Potto

I happened to be in the area for the soft opening, and was fortunate to stumble upon this place! The prices are reasonable for shabu shabu, and the meal sets come with a surprising amount of meat and veggies. I ordered the spicy miso broth, which was very flavorful and indeed spicy. The pork belly that came with it was very tender and paired well with the sesame and ponzu sauces that were served. We also ordered the karaage, which tasted strikingly authentic and came with the traditional Kewpie mayo for dipping. Each person got their own pot, but couldn't control the strength of the induction boiler. The food also took a long time to come out, but I'm sure these aspects will get ironed out as the staf gains more experience.

Wow! Most chic hot pot place I've ever seen. The prices are reasonable, the food is perfectly flavored, and the shabu meat is so tender and soft. The cute, single person, induction hot pots are the cherry on top. Hands down the best hot pot I've ever been to.

Beautiful clean aesthetic. Fried tofu appetizer was delicious. The two broths we got were also great. My kids and I loved the food and experience overall.

The soft opening was amazingly busy! The service was kind and quick. Food was absolutely fantastic and the portions were bigger than expected. Definitely could split a hot pot and an appetizer between two people if you aren't starving!

Very tasty Japanese hotpot with very generous portions of high quality American wagyu beef, really good hotpot broth (Tonyu and Sukiyaki in particular), ate with a party of 6 and although the restaurant is very small and I could see it gaining lots of crowd in the future, the owner and servers of the restaurant were very helpful and kind (They gave us the best marbling cuts of the extra wagyu chuck add ons). They definitely know what they’re doing here and will definitely come back for more.

I ordered the Kyushu Nabe, and the soup was full of flavor and filled with plenty of snow crab meat. The restaurant is very clean, and the food is fresh and healthy! Highly recommended!

The sukiyaki was my favorite! Good quality, clean and tasty.

Amazing new Shabu Shabu place… great service. We went on opening night and really enjoyed the experience. We will definitely be back!

Good portions of wagyu and pork! I liked the broth and sauces a lot as well. The staff was very personable and overall it had a nice cozy vibe. Would recommend!

What a delightful addition to the hood. It seems like every new restaurant that opens in the Castro is Chinese, Mexican or pizza, so this is a nice change of pace. I saw a Japanese place was opening in the old Makli space and I just assumed it was going to be another sushi spot (another ubiquitous cuisine around here), but was pleased to discover it is a shabu shabu joint. I am the first to admit that I have never actually had shabu shabu before so I have nothing to compare it to, but what we had was delicious and we plan on returning. I ordered the sukiyaki nabe. It came with wagyu short ribs, a sweet soy sake broth along with cabbage and a variety of mushrooms to dip. He ordered the spicy miso broth and that came with pork and wagyu. His was good but I liked mine a bit better. We also ordered the chicken karaage. The batter was a bit thick on them but it still nice and crispy. Service was nice, friendly and attentive. The Japanese pop music added a festive and fun atmosphere. I was pleased to see that the restaurant was completely full by 7 on a Friday despite the restaurant still being in its soft opening. I really hope this place makes it.

Last year, I was telling my friend that what The Castro NEEDS is a hotpot/shabu resto and a Korean resto. And, BAM...here comes Potto. And, it's still fluffy season in the city where a free facial a la hotpot/shabu is one of the best things! Opening in late February, Potto specializes in Nabe, Japanese hotpot (potto = pot). They took over Makli. Currently, offering takeout and indoor dining. Visited for weekday lunch and it was quiet. M E N U Soft opening menu: Apps (edamame, karaage, gyoza, etc), udon, rice bowls, and nabe (order comes as an individual set/pot with plate of veggies + choice of carb). Looks like they may have wine and sake available. F O O D * Yakiniku Don: American Wagyu Boneless Short Ribs w/ onsen egg, white onion, miso compound butter ($32): https://tinyurl.com/d9vv7xaz Didn't have time for nabe so went with the don. Looks like I was one week late because they've already raised their prices (previously $25)! Cooked medium rare by default, the sliced boneless short ribs were beefy and pretty tender but several slices were hard to pull apart with the teeth and had tough gristle. Tasted more like a strip steak than well-marbled short ribs. Simply seasoned with salt and togarashi, served with side of sweet soy that reminded me of a concentrated sukiyaki broth, full of umami. I wish the onsen egg was not as set with a runny yolk so it's more like a sauce. The sweet onions and miso butter made the rice more flavorful. S E R V I C E Cordial and prompt. My only suggestion is to provide larger cups for water versus a small tea cup. It saves the server's time of having to constantly refill them. A M B I A N C E Japandi style, minimalist interior with Japanese and Scandinavian aesthetics, neutrals and natural woods. Small dining area to fit about 27 people with three tables, two high tops, and counter seating. P A R K I N G Difficult residential parking. Overall, while Potto's prices are higher than another well known nabe place in the city, it's a welcome addition to The Castro being the first and only hotpot/shabu spot in the area.

I really wanted to like this place, but unfortunately I was disappointed. I ordered the nikutama udon, and sadly the udon noodles were too overcooked and soggy. The American wagyu pieces were also overcooked and a bit dry. The one redeeming factor was the broth, which tasted pretty flavorful. Service was a bit strange. We were seated next to the front door, which was blowing in strong gusts of cold wind at dinnertime. The restaurant was half empty at the time, so we asked the staff if we could move farther away from the door or if they can shut the door. The staff member responded rudely and initially refused to move us. We were told that they had to keep the front door completely open in an attempt to draw in potential customers walking by. Since this is still a fairly new establishment, I'll try to give them the benefit of the doubt (and round up my rating). I hope they can improve in the coming weeks. But for now, I don't recommend this spot to anyone due to poor food quality and unpleasant service.

Amazing flavor! This new Japanese restaurant is just what the Castro neighborhood needed. The ingredients are great quality. I've gotten the wagyu udon and the spicy miso sabe (hot pot) and both were rich with flavor and came with so many ingredients and sides. The owner and the chef are very helpful and accommodating. Fun restaurant for lunch or dinner. Will be coming back!

Potto is currently having their soft opening. We've invited a few of our friends. The owner has completely transformed the space to a high end Japanese Shabu Shabu experience. She even designed the furniture herself. Excellent Food and ambiance and great service. 5/5 stars!! Totally Recommend this new addition to The Castro. I will be inviting more friends.

This is a relatively new restaurant in the neighborhood that serves up sukiyaki. The marbling on the beef looks just as good as it tastes - melt in your mouth, rich, almost orgasmic. You know this place is a hit when two little picky eaters finish their food. The fries with the beef topping are creative. The service is fast and friendly. They have a decent enough drink menu, for kids and adults. The decor is cute, with vintage stickers and signs juxtaposed on a clean and modern look. Parking can be hit and miss. Be sure to come early because this place can get busy. I will be a repeat customer.

Amazing food and service. Udon had incredible broth and flavor, will definitely come back!

Very nice place ! Fresh meat and soup is very delicious! Will come with friends again soon