Mizu 212

This is one of the best Shabu spots in the city.
The Skinny:
— Peter is a great owner/​host
— Don’t forget to ask for a side of mushrooms (it’s a giant basket of delicious shrooms)
— Peter makes the best sauce mix (ask for «crack sauce»)
— I’ve ordered everything on the menu and they are all spectacular
— The dessert is also simple, but yummy as heck
— You will leave with a full stomach, and planning your next trip
— I guarantee there is no better Shabu ‘West of the 405′ for the money in LA (I’ve tried them all)
— Shabu can be seafood too — and they do it up perfectly!
Speaking of Shabu, I think I’m going tonight now that my mouth is watering just thinking about this place — nom nom nom nom nom

So I finally discovered what this mysterious «Shabu Shabu» is and I love it! However I am told that not all shabu shabu places are good. Apparently there is one in the valley but its not nearly as Mizu 212. Too bad this place isnt closer I would go every week!
I can see how one would be better than another since the quality of the meat is really key. I went with a friend that knew the drill and told me how to do the dipping sauces perfectly and how long to cook the meat, vegetables in the boiling water. Everything at Mizu 212 was outstanding including the service.
I am a very clean eater that is fitness oriented and was pleasantly surprised at how healthy this place was. You could even order leaner buffalo meat which was very tasty as well. Brown rice was available and all the ingredients appeared very fresh.
Bottom line is Im a huge fan of shabu shabu and need to get back to Mizu 212. Hope there is a good option for me in the Valley soon!

This is a great spot to visit on Sawtelle! Everything is organic, and always comes out and seems like the best quality they can find.
Simple, clean, healthy menu. I love the clams and the salmon, but have seen others get the land protein and be very satisfied. The servers at lunch are always top notch, and will make a special spicy sauce if you would like. Not a cheap lunch option, but a perfect lunch!
Bonus– they have parking behind their strip! Urban legend on Sawtelle;)

A very nice Shabu Shabu experience. They serve a pretty substantial plate of vegetables, but for the regular sized portion, the amount of chicken was a little slim. I do like that they give you an extra pair of chopsticks to handle the raw meat.
The restaurant is clean, and when I dined, there was no wait (unlike many of the other restaurants on Sawtelle).
Be sure and ask for the special hot dipping sauce. It’s almost like a salsa, and very tasty.

The only shabu shabu restaurant in Sawtelle, sadly. I hate to say it, but I have had much better shabu shabu elsewhere.
FOOD:
They don’t offer salmon here… wtf. Minus a star for just that. I got their prime rib eye which was so-​so quality of meat. They give you your protein, veggies, brown rice, and udon. Although it sounds like a lot of food, the portion at Mizu was disappointing compared to other shabu places.
What I really didn’t like about this place was how far the pot was! Omg it was actually annoying to constantly reach across the table to cook the food. The layout was inconvenient and became a nuisance. And for just getting one type of meat, it was very pricey. They portray themselves to be an «all organic restaurant», which can be the reasoning for the ridiculous prices, but I couldn’t even taste the difference.
They do have an array condiments here offering: yuzu, soy sauce, garlic, green onions, etc. But they were missing the most important thing, the hot drops! They had a pathetic «chili oil» which lacked flavor and only made my sauces more oily. Meh.
PARKING:
You’re in Sawtelle, so obviously it is going to be difficult to find. However, there is a valet lot behind the restaurant where you can just pay and not have to search for parking.
SERVICE:
Decent. I got checked up on several times but the servers were not excited and it was blatantly obvious.

Bougie, bougie, bougie. The restaurant is clean and offers plenty of seating (mostly bar-​stool type seating). There is plenty of condiments at every seat (garlic, green onions, etc…) and there’s even a little slot in the table for a ladle which I thought was nifty. The restaurant prides itself on being «organic shabu shabu» but I’m not a believer.
After some talk from the waitress that the meat is «grass-​fed» and/​or «whole grain-​fed», I just decided on getting a large order of the Natural Beef Prime Grade Rib-​Eye ($ 35…). Trust me, you will not taste the difference between this and the other more expensive options. The waitress even gives you her own «special» dipping sauce aside from the sesame and ponzu sauce you are given. I’m not a fan of her sauce though~~~it leaves a terrible after taste because of the yuzu kosho she uses. I’ll stick to the ponzu and add in garlic, green onions, chili pepper, etc… The side of veggies seems adequate and I appreciate the option of brown rice with your meal. I felt like there were a good amount of slices for the large order but not for $ 35…
What irks me about this place is that waitress seems to favor talkative clientele. She can sure chat up a storm and there is definitely preferential treatment. If she knows you, you’re going to get hooked up with free alcohol, free edamame, etc… The couple next to us were getting all types of freebies… not cool… Expect a delay in anything you are trying to ask for if she’s chatting away. She seems to forget there are other customers eating at the same time.
I probably wouldn’t come back. This is just like any other shabu shabu place… just wayyyy pricier and doesn’t really make you feel welcomed.