Welcome to Shabu Shabu Zen and Sake Bar
Welcome to Shabu Shabu Zen and Sake Bar, a culinary haven located in Rancho Mirage, California. Our story begins with a passion for authentic Japanese dining, specializing in traditional Shabu Shabu hot pot, where fresh ingredients and flavorful broths take center stage. Guests embark on a personalized journey by selecting from a variety of broths, premium proteins, and fresh vegetables, culminating in a delightful dining experience. Complementing our offerings, our extensive sake menu invites exploration of exquisite flavors, enhancing every meal. With a focus on quality, service, and a warm atmosphere, Shabu Shabu Zen invites you to savor the essence of Japanese cuisine.
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F, 71680 CA-111, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 Hotline: (760) 779-5000
Welcome to Shabu Shabu Zen and Sake Bar, a premier destination nestled in the heart of Rancho Mirage, California. This charming establishment specializes in traditional Japanese hot pot, offering an immersive dining experience that resonates with food enthusiasts and casual diners alike.
As soon as you step inside, you’ll notice the elegant ambiance that envelops you, transforming what may initially appear as a typical strip mall eatery into a cozy dining sanctuary. The decor is thoughtfully curated to enhance your culinary journey, making it a perfect setting for both special occasions and casual outings.
At Shabu Shabu Zen, the experience begins with the selection of your broth—a fundamental part of the Shabu Shabu tradition. You can choose from a classic hot water base, rich miso, or the spicy miso option for an additional $3, each promising to create a delightful backdrop for your meal. Recommended by many, the miso broth stands out for its depth and flavor, as noted by satisfied customers.
Next, diners can select their choice of premium proteins, with options like ribeye and seafood. The ribeye, a particular favorite, is noted for its tenderness and flavor, perfectly complemented by fresh veggies, steamed rice, and a variety of dipping sauces. As one reviewer exuberantly recommended, pairing your meat with the homemade sesame dipping sauce, which you prepare yourself, elevates the entire Shabu Shabu experience to a divine level of enjoyment.
For those keen on exploring beyond food, the sake selection at Shabu Shabu Zen is a highlight worth mentioning. Guests can indulge in expertly curated sake flights, featuring options like Kamoizumi “Shusen” and Tamagawa “Tokubetsu Junmai.” These expertly chosen sakes not only complement the hot pot dishes but also provide an opportunity to educate your palate on the diverse world of Japanese brews. Just be sure to arrange for a designated driver, as the tasting can leave you pleasantly surprised and even slightly tipsy!
Customer feedback consistently praises the attentive service at Shabu Shabu Zen. Diners remark on the staff's extensive knowledge of the menu and their genuine willingness to recommend dishes tailored to your preferences. Whether you are a hot pot novice or an experienced enthusiast, the servers ensure that your experience is enjoyable and informative.
While some have noted that prices might be on the higher end, many agree that the quality of both food and service justifies the cost, particularly for special occasions. Diners like Ron C. have referred to it as “a gem in the desert,” underlining the memorable experience that awaits at Shabu Shabu Zen and Sake Bar.
For a culinary adventure that marries authentic Japanese cuisine with an unforgettable dining atmosphere, look no further than Shabu Shabu Zen and Sake Bar. It promises to be a meal that delights the senses and warms the soul, making it a must-visit for both locals and travelers to the area.
Excellent! The service and food were great I really recommend the miso hot pot thing!
Excellent food and service! We've been coming here for years and absolutely everything is delicious. Easy 5 stars!
Everything we ordered was great quality, though definitely on the pricier side. They have 3 simple broth selections (classic hot water with kombucha, miso/spicy miso for an extra $3, or sukiyaki). Once you select your broth, you go onto select your protein. Both my husband and I went with a choice ribeye which is one of the leaner cuts, but still super tender and delicious. Comes with veggies, rice, and dipping sauces. We also ordered two different sake flights - the masumi at the recommendation of the waitress, and the daijingo which is our favorite style of sake. Both were delicious! I was glad I tried the masumi (comes from the masumi brewery in Nagano) and thought all the tasting options were fantastic. We also ordered karaage chicken, chicken wings, and garlic edamame as appetizers and for the kids. Highly recommend the karaage chicken! The chicken wings were super crispy but a bit dry. Service was attentive and friendly!
The sesame sauce very tasty. You grind the sesame seeds yourself and mix with the liquid sesame sauce. The waitress is friendly.
Very good food but also quite pricey Service was ok but the waitress had a bit of an attitude
Great food. Awesome staff. A gem in the desert. Service was above and beyond . Very elegant Japanese faire
Very good service with great tasting food. It's a bit pricey for the portions given, though. It will definitely be one of those places where I would frequent only on special occasions.
We visited Shabu Shabu Zen for the second time last night! We first discovered this restaurant last year and we enjoyed them very much. Shabu Shabu is a traditional Japanese table cooking cuisine that requires the hot plate on the table. They have excellent hot plates that you might want to take it home for your own table cooking at home! All the servers are well knowledgeable and able to promptly direct customers to their favorite dishes. The one of our most interest coming here is they have a huge selection of Sake from Japan. They have wonderful Sake flights tasting that you can enjoy and learn from the experience. But I'll suggest to take Uber or have some designated driver with you. You can get super drunk very easy while you're having a great sake tasing. They also serve 8 oz/5oz Japanese "washu" beef meat from Miyazaki for special last night. But they always have Prime "Washu" Beef for top meat selection for Shabu Shabu. My son loves the seafood Shabu Shabu. They serve Sushi grade fish and shrimps and they are so tasty with Ponzu sauce. Their Gomadare uses real sesame that you grind in the bowl and the server add more delicious goma( sesame) sauce over it. When you dip your meat in it after Shabu Shabu it, you will be in Shabu Shabu heaven!! I hope everyone gets to try Shabu Shabu zen at least once to experience what Shabu Shabu can bring to you and your family and friends. We definitely will come again when we return to Palm Springs!
What a pleasant surprise in Palm Desert, where good Asian food is hard to find. The Shabu Shabu was very high quality here. The authentic broth is water and seaweed but gets flavored when the vegetables and meat are added. The service was good and the atmosphere is pleasant. Make a reservation if it's the weekend.
In the desert, for a place to need reservations during summer days says a lot. Yet, I didn't make one. Luckily, we got to sit at the bar, which was even better! Read on... We each had our own hot plate and could see our server easily. Why want that? Because she gave us a fantastic overview of the menu, what each item was, and recommendations on ways to prepare it. I had Shabu-shabu before, but never with this attention to detail. I enjoyed a sake flight that had three outstanding samples. So smooth and no bite! They were such a pleasure and I recommend you give it a try. One thing that I appreciated was a question my friend asked. "Which of the ribeye would have the least fat?" Unlike the answer I expected, our kind server replied with an overview of the three options and then said, "of course, this all can vary some with the cut of meat each day. Let me go to the kitchen and ask the chef which he recommends for you." She kindly excused herself and returned with our answer. The place is quiet, even with a fairly full house and parking was a breeze, but remember it was summer and many other places were closed for off season. On the outside surface, it might look like a strip mall eatery and, when you go through the doors, the whole vibe changes into a comfortable feeling, warmly decorated, dining establishment. It was a real value, given the fact it was a great experience with great food and great service. I am glad we tried it and will certainly be back.