SHABU GEN

Love this place and I want to gatekeep so I don't have to wait in large lines. 😅 Best AYCE Shabu + Sushi. I got the house broth; it was savory, a touch sweet and had umami. The cuts of meat were nice and fresh, veggies crisp and serving stations super clean. Service was attentive , helpful and friendly. Real talk: Shabu gen doesn't have the largest selection of meat or veggies, but it has more than enough. Ribeye, brisket, shrimp, mussels, clams, octopus etc. rich and scrumptious salmon sashimi and who doesn't love a baked lion king roll? This is THE BEST deal in Elk Grove: $20 for AYCE hotpot and $29 for hotpot + sushi--on the weekend! Sub $50 for a weekend hotpot date? Count me in! Five stars, for real. Go try it!

This place is amazing! You really can't beat the price! My husband and I took advantage of the 20 per person deal for an all you can eat hot pot! So out total was 50 (we tipped). They have the salad bar where you go get your greens and they bring you your meat. You also get side dishes like sesame balls and chicken wings! We were so amazing at all the food we got for the price! The only down side is service was a bit slow when we sat down no one came to check on us but other than that everything was amazing!

We had the sushi/hot pot meal. The food bar was loaded with a variety of noodles, tofu, leafy greens,mushrooms, clams, mussels, crab and imitation crab and sauces. In addition, you choose different meats like, beef,pork and chicken. Also choose from a variety of broths. Appetizers were soy and honey chicken wings, egg rolls, sesame balls, French fries and more. Prices were reasonably for all you can eat.

Came in for a wedding and wanted a good meal after a long day of travel. Service was incredible. The staff is so helpful and kind, enthusiastic even. The food was absolutely delicious and the price point was surprisingly accessible. Our kids loved it, both the experience and the food. The broths were flavorful, and I truly wish it wasn’t a five hour flight to get here, because it would be a regular place for us. I’m also absolutely in love with the brass toned dishes. The aesthetic is lovely. Can’t say enough good things about this place.

BEST HOTPOT AND SUSHI COMBO YET ‼️ The sushi comes out fresh and the hotpot is absolutely quality. There's a bar where you can pick out as many veggies (+more stuff) for your hotpot which is soooooooo nice. Although I haven't tried that many sushi places, the sushi here is busssssss. (The sushi was life changing and the best one yet but once again I've only tried like 2 places in my lifetime lol) The workers were so nice like the absolute nicest people on earth. They are the ones that made the experience so nice and comfortable. I hope you can give this place a try! It's so worth every penny in your pocket and I promise you the price and the food won't disappoint!

The aroma coming from this place is simply amazing. I smelled this aroma after leaving Best Buy in Elk Grove and just had to stop in and try. The service upon entering was excellent. Our Server Amy was simply amazing with excellent Customer Service Skill. We were seated right away. We ordered appetizers Crispy Honey Butter Chicken, Crispy Spicy Chicken and Crispy Soy Garlic wings. There are 6 different Broths, the Tonkotsu, Original House and Miso Broth is what we decided on. For our meats we ordered the Prime Rib, Chicken Thigh, Pork Belly, Prime Brisket twice. Went to the buffet to pick out our veggies & shrimp, crabs, clams, mussels, squid & octopus including the condiments. I love the way the table is set up. There are Burners to cook your meal at each seating, the way you want it. Oh my goodness this place is amazing with the music and ambience. We will be back. Hats off to the staff, you guys made this place a special experience.

We went in and we put ourselves on the waitlist. Total of 3 people on the waitlist and none of the servers or host came by to seat us. They weren’t that busy at all but it took about 15-20mins to seat us. Then they sat the people who arrived after us and didn’t even put themselves on the waitlist which was very frustrating. We got seated eventually. The food is okay. The broth is watered down and they take a very long time to bring the meats which I feel like that’s why the AYCE hot pot is only $19.99 because they want you to get full off the vegetables. They offer a bar where you can grab all your vegetables, fruits, tofu, noodles and sauces. The meat is very, very thin. I expect it thin but not that thin. They only let you get 5 meats but it sucks because those meat only have 4 pieces and it sucks when you’re a huge party. Our server took a long time with everything which was disappointing. I’d only recommend going here if you want a cheap AYCE hot pot. $19.99 per person for AYCE hot pot, $10.99 for kids but they do base it off of height which is dumb. $28.99 for AYCE hot pot + sushi. I’m not sure if that’s the same price for lunch but that was dinner for us. The ambiance was slightly dark in there but where we sat, light got in our face numerous times which we couldn’t see. Out of their control but just a little annoying. (Same review by me on Yelp)

This place is amazing. It's a serve yourself, all you can eat shabu and sushi place with tons of options. The shabu shabu was fantastic. Service was great. I didn't love the club music but I can see how some might like the noise. The one issue was they use all more disposable waste than is earth friendly.

The spicy broth was my girlfriends favorite! Loved the service for checking on our table regularly despite the busy hour we arrived. The ambiance is nice and I enjoy the music playlist.

Our server was friendly and attentive. Good customer service and the food was awesome!

Very good service. Great food and great environment. We had happy moment at thanksgiving

My friends and I we went to get soup. Of course they have lots of selection see food but the meat is only three or two at a time. That's the part I don't like. Since that day was so busy the waiter took longer to bring water or to asked them we want more meat. The place is dim and of course looks nice. There's was a lot of people. Overall is ok to come. Just order constantly the meat. Do I recommend? Yes. Try it.

First off, $19.99 for AYCE hot pot is unheard of! If you're looking for hot pot on a budget, this is the place for you. Overall, you can't really go wrong, as it offers a decent variety of meat to choose from, 6 different broth options, plenty of appetizers, and a buffet style island with even more ingredients such as seafood, vegetables, DIY sauce area, etc. The meat portions when ordered were really small and thin, which is slightly disappointing. The quality of it is one of the reasons I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5. Other than that, the staff were extremely friendly and attentive. The buffet area with vegetables and other ingredients does get crowded quite fast, so it can become a hassle and a mess.

if you're a fan of places like shabuya, you'll love shabu gen! we've been to shabu gen quite a few times as a family and have brought many of a friends and family here. we absolutely love this place! not just for the price of $20/person but for the quality you get for that price even at peak hours. can't say anything ab the sushi since i always come with my mom and she's not a fan of raw fish, but we love the hot pot. the broth and appetizers come pretty quick after the waiter takes your order. the buffet bar for toppings and sauce has most things ppl would want in hotpot. my mom loves how they have crab. the buffet bar is usually fully stocked, but it could be tidier. i just wish there wasn't so much cross contamination at the buffet bar but that's not something you can avoid at places like this. the appetizers are pretty yummy too. the chicken is great, but i wish the sauce wasn't just squeezed on there. it would nice if the chicken was coated in it. the sesame balls and the edamame are two of our faves to order. at my most recent visit, janalynn was our server and she was absolutely amazing. she checked in on us enough times to where u feel taken care of but not annoyed. 10/10 service from her! my first time at this place, we were there near closing and we didn't feel rushed by the servers/owners. by the time we were finishing up, it was a little bit past 11 but they still offered us more watermelon since my sister loved it so much. i'm a fan at how cozy the whole place feels. the bathrooms are clean and they're always playing good music. the wait times don't necessarily feel long if you join the yelp waitlist and plan your time out too. overall, shabu gen is amazing and we'll definitely be back :)

My family wanted to have an early Christmas dinner before my parents leave out of the country for a month, and they were craving AYCE sushi. I looked around on Yelp and came across Shabu Gen--perfect timing, because the cold weather made hot pot sound amazing! I knew the AYCE hot pot and sushi would satisfy all of our cravings. When we got to the restaurant, there was a good amount of people waiting to be seated. Luckily, I had already put us on the Yelp waitlist, so by the time we arrived, we were right at the top. Highly recommend joining the waitlist ahead of time to avoid a long wait! The interior was also spacious and the tabletops all had individual stovetops so each person has their own hot pot. The menu had a great variety of hot pot broths, meats, appetizers, and sushi options. We all chose different broths (spicy miso, spicy house, and two original house) and ordered most of the meats and appetizers to share. The service was very quick as our servers were very attentive and had perfect timing whenever we were ready to order more. The self-serve buffet area was also impressive with plenty of veggies, sauces, noodles, and seafood to customize your hot pot just the way you like it. After dinner, my family and I all agreed that this has officially become our new favorite hot pot spot in the area--especially for the price! The sushi was alright, but the hot pot was definitely the highlight of the night. We will absolutely be coming back!

Shabu Gen is my niece's fave hot pot place so she chose it for her graduation dinner. We had a large party of 25 which they easily accommodated because we came early in the evening. This was my first time so I was trying to get a lay of the land. I checked out there all you can eat seafood and ingredient buffet bar. The selection was very impressive with a wide variety of seafood items as well as vegetables and noodles to add to your hot pot. They also had a good selection of sushi options, including nigiri and rolls. And if that wasn't enough, they had appetizers such as salmon, carpaccio, sunomono, edamame, and gyoza just to name a few items. While deciding on what to get for our hot pot, we ordered appetizers and sushi rolls. The rolls were okay, but we weren't here for the sushi, so it wasn't a big deal. I loved the salmon carpaccio and was bummed that there was a 1 per person limit. For the hot pot, you had the option of six different broths as well as protein items such as beef, pork, chicken, and tofu. Between the broth, proteins and the ingredient bar, you could personalize your hot pot to your heart's desire. I chose the house broth because you can never go wrong with the house specialty. I love mushrooms and the ingredient bar had 4-5 options, all of which I piled on to my plate. I added spinach, green and white onions, garlic (because who doesn't love garlic), udon noodles, and as much seafood as I could put on my plate. Our table ordered ALL the beef and pork options. You can tell everyone loved their food because it was very quiet. Before coming to Shabu Gen, hot pot wasn't something I would usually choose. I'm lazy and don't like having to make my own food, but SG has given me a change of heart. Since our first visit, we've been back a few times. Even on super busy weekend nights, service has been great. The ingredients were kept stocked and clean. That's a big deal for me because there's nothing more unappetizing than a messy buffet bar.

Shabu Gen is our go-to for Shabu in Elk Grove. We go for the value and their service is usually great. Food can be hit or miss, and the self serve area is usually messy, which docks them a point.

The first time we came, we waited for about 30 minutes for table which wasn't bad for a busy Friday night. Last night we cued ourselves down via Yelp and it was awesome. We had a group of 6 and was waitlisted for 50 min. They texted me when our table was ready, and sat us asap upon arrival. They are having their $20 hotpot special right now, and honestly its a great deal. You really want beat this deal anywhere. The broth my friends and I like is the house spicy which has enough spice in the broth. The meats are thinly cut and it comes out pretty quickly. The staff was really attentive and cool to our requests. The self serve bar made getting our veggies and tofu super easy. Veggies were fresh and always in abundance. I'd definitely come back.

Can't beat the price at Shabu Gen for all you can eat shabu - $19.99 per person! Understandably, Shabu Gen can get pretty busy with the price, and you should expect a bit of a wait during peak mealtimes. My family of 5 arrived around 5pm and waited about an hour to be seated around 6pm. Note that there's a time limit of 90 minutes here! So the trick is to order your soup, appetizers, and meats ASAP from your waiter, get up to help yourself to the sauces, veggies, and various other fishcakes, dumplings, seafood, etc. The soup may take a while to heat up, but go ahead and leave it at the highest level and enjoy the appetizers. To order the meats and appetizers, I recommend maxing out orders at first (10 dishes of meat per order) because the meat slices are pretty small and sometimes the wait staff can be slammed, resulting in them coming by less often. My fave meats are definitely the beef toro and premium rib eye, while the apps I enjoy the most are the soy garlic chicken wings and the sunomono (for a refreshing in-between bite). I'd definitely recommend Shabu Gen as the best deal you can get, and hopefully with some time-saving tips, you can maximize your visit!

Hi-ya, So this restaurant has pretty fast service, a lot of selections, but the current pricing is unbeatable. It's $20 a person--for all you can eat within a 90 minute timeline. I'm not trying to go all out and max the time, so a price like this with the good soup base and selection of sides and quality meats would is simply a welcome shakeup to the prices of food these days. The meats come quick and place is clean, and the restrooms were clean. There is very little cross contamination as the sides that you self serve and get are easy to reach and not a lot of challenges getting the things you want with the tongs. We all had plenty of tasty food, a good time spending the time there and good times chatting comfortably within the time there. I give 5 stars because at $20 and clean food and eating environment--can't complain.

Either, I'm just a K-BBQ girlie, or I just do not enjoy hot pot as much. I have to admit, I rarely eat ho tpot But when the girls said they wanted it, I'm always down for the cause. Overall, I'm never excited to cook my own food That being said, I was such a newbie on how to hot pot! I went with the Tontaksu broth and then hesitantly perused the veggies, accoutrements, and sauces while it warmed up. The sauces are always the hardest. I like when there is a sign of suggestions, I require inspo! We all opted for the premium package to get the unlimited sushi. I tried a couple pieces of nigiri and a half roll. One of the two nigiri was good, the other had me wondering if I'd be sick later that night. The sushi roll had shrimp tails in it, so I only had a couple of pieces. I did enjoy the soy garlic wings. The honey butter wings were just okay. I enjoyed the mini sesame balls too! And of course, I had to grab some white rice for everything. I wish they would have had bowls to use, but there wasn't any plate wear near the rice. The service was awesome. They kept taking our orders before the last order of food came out. Also note, 90 mins max at a table. You get what you pay for here. And I think it's just not for me. Oh and their floor is EXTREMELY slippery. I felt like I was ice skating in my sneakers. Seems like a hazard. It does not feel good to share about a place I was not too excited about. It doesn't happen often, but I like to share my honest and authentic experience, but also be kind. I hope I conveyed this... Sometimes some things are just not for me...

We're definitely coming back here! It was our first time checking this place out, and we came to celebrate our friend's birthday. We arrived around 6 PM on a Sunday and joined the waitlist. Even though we were 20th on the list, it moved pretty fast, and we were seated around 7 PM. Our server (Ricky, according to the receipt) was very nice and helpful, and we really enjoyed our food. The food selection was great, with plenty of options at a very affordable price for an AYCE shabu spot. We also didn't feel rushed while eating, even on a busy Sunday night.

I absolutely adore Shabu Gen! My husband, son and I have been coming here at least once a month for the past few months and it has quickly become one of our favorite go to restaurants in the area. Sometimes we add the sushi and other times we come strictly for the AYCE hotpot. $19.99/person in this economy is an unbelievable steal! The interior decor is gorgeous, especially the tiger mural with the Korean script. The self serve bar is beautifully maintained with fresh veggies and kept clean at all times. Also even during their busiest hours, the service is reliably amazing. Easily one of my favorite hot pot spots.

5 stars because of the options for ayce sushi and hotpot- something to note though - Don't order seared tuna or seared tuna nigiri - it wasn't just seared it was a tuna jerky because it's sliced so thin haha I would come back for the hot pot but not the sushi ayce. Many of the sushi menu items were pretty similar in my opinion. The inside has 2 different vibes, it almost feels like 2 completely different restaurants because of the difference in decor. The thing that ties everything together are the million soju posters. Our server was really sweet and explained how everything worked. We went between 1-3pm during a weekday so it wasn't packed at all which was nice.

I recently visited this hot pot restaurant and absolutely fell in love with their $20 hot pot! I haven't tried their KBBQ yet, but the hot pot alone keeps me coming back. I really appreciate that everyone gets their own pot, no fighting over broth choices and you can self-serve everything except the meat. It makes the whole experience super easy and customizable. The meat is incredibly fresh and cut to order, which makes a huge difference in flavor and texture. My family are big meat lovers while I'm more into seafood, and this place keeps all of us happy with plenty of options for everyone. The best parts are definitely the ambience, the prompt service, and the quality of the food at such a cheap price. It's honestly a great spot for a date or a casual night out. Highly recommend for anyone looking for great hot pot at a great value!

Let me start by saying I was AMAZED by how good the nigiri was. All the sushi tasted fresh and bussin. The staff are super friendly, and attentive. Shout out to Jason for his excellent service! Every person gets their own personal soup pot so you dont gotta worry about anyone contaminating your pot. The self service bar is great too. Everything is clean. For $28.99/pp, this is a great value. You definitely get your monies worth!

Have been here twice now and was happy both times. It gets crowded at dinner time but they do take reservations through Yelp. You can either select to have sushi plus hot pot or just hot pot. Prices are very reasonable so I hope they don't raise it. You order the sushi, appetizers and meats. The rest is self serve that includes veggies, seafood, several types of tofu, noodles. Everyone gets their own broth which is nice. One of my friends is vegetarian and she was very happy with all the non meat choices that were available. I would definitely return.

You get what you pay for. Lots of options for meats, I just hate that they give you only 2-3 slices per tray. It's kind of annoying as it takes up a lot of space. The meat is also cut a little too thin; it tears as you try to lift it off the plate. You order the meat with your server but all other items are located in a self serve buffet. The selection of seafood, veggies, etc, are just okay. But, there are plenty of sauce options for you to make your own sauce. For the broth, I recommend the Tonkatsu. The other two I've tried are the Miso (not flavorful enough) and House broth (highly do not recommend). Hate that the broth comes out barely warm so it takes a while before you can start cooking and eating! Service is always good, even when they are busy. Located in the same plaza as Old Navy and Best Buy so plenty of parking. I wish they did not use so much single use things. For example, the apps come in a disposable tray and they give you a plastic spoon for your broth, which just melts away so.....

If you're looking for affordable and AYCE, Shabu Gen is your place! I was in the area and wanted to have hot pot for dinner so I went to Shabu Gen. I made a reservation for 7:00 PM but our table wasn't ready and usually reservations are prioritized first in the food service but we were categorized with the Yelp waitlist people...that left a bad taste in my mouth since what would be the point of making a reservation if I won't be seated at that time (give or take 5-10 mins)...? We ended up waiting until 7:30 PM for a party of 6 people. However, the food and service did make up for the extra wait time as our server was super attentive and we didn't have to flag him down too much. We opted for AYCE sushi and shabu and it was around $30 per person, such a steal! If you opt in for just shabu, it's $20, still a steal! There's an island towards the back of the restaurant with condiments, veggies, and sides for your shabu. I ordered the tonkatsu broth, and it was tasty! The meat quality was amazing too and there were a good amount of meat options. The sushi options were great too ranging from sushi rolls to carpaccio to sashimi. You definitely get a bang for your buck at Shabu Gen!

Returned again for dinner and our server this time was Natalie P. She was friendly and also attentive to our table. She made sure we had a continuous flow of meat and appetizers by checking in on us frequently, we really appreciated her!

I had 6 people in the parry so we had a "10 plates of meat per round limit". Pretty reason aint it? Wrong. Not only it took them 15 minutes to bring the first 4 plates over, each plate has a pathetic 1-2 slices of meat lol. It took exactly 5 seconds for us to finish those few slices of meat. When asked what happened to the other ones we ordered, the answer was "oh we just received it, it should be here""it's being refilled" whatever that meant. Other than the meats, they are actually pretty good for $20.

$19.99 for ayce hot pot. $28.99 for ayce hot pot and sushi. A great price for today's inflation. Came on Saturday around 6:30 and we waited for around 10 mins. Not too bad of a wait on a Saturday. Everyone at the table has to get the same option, either all hot pot only or all hot pot & sushi. Cannot mix. Each person gets their own pot and broth. I do not know if they offer sample of broths but I should ask them next time :) I got the sukiyaki broth. If you like sweetness in soup, you will like sukiyaki. Self serve seafood/veggies station and sauce bar. Meats ordered with servers. Meat selections is quite limited, beef, pork and chicken. They allow 10 meat items per round. The meats are thinly sliced and each plate only comes with couple pieces. Doesn't really make sense if there are more than 2 people in the group. Sushi selections are decent but mediocre in taste and quality. Service was lacking a bit but staff were friendly.

Got here and was waiting, I was watching the wait list. I scrolled through and noticed no big groups. I started to see them seat people ahead of me; mind you I reserved on the app. I asked why are they seating people ahead all of a sudden? They had a group of 24 come and they were trying to seat them. I informed the front that they came in after me; I paid close attention to the list when I got in. The man in the front (probably the owner or manager, POS guy) didn't speak good English and brushed me off. I'll continue to drop ratings here just based off their business model for this evening...

If you enjoy being ignored, waiting forever, and paying for tiny portions, Shabu Gen is the place for you. I rarely give out 1 star reviews, but when I do, it's because the experience was truly disappointing from start to finish. I don't write this to bash the place, but to be honest about how badly it fell short I finally decided to check this place out after seeing it all over social media, and honestly, it was a huge letdown. The restaurant itself is massive with high ceilings and plenty of space, but the waiting area is tiny and cramped with only one small bench. We checked in at the iPad stand and were seated quickly, but once at the table it took over 10 minutes just to see a server even though it wasn't busy around 5:30pm. We went with the AYCE Hotpot & Sushi for $28.99, which sounded like a deal, but the meat portions were so small, just a few thin slices per plate. On top of that, sodas came in $2 cans and appetizers were served in flimsy paper boats that made the whole thing feel cheap. It's ridiculous that they don't even provide tongs for the meat and not even a ladle for the broth. Service is really what ruined the night. Our server Erin didn't even bother to introduce herself. The second time she finally showed up, I had to ask her name and instead of basic professionalism, she gave me an annoyed look like I was bothering her. The first time she came to our table she started off polite, but quickly became dismissive and disappeared for most of our meal. After our first round, it took Erin 20 minutes just to check in on us to order more meat, and then she never came back. We finally asked for the check after waiting 45 minutes for our appetizers and sashimi only for the food to show up five minutes AFTER we had already signed and paid. At that point, what's the point? Absolute joke. To make it worse, Erin served the other two tables behind us and still ignored us. We had to flag down another server just to close out. By the end of it, we had spent over an hour and a half at the table and only saw Erin twice!! The first time to take our order and the second time to refill meats. That level of neglect is unacceptable, especially for a restaurant with so many high ratings. As the place got busier, the cramped waiting area overflowed into the dining space, and people were literally next to me standing near our table, which made things even more uncomfortable. For how cheap the price is, I guess I see why people come here, but the experience was horrible for me. I'll stick to Heat Shabu or Swish! Shabu Gen needs to do much better

Great place at a great price! They have a sauce bar available as well as veggies, noodles, meat balls, etc. The only thing you order is the raw meat. I believe the owner is the lady and gentleman usually at the front seating people. It also gets busy on the weekends, but join their online waitlist as their waiting seats are limited

We wanted to find a spot to grub post Spartan Race in the area and Shabu Gen popped up. For the price and quality of everything, it was perfect. Staff were fast, food came out quick, and whoever was on the aux was great. The brisket and rib eye were our favorite. Beef toro was too big and fatty. Maybe if they sliced the toro shorter/smaller strips, it'd be perfect. My friend got sukiyaki and I got the miso broth, which both were delicious. For AYCE sushi, the quality was good. We liked most the salmon nigiri's, the seared salmon nigiri, Hermés Birkin roll and Lucky 7. Shoutout to Amy for hosting us and making the recommendations!

The food service and vibes are great. I like that they have the veggie and seafood bar to help yourself pick what veggies and seafood plus other stuff like eggs tofu, sauce you want. They bring you the soup and meat you get to pick 5 at a time. We also had the sushi which was good and plenty of appetizers to pick from. The only thing is you are given 90 minutes to eat and they let you know your time is up and here's your bill lol. They can be a little nicer to let you know it's time to go, the girl that came by wasn't our waitress and she just said here's your bill and your time is up. I did like that each person in your party gets their own soup pot.

Went with a couple friends for a weekend brunch for the ayce hot pot and sushi. You get your personal hot pot with broth of choice. They have appetizers you can order as well and the portion really is small (which I like), so you can try things without wasting. I believe it was the hermes roll that I thought was really good! I was most impressed with the options of toppings for the hot pot and variety of noodles. I ordered the tonkatsu and thought the broth was average, but the sauce station had plenty of option to create my own dipping sauce. Service was good. It's more of a dimly lit restaurant. I came right before they opened so the bar was stocked. Will def come back here for hot pot.

Amazing service! Great food! Beautiful inside the restaurant ! They even have a food/veggie bar! Can't wait to come back soon

Not too sure what's been happening but this place been going down hill from my experience. Initially it was a great spot , lot of memories made with close friends though it just hasn't been the same. Service can be better, I felt like I had to ask for everything that the servers should be keeping in check with, like water refills, pre bussing used plates, and any other obvious needs. As a server myself I was pretty disappointed. My most recent visit was with a close friend, our trip to shabu gen was his first time eating there and it was such a waste of time. Maybe it was just an off day but both he and I found PLASTIC peices in our food. NOT ONCE, NOT TIWCE, but SIX TIMES. I have pictures. Upon our discovery we were met with an immediate loss of appetite. Even though we were discounted for the inconvenience, that whole situation shouldn't even have happened. If proper food processing was taken into proper practice then plastic should not have been seasoning my food. I hope they can bounce back from that.

- definitely bang for your buck if you're looking for cheaper AYCE shabu (and sushi) - it's was a grab as you go veggie and sauce bar but it did not feel like the cleanliness was being kept up with at all - also low on a lot of sauce condiments that were not refilled in time. - The above was not the bad part. That was actually okay. - What left a bad taste in our mouths was the owner. The owner is a POS - we were there to celebrate my dads birthday and apparently, they're strict in their "90 minute dine time" - the servers kept coming over to us as that time marked approach and kept asking if we were done. Not their fault, since the owner apparently is real strict with them too - we didn't even get the chance to sing happy birthday or cut the cake we had yet and the owner had the audacity to come over (and this was the 4th time he wanted to come remind us). - he comes over and ask if we were celebrating our birthday and whose birthday we're celebrating as if he genuinely cared. But then proceeded to point out that there's a limit on dine time because there are other reservations waiting outside. Like wtf? Why even ask about the birthday and try to start small talk. How shitty of an owner do you have to be to do that? Keep in mind, this was at 9pm already and the place closes at 11pm - As we walked outside, there were NO LINES. and NO ONE waiting for their reservations. like what? you had to lie to us and try to get us to pay and leave just because you are being that cheap with your "AYCE"???? - oh and on top of that, he tried to get his servers to charge us an automatic 18% gratuity because i tried to pay for both tables together even though they purposely sat us at different tables because they couldn't accommodate one whole table that fit 12 people - food wasn't bad. Just the owner that made the experience far worse than it should've been.

Came in for the family week or something that was $20 for ayce hopot and sushi. Awesome deal. For the value, the meal tasted great and we also ordered some sashimi and sushi rolls. Nothing to complain and tasted great. I could tell the waiters and waitresses were getting slammed when it was busy so they couldnt attend to us as much as we needed them. This place also has our favorite korean beer Terra. The inside is also very nice and spacious. I definitely recommend this place if they are still doing the family deal. It also isn't too bad if they aren't and you just want some ayce style hotpot and/or sushi

Amazing food! Good deal! I ate alone and drank water only and my bill came out to $21.74 before tip. The servers are so kind and helpful. I appreciate the service since I ate solo. The soup was flavorful and the bar has "pick your own ingredients" style. Also make your own sauce in the sauce bar. 10/10! Will keep coming back! 3rd time here!

I've seen a lot of videos of this place on ig. People were raving about it. So me and my girl wanted to try this place. Came in, sat us quickly and in the beginning the service was great. Place was not busy at all. We ordered our food and got 2 spicy miso broth and the tonkatsu. Broth was super bland, barely any flavor for both. Food selection is good, sauce bar is kinda wack. Too many sour options. Sushi is average and for all you could eat sushi and hot broth. Price is fair. Chicken wings was good but the spicy edemame was salty. We got done eating and was waiting for a waitress to stop by for a long while. I wanted to leave but no one checked on us anymore after we got our food. I went up to the front desk and she was on the phone so I couldn't ask her for the check. I rotor come back. There are waaay better hot pot places than here.

Went here a couple of times because of their $19.99 AYCE Deal. I went the minute it opened on a Sunday, and it gets busy really quickly. The first time we went, it took a while to get our 2nd round and appetizers, but the second time, our servers kept checking up on us and getting anything we needed. They offer a wide range of options for vegetables, sauces, and seafood. This is definitely a great steal for Hot Pot in town!

Amazing! Service was attentive and price is affordable. So glad we tried this back, we will definitely be back. Best bang for your buck!

We've been here a couple times now, and every time it's been amazing. The sushi is always super fresh and so good--it literally melts in your mouth. You can tell they really care about quality because every piece looks and tastes perfect. Definitely some of the best sushi I've had around here. The hot pot is just as great! You get to choose your broth and cook your own meats, seafood, veggies, and noodles right at your table. It's fun, flavorful, and there's something for everyone. I usually go for the spicy mi The atmosphere is beautiful and cozy. The lighting and decor make it feel relaxing but still a little fancy. It's a great spot to chill with friends, have a nice dinner with family, or even a cute date night. The service has always been awesome, too. Everyone's super nice and helpful, especially if it's your first time trying hot pot. They make sure you're taken care of and explain how everything works if you're new. We keep coming back because the food and vibe never disappoint. 10/10 would recommend--just make sure to come hungry!

Updated prices as of 6/13/25 Came in on a Fri night. They've updated their menu & prices $28.99 for hot pot & sushi or $19.99 hot pot. There's no late night after 9p. It was busy when we arrived around 6p. We made reservations for a group of 10 & we still waited about 10mins before being seated. Staff were friendly and food was good.

The meat were served fresh and appetizers weren't burnt or salty. Everything was good and delicious but I wished they had more options in sauces. The servers were polite and friendly, well almost everyone. One of the servers were rushing me and my family to leave but we haven't exceeded the 90 mins. The ambiance was cute and simple.

Natalie at the shabu gen restaurant was amazing! She was quick and efficient, provided excellent service, and was very friendly and warm. She really made the whole dining experience much better! This is our favorite place in Elk Grove.

I decided to give Shabu Gen another chance after they lowered their prices and added more items to their menu. They removed tomato broth as an option and added a spicy House broth. They also now serve sashimi. I got the spicy House broth this time and I still think the flavor is really light and it wasn't spicy. I'd recommend adding stuff from the sauce bar into your soup if you want more flavor. The sushi has improved since last time, with the rice not being cold and mushy. I like the salmon carpaccio which you can only order once. I also recommend trying the sashimi; the super white tuna was so buttery. All of the rolls we tried tasted pretty similar to me. The service was great and our server checked up on us many times. As for the ambiance, I love the dim lighting and gold plates. There are no TVs here for sports unfortunately. Overall, I would come back here for the $19.99 hot pot deal!

Finally made my way back here after they opened a year ago. Coincidentally we came on the day they changed their pricing to celebrate their anniversary! We still didn't try their sushi though. It was only an additional $9 to do AYCE sushi with the shabu but the sushi menu is pretty small so we stuck with shabu. Still no tom yum broth which is my favorite so I went with sukiyaki. I thought it was pretty flavorful! Would love if they offered split bowls. We only tried all of the meats and ended up only liking the rib eye and brisket. The other two were just too thick so it becomes tough when you cook it. We tried a lot of the appetizers but I think my favorite was the ttokkochi! The sunomono didn't taste too fresh. The crispy chicken was good and I liked the soy garlic better than the honey butter just because it was more properly coated all around. The self serve bar was fully stocked which was way better than my first visit. Plenty of options for veggies, seafood, noodles and sauces! Service was much better this time too, they were more prepared now that they have been open longer. Our server in particular was really nice! Although I had a better experience here than my first visit, I think the only enticing reason that would make me return is the hours (not all shabu places are open all day long) and the cheaper pricing.

Food: very good AYCE sushi and hot pot spot. Great variety of hot pot items and sushi including sashimi and nigiri. Sushi was good for AYCE. We tried the tonkatsu and miso soup Service: quickly sat down and waitress was attentive to put in multiple orders of sushi and hot pot spot meats Ambiance: large spot and space out tables. Easy to hold a convo. Love the mix of sushi and hot pot!

Run to Shabu Gen for the best hot pot deal in town! It is only $19.99 for their hot pot and everyone gets an individual pot! I had dinner there for the first time today, and it was very busy. Many people also discovered how worth it is to eat here. Bear in mind that the waitlist time might not be accurate because we had to wait an extra 30-40 minutes before getting seated. Shoutout to our server Ricky! He's so bubbly and spreads joy all around him despite how hectic it was during dinner time. The meats came out relatively fast because it seems as if most of them are already pre-sliced and prepared on a plate. I recommend the leaner cuts of meat because I found that they tend to be more tender. We did the course that includes sushi and the sashimi took longer to come out, but we did not mind because it was fresh and yummy. The atmosphere inside the restaurant was fun and everyone was enjoying the food. They have a nice sauce bar, veggie station, and good selection of sides. It was my first time seeing fish tofu shaped like a little fish, and it's adorable!

I honestly don't understand how anyone can rate this place poorly. It's dirt cheap but the quality is top tier. The meat was unbelievably tender -- I have a bite issue that makes chewing hard, and I still had zero trouble. Every bite melted in my mouth. The sauce bar, veggie station, and seafood section were spotless, even during rush hour. Someone is clearly cleaning nonstop because that area was sparkling the whole time. Service was amazing, everyone was friendly, and the whole restaurant was CLEAN. I've been to tons of shabu places, and this one beats them all, hands down. Now, to the person who left a poor review because they were reminded 10 minutes before their 90-minute limit, SERIOUSLY? They seated you on time (what a tragedy, an efficient restaurant..) and you still complained? You brought a cake to a place that doesn't even serve cake, asked for plates, and then got upset when they handed you the bill near the end. The staff gave you your bill early so you could finish comfortably and let the next group sit on time -- that's called efficiency, not rudeness. They weren't rushing you, they were being organized so the next reservation could be seated on time, just like you were. Time is money -- for them and for the people waiting. You were eating in a public space, not hosting a private party. Be courteous, eat your shabu, and maybe say thank you next time. Ps: was too eager to eat, so bad picture.

Listen ya'll, I know you see the writing on the wall. The economy is once again doing the tango off a cliff, egg prices are like gold nuggets, and your 401ks will barely fund ramen packet meals soon enough. But someone high up is looking out for us, because this place is the New Deal of dining. For the price of two lattes and a small existential crisis, you can get unlimited meat and veggies tossed into a pool of tasty simmering broth. Every dip, every swirl, every slurp makes you forget about the $5 left in your bank account. Let's face it, those 20s are roaring back, but here, you too can dine like Trump at Mar'alago because even in this economy, Shabu Gen makes you feel like Gatsby with a full pot - rich, satisfied, and just a little bit reckless. Pro tip, book a reservation early, Shabu Gen fills up faster than gas prices rise after pay day at the end of the month for all you state employees working out of Sacramento. Shabu Gen is the best investment you can make in this economy. Forget crypto, forget stocks, simply invest in soup and happiness.

We came here for dinner. The restaurant is quite spacious. It wasn't busy at all when we were there though. I had a late lunch, so I wasn't able to eat my moneys worth. Although nothing was amazing enough for me to get multiples of. I liked the fact that we could get individual pots. I went with sukiyaki for the broth. Aside from the meats, the rest of the food and sauces for the hot pot is found at the self-service bar. There was seafood, veggies, and noodles. The meats are thinly sliced with only a few slices on each plate. It seems as if they are precut and prearranged. Some of the slices were stuck on the plate and had to be scraped off. I wished tongs were provided. I asked a waiter and he said he'll check in the back, but he never got back to me about it. I planned to mostly fill up on nigiri, but one round was enough for me. We had the tuna, salmon, seared lemon salmon, yellowtail, albacore, seared super white tuna, fresh water eel, and scallop. Honestly, they tasted similar because of the seasoning/ sauce on the rice or fish that was overpowering. The rice was undercooked as well. In the Hermes Berkin Roll, I could barely make out the shrimp tempura. I ordered the tuna and salmon carpaccio at the end, and was quite full by then. I still had room for dessert though and wanted ice cream. They only had Melona bars- $2. I wrongly thought it was included in the price, because it usually is at most places. Overall, I don't plan to return. There are much better places for hotpot or sushi. The late night discount seems to be a good option, but I'm not a night owl.