Andy C.
Yelp
I've had the pleasure of dining at two Chubby Club restaurants: Wagyu House by the X Pot and Chubby Cattle Monterey Park, both of which exceeded my expectations. Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House, another Chubby Club establishment, also boasts an excellent reputation, but it has a separate membership program though. It's a minor inconvenience.
Similar to Chubby Cattle MP, Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House is an intimate setting, making it less suitable for large groups. However, the restaurant's reservation system is a huge improvement, especially it's always busy.
I would like to give a HUGE PROP to Bryant, our exceptional waiter. His attentive, friendly, and welcoming demeanor made our dining experience truly amazing. His outstanding service is a valuable asset to the restaurant, and I hope his contributions are recognized.
As an all-you-can-eat wagyu shabu house, Mikiya delivers top-notch service & food quality, on par with other Chubby restaurants. If you're a wagyu beef fan, this restaurant is an absolute must-visit. We opted for the diamond tier, which granted us unlimited access to their entire menu. Each plate featured 3-4 slices of premium Japanese A5 wagyu beef. Bryant recommended starting with the diamond tier beef and seafood platter; we also ordered sweet shrimp, wagyu tartare, wagyu bone marrow, and foie gras. The sweet shrimp was exceptional and the wagyu bone marrow was fantastic. However, the wagyu tartare and foie gras didn't quite meet my expectations.
The seafood platter was visually stunning (IG worthy?) and featured an impressive array of scallops, oysters, shrimps, fish, abalone, and snow crabs. The scallops, oysters, and abalone were fresh and delicious, we even ordered an additional set. However, the snow crab was somewhat fishy, and the lack of tools to crack it open, so it's not too convenient.
The A5 wagyu beef was fantastic, and I highly recommend upgrading to the diamond tier. The value is exceptional, especially when compared to X Pot. Bryant suggested trying the silver tier Australian wagyu beef to compare the difference, and the disparity was quite distinct. While the Australian wagyu beef was still impressive, the Japanese A5 wagyu beef was top-rated for a reason.
At the end, I did not purchase a membership, primarily due to the underwhelming soup bases. We chose the spicy miso and Japanese tomato, but they failed to add any notable flavors to our meal. Condiments were good but not amazing.
Considering these factors, I would rate Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House 4.5 stars. While the restaurant has exceptional service and food quality, the intimate setting and limited table space made the dining experience feel more hectic.
Nonetheless, this is a solid recommendation for wagyu beef fans!