was decent and the salmon and chutoro sashimi I had was very good. The waiter who helped us was also great but unfortunately the experience as a whole was very mediocre. I will definitely not be coming back to this location. read more

Wagyu Master Shabu House - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Kit is absolutely outstanding. The level of service and care provided is truly exceptional. Every time I visit, Kit goes above and beyond to make sure customers are taken care of and have a great experience. Joanne and Rheiven are also wonderful and very friendly, but Kit really stands out for the dedication, professionalism, and attention to detail shown every day. The team works quickly, efficiently, and always with a positive attitude. Thank you for the excellent service! read more

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We've dined at Chubby Cattle, Mikiya, and Niku X before, though we don't have a membership since we usually only go once or twice a year for special occasions. That said, we were excited to try the new Wagyu Master concept. It's AYCE with Silver, Gold, and Diamond tiers, we wanted to look over the food options before deciding which level to choose. Our server/host, Steven, told us that since we were already seated, he had to start the timer even if we were just looking at the display! This was a Monday at 5pm, and there was only one other table dining. He then said he was being "generous" by starting the clock seven minutes later when we came back, which already felt off-putting. We ended up going with the Silver level at $58 (non-member), which honestly already comes with plenty of food. The broths were excellent, we chose the sukiyaki and spicy tonkotsu, and my husband agreed these were the most flavorful broths we've had across all the Chubby concepts. Presentation-wise, the buffet area was bright, clean, and very organized, with a good variety of meats, seafood, and vegetables. The sushi section was a bit underwhelming. On the cooked food side, the self-serve rice machine was a fun touch. You can choose your own rice portion size (S, M, or L) and add curry and protein yourself. The only thing missing was Japanese red radish pickles. The shrimp and chicken skewers were solid. Drinks included a Pepsi fountain machine, slushies, lemonade, and milk tea. Dessert options were egg tarts, crepe cake, and mochi. The wagyu sliders, however, were very dry and tasted like they had been sitting out for a while. There's also a DIY sauce bar in the back. The biggest downside, though, was the service and constant emphasis on timing. We were reminded again a 70-minute limit to get food and 90 minutes total to dine. When our 70 minutes was almost up, Steven came by to tell us we had "9 more minutes" to get food. That was another major turnoff. I understand reminders when a place is busy and tables need to turn over, but there were only about two other parties in the restaurant, and we weren't even eating a lot compares to the table next to us. Overall, we enjoyed the meats, vegetables, and broths, but everything else was just okay. More importantly, almost aggressive time reminders really took away from the experience, especially since I mentioned we were there celebrating my birthday and wanted a relaxed meal, not to feel rushed. Because of that, I'll stick to other Chubby concept locations where the dining experience feels more enjoyable and less stressful. read more

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This place was so yummy. The meat is really fresh. Sauce is fried. The veggie selection and mushroom selection and all the noodles or self serve. Staff is very welcoming and powerful. They even have soft serve ice cream and variety of pastries for dessert. I became a member of the Chubby Club. read more

We went on a Friday evening and was able to get a last minute yelp reservation at 6:30. Surprisingly, they were busy but there wasnt a huge wait so we weren't rushed to leave, which allowed us to finish our food we ordered. We got the Gold option and it was really good. The meats come in a bigger portion than the self service area so keep that in mind when ordering. We didnt even go get self service meat (only seafood and other items) because we had so much! Gold comes with A4 & A5 meats, snow crab claws and special item per person for $20 more than silver. Noise level wasnt bad as you can still have conversations and food was replenished pretty well. read more

Located on the 2nd floor up the stairs! Parking: parking structure or street parking We came on a Sunday night at 5pm and only had to wait about 15 mins. (Recommend to come early) This was probably by far my favorite shabu from chubby group so far! I like the buffet AYCE style where you can grab sushi, sashimi, chef specials and your own meat and veggies! The dessert is awesome too! They have egg tarts which was surprisingly really good! The mochi, earl gray cake, and layered matcha cake stood out to me the most! You also grab your own drinks! They have things from unsweeten tea, milk tea, lemonade etc. There's also a curry machine for ur own curry rice! We got the silver tier and it was already way enough food for us if you aren't particular with your wagyu. Service and staff was also amazing! Super sweet and on top of it with refilling and making sure he place stays neat read more

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I think this is my favorite restaurant at the moment of all the Chubby Group ones! One of my friends was visiting from out of town so we decided to come here. I would definitely recommend getting on the waitlist as soon as you can because the wait time increases exponentially as you get closer to peak dinner time. The inside was huge and spacious! I really liked how modern it looked inside, and the buffet area was maintained well despite so many people going through there. There were a lot of different buffet areas, including a sauce bar, proteins, sushi, other appetizers, meat, veggies, hot foods, and desserts. There was plenty of variety and everything was fresh! My friends and I went with the gold tier, which includes limited specialty A5 wagyu cuts, beef tongue, and one specialty item. For the broth, I went with just a simple dashi broth since I knew that the A5 wagyu being dipped into my soup would already make my broth super rich. For the specialty item, my friends and I all went with the uni and caviar lobster roll and we were NOT disappointed. I honestly think it was the best lobster roll I ever had. The brioche was perfectly buttery and toasted, and they were very generous with the lobster and uni. Every bite was actually so incredible. For the meat, all of the gold tier items were so good and melted in my mouth! Even though some of the cuts were limited, we were all satisfied and left STUFFED just ordering meats from the gold tier, even though we also had access to silver items. For the appetizers, there were so many options, but I was so addicted to the tartare. It was on a shrimp chip and I probably ate at least six of them... and I still think about it... The toro cuts of sashimi were also delicious, but I don't think they bring those out as often so definitely keep an eye out and snag some when you do see it! Overall a great experience, and our server Lia was very attentive and nice! She snatched up plates from us so fast and was very efficient overall. I'd definitely come back here for a special occasion! read more

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Arrived at 5pm, joined the waitlist, seated around 530pm. A bit of small delay at the front check-in (a tab unorganized). But we did really enjoy dinner, our server Lia showed top tier excellent customer service. She explained everything: layout of the restaurant, made recommendations, and consistently came by to check up on us and refilled our broth. Visited on Jan 18, we went with the Diamond tier. There were two specials added to the Chef's Selection: King Crab Legs and Ootoro Sashimi. Each person picks 2 from the Chef's Selection - we went with 2 orders of ootoro sashimi (each order comes with 4 slices, recommended), 1 order of the salt & pepper live crab (the flavor is so on point with cantonese seafood restaurants, not exactly meaty, but still highly recommended), and 1 order of the wagyu bone marrow rice with uni (skip, no flavor, it's a uni sauce). If you get the marrow rice, you can eat it with the crab. We picked the wagyu tomato oxtail broth (eh) and the spicy miso tonkotsu both (recommended). We like fatter richer meat options; first round was A4 chunk roll, A5 wagyu rich cut (recommended), A5 brisket, and A5 chuck ribeye (recommended). 2nd round; wagyu rich cut, chuck ribeye and 10 second crispy tongue (recommended). The self service station offers meats, seafoods, sushi/sashimi, veggies (we enjoyed the napa, mushroom, taro, and crown daisy), noodles, curry, hot pot items, fried items, dim sum and desserts (egg tart is a MUST). Drinks station - the milk tea was pretty good. We did a little shopping at Bath & Body Works, got parking validated for 2 hours. Will definitely visit again. Maybe next time, i will try a lower tier just so i can try more of the self serve station meats and seafood. read more

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I've been familiar with the chubby cattle brand for a long time and was excited to learn that Pasadena finally had a location. So excited that I finally became a member. I find it odd that they don't have signage facing Colorado Blvd as that would be great promotion for people driving by. My first visit was odd, I found the service lean elitist. The server seemed bothered to help. The second visit was a bit more relaxed and the server was so much nicer. There seemed to be less food options on the buffet though. The food is tasty. The tonkotsu broth is very rich and I preferred the miso for shabu. The restaurant is huge and they do take reservations but I have yet to see the place get full. read more

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I am a fan of Chubby. Right when I heard about Chubby Master, I placed it on my "Must GO" list. We arrived a little early and were seated in 10 minutes. Dylan was our server for the evening. He informed us that he was new. No biggie. He was nice and provided great customer service. He explained the different tiers and the discounts that they offered for members. We were excited and were hesitant on choosing Gold Tier or Diamond. We ended up with Diamond because I wanted to try the crabs. We should have went with Gold. I m sad to say that we were disappointed. Even with diamond, they only allowed 90 minutes. We chose to have 2 shows. That took up some time already. So we felt rushed. We shouldn't need to feel that way when eating at a restaurant. Esp when it ain't some cheap restaurants. Even with some cheap restaurants, we can sit and enjoy. So it was ridiculous. The shows were ok but for what?? To torch and cook one piece of Wagyu each show? Honestly, wasted our time. Also, the Wagyu that was torched was so rough. I thought it would be so tender that it would melt in my mouth..nope. I kept trying to bite it in half and was having such a hard time and I have strong teeth lol I kept pulling the meat as well...anyways..kind of embarrassing lol The Wagyu from the 2nd show was a lot better. We ended up laughing because all that work for one piece of meat. I get it that we had the option to choose 2 of the same show to get 2 pieces of meats, but it was just so silly. The crab was another disappointment. I liked the seasoning, but the crab didn't taste fresh. It was somewhat mushy. I was also looking forward to the lobster roll with the uni and caviar. That was a disappointment as well. They mostly put the claw parts instead of the actual meats. It also didn't taste that fresh. All the sushi was fresh. The curry was ok. The broths were meh. We got the passion fruit and sukiyaki. Passion fruit was a bit too spicy for us and sukiyaki was a bit too sweet. The drinks options were lacking. I was looking forward to some kinds of milk teas, but they didn't have it. They served sodas and lemonade. No teas option when Chubby do own Chubby Tea. Boo! lol I felt the desserts were the best. The ice cream Millie crepe was yummy. I m still thinking about it lol and of course, their earl grey cake was good like always. The visit was more of a 3 stars, but I will leave at 4 for now. read more

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Overall, I would give Wagyu master a 4/5. We ordered the gold tier and were allowed 1 special item per person. We ordered the lobster roll and a slice of their fancy Wagyu torched meat (I can't recall the name of the cut). The lobster roll was mediocre and would recommend skipping. The bun that the lobster roll came in was soggy, and it fell apart. The torched meat appetizer was delicious though. The sashimi and sushi were decent. Oddly enough, we felt as though the meats at the self service bar were much better than the meats from the gold selection menu off the iPad. The meats from the gold menu were a bit tough and didn't have a good balance of fat/meat ratio. We felt like we couldn't justify the cost and value of the meats from the gold selection. If I were to come back, I would go with the silver tier. Their soup bases were interesting and flavorful. We ordered the passion fruit and mala soup bases. The passion fruit soup base tasted exactly like passion fruit and was interesting. Both were fragrant and delicious. The desserts were pretty good! I enjoyed their matcha crepe cake and their mochis. Their egg tart was mediocre and didn't taste sweet enough. Service was excellent. The servers came to clear our meat plates as soon as we emptied them. The restaurant has a lot of seating and is very spacious. Wait times can get super long. We arrived 7 minutes prior to their dinner opening and there was already a wait. Personally, I would prefer Mikiya over Wagyu master. Wagyu master is not bad, but I think if I was craving hotpot or shabu, I would choose Mikiya. read more

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The food itself was a bit hit or miss for me. While the wagyu was good, it was honestly just okay, not bad by any means, but not as mind-blowing as I expected given the hype and price point. The service was friendly and attentive, and the staff did a nice job explaining the menu. The atmosphere is modern and upscale. Prices are definitely on the higher side, which is expected for wagyu, but that also raised my expectations for the meat. Some of the sides and overall presentation were enjoyable, though nothing really stood out. Overall, Wagyu Master is a decent spot with a nice vibe and good service. Worth trying if you're curious. read more

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