Never too packed, great service, drinks, and a low-key atmosphere. Go alone or with friends, you'll enjoy it either way!Vegetarian options: Vegetarian broths are available...the tomato broth is a little sweet, but good, and the mushroom broth is a newfound favorite! There are also veggie and different types of tofu options too.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Hot Pot
Yoona Julia Jeong
This shabu shabu place in Boston tops the list with its wide broth choices, fresh and tasty meats, and great service. It's a great spot perfect for any meal, making it a must-try for everyone.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vegetarian Delight, Kimchi Broth and Miso Broth, Hot Pot
Terry Lee
Excellent food, amazing experience!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hot Pot
Daniel Glickman
Possibly the best hotpot place in the boston area. I’ve been to many and each offer a unique style and value. Shabu Zen is all all around win with excellent quality, great value, many choices and a wide appeal where anyone can find something they will like.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Thomas Tran
This place is one of the more popular hot pot restaurants in the Boston area. There is a small parking lot off the side street if you are lucky. The restaurant is huge with bar seating having individual pots and tables with shared pots. Service was attentive and quick.The house broth is included and any flavor is an extra charge. I got the A5 beef regular combo and it came with a choice of noodles and assorted vegetables. The udon noodles and beef were fresh and not frozen. It did give an impression of higher quality than other places. The flavor broth is really good and the portion for the regular meat combo was a good size for one person. You should get a regular combo for each person.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Benjamin Coleman
For starters, hot pot is fun. There are fancier hot pot places around (I've been to a few), but this place has better food and service. We do birthdays here a lot because it's fun to share food and get a little messy. There are a couple huge tables for big groups.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Side of Vegetables, Meat Combo, Kimchi Broth and Miso Broth, Hot Pot, Sauce, Beef Combo
Esmeralda Balderas
Delicious hot pot! We got the pork and veggie broth, both were delicious. The pork was a bit more rich and the veggie was light and tasty. We also got some sashimi which was very good and high quality. Definitely recommend checking this place out.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hot Pot, Assorted Sashimi
Anh Cai
Top Shabu joint in Boston based on food. I've gone here a few times a month since I moved back because quality. Their meats, vegetables, apps, and soup are always on point. Service is kind and patient. Although it can get crowded it doesn't get loud.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Side of Vegetables, Meat Combo, Seafood Combination, Hot Pot, Fish, Beef Combo, Seafood Platter, Soup Base, Pork Cheek
Layla Brooks
Loved this place before the pandemic. They used to offer great quality meat for our Shabu Shabu but it really has changed. The short rib is nothing but gristle. Prices have gone up but quality has gone downward. What a shame!
Ali Khadivar
Best hotpot place in town. Love their spicy kimchee, and miso broths. Also love that they serve Japanese beers like Asahi and Sapporo here. Goes so well with their spicy edamame. There is a tiny free parking lot behind the restaurant, but it fills up really fast.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Meat Combo, Kimchi Broth and Miso Broth, Hot Pot
I loved this place! We came without reservations relatively late (8:30 ish). While we did have to wait a bit to be seated bc they were short handed and looked like a couple larger parties.Our food came relatively quickly. They were able to accommodate a party comprised of a vegetarian + a meat eater. The pots are divided nicely to support this. They also were happy to make a few broths vegetarian. The veggie plate was amazing and the meat was far more than one person could eat. The vegetarian in our party complimented the vegetarian fish included on the veggie plate. The broths were delicious, the meat was high quality, and veggies were fresh. Our server was friendly and checked on us frequently.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Veggie Plate, Hot Pot, Soup Base
Greg masters
Great Shabu!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sandeep Kini
Good hot pot place in the middle of Allston, has a good selection of broths with attentive service. Not much of a wait despite going in during peak hours. They sat us in a separate area which they closed off later in the night and after we were the only customers in that area was a little tough to ask for things.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Side of Vegetables, Meat Combo, Kimchi Broth and Miso Broth, Veggie Plate, Hot Pot
Never too packed, great service, drinks, and a low-key atmosphere. Go alone or with friends, you'll enjoy it either way!Vegetarian options: Vegetarian broths are available...the tomato broth is a little sweet, but good, and the mushroom broth is a newfound favorite! There are also veggie and different types of tofu options too.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Hot Pot
This shabu shabu place in Boston tops the list with its wide broth choices, fresh and tasty meats, and great service. It's a great spot perfect for any meal, making it a must-try for everyone.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vegetarian Delight, Kimchi Broth and Miso Broth, Hot Pot
Excellent food, amazing experience!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hot Pot
Possibly the best hotpot place in the boston area. I’ve been to many and each offer a unique style and value. Shabu Zen is all all around win with excellent quality, great value, many choices and a wide appeal where anyone can find something they will like.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This place is one of the more popular hot pot restaurants in the Boston area. There is a small parking lot off the side street if you are lucky. The restaurant is huge with bar seating having individual pots and tables with shared pots. Service was attentive and quick.The house broth is included and any flavor is an extra charge. I got the A5 beef regular combo and it came with a choice of noodles and assorted vegetables. The udon noodles and beef were fresh and not frozen. It did give an impression of higher quality than other places. The flavor broth is really good and the portion for the regular meat combo was a good size for one person. You should get a regular combo for each person.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
For starters, hot pot is fun. There are fancier hot pot places around (I've been to a few), but this place has better food and service. We do birthdays here a lot because it's fun to share food and get a little messy. There are a couple huge tables for big groups.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Side of Vegetables, Meat Combo, Kimchi Broth and Miso Broth, Hot Pot, Sauce, Beef Combo
Delicious hot pot! We got the pork and veggie broth, both were delicious. The pork was a bit more rich and the veggie was light and tasty. We also got some sashimi which was very good and high quality. Definitely recommend checking this place out.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hot Pot, Assorted Sashimi
Top Shabu joint in Boston based on food. I've gone here a few times a month since I moved back because quality. Their meats, vegetables, apps, and soup are always on point. Service is kind and patient. Although it can get crowded it doesn't get loud.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Side of Vegetables, Meat Combo, Seafood Combination, Hot Pot, Fish, Beef Combo, Seafood Platter, Soup Base, Pork Cheek
Loved this place before the pandemic. They used to offer great quality meat for our Shabu Shabu but it really has changed. The short rib is nothing but gristle. Prices have gone up but quality has gone downward. What a shame!
Best hotpot place in town. Love their spicy kimchee, and miso broths. Also love that they serve Japanese beers like Asahi and Sapporo here. Goes so well with their spicy edamame. There is a tiny free parking lot behind the restaurant, but it fills up really fast.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Meat Combo, Kimchi Broth and Miso Broth, Hot Pot
Restaurantji Recommends
Great hot pot placeThe spicy stew is
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Hot Pot
Nice place to visit good quality food...
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I loved this place! We came without reservations relatively late (8:30 ish). While we did have to wait a bit to be seated bc they were short handed and looked like a couple larger parties.Our food came relatively quickly. They were able to accommodate a party comprised of a vegetarian + a meat eater. The pots are divided nicely to support this. They also were happy to make a few broths vegetarian. The veggie plate was amazing and the meat was far more than one person could eat. The vegetarian in our party complimented the vegetarian fish included on the veggie plate. The broths were delicious, the meat was high quality, and veggies were fresh. Our server was friendly and checked on us frequently.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Veggie Plate, Hot Pot, Soup Base
Great Shabu!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Good hot pot place in the middle of Allston, has a good selection of broths with attentive service. Not much of a wait despite going in during peak hours. They sat us in a separate area which they closed off later in the night and after we were the only customers in that area was a little tough to ask for things.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Side of Vegetables, Meat Combo, Kimchi Broth and Miso Broth, Veggie Plate, Hot Pot