oChef » RAKU Shabu Shabu House – Seattle » RAKU Shabu Shabu House – Seattle – Reviews
RAKU Shabu Shabu House - Reviews
1404 E Pine St, 98122 Seattle
All reviews at a glance
387
Reviews
77.8%
Satisfaction
69
negative
17
neutral
301
positive
What people say about RAKU Shabu Shabu House
Filter Reviews
Visit Type
Service Type
Noise Level
Meal Type
Group Type
Group Size
Wait Time
Price per Person
Price per Person
- $61–$70
Visit Type
- Food Exploration
Service Type
- Dine-in
Noise Level
- Quiet
8
Delicious Hot Pot with Great Veggies
My experience at the restaurant was fantastic, especially with the veggie bar. It offered a huge variety, including tons of mushrooms of all types, at least three different kinds of cabbage, plenty of leafy greens, and zucchini. The broth, I had the chicken one, was wonderful, and there are five different flavors to choose from.
While the meat was a bit expensive, it was very tasty. I particularly enjoyed the pork belly and the chuck flap meat. The lamb was a bit tough, though.
To finish, the ice cream was delicious! The service was excellent, rated 5/5, and the atmosphere was also very good at 4/5. The noise level was quiet, making conversation easy.
It's highly recommended for vegetarians, with a dedicated menu or section. Parking is paid street parking and can be difficult to find. It's not ideal for kids as they might get burnt.
- veggie bar10
- broth9
- meat6
- lamb3
Visit Type
- Food Exploration
Service Type
- Dine-in
8
Good Broth, Great Veggie Bar
My experience at the restaurant was quite positive. The broth was good overall, though a bit salty for my personal taste as it was on the lighter side. I particularly loved the beef and the veggie bar.
I would recommend this place.
- broth6
- beef8
- veggie bar9
Visit Type
- Casual Outing
Group Type
- Friends
Group Size
- Small Group
Service Type
- Dine-in
Wait Time
- Immediate (0–5 min.)
9
Nice Place with Great Variety
My experience at this restaurant was quite positive. The environment was nice and clean, and the services were pretty good. I appreciated the variety of vegetables available at the bar, offering plenty of options to choose from.
Overall, it's a nice place!
- environment9
- services8
- variety of vegetables9
Visit Type
- Food Exploration
Service Type
- Dine-in
Wait Time
- Immediate (0–5 min.)
Noise Level
- Quiet
9
Excellent Food and Service
My experience at the restaurant was very positive. The environment was clean and tidy, contributing to a pleasant atmosphere. I was particularly impressed with the meat quality, especially the beef, which was excellent.
The vegetables were also fresh. Furthermore, the service was very good, making the overall dining experience enjoyable. The wait time was non-existent, and the noise level was quiet, allowing for easy conversation.
- environment9
- meat quality10
- beef10
Visit Type
- Casual Outing
Group Type
- Friends
Group Size
- Small Group
Service Type
- Dine-in
Wait Time
- Short (6–15 min.)
9
Fantastic Hotpot Experience!
My experience at this hotpot spot was fantastic! The broth was incredibly flavorful, and I appreciated the tons of fresh ingredients to choose from. The staff was friendly, and the service was quick.
It's a perfect place to eat with friends, and I will definitely be back!
- broth10
- fresh ingredients9
- staff8
Price per Person
- $61–$70
Visit Type
- Food Exploration
Service Type
- Dine-in
Meal Type
- Dinner
2
Expensive and Poor Meat Quality
My experience at this restaurant was extremely disappointing, especially considering the high cost. The meat quality was frankly trash. The beef short rib was about 40% fat, not marbled, just pure fat.
The lamb was hilariously lean and excessively thick, which is unacceptable for shabu. The AYCE vegetable bar was also surprisingly lacking, with only about 10 items. To add insult to injury, they charge extra for rice and noodles, with a bowl of rice costing $3.
For $60 per person, you can find much better hotpot options elsewhere. The ice cream was the only redeeming factor, being actually good. However, despite that, I will never be returning.
- ice cream8
- meat quality1
- beef short rib1
- lamb1
Visit Type
- Food Exploration
Service Type
- Dine-in
Meal Type
- Dinner
Wait Time
- Immediate (0–5 min.)
9
Fantastic Meat and Broth Experience
We visited on a Saturday night right at opening and were promptly seated. The restaurant boasts a chic and clean aesthetic. The quality of the meat cuts was fantastic, complemented by an abundance of veggies at the veggie bar, with the tarot being a personal favorite.
We had a choice of 4 broths, and the one I selected was flavorful, slightly sweet, and deep. Overall, I absolutely loved this experience.
- meat cuts10
- veggies9
- broth9
Visit Type
- Food Exploration
Group Type
- Friends
Group Size
- Small Group
Service Type
- Dine-in
Wait Time
- Immediate (0–5 min.)
Noise Level
- Quiet
9
Great Hot Pot Experience for Groups
My experience at this restaurant was great for hot pot! The individual broth pots and the large vegetable/sides bar made it incredibly easy to accommodate groups with diverse dietary restrictions. The service was great, and the food was delicious.
- individual broth pots9
- large vegetable/sides bar9
- service10
Visit Type
- Food Exploration
Group Type
- Couple
Group Size
- Couple
Service Type
- Dine-in
Wait Time
- Immediate (0–5 min.)
Noise Level
- Quiet
10
Amazing Service and Delicious Food!
My experience at this restaurant was fantastic! The service was truly amazing, and the staff was incredibly helpful with any questions. They guided me through the entire process.
The food was also absolutely delicious.
- service10
- staff10
- food10
Visit Type
- Food Exploration
Group Type
- Family
Group Size
- Small Group
Service Type
- Dine-in
Meal Type
- Dinner
Wait Time
- Long (31+ min.)
Noise Level
- Loud
2
Disappointing Experience at Raku Shabu Shabu
I was excited to try this newish local business, Raku Shabu Shabu House, expecting an authentic experience with handcrafted Raku earthenware pots and beautifully presented food. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. The ambience was just okay, lacking the calm, welcoming vibe of real Japanese restaurants, and it didn't seem well-suited for families or large parties.
The food was merely adequate, with very limited options for vegetarians. The "Veggie bar" was confusing, featuring raw beef balls and cuttlefish balls right next to kimchi and seaweed salad. The broth tasted like a generic store-bought soup base – not bad, but unmemorable.
Service was extremely slow and fell below expectations. Despite calling ahead multiple times for a table, I was put on hold for several minutes and then told to call back. After finally making a reservation, we were seated at two smaller tables and even asked to split one with another party while ordering, apparently due to a lack of larger tables.
It took 30 minutes just to bring out the broth. The menu and pricing were confusing, and we were charged for an item we were explicitly told was free. Our interaction with the owner was uncomfortable and deeply disappointing; they made disrespectful and unprofessional comments about our appearance.
While they insisted on offering free alcohol, they were unable to remove the erroneous charge. This was one of my worst dining experiences, and I do not recommend checking it out.
- broth5
- ambience2
- food2
- vegetarian options1
1–10 of 69