Lunch at Mikiya Wagyu Shabu
I love hot pot so this was always going to be a must try. My only hesitation going in was the sole focus on wagyu. Hot pot works because of variety, mixing meats, seafood, vegetables, tofu, all of it going in together, and I wasn’t sure a single protein could carry the whole experience. It does once you know how to balance things.
Mikiya is all you can eat shabu shabu built entirely around premium wagyu sourced from their own Masami Ranch as well as partner ranches in Australia and Japan. When you sit down the server walks you through three tiers: Silver at $55, Gold at $78, and Diamond at $98 per person. The tiers determine the quality and variety of wagyu cuts you can order and each one unlocks progressively better grades of beef. For the higher end cuts at the Gold and Diamond levels there are limits on how many orders you can place per person, which is fair given what you’re getting. We got the Silver tier for lunch.
Getting the seafood platter was a good call. Crab, shrimp, abalone, oysters and scallops. It keeps things moving and prevents the meal from becoming one note. I didn’t want to over indulge on just the meat even though you absolutely could. The wagyu alone is delicious enough to sustain the whole thing.
What rounds the experience out is the sauce and ingredient bar. You mix your own dipping sauces from a solid selection of bases and aromatics, and the sides bar has vegetables, tofu, mushrooms and other accompaniments you can add to the pot at your own pace. It gives you control over the meal in a way that keeps every plate feeling a bit different from the last.
One thing worth knowing: they cap the meal at 90 minutes. The staff are gracious about it but they will let you know when time is up. Come hungry and pace yourself accordingly.
They also offer a membership for $28 a year that knocks about $10 per person off each visit and brings the tiers down to between $48 and $88. I was genuinely tempted. The math works out fast if you go even a few times. I held off only because I wasn’t sure I’d make it out there often enough to justify it, but if this is the kind of place you see yourself returning to regularly it’s worth considering. There’s even an NFT Lifetime Membership tier for the truly committed, with priority reservations and access to private events across all locations.
It’s on the pricier side for a meal in San Mateo but this is a splurge situation and it delivers on that premise. I’d go back without hesitation when the occasion calls for it.
Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House
68 Hillsdale Mall
San Mateo, CA 94403
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/BFjrqQ694F3kALrv8
Note: If you’re in the mall, go to the food court and it’s right outside.
Verdict: One of the better hot pot experiences in the Bay Area. Add the seafood platter, build your sauce, and don’t watch the clock too closely.
★ ★ ★ ★
While this is the brisket, the plate underneath was the ribeye. I’d say the ribeye was my favorite cut for this meal. The brisket simply dissolves in the broth, while the ribeye has a better balance of fat in my opnion.
★ ★ ★ ☆
I would recommend getting this if you want some variety in the meal. It’s not a must but an option on even the lowest tier. My only complaint would be crab claws are difficult to eat when it comes to hot pot. Otherwise, I’m all set with the abalone. Delish.
Here’s a quick look at what came out quickly. The wagyu nigiri was a nice appetizer to hold us over until the pot started to boil. As for the pot, we got the tomato and sukiyaki broths. What missing for us now were the veggies and other stuff at the prep bar.
Please excuse my shaky cam. Here’s a quick shot of the meat dip. I think you just need 5 seconds in the broth, but it’ll all up to you.