Shabu Restaurant

If you’re looking for good hot pot, great service, and quick service — BOOM! You’re there!
Special sauces and spices, fresh meat, and crisp veggies :)
The watermelon smoothie was excellent too!

Shabu Restaurant is located a short distance from the intersection of B Café (which used to be Beni Café) and Yocha. They offer their shabu shabu in buffet style at lunch everyday (M-​F $ 21.95, Sat & Sun $ 25.95), but only from Monday-​Wednesday $ 29.95 for dinner. We came on a Sunday, so AYCE was not an option, and ended up paying $ 48 for the two of us for our evening’s meal.
We started with their edamame $ 4.25, salted soybeans that arrived in those inedible pods that we squeezed the beans out of. While they offer a regular soup base for no charge, my DC wanted the miso $ 3, while I wanted to try their Japanese curry for the extra chunks of carrots and potatoes that came with. We went with both and an order of the Surf & Turf Combo $ 19.75, opting for the udon over rice, and beef and lamb for the two meats. Iced tofu $ 2.75 and fish paste $ 4.95 rounded out our meal.
My half pot of soup arrived rather lumpy and clumpy and needed some additional heat and attention (aka stirring) to incorporate the globs of curry floating beneath the murky surface. The seafood platter portion of the combo was rather shareable for two, but less so the meats since they were each but a count of 3 slices. The iced tofu was soup soakingly good as usual, but the fish paste was unexpectedly served on a plate with a spoon rather than in a bag as I had supposed. So no long strands of fish noodles… instead it was more like fish dumplings. But they were still good. We both generally ended up preferring the curry base over the miso, though both options were fine for the job.
Having ordered light, we weren’t stuffed by any means, but had room left for something sweet. And so for dessert, off to Yocha!

I usually give 5 star reviews and some ppl might say I’m wrong but I felt like this business should be run a little differently.
I came in at 4:00pm to get some food. They have about 6 tables and 12 bar chairs and every place in the restaurant was empty besides for 1 customer sitting in the corner. They told me because I’m only 1 person I would have to sit at the small table but because I was very hungry and was going to order a lot I sat at the regular 4 person table. I told the waitress if it’s starts getting busy I would gladly get up in middle of my meal but let’s face it from 2−5÷6 most restaurants are dead and barely have any customers. This is coming from experience of owning a restaurant. I was sitting down, about to place my order when the owner of the restaurant came to me and told me I need to sit at the small table. I would’ve sat down there but it was right next to the other customer and was not comfortable sitting literally on top of her. I told him the restaurant is empty and he has a lot of open seats. I said thank you & good luck with your business. If there were even 3 – 4 tables full I would have sat down alone at the bar or at a small table but the place was empty. I still do wish them the best but I will never step foot in there again. Thank You

This place is really close to my house so I decided to try it for the first time. Place is small but has outside patio. Staff is really attentive and nice. Now for the broth; I got tom yum and spicy Szechuan. The tom yum had flavor and was mediocre. The Szechuan wasn’t spicy enough for my taste (but I eat realllly spicy food) but for my friend it was perfect, the broth was bland it needs a tad more seasoning. Overall I’d go again cause it’s close but nothing special to rave about. Also a bit pricey compared to others I’ve been too.

Went back after not going for a long time. We sat at the bar and no one came to take our order for about 15 min. I finally just asked a guy that kept walking by to please take our order. We LOVE Hotpot and order a ton of food. Another 15 mins or so goes by and they still haven’t brought us our drinks. A girl comes over and says that the guy who took our order messed up, there is no buffet today and do we want to change our order cuz it will be so expensive. I asked if they could just grant us the buffet price since it was their mistake and the manager immediately said no. So we said f this and got up and left. Maybe if they had at least gotten my drink to me by then I’d have been buzzed enough to stay lol

I always enjoy the food here. The tom yum and kimchi base is delicious. The meats and veggies are always fresh. The taro is my fav. The side of kimchi is also pretty good. The staff is friendly and helpful. I am giving it 4 stars because it’s a bit in the expensive side and the dessert portions are tiny :(.

Girlfriend and I came here one night because of the groupon deal. We got the mushroom broth, a variety of seafood, and also tofu combination. Some of the tofu we ordered tasted funny, a sour and tad bitter taste to be exact. We both had the runs after our meal. To be specific, I went to the bathroom twice in a short period. She went to the bathroom and also puked.
If we didn’t have this issue, I would say that this restaurant would deserve at least a three star rating. The place is nicely designed, the service was good, and the price was very reasonable. Hopefully this is just a one time occurrence, but I would have reservations about eating here again after the stomach issue.

Love the kim chi soup base, and the prime rib and boneless short rib combos were both good. If you sit at the counter, you each get an individual hot pot too. Love this place!

My favorite hot pot spot! I like to come here for their buffet — lunch buffet every day and dinner buffet Monday — Wednesday. They are the best quality buffet style I’ve been to. Yes, prices are pricier than other places in Boston if you are not doing buffet though.
The menu is huge — extensive broth selection and food options. I usually get the Spicy Szechuan broth and lots of different style cuts of beef (I believe for dinner buffet they offer angus beef, sirloin, and fatty beef), fish tofu, and veggies. I do wish they add on the boneless short rib to the dinner buffet. I know when I go to the buffet my party usually orders more than can be fit onto the table but they always bring everything out and squeeze it on. I’ve experienced other places where they’ll «forget» to bring stuff because it looks like we’ve ordered too much food to finish so you have to wait for the second round order and hope they bring it out the time around. Here you can literally order as often as you would like without finishing everything — they always stop by your table to ask if you need anything else.
My only con is the place is pretty small, maybe 5 tables and then bar seating. The longest I’ve had to wait was an hour and that was on Valentine’s Day.
Oh and from my most recent visit, my friends said they did not like the pork — it was too tough. I don’t usually order pork during hotpot so I didn’t try any.

I tried to give them a chance. I went the first time, found a tiny insect. I was still cool with it, they changed it for me and I got new veggies. The second time around, I had a groupon to use, I gave them another chance. I had to tell my mother not to put the veggies in because I found that it was once again not clean. I tried.

Thank you Mr Tony for he generous gift. While my stay in Massachusetts was short lived, I have flown back to California. My mom has received the the very nice and thoughtful gift. Thank you very much for a wonderful dinning experience. I’ll be back hopefully in the summer.
This is an excellent spot in Quincy to have a bite. My family and small group of east coast friends come for good times with great quality food .
Sincerely, Thomas t

The restaurant is good. The bad is the front desk old man with glasses, he discriminates Chinese. Today is the last time I eat here.

The old reception man is ridiculous and very rude. I was standing for more than half an hour to wait for a seat. Finally, one table was cleaned up by the waitress. I sat down and prepared for ordering food. What I didn’t expect was that the strange old reception man came over and ask me to stand up. His reason was to let me leave the seat so that the waitress can put the plates and chopsticks on table. However, while he was talking to me, the waitress had already set the table nice and tidy without me leaving the table. Never will come back again as long as this old man stays here.

Everything is perfect, but the old reception guy wearing a pair of glasses is so mean!!! He has discrimination against Chinese!!!

It does cost a bit more than other hotpot places but the quality shows. It’s nice to live pretty close to here but the space is quite small and there usually a wait. The service is really good. The last time I went we waited a bit, got seated at a table and found out the hot top burner wasn’t working and most of our food was already placed on the table. We were a bit hangry and just wanted to move tables rather than wait for the thing to work. The server had us move tables and moved everything for us. By the time we could cook our food, we were just happy to eat. At the end of the meal, the server was nice enough to ask if we wanted dessert and it would be complimentary since it was an inconvenience to switch tables and for the hot top to not work. I thought we would only get one dessert, but with three of us there, she said all three of us could choose something. I was really pleased and appreciate this since, I wanted to try most of the desserts aha.
I really enjoy the chicken nuggets they have as an appetizer. The food we got were delicious and fresh. Only thing I hate is the meat combo that is comes with so little when you pick to different meats, you would think you would get a full order of each. So in the future, I’ll just order one specific type of meat. The veggies is just the right amount of the veggies that I actually enjoy eating.
As for the desserts, we got the vanilla mocha, the green tea tiramisu, and the green tea cheesecake. I really enjoyed the green tea cheesecake more than the great tea tiramisu. Just wasn’t as soft and creamy as I had hoped. Really happy that I got to try out the dessert finally!
We also used a Groupon since my friend at another table told me about the Groupon. Overall it’s great here so come support local and quality business.

I really enjoy Shabu. I would give them a higher review if they weren’t so expensive.
My boyfriend got the Groupon and we decided to come here on Monday night around 6pm. It wasn’t that busy but it was quite packed. We got seated at the bar. I got the regular soup base while my boyfriend got the Tonkotsu (totally recommend this one– i had to take some from my boyfriend)
I got the Prime rib eye combo while he got the Meat Combo. The dishes came with the veggies and noodles. Service was attentive. Basically, the Groupon covered one meal. I would recommend this place if you are too lazy to cook and want a nice warm meal in the winter.

Yoga pants!
Excellent meal on a cold night. Inside and outside seating available. The hot pot broth plus beef, pork, soba noodles, and vegetables were delectable and the appetizers filled me up well.

Soooooooo good! This place was amazing, spicy Szechuan and phở bases are on point! Service was great! They even had the cheaty chop stick device for our kids. Will be back here!!!

Love the kim chi soup base, ramen noodle option, and the prime rib and short rib combos were both good. If you sit at the counter, you each get an individual hot pot too!

We are regulars here we come at least once or twice a week since they opened years ago! I have seen many people come and go from this place.
The host manning the desk is friendly always smiling but I’m not sure if he remember us because he never ask oh how u been? I guess he have a bad memory…
The waitresses are hit or miss most of the time they are just ok. Got us what we asked for but not attentive, we have to flag them down to ask for more napkins, drinks etc. I mean a good waitress would come check on us several times. There’s this one waiter he has half Long half short hair which he puts in a ponytail, he’s very attentive and actually patient ex: talking slow and made sure we ordered everything we wanted. Vs other waitresses they want you to order right away rush.
Food quality the beefs: do not get regular beef! It’s rough going down your throat and not edible!
They should definitely take that off the menu for $ 12/​plate.
All other beef plates are much better quality like prime rib etc but not the best quality I’ve had.
Spicy calamari is delicious, their taro is vein free which is smoother to swallow.
This place is a bit too small sometimes when we want to take friends or family out we have to go elsewhere to accommodate us. Hubby and I and kids are already four people… If we went here would be way too cramped.
Overall it’s a decent place for Shabu it’s close to my house and I don’t feel like driving to Chinatown. But really nothing beats Shabu Zen in taste and food quality.

I like Shabu. I would give them a higher review if they weren’t so expensive.
The broths are all good and the vegetables are all fresh. They have a really good selection and an extensive menu, which is awesome. I’m less happy with the meat — most of it I’ve received frozen. And the noodles always come out in a hard brick (which isn’t the worst thing ever, but other places in the area pre-​boil them a little for you). The tables are a little small and the restaurants can be hard to get a spot in at peak times. The service is really good, too.
But, again, this place costs a fortune compared to other hot pot places in the area.

Not sure why I haven’t wrote this place a review, specially when this place is my to go to for hotpot dinning. My first choice is Shabu Zen but the parking is always a pain. So! Having a similar place close by where I live is a big plus. If you are living in Quincy, don’t bother go far, this is pretty good one here.
The only problem is the place is so small and always a little or a long wait. It’s worthy though.

Huge fan of Shabu and easily ranks as one of the best restaurants in Quincy (unquestionably the best hot pot/​shabu!)
While the space is very small and there will be a wait if you come at prime time on Thurs/​Fri/​Sat, your patience will be rewarded. Shabu is immaculate and the servers are friendly, attentive and super helpful if you are a novice at ordering (this girl…) The variety of broths offered are incredibly flavorful and range from mild to really spicy (my favorite). The meats and veggies are very fresh and the portions are very generous. The servers truly want customers to have a great experience and are happy to offer suggestions if you are indecisive or simply clueless. I love eating this way — its a very interactive experience (if you want it to be.) as well as being delicious and healthy.

Snagged a Groupon on a rainy Wednesday and wanted some hot soup so off to hot pot we went. The place is small s depending on how many people are taking their time grubbin’ the wait might be awhile. We waited 40 mins. The waitress offered to get a drink while waiting so that made it less painful. I ordered the insanely hot Szechuan broth and my BF got the Miso soup. We got the surf and turf combo and a side of tofu and were stuffed!!! The staff was great and the food was fresh and tasty. Having lived in Shanghai and tasted a fee hot pot places this was pretty legit.

I feel so lucky to live down the street from Shabu. Shabu is quite simply the best hot-​pot restaurant in the Boston area. Case in point: Yesterday, the restaurant was packed with tourists, who braved the Red Line shuttle all the way to North Quincy, just to try this place. I asked them, do you regret it? «No» they enthusiastically replied. And for the record, I also do not regret eating my weight in Tom Yum broth and Kobe beef.
Things of note:
Shabu offers all you can eat Lunch buffet on weekdays from 11 am — 4pm for $ 22. The buffet includes everything: meat, noodles, veggies, refill on broths, seafood, etc, all for only $ 22 per person. If the restaurant believes you didn’t eat $ 22 worth of food, they will only charge you per item. Shabu also offers all you can eat dinner, Monday-​Wednesday, from 4pm — 11pm, for $ 30 per person with the same terms and conditions.
If you are going the a la carte route– I recommend ordering the Meat, Veggie or Seafood Combo deals. A regular meat combo — allows you a choice of two meats, plus your choice of noodles (small bowl) and an assortment of veggies (large plate) for $ 16. The Supreme Meat offers your choice of three for $ 21. If you are trying to figure out how much to order– Jason and L usually get a regular meat combo, one small size of shrimp, and an extra side of veggies, and we end up stuffed.
Shabu’s dining room is tiny– with only 6 tables, a small bar area, and a seasonal outdoor patio. They do not take recommendations, so get there early and be prepared to wait– It is worth it.
I’ve tried a variety of their broths but my favorites are the Tom Yum and the Japanese curry. The Tom Yum is definitely spicy– but adds an awesome flavor to both beef and chicken. The heat coming from the soup plus the spiciness of the broth definitely makes you feel blissed out and head-​y, in an almost euphoric state. The Japanese curry is a thicker broth that comes with potatoes and carrots. It tastes really good with veggies– especially cabbage and greens.
Get your sake cold. The sake is high quality, very smooth– not biting like cheaper brands. A large size equals approximately 2 – 3 glasses — if split between two people.
Shabu shares owners with Yocha– so if you mention to your waiter you are headed there for desert– they will give you a coupon packet! Our packet included a 15% off, or a free cold desert soup with a $ 10 purchase.

3.5 stars. Only come here for the buffet. Holy crap, I treated my entire family and it costed nearly an arm and a leg. I know I should not rate based merely on the price, but the high quality meat and seafood should not cost that many more bills. Price aside, the soup was phenomenal. The Spicy Szechuan actually made my dead, taste-​insensitive tongue tingle! The service was A-​OK. Our waitress did a good job of keeping an eye on us, though we did not get a water refill until we asked (when we got the bill). I do not recommend coming with a lot of friends or family. We had the largest outdoor table and though we were just a party of six, it was a struggle to eat without tipping something over. Considering the dinner buffet is only M-​W, I probably won’t be back for awhile.

More like 3.5 stars. I think the quality of the meats and seafood are better than other hot pot places. But it’s pricier than Boston. The restaurant is also very small, consisting of a few booths and seating at the bar. They have lunch buffet Mon-​Fri ($ 21.95) and Sat-​Sun ($ 25.95). Dinner buffet is Mon-​Wed for $ 29.95. I’ve been here for the lunch buffet a few times but there are definitely cheaper places, such as Hot Pot Buffet in Chinatown and Ichiban in Braintree.
Even though the quality of the food is good, I’m not sure the price is worth it. Service is somewhat attentive but last time I came there was only one waitress, so we had to wait a bit for our orders to be taken. It’s nicely decorated, very modern and chic.
I would come here again since it’s the closest hot pot place. But if I don’t feel like splurging I’ll probably just stick to somewhere cheaper. I wouldn’t come here for dinner though, I don’t think it’s worth the $ 30 price tag.

Come here often when driving around Quincy. Haven’t tried their buffet but their regular hotpot entrée are pretty good. Portions for their surf and turf are smaller compared to other hotpot restaurants. However, it isn’t the worst place. Only bad thing is, if café beni is down, you won’t be able to order smoothies. Happened to me, not cool!

Preserved duck eggs! It’s gelatinous and there’s maybe a slight taste of iron in it but it’s so damn good and weirdly satisfying to eat. The soup base options are many — 14 choices!
My fave broths:
1. Tonkotsu — great for cooking — your food will soak up the awesome saltiness; on the flip slide, this saltier broth is not as great as a sipping broth, at least in large quantities
2. Cilantro w/​preserved duck egg — great for sipping as a soup; lighter, clearer broth — not as filling as tonkotsu so you can stuff your face more!
3. Salmon w/​cilantro & ginger (add chili peppers to this one for some heat and deliciousness!) — also great for flavoring and sipping as a soup
I generally love having assorted mushrooms, tofu, fish paste, and veggies for hot pot but quail eggs, fatty beef, and preserved duck eggs are super yummy proteins if you’ve got room for it! Beef tongue is nice, too, as well as tripe. You can’t really go wrong with any dinner dish you get here!
Service is wonderful every time I go — they basically know my family here now (my fam comes here like once a week — I don’t go as often) and they’re super attentive and friendly.
Smoothies are well blended. Sake is good.
Desserts: my friend is obsessed with the waffle ice cream but I think it’s so so. The green tea tiramisu is a light delight, but they really need to stop adding chocolate sauce, which masks the more subtle green tea flavor. Same goes for the fried green tea ice cream. Ask for any green tea desserts without chocolate sauce if you’re a green tea flavor fanatic. The cream puffs — a bit overpriced for 2 tiny standard cream puffs, but they’re a good treat if you want something light that won’t bust your pants button.
The space itself is intimate and has a nice vibe overall. They have outdoor seating with a plastic pavilion that wasn’t there a couple years ago — opt for this if you’d like to reduce your chances of smelling like shabu! Restrooms are well kept.
Reason this place gets 5 stars: my other regular hot pot spot doesn’t offer nearly as many (or as delicious) broth options or preserved duck egg — props to this place for interesting hot pot offerings!

One of my first shabu experiences I had was at this restaurant! It was a cold rainy day, and my friend suggested this place to help warm everyone up. There is street parking in the area, but make sure to read the signs so you won’t get a ticket!
This is a small but busy lil place that serves good quality meats with a nice intimate atmosphere. I believe lunch is the only time you can get the all you can eat menu (not 100% sure on that) but that is ually when we hit this place up.
They also offer daily specials for certain kinds of meats that that offer. They offer more base broth flavors than some places I have gone, and I really like the options.
I hope to come back soon on a cold rainy day, so I can relax with friends, warm up and fill up on some delicious food!