Cal Shabu

Basic, not innovative. Nothing stands out at all. Vegetables solid. Very confusing meat-​ordering menu. If you try to do math, your head may start spinning as some of the combo/​slice options are very unintuitive. Trying to order and add-​on meat does not happen in a user-​friendly manner — in the middle you are given various meats with a different price per # of slice, then on the sides «large» and «small» extra. Nowhere do you know how many ounces you get either. Meat quality is decent-​to-​good though.
Offers the exact same thing as every other Japanese-​style shabu shabu place, the same ingredients, the same soup, the same two sauces, the same vegetables, in a slightly different arrangement. If you happen to eat hot pot/​shabu shabu 3 – 4 times a week, you really start to notice the low effort of some restaurants. And then you yearn for the innovation of some — like Mokkoji — or simply the wider variety of soup bases offered at other hot pots.
The plus here is that the drink menu is pretty wide-​ranging, and the infused sakes are nice to try. Doesn’t go lower than 3 stars since the quality was relatively good. But quite expensive, and doesn’t offer anything extra. Nice décor and waiting area.

Came for lunch with the co-​workers. Staff was inattentive and unavailable. If I didn’t call out for menus I don’t think we would have gotten any.
Pretty sure the «broth» was just straight up water. When my coworkers pot was low on broth, before our order came out bc the heat was too high and it evaporated, they added water to the pot. I repeatedly asked several different staff for soup bowls, and was left hanging. Had to ask for rice otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten any… This place didn’t used to be like this. What happened? New ownership?
For the high price, nonexistent service, and ok food I would not recommend a repeat visit. There are better options for shabu out there.

AMAZING SPOT!!! Very first time here and the staff was INCREDIBLE! Kevin made out sauce and came out delicious! There is seriously not a single thing that went wrong while we were there! Definitely would recommend it to anyone who would like to try Shabu for the first time.

I’m kind of new at shabu, but Cal Shabu was fantastic. I still don’t feel like I know exactly what I’m doing, but the staff here were very helpful, explained everything, and came back to check on us periodically to see if we were doing ok. The food feels so fresh and clean. I had a pork/​prime beef ribeye combo. Everything was tasty, though I think I’ll stick to just beef next time. Service was excellent. I want to go back for sure. I just wish I lived closer so I could eat here more often. The few low reviews don’t seem on point to me.

Yummy everything
Quick service. Cool atmosphere/​artwork. Fresh healthy options. Clean restaurant. Everything is at good prices. Owner is personable and appreciative. Always happy to go here.

The meat is high quality, veggies fresh, ambiance great, and the guys that work here are super nice and friendly. We love coming here for date night and Andy always takes such good care of us! Can’t wait to go back!

LEGENDARY
Very much like the Roger Rabbit, Kid N’ play, and Running man. Cali Shabu is the originator of its kind. I have been a loyal costumer for over a decade and will always need to have my fix!
My go to as of late is the Jack Prime which fills me all way up. only reason why its getting four stars is because they started using baby carrots.

Came here with my friend, Thang, and we left unimpressed. It seems that if you’re a regular customer here, the service is great but if you’re a first-​timer, the service is pretty shit. We would ask for spoons, more water, etc. and wouldn’t be attended to until after the employees took shots with the other diners. We may not have been regulars, but at least be attentive, for crying out loud. Service killed it for me, if I’ll be honest. Service, ¹⁄₅.
In terms of the food, I’d give it ³⁄₅. Nothing particularly special about the meat here or the broth (you get to customize it). I honestly feel like it was overpriced.
Some people have complained about the décor in other reviews, but I didn’t actually find it that offensive — it was different and pretty cool.
Glad I came to try it, but if I’m craving shabu ever again, I’ll drive further to Shinsengumi for better service, broths, and meat.

It was our first time trying any kind of shabu.
Perfect date night. Everything was delicious and well priced.
Next time we will have them season the water for us. We didn’t quite know what we were doing. So I recommend that someone does it for first timers. The servers are awesome and really fun. Really a lovely experience.
Loved it! Will return!

I really want to know why this place has such good reviews. I seriously don’t understand. If I knew that I was going to sit in front of a pot of boiling water I would never ever come here. I felt so bad that I took my uncle here…
This was the worst shabu shabu I’ve ever had. To start off, what kind of soup base is that??? that pathetic looking kelp didn’t do anything to that «soup» or should I say water. Basically, they give you a pot of boiling water and you just blanch your meat in it. Oh, you know at least some places have good sauces to make up for their horrendous soup base but not this place. Seriously don’t know why people rave about the two dipping sauces. they were honestly not that good. The ponzu sauce is like any other ponzu sauce and the goma dare tastes just like any other sesame sauce. The little condiments on the table didn’t help flavor the broth (water) one bit. I wish they had salt on the table. That would’ve helped a lot more. I got so disappointed I just dumped my bowl of ponzu sauce and poured the whole jar of garlic and green onions into the pot.
This place is awesome if you’re on a no salt, no flavor diet. This place is also not cheap, if I’m paying that much I better be getting a bomb ass meal. You can easily go to other shabu shabu/​hot pot joints with that price range and have some flavorful soup bases and good sauces. It was my first time coming here and my last one too. I can make better hot pot at home. Just read all the one/​two stars reviews and you’ll know what I mean…

Where do I even begin with this review? I’ve been back here for quite some time over the years and my recent visits definitely finally got me to writing this review!
Food:
The beef here is really good and yes you can tell the difference! When sliced, they don’t clump together and don’t become chewy or fall apart when cooked. On top of that you can tell by the color and marbling on the meat. Cal Shabu also prides themselves on using water as their broth pushing for healthier dining AND letting you customize your broth essentially giving you a clean slate to tailor to your taste buds. Their vegetable plate also comes fresh and their goma+ponzu sauces are bomb too.
Service:
What can I say, I’m a sucker for great service! I’m always greeted every time I come in and always with a smile. When I’m here I feel like I’m part of the family. I came in a week or so ago and it was really busy. There was a couple guys who were awesome to talk to (I believe it was Kevin & Andy), then there were the lovely ladies who kept checking in on me with jokes which kept it really fun and entertaining. Nancy was serving me most of the time and she’s a dime. There was also a blonde hair girl, a smaller petite girl, and this girl with a great big smile who all served and entertained not just me but all the other customers too! Great stuff!
Overall, I definitely recommend this place if you guys are looking for some shabu shabu especially if you are in the area! There’s no such thing as perfect so only downside of this place is sometimes it gets crowded here but to help alleviate the wait is their little lounge area where you can sit and hang out!

Cal Shabu has been my go to shabu place for years now! Kevin, my server consistently gives the greatest service to me every time I’m in town. He’s very friendly, attentive, and a great manager.
Shabu is a wonderful place with a casual ambiance/​environment, fantastic music! Definitely, order the prime beef as well as the salmon. They recently added a new top of the line sake, IPPA, it’s a must try! I would recommend this restaurant to a variety of individuals, especially for a date. Remember to ask for Kevin!

I kinda got lost when I was trying to find this place because my google maps took me to a weird route but I didn’t realize how close it was to the main shopping areas LOL. When I first arrived, I was in awe with the ambiance. This shabu-​shabu is kinda hipster with all the wall art and decoration which I really like! The Pandas on the wall are way too cute haha a lot of my friends were jelly and wondering where I was at LOL
I was seated immediately since it was almost closing time for lunch. I ordered the regular prime marbled ribeye (which is usually my typical order) with brown rice. I usually like to add lots of flavor to my shabu-​shabu with like 3 drops of those hot drops for a kick of heat. Overall it was a satisfying meal! Service was great and very attentive and meal was fresh and balanced. Will come back! Thanks, Cal Shabu

AMBIANCE: A little bit hipster. What’s up with Costa Mesa being so hipster? I’m talking funky, colorful murals plastered from the ceiling to the floor. Think huge, cartoon bunnies. Seating is more sushi bar style rather than individual tables.
CUSTOMER SERVICE: Everyone was incredibly nice and accommodating, even when we wanted water changed out or when just making conversation.
FOOD: I think this was actually my first time trying shabu shabu, as I usually just stick to hot pot. Shabu feels a lot healthier. I ordered the scallops option, which was actually filling. I wasn’t quite sure how long to cook it for, but I didn’t get sick so it’s all good. The peanut sauce was perfect with a dollop or two of chili oil.

Everything else has been said here, and if you’ve gone to as many shabu places as I have, you don’t really need to hear all the details. It’s your basic shabu structured restaurant, but Cal is more than that!
I really like the environment and architecture, the paintings and decorations, and the vibe of all the employees there. Sitting in a large circle just makes it feel home-​y and they’re so friendly there. If Jeromy’s there, and it’s not too busy, ask him to show you a magic trick!
I look forward to my next meal here (:

I like soup.
Being a lover of hot soups, noodle soups and other tasty soup-​based dishes, I enjoyed my dinner at Cal Shabu this past weekend. At the recommendation of my dear cousin, we decided to try out Cal for the first time. Our usual shabu place is Shabu Shabu Bar in Santa Ana and being a loyal customer for a long time, it was hard for me to turn away. I may not want to admit it, but Cal is a good shabu option among the many in Orange County.
For Sunday dinner, there was no wait. We were seated instantly. We both went with the large portion choice rib eye (~$ 23), a pasteurized egg for dipping ($ 1) and we shared a house sake (cold). The veggie plate had some browned napa, but the udon, tofu and other veggies were fresh. The two sauces were good, and I always favor goma over everything. One hot drop in each and then added some freshly grounded sesame in there for texture and it was delicious. Would put that sauce on everything.
The meat came within 5 minutes, so our places at the counter went from empty to 100 real quick. Veggie plate, alcohol, meat plates, rice bowls all over the place, it was an organized beautiful mess. After we took the necessary photos, we started flavoring our sauces and soups with togarashi, green onion, ground daikon and a lot of garlic… always garlic. Added a few healthy swirls of soup base and we let that sucker boil before dipping in our meat. A few swishes around the pot and it came out lightly pink and perfect every time. Even though we chose Choice, it was a quality meat; soft texture, just enough marbling where you know it’s gonna taste great with minimal seasoning.
At the end of the meal, we saved our udon and some veggies to make a bowl of udon. They hand you a bigger bowl with soup base at the bottom and it’s DIY with your soupy leftovers. A good end to a good meal.
What makes a good meal better is the service and the service here was not up to par as everyone says. The moment you sit, they are quick to take your order and deliver everything to you — everything is looking good. But the moment we needed the check, everyone is walking too fast, looking away or is taking shots with coworkers or other customers. I’m totally cool with the drinking, but as long as you can balance caring for your customers that need your attention, especially if I’m right next to you, waving.
Overall, great experience, but service leaves something to be desired.

I wish I had more positive things to say at this point seeing as how I’ve been a frequent customer and really enjoyed the service up until now. I came for dinner last night with a girl friend of mine who had never visited this location and I was hoping she’d be impressed. It was 7:30pm and a bit busy but not too much because the entire back side table was empty.
Our server tended to us quickly once seated and brought our food right away but shortly after that, it was so difficult getting anyone’s attention. There were two males and two females on shift who seemed mostly concerned with taking shots of sake and beer with the customers to our left and right — rather than serving us. We had asked for napkins, water refills and more sauce and I was required to remind them on several occasions of our requests and flag them down as rushed past us to retrieve their shots from other customers.
Then, my chopstick fell. I asked Simon for replacements and he states «What about the 3 second rule?» — obviously assuming he was joking, I laughed it off and waited. He continued to chat with the group next to us, took a shot and completely ignored my request as he walked away. So then I asked another server gal for chopsticks and thankfully she delivered those to me quickly.
Then, Simon picked up my friends beer (which was still ¾ full) and water glass and almost tossed them away without even asking if she was still drinking them. I don’t know but Simon is a weird personality and usually doesn’t make me feel welcomed and during our dinner, definitely made us both uncomfortable. The entire staff just seemed too concerned with getting drunk rather than offering great customer service.
I live in Santa Ana but will not be returning here again — I’d rather drive the extra miles to Fountain Valley to receive far better service.

I’m trying to make the OC shabu circuit, so I decided to try this one out this past Friday night. Comparatively, I liked it a lot. There were just a few things that kept it from becoming my new favorite.
The good: Although there will be a wait on the weekend, there is a waiting area complete with arcade games. The décor is artistic, bright and clean. The meat is sliced fresh right in front of you, and the Prime Ribeye was so tender. They don’t skimp on the size of the meat either. Veggies are vibrant and you receive both vermicelli and udon noodles. There are many different options and price levels for portion sizes of the meats/​seafood.
The ehhh: No broth options. Apparently this is the authentic way, but I have to say that I just didn’t enjoy my soup at the end as much as I do other places because it was more bland. There were no tongs for cooking. This might also be due to a reason that I am unaware of, but I just ended up grabbing the meat with my hands. Maybe I was supposed to use the chopsticks and linger them in the water to boil off any raw meat? Due to counter seating being the only option, its best to come in a small group otherwise you won’t be able to talk to each other.
Special shout out to the employees here. They are on top of it! They are fast, efficient and extremely friendly. There was a couple sitting next to us explaining to the employees that they had recently moved to the area, and the employees all went out of their way to introduce themselves and make conversation. The meat was so delicious but at the end of the day, my personal preference is flavored broth.

I like this place and the set up of our own individual shabu hot pot. The workers were all young and cool. I was new to this and they helped me get started. The pot just comes with water and a piece of seaweed. You have all the sauces and everything to help you flavor your own broth. They also have this spicy drop that I liked, their dipping sauce was more flavorful than any other place. They cut their meats in front of you.
You flavor, dip, and eat. Sounds like a song, you flavor dip and eat. haha. After you are done they turn your hot pot soup into an udon noodle soup, a soy sauce base. It was delicious. I ate mine and my friends!

My go-​to Shabu place in OC. Near South Coast plaza.
Parking:
Private parking lot shared with other shops in the mall
Service:
Staffs here are friendly and hip! You might have to wait a bit on the weekends.
Food:
I always get the regular prime beef with vegetable platter… it’s amazing! Honestly, the best part I like about this place is their sauce and hot drops. The peanut sauce and ponzu are both delicious and the hot drops add a kick to the flavor.
After you are done with your meat, you can ask for the soup base, dip the noodle in the boiling water and make your own udon!
Their iced green tea is really strong though… one time, I drank the whole glass and I couldn’t fall asleep at night!
They no longer serve ice cream with a large meal. :(Saddies.
Go to Milk & Honey after and your meal is complete.