dPot Unlimited / AYCE Shabu & Grill

The idea behind dPot isn’t terribly different from other all-you-can-eat shabu shabu restaurants in Orange County: At the Irvine location (“dPot Unlimited”), you pay a fixed price for unlimited Korean-style meats, vegetables, seafood, and broth – ingredients that can either be used to make soup, or boil items for dipping in your choice of sauces assembled at a sauce bar. dPot’s biggest addition to the formula is the inclusion of “stackers,” large wooden boxes of meat that have been pre-seasoned and steamed so you can start eating right away.

If those choices weren’t enough for you, the Buena Park location (“dPot All You Can Eat Shabu & Grill”) at The Source offers one additional step above AYCE shabu: you can add Korean barbecue on top for an additional $9. That gives you access to eight meats, ranging from bulgogi to beef brisket and spicy pork bulgogi, which you can grill at the table in addition to making soup.

We were actually impressed by almost the entirety of our experience at the Irvine location. Fantastic, friendly service was paired with very quick fulfillment of orders for everything from kitchen meats to appetizers to replacement broth. The broth flavors we ordered included a non-fatty pork, a lightly spicy mala, and a sweet soy bulgogi; Korean-style tteokbokki was also available here, while the Buena Park location has some additional broth flavors.