The Most Delectable Hot Pot in Irvine

Prime Hot Pot

★★★★☆ 4 (159)

"Walked in (without reservations) with my family. Huge place. Plenty of seating. Super nice lady and great service My kids ate free. No charge. Yay!The service was great. Lots of water next to you (in the push cart) and lots of napkins also (in the push cart at the bottom right drawer). $35 for cheapest lunch menu per person. It's all you can eat. It's so good. There are only 5 diff meats but the meats were good. The noodles were good. The rice was good. Omg I also ordered salmon sushi just to try out. So funny but their salmon sushi was fresher and more delicious than an actual sushi place! Couldn't believe how good it was. I got fish filet also. My kids love fish filet so it's always a must order for me. I got the bone broth. And also got the chicken with pork bone broth. Both of these are not spicy and awesome tasting. For meats - they'll give you a sampler plate if you ask. Which is when they'll give you 5 diff meats on one plate just to try a bit of everything. I did this to try all the meats. Towards the end, I recommend only getting the chuck roll and the beef plate. Both of these are amazing. Skip the brisket because you can get that meat anywhere. But the chuck roll hands down had the most marbling so it was nice and fatty haha. You walk up to grab / make your own sauces. They don't charge extra for making your own sauces like other hot pot places. Forgot to mention. At the very end, they give your kids free ice cream. At least they gave my kids some free ice cream lol. Vanilla or strawberry flavored. 100% milk and has a spoon inside. Loved it! I'll be back!To be honest, I prefer this place over Haidi Lao. Can't believe I'm saying that but this place is more delicious."

Halves Boiling Pot + Grill

★★★★☆ 4.4 (854) • $$$

"Half hot pot, half bbq grill, one full belly! Absolutely delicious, especially that Mongolian broth. A bit pricey sure, but well worth it for good quality meat. We went on a Sunday evening and it wasn't too busy, one waiter behind the bar and one waitress working the floor, both were very friendly and helpful. A lot of the negative reviews mentioned poor service, I can see that if the restaurant was packed, 2 servers may be overwhelmed, but this is a cook your own food restaurant, serve yoself! lol, we experienced excellent service all around."

Mokkoji Shabu Shabu Bar

★★★★☆ 4.1 • $$$

"The toro fatty belly with Miso soup broth is my go to here! I put myself on the Yelp waitlist on Saturday night and the wait was around 40 minutes. As we got seated our order was taken promptly and our veggie sides and meat came shortly after. The ponzu and sesame sauce that comes with the meal are so good! You can also ask for hot sauce drops in your sauce if you like it more spicy.The ambiance is spacious and there's table and bar seating!"

All That Shabu

★★★★★ 4.5 • $$$

"Goodness, if I could live here, I would. First, when you walk in, you'll notice the servers are at WORK - they are all moving 80mph, lol and when we were seated, their pace did not change, they bring out meat so fast every round you order. It is all you can eat within 90-minutes so come hungry and ready. The ambiance is great because the space is wide open between food bars, you aren't cramped like other places. The sauce bar is huge, the veggie and seafood section is huge, and I was surprised how many cooked foods they have out - I ate so much of this fried vegetable I can't remember. Ugh. Everything is so good, you can't go wrong! I also like that the tables are well spaced out so it doesn't feel like you're sitting on top of your neighbor or shouting over other people's conversations."

Bien Hen Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.2 (966) • $$

"The seafood here was amazing and fresh... I recommend coming in early so they don't run out of certain seafoods... as they did not have all the clams when we came last. The service was pretty good but you do have to wave down the server a few times to bring napkins and water when they are busy.I'd give them 5 stars but their noodles are meh... and the soup I had last time was lackluster as well. So I highly recommend seafood and stick to the seafood!"

Northern Cafe

★★★★☆ 4 (426) • $$

"I had lunch here with my daughter and friend. We ordered the following to share:Beef noodle soupDan Dan noodlesBeef roll Juicy pork dumpling Pork potstickers Steamed red bean paste buns Overall, we enjoyed the food here. The Dan Dan noodles were a bit too salty, but everything else was great. Our favorite were the steamed red bean paste buns. I could've eaten a basket full of those and be really happy! The restaurant is pretty casual, you order at the counter and food is delivered to the table. There is a water station with cups that is self serve. The food was tasty, reasonably priced, prepared quickly, and the portions were large."

Malubianbian

★★★★☆ 4.3 (196)

"Came here with my mom on Thursday, February 13th at around 4 pm. It was pouring rain so it was a perfect day to eat hot pot. The place had 2 other customers. The place was very clean and the workers were really nice knowing that it was our first time eating here.My mom loves buffets so I knew she would like the concept of this hot pot place because you get to grab your food/skewers from the fridge yourself. I like that I can grab what I want to eat instead of ordering and them bringing too much of something. There were a lot of options of meat skewers and veggies. My mom and I love veggies so we loved grabbing the bamboo, sliced lotus roots, cornlettes, etc. We chose the broth with mushroom and that was really good. I really enjoyed their snow fungus soup. It wasn't too sweet. At the end of the day, I wanted to treat my mom and she enjoyed it. Also, that day we got a discount. So, I'm happy."

Slice Shabu

★★★★☆ 4.1 (416) • $$

"This is my whole family's favorite spot. Every time there's a birthday or occasion to celebrate, we're going to Slice Shabu. The food is incredible and with the hot pot experience, there is extra time to catch up and chat. I highly recommend the spicy miso and the 1855 Ribeye. My mom and I usually order a larger portion to split and it's perfect. Of all the hot pot places I've tried, this is my favorite for the food quality itself. 5/5!"

Sorimmara

★★★★☆ 4.3 (199)

"We love the mala heat yet it's hella spicy but the best ways to cool ourselves down is with their appetizers and refreshing @milkisusa and Melon Korean Milk! I got the Rose Mal Tang level 1 plus cheese but no numbing added! I know I am boring but it's the best way for me to get thru mala tang. I love their creamy shrimp and that white sauce reminds me of a walnut shrimp sauce. The sweet and sour pork is actually red instead of the yellow sweet sauce we are used to at Chinese Korean restaurants. My son devoured the spam fried rice and it was filled with lots of spam. I love how Sorimmara is so spacious and bright with a ton of toppings selection and sauce bar.plus the service is very helpful and friendly."

Hot Pot City

★★★★☆ 3.6 (412) • $$

"The food was excellent, the service was impeccable, and it was getting closer to closing time that I felt that my boyfriend bought out the restaurant to ourselves. Everyone is so friendly in there. 10/10 recommend this spot."

Oishi Shabu Shabu

★★★★☆ 4.3 • $$$

"I am no shabu shau authority, but I know good food when I taste it.A friend treated me to shabu-shabu and likes Oishi because they have a wagyu beef option. I needed a tutorial about what to get to add to my hot pot. I could have easily just used the wide range of fish and veggies to add to my hot pot and not had any meat at all and still been happy. Of course, the wagyu beef and pork were delightful and I'm glad I got to experience it. The premium option is $57.99, and it includes some wagyu, and that's for all you can eat, and that's the price all day, every day. There's a cheaper option with no wagyu that is $25.99 for lunch, and $33.99 for dinner and all day on holidays. I think I would have been just as happy with the$33.99 option. The service was great and it's a little noisy in a very good way...it's the sound of people enjoying their food and having a nice conversation. The parking lot in front was full, but the parking structure had tons of parking. I would suggest driving around the parking structure until you see the door that is marked Oishi and park close to it. Also, it's easy to get mixed up when leaving because there are no exit directions, so pay close attention to where the exit is when you enter the parking structure. I don't know why they don't put a sign there."

YinTang Spicy Hot Pot

★★★★★ 4.6 (353) • $$

"I have eaten here 10-15 times, all through my pregnancy and after. I have brought different group of my friends, and the same friends again. These friends have brought their own friends. That is enough to say that this place is really good and meets the needs for a wide range of people!In a large bowl, you use the tongs to grab what you want and then the cashier will weigh your bowl and ask which soup base you prefer. The signature broth is my favorite. The tomato broth is great for kids (no spice). Then they take the bowl to cook your items in the back, give you a number, and they bring the soup to you in a large bowl. As you wait, you can make yourself dipping sauces. I like to combine the satay, sesame, chili oil, garlic, and cilantro together.Sometimes I eat with my eyes while I'm picking items to add to my bowl, and it's way too much food, but it tastes great the next day and they have togo containers for you, too!"

Thai Gulf Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4 • $$

"The flavors of spicy, sour, sweet, salty, tangy, every taste found in Thai food really hits home with the dishes offered here. I called Thai Gulf for take-out on the way home from work for an order of the Massaman curry, a side of roti, crab fried rice and pad Thai- all medium spicy. I was really impressed with the curry! Deep, rich curry flavor in a creamy sauce- perfect for dunking the roti bread in! The crab fried rice was a huge hit with the family as well and you can never go wrong with pad Thai. Tip- if you like extra spice, just add for extra chilis and fish sauce on the side! Definitely a favorite take out or eat in place for Thai"

Kaizen Shabu

★★★★★ 4.7 • $$

"Love this place! Quality of food and broth is always great. The service is always great as well. Management came by and provided free dessert and sake for us waiting which was very kind of them. Wait staff is always fun and attentive as well. Parking can be a bit tough but usually have paid street parking spots around. I recommend the tonkatsu broth with a couple of hot drops!"

Nice To Meet You Skewer Hot Pot

★★★★☆ 4.3 (471) • $$$

"Craving Authentic Sichuan Skewers & Hot Pot in the U.S.? If you're looking for authentic Sichuan-style skewers and hot pot, "That Year Met Skewers" in Irvine is an absolute must-visit hidden gem! They offer a self-serve skewer & hot pot experience with fresh ingredients and rich, flavorful broth--a true paradise for spice lovers! Dining Experience Spacious and bright environment with attentive service (they refill your broth anytime!). Self-serve style--grab as many skewers as you want, eat at your own pace, and fully satisfy your hot pot cravings! Why You MUST Try This Place? All-you-can-eat skewers & hot pot--endless combinations, endless satisfaction! Authentic Sichuan broth & fresh ingredients--real Chengdu flavors! Great value for money--perfect for group dining!If you love Sichuan-style skewers and hot pot, this spot is a must-try![ Learn from Chengdu Locals: The "Proper" Way to Eat! ] Grab a LOT of skewers at once--yes, really A LOT! (See Image 10)1 Put all your skewers into the pot at once.2 Cover them with an upside-down cup.3 Wait for everything to cook together--then enjoy the perfect bite! Tip: Go for the spicy broth! If you can handle mild spice, it's absolutely delicious!"

Cal Shabu - Costa Mesa

★★★★☆ 4.2 • $$$

"Wanted shabu for dinner on a cold night. My boyfriend and I decided to try this place. It's located close to the camp in Costa Mesa in a small shopping center. Most of the businesses in the shopping center were closed at this time so we almost missed it at first. It was very busy on a Saturday night. We joined the Yelp waitlist from home and still had to wait after we arrived and even for a while after our expected seating window. I would recommend getting on Yelp waitlist as soon as possible during busy hours or checking the wait in advance.Once seated everything else was very quick. Orders were started immediately. I believe the manager or owner was assisting us, but I am not sure (I didn't catch his name). He was super friendly and took the time to explain things and made recommendations. It seemed like he knew many of the customers and took the time to greet and speak with many people eating. I really appreciated that he took the time to greet so many people and also explain things to us. We both got 1/2 spicy miso and 1/2 tonkotsu broth with our proteins of choice. The broth was flavorful and had a little kick, but was not overly spicy - I would order it the same way again. The dipping sauces were both delicious. I was so hungry I forgot to take pics! Overall, it was perfect for what we were craving and we enjoyed our experience. Looking forward to returning in the future!"

dPot Unlimited

★★★★☆ 4.3 (445) • $$$

"If you're trying to figure out what makes this hot pot restaurant different than others, it is the steamed meats. I was skeptical at first but I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised on how delicious it can be, flavorful, tender, and superb all around. We came during a weekend for dinner and had to wait about 30 minutes. Because this is located in the Woodbridge plaza by the AMC (formerly dollar theater - yes, I remember those days), there's plenty to do while you wait. Service was fast and we got our meats and broth within a few minutes of ordering. We got the bulgogi broth (kind of sweet, if you enjoy sweet broths) and mala broth (I'd say a 5/10 spicy level). Of all the meats, I recommend the rib eye, tender and melts in your mouth. There's also "small bites" of fried pork belly and chicken karaage. I recommend the latter.The interior is spacious but you should wear what you would wear to a kbbq because your clothes may smell like food afterwards."

True Seasons Organic Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4 (851) • $$

"If you want to experience a healthy, vibrant meal made with love, come to True Seasons.Especially great for those who can't choose one thing or have different tastes in their party, they offer everything from hot pot to wraps to poke to curry and more. My husband is vegetarian and they have ample options for vegans, vegetarians and pescatarians.We didn't have a reservation and were seated right away. The seating is fun, you are seated around the bar.We had the following:Vegan spring rolls ($11) - 3/5This seemed like any usual frozen spring rolls. It tasted a bit bland and came with a generic sauce you can find in stores. I wouldn't order this again. My husband did like it.Vegan hot pot ($25 + $2 for spicy miso broth) - 5/5Lots of vegetables are provided! If you don't like a certain vegetable (hubby doesn't eat mushrooms), let them know and they'll switch it out! This was SO MUCH FOOD! He loves the dipping sauces. Poke bowl ($17) - 4/5For poke, there is no variety provided. Basically, this is the one option. I'm used to going to poke places and building my own bowl, so I would prefer some variety in toppings. Now, the tuna quality is excellent!! Really delicious. Also, SO MUCH FOOD! I ate this over the course of 3 days, that's how much there was! One note of caution: easy with the sauce! I didn't realize the sauce on the side was so salty and quickly realized that was why the sauce was on the side! Steamed mixed vegetables ($3) - 5/5I also asked for vegetables because I was told the poke bowl did not come with vegetables. I was surprised by how MUCH FOOD was provided! They also stayed super hot the whole meal! All in all, the prices are very good considering how much quantity of food is provided.Also, the staff is incredibly sweet and very attentive. We were the last ones there and she even offered us to order dessert and it was past closing time! She shared she doesn't rush anyone out just because they've closed. I was wow'd by that.I can't remember her name but there's a manager who works there most days and she's the best. She worked for the previous owners and I remember her from that time. She loves what she does and you can totally tell from the love she pours into the patrons. Definitely pay them a visit!"

Miss Shabu Restaurant & Sake Bar

★★★★★ 4.7 (749) • $$$

"I love there shabu!! Its the best in OC!! My daughter loves here fyi she a picky eater!! We love the selection of the bar(salad&korean foods) seafood too. The meat is so tender literally melts in your mouth especially beef belly and pork belly you should definitely try it. You can also make porridge in the end it's so delicious!!! Their service was amazing and quick which I loved it. The interior is so chic and modern, clean. They have huge parking area. I totally would recommend to my family and friends. Great for any gatherings! Music is not loud so it's prefect for family with little one too. They have lunch and dinner menu different in price."

Shinobu Shabu

★★★★☆ 4.4 (987) • $$

"There are two Shinobu restaurants a few doors away from each other. One is shabu shabu and the other is Japanese BBQ so make sure you go to the right one. They have a Yelp waitlist, but there was no wait when we went. There is seating at the bar, as well as tables along the other wall. If you walk to the back and go around the corner, I believe there are more tables over there on the other side. They have two tiers of AYCE, silver and gold. The gold tier includes everything in the silver tier and adds USDA prime short rib & ribeye as well as salmon. We opted for the silver tier which has a good variety of red meat as well as chicken breast and shrimp and is quite a bit less expensive.There are four broths to choose from and I always go with spicy miso. Hot drops are available upon request to kick up the heat. You can order as much meat as you like as well as appetizers, veggies, and noodles. We had several rounds of gyoza and panko fried shrimp which were excellent and each came with its own sauce. The meats all had great flavor and the shrimp are already peeled and deveined making them easy to cook and eat without making a mess. They give you two small bowls of sauce for dipping which includes a peanut sauce which I didn't really care for and a soy sauce. If you have more than a few people in your party, you may have to share half of a regular sized broth bowl. They have a good bar menu and we enjoyed a few bottles of Kikusui sake.The silver tier is a very good dinner value for $36.99 per person as of February 2025. Service was good and I would return again if in the area and have a taste for shabu shabu."

Zhangliang Malatang - Irvine

★★★★☆ 4.2 (303) • $$

"Rating: 5/5Love this place! Always my go-to dinner hot pot spot. The concept is great -- choosing what you want in your soup and paying per pound ($14.99).They have so many food options you can fill your bowl with, but keep in mind that a pound can rack up fast and it can be a lotttt of food. I've only gotten the Classic Bone Broth in mild for my soup flavor and I will never get tired of it. They also have a sauce bar like other hot pot places.It wasn't tooo busy every time I've gone. I was always able to get a table right away considering the place is slightly small. However, dinner is a bit busier than other times! The service is always great too. They bring out the soup pretty fast."

Tabu Shabu - Costa Mesa

★★★★☆ 4.4 • $$

"solid shabu place!everything was fresh and delicious with great recommendations.very attentive, helpful and nice staff!loved the atmosphere and trendy aesthetic. not too quiet, but not too loud. we arrived before a little rush but love that they have a yelp waitlist."

Shancheng Lameizi Hot Pot

★★★★☆ 4.2 (107) • $$

"Service is great. Everybody is so nice so friendly so welcoming , they tried to recommend us what to order which was very helpful.Meat, veggies, and food are all fresh , the ingredients are solid, and the snacks are abundant . I like the mushroom broth . Enjoyed some traditional Chinese options in this hotpot place."

HOT Com Tam

★★★★☆ 4.3 (84) • $$

"This place is GOOD. My favorite com tam place I've had in a long time and I will be back. PARKING & LOCATION //Parking is easy with its own lot but kind of the middle of not that much. Hard to miss and I wouldn't worry about parking.FOOD //I ordered the com tam with ba mon (3 sides): lap xuong (Chinese sausage), tau hy ky (tofu skin), and thit nuong (grilled pork). I also got a side of their broth. Everything was so fresh, flavorful, and delicious. It did not feel greasy at all and just tasted really authentic. You order on an iPad and they bring it out. I would absolutely get this dish again and the tau hu ky is a MUST side dish for me.AMBIANCE //I was nervous because it felt so modern and new inside and didn't want to give up that home-like feel/taste to the dish but they really nailed it! The restaurant itself is quite big and the tables are spaced out. Because of the iPads, you technically don't have to talk to the staff if you don't want to but I did see some older couples just order verbally as well.OVERALL // 5.0No frills but very modern com tam place that I think about every week. I can't wait to go back!"

Favori Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.7 (97)

"Favori has opened their second location and this one is huge, great for groups! You don't need to wait in line anymore. I love how they keep their signature dishes with the remodeled interior. I tried:1. Escargot2. Mực rang muối3. Bò 5 món: bò lá lốt, bò cuộn nướng, bò nhúng giấm, bò nộm4. Garlic bread5. Butterfly pea flower6. Sodas"

Northern Cafe

★★★★☆ 4 (427) • $$

"I had lunch here with my daughter and friend. We ordered the following to share:Beef noodle soupDan Dan noodlesBeef roll Juicy pork dumpling Pork potstickers Steamed red bean paste buns Overall, we enjoyed the food here. The Dan Dan noodles were a bit too salty, but everything else was great. Our favorite were the steamed red bean paste buns. I could've eaten a basket full of those and be really happy! The restaurant is pretty casual, you order at the counter and food is delivered to the table. There is a water station with cups that is self serve. The food was tasty, reasonably priced, prepared quickly, and the portions were large."

Mokkoji Shabu Shabu

★★★★☆ 4 (451) • $$

"I was never a shabu fan until I tried Mokkoji. It's soo delicious, I can never get enough! All of my visits here have been great, from the service I receive, the food, the environment, everything is a 10/10. Depending on what time you go during the day, parking might be a little difficult since the plaza is a bit small. I usually get the Original broth with a Regular Toro, but if I'm feeling extra hungry, I would get the large and give my boyfriend whatever I can't finish. My boyfriend likes the Spicy Pork Broth, which is also really good but keep in mind, that one is $5 extra. The order comes with ponzu and peanut sauce, a bowl of white rice, and veggies/udon/tofu. The meat is plated so beautifully, you can't help but snap a picture. Not only that, but it's such good quality. I've had shabu meats where it's too dry or chewy and wasn't enjoyable. But that's never the case here, leaving me with a good lasting impression every single time.Some things to note: They do offer indoor and outdoor seating (I prefer sitting indoors). The price might seem a little expensive (my order comes out to around $25-$30) but for the amount of food you get + the quality, it's always worth it in my opinion. For your broth and/or sauces, the servers ask if you want hot drops but if you're not a fan for spice, beware because even just one drop is SPICY! Don't underestimate those tiny drops. Also Mokkoji is not AYCE, but even though that's the case, the amount of meat they give is enough to fill me up. 10/10!!!"

Cal Shabu

★★★★☆ 4.2 (758) • $$

"My absolute favorite place to grab Shabu! Everything is super fresh here from the veggies all the way to the protein. I'm usually picky with my soup and this place gets it right every time to the point where I'll even bring my leftovers home which I rarely do. It's always great to see Emaly, Heidi and Chris everytime I come in and they're all super sweet and always checks in ! Since it's cold I'll be coming back more often and hope to see them soon! Thanks guys !"

Red Flame

★★★★☆ 4.1 • $$

"I love how this place is always super quick. I hate waiting around forever. It's super clean inside and the service is great. My soup every single time is amazing and I crave it until I return. All the things going on in that pot....YUM. SO GOOOOOOD!!"

ZZ Hotpot House

★★★★☆ 4.3 (600) • $$

"Good lunch location. Service was great and the food was delicious. This was the hot pot lunch special and was very reasonable price!"

Yummy Yummy

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (60)

"Our order: Sichuan peppercorn soup base + a variety of ingredientsFor people unfamiliar with malatang, it is a Chinese street food similar to hot pot but you don't have to do any of the cooking. Yummy Yummy features a buffet table where you select your desired ingredients, put them in a bowl to be weighed, and taken to the back to be cooked in your chosen soup base. Typically, you wouldn't drink the soup but at this restaurant you can. The Sichuan peppercorn soup was a little numbing, a little tingling but largely just pork bone broth goodness. The variety of ingredients were lacking here but I can forgive that considering 1) it is open until 2AM and 2) they sell delicious coconut jelly desserts (check out my Kokonut review!) and awesome-looking fried chicken. This massive bowl took care of my drunken munchies and prepped my body for a deep sleep into 2023. The owner and server were super busy that night but they still took time to converse and interact with their customers. Limited dine-in space and a couple of tables are taken up by DoorDash/Uber Eats orders."

Jomaru Korean Hot Pot

★★★★★ 4.8 (53)

"Holy smokes, can I give this place more than 5 stars?!We were headed to a restaurant on Christmas Eve on a whim and drove by this place and decided to stop in. I had never heard of this place but decided why not ... and I'm so glad we did! What a wonderful surprise !We ordered the medium spicy pork hot pot that is supposed to serve 2. It could easily serve 3 good eaters or 4 eaters if you add on the extras. The broth. The broth is so good. It comes out warm already and then heats up quickly on the burner. The meat bones are so juicy and the meat is so tender it falls off the bones. The meat is delicious. You don't even need to order additional sides, the OG base is hefty enough. We had no idea so we ordered extras with enthusiasm the additional mushrooms, ramen, and rice cakes added great volume to the dish and were all delicious. My belly was bursting at the end; I basically rolled out the door All the little side garnishes they bring out stack neatly on top of each other when done. I love that detail. The kimchi radish and OG kimchi were delicious. The seasoned potatoes were so good. We also ordered the mini ttopoki appetizer and added cheese and it was really good. It mirrors the additional extra we ordered (rice cakes) so that felt like a duplicate that we didn't need but I didn't know, and who cares I ate it all anyway! The service here is spectacular. They are all so kind, helpful, and the food comes out quickly. They have a button for service calls on the wall if we needed them but we never needed to use it because the service was just always so prompt. Splish splash warning! Glad I was wearing all black as I splashed the broth around trying to grab the meat bones etc. so beware it can get messy. I saw them hand out disposable bibs to some people so that's for next time What a hidden gem and what a wonderful dinner tonight. Highly recommend coming here and we will be back soon!"

Hi House

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (188) • $$

"I love the lamb skews really tasty. And the ramen noodle soup is a must! Service is wonderful and they are very attentive. I love dining in, but it can get dangerous because the more you eat the more you wanna try. I recommend this place to everyone who's ramen lover."

Mokkoji Shabu Shabu

★★★★☆ 4.4 (497) • $$

"This is my first time going to Mokkoji as I've heard from word of mouth that this is the go-to spot for shabu shabu! I decided to try it specifically at this location as it has better ratings in terms of service and overall experience. Fresh baskets of veggies and toppings were already laid on out the table and we had to scan the QR code on the table for the menu. Also, tip: Check in for a free refill of veggies! Otherwise, the only veggies they can refill are limited to the cabbage and kale I believe.I was recommended the Spicy Pork Broth and either the Toro Fatty Beef Belly or Flat Iron "Mokkoji" Beef cut as the proteins. The portion size of the meats range from 10pcs to 52 pcs of meat. They also asked if I wanted the meats marinated in sauce in which I agreed upon. After mixing my soup paste with the broth and it was boiling, I cooked my meats. The beef was good quality and held the flavor of their garlic sauce after cooking. My soup became more flavorful after every dip but got a little heavy towards the end of the meal. I like that they include udon noodles and white rice as well. To amp up the spice, we added these spicy drops. I found 2-3 drops to be perfect for my spice level, however, I think 4-5 drops would make the broth actually spicy.Service was great and attentive and this Shabu experience did meet my expectations! I do see myself coming back to Mokkoji again as I feel like the value and quality is up there!"

Boiling Point

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (180) • $$

"As the Garden Grove location of this local chain was getting to a point where it was reaching capacity almost every day including early weekdays, this "Garden Grove 2" location was a welcomed addition to the hot pot scene in OC.Expect long waits during peak hours, however, pick up orders through the app are prepared promptly and always ready on-time. Ensure to enter your loyalty card ID on your receipt when paying in-store!The ambiance is bright and the staff is attentive and warm, welcoming and friendly, while maintaining effectiveness adding broth and turning off flames.Can't wait to redeem my free bowl soon!"