Shabuya Fountain Valley: Your Go-To for All-You-Can-Eat Japanese Shabu Shabu

Shabuya Introduce

For those of us in California who appreciate an interactive and deeply satisfying dining experience, Shabuya in Fountain Valley offers a truly unique and enjoyable culinary adventure. Specializing in all-you-can-eat (AYCE) Japanese shabu shabu, Shabuya provides a modern take on the traditional hotpot dish where you cook thinly sliced meats and fresh vegetables in your own flavorful broth. It’s more than just a meal; it's an engaging experience perfect for gathering with friends and family, allowing everyone to customize their hotpot exactly to their liking.

Introduction / Overview

Shabuya is a popular all-you-can-eat shabu shabu franchise that has made a significant mark on the Fountain Valley dining scene. Shabu shabu, a Japanese hotpot dish, involves cooking thinly sliced raw meat and a variety of fresh ingredients in a pot of simmering, flavorful broth. At Shabuya, guests are empowered to be their own chefs, selecting from a range of broths, premium meats, and a vast array of fresh vegetables and other hotpot staples from a well-maintained food bar. The focus here is on high-quality ingredients, a customizable experience, and a clean, modern setting that makes for a delightful and fun meal. It’s a concept that resonates deeply with those who love fresh food and a communal, yet personalized, dining approach.

Location and Accessibility

Shabuya is conveniently located at 18279 Brookhurst St #8, Fountain Valley, CA 92708, USA. This address places it in a highly accessible area within Fountain Valley, making it a popular destination for residents across Orange County. The restaurant is situated in a commercial complex, offering ample parking, which is a significant advantage in bustling California. Its location on Brookhurst Street ensures easy access from various parts of the city and surrounding areas, making it a convenient choice for both planned outings and spontaneous cravings for Japanese hotpot. The modern aesthetic and welcoming storefront invite diners into a clean and comfortable environment ready for an enjoyable meal.

Services Offered

Shabuya - Fountain Valley provides a comprehensive and interactive dining experience, centered around its all-you-can-eat shabu shabu concept.

All-You-Can-Eat Shabu Shabu: This is their core offering, allowing diners unlimited access to a selection of premium meats, a variety of broths, and an extensive salad bar with fresh vegetables and other hotpot ingredients.
Individual Hot Pots: Unlike some traditional hotpot setups, Shabuya provides each diner with their own individual hot pot and burner, allowing for personalized cooking and temperature control without having to share.
Variety of Broths: Customers can choose from several flavorful broth options, including an original house broth, miso, sukiyaki, pork, "Huuoguo" (spicy Chinese traditional hot pot), and even a vegetarian soup base.
Meat Selection: The menu includes 8 cuts of thinly sliced meat, typically comprising 5 beef options (like beef toro/belly, prime blade meat, prime cross rib, premium rib eye, prime flat iron steak), 2 pork options (natural pork belly, natural pork shoulder), and 1 chicken option (natural chicken thigh).
Extensive Salad Bar/Food Stations: A well-stocked bar offers a wide range of fresh vegetables (e.g., bok choy, various mushrooms), noodles, fish balls, seafood (like squid and octopus), and other hotpot additions.
Appetizers: While the focus is on shabu shabu, they also offer a selection of appetizers like various types of karaage (fried chicken) and gyoza.
Beverage Menu: A selection of drinks, including soft drinks, Japanese beers (Sapporo, Kirin), sake, and soju cocktails are available.
Dine-In Experience: The restaurant offers a modern and clean dining environment with plenty of space between tables, enhancing the overall comfort.
No Wait Times (off-peak): While popular, reviews indicate that dining during off-peak hours (e.g., Tuesday night) can mean no wait, which is a huge plus for diners.

Features / Highlights

Shabuya - Fountain Valley stands out for several key features that contribute to its popularity among local patrons.

Personalized Cooking Experience: The individual hot pots and adjustable burners are a major highlight, allowing each diner to cook their food exactly to their preferred "doneness" and enjoy a tailored hotpot experience without compromise.
High-Quality Meats: Despite a selection that isn't overwhelmingly vast, the quality of the meats is consistently praised. The "beef toro (belly)" is a particular favorite, noted for its "amazing marbling and delicious taste."
Flavorful Broths: Diners appreciate the variety and quality of the broths. The original house broth is described as having a "laidback flavor" that doesn't overpower the meat, while other options like the spicy "Huuoguo" offer a different kick.
Clean and Modern Setting: The restaurant maintains a "modern aesthetic" and is described as "pretty clean for a buffet," contributing to a pleasant and comfortable dining atmosphere.
Excellent Customer Service (Staff Dependent): While there was a mixed review regarding initial front desk service, reviews consistently highlight exceptional service from individual waiters, such as "the Vietnamese guy waiter" who was "really nice and funny," and "Jenny," who was "outstanding," "quick, friendly, and knowledgeable," anticipating needs and offering great recommendations.
Good Value for Money: At approximately $29.99 per adult for AYCE (prices may vary and are subject to change, with special lunch pricing around $20.99 Mon-Fri until 3 pm), customers generally find the price to be very reasonable, especially considering the quality of food and the AYCE format in today's economy.
Fresh and Diverse Salad Bar: Although "relatively small" compared to some, the salad bar offers "good" quality ingredients including a range of fresh vegetables, seafood like squid and octopus, and various noodles, ensuring a well-rounded meal.

Promotions or Special Offers

Shabuya - Fountain Valley offers excellent value through its all-you-can-eat model, and they do have specific pricing that serves as a consistent promotion for locals.

Lunch Special Pricing: On weekdays (Monday-Friday) until 3:00 PM (excluding holidays), adults can enjoy the AYCE experience for approximately $20.99 per person. This is a significant discount compared to dinner pricing.
Kids' Pricing: Children under 40 inches eat free, and those between 40-50 inches are charged around $10.99, making it a family-friendly option.
Happy Hour: While specific "happy hour" details were not explicitly found in the provided reviews beyond the general mention of a beverage menu, it's common for such establishments to offer drink specials. It's recommended to inquire directly with the restaurant about any current beverage or appetizer happy hour deals.

It's always a good idea to check their official website or call ahead for the most up-to-date pricing and any seasonal or limited-time promotions they might be running.

Contact Information

For direct inquiries, to confirm hours, or to learn more about Shabuya in Fountain Valley, you can reach them through the following contact details:

Address: 18279 Brookhurst St #8, Fountain Valley, CA 92708, USA

Phone: (213) 855-1920

Conclusion: Why Shabuya is Suitable for Locals

For residents of Fountain Valley and across our Southern California communities, Shabuya stands out as an excellent choice for a Japanese dining experience that's both fun and delicious. Its all-you-can-eat shabu shabu concept, combined with the personalized touch of individual hot pots, makes for an engaging meal that caters to diverse tastes and preferences. The emphasis on fresh, quality meats like the highly-praised beef toro, along with a variety of flavorful broths and a clean, well-stocked salad bar, ensures that every diner leaves satisfied.

Despite some isolated feedback on initial customer service, the overwhelming positive reviews for the food quality, the modern and clean environment, and the excellent service from attentive staff members like Jenny and the "Vietnamese waiter" demonstrate a strong commitment to guest satisfaction. The value proposition, especially with their appealing lunch pricing and options for children, makes it an accessible and attractive option for families, friends, and couples alike. Whether you're looking for a warm, comforting meal on a cooler evening or a lively spot for a group gathering, Shabuya Fountain Valley offers a premium hotpot experience that truly hits the mark for local Californians.

Shabuya Photos

Shabuya Location

Shabuya

California Orange County Fountain Valley Brookhurst Street

18279 Brookhurst St #8, Fountain Valley, CA 92708, USA

Shabuya Reviews

Shabuya - We passed by it multiple times but never have a chance to stop by and finally here we were.The food + prices = so-so, but I can say that it is good experience to try out. We ordered the number 1-5 double double since we only did the beef. The Vietnamese guy waiter was really nice and funny brought up the whole fun and delicious asmostphere to us. The food is good, and we love the broth that he recommended. There was no wait on the Tuesday night which was great since we were starving.The food stations come with all different type of seafood, noodles, fish balls,… Different choices to choose. Good food and serving clean.If it not about front desk lady JESSICA who was assigning us to sit at the table rudely, and throwing the plates, chopsticks in front of our face after we sat in 1 second, I would give this place a 5 stars for sure. This lady Jessica was so rude and seems like she thought the we were teenagers that she can treated us like that. The attitude was surprising rude since this is our first time.Overally thank to to Vietnamese waiter did a wonderful job and the kitchen gave us a good impression and experience, if not we would choose to leave in the beginning without trying. It seems like some of the bad reviews are definitely true about their customer service
May 28, 2025 · Ngoc Minh Thy Vu
Shabuya is an all-you-can-eat shabu shabu franchise. What's shabu shabu? It's a Japanese hotpot dish in which you cook thinly sliced raw meat in a pot of boiling, flavorful broth.The Broth:First, you select one of 5 broths. I chose the original house broth, which was a brown broth made from dashi, veggies, and various seasonings. It had a laidback flavor, which I preferred so it wouldn't overpower the meatThe Meats:Speaking of which, there are 8 cuts of thinly cut meat (5 beef, 2 pork, and 1 chicken). That's not a huge selection, but all cuts were yummy. My favorite hands down was the beef toro (belly) -- amazing marbling and delicious taste!The Appetizers:If your goal is to get your money's worth, you'll probably want to skip these. But since it was my first time I wanted to try a little bit of everything, and was pleasantly surprised to find that all 3 types of karaage (fried chicken) was quite good. I didn't have the fourth and final appetizer, goyza, so can't comment on that.The Salad Bar:As far as AYCE goes, this salad bar was relatively small. But what they did have was good, ranging from squid and octopus to mushrooms and bok choy. The only thing I genuinely didn't like was the crab; it was probably frozen for awhile and lost its tenderness and juiciness.The Cooking:Unlike old-school setups, at Shabuya, everyone gets their own hot pot and burner, with adjustable temperature. I had fun cooking my own food, with each piece reaching its "doneness" just the way I like it instead of having to compromise or share the pot with others.The Service:Our server, Jenny, was outstanding! She was quick, friendly, and knowledgeable. Plus, she seemed to always anticipate our needs before we needed to ask and made excellent recommendations for my first time. Can't say enough good things about her.The Setting:It has a modern aesthetic, with plenty of space between tables. Plus, everything was pretty clean for a buffet.Overall:While I didn't care for the crab and the overall selection of meats and appetizers was smaller than anticipated, I truly enjoyed Shabuya. The quality of food is top notch, the customer service was excellent, and the price is actually pretty good ($29.99 per adult) when you consider today's inflation and steep cost of living. While my true rating is a 4.5 out of 5, since I can't give half stars, I'll round out to 5 out of 5. We'll be back!
May 18, 2025 · Patrick Vuong
Shabuya in Fountain Valley Promenade offers decent shabu-shabu with plenty of vegetables and all-you-can-eat meat, which is a nice option. However, the service wasn’t great, including the receptionist, who didn’t seem very welcoming. The food was good, but the experience could’ve been better with more attentive service.
Jan 03, 2025 · Lydia Chu
One of my favorite hotpots restaurant as the food is good and price is affordable. I recommend order the spicy miso for the base. Also recommend you try volcano chicken if you can tolerate spicy foods! For meat, I think I usually order number 1,2, and 5 but I think it doesn't really matter since the meats are usually very thin. Recommend you put Jalapeno on your dipping sauce as the spiciness can really bring up the flavor. Also highly recommend putting all types of mushrooms if you love crunchy foods like me. And add some onions and a few scoops of your dipping sauce into the soup to make it more flavorful. Also don't forget to add the seafood in early to get the flavor as well.Strongly recommend it if you are looking for shabu shabu/hotpot restaurants!And remember to reserve or jump on Yelp's waitlist before you come as the wait can be very long.
Feb 22, 2025 · Tien Nguyen
I love going to Shabuya for lunch. I’ve been coming there for the past four years. The service is always outstanding and attentive. My favorite waitress is Jenny. She always has a great smile and I always notice her straight teeth. I love coming to places where there are friendly faces and great service. Definitely this will be a spot. I will come back to two or three times a month for lunch.
Apr 20, 2025 · Loyd Du