Mitsu E Shabu Shabu

This restaurant is located in downtown Fullerton, a very cute area to walk around. There are lots of delicious places to eat, though sadly, this is not one of them. :(
I normally love shabu shabu, but the food here is SO bland and flavorless. This is probably the worst tasting shabu shabu I’ve ever had.
Whenever we go out for shabu shabu, we can expect to dip our meats and vegetables in a pot of boiling broth to cook it. At this location, you’re cooking your food in boiled plain water. Tasteless and flavorless. No delicious vegetable broth. Bland as bland can be. The ponzu sauce helps add a tiny bit of life to the food, but it’s somewhat comparable to eating a cardboard box with sauces all over it. In the end, I took the meats home and gave it to my dog.
Aside from the convenient and trendy location, this restaurant is a total miss. I don’t ever plan to return.

I have eaten here many times and every time has been a great experience. The food is delicious and the service is fast. They provide a good portion of meat and veggies for the hot pot and as much rice as you’d like. The price could be lower, but the food is definitely worth the price.

Get the beef! It is so good! I recommend the water base, the others are GREAT but the water soup base allows the dipping sauces to shine. Put soy sauce, garlic, green onions and radish in both sauces and the base. A drop or two of the oil really makes the mustard dipping sauce shine. The mustard sauce is best for veggies, the brown ponzu sauce is best for meat. Ask for refills of the sauce at the end as it will get watered down (from the water dripping off the meat/​veggies). Put everything in as you are ready to eat it keeps the veggies from getting soggy and allows you to cook each meat piece as you like. OR put the veggies all in at once, cook the meat a few at a time, and ask for a bowl at the end and you can finish the meal as a soup with udon noodles!
I’ve been coming here since around 2008 – 2009 and Mitsu E Shabu Shabu is my favorite restaurant and the best Shabu Shabu I have ever had! We have tried all of the nearby Shabu Shabu places, including ones ranked higher on Unilocal,but it never matches up to Mitsu E. Their ponzu sauce is savory, they slice the beef perfectly thin and the staff is willing to help and allow you customize your food however you want. Many other places we have been to provide beef that is sliced too thick, which results in a chewy consistency, or they insist on mixing the sauce for you. I have never had chewy meat or an unpleasant experience here, even when they are at full capacity.
We have sat next to other people who complained, but I have never heard a valid complaint here about the food. I sat next to an entire family once who did not know what Shabu Shabu was, did not read the menu, ordered spicy miso soup base thinking it was a rice bowl (wtf), and then when the order came they actually asked the owner «People really eat this?» Are you kidding? Read the menu! The owner was extremely respectful and kind in her response to them, which really impressed me.
Service can be slower when the place is packed but the food is so amazing, we do not mind. They do serve less dipping sauces now than a few years ago, but you can always ask for more. No matter how much dipping sauce you have, it will get watered down toward the end and you will need a refill anyway. That’s just a part of Shabu!
I used to come here 2 – 3 times a month or once a week. Unfortunately, last week they informed us that they will be closing their doors as a new owner is taking over the place (a new Shabu Shabu and sushi joint). Truly, I am heartbroken over this. I genuinely went home and felt sad the rest of the day. I also don’t live close by so that was probably my last Shabu Shabu experience. I hope that they can re-​open somewhere else. Please go and experience this restaurant while you still can. Everyone I have taken here has loved it.

We went here today and it is closed while the ownership is changing hands. No information about when it would reopen. We were disappointed as we are big fans and hope the new owners do the restaurant justice.

Shabu is very tasty and their sauces are amazing. It is the best shabu place around however their service is lacking big time– don’t go if you’re on a time crunch. Also, like everyone else says they have extremely inconsistent hours and for example are even closed today when they are supposed to be open. They should be more appreciative to their regulars as well. I’ve been dedicated to this restaurant for 2 years now and I’ve gotten one free bottle of sake once when I literally had to wait 30 min for everything I needed and it was overall a really bad experience, but hey it’s good and if you’re willing to deal with that, like I am, go for it!

I saw a lot of bad reviews because they were inconsistent with their hours. Anyways I was REALLY craving shabu and wanted to test my luck. As you can see in my picture that they have a new business hours but even on their «new» business hours they are not open at the time listed I really hope this business get their act together my shabu craving ruined but had good brunch next door! :)

First rule of the restaurant business: Be open when your supposed to be. Closed at 12:30p lunch time on a Friday??? Listed hours on the front door say u should be open. Left and took my business somewhere else. C’mon guys!

Best shabu shabu in town! I recently moved to fullerton and i missed shabushabu house little tokyo in LA. Compare to them here taste actually much better than little tokyo. Quality meat and less people in line. I was really amazed with the taste. i highly recommend this place to people who is looking for japanese style shabushabu!

Mitsu is one of our most frequented restaurants but I have to say our last few visits have been rather annoying.
When they’re busy, it’s usually going to be frustrating experience. They went through a period after they lost Luis that the service was bad. Really bad. Now they have a few trained hands but they are not staffed appropriately. The other night we actually walked out. They had ONE waitress with over 20 guests.
Adding to the frustration is they always skimp on the dipping sauce, thus requiring you to ask for more sauce over and over and over again. And because there are not usually enough servers, you feel like you’re bothering them because they’re running around like a chicken with his head cut off.
Another sore spot. Get more and better rice cookers! Again when they are busy, what they have do not generate enough rice, thus they give you a very small portion. And when you ask for more rice, sometimes you have to wait until the next batch is ready. That just doesn’t work.
I realize it’s hard as a small business owner to manage expenses but they have to realize you don’t get many second chances in this business.

After more than 6 years, this is still my favorite shabu shabu place in Orange County. They have best quality of meat (beef and salmon are my favorite) and sauce.
If you are looking for a decent quality, yet simple dish, this is the place. But if you are just looking for quantity, then you might be better off to go Korean AYCE BBQ !

Who the hell doesn’t like Shabu?! If you know shabu, you know how it works. Get your veggies, get your meat, get your rice — for god’s sake don’t forget the sake! A large beer perhaps? Yes please. For those who like an extra kick, ask for some hot drops in both your sauces. Mix it up with onion, horseradish, pepper and whatever else you desire. Reason I say this is for those that don’t know shabu and because the girl racking in the orders is fairly new and usually takes care of everything on her own — so I’m sure she gets overwhelmed. Whelp… For the most part, you can walk right in without waiting and the food comes out right away. This place is A oK, although, they do need to do some more hiring for speedier service so customers could stop whining, HA. Patience is a virtue people!

Best shabu shabu in Orange County. This is our 10 times here and the food are so good each time. Especially beef.

I’d tell you all about the food, service, cleanliness, portions and atmosphere… but I can’t.
Sign said open at 11:30 but here I am at noon with doors locked, lights off and not a soul inside. Despite fellow Unilocalers reviews, I was willing to give you a try, and you BLEW IT!

First off, to be fair, I would like to mention that I walked in around the dinner time rush on a Saturday two days after Christmas.
We were seated quickly but waited quite a while before we had our order taken which is understandable considering the rush. The younger waitress took our order and immediately became impatient when asking me what soup base I wanted. She said it as if it came with the meal and failed to mention that it was $ 2 extra.
Then she asked what I would like to drink. Instead of mentioning the 2 drink options (ice coffee, ice tea) that DO come with the meal, she thought a glass of water would be sufficient. I would think they would like to promote everything they have to offer with the meal to highlight the experience. When my boyfriend asked if we could get two iced coffees she replied sternly, «You haven’t even ordered anything.» which is baffling since she was writing down the order as he was ordering just minutes before.
Typically other shabu places at least ask if you know how to prepare the food, this place just dropped it in front of us and left, never asking how we were doing or anything. At this point it is no longer busy and most the customers are still having to go out of their way to shout for attention. A few customers, including myself, had to reach over the burners as the soup was boiling over everywhere.
There was really no rhyme nor reason in the service as the younger waitress was moving dishes from one place to another while customers are waiting to get the check and waiting to order. A lot of running back and forth. Again, it was not busy at this point.
Also I overheard a customer asking if he could get another iced coffee and she quickly shot him down telling him they were all out. Keep in mind this is one of the «comes with meal» options you’d think they’d always have on hand. A few minutes later she asked me if I’d like an iced coffee that comes with the meal. Huh? Another customer asked for more rice 3 times and pointed out that she didn’t request the soup base she received. Another customer canceled a part of their order (I’m assuming because the waitress never entered it in.)
We asked for our check and the waitress walked off and continued to move dishes from here to there until 5 minutes later she decide to go close us out.
As we left the waitress was completely stone-​faced as she thanked us goodbye.
In conclusion, the food was decent but was not at all worth the price and poor service we received from the younger waitress the entire time.

3 reasons come to mind, when I think of my surrender to this Shabu setting:
1) It’s twenty or so stair-​steps down from my work office and convenience overpowers my true food desires.
2) I get veggies and meat faster than I can blink.
3) I don’t mind desperately splurging 12 bucks on myself, for a basic Shabu lunch combo with no-​frills.
Water was my bev. Chose water as my soup base and ordered the Small Beef Special Lunch combo. It was precisely that too. Vegetables, water, beef and stir. Plain until you customize it to your preference. Simplicity at it’s finest.
The server was preoccupied with cleaning, yet attentive.
This little Shabu domain could easily be classified as drab and insufficient. However, I do enjoy the non-​mind blowing subtleties this place has to offer.

We’ve pretty much been to every shabu spot in the OC and this one is just okay. Our waiter was new, a little slow and lost but made up for it with her attitude and apologetic demeanor, so A+ for effort :) ponzu and goma sauce are okay
cons:
–tea that comes with meal is itty bitty! no refills
–pricier than other shabu places
–need to have more staff out, especially for dinner time :(
–no soup base in soup bowl

I have walked passed this place a lot so we thought why not. Walking in here on a Saturday evening I thought it would be packed but it wasn’t. I soon figured out why. This place looks nicer on the outside than it does on inside and the service feels the same way. The servers were confused, unmotivated and stingy with the portions. You get ONE napkin, TINY bit of each sauce and I had to ask them to refill the onions like 3 times.
The shabu itself is decent but the service is HORRIBLE. We ordered a bottle sake and a large Kirin for two. She brought us one sake glass and one beer glass when I asked for another of each she brought me a plastic cup for water. I was like «No, could we get another sake glass and another beer glass.» She looked completely confused. I had to ask again, she still didn’t understand so she brought another server over for help.
When the meat and veggies were brought out to us they didn’t give us any rice. We sat and sat and sat and then I finally asked «doesn’t this come with rice?» She completely forgot and had to go back to get us rice. I wish they had a brown rice option but she didn’t ask and I was too tired of waiting on her. It was frustrating meal to say the least.

Great food, went for lunch on a sunday. I ordered the lunch size beef plate, which is huge. Wish I had more veggies though. Sauce is good when you add stuff to your liking. Pair your meal with a beer!

— The place is clean, friendly, spacious, and fast service.
— This place is right across from my favorite sushie place. Sushie Momo «please don’t stop here and go across. You will not regret it.
–The food portions are smaller than the Shabu Shabu in Santana.
–The condiments that you use to make your soup garlic, chives ect. Well let’s just say I had to ask for 6 containers of garlic. The portions they provide is very VERY LITTLE. Not enough to make a soup.

I’ve had Shabu Shabu all over the world. My great grandfather may have invented it. Or maybe not. One of those.
As you can see, I am very well versed in what Shabu Shabu should be.
This place is good but not great. Then again, great Shabu Shabu is hard to define since you are the one making your own food. It’s fairly subjective.
This place didn’t do anything wrong. I got a big platter of beef and it was good. There weren’t options for what type of beef I wanted (other than the choice between Regular and Large). There wasn’t a choice between brown or white rice. There wasn’t gluten free soy sauce.
Not deal breakers. Dinner was still very good. But that is the difference between three stars and four. Not sure what makes a five star here. Not sure it’s possible.
The beads between the restaurant and the bathrooms weigh about 412 lbs. in total, so be careful if you try running through them head first. You may end up like Wes Welker and be out for the season.
The light sensor in the men’s bathroom is so sensitive that it will go dark in about 20 seconds… unless you are performing a rigorous Irish jig the entire time. Hopefully you’re okay with this. I was.