Tabu Shabu - Costa Mesa

So good! fast/ good service and amazing Shabu. good vegetarian options and spicy miso.

Best Shabu Shabu in Orange County California- A Must-Visit in Costa Mesa!

My wife and I absolutely love Tabu Shabu! It's become one of our top go-to spots for a delightful dining experience. The ambiance is perfect for date nights--cozy yet vibrant, exactly what you'd want for a special evening. The service here is top-notch; the staff are always welcoming and attentive, ensuring every meal is a pleasant experience.

The highlight, of course, is the food. The shabu-shabu is simply divine, offering a rich variety of fresh, high-quality meats and vegetables to swirl in their deliciously seasoned broths. Every dish is a flavor adventure, and the sauces complement the meal perfectly, enhancing the fresh ingredients without overpowering them.

A pro tip: don't let your leftovers go to waste. Ask the staff to turn them into a porridge, which is a comforting and tasty way to end your meal. It's this kind of thoughtful touch that makes Tabu Shabu stand out from the rest.

Whether you're a shabu-shabu aficionado or new to this style of dining, Tabu Shabu in Costa Mesa is a culinary gem that's not to be missed. My wife and I are always impressed and already look forward to our next visit!

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Tabu Shabu is one of my favorite spots for Shabu and I like going to this location (the Costa Mesa one) because it's open later than the Orange location. It's open until 11pm on weekdays with last call at 10:30pm. If you're ever craving for a late night shabu or soup, this is your place! Most shabu places close at 9pm or 10pm.

The servers here are always nice and friendly except when you come close to 10:30pm sometimes they then you away (this happened to me before and I was upset because I drove all the way here for it and was just a minute or two after 10:30pm).

What I normally order:

Broth - Combo Tonkatsu + Spicy Miso (yes, 2 broths together)
Meat - Zabuton Wagyu Short Ribs
Noodle - Udons or Fresh Kale Ramen Noodles
Rice - I get combo half white + half brown rice

Some of the highlights:

Hot drops are a must in your sauces if you like to eat spicy! House sake is only $10 (comes hot or cold). They have truffle oil if you want that on the side to dip or in your soup. I love truffle oil with my food, so this is the only place I can get it with my Shabu and it is next level! Also, this location has a "broth booster" which is really yummy and can be added to your soup for some extra umami flavor or just used as a dip (which is what I do) and it's so good! Did I also mention it's free? Try it next time you're here! You have to ask for it tho.

My only other gripe is that they don't give a lot of veggies or free veggie refills like other Shabu places. I love veggies so I always eat more of it! Would be great if they added at least 1 free side of extra veggies.

This location is a bit far from my house, but it's worth it for me to drive here (30 mins) if I'm craving for something good late night and there's limited options.

Great food, especially on a cold day! Spicy miso broth is my favorite! Don't forget to ask for the soup after your meal with the leftover delicious broth! Always great service with a lively ambiance. Crunchy chili garlic is so good on the meat, ask for it!

Soup at home makes it feel like I got two meals!

Pro tip: nice little date night spot!

BOGO wine, beer and sake every Tuesday!
Happy hour 5-6 M-F
Bottomless sake brunch Sat & Sun!

Tabu Shabu in Costa Mesa is the same company as the Tabu Shabu in Bressi Ranch (Carlsbad area) but the service and food were better at the other location in Carlsbad vs here in Costa Mesa.

The Service was nice and friendly but not very attentive nor detail oriented. They forgot my drink, didn't bring enough chopsticks and we had to ask twice to get these items - not just one extra ask but two more times after we initially asked.

The parking lot is under construction but there's still places. When you arrive you can check in on the Yelp app. Be prepared for a long wait during busy times!

Why I also prefer the Bressi Ranch location is because they don't nickel and dime you there the way they do at this location. Here in Costa Mesa pretty much every menu item has an up charge. The noodles have an up charge, the broth has an up charge. Overall, all of the prices are higher here than at the Bressi Ranch location.

Our favorite broths are Tonkotsu and Sukiyaki and we've learned after a few times here that the Reserve angus is just as good as the premium meat for less money.

Pretty much all the noodles have an up charge (more nickel and diming) but if you don't want udon (free) their Shirataki noodles are also free and very tasty (similar to glass noodles)

Overall we love the Bressi Ranch location but since we live in Orange County we come here because it is tasty - we are just prepared for an expensive meal with just ok service.

Came in hungry... and unfortunately left hungry. Their portions are overpriced for what you get as a regular set and very small. When I go to other shabu spots, I can barely finish a regular size. Not only are the meat and vegetable plates slim, but they also don't offer free additional vegetables. Despite the portions being small, the service is great here. The waiters are very attentive and there's barely a wait, if any!

I love the miso, had a great time , Gabriel is also very nice. Highly recommend for people who love soups and asian food

I came in here on a Sunday afternoon right before they closed until dinner service. The waitress was really kind and took me in. I got the two types of meat: chuck eye and ribeye. The side of veggies and the noodles were plenty and the kale noodles were delicious. You can substitute your veggies which I think it's nice but I liked everything it came with. I got a spicy miso broth and it was okay, not much flavor, but paired well with my meat and vegetables. I added some miso paste to it when I got home. I had extra veggies and noodles as well in which the waitress helped me pack to go. The restaurant was very spacious and clean inside and I like the way the seats are set up.

The meal definitely cured my hot pot cravings. I'd definitely love to return and try the other meats and broths. Service was really great and it's such a nice place to dine alone or with a group.

Solid shabu spot -- the meats were high quality and like that they offer a grass-fed beef option! I went with the large size which is ~5.5 oz, and it was a good amount of food though I think I'd opt for double protein if I were to go when very hungry.

The only thing that left me wanting were the sauces -- the goma and ponzu were both just okay so that was a bit of a bummer since the sauces are so key, but everything else was great. The wooden plates/bowls they use are also so cute and the servers were so friendly and sweet.

They don't take reservations and there was a small wait but they were turning seats quite quickly and efficiently.

I love this place. Service is great food is amazing.. check it out for sure. Sake and shabu for the win