Kaizen Shabu

Came in a couple days ago, upon entering I will say I was a little disappointed with the service in the beginning since I was waiting for a while to get my order in, but that quickly changed. My man Jacob took great care of me when I was there. I ended up ordering the carnivore plate and got 2 orders of the angus beef, 1 pork belly, 1 Kurobuta pork. All were delicious. I paired those up with the tonkotsu base. Super filling and would definitely be coming back. The chicken karaage was super crunchy and a great appetizer. The hot sauce that he gave me, BOMB.

Kaizen is currently my favorite non-AYCE shabu restaurant in Orange County and they offer excellent service with amazing options for shabu. They have a wide variety of protein options to choose from including A5 Wagyu alongside broth options like coconut curry or Santa Ana Szechuan if you want something sweet or spicy.They have indoor seating or outdoor seating and it's usually packed most days for dinner and less crowded during lunch. Service is quick here and the staff regularly check in to make sure you are having a great dining experience. The ambiance is usually lively here and everything is kept pretty clean before you are seated and while you are dining. The price you pay for dining here is definitely worth it and they have so many options to chose from and they also have appetizers like garlic edamame and alcohol as well. If you want great shabu, look no further than Kaizen in DTSA!. Parking is also available on the street or in one of the nearby lots.

I'ma be real with y'all: I haven't left a review for Kaizen yet because every time I dine here I end up leaving smashed, so my experience is always a little hazy at the end of the meal and even more so by the time my drunk ass leaves.Well, I have excellent news everyone! I finally had the opportunity last Friday to dine here and left the least intoxicated I have ever been!Kaizen is what shabu places should strive for: Quality meats with a variety of options, a fun dining experience with a lively atmosphere, modern decor, and plenty of broth options without being nickel and dimed unless you want something fancy which even then is only a couple bucks more. Some places will charge you for anything else simply because you don't want to stick to plain ass, boring ass water.Anyway, every component of the meal is top notch. The ponzu is citrusy, sweet, and savory. Very balanced. The goma sauce is the perfect consistency. Not too thick and not too runny. A touch of sweet, nutty, and creamy. I don't know how else to describe it without it feeling sexual, but I said what I said.More importantly, the angus beef and lamb were excellent and the produce was fresh and flawless. The beef dipped and cooked in spicy miso, dipped into a bit of ponzu, with a bite of rice is so peak. Going back to the spicy miso, there's actually FLAVOR in the broth. A lot of places don't and I feel like it's mostly there just for color, but that's not the case at Kaizen.Finally, the service alone was worthy of 5 stars. I forget the girl's name (I don't remember if she did tell us her name), but her and Lampson made sure we were taken care of throughout our meal. They made the experience fun too, which is huge to me. Can't stand snoozy boring restaurants, especially when going out for dinner on a weekend.Looking forward to coming back again soon!

One of my new favorite hotpot places for sure. I was able to make reservations online even if it's an hour before and that was super helpful! The meat was extremely fresh and broth was perfect to taste. I sat at the bar and servers were super attentive.

We had a wonderful experience at Kaizen. The wait wasn't long, and we sat outside since my grandma wouldn't be comfortable at the bar. The heaters kept it warm and cozy, and parking was easy - there's a lot right behind the restaurant and a station a block away.The food was fantastic! The spicy miso broth had just the right kick, and my grandma loved it. The calamari stole the show, it's technically squid with spicy salt but crispy outside and tender inside. So soooo good! Service was incredibly attentive and sweet, always checking on my grandma and making us feel so cared for. Kaizen is definitely a new favorite!

Kaizen Shabu is a cozy Shabu Shabu spot in downtown Santa Ana. The entire restaurant features sleek bar top seating and there are regular tables outdoors.I ordered the split broth with Tom Yum and Santa Ana Szechuan and really enjoyed the flavor of the broths. There's also an option to add additional spice to your broth or sauce for free, but it was great as is. I paired this with the Prime Ribeye which was thin cut and delicious. The staff were very friendly and were there to provide helpful recommendations. Overall, I enjoyed the food but it is a little pricey compared to an AYCE hotpot spot (especially if you're hungry and can down several plates of meat).

Kaizen Shabu has become our go-to for hot pot since moving to OC. They let you combine broths (a major plus), and our favorite mix is Tom Yum and Tonkatsu. You get that spicy, tangy punch from the Tom Yum balanced with the rich, savory flavor of the Tonkatsu - it just works.We also always get the calamari appetizer. If you're a garlic lover, this one's a lock. They don't hold back on the fried garlic, and it's amazing. Perfect way to start before diving into the hot pot.The owner is super friendly. If it's not too busy (and sometimes even when it is), he'll stop by, chat a bit, and if you're lucky, might even throw in some sake on the house. I don't drink anymore, but so it's literally the thought that counts for me!Reservations: I mean the option's there so why not use it, but honestly, we've never had to wait long, even on Friday or Saturday evenings around 5:30pm-6pm.Parking: Can be tricky if there's an event, but they're working on reopening the adjacent lot, so it should get better soon.Yelp Adventure 2024 - 11 of ??

I must give this place 5!! They did it, they absolutely earned this 5! Our server...I feel horrible, I don't recall her name but a young girl was awesome server! Pry been there a while, she was fast! We got there around 5ish so took advantage of the happy hour. Our first time here, I seen this place after getting lost bit it was closed so couldn't try it out. We ordered rolls, appetizers, drinks and dessert. Calamari was crispy, so delicious. Gyozas were also another hit, the sauce taste like citrus which I love! Salmon sashimi is a must, my daughter was in heaven the fish so creamy, so goooood. I ordered soup the pork based. I thought it wasn't going to be tasty cause let's be real the color was scary . I added the chili powder on the table and it was delicious. Parking was easy, but then again the server told us "you came right on time" she was awesome, it got real busy all tables were filled and she was on it, great service! Kudos to entire staff!

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!

Can't wait to come back! Tom yum is my favorite soup so I'm always nervous to try different places. But omg this has to be one of the best tom yum broths I've ever had!! The sukiyaki broth was also one of the best I've had. Both were flavorful! (Didn't get a better picture because I was too busy enjoying)The meats were high quality and great cuts. We had the prime ribeye and certified angus beef. I saw a bunch of reviews about the calamari prior to my visit. It did not disappoint! It was well seasoned and had the perfect amount of crisp. I had the toasted sesame espresso martini. The flavors were on point. I'm not the biggest sesame fan but I love to try specialty espresso martinis. If you're a sesame lover, I think you'll enjoy this. The service was great. We were greeted immediately upon arrival. All of the staff members were nice and upbeat. I liked the feel of the restaurant. Pretty quiet and intimate. Majority of the tables were high tops, and I usually prefer regular tables. If it wasn't so cold, I would have liked to sit outside. I will definitely be back soon!