Jazz Cat Restaurant

I loved how I get to cook the food by myself. Also decent service and the servers are always happy to help. We stayed there a few minutes after the closing time and they didn’t kick us out. Really loved the Taiwanese satay but made the mistake of substituting my rice with vermicelli, because I didn’t realize that vermicelli came with the meat and the vegetables. I recommend getting the T. rex because you get more meat, but it’s the same price as the regular. Very delicious and had a very pleasant experience. Would definitely go there again!
–L

Wanted to give it a 3 stars (not a hot pot person in general), but compared to other places I’ve been to, the soup here had much more flavor & doesn’t taste like you just boiled vegetables and meat in water. Ordered the Atlantic salmon. Quality was above average, although quantity wasn’t too filling. Service was ehh…

Been here a few times and it’s beginning to grow on me. Maybe it’s because of long waits almost all day at Boiling Point or other sub-​par Taiwanese hot pots in the area, but every time I’ve been to Jazz Cat it has been a pleasurable experience. I usually come during weekday lunch periods, so I can take advantage of the lunch specials. Basically, the lunch specials are about a dollar or two cheaper. Also, I don’t recall having to wait for a table and service has always been prompt.
I usually get the Japanese miso or spicy miso with prime beef or certified Angus beef. Although the certified Angus beef is a bit more expensive, I still like the cheaper prime beef (it has bit more marbling and it’s just as tender as the certified version). The hot pot style here is shabu shabu style, so you are served with all the ingredients on the side. Then you dip away your veggies, protein, and noodles. I usually put everything in my pot except for the noodles and protein. I add the beef and noodles when I’m ready to eat those items. This way I’m not over cooking the beef and noodles.
The miso-​based soup bases are on the blander side, but I prefer it this way. I do find the soup bases at Boiling Point more flavorful and hearty, but the ones at Jazz Cat are not as salty and overbearing. Whatever suits your taste. Both work for me.
The provided veggies include cabbage, mini-​corn, squash, and onions. All tasted fresh. I usually select the TW satay dipping sauce. It’s tastes very similar to the famous «Bull Head» Taiwanese barbecue sauce. Tastes like a soy bean oil with some hints of a fish flavor. I like it and complements well with the beef and veggies.
Overall, Jazz Cat is a solid hot pot contender in the area. With a hip jazz décor and Asian con-​tempo music playing in the background, I look forward to frequenting this place more often.

I have been here more than 10 times. I didn’t like it at my first time or make me remember it since there is no significant things standing out to make me not forget it compare to other hotpot place. However, after several times visits I started to like it. Their portion of food is just right. Not too much or too little. The quality of the soup is also perfect. The price is understandable. Yes it is not so different from other hot pot place but they beat others with the quality. I would give 8 out 10 for the quality. My only complaint is that sometimes the line is really long and you have to wait an hour normally.

Love how customizable and accomodating Jazz Cat is. Food is good, price is reasonable. Wait time can be really long but it’s to be expected at most popular SGV joints, right? Service is usually pretty nice too, so that’s a plus.
T-​Rex Beef, creamy milk & corn + japanese sesame has been my go-​to order since my first visit. It’s perfect for people who enjoy creamy flavors.

As far as hot pots are concerned, it’s one of the better hot pot places in the sgv.
You have your choice of meat (regular portion or t-​rex which is more meat and less veggies for the same price?! Yes please!), soup base (which they have a ton of choices), and sauce.
You cook everything yourself shabu shabu style which I liked. A complimentary egg was an added plus. I ordered the lamb with the spicy pork bone broth and spicy satay sauce.
The wait was a little ridiculous. Had to wait for over an hour but it’s to be expected.
Despite the wait, Jazz Cat is probably on the top of my hot pot list… even over Boiling Point

Not too big a fan of shabu shabu but came here because it was open late and my friend wanted it.
First of all, whatever you order, get T-​Rex. It is definitely much more worth your dollar. Anyways, my friend got the seafood essence and I got the sukiyaki base. We both got premium beef for our meat and he got thai satay dipping sauce while I got ponzu dipping sauce.
The T-​Rex portion of meat was great but my friend’s normal portion was not very large at all. The soup bases and dipping sauces all tasted just okay as I got sick of all of them pretty quickly. I think my go to base is sukiyaki but I couldn’t get past this overly salty (soy sauce?) taste in my sukiyaki so I started cooking my foods in my friend’s pot. Service was good and I left feeling pretty full but Jazz Cat is just too expensive for the average taste of their food.

Where do I start…
1. Great portion size, especially the T-​Rex option (Doesn’t cost extra!!)
2. Enormous variety of soup bases to dip your meat into if you know what I mean…
3. Great sauces to compliment any of their soup bases.
4. Ample seating.
5. Alcohol.
My only issue is that hot pot has become such a huge culture in SGV that anywhere you go is packed with half hour lines. However, the customer turnover at Jazz Cat is relatively fast compared to most hot pot places which is why I always come back to this location for hot pot.

Oh Jazz Cat… how your soup has burnt my tongue! Just kidding but not really, in their defense though… I love when my soup is like piping hot…
I had Jazz Cat last night with my girlfriends… catching up and congratulating one of our friend on her recent wedding. I arrived around 7pm and yep as you expect a wait. I must say… they will absolute not seat you until the whole party has arrived. I’m sure many people know but thought I still throw that in.
Once everyone arrived, we were seated and immediately ordered. We were very hungry. I wanted my T-​Rex lamb, Japanese miso soup with the peanut sauce and satay sauce. I have to say it was quite delicious and realized how much I have missed hot pot. If you’re very hungry get the t-​Rex as its the same price as regular at dinner time. I believe they have lunch time pricing too.
Overall, a simple meal with good food. Nothing fancy and very casual. Parking was a breeze and plenty on a weekday. However, always, there is a wait no matter weekday or weekend.

I’ve been coming here for years but I guess this is my first review of the place. I love that Jazzcat gives you the T-​rex option, in which you opt for more meat and less veggies for the same price.
My favorite soup is the spicy mongolian herbal! I’ve tried the miso, spicy miso, pork bone, and others, but the spicy mongolian herbal has the most flavor. I pair it with satay sesame sauce, ask for green onions and cilantro and I’m set.
I love jazzcat because it’s taiwanese shabu. I get to cook my own food and not worry about anything being overcooked the way it can be at boiling point. I love that they give you an egg and you can poach it yourself. I also feel that the meat at jazzcat is great quality.
Jazzcat sounds good right now…

I was worried about a long wait here, but it was about a 20 minute wait for friday night at 9pm. We sat at the «bar like» table. The very uncomfortable part was there was a couple right next to my friend and I that were showing waaaaay toooo much PDA. Plus, the tables are close to each other so I was very close to the couple. So close that the guy accidentally grabbed my hair…
Other than the awkward sitting, I had the iced lavender milk tea. It was amazing! The tea wasn’t too sweet and the lavender is not over powering. I ordered beef with spicy miso and japanese sesame sauce. Very great combo! The soup was hot and not too spicy. The meat was tender and soft. The sauce is a little sweet but a great pair for the meat.

Stopped here for an early dinner around 5:30pm on a Sunday and my party of 2 was quickly seated without a wait. We both ordered the T-​Rex size portion for the beef, which meant we got more meat and less veggies.
Here’s how it works:
(1) Choose a meat (regular or T-​Rex size)
(2) Choose a broth
(3) Choose a sauce
There is a great selection of broths to choose from, so if you can’t decide ask for a recommendation. We ordered the milk and corn broth and the Japanese spicy miso broth. The milk and corn broth is quite heavy but a bit lacking in flavor (aka saltiness) and the miso tasted the same as any miso soup with a bit of a spicy kick. The meat was fresh and the veggies were a bit skimpy. Each shabu pot is $ 13.98. You may not be full with the portion they give you, but you can order more meat and sides. They also have other cooked foods.
Overall, the shabu was just your standard shabu. Head to little sheep or boiling point if you want more flavorful broths.

The taste and portions are awesome, and I would love to come back to try the other options. This place gave me the biggest food baby that I’ve had in a while.
Finally came to this place after seeing so many of my friends come here. The line is super long to wait for a table. We waited about 40 minutes to be seated. However, once we were seated, the service was pretty fast.
The menu has a TON of choices. They categorize the broths to what you might want, and they’re all for the same price. The only things that determines the prices would be the type of meat you want; regular ($ 15) or deluxe ($ 17 – 20). I chose the Taiwanese Spicy soup base and got the Satay (TW BBQ) sauce. I would say that they’re decent choices. However, the spicy soup had chili and spicy seeds floating all around the broth so it’s hard to drink the soup straight up. I like taking gulps of soup in between bites, but my throat would just be filled with spicy seeds that I end up coughing. There’s also quite a bit of oil in the broth. Flavor-​wise, it’s good, but for me it’s only good when it’s absorbed into the food but not really on its own.
The Satay Sauce was pretty good as well, but it was also pretty oily. I’ve had the sauce before back at home, so it’s nothing new to me. My friend got the satay sesame sauce, and in my opinion that was better to me. It has a bit of sweetness to it, and has a peanut-​y flavor. It counters the spiciness of the soup base so it kind of cools the heat down.
I got the regular entrée instead of the t-​rex, so they gave a LOT of vegetables. There’s a huge variety, from lettuce to fish balls to baby corn. Everything is different so you’re not munching on the same thing.
I also got a peach green tea, and their drinks are actually pretty good as well. It comes in a pretty big cup, so it’ll last through your entire meal.
The servers will come by occasionally to check up on you and refill your waters and/​or soups if needed.
Overall, this place is pretty good. It’s a kind of trial and error though on what you like and don’t like. I would definitely want to return so that I can try the other flavors and see what I would like the most from here.

Not as good as the Rowland Heights location.
Jazz cat is my favorite place for shabu shabu but this location feels very cramped to me and not as clean as it should be.
In terms of parking there is an underground lot which makes it easier for larger parties.
Food is good! I usually get the t-​Rex beef. This time I chose the Japanese satay for my broth and the Japanese sesame for the one sauce you’re allotted. Overall I still love the food here but compared to the Rowland Heights location I have to say that this location does not compare.

This place has been one of my favorite shabu shabu places of all time! It’s decently priced compared to most other places in SoCal and the quality of their meat is pretty good. Jazz Cat has been a favorite college memory of mine during my college years because my friends and I would casually meet up here for dinner and then FTB afterwards :) I only wish this place was closer to my house in the South Bay or else I would be coming here every so often hehe
So my review will be my most recent trip to Jazz Cat. My friends and I came here around 5PM on a Wednesday since we were pretty hungry. Parking is underground just a heads up. This was probably the earliest I’ve been to Jazz Cat for dinner. It was actually pretty empty and we were seated right away. This time, I ordered the T-​Rex beef with the spicy miso broth and my sauces were ponzu and sesame. I wanted more meat/​protein this time and less vegetables LOL. I didn’t want to choose a spicier/​saltier broth this time since I’m being more health conscious of what I eat. I also ordered the golden fish balls and omg they were absolutely amazing.
We ordered water for our drinks and immediately, it was tap. Not a big fan haha. Anyways my spicy miso broth came out pretty nice. It had nice flavor and it wasn’t too salty at all. Usually, spicy miso can be really salty in my opinion, but I was pleased by the way it turned out. My friend both ordered the spicy beef bone broth and I’ve had that before (and I actually like it) but for some reason, their broth turned out to be extremely bland. Like bland af. We had to asked the server if he couldn’t bring it back to the kitchen and put some more flavor or salt into the broth. Somehow, he miraculously worked his magic and it turned out alright. Just a small mishap but that’s alright.
Will be back! Thanks Jazz Cat for everything! :)

Came here one time and was unimpressed because I chose the wrong things I think. The second time around I came and now I’m obsessed with this place. I used to be obsessed with Boiling Point but now I work there and I have now found my replacement addiction.
I always get the Pork, T-​Rex in the Spicy Japanese Miso broth with the Satay Sesame sauce. I think I like this place so much because my bf doesn’t like shabu but likes this place a lot for some reason and that makes for a great compromise for me. Everything is flavorful and good! I love how it comes with an egg and it’s a pretty good price.
The portions are large and I always find myself here on the weekends so I can’t say anything about lunch prices and portions. I came once during dinner and was able to finish everything easily but the other few times I came during lunch and the portion was huge and my bf and I left w a food coma.
Will be coming here a lot more often now as long as there’s no wait (one time we waited half an hour). The seating is a little weird but it works for me!

Jazz Cat is probably one of my favorite/​go to/​decent priced shabu place. If I just wanted a regular shabu shabu I would come here, but if I really wanted to splurge and try something else I would go somewhere else.
Its located at the corner of the plaza so you will see it if you drive by. They have parking when you enter but if it’s full there’s more parking downstairs.
Be prepared to wait though! Unless you come early (aka 5 – 5:30pm) The wait can get super busy during dinner! What I like about jazz cat is how many different soup bases they have! I can never choose which one to get because all of them sound so good! I always end up getting the same ones I always get haha I usually get the spicy jazzcat special (which is pretty much like a spicy seafood) and spicy miso. Both have great flavors and I would recommend those if it’s your first time. I get the rib eye (regular). They have a T-​Rex option which is more meat and less vegetables for the same price. You also get to choose which sauce you get. It says «pick 1» but they usually let you choose 2 hayyy! saucin saucin LOL
They also have a lot of drink options. I tried the lavender milk tea slush and it was amazingly good! MUST GET! The hokkaido milk slush was also really good! But I would choose the lavender over hokkaido.
There are obviously better shabu shabu places other than jazz cat but sometimes it just hits the spot. LOVE IT!

Shabu Shabu is the perfect way to warm yourself up on a chilly day. I’m not in the mood for it very often, but Jazz Cat definitely hit the spot when I had a hankering. They said that they couldn’t seat us until the entire party was there, but luckily it was pretty empty so we got seated quickly. I love cats, so I highly appreciated all the cat imagery going on.
A regular size is about $ 14. I got Premium Beef for the meat. It was a little harder to decide which soup base to get, because they have quuuuite the selection! There is literally a whole page just for soup bases! I think this is the main draw to Jazz Cat. They have fusion flavors, creamy, house spicy, Japanese, healthy, and Thai. I went with Spicy Seafood Essence, and Satay Sesame for the sauce.
The portion of the meat is pretty large, and when you combine that with the large plate of veggies, you’re in for a filling meal. If you are a carnivorous dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period, you can choose the T-​Rex entrée instead, which will give you a larger serving of meat and less veggies. It’s the same price, too!
Overall, it was an ideal spot for our medium sized party to meet. Only problem was that the servers are a little difficult to get a hold of. The restaurant was pretty empty so I can’t find an excuse for that.
Food: 4, Service: 2, Environment: 4, Price: 3

After eating other shabu shabu places in the area that are so much better than jazz cat, I’ve decided to update my review for it. Came here with my boyfriend for lunch on a Tuesday afternoon, we got there at around 1130 so we were one of the first people there. By the time it hit 1230, the place was already packed.
I decided to try a new soup, their Thai spicy… Tastes like CRAP! We asked the worker if it was the same as tom yum soup and it literally is far from it. It just tasted like sour soup, but not the good kind. It tasted like the soup was old and it turned sour, so disgusting. Luckily, they said they could change soups for me (thank god), so I just went with my original Taiwanese spicy. Their Taiwanese spicy is spicy, but it’s not the best I’ve tasted. I really dislike jazz cats soup because they’re always so thick, rich and heavy. Also when the soup gets cold, the oils it hardens up and it just looks unappetizing.
I always get their veggie platter and it’s huge. There are a few things I don’t like in though, like their celery, pumpkin and carrots. The bad thing is that they don’t do any substations. I even ask if they can switch out the vermicelli noodles for udon noodles and they said no. Boo! Just a note, their lunch special portions are a lot smaller than their dinner portions.
Gotta admit, their boba drinks are really good. The milk tea and Thai tea are super sweet which is just how I like it. Boba is also tasty and sweet as well.

Is this hot pot or stir fry? No joke, there was about 1.5 inches of soup in my pot, and that may be a generous estimate. I put in my shrimp ball and half of it stuck out of the soup. So, do they expect me to turn it over after a couple minutes to heat up the other side?
If you ask for more soup, they bring by the standard msg-​filled soup base for every pot, which dilutes the flavor. There’s no point of ordering Thai Spicy if I have to ask them for the same amount of MSG Soup.
If there’s a lack of good soup base, it evaporates as you eat. So after 20 – 30 minutes of slowly, supposedly enjoying your food, your soup base is going to turn into a salty minefield.
Not to mention there’s no sauce station. Yes, you have to order your particular sauce, and then ask for garlic/​cilantro/​green onion plate. The sesame sauce doesn’t come with daikon.
They offer 2 sizes at the same price (with no explanation on the menu). T-​Rex increases the amount of meat at the expense of some veggies/​balls. I will admit, the rib eye was on point.
Unfortunately, to me, hot pot is all about 1. soup base, 2. sauce, 3. ingredients. When you mess up on 2 out of the 3, don’t expect a passing grade. And, at $ 18 a person!