King Shabu Shabu

What a surprise. Never knew about shabu shabu. Had a great time. Everything was so fresh and delicious. Left with a big smile.

First time here — came for a quick shabu shabu lunch on a Saturday afternoon around 1:30. There was no wait and we were cooking and eating within minutes! The restaurant is very clean, well organized, the staff were very attentive and the food quality was very high. They only use meats of animals that are grass fed (beef), no antibiotics or added hormones. We ordered Kurobuta pork (large — 7.5oz) and Beef Choice (large — 7.5oz). It came with rice, a plate full of veggies, udon noodles and two dipping sauces. The small portion is 5oz of meat, but if you add just $ 2, you get a large portion. We opted to eat more and it was a good choice!
Really casual joint; welcomes both families and single people alike. Plenty of parking outside since it’s located inside a strip mall.

King Shabu Shabu is my family’s go-​to dinner spot. This place is so bomb. They have good customer service, they keep the restaurant really clean and their hot pot selection is great. I normally get the beef lean regular or the combination with beef lean and scallops. This order includes a plate of meat and a plate of veggies. The plate of veggies includes: cabbage, spinach, carrots, mushroom, squash, broccoli, seaweed, kamoboko (fish cake), tofu, udon and glass noodles. There is a ponzu and peanut sauce to dip your meat and veggies in. I am so full after eating everything. The meat and veggie plate costs around $ 20 per person, but it’s always worth it.
Parking is easy to find and sometimes there’s a wait but this place is worth the wait.

On Wednesday, May 25, 2016, I dined at King Shabu Shabu Torrance and had one of the worst dining experiences in my life not because of the food but because the service was offensive. It was so awful, that I feel compelled to write this review to warn others of their repugnant conduct.
My father and I ordered two regular orders of Wagyu beef at $ 22 per plate and two beers at $ 4 per glass. Needless to say when we received the bill for $ 176, we were caught off guard. I confronted the waitress and told her that there must have been some mistake because we ordered Wagyu beef at $ 22 per plate.
The waitress did not listen to my concerns and was defensive. I asked to speak to the manager and she told me that she was the manager. I explained to her that this was a gross misrepresentation since we specifically ordered Wagyu beef. Not to mention, I had been to King Shabu Shabu several other times before and ordered my food in the same manner as I did without confusion or incident and without the «bait and switch» tactics. The waitress said she verbally «confirmed» our meal but I disagree since she did not indicate there were two different types of Wagyu beef and did not indicate that one was $ 81 per plate. As such, I honestly feel defrauded by this establishment.

Fairly small Shabu Shabu restaurant.
— 3 tables (4 people each)
— bar seating
What I appreciate about King Shabu Shabu
— cleanliness
— individual orders & pots
**HOW I EAT**
1. When the water starts to boil, put in the vegetables (starting from the ones that take longer to cook)
2. (Beef — American WAGYU) Dip one piece at a time into the pot. It cooks in less than 10 seconds so make sure to take it out before it becomes overly well-​done.
3. Enjoy vegetables with beef along the way (leave some stuff behind for the «porridge» later)
4. Put noodles in the water (udon & clear noodles). They cook really fast too so make sure not to keep it in there for too long! Put some hot water from the pot in the udon soup base (provided in another bowl) according to taste, and put the udon noodles inside the bowl
5. Once you’re pretty much done (with about 1 – 2 pieces of beef left & some leftover cooked veggies), put all your rice into the pot to cook «porridge.» Keep the stove on, occasionally stirring the rice so it doesn’t burn, until the rice «eats up» all the water. Stir in ponzu and goma sauce (according to taste)
**TIP**
If you like spicy stuff, ask the waiter for some hot oil to add to your dipping sauces. He’ll drop the oil into the ponzu and/​or goma sauces. (Start off with 1 drop and taste it before adding more! It’s quite spicy)

My fiancé was craving Shabu Shabu for a few days, so we went to Redondo Beach to try this place because it got amazing reviews.
It was Mothers Day and thankfully was not busy so we got seated right away. The place looks amazing and hip, very clean and also has a bar, so I gave a A++ for that.
The servers were very polite and friendly, so I gave them an A++.
The soup deserves an F though!!! It was just PLAIN BOILING HOT WATER without any flavoring like other Shabu Shabu places. We started the soup to give it a shot, but honestly I could have made a better soup at home. They had chili oil, soy sauce, ponzu and peanut flavor sauce to flavor your soup, oh and a little side side of garlic, and green onion. Gosh we kept asking for more sauce to put some flavor to the plain boiling water, the veggies and the meat.
At the end we also got a charge of $ 3 for a refill of the rice and extra sauce… it was a joke!
My fiancé was so bummed out.

It was the perfect weather for shabu shabu and the man and I have been looking forward to trying King Shabu Shabu.
The drive is a little far out for us, but it was worth it. Greeted with a welcoming staff. There was a small wait for the few tables they have. We got seated just a few minutes later at the counter seats.
Ordered the 3 items reg. ($ 25), prime rib beef LEAN; salmon; mussles. The man ordered 2 items large ($ 30), choice beef and scallops. I was very pleased with the portion I had. The man commented that the scallops were very small (truth). With veggie/​noodle plate and yummy sauces (goma/​ponzu) ready to go, I started cooking in the boiling water.
All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Service was friendly and quick. We’ll be back.

King Shabu Shabu is located in a large strip mall. There is a large parking lot but with lots of other stores and eateries in the area, you may have to drive around for a spot near the restaurant. The place is clean and the food items are fresh. The restaurant is small, which can be a challenge if you have a large party. The starter is a small seaweed salad. They have ginger, daikon and green onions on the side for your soup and the usual sauces on the side. What I loved was the generous portion and variety of fresh veggies on the side. They offer a nice selection of meats, so everyone can get their fix here. You also have a selection of white or brown rice. All in all, an A+ experience.

Shabu Shabu beef as is without any spice, sauce, or anything at all is awesomely delicious. #savory Have to come and check the great atmosphere. Great customer service, music, food and bring whoever to know what «the good stuff» is!

I haven’t been here for a while since there is so many competing Shabu Shabu places in the area nowadays. It’s hard to pick and choose which Shabu Shabu to go these days! Especially the prices here, it is slightly more expensive versus other places that I’ve been to in my opinion. But what I really like about this place is that it’s super clean and modern. It doesn’t feel outdated or old at all. The meat has been consistently good for me during all my visits so I’m not complaining. Plus, I love adding the hot drops to my sauce and soup broth to add a little heat and flavor to my Shabu Shabu :) It’s tucked away in a private plaza and there’s lots a free parking. Service is great, professional, and attentive!

YUMMM I LOVE THIS PLACE! Usually when I eat shabu, I want to immediately take a nap because of all the sodium/​MSG from the broths, but I always feel clean after eating this (If I don’t drink sake/​beer here, which is rare cus come on) The broth is just kelp water but you can pour soy sauce/​seasoning so it doesn’t taste too bland. The meat quality is what you’re paying for, and I usually get the combo of regular prime beef/​shrimp ($ 15-​$ 17) I usually don’t like the peanut sauce because it’s too sweet, but it’s the right amount of savory here. The seaweed appetizer they give you is also really good. The service is always on point and you can also drink with the servers which is just all around a grand ol time (holla Mel/​Linda) I shall be back very very soon!

Wow, best looking shabu shabu place so far! And the young waiter/​host was very enthusiastic, patient with my parents and helpful. Food quality was great but definitely needs a bit more in terms of quantity for the price. Place was very clean and modern looking. The noodles served at the end of the meal was so tasty and great! I will definitely be back when i am in the area.

I’ve been here a few times before, and it’s pretty consistent each time.
I always order the regular Angus Rib Eye Choice from the dinner menu, and it’s really good. We love adding the hot drops to make both the sauce and soup spicy.
The server was excellent — he was very attentive and friendly. Before we started eating, he reminded us to save the noodles to have with our soup once we were done with the white rice and meat.
We love this place and will keep coming back!

Favorite place for shabu shabu in the area.
You get your own pot filled with boiling water, flavored with seaweed. There’s two dipping sauces — some sort of ponzu sauce and peanut flavored sauce (my favorite!). Mix scallions and minced garlic in the ponzu sauce, and you’re good to go. All orders come with assorted vegetables, udon, white or brown rice, and seaweed salad. My bf and I shared a large combination plate of ribeye, kurobuta pork, and salmon. If you’re wondering, a small plate has 5 pieces of each item where a large plate has 7.
Quality of the meats were superb. The sauces complimented the beef and pork well. For the salmon, I opted to boil it for a few seconds to sear it! A little cooked on the outside, but raw inside. So delicious.
Service is very friendly, efficient, fast, and professional. Will definitely come back again and again!

I’ve come to a conclusion that I just generally don’t like shabu shabu. It’s OKAY to me. This place was small but cozy, and the employees were great.
Food overall was.meh. I don’t think it’s worth the price.
I ordered the large chicken and it also comes with rice and veggies. The veggie were great, but the amount that they give you was a little small. Like, I only got 3 pieces of spinach lol.
My friends LOVE it, though!

We happened to stop by for lunch a few weekends ago and it really hit the spot! Couple thoughts on the overall experience:
— Not an easy place to fit multiple large groups (5+), most of the seating was at the counter with a few tables on the side.
— Didn’t feel rushed at all, even though there were people waiting for seats
— LOVED the variety of vegetables that came with the meat, more than Shin Sen Gumi Shabu Shabu (another favorite spot), aso the Udon was very fresh
— Lunch prices are a little cheaper per meat order (not AYCE), and 2 regular portioned orders were plenty since the lunch comes with rice & veggies
— After about the first 5 — 10 minutes of eating, they bring you a bowl of flavorful (slightly sweet) soup broth to eat with your meat. YES PLEASE
Happy eating :)

Yum! This place is pretty much exactly like Eat Shabu in Santa Monica. But I like the layout of this restaurant more with the high/​low bar seats and lots of light coming in through the windows!
Always a wholesome and filling meal. I like to season my sauces and broth with the soy sauce, chili oil, green onions, and garlic, and ask for the «hot drops» too if you like a nice kick! (Be warned though, they are really spicy!) I’ve tried the choice meat, shrimp, and lamb. I didn’t care much for the lamb but everything else was great!
The veggie plate is fresh and comes with a good variety of vegetables, noodles and tofu, but I wish they offered glass noodles too like at Eat Shabu! Be sure to save your udon noodles and some veggies for the soup base they give you at the end of the meal; add your noodles and some of your broth and you have a delicious udon bowl to top off your meal!

I’ve gone to many Shabu places and I’ve never found one that I felt was on par with my favorite. King Shabu Shabu may come closest of all to the best I’ve tried.
When you walk in, you realize what a clean and large space it is. The tables are large, meaning you can order a lot without worrying about not having enough space to put your food. Despite the large tables, however, it doesn’t look like it’s easy to accommodate big parties. The reason being that there’s a set number of seats around each table and there doesn’t appear to be much flexibility for it.
The wait staff there was extremely attentive the entire time we were there. When they brought out noodles instead of rice for my dad and we let them know, it was a quick apology and the rice was immediately provided. They came by frequently to check on the knobs to ensure that the food is cooking at the right temperature. You rarely see that in shabu places where they help you manage that so nicely.
The meat that I got there was extremely high quality. I got the pork — and after cooking it, it was not dry at all. I also got the lamb, which was very flavorful without too much of the distinct gaminess of not-​so-​good lamb. At the end of the meal, they even provide you with a soup base to add to your broth. It flavors your broth even more than what you may have added and is such a great idea!

A very small, trendy and chic Japanese Shabu place, went on a Sunday late afternoon, it was nearly emply, chose the tallest bar seatings in the corner, very comfy and relaxing. Started with pitcher of Sapporo, they also have Kirin and Asahi too.
The menu is extensive with decent choices of meats and seafood, prices are higher than usual Asian Shabu /​hot pot places, and it’s traditional Japanese Shabu Shabu, just clear water, no real soup base at all. So basically I used half of the soy sauce, chili sauce and chili pepper to add flavors to my water, although I don’t eat meat based soup, but I still prefer some vegetarian flavored broth, water is just too plain for my taste.
I ordered three items combination, shrimps, salmon and jidori chicken regular for hubby, hubby ordered Angus ribeye choice and prime both in regular. To be honest, the portions were really small for what they charge, the quilities were pretty good though. For someone with a very healthy appetite like hubby, he needed two regular meats and two rice to feel full. The servers helped me to prepare udon noodles in the end, the service was great, never had any services this good at a Shabu place, no wonder they charge more.
Liked the healthy food, loved the service, but not the prices, I would need to order a lot if I came in hungry. I recommend only come here when you are not hungry and want healthy Shabu, or a casual date cause you won’t smell like Shabu after eating here.

My date and I went here on a Friday night. It was packed with people and people were waiting. It is located inside of a shopping center with plenty of parking. I love that this place has individual bowls for you to sit at the counter or at a table when dining with a group of people. It’s a nice Shabu-​Shabu place and I like the modern décor, but the space is limited.
If you’re lazy and you don’t like to cook, maybe this isn’t for you. It doesn’t take much effort, but you have to keep an eye on what you’re putting in the pot before it gets overcooked. If you’re new to shabu shabu, you cook your own meat and veggies in a bowl of boiling water. It’s nice because you can cook the meat to your liking. It’s really not that cumbersome because the meat cooks fast and you can throw all the veggies in the beginning if you want them more on the mushy side. It’s literally dumping stuff in a pot and fishing it out. I cook my meat one by one because I like it medium rare.
The meat is freshly cut for every plate. I’d save the udon and noodles for last because they give you a bowl of sauce to mix them in towards the end when you finish your meat. I had cooked and ate mine towards the middle, but we received the sauce once they cleared our meat plates. My date was able to enjoy his noodles with the sauce, and yes, I was a little bit jealous because the sauce was delicious.
I’m not a fan of the peanut sauce but I did enjoy the ponzu sauce. My friends use the peanut sauce for the veggies and the ponzu for the meat. I use ponzu for everything because it’s THAT good. If you’re new to shabu-​shabu, a good way to prepare the sauce is by first asking for extra garlic, daikon and green onions. I really don’t give a sh*t if my date wants fresh breath to kiss me because enjoying what I eat is WAY more important. Priorities people, priorities. I find that putting chunks of stuff in the sauce allows you to scoop up more flavor when things are dipped into it. I mix in the extra daikon, garlic (like 3−4x the amount that is initially given), and green onions along with a splash of sesame oil. People love the way I make my sauce. It has so much garlic, it’s spicy. My breath smells for two days. That’s not my problem. It’s everyone else’s. Enjoy!
The servers are so nice here and the atmosphere is so pleasant. We had a couple glasses of Sake to compliment the meal. So yummy!