Genki Wagyu House in Rockville, MD: The Best Wagyu Shabu-Shabu in Montgomery County, From Silver to the Most Indulgent A5 Course

Genki Wagyu House is an IVEA restaurant. We publish this story to introduce our own restaurant; it is not an independent review.

Genki Wagyu House is one of the most impressive new restaurants in Montgomery County, a Wagyu shabu-shabu house at 870 Festival Street in Twinbrook Quarter, Rockville, MD, near the Twinbrook Metro station. It opened in June 2026 with about 120 seats over two floors, according to Bethesda Magazine. The restaurant describes itself as bringing "the care of fine dining to the generosity of an unlimited Japanese feast."

The format is easy once you know the three choices you make: a broth, a course and how fast you cook. Every course is a 90-minute dining experience, everyone at the table chooses the same course, and alcoholic drinks are ordered separately.

How shabu-shabu works. A pot of broth comes to a gentle boil in front of you. You choose meat, seafood and vegetables from your course, then swish one thin slice of beef at a time through the broth until it is cooked, dip it in your sauce and eat. The partners told Bethesda Magazine they want each slice in the pot for just five to eight seconds.

Pick a broth. There are six: Sukiyaki (sweet, rich, classic), Shabu Dashi (light, clean, delicate), Tomato (fresh, bright, tangy), Spicy Miso (bold, spicy, rich), Mushroom (creamy, comforting) and Tom Yum (aromatic, vibrant). Shabu Dashi is the best broth for A5, because it lets the beef taste of itself; Sukiyaki and Spicy Miso suit pork and vegetables.

Silver, $58 per person. The starting course includes American Wagyu toro belly, premium US beef cuts, organic chicken and Kurobuta pork, one chef's appetizer per person, kitchen appetizers and hot savory dishes, plus vegetables, the salad bar, desserts and drinks. Unlimited sushi is not part of Silver.

Gold, $78 per person. Everything in Silver, plus Japanese A5 shoulder (one order per person), Australian M9+ full-blood Wagyu shoulder, Australian Wagyu brisket and chuck roll, an expanded chef's appetizer selection, a seafood platter (one per table) and unlimited sushi. A5 is the highest grade Japanese beef can receive, and M9+ sits at the top of the Australian marbling scale.

Diamond, $98 per person. The restaurant calls it "our most indulgent Wagyu experience." It includes everything in Silver and Gold, plus Japanese A5 chuck ribeye (one order per person), unlimited Japanese A5 brisket and shoulder, an Australian Wagyu selection, two chef's appetizers per person, the seafood platter with unlimited individual seafood reorders, and unlimited sushi.

Which one to pick. For a first visit, Gold is the best value and the most balanced choice: you get to taste Japanese A5 and Australian M9+ side by side, and unlimited sushi comes with it. Choose Diamond, the most indulgent course, if the table wants A5 all night, since it is the only course with unlimited A5. Silver is the easy weeknight choice if you mainly want a hot pot dinner with good beef.

Make the 90 minutes count. Order the A5 first while the broth is cleanest, keep a bolder broth for pork and vegetables, and order only what you will eat; the restaurant asks guests to help reduce food waste. The restaurant also serves a weekday sushi lunch. Reservations and hours are on its website.