Shabu Zen

Shabu-Zen in Chinatown Boston is always a great spot for hot pot. Fresh ingredients, fast service, and a fun, cozy atmosphere. Perfect for a casual, delicious meal.

One of the best Japanese hot pots in Boston. The meat quality is excellent, and the restaurant is conveniently located.

The best hot pot in Boston! I’ve been a loyal customer for years. The soups are packed with flavor, even the plain house broth is surprisingly enjoyable. The boneless short ribs are always top-notch—whoever their vendor is, they deliver consistent quality every time. A must-try spot! Plus, the Allston location is just as fantastic.

Broth and food are extremely fresh and high quality! Kind and friendly staff. Can’t wait to come back! Only thing I’d say is I wish there was a sauce bar. You’re provided soy sauce with a side of garlic and scallions. It is a very good base but I like how other places let you customize your sauce. Thanks for the great food! Edit: I want to correct my mistake. I said that you aren’t able to customize your sauce. All I had to do was ask… duh! I asked for more garlic and cilantro and within 15 seconds I had it. What a great place!

This place is located in Chinatown. It was absolutely delicious. I ordered beef, while my husband ordered for seafood for his shabu shabu. Personally, I prefer beef. After finishing my beef, I boiled the noodles, and they were incredibly delicious. I highly recommend this place.

Shabu Zen: Quick and Tasty Hotpot Shabu Zen is my choice for a quick hotpot fix. The standout feature here is the fast service, which ensures you won't be waiting long for your bubbling pot of goodness. The menu offers a wide selection of meats, veggies, and other hotpot delights, providing a variety of choices to customize your meal. What sets Shabu Zen apart is the extensive range of broth options, allowing you to tailor your hotpot experience to your taste. However, as a self-proclaimed sauce enthusiast, I was slightly disappointed that they only offer one sauce. Hotpot, for me, is all about the dipping and experimenting with different flavors, so the limited sauce selection left me wanting more. While I do stop by Shabu Zen from time to time, there's still a special place in my heart for other hotpot spots in Chinatown. Despite the quick service and variety, the overall experience can sometimes feel a bit rushed. 🍲🥢🏮

So good I went twice in 24 hours, wish I could give 6 stars especially in the value department!

Really fun experience to share with family or friends. The selection of food was great. Between five people we ordered prime grade sirloin beef (jumbo), seafood supreme, and a regular size chicken main course. That was plenty of food. The spicy tom yum soup base was my favorite!

This was out of my comfort zone and I was told I would enjoy it so took the opportunity to continue to try new things. I quickly learned how to use chopsticks as I cooked my own food. I enjoyed my lunch which was the A10 with Beef and Lamb with a chicken broth. Also had a green tea shake which was perfect for afterwards. This is a place I will most certainly come back to as everything was absolutely delicious!

My family and I have been eating at @shabuzenboston (instagfor years and it hits the spot everytime‼ the herbal broth is one of our favorites and the quality of their meats is the best we've had in hot pot We haven't been able to find short rib better than here! The appetizers can honestly stand on their own too. We can't get enough of their sautéed beef tongue and the berkshire sausage that you dip in a honey mustard sauce Although Shabu-Zen is on the pricier side for hotpot, the quality of their ingredients is what makes it a spot we go to every time for special occassions and family dinners out! Definitely give it a try and let me know what you think!

The perfect spot for a rainy night in Boston. I dined here with some friends and had a great meal filled with lots of laughs! Shabu Zen offers a great hot pot dining experience that caters to the cravings of any hot pot lover or first timer. What's nice about this location is that you have the option to have a solo pot or family style. The restaurant has a diverse selection of fresh and high-quality ingredients, allowing you to create your own personalized hot pot concoctions. The broth options are rich, flavorful, and you can divide to get two soup bases. The crowd favorite amongst our friends was the Miyazaki Waygu A5 Grade. Cooked within seconds and the perfect soft texture. It's a must try. With attentive service and a cozy ambiance, Shabu Zen is a must-try destination for those seeking a satisfying and interactive hot pot experience in the heart of Boston.

I came to Shabu-Zen on a Saturday night during my last trip to Boston. It was a chilly, rainy night perfect for some hot pot! My friend and I did not make reservations ahead of time, but we were luckily seated immediately. I really liked the table setup, the bowls of hot pot broth were in grooves built into the table which minimizes the chances of spilling or burning yourself. We ordered the Surf & Turf to get a mix of meats as well as seafood. We picked beef for our meat, the other options were chicken or pork. Every main course comes with an assorted of veggies and an option of udon, vermicelli or rice. We picked udon noodles. There are alot of broth flavoring options, I picked Japanese Miso and my friend picked Chinese Sichuan Spicy. I enjoyed the Japanese Miso, the beef really soaked up the flavor. My friend's broth was super spicy, it was delicious... but not sure I would've been able to eat an entire bowl of it. The sides we ordered was an assortment of tofu and mushrooms, the plates were packed full of food! Overall, I can see why this spot was so packed. There is alot of seating inside and would be great for large parties as well. The staff were attentive, food came out quickly, they did not skimp on anything we ordered... as mentioned earlier, plates were packed! I would definitely make the trip back out here if I am in Boston again :)

Have been here a few times with friends for dinner after work -- it really is always a great experience. There is a wide assortment to choose from so there is something for everyone (and plenty of vegetarian options!!). Also I'm a sucker for the peach sake, it's a must order in my opinion. It really is just a fun dining experience. Highly recommend.

When I say I crave Hot Pot, I realize I actually should say I crave Shabu - Zen. As a non meat eater, I found so many options, really tasty options. Shabu - Zen is top quality ingredients and you can taste it. It's really hard to go to another hot pot place after trying this one. The plates are made to order and you can see the kitchen from the seating area. It is clean and the service is phenomenal. Rarely you'll have an empty plate near you for more than 20 seconds. They are always refilling your waters and making sure your broth is doing well. The spicy edamame are so good! So is everything else. I cannot speak high enough about Shabu - Zen. This place just makes me so happy!

4 stars is the correct Yelp rating! Love the food and quality. Interior is very nice. That said, price adds up quickly. I got two regular combo entrees and a couple of side add-ons. Everything else beyond the default menu items costs extra. If you want another broth base, then you pay extra. I had the default chicken and vegetarian broth, which were great! The regular entree came with a small side of assorted vegetables and a side. I picked a rice and udon noodles. The portion size didn't appear impressive, but I was nonetheless satiated. The service was friendly. I like that they open early at 11 AM. Indoor ventilation was great in the early morning. I do hope to be back some time soon. Great cocktail/wine selection!

One of my favorite shabu places in Boston for the past few years. My go to is the surf & turf, which is seafood + choice of meet with the kimchi broth. I always get the beef. It usually gets busy during dinner time but if you have a small party, the "booth" area clears up quicker. The only down side this time vs previous visits is the price. Just the broth was $8! I remember it being $4 a year ago or two. The surf & turf was $32. The food is good but I would try other places for that price.

The best food, best service, best place. We visited Boston because my granddaughter graduated from college and we went three days in a row. We travel a lot and we haven't found anything like it any were else . The BEST!!

Chinatown restaurant that has a Japanese cooking theme is the best way to describe it. You choose meats, which comes with vegetables, rice or noodles and a broth. You then cook your own food in the broth. You can order other vegetables and meats as additional sides. Different type of experience and well worth it. Service was very good.

Love this place. Come here once a month. Favorite spot in China town. Food is consistent, staff is friendly. The manager is always here and attentive.

Boston Chinatown has a few hot pot places and the family decided to pop in to grab a bite after the long drive up from NYC. This place reminds me of hot pot restaurants that popped up 20 years ago - dated menu, decor and quite frankly average. The broths are bland (we got herbal chicken and tomato beef), sauce selection non-existent (no sauce bar, just garlic, chili crisp and sacha sauce). Meat quality was so-so but veggies were fresh. Place was clean and service was ok but the prices are pretty exorbitant considering the quality (about $30 per person). Boston hopefully gets the influx of all those big Chinese chains that have opened recently in NYC to raise the overall hot pot game there.

So the story begins with three chefs partially tired of the repeated exposure to the current cuisine that they needed something different to break the cycle. What do they decide on? Something Eastern and nothing close to the mainstay of Boston that they continue to dish out everyday. Considering the fact that it is "winter" and cold, what calls out more than a good old hotpot to beat out the bone chill?' And here they were, away from the "frigid" ordering something spicy and spicier. Ingredients - fresh as they were - appeared on the table awaiting these tres amigos to do what they already do everyday. Cook it up they say, we did. Serve it up they say, we sure did. Plate it onto our little side plates like it meant something, we sure did and giggled. WTF are we doing...we are eating these all ourselves. We were just mocking around at this point. It's good food and it's a great way to chill. From our table, I spotted our next dining spot that I had to drag the other two to. Why? They were so stuck in our present cuisine that this was not in their forte. But it's my culture. It's my life. It's Chinatown - where I pilgrimage to regardless of what city and age I am in even if my passport isn't remotely close to it. Three generations apart...I still remember my roots and every exposure to every regional cuisine around it. Whenever I do any form of "hotpot", I look at their name and perceive what region they claim to be from - regardless of whatever fine details they deliver after. Shabu is a Japanese take on this particular "swish-swish" movement but not enough respect to what and where it came from. Here it is again with reference to the three chefs mentioned in the beginning. It doesn't matter...whatever we create, there will always be a copycat that copies the how and never the "why". So here is why the 4 star review takes place. You are in Chinatown and your name is of Japanese descent. Your preparation is not Japanese either. Neither are your broths. It is confusing for me because I care about the details. I would ding this place harder based on what I just said. But 4 stars it stays. What won that particular day is I was able to talk about culture for once to these other two. I stick out like a sore thumb in a Western Kitchen because of my skin and for once, my skin and what was delivered came through. I wished this place did the same. But no...while the ingredients were good, the service was fine, there was NOTHING to brag about this place - even if it was right in the middle of Chinatown.

This establishment is located conveniently with a private parking space. If you get here at the right time then you may just luck out and get free parking. I enjoy this place due to its delicious food and quality ingredients. They also offer private room type of sitting if you reserve in advance. On any weekends or holidays, expect to wait when you arrive. They do not take reservations on most days but food is worth the wait compared to few other shabu places in the area.

Very high quality meat and veggies but it's super pricey for every single add on. The tomato beef broth was very delicious. Our total came out to be 97 (exclude tip) for 2 for their lunch combos. We got 2 regular and 1 jumbo. Pretty pricey lunch and it feels like less meat were given due to lunch. The service was great and the vibe was also nice. But I do not recommend due to value.

Really wonderful and delicious. I had never had hot pot before and our server patiently explained how to order and gave our group a few different recommendations. We tried the tonkatsu broth and Mongolian spicy, with the ribeye and seafood jumbo platters. This was more than enough for 3 people. Fun ambience too, we had a great time!

When in Boston, I obviously had to revisit my favorite hotpot shop! Unfortunately, it didn't seem as good as the first time I had it, but the meats were definitely fresh. Slightly disappointed that the meat didn't melt in my mouth like it did the first time. Service was great, amazing environment and the servers also were helpful in guiding us to a good bar in the area.

We had a very hard time finding a place to eat without a reservation in Chinatown on a Saturday night at prime dinner eating time. Fortunately, you can add yourself to the waitlist and get an estimate of how long you will have to wait at this place which sealed the deal for us. There are a bunch of tea places in the vicinity to help kill time in the meantime. We were seated at the main U in the center of the restaurant. Full disclosure: we've only had hot pot once before and everything was done for us so we had absolutely no fucking idea what on earth to do. A little common sense and a little creeping eyes to other patrons guided the way. We ordered a vegetarian delight platter to share with two broths and ramen noodles as an accompaniment and miso broth. We also ordered vegetable gyoza and spicy edamame appetizers as well as an extra side of tofu. They have vegetarian options in every part of the menu. Everything was incredible. The whole experience was really fun and unique. The gyoza were tasty and the spicy edamame was probably the best edamame I've ever had in my life. The vegetable delight is a massive platter with a wide variety of vegetables, many of which my white ass couldn't even identify. I might recommend not wearing a sweater because I was absolutely roasting along with the veggies in the broth. Speaking of broth, probably the best part of the entire thing was the delicious broth which, after finishing the solid contents of the meal, I essentially drank until the absolute last second when they pried the pot out of my hands. I was so full but almost ordered more vegetables to stuff down my throat because I didn't want the meal to end. I couldn't recommend this place enough.

One of my favorite places for hot pot! Very friendly staff and always easy to get a table. It's a cozy little spot tucked right into the middle of Chinatown. Highly recommend the Mongolian spicy broth. Great selection of food and always leave super satisfied :)

This hotpot, located in Chinatown, had a lot to offer from an array of meats and vegetables to a list of 6+ broths! It was a great way to spend time around friends AND food! Do note, because this hotpot charges on per item, the total does add up quickly. Some things we ordered: 4 broths: Thai Tom Yum, Chinese Sichuan Spicy, Tomato Beef, and Japanese Miso Different types of beef and lamb cuts - cut so thin, it cooks in minutes! All meats come with a tray of few assorted vegetables and choice of ramen, udon, or vermicelli noodles (we ordered a few of these combos) black fungus shiitake mushrooms Bok Choy First time trying Tripe (cow stomach)! At first I was super nervous but I actually enjoyed it and would eat it again! octopus meatballs dumplings fried tofu skin rolls - so yummy! Also first time trying it and will definitely order again Checkout my Instagram reel for photos of the food @foodwithsusie

This was probably one of the most disturbing restaurant experiences I've ever had. Was the first customer on a Sunday at 11am. Sat at the bar with my husband and ordered a ton of a food. Began making our hotpot and cockroaches started crawling from under the bar onto our food. I thought I was going to be sick, it was so disgusting. The waitstaff mumbled "sorry" as we got our things and left our uneaten food - it was clearly not a surprise to them and they seemed totally unbothered by the cockroaches crawling all over our food. Ruined my lunch and didn't even have the appetite to eat anywhere else after effectively ruining my celebratory getaway with my husband. Avoid at all costs.

LOVED my meal here! We came in on a Saturday night. Had a very short wait and got seated at the individual spots in the center of the restaurant. I ordered the Mongolian broth which was A++++!! Not too spicy but so perfect I didn't need to add anything to make it tasty. My husband and son got the Japanese miso broth and they felt like they needed to add some spice and flavor. We got the top of the line beef-- the A5 wagyu. Everything was sooo good, very fresh, and it's all a super fun way to eat. Staff was attentive and friendly. I will return if I'm in Boston again. 100%!!

Went back in 2019 and this place is soooo perfect for a cold winter night! They have 2 types of seating - tables and a square bar seating where you have your own individual pot and face inward. Super fun atmosphere bc hotpot creates such a talkative environment Food was really good, and it was nice that they offer the ability to split your pot into two flavors (but they do charge!) Would def come back if I was to ever visit Boston again

Place was really nice inside. Food was good, friendly service, etc. Glad we stopped in - just randomly walked past it and it looked nice so we tried it.

Absolutely a wonderful experience for two from NH. Wonderful wait staff. Waitstaff helpful in assisting in ordering (we had no idea how to order or eat it). I highly recommend if you're in Boston. We will be back.

Still my favorite shabu spot but WOW - their prices are now crazy compared to other shabu locations. It has me going elsewhere simply for that high dollar reason.

I've been to this hotpot spot a couple times and I've always had a great experience. There tends to be a wait every time, so I call ahead (wait is usually 30-45 minutes). The staff are also very welcoming and friendly! The soup base is delicious - my family and I usually go for half/half a mild/spicy base, which in this case was the miso and kimchi! It was SO good paired with the noodles/udon we ordered. The diced beef here is so so tasty and tender. Also ordered the ribeye beef which was good as well. My favourite meatballs here have to be the tobiko stuffed meatballs - THEY ARE AMAZING, very savoury, so so yummy! They didn't have a couple items on the menu, but no biggie - still had a very enjoyable meal! Oysters were pretty good as well - they were on the smaller side, but still pretty fresh and tasty! Definitely recommend if you're looking for a lunch/dinner spot in Chinatown, Boston. Great for groups!

Shabu-Zen has a hopping social Cheers Bar ambiance, and is a brisk and efficient hot pot restaurant. We're new to hot pot culture and are fish out of water Caucasians here, but so far here's what we believe to be true, at least for pescatarians. When you order broths ask for the two most flavorful vegetarian options. Ask for ALL of the condiments, beyond just soy sauce, garlic and scallions. Hopefully you will get the hot pepper sauce and the special Asian barbecue sauce. Ask specifically for everything tofu related, because somehow hot pot cooking does magic to tofu, tofu skins et al. Ask for shrimp paste, which your server will bring in a cute bamboo container and spoon out things that become aromatic shrimp balls after 60 seconds in the broth. And ask for the veggie platter which includes Napa cabbage, mushrooms, taro root, bamboo shoots and lots other yummies. Finally, ask your dining neighbors for suggestions, they will undoubtedly share their wisdom.

Forgot to take a picture when our meat arrived but we also got surf and turf with lamb and jumbo ribeye beef. Also ordered a lychee saketini. I think we ordered too much for three people so we were super full but it was nice and warm to the soul because it was freezing and windy outside. The tomato beef broth was nice and flavorful. Not a huge fan of the lychee saketini (but I'm also not in love with the taste of alcohol either). The lychee was nice and sweet though haha.

This place was great! It was our first time here and the server walked us through the hot pot process. She made great suggestions and knew just when to push us past our comfort zone. Food was fresh and tasty. I had chicken and my dude friend had beef and chicken. We'll definitely be back if we're in the area.

This place is a true treasure. Their staff was extremely helpful and courteous. The food was excellent. The food was tasty. My wife and I each had our own pot and meats but shared to try different flavors. The meat was prime and it made a difference. Tender and flavorful. We ordered A LOT and we ate it all. The staff made the experience. We are new to hot pot and our waitress, Hong, walked us through the entire experience. She made suggestions and we followed them all. Absolutely recommend this place!

We came in at 7:30 pm on a Sunday evening and the place was pretty filled, but they were still able to accommodate three of us right away. People working there were friendly and service was great! There are many choices for meats and soups. Each entree comes with a choice of rice or noodles, an assortment of veggies, and a house broth. I shared a Meat Combo (beef and pork) plate with my friend and it actually filled us up quite well, though we are both relatively small people and don't eat as much. It's so nice that they let you share an entree here since it's quite a bit cheaper that way and you don't really waste any food. You can also get your own portion of broth a la carte if you're sharing. I know a few hot pot places that require everyone to get an entree, so props to Shabu Zen. Though some people prefer fattier meat for hotpot, the beef and pork slices here were not fatty at all, which was perfect to our liking! Each slice only takes a few seconds to cook, so it can be a bit easy to overcook. Overall, I enjoyed eating here, although I would say that the dipping sauce options felt limited (unless I didn't know they offered other dipping sauce options besides the default) and the broth could've been more flavorful. I'd definitely come here again if I visited Boston again and was craving some hotpot.

We were visiting on a family vacation. While I have enjoyed shabu-shabu in the past my family had not. The staff was very helpful in directing them on what to order. Everyone enjoyed their meal and had a lot of fun in the process! Great meal and highly recommend.

Always the first place we visit in Boston. Our favorite meal in Boston. The food was off the chart good (and the French and Italian dinners the other nights were close runner ups). The seafood and beef was super fresh, the broths were full of flavor and the service was perfect. Highly recommended!

the quality of the boneless short ribs never disappoints but everything else was a fail. ordered a jumbo today and literally half the plate had smaller beef pieces than the other half.. i brought this up to the waiter and he said that i am getting my moneys worth. i am obviously not. two pieces of the smaller short ribs = one of the bigger pieces. how in the world am i getting $44 worth??? the fish tasted weird, had obviously been frozen for awhile considering that they had basically no customers.. shabu zen used to be great, a little pricy but now it's just crap and not worth it.

Absolutely amazing hot pot. This was my first experience at a hot pot restaurant and I was so impressed! The food was delicious and the portions were perfect. Came with veggies and noodles of choice to make a bowl of your own. Great for sharing. We also split the green tea, mango & strawberry mochi. So good! Sat super fast for a party of 3 on a busy Saturday night.

We put our name down in advance through yelp and were told it would be an about 20 minute wait, however we weren't seated for another hour. The server brought out the wrong items multiple times and was very hard to get service from. The portion of items was not worth the price in my opinion.

I went shabu on the weekend , So crowded there but the staff still welome and friendly . The foods were good too.

The soup is always amazing and the service was great. Our group came around 6:45pm and we had to wait 30-40 minutes for a table because it was very busy. Utilize the Yelp waitlist. You cook the food yourself so everything is fresh off the stove. Great for a cold day

Frequented a lot in college and recently visited Boston again and stopped by and was not disappointed. The flavor is amazing, service is good, and price is reasonable. Definitely recommend!

OMG the broth was so amazing. We ordered Tom Yam and Mushroom Broth. one of the best shabu2 place I've been. I will definitely be back. Good jobs guy'

This was our first time coming here due to a recommendation from one of my best friends. HIGHLY recommend! AMAZING FOOD AND SERVICE. Ask for Ryan. He was absolutely amazing. Very helpful when it came to explaining the different options on the menu and making recommendations The best service we have had in a VERY long time. Very reasonably priced and just an overall great experience. Already looking forward to going back!

If you're looking for a hotpot place but feels like all you can eat is too much, then this place is perfect! They have variety of selections for hotpot and they also have drinks. The servings is just enough for one person so if you're by yourself you won't have the trouble of finishing your food. It's also an easy place to find since it's in the middle of Chinatown. They are also open late so no rush going there at a certain time. Service is good. It depends on who's serving you at that moment. I would recommend this place and I'll come back when I'm looking for hotpot again with friends

My group of 5 arrived around 7PM and were seated immediately. We ordered the house broth and A5 wagyu, lamb, supreme seafood, along with some veggies. I thought that it all tasted good but I think that the prices were very expensive. The noodle and meat portions were very small. I can get AYCE hotpot for $35/person in Virginia that has the same quality/tasting meat as Shabu-Zen as well as a customizable topping bar. The servers were very attentive and the bathrooms were clean.

Still very good, but it's changed over the years. It used to be reasonably priced, with large portions. Not it's starting to get costly. Portions are much, much smaller and to add the items they reduced or dropped, you are easily at $50-60 per person. A bit much for what it is. The spicy broth was also different and didn't seem to be mad with that same care. It's still one of my favorite places to eat.

Taste: 4/5 it is very good, pretty hard to get any better unless the dipping is expanded. Setting: 4/5 inside looks very nice and clean. The middle section is somewhat crowded but manageable when they separate you from other by a seat which isn't always possible. Service: 5/5 everything as expected, can't complain. Price: $15-$20 Overall: 5/5. I mostly visit this place for lunch so it is somewhat quiet. It's somewhat crowded at night so the experience isn't all that great when there are more customers around. It is a personal thing, to be able to eat in quiet, calm place during lunch sure reduce stress for the PM work hours. LoL.

This place is a bit less bang for your buck, but overall the hot pot was pretty good! Got the tonkutsu and spicy szechuan broths with a variety to sides!!

Like my previous review- The service is still excellent, year after year. One of the best services in Chinatown I've experienced. The food is good, the quality of meat cuts is nice, although nothing to write home about. The broths are decent too. I noticed they have not raised their prices as sharply as most of the hot pot places in the area due to the Biden-inflation. Just a modest few dollars increase. So, decent value if you want a reliable, friendly hotpot for the evening. As a neighbor, I highly recommend this Shabu-Zen.

This is my absolute favorite shabu shabu restaurant. I've eaten at quite a few and I always think back to my time in Boston at Shabu-Zen and how much I miss it! Located right in Chinatown. My favorite broth is their tom yum, super flavorful with the lemon grass and just the right amount of sourness. We ordered the combo plates and the meats are very high quality, the marbling is drool worthy. They really take care of you here and it's worth the wait in my opinion if there is one.

What a delicious dining experience in this spacious restaurant. The food and the zen of the place was great. The staff were very helpful and the menu extensive. The broths supporting the hot pots were no joke especially the Szechuan broth. Our electric burner at our table heated unevenly so we had to shift the pot from time to time. The bathroom was clean as was the overall space.