Shabazo Sapporo Soup Curry: A Local's Pick Near Odori Park

Shabazo: A Local Favorite for Sapporo Soup Curry

Less Waiting Near Odori Park

Whenever I visit Sapporo, soup curry is an absolute must-have! It's one of those iconic dishes you simply can't miss.

Honestly, I initially planned to go to Suage, but they stopped taking orders an hour and a half before closing. So, in a pinch, I stumbled into Shabazo for my soup curry fix.

Turns out, it's a true local's favorite, especially popular with Japanese office workers. What's more, compared to other popular soup curry spots in Sapporo, the wait times here are significantly shorter (it's rare to find a Sapporo soup curry restaurant with no wait at all!).

Location

Operating Hours: Daily 11:30 AM ~ 10:00 PM

Break Time: 3:00 PM ~ 5:00 PM

Reservations: Available via Google Maps and Hot Pepper

Shabazo is conveniently located just a 6-minute walk from Odori Park, on basement level 1 of the North Plaza building, making it easy to find.

I arrived around 8:30 PM and there were only three parties ahead of me, including myself. I waited about 15 minutes before being seated.

While the short wait was great, arriving late meant the popular lamb soup curry was already sold out, which was a bit disappointing. During peak hours, you might expect to wait 30 minutes or more.

Ambiance & Interior

The restaurant's interior is surprisingly spacious. With plenty of tables, the turnover is quick, meaning even with a crowd, you'll likely be seated fairly fast.

They offer a variety of seating options, from counter seats to private rooms and four-person tables, accommodating different group sizes and preferences.

The Menu

Shabazo offers a wide variety of soup curries, including lamb, chicken leg, pork, beef, sausage, and bacon.

Their signature dish is the lamb soup curry, but as I mentioned, it was sold out because I arrived too late.

Once you've chosen your curry type, you then select your soup base, decide on your rice portion (a regular serving is about 7 ounces), pick your spice level, and add any extra toppings.

I opted for spice level 3, and it honestly wasn't spicy at all. If you're looking for heat comparable to Shin Ramyun, you'll want to go for level 5 or higher.

The curries come with a generous amount of vegetables, so if you're adding extra toppings, I highly recommend just going for the cheese. Specifically, the cheesy rice is a game-changer! (Seriously, the cheese is out of this world – you HAVE to try it!)

For drinks, I went with a refreshing plain Lassi and a classic Sapporo Beer!

The Lassi had a unique, sweet flavor, almost like a banana smoothie – it was surprisingly delicious and refreshing.

Our Soup Curry Experience

This is my lamb hamburg soup curry with cheesy rice. There was absolutely no gamey lamb flavor, and while the spice aroma was pronounced, it felt slightly milder than what I've experienced at Suage.

The hamburg itself was surprisingly large and incredibly tender – I could cut it easily with just a spoon.

It was delicious on its own, but pairing it with the cheesy rice made it three times better, no exaggeration! This cheesy rice is truly the best I've had at any soup curry restaurant so far.

As for the soup, I personally prefer the more intensely spiced style of places like Suage. Shabazo's soup felt comparatively milder to me.

However, if you're not a fan of overly strong spice flavors, this might be exactly what you're looking for!

The chicken leg soup curry also boasted an impressively large chicken leg. Its crispy skin and tender, savory meat were perfectly complemented by soaking it in the rich soup curry broth, intensifying the flavors.

There are so many soup curry restaurants in Sapporo, but Shabazo stands out for its shorter waits, delicious food, and the convenience of card payments. I highly recommend giving it a try!

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