YX Hot Pot Bourke Street — Restaurant in Melbourne

Almost There…

XY HotPot is a fascinating Chinese hot pot restaurant with an interior that looks straight out of a neon-futuristic, cyberpunk world. They’ve priced their menu almost dollar-for-dollar with the big-name hot pot chain (you know who I’m talking about).

The good news? The broths are genuinely delicious. The Sichuan mala has a clean, crisp spice that sets it apart from other places, the tomato base carries a rich, meaty aftertaste, and the pork broth is packed with warming spices.

The pork slices shaped into a rose were outstanding, tender, fatty, and perfect for the soup. The thinly sliced lamb and wagyu were also solid choices. Their sauce station deserves a mention too, featuring fruit-based options and a wide selection of authentic Chinese flavours.

What holds it back from being a 5-star experience is the value for money. At over $60 per head, you’re playing in the same league as the big brands, and some items simply don’t measure up. While the broths are flavourful, they lack extra condiments or ingredients the pork broth, for instance, would’ve benefited from ribs or other garnishes. Certain meat selections, like the beef cubes, just don’t work for hot pot; they end up chewy and tough, and we left most untouched. Hot pot meat should either be thinly sliced or slow-cooked for depth not somewhere in between.

Overall, XY HotPot stands strong on its own, but once you start comparing it to the heavyweights, it’s hard to justify the price. The mala might even edge out the big brand’s version, but the rest doesn’t quite match up.

Note to management: drop the beef cubes, and give the broths some complementary condiments to complete...

We ordered the Yuan Yang Pot (dual flavor broth) with the Spicy Chili Oil base and the Tomato base. Both were fantastic, but the tomato broth absolutely stole the show. It was rich, fragrant, and incredibly flavorful. The best part? It was packed with huge, tender chunks of beef brisket that were so delicious and melted in your mouth. It was like a fantastic meal within the broth itself!

We ordered several dishes, and everything was top-notch: The shrimp paste (shrimp): This was phenomenal! The shrimp was fresh, had a great texture, and the portion was very generous. You could really taste the quality. The egg fried rice: WOW. I need to talk about this separately. I never thought I'd have the best egg fried rice of my life at a hot pot restaurant, but here we are! It was perfectly seasoned, had a wonderful wok-hei (breath of the wok) aroma, and was so delicious on its own. It honestly puts many dedicated restaurants to shame.

Furthermore, the sauce station is amazing. There are so many condiments, sauces, and toppings to create your perfect dipping sauce. They also have a great self-service snack bar with various appetizers and fruits, which is such a nice touch and great value.

The service was prompt and friendly, and the atmosphere was lively and perfect for a...

We stumbled across this restaurant using Google maps and we arrived around 5.30pm with no reservations. It was quiet when we arrived so there were loads of seats.

The staff was very attentive where they gave us a bag to put our jackets and bags in to protect it from the hot pot smells. They also offered us aprons which is handy for any splashes. You order from the QR code on the receipt and then pay at the counter at the end.

We ordered:

Double soup base: Tomato braised beef brisket soup and Golden sour &spicy soup Meats: premium lamb slices, premium wagyu beef (thick and thin) and pork belly slices (4 plates) Veggies: Chinese leaf, white radish and fresh tofu Noodles: Chongqing noodles and sweet potato noodles Extras: Rice cakes, prawn and Pork dumplings Drinks: Peach soju and 1.5L Asahi

You go and get your own sauces at the back, and there is fruit to eat near the sauce section. The toilets are clean and at the back too.

Total cost AUD 249.08 (they don’t take Amex)

Food was amazing and it was just the right amount for two people. Staff were very friendly where a staff member they have only opened for 3 months! Great ambience and would definitely visit again!

Thank you for a...