Jazz Cat - San Gabriel

I often visit this restaurant because their lunch menu offers incredible value. I adore the name of the place, and I love the cozy atmosphere, especially the cute little kitty pots that the shabu shabu is served in! I'm also hooked on their golden fish balls; I highly recommend trying them if you haven't yet. My usual choice is the spicy miso, but sometimes I opt for the seafood essence. For protein, I typically go for beef, though occasionally I'll get the T-Rex, which contains more meat and fewer veggies. And I can't forget to mention a side of instant noodles! The service is quite efficient, as long as it's not during the lunch or dinner rush, which is something to expect at any restaurant, really. I definitely plan to keep coming back here, especially for my regular girls' dinners!

I've been visiting Jazz Cat for over 12 years and have always enjoyed the food. However, I'm disappointed that they've stopped honoring the stamp cards. I'm really passionate about gastro-gamification, and since I was a child, I've diligently collected Jazz Cat stamp cards. Completing one has always been a personal goal of mine. Unfortunately, the free T-rex hot pot that was once just two stamps away now feels like an unattainable dream.

The service was a bit lacking, but when we finally caught someone’s attention, my boyfriend ordered the Premium Lamb ($23.98) in T-Rex style, which means you get 50% more meat and fewer veggies. He chose the Premium Kelp and Miso soup base along with the Japanese Sesame sauce. I went for the regular Premium Pork ($22.98), which comes with more veggies, paired with the Creamy Milk and Corn soup base and also the Japanese Sesame sauce. Each meal includes white rice, with an option to upgrade to brown rice or vermicelli for an extra dollar. We also shared a side of Golden Fish Balls ($10.95) filled with masago, which were served in adorable pots with cat ears and paws. The meal was very filling. I ended up giving most of my rice to my boyfriend and still didn’t finish what was on my plate. Honestly, I probably didn’t even need any rice to feel satisfied. I loved the creamy milk and corn soup base; it paired perfectly with the pork and veggies. I found that I barely needed the dipping sauce because the food was already so flavorful. However, the staff seemed distracted and unengaged, as they were watching something on their tablets. We had to flag them down just to get our check. While I would consider returning for a healthy and filling meal, the parking situation and poor service are definitely off-putting.

I got really stupid for trying their ayce with my 3 years old baby. $75 for both! Only ate whatever on the picture with a popcorn chicken and 2 drinks : For anyone that trying to get ayce just do regular maybe cheaper.

Wait time: I went on a Thursday night and there was no wait. They were able to accommodate 8 people with no issues. Service: the servers were really nice and constantly checked up on us. The food came out very quickly as well. Food: I ordered the Black Angus beef T-rex with Taiwanese Satay broth and Japanese sesame sauce. Fried golden fishballs and popcorn chicken. -This is my go to order when I come here. Overall the food was okay. I think the beef needed to be sliced alittle thinner because it was kind of tough. The broth wasn't super flavorful but I wouldn't say it is bland either. Once i dipped everything in the sauce it wasn't something to complain about. The Japanese sesame sauce is definitely worth trying, i think it's my favorite sesame sauce I have tried. -Golden Fishball: this was very flavorful and delicious. I definitely recommend ordering it on the side to enjoy with everyone. -Popcorn Chicken: very flavorful, crispy and heavy on the five spice powder. Also a nice side to share with others. Overall: Jazz cat is not what it used to be, I remember it used to be very packed and busy especially for dinner. I think their broth isn't as flavorful as it used to be and the beef is tougher now too. However I would still come back because I do like the overall experience.