Tabu Shabu North Park

One of my new favorite places in San Diego. Busy during peak hours but so much fun and worth the wait. TIP, you can ask for a bowl and create a large soup out of your meat, veggies, rice and noodles which is super tasty. Also save some of your broth because for an extra $5 they will create a risotto for you to go which is a great meal the day after! And Angela was our server and she was fantastic. She explained everything and did a great job.

Such an amazing Japanese hot pot experience in the heart of North Park on 30th street. Seating at the bar was very intimate and the service and wait staff there was fun, quick and super knowledgeable! This was my first Japanese hot pot experience, but definitely will not be my last! Limited seating so get there early or be prepared to wait a little bit (we went on a Saturday evening). If in North Park, San Diego you will not be disappointed in trying Tabu Shabu out! Also, no liquor there...just sake and beet.

Super good. We went for Saturday dinner and got there right before the place filled up around 530-6PM. You'll need to be hungry because you're making a pot of flavor and then eating nonstop for like an hour. It's great. Don't wear white or anything that you don't want stained. Every seat is the splash zone. I have had Mongolian hot pot before. The ingredients here are higher quality. The two of us spent $150 with tip.

My partner and I absolutely love this place. We arrived at the wrong time and ended up having to wait over an hr. We never lost hope and the staff was very accommodating with what is going on during Covid-19. This was the only "bad" part, the wait. As soon as we were seated, we had delicious apple sake shots waiting for us. THANK YOU! Then from there, the experience just gets better and better. We love hot pot but haven't had Japanese Hot Pot. This is the way. 😉 The broths are amazing, flavorful, and very different between each other. We had the pork tonkotsu & sukiyaki broths. Both absolutely delicious. Proteins we went with Wagyu Short Rib, Wagyu Chuck Roll, Prime Ribeye, & Kobuta Pork. My favorite protein was the Prime Ribeye cooked for 6 secs, it melted in your mouth with either broth. The Wagyu was delicious as well but just didn't match the Prime Ribeye. The pork was phenomenal as well. The staff is very appreciative of their customers. Being North Park locals, we appreciate being able to eat at this location as it was Pisanos before and has history. Overall, this was a great experience, topped with delicious food, and service that is unparalleled. Thank you!!

Amazing experience for my wife and I. We were immediately greeted and seated without making a reservation, although we arrived later in the night on a Saturday. Anyways, the servers were very informative and made sure you knew what you were doing and provided great detail to have the best experience. Pricing was not bad at all, the meat and veggies were fresh and the place itself was very clean. We ordered the large(you'll know when you get there) and it was perfect for a dinner and we have leftovers for tomorrow. This was our first time at a hot pot and will definitely not be our last. Outstanding experience, food, and service. Keep up the amazing work; We will be back. To those thinking about trying this for the first time, don't think, just do it. You will not regret it. Highly recommend!

AngeeReyes

Delicious Japanese hotpot, perfect for a date or solo dining, great flavors, cool vibes, and very filling. This Japanese hotpot place is really, really good. I loved it. The seating layout makes it better for a date or going solo rather than for big groups, which actually adds to the experience. The broth gets amazing as it cooks. The pork-based broth (tonkotsu) is very flavorful but a bit salty and intense, so I’d recommend miso or any of the other options instead. The meats were delicious, and the portions were very filling. Ending the meal by turning everything into ramen with the noodles is chef’s kiss—so good. The place itself is beautiful, with very cool vibes, and it didn’t feel expensive at all. I went with the cheapest option and left super satisfied. It’s a great alternative to Chinese hotpot and a fun, different experience overall.

Patrick Wang

Went to Tabu Shabu North Park with friends and had a great experience. The place has a clean, modern vibe and feels very comfortable. I got the sukiyaki broth, which I absolutely loved — rich, slightly sweet, and super flavorful. We ordered the Angus ribeye and prime beef belly, and both were incredibly tender, aromatic, and delicious. The ingredients were very fresh, and everything cooked beautifully in the broth. Service was excellent — friendly, attentive, and on point the whole time. Overall, a very satisfying meal and I’d definitely come back. Highly recommend.

Tracey Phan

Individual pot style hot pot at the bar counter. The service and good quality is excellent. The sweet broth is one of the best broths I’ve had. They provide a big enough portions of vegetables, rice, and noodles to fill you up. The meat quality is great and the sauces are well prepared for dipping.

LiInC

This restaurant is a real gem. We went here because of the great vegetarian options. Usually at other restaurants I have to pay full price although I'm vegetarian. They are very kid friendly too (had some crayons and a coloring sheet). I also liked that they immediately asked about allergies and took care of it very well. Another great thing is that you will be seated at one big round table. Most important thing though is that the food was amazing (although I can't say anything about the meat). Loved the service, loved the atmosphere, loved the food, loved everything!

Breana McGowan

Menu is smaller than it used to be and they made some changes but it is still delicious. The meat quality is going to be hard to beat elsewhere. They used to offer free 2nd plate on veggies if you wanted more as well as broth if you got low. That didn’t happen this time. However, we were so full by the time we got to the end that we didn’t need it. The staff was friendly and doing their best to keep up with a full place even though they looked short-staffed. Another good experience.

Dani

One of the BEST hot pot spots in SD!! This restaurant has been saved on my to go list and my fiancé and I finally walked 5 min from home to try and OMG! I love the energy when greeted, the seating in a big square makes it fun and more sociable! Our host had amazing recommendations and my go to for now on is the Sukiyaki!! Everything was soo good and fresh… I’m going back this week! Truly a memorable experience!!

Angie Gomez

Feeling soooo thankful for the delicious dinner with my boyfriend last night! There was a guy with reddish hair that was so incredibly fun to talk with since it was for me a new experience! I am thankful for the yummiest soup that came from the Waygu meat and Ribeye Steak! 🥩 It was alll sooo good along with the Yummiest strawberry 🍓 Mochi!!

Matt Herrington

10/10 fun eating experience, personalised food whilst also being able to be super social with your group! Thanks Luke & team for the great service and atmosphere!

Dani Weaver

This was outstanding! The atmosphere, the food and the service were amazing. I would highly recommend! Ask about the broth mix with chili and pork( you won't be upset). When you're finished everything is packaged up in a nice to go soup!!

Danielle M

So fun, I really enjoyed our experience here. The staff was super helpful, which was great since we were newbs. The spicy miso broth is the way to go in my opinion. Also I liked all the beef options. I love the seating too, all around the bar...really great.

Alex & Erika on YouTube

One of my new favorite places in San Diego. Busy during peak hours but so much fun and worth the wait. TIP, you can ask for a bowl and create a large soup out of your meat, veggies, rice and noodles which is super tasty. Also save some of your broth because for an extra $5 they will create a risotto for you to go which is a great meal the day after! And Angela was our server and she was fantastic. She explained everything and did a great job.

David Spiewak

Such an amazing Japanese hot pot experience in the heart of North Park on 30th street. Seating at the bar was very intimate and the service and wait staff there was fun, quick and super knowledgeable! This was my first Japanese hot pot experience, but definitely will not be my last! Limited seating so get there early or be prepared to wait a little bit (we went on a Saturday evening). If in North Park, San Diego you will not be disappointed in trying Tabu Shabu out! Also, no liquor there...just sake and beet.

M S

Super good. We went for Saturday dinner and got there right before the place filled up around 530-6PM. You'll need to be hungry because you're making a pot of flavor and then eating nonstop for like an hour. It's great. Don't wear white or anything that you don't want stained. Every seat is the splash zone. I have had Mongolian hot pot before. The ingredients here are higher quality. The two of us spent $150 with tip.

Ryan Meffert

Fun experience to try. You build your own food.

TJ Himes

My partner and I absolutely love this place. We arrived at the wrong time and ended up having to wait over an hr. We never lost hope and the staff was very accommodating with what is going on during Covid-19. This was the only "bad" part, the wait. As soon as we were seated, we had delicious apple sake shots waiting for us. THANK YOU! Then from there, the experience just gets better and better. We love hot pot but haven't had Japanese Hot Pot. This is the way. 😉 The broths are amazing, flavorful, and very different between each other. We had the pork tonkotsu & sukiyaki broths. Both absolutely delicious. Proteins we went with Wagyu Short Rib, Wagyu Chuck Roll, Prime Ribeye, & Kobuta Pork. My favorite protein was the Prime Ribeye cooked for 6 secs, it melted in your mouth with either broth. The Wagyu was delicious as well but just didn't match the Prime Ribeye. The pork was phenomenal as well. The staff is very appreciative of their customers. Being North Park locals, we appreciate being able to eat at this location as it was Pisanos before and has history. Overall, this was a great experience, topped with delicious food, and service that is unparalleled. Thank you!!

Shamar Barnes

Amazing experience for my wife and I. We were immediately greeted and seated without making a reservation, although we arrived later in the night on a Saturday. Anyways, the servers were very informative and made sure you knew what you were doing and provided great detail to have the best experience. Pricing was not bad at all, the meat and veggies were fresh and the place itself was very clean. We ordered the large(you'll know when you get there) and it was perfect for a dinner and we have leftovers for tomorrow. This was our first time at a hot pot and will definitely not be our last. Outstanding experience, food, and service. Keep up the amazing work; We will be back. To those thinking about trying this for the first time, don't think, just do it. You will not regret it. Highly recommend!

This was my first ever hot pot experience and every choice I made was just perfect! It was such a fun experience and I didn’t want to stop eating even though I was very full. I really appreciated the variety of vegetables offered to add to my soup. I used absolutely everything and couldn’t recommend more highly.

Got my friends to venture out of OB/ PL and told them about this place. I have to say the service by Aaron was phenomenal. He was very attentive and his recommendations were spot on. Vamossss!

Went here with friends and we had a really great time. The Wagyu and the other meats were honestly amazing — super fresh, great marbling, and you can really taste the quality. Every plate that came out looked great and tasted even better. The staff were extremely helpful and friendly — very warm, always checking in on us, and happy to explain things or give recommendations. It really made the whole experience feel relaxed and welcoming. The place itself is very clean, with a modern and kind of hip vibe, but still feels cozy and comfortable. Overall, we really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere here — definitely a spot I’d be happy to come back to.

Just tried Tabu Shabu (North Park) and honestly loved it. The whole “everyone gets their own hot pot” setup is such a fun, low-stress way to eat—no fighting over one pot, you can go at your own pace, and it feels like dinner and an activity. Food-wise everything tasted really fresh. The veggie spread was crisp and plentiful, and the thin-sliced meats were great quality—quick to cook, super tender, and really satisfying. The sauces were also a big win; you can mix and match and it’s hard to go wrong. Trendy vibe but still comfortable—clean, modern, a little upbeat, and perfect for a date night or a group hang. Service matched the vibe too: friendly, attentive, and helpful with explaining how it works without being overbearing. We left full, happy, and already talking about coming back.

Yibo Li

Just tried Tabu Shabu (North Park) and honestly loved it. The whole “everyone gets their own hot pot” setup is such a fun, low-stress way to eat—no fighting over one pot, you can go at your own pace, and it feels like dinner and an activity. Food-wise everything tasted really fresh. The veggie spread was crisp and plentiful, and the thin-sliced meats were great quality—quick to cook, super tender, and really satisfying. The sauces were also a big win; you can mix and match and it’s hard to go wrong. Trendy vibe but still comfortable—clean, modern, a little upbeat, and perfect for a date night or a group hang. Service matched the vibe too: friendly, attentive, and helpful with explaining how it works without being overbearing. We left full, happy, and already talking about coming back.

Matt Jia

Went here with friends and we had a really great time. The Wagyu and the other meats were honestly amazing — super fresh, great marbling, and you can really taste the quality. Every plate that came out looked great and tasted even better. The staff were extremely helpful and friendly — very warm, always checking in on us, and happy to explain things or give recommendations. It really made the whole experience feel relaxed and welcoming. The place itself is very clean, with a modern and kind of hip vibe, but still feels cozy and comfortable. Overall, we really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere here — definitely a spot I’d be happy to come back to.

Madison Filar

This was my first ever hot pot experience and every choice I made was just perfect! It was such a fun experience and I didn’t want to stop eating even though I was very full. I really appreciated the variety of vegetables offered to add to my soup. I used absolutely everything and couldn’t recommend more highly.

B R

Excellent broths, food and service. They give you just enough attention throughout your meal to be respectful, charismatic and get you what you need without pestering you. The best part is that you get to take your broth home!

Food was great but service was terrible. The server with pink or red in her hair with braids was rude and not friendly. We arrived within the last hour of closing, and really felt like they didn't want us there. Even complained about how much we tipped as we were leaving. Will not be returning.