Shinobu Japanese BBQ
Premium and ultra-premium Japanese AYCE can include wagyu, Kobe, and limited A5 Miyazaki beef
While Orange County has no shortage of all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue restaurants, we could count the number of AYCE Japanese barbecues on one hand, and perhaps one finger. One might speculate that there’s little demand (probably not: people line up for AYCE KBBQ) or little appetite for insane quantities of Japanese food (probably not: see AYCE sushi), but it’s probably just attributable to concerns about pricing and entrepreneurial uncertainty as to how such a concept would work.
Shinobu Japanese BBQ clearly isn’t bothered by those concerns. Since 2017, it has offered guests the choice of multiple Japanese AYCE menu tiers at premium prices – today $40 (silver), $50 (gold), or platinum ($69), each with a $5 discount from Monday through Thursday. These prices are closer to AYCE Brazilian steakhouses (Fogo de Chao, Texas de Brazil, Galpao Gaucho) than many Korean rivals, but Shinobu guests can choose from some premium items that are more Japanese and American: wagyu beef, NY steaks with either sweet soy or garlic butter, bacon-wrapped shrimp, and Kurobuta pork sausage are all on the silver menu, with gold adding miso-marinated skirt steak, unlimited marinated short ribs, and bacon wrapped asparagus, plus appetizers ranging from tonkatsu and gyoza to steamed pork buns and fried shrimp.
Spring for the platinum menu and you can get a trio with nine total pieces of Kobe beef short rib, zabuton, and outside skirt, plus wet aged prime ribeye, beef carpaccio, and green tea cheesecake for dessert (the silver and gold menus only include ice creams). Platinum customers also have the option to add an ounce of A5 Miyazaki Wagyu – one of the most desirable cuts of beef in the world – for an additional $10.
Premium Korean BBQs routinely offer wagyu beef these days, but good luck finding any with authentic Kobe beef, say nothing of A5-graded, ultra fatty marbled Miyazaki beef. Suddenly, Shinobi’s price tags begin to make more sense, assuming of course that you’re interested in eating pounds of additional meat beyond your ounces of Mizayaki wagyu… or you really love green tea cheesecake.
The only question is whether you have an appetite for large quantities of Japanese- and American-style meats, and it’s here that Shinobu may or may not work for you. KBBQ places generally mix meat choices up with spicy gochujang, yellow curry, red wine, and other flavors that go beyond “plain meat” and “soy sauce marinade.” At Shinobu, the meats and seafood tend to come in plain, soy, or garlic butter variants, adding miso only at the gold and platinum tiers, and the funk of wet-aged meat only at the platinum level. On one hand, meat quality is a lot more noticeable when it’s not drenched in and disguised by sauces; on the other hand, Korean sauces make lower-quality meats super compelling and more affordable.
We enjoyed our visit to Shinobu, and as long-time fans of Sega’s similarly named and derived video game series, thought the ninja theme was cute. That said, both the price points and unique items here are more special occasion-worthy than compelling for frequent visits. We’re planning to come back again, but haven’t yet found the right occasion to make it happen.
Stats
Price: $$$
Service: Table
Open Since: 2017
Addresses
15202 Goldenwest St.
Westminster, CA 92683
714.799.7227
Instagram: @shinobubbq