Heat Shabu Fair Oaks - Sacramento

Been a few times before but didn't have any issues until tonight. If this was my first time I would have rated 1 stars but maybe tonight was just not our servers night. We never got refills on our drinks and another server was going to tables with water at the end of us eating. We said it's fine because it's been a bit since we were offered more drink anyway and they left. Service was very very slow and we were only checked on once. Lost our appetite so they charged us for one plate of half eaten meat. Server was busy I think tonight drinking with the other tables. It's fine if the employees are allowed and want to do that but probably a good practice to make sure you are still good to take care of your tables. My advice is the downtown location has been excellent to us every visit. The servers there rock and I always have someone checking the temperature so nothing boils over and getting us to order more and more food.

The staff was prompt and attentive. The restaurant was clean and had an amazing aroma. I highly recommend trying the Kobe beef and the miso. Let the mixed dish simmer for a bit to enhance the flavors, cook it for about 7 seconds for a medium to medium-rare finish, then let it rest for 15-20 seconds before adding a touch of sesame butter. It was one of the best meals I've had in a long time. We also had lamb, beef, ribeye, and pork. The lamb and other dishes were phenomenal, but the combination of Kobe beef, miso, and sesame is absolutely unforgettable.

There’s a 90-minute time limit for the AYCE, but we ended up staying a bit longer, and our server was very accommodating; he didn’t rush us at all. I believe they did give us a last call for food and drink orders, but we had plenty of time to enjoy our meal! Since we were all new to hot pot, we asked our server—whose name I think was Chu—for suggestions on food and cooking times, and he answered all our questions without hesitation. He was friendly, attentive, and didn’t come off as irritated or condescending, which can sometimes happen. His recommendations for food were excellent. The only dish we didn’t enjoy was the quail eggs; the texture was a bit off for us. However, I think that’s just a matter of personal preference rather than a quality issue. I would have preferred more cabbage leaves instead of just the cabbage spine we received, but everything else was fantastic. At the end of the meal, we were given a small scoop of green tea ice cream to cleanse the palate, which I initially didn’t want because the food was so good, but it turned out to be light and delicious. Chu was great throughout our visit, maintaining a professional demeanor. However, I did notice the two female servers drinking beers at other tables during the two hours we were there, which felt inappropriate while they were still on the clock. At one point, I went to the restroom after one of the female staff and found that she hadn’t replaced the toilet paper roll; there was just an empty roll on the dispenser, and the new roll was left on the back of the toilet, which seemed a bit lazy—perhaps due to enjoying a few beers? Another person in my party mentioned that she had to resort to using a toilet seat cover because she didn’t see the new roll until after she washed her hands. Overall, I would gladly return, especially if I could have the same server again! As for parking, the lot is somewhat small, but there were several spots available during our visit. It’s located in a small strip of shops and restaurants; I’m not sure about the hours of the other places, so there could be traffic issues during busier times that might make parking a bit challenging.

The food was excellent and the atmosphere was lively, but be cautious! They attempt to deceive you into double tipping. Our group of six discovered that they had automatically added an 18% tip to our bill without informing us. On top of that, they listed suggested tip percentages that were additional to the already included 18%. This really put a damper on my experience.

I'm reluctant to share this because my boyfriend and I really love this restaurant and enjoy bringing friends here, but we had a terrible experience tonight. Everything took an incredibly long time, and what upset me the most was the feeling of being deliberately ignored. It seemed like our waitress, Lyly T, was always busy with the table next to us. On multiple occasions—at least three or four—I saw her and another server drinking beers with the customers at that table. This behavior was quite unprofessional. She would drop off our food and then disappear for an extended period. We ended up waiting around 15 minutes just to settle our bill, and although she walked by us several times, she chose to chat and joke with the guys next door instead of helping us.