4. Restaurants

Shabu Chic

1032 S Jackson St,Ste 202, Seattle, WA, 98104
  • (206) 329-0988
  • Store is closed

Shabu Chic Menu

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant blood pressure menu details.

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

  • Lisa D.

    Seattle doesn't seem to have a lot of Shabu Shabu places but Shabu Chic manages to be a good one despite the lack of competition. Hot pot is always delicious when it's cold out and Shabu Chic has all the essentials for a reasonable price. They have three types of broths, plain, sukiyaki, and spicy miso. I have tried all three and I actually prefer plain I think. The sukiyaki is a sweet soy sauce and way too sweet for my taste. Since you only have that broth to cook your meat in, that's basically how all your meat will come out flavored ( you can still use the dipping sauces but you will be cooking all your meat in the broth you choose). The spicy miso was way too salty. I ended up adding a lot of extra water. With the plain broth you can taste the flavor of the meat and the dipping sauces, which are the flavors I want when I'm having shabu shabu. For those who haven't had Shabu Shabu before, you make your own mix of sesame sauce, ponzu, grated daikon, green onion, garlic, and red pepper. The quality of the meat was good. They sliced mine for me once I ordered so it wasn't just sitting around in the back or anything. I got the hungry portion and it's plenty of food for me ( average female eater I'd say). I could have gone with the healthy and been fine too I think. Orders come with veggies and a couple of udon noodles. Overall, I appreciated the amount/variety of food although some of the veggies didn't look super fresh. I didn't have problems with service like previous reviewers but then again when I came in there were only two other customers other than my party of three so perhaps that was why. They were very attentive and helpful and even chatted with me a bit about how long they'd been open for. All in all, if I'm craving shabu shabu I'll probably come here again. Good shabu shabu for a good price. TLDR; Good, reasonably priced shabu shabu place. I will be back.

    (4)

  • KT E.

    I have to agree with some of the other Yelpers. It's pricey. I did see the owner or manager's reply stating shabu shabu is different than Chinese hot pot. Ok, sure I get it. The broth is different. The sauces are different. That's about it. There were some reviews that said between 2 people they split the 15 pieces of beef and it was so cheap. Well, I suppose if I ate like a rabbit, everything will seem cheap to me too lol. There are some great things about this restaurant though. I love the modern feel of the restaurant. I love the open kitchen and how they cut the meat in front of you when you order. I even like that you get your own hot pot to cook your meat in your own broth choice but I can care less if I use the same pot and share the same broth with everyone I eat with which is what they will make you do anyway if you're sitting at a table. One thing that really annoyed me was our server didn't lift our lids for us. We had to do it ourselves and that thing is hot! It was super awkward and I could have burned myself. We were sitting at the counter. So it's not like the servers didnt see us. I probably won't be back and they're only only a few days a week anyway. Weird.

    (2)

  • Jen L.

    Im a big fan of this place. Large portions. I always leave very full. I love the rib eye 10 slice with pork dumplings and udon noodles. Also get the guava sakitini.

    (5)

  • Joseph L.

    Came here on a Sunday afternoon, and was not very busy, in fact when we sat down we were the only patrons in the restaurant. First off the parking in this lot sucks.. Talk about Asian drivers (I'm asian I can say that) This shabu shabu restaurant isn't built for large parties of 4 or more.. The table for 4 after all the plates and bowls just isn't big enough... The food is spot on. They've got great broth flavors. The spicy miso and the sukiyaki is what we ordered.. With pork dumplings rib eye and shrimp.. Food was great!! I would consider the food 4.5 stars, but the service/experience was subpar... Our server looked tired, The parking situation, not ideal. I couldn't get into to it. Il definitely try it again.. It was just a bunch of factors adding up to make our first time well not so fantastic.. and maybe il change this review after my next visit.

    (3)

  • I-Wei F.

    This is a chic little eatery in the ID. It's pretty hard to find as it's in the back corner of a parking lot that it shares with Tamarind Tree plus a lot of other restaurants. There's a nice sign near the entrance of the parking lot explaining where exactly Shabu Chic is, but there are so many little restaurants there that it became a process of elimination before I found it. Anyhow, once you're in there, the place is immaculately clean and the staff is warm and welcoming. The are instructions on how to order: 1. broth, 2. protein, 3. brown or white rice. My boyfriend and I both got the spicy miso, which is slightly spicy but full flavored without being too salty due to the staff's diligent addition of hot water to the broth before it boiled down too much. For protein, I got the healthy portion of lamb and boyfriend got the hungry portion of beef. All of the orders come with generous amounts of cabbage, 4 cubes of tofu, a small bunch of enoki mushroom, and small bundles of glass noodles and udon. There are also dumplings and fried tofu puffs for ordering. I got the tofu puffs, they're also very fresh and soak up the delicious broth. What was most impressive and sets this place apart from other hot pot places was that the meat was sliced to order every single time. The meat slicer is in the middle of the restaurant. When you order, the guy comes out of the kitchen with giant logs of meat and starts slicing them, then wraps the meat back carefully and puts it back into the kitchen. Then he wipes down the meat slicer thoroughly. Next time someone orders meat, the whole slicing process starts over again. I think this slicing of meat to order makes the meat taste fresher because it doesn't have any chance to oxidize, nor does it dry out like the pre-sliced frozen meat that are typically found at hot pot places. But the attention to meat is also shown to vegetables and other fixings, because they were all impeccably fresh. Two dipping sauces come with the shabu shabu, one from sesame paste and the other is ponzu. We got the black sesame and green matcha ice creams for dessert. I'm not a fan at all of the black sesame ice cream, it had a little bit of a durian flavor, but my boyfriend liked it fine. Service was top notch, our server was very attentive and friendly. This is a little gem in the ID, totally worth visiting if you want great service with hot pot.

    (5)

  • Ally W.

    Came here with a friend when he suggested we try shabu shabu. Never had it before, but I can dig it! It's like mini hot pot, so what's not to like? :) I ordered the sukiyaki broth and beef, plus shared the pork my friend ordered. Mmmm, so good! Plus I love that they give you udon and rice noodles! I also love the interior - very cute and modern. I'll definitely come back again!

    (4)

  • Christine W.

    The pioneer of shabu-shabu in Seattle. The location is hidden behind Viet Wah and it only opens during the weekends (hopefully they'll open all week one day). The selections of broth are interesting. If you're all about the sauce, get the seaweed broth (so the broth doesn't overpower the sauce). If you want something with a kick, get the spicy miso (not really spicy, but hey, that's why there are Sriracha, dried chili and capsaicin oil). YES, they have capsaicin oil, just ask the servers and you shall receive. You want something sweeter? They have sukiyaki broth. I can go on and on about this place. Meat is sliced to order, vegetables are selected carefully. Now they even have shrimp if awesomely marbled beef isn't your thing. The restaurant itself has the modern feel, and the beef isn't the only marbled thing you can find there. It has beautiful marble countertop. Good for kids and good for date nights. Bring your date, get your shabu on.

    (5)

  • Samuel B.

    I love this place. It is one of my favorite spots in Seattle. Everybody should eat here.

    (5)

  • Karen M.

    This place is off the hook! A group of my friends and I reserved the whole place through a Gilt City deal. So, we got the special treatment. :) This modern approach to Shabu-Shabu is nothing more but awesome! I had the spicy miso broth with ribeye! Oishi! It was delicious and not too spicy (for those who cannot handle the spice). Of course, I added more spice to it because that is just me. The staff are really nice, too. Overall, I highly recommend this place!

    (4)

  • Thomas V.

    Great food and can't beat the price! Got the spicy miso broth with the "healthy" sized portion of lamb as well as complimentary green tea and was pretty full. Even though I was full I still finished it off with some green tea ice cream. Yum! The service is good and I went at lunch this time so it was not crowded at all. It can be crowded in the evenings like the last time I went.

    (5)

  • Katherine L.

    Went here for a friends birthday and was somewhat not impressed. I like their presentation, but the food was alright... The soup was actually salty and that's coming from a person who loves salty foods. I wouldn't go here again due to their high prices for a simple hot pot... Oh well.

    (3)

  • Grace H.

    There is a small caveat to this review: There are hardly any shabu shabu places on the west side, so I may have a mild case of thirsty-man-in-a-desert syndrome. With that being said, this place is AWESOME. I love pretty much everything about the restaurant. The decor, the cleanliness, the service, and especially THE FOOD. Some Yelpers may be disappointed with their portions, but I'm a relatively small eater and find myself full after eating most of the vegetables and healthy portion. But I definitely suggest checking this place out if you like shabu shabu or hot pot. Other things to consider: I've gone there multiple times on a Friday evening, and surprisingly, I've never had to wait to eat (and I hope it stays this way!). So that's a nice little perk about Shabu Chic. Also, beware of the parking lot. On Friday evenings, the lot can become quite full and parking can become quite scarce. Try your best to find a spot without having to circle around because you can't really go back into the lot without going through the other streets (with all the construction on S Jackson and in the ID.)

    (5)

  • Tu Uyen H.

    I must admit, my friends own this joint, so I want to disclose that fact first so that I'm not writing as an "anonymous" patron. Now, although I know the owners, I will not compromise the integrity of this review, as I don't think it's fair to mislead other Yelpers. I hesitated writing a review before as 1: I felt the obligation as a friend that I should help out and 2: if I don't like something, I don't feel comfortable in writing a false statement just because of item #1. So with that being said, I now can fulfill #1 without having to deal with #2. I actually really enjoy the food here! After attending the soft opening for friends and family members only, I thought that it was good, but not great enough to warrant a review (I only write reviews on either very good or very bad venues and services, not average ones - I know, I'm weird like that), but I'm glad that their flavors have improved so now I can really rate this restaurant! The food is delicious! Their broths have improved greatly from the first time I tried it to now, including a brand new broth. And their beef... yum! The original (sirloin? I forget) was already tender, but when I tried the Wagyu and Kobe sampler, I fell in love! A little pricy, but worth every beef slice. It really does melt in your mouth!! You get what you pay for! As for the dipping sauce, I only eat the ponzu one as I don't like sesame. And lucky for me, the ponzu is delicious! I believe it's homemade. I dip everything in it, from the meat, to the veggies, tofu, and even the udon noodles! I genuinely crave the food here, the 3 major components of the dish (meat, broth, sauce) are all very savory in flavor, which makes my palette very happy. Umami goodness! They just introduce flavored shaved ice with toppings which I regretfully have yet to try. Me want some!! I just made myself hungry by writing this review. Ugh.

    (5)

  • Rachael B.

    Shabu Chic was a great experience. We went on Sunday around 5:15 and it was not very crowded and were seated right away. I've been to shabu in other cities and here, when you sit at the counter, you get your own pot! If you are new to shabu it is super fun and of course tasty! What I really appreciated about this spot though, was they give each person a "how to shabu" placemat. It was the first time for some of our dining companions and this made it super easy for them to season their sauces and and enjoy their shabu. Oh and they had some great add on's like dumplings- which I have never seen before! Overall great experience, dessert was fantastic too!

    (5)

  • Kay N.

    This place is awesome. I feel that it is a healthier version of regular Chinese hot pot! I tried the miso broth which I enjoyed. You get a plate of veggies with the meat/vegetarian selection of your choice. Also, 1.50 for shaved ice, personal size. Great choice after a meal. So yummy! If you don't know how to eat Shabu hot pot, the servers there are very willing to show you like me.

    (4)

  • Clint W.

    For the niche it tries to fill, it does it well. It's tucked away in the building west of Tamarind Tree. So, if you're not really scouting around, it can be a bit difficult to find. The restaurant is fairly small and is easy to overlook. Once inside, you see an open kitchen, surrounded on three sides by counters, with tall stools in front. Embedded in the counters are the tops where the hot pots go to cook your food. I can see where someone wasn't pleased with the location, because they had to reach over to hot pots...but they were probably thinking you needed a place to put all the goodies to dunk. Spacing and orientation are a little bit awkward, even at the tables. Four of us crammed into a table and we felt pretty cramped when the plates of food came. My beer went flying once, with some minor spillage happening. Decor is more modern and we didn't have any issues hearing any table conversation even though there was a table behind us. There were a couple/three types of broth and once again, I tried to order way too much food. The staff waived me off and I was glad she did. I ordered the "hungry' meat plate and it came with a side of veggies and a small bowl of brown or white rice. Two dipping sauces accompanied the entrees. The meat was thin and very fresh. The veggie plate that we all shared had some enoki, bok choy, nappa, chrysanthemum leaves, noodles and tofu on it. The broth was somewhat ordinary, but to be honest, I'm pretty much okay the natural tastes coming through and am not big on dipping sauces anyways. There aren't that many choices for different items to eat here, but the prices are pretty inexpensive and I think it's a nice stop for people starting out. (10% off for Yelp check in's too!)

    (4)

  • Yi Z.

    Let me disclose upfront that Shabu Chic is owned by my bf's cousin. I was super excited to try it out and I'm glad we went. We're huge hot pot/shabu fans and Shabu Chic lived up to my expectations. Each person was given an individual pot with a choice of broths. I went with the sukiyaki broth and the bf had spicy miso. We both got the hungry portion of beef and I was very full by the end. The veggies were fresh and the meat was sliced right in front of us. The sesame dipping sauce was awesome as well. There's even shaved ice, if you like that for dessert. The only negative is that location is a bit hard to find since it's in the back of the building.

    (4)

  • Vaness W.

    Such a cute set-up. The staff was wonderful offered tea while we waited for the rest of our party. I even spilled soy sauce on me and our waitress was very gracious to get napkins as well as a wet cloth to help me with my clumsiness. Definitely a place that will be my favorite.

    (5)

  • Terry T.

    Great little place, especially if you are new to Hot Pot. You get to cook your meats and veggies in a built-in hot pot at your table. Lots of great little spices and sauces to dip into. One guy was servicing a lot of people and the place was packed by the time we left. That's always a good sign.

    (4)

  • Jodi F.

    Awesome food, great service. Flavors were fantastic!

    (4)

  • Daren D.

    This was a pleasant experience, from the nice staff to the good food. I had the Beef Healthy, House Sake, a side of Tofu and extra Beef --packin' it in, oh yeah, haha. Good stuff! The space is really nice and clean; a welcome addition to Little Saigon, I think. The experience may take some getting used to for those unfamiliar. It may be in part due to the vast combinations of no "right or wrong" way cooking and/or mixing the goods. Some small issues: I wish, similar to KBBQ, that you had the temp knob at your reach. It would seem tedious to constantly ask staff "Please, turn it up," "Please turn it down," *repeat*. 'Cuz once you get a bowl, the pot still boiling for minutes is a waste. 'Cuz then they notice your pot is low and add more water. 'Cuz then this process repeats [atleast, for me]. Also, judging by how much my space spilled over into neighboring spots at the bar, I can see the counter being a clusterfuck of all sorts of goodies when the place is packed. The big beef plates don't help much. :) Try it out.

    (4)

  • Vivian H.

    First real shabu shabu restaurant in Seattle. In SF, there is an awesome shabu shabu restaurant, where I ate twice in one week, and then got sick of beef for a LONG time. BF LOVES shabu shabu or anything beef, so we decided to come here on a Saturday night. They have some kinks to work out, because we ate all of our veggies before the beef arrived. It took THAT long. The veggie platter had udon, tofu, enoki, napa cabbage, carrots, and a weird, bitter, razor leafed vegetable. BF and I shared the sukiyaki and spicy miso broth. I knew I wasn't going to like sukiyaki, but I enjoyed the spicy miso. Shabu Chic does not advertise kobe beef, which we all now know does not exist in America. When it came out, we saw that it was not sliced that thinly at all, which is a GOOD thing. At the place in SF, it was a challenge trying to pick up pieces so thin that they'd rip trying to pick it off the plate. The beef was fresh, not as fatty as I am used to, but I enjoyed it. We both got the "hungry" and I was surprised that I was able to finish. We also ordered dumplings. Good, I wouldn't order them again. I honestly think I am just not a very big meat eater (unless it's bacon; I'd eat it ALL) to really enjoy shabu shabu, but it's a nice experience once in a while.

    (3)

  • Anuj K.

    This relatively new japanese hot pot place opened up in a hidden location near Tamarind Tree - definitely a good find if you stumble across it. I had the shrimp and vegetable shabu-shabu and it came with plenty of shrimp, vegetables, tofu, and noodles to stuff my face for lunch. The price was good too! It's always satisfying to cook your own food and have a piping hot meal in front of you. I have my reservations from giving this place 5 stars because I don't think anything really stood out to me, but it was all good quality ingredients.

    (4)

  • Amity S.

    Hands down one of the best Shabu Shabu places I have ever been too! I recently moved here from California and have been craving Shabu since the move. Decided to check it out and boy was it worth it! The sauces were some of the best I have ever had and the service is outstanding. The location is a bit difficult to find but with the help of their signs we managed to find our way! :) The customer service was amazing, everyone was so nice and willing to assist. We had a great time at Shabu Chic and we will be back!

    (5)

  • Kevin W.

    My lady and I were craving something hot on a typical rainy day in Seattle. Decided to check this place out and unfortunately our experience just wasn't up to what we were expecting. Maybe it was a bad day for them but when we got in it took literally 10mins for anyone to greet us. We made eye contact w/ at least 3 employees, but they would just look at us and then go to the back. When we were finally acknowledged, they told us to take a seat. We did sit down at a table and were given menu's. About 10mins after that they told us we had to go back to the waiting area because there was someone else ahead of us even though there was only 1 person waiting, that person was given our table even though the rest of their party hadn't arrived. We then waited for another 10mins for spots to open up at the bar, so by now we've been waiting for about half an hour, which woulda been fine if we were told right when we walked in that we would have to wait instead of getting seated and then go back to standing and waiting around. When we were seated for a second time, haha i swear we waited at least another 10mins before our order was even taken. And by this time there were quite a few people waiting at the front of the restaurant for seats. When we got our food I noticed a couple next to us who got seated and were waiting there for service for quite a while...when a waiter finally asked if they wanted anything to drink, they responded w/ "We weren't even given any menu's". I could tell they were irritated, as they shoulda been. I will give them credit for the food, like other reviews pointed out, its nice to see them slice the meat right in front of you. I got the spicy miso broth and the Hungry size Ribeye...which was really good...but even though it's the bigger portion, it still left me hungry. For what you get, the price is pretty high. I'm not sure I would come back, if only cuz the price is a little high in my opinion, I'd rather find an all you can eat place.

    (2)

  • Yuqing L.

    The food is so healthy and yummy! The waiters are so nice! I like this restaurant so much. This is the cleanest and finest hotpot restaurant I have ever seen. Everything is so nice!

    (5)

  • Rina B.

    Shabu Chic is OK. It seems like it caters more to ppl going alone and/or not really familiar with Shabu Shabu. The waitresses seemed annoyed when my husband and I declined to sit at the bar (I'm pregnant and it's tough getting up and down from tall bar stools and I hate sitting up high anyway). Their ponzu was great. But, we don't really have a desire to go back again. It's a great place to start if someone's unfamiliar with Japanese style hot pot, but I think my husband and I prefer more traditional style Japanese restaurant.

    (4)

  • Hannah C.

    I'm from southern California where I had some great shabu so I was hesitant to try it in Seattle but Shabu Chic did not disappoint. The location seems a little questionable from the outside but don't let that scare you away - the resturant itself is nice and clean. The food was good, pretty standard shabu. I've been here several times now and it's consistently good. Their black sesame ice cream is delicoius, I highly recommend it!

    (4)

  • William J.

    Clean, simple, and affordable. The people provided good service although we were the only people in there on 8pm on Sunday. The portions were decent although for a few more bucks you could get AYCE hot pot at other places. The quality of the food was pretty good though and I liked the dippings sauces. I would definitely come back because its aesthetically pleasing and the food is good but if I was really hungry then I would head to Gourmet Noodle Bowl.

    (4)

  • Jennifer Y.

    Location: Shabu Chic shares the same parking lot with the all popular restraurant, Tamarind Tree. They don't share the same building though; it's actually in the building across from Tamarind Tree (the Viet-Wah building). Customer Service: Despite its location and appearance from the outside, the restaurant is very clean and quite new. Granite/stone counter tops, stove tops, pots, and utensils all are new and clean. Customer service was good; waiters were attentive, delivered food in a timely manner. The beef was sliced when ordered and delivered by the meat carver himself. Menu: Quite limited. +Broth: At the time they only have two broth choices, a seawood broth and the spicy miso. I only tried the spicy miso broth, and it wasn't what I was expecting. Normally spicy miso is spiced with some sort of pepper, but in this case it wasn't. It was spiced with ginger (there was literally a giant piece of ginger in my pot). So if you're expecting pepper heat, think again, and if you don't like ginger, I wouldn't suggest you get this. I, however, am a big fan of ginger, so this broth did me well. They did mention that they will be previewing a sukiyaki broth in the future (it's a sweeter broth, made of sake, mirin, and shoyu) +Entrée Options: They only have three entrée options, beef slice, chicken vegetable dumplings, and the vegetable platter. The beef entree and the dumplings entree come with rice, udon, and vegetables on the side (enoki, napa cabbage, tofu, a bitter green). I didn't order the vegetable platter, but I'd imagine it to be a bigger size of the sides that comes with the beef/dumplings. I tried both the beef and the dumplings. The beef was of good quality, and it's nice to see that they slice it when you order it. The dumplings weren't bad, however how it was served didn't make sense to me. The dumplings came out cooked (not sure if it was steamed or boiled), so you pretty much had to eat them right away... That didn't make sense to me, because normally these things come out uncooked that way you can throw it in the hotpot to soak up the flavors of the broth. If you throw it in after they were cooked then it would just fall apart in the pot. If I ever come back, I wouldn't order the dumplings again. For dipping sauces, they offer ponzu and goma, standard hot pot sauces. In the future, I'd really like to see more options on their menu, like sliced beef tongue and sliced pork. Someone mentioned Kobe beef in one of the reviews, so I'd like to mention that you can't get real Kobe beef in America (USDA prohibits beef imports from Japan and REAL Kobe beef is only produced in Japan. Stuff advertised here as Kobe is a fake, the US government doesn't enforce copyright laws of other countries). I'd also like to see more vegetables options, maybe a mushroom platter. Overall, it was pleasant experience. I probably wouldn't come back unless the menu expanded a little more.

    (3)

  • T M.

    I love hot pot, across the board. But as a vegetarian, sometimes hot pot can be somewhat tricky to navigate--you never know what's lurking in the bottom of that bowl, and frequently the non-meat offerings are an afterthought. This place is awesome: All of the broths are vegetarian, and the veggie delight is HUGE. Giant platter of tofu and noodles and cabbage. So good! So many exciting mushrooms! The portion is perfect. I'm stuffed by the end, but I always manage to finish. The spicy miso broth is excellent. Often with hotpot your mouth is salt-scorched by the bottom of the bowl, but this doesn't get too overwhelmingly salty while still managing to be really rich and interesting. Both of the dipping sauces are great, and I love that I can shovel as much garlic into my bowl as I want. The people here are sweet and attentive. The space is nice, low-key and very comfortable. There is sesame ice cream AND sesame ice cream MOCHI. While I still love dragging a big group to gourmet noodle bowl on special occasions, shabu chic is my go-to place for meeting a friend or dinner with my husband.

    (5)

  • AT C.

    came here on normal business hours and they're closed. no closed signs or anything. so unprofessional. so I left to go to another place.

    (1)

  • Ashley H.

    I moved back here from Los Angeles and have been looking for a decent shabu shabu place ever since. I like shabu chic. It's clean and the food is good. I've tried all three broths. The spicy miso is good, but its not spicy. I kept adding more hot oil and red pepper to it. The broth reminded me of a Korean soup called doenjang jjigae. The sukiyaki is light and sweet. Both are nice to sip the broth with your meat and veggies. The traditional seaweed is plain so it's all up to you on how you season it. They give you a small container with different ingredients you can add on so it can be good and simple or bland depending on how much garlic and what not you put in. The rib eye and wagyu beef are both good. The wagyu is just more tender. Sucks they are only opened on the weekend.

    (4)

  • erica r.

    The meal I had here was very good. It's a nice addition to Seattle (I can't believe we didn't already have Shabu Shabu here). They have 3 different broths that are all vegetarian. But, if you are dining with someone ordering meat, then you may want to sit at the counter, where you each get your own personal broth to keep yours vegetarian. If you sit at a table, you share broth. For a veggie meal, you get a giant plate of veggies (a few types of mushrooms, tofu, a few noodles, some greens, bok choy, carrots). It comes with a bowl of rice. For sauces, they have a tahini sauce that is veg, and ponzu which is not. In an email, they told me that they had a veg version of the ponzu that they could offer me, but when I was there the server didn't know anything about that so I just used the tahini sauce. I really would have liked a more flavorful sauce -- I kept adding various things (chili oil, soy sauce, garlic, etc) to my broth and sauce to try to get more flavor. Next time I would probably order the spicy miso broth in hopes of getting more flavor, and maybe try asking again about veg ponzu. But I will definitely be back.

    (4)

  • Alan B.

    Shabu Shabu is not the same as Chinese hot pot! So if you never had it, try it once and see if you like it. I have grew up in Southern Cali, loved the shabu there. I can't believe there was no Shabu in Seattle due to the cold/raining weather. I've finally found the first shabu shabu in Seattle! It's located off Jackson in ID, where the Viet Wah market is, if you never been to this parking lot like me. It may be hard to find the restaurant for you. It's basically on the back side of the building/ parking lot. Don't let me parking lot fool you, the actual restaurant is very neat and clean. The staffs were very nice and friendly, I tried the seaweed broth, and 15 peice of beef. You might find the seaweed broth on the light side of the flavor, but honestly.. I am all about the dipping sauce.. so which broth may not matter too much for me. The staff were nice enough to let me try the spicy miso and sukiyaki broth on the side. The spicy miso is nice, sukiyaki is sweet if you just drink it. But if you cook the beef/veg with it, they wont taste as sweet, just like other review it will taste good with udon. The overall experience is great, I got my shabu shabu fix that I have been craving for. I would def go back again, and try different broth. Thanks for opening up a Shabu resturant in Seattle! Snow Ice/Mango/Strewberry pretty good too.

    (5)

  • Michelle L.

    ive only been here twice and thought that it was just an ok experience. i got the veggie hot pot with spicy miso broth and brown rice. one time i got a side of pork dumplings and a side of beef. the beef (freshly sliced right infront of you) is very good! so are the pork dumplings (but make sure to not leave those in your broth for too long because they will break when you try to take them out of the broth). the veggie hot pot is great because it came with a lot of my favorite veggies, including broccoli, nappa cabbage, squash (i think it was squash), enoki mushrooms, etc. it also came with udon and glass noodles. what i didn't really like was my broth, which was the spicy miso. i think i got this one again because i didn't want the sukiyaki (which is usually sweeter) or the seaweed. the broth had a certain aroma to it that put me off. the man there..who is also in the video that is posted on this yelp page, i think is the owner? i'm just assuming. but he's not very friendly. i tried to strike up a conversation with him but he seemed like he wasn't in the mood. both times i've went he never smiled or asked if anything is ok. i would have just thought that he was a miserable employee there who was ready to get out of work if i didn't see him in the video. i'm use to owners who go out of their ways to make customers feel happy and welcome at their restaurants. who knows, maybe that's just what i've experienced. definitely not at shabu chic though. i'll go back there for the food because it is definitely a healthy choice! you can eat a lot without feeling guilty, which is always a great find.

    (3)

  • Tien T.

    Quick...cheap...and mediocre in taste. For $18 I got 15 slices of beef, a side order or pork dumplings, iced green tea & 3 pieces of mochi ice cream for dessert. By far the pork dumplings were the best. The meat was fresh, but since the broth wasn't super flavorful it didn't soak up much flavor since it didn't have any in the first place. I had the spicy miso and it wasn't spicy at all! I had to add tons of garlic, green onions and chli oil to flavor it. Good friendly service and free iced green tea refills doesn't hurt.

    (3)

  • Dee L.

    Wow! Yummy! Sukiyaki broth is flavorful! Really enjoyed will come back many more times! Just wish they had the super spicy drops!:))))

    (5)

  • Rickey M.

    Ah yes, Shabu Shabu has finally landed Seattle. This is the Japanese version of the Hot Pot that many of us are used too. Came here for dinner, service was quick, and the food was good. The sukiyaki broth is nomz. Not too sweet or salty, almost a perfect mix for some shabs enjoyment. The meat was good, and this is comparing to a handful I've been to in LA, and I'll have to say the meat beat out those in LA. Veggies were on point, but its hard to mess those up, just cut and serve. Goma and Ponzu sauces for days, they're a little stingy with it, but just ask for more and you shall receive. Give this place a try and introduce yourself to Shabu Shabu here in Seattle, just make sure you find some parking quickly because it's not easy to find.

    (4)

  • Mel V.

    Was in town from southern Cal and was craving for some shabu. Shabu Chic hit the spot. The service was great, the rib eye melts in ur mouth and the goma sauce was so good! Cool granite counter with individual pots unlike the other hotpot places. I'll be back for sure!

    (5)

  • Julie T.

    I'm a little harder on Shabu reviews since they're one of my favorite staples now. I give it a 3 but I'm sure to most, it'd be an easy 4. Ambiance: 4 :clean and quaint with a modern feel. Outside not so much and was a little hard to find. I actually walked into the restaurant next door by mistake! Food: 3.5 :the rib eye sliced beef is of excellent quality-very tender. The spicy miso broth was not spicy at all, was too salty and lacked miso flavor. The sauces were mediocre but then again, I'm from California so my standards are higher. The veggies were a little on the skimpy size; I'm used to generous portions. But presentation was aesthetically pleasing. Service: 5 :welcoming and accommodating. My brown rice was dry and was replaced by white (free of charge). Water refills were timely and I was provided a brief overview of the menu. Overall a lovely Shabu place but could really excel if the sauces and miso broth were modified.

    (3)

  • Jake N.

    So glad shabu shabu has arrived in Seattle. After living in Southern California and enjoying the shabu there, we were hooked. Shabu chic does an excellent job at satiating our cravings. I like the sukiyaki and my husband gets the spicy miso, we both get ribeye and often supplement with pork dumplings. We always clean our plates and often wish for a few more udon noodles. The owner is very welcoming and works right along side his staff. Staff are attentive and helpful. The service is quick and everything is always fresh. We are excited this place was busy when we went on Sunday night, we want it to stick around. Can't wait until our next visit.

    (4)

  • Jay P.

    Great. Typical shabu/hot pot. Small place. We went for lunch on a Sunday and it wasn't busy at all. Only one girl working and when the "rush" came she was a bit slammed. Veggies were fresh and so were the shrimp. A little hard to find as it's in the back of a building with at least two other Asian restaurants.

    (4)

  • Mark D.

    Extremely tasty with a very nice and informed staff. The snow ice is amazing! Be sure to spice up your broth with dry chili peppers.

    (5)

  • Elizabethe A.

    Let me start by saying the food is really good. The broth is good, the fresh veggies were excellent, the meat is good enough quality for me to eat raw right off the plate, but to be frank, if I wanted to work this hard for a meal, I could do it at home. And yes, this is the nature of shabu shabu and hot pot in general. But I have a few complaints for this experience in particular. The pot was just entirely too far away. It's like putting a dog on a leash and putting a rare steak right at the end of the lead, his eager sniffing nose inches away from bloody rare meat. That is how I felt. The hot pot was barely reachable by my outstrestched chopstick wielding hands. So I felt well exercised by the end of dinner. Only later did I find out that you could ask for a strainer which would have made the whole experience less physically taxing. My other complaint is that wasn't very much selection. You either get beef or dumplings. You have a choice of broth but honestly that really doesn't add THAT much flavor that it makes a difference which one you pick. You also get sauces and spices, and they leave it up to you to make your own concoctions. I would really rather them just figure out best practice and do that for me as well. I don't want to learn from my own mistakes, and guess and check my work all along the way. That's what a chef is for. I should reiterate that if you like dinner to be an interactive and laborious activity, then this place is great and has great quality ingredients. But I tend to like restaurants because they are easy and relaxing and this place was not that.

    (3)

  • Elaine F.

    Cute price:) Clean and modern. The amount of meat given is not much tho, which is very Japanese lol

    (4)

  • Jin K.

    Good shabu shabu. Clean establishment and well priced. Friendly and helpful staff. Food was clean. Left full and satisfied. I would totally come back. Ask the staff for recommendations, there are so many options. I personally liked the Miso broth. Not too salty.

    (4)

  • Meri H.

    It's okay for what it is. I understand they're in the process of getting the kinks worked out. But, really, I was unimpressed. The meat wasn't the high quality wagyu beef I've had in Shabu-Shabu places in San Francisco and New York City. It was listed as a rib-eye steak and was chewy and not nearly as flavorful as I like. The broth flavors were just, eh. The sauces were good, but they're very cheap with them. They have these medium sized bowls for the sauces, but fill them about 1/4 of the way. You ask for refills, and they kept filling it to the lowest possible level... which meant we had to interrupt our dinner several times to get their attention to get more. In general, it seemed like they were trying to save money by keeping the levels of the broth and sauce way too low, and it made me feel like I wasn't getting my money's worth. The vegetables they offered were okay. They brought out a communal platter of veggies with one little bunch of mushrooms. I really wished I'd been given my own plate with a more generous portion of mushrooms. On the flip side, the price was reasonable. Our total, with tip, was about $35 for two people. I would gladly pay a premium for higher quality beef. The staff was friendly and helpful when we asked for help, I just wish we didn't have to ask for so much help since Shabu-Shabu can be such a fun, intimate dining experience. Might try it again to see if things are improving.

    (3)

  • Poi U.

    Shabu chic is awesome if you are looking for legit japanese style shabu and not just something more similar to Chinese hotpot. My favorite is the wakame (clear) broth. One time my mom ordered the Wagyu beef. It was delicious. Oh my god. It literally melted in my mouth. But I'd rather just pay less for my meat eating experience and go with the rib-eye which is 10 bucks cheaper. The great thing is you have your own pot, no sharing! They give the right amount of vegetables and the sauce is pretty legit shabu sauce. Too bad they don't open on weekdays, and sometimes there is a wait. Overall, it's a great shabu place...something I miss about Seattle is restaurants like this.

    (5)

  • Will L.

    I've been eating here quite a bit now. I've never really had hot pot except for when my mom used to bring out the tabletop stove when I was a kid (Vietnamese style). But I really love the freshness and healthiness of this place. I looked up online about shabu shabu and wanted to try it out here. This place is great for a quick meal that fits into a healthy lifestyle. If this is your first time, you should try out the spicy miso broth. Unless you are looking for the truly unique experience that the Japanese are used to, start with spicy miso instead of traditional broth. But I highly recommend getting the traditional broth on one of your next visits. Some days simplicity is what really fills my craving, or I just don't want to be overwhelmed with flavor. The food comes out extremely fast, especially since it is made to cook in front of you. The meat is very fresh, and cut right in front of you! Some people like to cook their vegetables and tofu individually, but I like to throw it all into the pot and pick it out when I am ready to eat it. There are so many ways to eat it, each visit can be its own unique experience!

    (5)

  • Elliott S.

    I had Shabu Chic this past Saturday and I have to say I was thoroughly impressed. It was a fun way of eating with the "hot pot" style where you get to cook your own food. I got the "hungry" portion and was satisfied with thin cuts of quality beef. It was nice to have tofu and veggies too. The spicy broth was flavorful. I also liked the UCC coffee they serve - an iced coffee is a good paring with the hot broth and meats. It can be a bit hard to find if it is your first time - you won't see it from Jackson and you will have to park and go around to the back. Definitely worth the trip though!

    (5)

  • Zachary S.

    To anyone who is confused on where Shabu Chic is located: It is in the BACK of the Viet-Wah building - my friend and I were very confused because there was a "Shabu Chic" sign in the front, but when we went to the side of the building it was the entrance to a vietnamese place next door. Keep walking around the building and you will find it. The atmosphere was pretty nice and modern. It seems like it would be really fun if the restaurant was packed, but unfortunately we were the only patrons eating there for lunch. The food was good. One of my favorite things about Shabu Shabu is that it is actually pretty healthy. We ordered the "hungry" portion of beef and "hungry" portion of dumplings...but we were still a little hungry when we left. The ponzu sauce was yummy, but the miso sauce on the side had a bit of a plasticky taste to it. The beef and vegetables were all really good as well. If you're looking for a non-conventional dining experience at a clean and trendy location in the ID, try this place.

    (4)

  • Andre D.

    Fresh & clean shabu shabu! If you're from California, you already know what that means. First shabu shabu in seattle, this small enterprise is leading the way. The food was delicious. We got the fresh greens chicken dumplings and the rib eye meat cuts. I was impressed with the flavor. Based on how new the restaurant is, I was expecting something sub par. But shabu chic came through! The meal wasn't heavy, unlike top pot. Check this place out for a delicious Japanese fix. $12 per person for the food. Ample parking. Super clean! Can't go wrong.

    (4)

  • Jennifer M.

    Great atmosphere, amazing service, and yummy food! I'm used to LA shabu so whenever I go somewhere out side of there I never know what I'm going to get and more often than not I'm disappointed. Needless to say I was extremely pleased with Shabu Chic. The veggies and tofu are the freshest I've ever had at shabu and the sukiyaki is great with the ribeye! Everything is nice and clean and it is cool inside despite all the hot pots. Lastly, the owner is super nice and personable, always a huge plus in my book when dining out. I'll definitely be back again next time I'm in Seattle.

    (5)

  • Tony R.

    Just as good - if not better - than the shabu I've had in LA and the Bay Area. Homemade ponzu sauce and awesome miso broth.

    (5)

  • Michael K.

    About as close to the real Shabu Shabu. Enjoyed the friendly staff and great food served on time and ready to cook up and enjoy. Price is excellent for the basic prime rib cut. Vegetables and seaweed broth went well together. Over dosed on ponzu sauce with garlic, green onion and maple radish condiments.

    (5)

  • Keri C.

    delicious. amazing prices for the lunch hour. nice soup bases to choose from. fresh shaved meat in front of you, it tasted like shabu shabu we had in japan

    (5)

  • Yukio W.

    Waaaay overrated!! Came here for lunch on lunar new year eve... Bad idea, parking was ridiculous. On to the food... The rib eye and wagyu was ok... Nothing to rave about. I had the spicy miso broth, IMO, flavorless. "Homemade" ponzu and sesame sauce were both bland. Veggie platter was good, except my udon noodles were slimy (didn't seem fresh). Servers were friendly to customers who didn't understand shabu. I wish seattle would open a shabu house or shabu way (like the ones we have in sf)... I miss good shabu, especially on these cold nights.

    (2)

  • A F.

    Wonderful little restaurant tucked away in the back of a little shopping center. I had the beef in spicy broth. They give you so much food you'll be hard pressed to finish it all (but you'll want to try!). Save room for dessert--the snow ice is incredible, just the right level of sweetness. The staff is extremely friendly and attentive. I recommend sitting at the bar, where you can watch them shave the meat and ogle other customers' dishes.

    (5)

  • Won M.

    Well worth it. Accessible shabu shabu. Good quality meat! I went with the raw egg soy dip. Yum. Great service and nice owner.

    (5)

  • Tai T.

    I had high hopes for this place. We shared a big pot of soup between 5 people. Soup was mediocre and portion size is small for the price. I left hungry... I'm still in search of good shabu shabu in Seattle.

    (2)

  • James C.

    We tried the spicy miso broth, as well as the sukiyaki broth. Both were very good and rich. The sliced meat was very high quality. 10 pieces of meat may not sound like much, but that with the veggies, and bowl of rice, made a great brunch. What we did, is order a 15 pc ribeye pot, and a dumpling pot, then we shared the meat and dumplings. This worked out well. If you like mushrooms, you may want to order the mushroom side dish. 4 different types of mushroom that worked wonderfully in the broth. The service was fantastic, price is reasonable. A lighter meal than the Chinese hot pots, yet filling. We'll be back.

    (5)

  • Tina P.

    Swish, swish. Fun, Fun. Yum, Yum. I get a kick out of cooking my own food. So this was a definite plus in my book. I especially like their simple menu. Less items for me to fuss over. Service was quick and efficient. The food was simple, fresh, and affordable. Under $30 for two plus complimentary shaved ice for dessert!

    (4)

  • Bruce R.

    I love this place. It's our "go to" spot in the ID. Generous portions for the price. Great service - the owner always seems to be there and greets us as if we stop in all the the time - I wish we did - asks about our son who's away at school is doing, etc. The restaurant is super clean. We feel comfortable and welcome in any attire - baseball jersey, sport coat, sock and sandals, it all works. Best of all, the whole concept works great. My wife likes her beef very well done and I like pork or lamb very rare. Because we cook it ourselves we get exactly what we want.

    (5)

  • Midori H.

    I have been missing Shabu pretty hardcore since I moved from California a few months ago! Lo and behold this place is awesome! First off, noticed how clean and welcoming the space was. We went early on a Saturday evening and there was no wait for us. We ordered the spicy miso broth with rib eye and lamb. Loved the flavors and will definitely be trying another broth on the next visit. Even though we didn't order the more expensive wagyu, I was perfectly happy with my rib eye cut! Also, they serve alcohol. Nothing better than shabu and beer! In summary, clean, simple, hits the spot shabu shabu!

    (5)

  • Sho I.

    One star knocked off for being snotty like some privileged kid with entitlement issues BECAUSE of its limited hours (Thursday-Sunday)! But other than that, this place is bomb diggity! First off, I used to live in Japan and been craving the shabu shabu AKA Japanese hot pot. These places are starting to open up like hotcakes because I think people are getting tired of the more mainstream style AKA Chinese/Taiwanese/Mongolian hot pot. When you first walk into Shabu Chic, you will notice seating at either the table or the counter. Most times I've come here I've sat at the counter. The place is clean and feels comfortable. How does this place work? You choose your choice of protein, which consists of the wagyu beef (too expensive---maybe when I become rich), regular beef, chicken, pork, or dumplings. The types are actually more specific, I just gave supergeneric categories :P. Next, you choose your broth. I've had the sukiyaki, which is my favorite, and the miso, which is alright but not as good as the sukiyaki in my opinion. The server will bring you a plate of veggies, which consist of lettuce, bok choy, carrots, enoki mushrooms, udon, etc. The veggies are very FRESH by the way. She will also bring you a side of ponzu sauce (soy sauce-based citrus sauce) and goma (sesame-based) for dipping your meats. You can also add extra stuff to your sauce, and when I refer to stuff that would be green onions, minced garlic, and spicy radish. Then, the meat cutter dude will appear out of nowhere and cut the meat in front of you. Note: there is a meat cutter in the middle of the premises. Next, you will get your pot of broth placed on a burner in front of you. When the liquid boils, you add your crap in. For non-beef meats, they take longer to cook. For everything else, a few minutes in the boiling liquid should be enough. Finally, if you check in on Yelp and show them, you will get a free scoop of ice cream. I got the green tea one. Why would I get any other flavor? #obvi This place gives out punch cards too! In sum, this is a nice addition to the ID and I hope I will be seeing more shabu shabu places open up in Seattle!

    (4)

  • Jacob H.

    I wasn't expecting much coming here since I didn't think Seattle would have good shabu. Was I wrong. This place was pretty good. Not the best that I've ever had but it was good enough for lunch. I was a bit disappointed there wasn't a lunch special. There was only one staff serving the whole restraunt so a lot of people were waiting for service. Kind of sucks if you are in a hurry or a big group. Luckily I wasn't in a time crunch so I just sat through the delay. The meat does come frozen but the flavor wasn't bad. Parking could get difficult since the lot gets pretty busy but I didn't have much of an issue waiting.

    (3)

  • Heather C.

    This place is amazing!!! Order the sukiya or the spicy miso broth and be sure to add garlic and spicy drops. The thinly sliced ribeye is perfect. Lastly, the service is so great. Everyone that works there is top notch!

    (5)

  • Rob G.

    I've been here a few times since moving to Seattle in March 2015. The food is delicious and the wait staff has always been very friendly and accommodating. The only thing is that it would be great to see more selection on the menu.

    (4)

  • Candi K.

    This place is yummy. It's a small restaurant and it's cool that you get your own pot instead of sharing it with the table. Service is awesome, very attentive and super nice. My friend and I came here and we got a large beef and extra large lamb. I think a large of both is plenty. I finished midway and my friend finished the rest (he is an endless pit). I got the sukiyaki broth and my friend got spicy miso. I really liked mine. Also came with two sauces and I'm more favorable for the sesame sauce. Goes great with garlic and green onion. Comes with a plate of veggies and noodles. All were very tasty. I do like how they freshly slice the meat in front of you which is nice. I got free ice cream scoop for checking in a yelp. The black sesame ice cream is tasty. I'm a sucker for black sesame.

    (5)

  • Tracy S.

    This place is a bit pricey but the service and quality of food makes it worth it.

    (4)

  • Christine Y.

    The good: --Clean environment --Meat sliced to order --Complimentary veggies (but I think this is standard at hot pot joints?) --Friendly service The bad: --Seaweed broth is very bland. I was warned of this, but it was barely different from boiled water. It should have tasted like seaweed. --Wasn't impressed with the sauces. Something was off with the blend of ingredients they used to make em. I can point you to bottled sauces that taste better. --I can make this at home?

    (3)

  • Ben L.

    Good, healthy food and great sauces for not a lot of money. Nice atmosphere with clean granite countertops at the bar and induction hot plates at the table and bar. Usually one small order of meat per person for dinner (or medium for lunch, which I believe is the same as a dinner small) is enough once all the veggies, sauces, and rice are thrown in. One small complaint: the hot plates at the bar are a little too far back. I'm about 6'4" and the reach is less than comfortable for me. I'm not sure how shorter people manage.

    (4)

  • Nick S.

    Shabu chick is delicious. Best hot pot place in Seattle. Super clean, friendly, and healthy (I think).

    (4)

  • Jamie P.

    Shabu Chic offers Japanese hot pot, which seems healthier compared to other places in International District, but still with reasonable pricing. How you order is by selecting your main protein option (meat/veggie) which comes with a side of veggies. Plus, the variety of sauces provided for dipping are pretty tasty! The server was also helpful in explaining how to order, as it was our first time here. Worth checking out!

    (4)

  • Heew P.

    There is nothing chic about this shabu place! How this place got a 4 star average is beyond me, something just isn't right about that. First of all, I have been to many shabu places (all in California) - I think I know my shabu. My husband and I just moved back home to Seattle and I was excited to find a shabu place here. Let me save you the disappointment by saying DONT EAT HERE!!! Make like Reebok and Just DONT do it! The service was terrible and there were only two other groups of people here. Not one person checked in on us during our entire meal, but really if the food was good I wouldn't need to complain. The sauces were mediocre at best. The goma was way too creamy and barely had any flavor. The ponzu sauce was bland, and not citrusy and aromatic as it should be and was so watered down after a few dips that I seriously thought I lost my taste buds. The "seaweed" broth is just water, which is fine BC it usually is but it tasted like the nastiest tap water I've ever had! It leaves this gross taste in your mouth. I would compare it to toilet water but that would imply that I've tasted it, which I have not. The beef ribeye is dry and not tender. If you've ever had shabu before you would know that a part of the fun is mixing all of your remaining ingredients including your two dipping sauces into the pot with your noodles and one of the workers usually mixes it for you, adding more "soup base" to flavor up the broth, and replacing your rice bowl with a larger bowl for this heavenly goodness to come. After 5 minutes of trying to get some service from somebody, anybody, I asked for some soup broth and I was told they did not have this. That's just preposterous!!! The response was then followed by "you're the 2nd person to ask in 3 years" Uhmm OK?! What are you implying? Shabu is obviously new to Seattle and perhaps people don't really know what the greatest part about eating shabu is? How could a shabu place not have soup base? They also do not have big bowls, I was told to use the small bowl that was used to place my ladle in during my meal. That bowl wouldn't even fit an egg, a quail egg at that. So Alas, my taste buds could not be sparked here and it was probably the biggest waste of $$ and stomach space that I have ever encountered. I'm working on ma fitness and now I have a big belly full of disgustingness. Do not make the same mistake as I did my friends, just do yourself a favor and go anywhere else! Any...where!!!

    (2)

  • Julie Marcellina V.

    I love Shabu Shabu! This was a whole new experience for my friends and I. I've never had Japanese style Shabu. So the waiter was amazing, he was very informative about everything. We each ordered a entree and all of the entrees included veggies and mushrooms. We all had an option of brown or white rice. The soup is normally used to cook everything in and not for eating. So it's not as flavorful as your normal hot pot; however, it did come with two incredible sauces. Wow! The peanut sauce was so yummy! My favorite! Great experience overall!

    (4)

  • Tommy K.

    Love me a good hotpot. The seaweed broth is basically lightly seasoned water but the other broths are pretty amazing. The ingredients are fresh, well presented, and the service was quite attentive (maybe at times a bit much). My only complaint about this place is how hard it is to find it. I guess it's not a big deal since once you've been there you know how to get there again but that first time was a bit confusing.

    (5)

  • Shuxuan Z.

    It's a good hot pot place! For folks who want to eat Japanese-style hot pot in a restaurant, it might be the best place in Seattle. I only give it three starts, because I actually prefer to have hot pot at home.

    (3)

  • Foodislife H.

    We got to shabu chic at about 545 and it was completely empty. They open at 5pm for dinner. Service was good, she gave us a lot of attention. We ordered the XL rib eye beef for $20 which came with rice and vegetables. Dipping sauces were awesome but 3 stars because the beef was tasteless/bland and the whole point of eating there was to try their beef. However, beef Slices were relatively big?

    (3)

  • Ann W.

    As the weather gets colder and wetter, the one thing that is most comforting to me is hot pot. Shabu Chic was the perfect, soothing, soul food. Rather than traditional Chinese hot pot, Shabu Chic is Japanese style. If you are solo or a party of two, you sit at the counter and have an individual hot pot with 1 broth; for more than two people, you sit at a table and share a hot pot with 1 or 2 broths (a pot divided in two compartments). I have sat at both so far. An entree is your choice of meat, ranging from $11 to $19 or you can splurge and get wagyu. Each entree comes with rice and a plate of fresh mixed vegetables. Everything is incredibly fresh and feels so healthy. I love the beef, especially in the sukiyaki broth, which is light, savory, and slightly sweet. I also love that you get some cellophane noodles and udon noodles on the veg plate--perfect at the end of the meal with the leftover broth (if you managed to not drink it all first!) The goma (sesame) dipping sauce is so good! I recommend adding a spoonful of garlic from the condiment jars on the table! You can even ask for ways to spice up your meal. One entree to avoid is the gyoza (pot stickers) because they are store bought, not home made. (The server told me so, but she also mentioned that they are organic and MSG-free.)They were not disgusting at all, but with the amount of fresh and affordable pot stickers in Chinatown, you can certainly skip them at Shabu Chic and choose one of the other entrees. Another thing I dislike (that most people have already mentioned in their reviews) is the awkward placement and tight seating around the counter. The spot for the hotpot is quite far away, so we were reaching over all of our bowls, plates, and sauces to swish our goodies in the broth. My husband and I already agreed...the next time we go, we will try to avoid the counter seating by bringing a couple of people with us!

    (5)

  • DD C.

    One of the better hot pot joint in Seattle, Premium meat, and natural broth (no MSG soups like Little Sheep or Boiling Point... though I like those two places a lot too!!!) The meats are sliced to order, you can see the fresh meat right in front your eyes, .. not already cooked and buried in MSG broths.... The veggies are super fresh, especially the mushroom place!!!

    (5)

  • Jennifer J.

    The hours are Thursday-Sunday and they don't take reservations. The atmosphere is casual and bright.

    (5)

  • Eric D.

    Came here after a disappointing M's game and needed some cheering up. Not that I was any happier but at least my appetite was fulfilled. It was a choice between here and boiling point, they'll be my comparison. Service was pretty empty when I got there, it's nice inside and there's a local HD Antenna with TV you can read the mouths to. It's also kind of cool to watch the meat get sliced on the spot, although I'm never sure if it's frozen or not lol. Price wise, $15-$17 for some meat is a little pricey. It works but boiling point we can split a large for that much so I don't know and the sides are a lot less taxing at BP. The broth is good, the meat and food is great and even the water is better. I'm not a fan of how far the broth is from my food area, I'm pretty tall and even I had to stretch at the bar table to get some noodles and such. My table was a mess when I was done. Overall I'd recommend it, I'll be heading over again tonight for final thoughts and ultimately decide which Chinatown Hot pot restaurant is the best. PS. wassup with the days open? Don't take reservations but only open half the week for half a day? This place is weird.

    (4)

  • Cynthy C.

    Uber-tasty, healthy and a fun & reliably great dining experience. Unlike other hot pot places, the choices of broth at Shabu Chic are fresh, flavorful and contain no MSG. Veggies are what you would expect - fresh! My friends and I ordered the pork dumplings (not to miss!), beef, lamb and pork. All 4 choices were excellent, with the pork dumplings and beef being the two most preferred. Over the past 3 visits, the quality of the food has been consistent and the service is friendly.

    (5)

  • Amanda N.

    Small little restaurant. Good service. Like the fact that you get your own hot pot. The veggies was a good portion and fresh looking. The dipping sauces were good. I got the healthy portion for the meat, like the fact that it's sliced after I ordered it vs having it already prep in the morning. The snow ice dessert was yummy

    (4)

  • Marianne H.

    bad food and bad service. the meat came out frozen and the server was terrible. the broth was wayyy too salty and the server never once filled our water or asked if we needed anything. not really sure why this place is 4 stars - bad broth and dry meat. i would not suggest anyone to go here.

    (1)

  • Kayla C.

    Delicious! Shabu Chic is a hot pot restaurant. You get to choose your broth, meat, and condiments, and then you cook everything yourself right in front of you! I love the variety and customization of every meal. The meat and veggies were extremely fresh and extra tasty. Get the snow ice for dessert!

    (5)

  • Paul T.

    Really good food and service. The waiter was very attentive. Ordering the xtra large meat plate was very filling. Will come back soon.

    (5)

  • Lily L.

    Located behind the Viet-Wah Plaza, this shabu joint could be difficult to find. Parking is tight and hard to find as a first time go-er, so be prepared to park elsewhere. Small and cozy, the portion was okay and the soup base was pretty good. They have the standard seaweed or sukiyaki, but the spicy miso was a good kick for the cold weather. Meat was not as fatty as I like it, but still okay. Service was normal, neither lacking, nor overextensive. The brown rice was undercooked, still on the tough side, but a good amount for hot pot. There are a few drinks on the menu and no dessert. I'm hoping they will have dessert. My friend told me they have sesame ice cream, but I didn't see any. Perhaps that's a goal for their restaurant. Because they're hidden away, perhaps that may drive the same customers around, but hopefully not drive customers away.

    (3)

  • Kendra M.

    Everything about this place was mediocre. The meat was an okay grade, the service was a little slow despite a near empty restaurant, the ponzi and other sauces seemed store bought, the prices on the high side. Overall not really impressed with the food and felt they were leaning to hard on being one of the few Shabu restaurants in the area.

    (3)

  • Anna C.

    Omg! Best shabu shabu in Seattle! It's not just the fresh sliced, generous portion of yummy ribeye- it's the amazing Goma sauce to dip it in! It's a highly guarded secret recipe that they should bottle and sell! :) the staff is super friendly too! I will be coming back & often!!

    (5)

  • Samantha A.

    Great food, interesting concept. Not my cup of tea but everyone else in my party loved it . Waitress was slow and a bit annoyed with our larger party.

    (3)

  • Annie Y.

    I would love this place if it wasn't for their limited business hours. They're only open on Friday,Saturday and Sunday, no lunch on top of that. I always get the sukiyaki broth, hungry portion with extra veggies. It comes out to $25 per person with tax. My friend and I are always craving shabu during the weekdays but opt for somewhere else when the weekend comes around. I wished they'd extend their business hours... Try opening Thursday, shabu chic!! :) Anyway, do pay a visit here because it's worth it. The ribeye pieces are cut in front of you when you order it and their dipping sauces (ponzu and sesame) are delicious.

    (4)

  • Tida S.

    My boyfriend and I are regulars (we've been coming here pretty much every week for the past two years) because we are hooked. You will not find a better Shabu Shabu place in town. Quality ingredients, great tasting sukiyaki broth, very friendly and nice service, and a clean atmosphere. Highly recommend Shabu Chic! It hits the spot, especially on a cold rainy day.

    (5)

  • Jeff G.

    Despite it's hopelessly precious name this place is pretty good. Oddly enough when you first walk in it looks more like an Ice Cream parlor with chirpy bright colors and a long counter island in the middle. But as soon as you see the tables with heating elements and the jars of condiments you know you are in the right place. This place only does hot pot so the menu is simple. You have a few noodle choices, a choice of meat or veggie and broth. That's it. They use one of those split pots so you could do half and half but since we both like to create our own flavors we both had the spicy miso which was a little zippy but not particularly spicy; I ended up adding lots of sriracha, peppers and chili oil. We had the meat which was more than enough for 2 but not the huge seemingly endless pile that some places use, which always makes me feel like I have to eat too much anyway. We also had the veggie dumplings which were very good if not the best in the ID. The guy who was running the place the day we were there was very friendly and had no problem bringing us extra noodles, napkins etc. The vibe here is a little less frantic than some of the other places in town that do hot pot like Gourmet Noodle Bowl, which made for a relaxing meal.

    (4)

  • Nina H.

    I'm really digging this place so my review is really more 4.5 stars. I think this used to be a Vietnamese restaurant, but I'm glad Shabu Chic opened up here. It shares the same lot as Spring Garden, Viet Wah and potentially Tamarind Tree if you walk across the lot so it's in a pretty good location in the ID. I love the modern and clean atmosphere of the restaurant and service is so friendly and helpful. I swear, a few different servers checked in on us at least five times. They really wanted to make sure our experience was fulfilled and satisfactory, and they did! They were great about refilling our waters, hot teas (which was complimentary), and dipping sauces. They made sure to add more water to our broths every so often too. The four of us ordered: rib-eye beef, pork, shrimp and pork dumplings. Everything tasted great! I could've gone without the shrimp, but we had to order a fourth because each person is required to order one entree. Entrees run from about $13 to $18 I think, depending on whether you choose the "healthy" or "hungry" option. I really like how they lay out the menu for you and teach you how to eat shabu shabu. If you want to try two different broths, I recommend waiting for a table because if you sit individually, you'd obvously only get one broth option. We had the spicy miso and the sukiyaki. I really enjoyed the sukiyaki broth, it was a bit sweet but I liked it. It tasted good with the rice. I also loved the sesame dipping sauce... definitely could've just eaten that with rice. They're health conscious and also serve brown rice as an option too. This is a great concept and I'm glad people are discovering it, because it's a fairly simple idea, but Shabu Chic executed it really well and prices are a bit steep for what the ingredients are, but it's a nice experience. Tip: The shabu shabu smell does get on your clothes (like Korean BBQ) so I recommend wearing clothes you intend on washing immediately.

    (4)

  • King C.

    Hidden gem in I-district. Located just behind Viet Wah supermarket. If you've got a hankering for phenomenal shabu broth (sukiyaki is my fav, spicy miso is good too) and super thinly sliced beef -- you've got to try Shabu Chic. Beef makes all the difference. Shabu chic's slicer gets it paper thin -- making the beef (try the Kobe too!) melt in your mouth. It's not like the shabu beef at supermarkets, where it's thick and hence tough to chew. We also tried the mango and strawberry shaved ice. Mango was super sweet. Strawberries were great. The dipping sauces are awesome -- the sweet ponzu is my favorite. Parking is a bit challenging, and it's hard to find it the first time around. Your patience will be tested, but the delicious shabu shabu is worth it.

    (5)

  • Aaron L.

    Really great service and pretty good hot pot. When eating here I do feel healthier than when I eat at AYCE places due to restrictions on the amount I order. But also the soup is a little less heavy. Sadly I usually make it less healthy due to the amount of sake and beer I drink, but that's is a different story. I like to get the hungry beef and miso soup base. The sauces you dip your food in is really interesting and tasty. I usually ask for some sirache to mix in to give it that little kick. Sadly this is only open on weekends.

    (4)

  • Kari G.

    Food is good. Service is a little off. The broth is excellent: We always get the spicy miso and sukiyaki. The spicy miso isn't so spicy it masks the flavor -- the heat is subtle. And the sukiyaki is so good you could literally just drink it. The meats (pork, lamb and beef) are all great too! As a side note, the servers can be a little forgetful/slow and rude. The meat was slow to come out and the guy that did the cutting of it behind the counter had to bring it out to us. And, frankly, it's rude to just start cleaning off peoples' table and repeatedly come back to clear away trays and plates and then glasses and everything else until there's nothing left at the end of the meal if people are still sitting there trying to have a conversation. It was a lot of interruption from a server that didn't even remember to bring over bowls and didn't think to take away the hot pot lid. There was literally no where to put the lid on the table. Side note: Parking is a bit difficult as it shares a parking lot with several other stores and restaurants. Be prepared for that.

    (3)

  • Julie L.

    As part of a "WhatShouldWe" deal, hubby and I went here for the first time - both at this location and shabu-shabu, despite our mutual love for Japanese food. The staff were incredibly attentive and explained everything in great detail -- and helped us make yummy decisions about our options! We loved the food - the broths are amazing - and it was fun to create our own custom dishes as a date activity. We tried both the sukiyaki and spicy miso broths (not actually that spicy on its own, don't worry!). The only downside was that I like to take home my leftovers, and they helped me pack up the cooked veggies, but they don't have takeaway dishes for the broth. Traditionally, the broth is thrown away, so just expect it.

    (5)

  • Doug T.

    hella good spicy wagyu shabu shabu. bring a small crappy car because parking sucks and asian drivers may dent your car by osmosis. Awesome food and individual shabu pots for those who have different tastes or don't like to share sloobber.. they have a TV that plays those asian movies with subtitles a nice touch

    (5)

  • Jonelle T.

    I don't understand why Shabu Chic is only open Friday-Sunday. What kind of business model is that? Pros: They slice their meat fresh and the dipping sauces are tasty. Cons: Un-fresh veggies and about 4 udon noodles. Seriously? Save yourself the trouble, trek a few blocks to Gourmet Noodle Bowl and do the all you can eat hot pot instead.

    (2)

  • Jo P.

    The space is open and bright. They also slice the meat right in front of you so you know it hasn't been sitting on a counter for some time. I would not pay for the appetizers; tiny portions - good thing we yelp checked in for the free appetizers A good portion of veggies & noodles came with the meal but no variety in veggies/mushrooms. It was pretty much just napa cabbage and a meager amount of thinly sliced carrots with enoki mushrooms. The rib eye was delicious and tender - would not spring for the wagyu/kobe slices. They weren't any better than the rib eye but double the price. The Spicy miso was OK - I would say it taste more like Korean soybean paste soup (dwenjang). Also not spicy. The Sukiyaki soup was much better. I would stick with this one. Wish we knew we could choose our spicy level because I would have enjoyed the entire meal more if it had some spice to it. Overall, the ingredients were all fresh but there wasn't anything special or wowee about Shabu Chic. I would agree with other yelpers and rather go to one of the all-you-can eat Shabu-Shabu places. Service was just alright - more on the inattentive side.

    (2)

  • Visith S.

    Shabu Shabu! which means swish swish. Japanese hot pot in the international district. This place is a bit hard to find. It's located beind the Viet-Wah on 12th and Jackson. There are 3 broths you can choose from: Spicy Miso, Sukiyaki, and Traditional Seaweed. So far I've had Spicy Miso and Sukiyaki. I prefer the Sukiyaki between the two. The Spicy Miso was a bit salty on the day I went there and tried that broth. You can choose different kinds of meats such as Ribeye, American Kobe, Dumplings, etc. They also come with a platter of veggies and udon noodles. Right now on Sunday's they are offering bottomless Shabu Shabu Brunch for $17! I took advantage of that and had my fill. This hot pot joint is different from the other hot pot places. I think it's the only one of it's kind in the Seattle area right now. Be aware that this place is only open on weekends. Friday-Sunday...BOO! Other than that i would recommend trying this place.

    (4)

  • Chi N.

    Agreed, there is not enough shabu shabu places in Seattle. Its such a perfect winter food!! I've been here twice so far. It is inexpensive, promotes good health and ingredients are good. If you want the true shabu experience, I recommend that you sit at the table so you share with your friends. Thats how its supposed to be, a family style dining. If you sit at the counter, you get your own pot and you don't share with others, so I guess its like american style but to me being Japanese, thats really weird. I guess it makes sense if you are with a vegetarian person wanting their own broth though. Menu is simple and easy to understand. I tried all 3 broths, they are all lightly flavored, which is good, you are supposed to use the dipping sauces anyway to eat the meat/veggies. I liked the sukiyaki and seaweed. We got 10 slices of ribeye, 2 kinds of broth, veggies, and a large sapporo to share, our bill was only $20 for 2 person dinner. Good deal!!

    (4)

  • LJ R.

    I've been here every weekend since it opened and just can't get enough of it! Used to having shabu shabu in CA, so I'm really glad to see it FINALLY come to Seattle. Great value for the price! I'll be coming back with friends!

    (5)

  • Brian C.

    This was the first time I ever visited a shabu-shabu place, but it won't be the last. It was the perfect meal for a cold, rainy Seattle night. Our waiter was friendly and explained how it all worked, the quality of the food was good, and we were totally satisfied with the whole experience. We ordered a "hungry" portion of both the beef and the dumplings for the two of us and it was more than enough food, but it was so good that we finished it all. If we lived closer, we'd definitely visit more often!

    (4)

  • eugene s.

    Although hidden, this place is clean. Shabu shabu is decent. Professional service. We ordered miso soup and Sukiyaki base. They were both good. Portion is good enough to fill me with veggie, noodle and beef. This is the first shabu shabu restaurant I have been in Seattle. Not your typical mom and pop Chinatown restaurant. Exceed expectations

    (5)

  • Osaree A.

    I went there today for lunch. They allowed us to choose two different type of broth. I chose Spicy miso and Sukiyaki. Sukiyaki broth was superb.

    (5)

  • Indra P.

    The meat is so awesome. Healthy too! I love the vegetables, udon, and the dumplings.

    (5)

  • Sherry C.

    I loved eating here! This place was my 2nd time having shabu but the quality of the beef was excellent and I loved the soup! I ordered the spicy miso, it tasted really good and I was happy that it wasn't actually spicy because I can't take spice. I went there on a Sunday and they weren't supposed to open until 5PM for dinner but I got there at about 3:30-4:00 after SakuraCon for lunch since we haven't ate anything all day, me and my friend first tried to open the door but it was locked and we were in shock and didn't know they opened later. The manager (?) came and saw we were dressed up and told us they open at 5PM but asked us if we were hungry now or if we could come back later for dinner and let us in so we had the whole restaurant to ourselves! He was so nice! We had great service from him and he was especially friendly and really made sure that we were enjoying ourselves and their food.

    (5)

  • Katie N.

    I will never forget the first time I had Shabu Shabu. I ate my entire, rather large portioned order, then pounded my fists on the horse-shoe shaped Shabu bar demanding "MORE BEEF!". Since then, which was about 12 years ago and countless forays across multiple cities, I have never found a place as tasty as that first place. Until now. This is it. The absolute best I have ever had, hands down. The beef is sliced in front of you upon order in a semi-frozen state which is key to maximum Shabu enjoyment. The luscious curls of premium beef are pristine and easy to maneuver, rather than having a plate of mushy and bloody pieces that fall apart when you try to pick them up. The sauces are perfect. The veggies are fresh and gorgeous. The owner is extremely welcoming and gracious, the service excellent, and the space itself is immaculate. Ironically, it is also the most inexpensive Shabu I have ever had. The only problem is it isn't open every day- at this point only Friday-Sunday. However, YOU can fix that by patronizing this place, so do it! On a personal sad note, after four years of living in Seattle and making the most of Bush Garden, Shabu Chic opened one month before my job moved me elsewhere. :(. Please, enjoy for me!

    (5)

  • Kim J.

    It is overpriced for hot pot and the food is bland.

    (2)

  • jesslyn w.

    The shabu2 broth is really clean and quality of the meat is really fresh. The meat eaten with the sauce is a good combination. Place is clean and modern .. moreover we got our personal boiling pot to cook. Highly recommend ..

    (5)

Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.

Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.

Map

Opening Hours

  • Tue

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : No
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : Yes
    Dogs Allowed : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Shabu Chic

Share with your social network

WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES

Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online

Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.

© 2024 Restaurant Listings. All rights reserved.