Beef Chief Shabu Beef (Kaohsiung Main Store)

Review

Beef Chief began in Kaohsiung, and No. 18 Ziqiang 2nd Road is its main store; the brand later opened branches as far as northern Taiwan. It has been a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand pick since 2022 and remains on the 2026 Kaohsiung list, and locals often name it first when talk turns to fresh-beef hotpot.

Only beef slaughtered that day is served, split into marbled belly slices and leaner, chewier cuts, plus tongue and an offal plate of liver, heart, kidney and tripe. The broth simmers beef bones and onion for hours before tomato, corn, napa cabbage, radish and tofu skin go in, giving a clean, sweet base. Swish the beef until it is just pink and dip it in the sweet house sauce. Stir-fried beef with sour cabbage is another favourite.

Praise focuses on beef that tastes fresh with no gamey smell and on the natural sweetness of the vegetable broth, and many say it deserves its Bib Gourmand. Complaints mostly come from late arrivals who found the best cuts gone and only lean meat left; some also call it pricey or say it feels like a fairly basic Chaoshan-style beef hotpot.

Current listings show it closed on Mondays, open only for dinner on Tuesdays, and open 11:30 to 14:00 and 16:00 to midnight from Wednesday to Sunday, but older reports give different hours, so check before you go. The soup base costs NT$150 on its own, and Supertaste notes that tongue and offal should be reserved ahead. Popular cuts go fast, so arrive soon after opening or book by phone.

It suits diners who want freshly slaughtered beef in a light broth, and works best for groups of two or three or more. Order a soup base, one plate each of belly and lean beef to compare, and the sour cabbage beef stir-fry with rice; offal fans should reserve the offal plate in advance.