Wong's Late Night Hot Pot 王建国重庆深夜老火锅 — Restaurant in Melbourne

Wong’s Late Night Hot Pot in Melbourne’s Chinatown is a go-to destination for night owls craving a satisfying, flavour-packed meal long after most restaurants have closed. Open until the early hours, this bustling hot pot joint offers an authentic Chinese dining experience in a lively, no-frills setting that emphasizes communal eating and bold flavours.

From the moment you walk in, you’re enveloped by the rich aroma of simmering broths and the energetic hum of conversation. The restaurant’s interior is simple and practical, with tables arranged closely together and a casual, almost canteen-like atmosphere. It’s not about luxury here – it’s all about good food, fast service, and a warm, welcoming vibe.

The menu is impressively extensive, offering a variety of broths ranging from mild and herbal to intensely spicy Sichuan-style. The spicy broth, in particular, is a crowd favourite – deeply aromatic with a kick that builds over time. For a milder experience, the mushroom or tomato broths are rich, comforting, and full of umami. Patrons can mix and match meats, seafood, and vegetables, with everything arriving fresh and neatly arranged for cooking at your table.

Highlights include the paper-thin slices of lamb and beef, house-made meatballs, plump prawns, enoki mushrooms, lotus root, and fresh tofu. There’s also a self-serve sauce station where you can customise your dipping sauces, adding to the interactive and fun aspect of the meal. Vegetarian options are available, though somewhat limited compared to the meat and seafood selection.

Service is quick and efficient, though occasionally hurried during busy hours. Staff are generally friendly and helpful, especially if you’re new to hot pot dining.

Prices are reasonable given the portion sizes and quality, especially if you’re dining in a group. It’s easy to over-order, so come hungry and ready to share. Expect a wait during peak hours, but it’s worth it for the hearty food and lively atmosphere.

Overall, Wong’s Late Night Hot Pot delivers a consistently satisfying experience. Whether it’s a cold night, a post-night-out craving, or just a spontaneous late dinner, Wong’s hits the spot every time. A Chinatown gem for comfort food lovers.

PS : We arrived at 5:45 pm 3 patrons..and were told there’d be a 15-minute wait before we could be seated. Fair enough — it’s a popular spot. But when we returned after 15 minutes and were finally taken upstairs, we were surprised to find the entire dining area completely empty. We were the first and only table there. It left us wondering why the wait was necessary at all. The experience felt a bit disorganised and disappointing, especially given the lack of diners...

Really disappointed with my visit to this hotpot. I came in during their late dinner promotion time, which they were clearly advertising—but when I asked about it, their completely avoided the topic and kept trying to push me to order the more expensive set menu instead. I eventually gave in and ordered the set menu, which was supposed to come with a drink. But one of the listed drinks wasn’t available, and the only options left were bingsu and beer, which I didn’t want, and they didn’t tell me when I order. I asked several times if I could swap it for something simple like a soft drink,but they flat-out refused. No flexibility at all. I won’t be going back. I felt I’ve been forced to order beer or bingsu.

Thank you for your reply.

Unfortunately, your response doesn’t address the main concerns I raised or offer any real solution.

The issue with the promotion wasn’t simply that it was only available at Glen Waverley — it’s that no one explained this at all when I asked about it. Instead, staff recommended the set menu without mentioning any promotion details or clarifying the difference between locations, which felt misleading and evasive.

As for the drink, I was only told the peach gum coconut milk was unavailable after I had ordered the set. There was no effort made to offer a reasonable alternative, and I was told I could only choose from the limited remaining options, which were completely different. This made the situation even more frustrating.

While I appreciate you taking the time to respond, the explanation provided doesn’t help or resolve anything. I hope your team reflects on how to communicate more clearly and handle these situations with better care...

Chinese restaurant for advanced. If one has never eaten hot pots, it might be challenging. As it was in our case. We received large paper menu and were asked to wait outside. After some minutes we were asked to come in, give our name and telephone number. No idea why. Afterwards, we were seated below air condition, which was blowing cold air on my neck. I asked personnel several times to turn it off, but as some other guests were feeling hot, it was not really possible. The cooling power was reduced, however it was still not convenient. Regarding the menu, the concept of hot pots was not clearly explained to us. So we ended up receiving raw ingredients, which we cooked and ate. We were told to cook each ingredient for 3-4 min, however to fish the tiny meat pieces or, on the other hand, large pieces of vegetable, from the boiling pot was not easy. Actually the whole concept looks simple, but as the table has only limited space to accommodate all the bowles and cutlery, it might be difficult to enjoy the food. Moreover the soups in both pot compartments were boiling heavily, so it is advisable to come in dark clothes or in some one would not miss if stained from boiling oily chilli soup. Regarding the safety, the place seems not to be optimal for visiting with small kids due to risk of injury from hot pot and its boiling content. Finally, the prices were quite high for rather basic ingredients. All in all, we did not enjoy our visit. Maybe if the personnel would be more engaged and try to help guests not familiar with discussed concept, our visit might have been more enjoyable. Not...