Big Way Hot Pot (Coquitlam) — Restaurant in Coquitlam

I tried out the new Big Way Hot Pot that opened at Coquitlam Center, and really like the create your own hot pot style, and this is more of a 4.5 out of 5 stars than a 4/5 fwiw

They have plenty of meat options, though if you are pure vegetarian then they could add more options for tofu / vegetable style for them. I like the collagen bone broth the most, simple yet flavorful

Their virtual wait list option is really handy, but also I think they need to better manage that system. That is one of my main "pet peeves" about the atmosphere is that often a LOT of people are waiting in the general area for their table it feels like, but not waiting like their table was available, but more just added themselves to the wait list & waiting. In my mind, that is a fire hazard as theres a lot of people clustered around only entrance/exit, and think they need to advise people to only wait/return when they are called and that's my main beef with the atmosphere

The other mild concern is the condiment/food station area where you can create your own bowl. However, I think they need to be mindful or better arrange that area as I often saw the oyster sauce or the bbq sauce have some peanut sauce splashed in or mixed in. I suspect many with hyper allergies like peanuts or even seafood won't go to places like here, but even for those with mild allergies might be at risk.

When I saw a big slab of peanut sauce mixed in with the oyster sauce, I did raise it to the staff and they were very quick to action on it to take the oyster sauce container to the kitchen to resolve. I think they replaced it fully, but I'm not 100% sure if they just scooped out portion with peanut sauce contamination only. I'd like to think they would have replaced it fully though :)

As a suggestion, I think a better option for the peanut sauce (or stuff that could cause severe allergy) is to put it into a bottle or something else so let's less spillover between all the different condiments.

Otherwise, great solid spot and also happy to see the response by owner. Hopefully feedback is applied for future and will definitely update post for...

Writing this review after coming here twice (once on opening day and the second on New Year’s day). The waitlist here moves slower than the other locations; both times I went, it dropped by about 30 spots in an hour. However, because they take a more relaxed pace, the food actually tastes much better and was more consistent across my two visits than at any other Big Way location. Just queue up in advance with that in mind!

A lot of the staff are still getting used to working this location. The person at cash forgot to let me enter my number in for points, the hosts are pretty softspoken so it’s hard to hear/be directed by them. The first night I visited, I waited for my food for much longer than my friend did. BUT, my water kept getting refilled before I could even drink half of it….so somehow this place felt both overstaffed and understaffed at the same time.

I also really want to give a shoutout to Gabrielle Z and Vincent C, who made my second experience worth mentioning. There were some issues with both my sister’s and my orders (hair in soup and wrong broth), but Gabrielle and Vincent efficiently addressed the matter and offered us a variety of options to make it right. We were willing to drop it…but they weren’t, and I was extremely impressed by both of their attitudes. Many places would give you a half-hearted apology and send you on your way, but these two took what could have easily ruined our experience and turned it into a highlight of the night. To top it all off, as we were leaving, Skye (I think that’s his name?) rushed over to open the door for us, ending the experience on a considerate note.

It’s these little things that made the difference and won me over after potential disaster. I’ll happily be coming back, and I hope the restaurant will hit its groove so that this level of care is felt...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Big Way: A Colossal Feast for the Soul”

From the moment I stepped into Big Way, my life as I knew it was forever changed. The air was thick with the aroma of destiny. The lighting wasn’t just ambient—it was prophetic, as if the universe itself had tilted a spotlight onto this very location and whispered, “Here. This is where legends are born.”

Every detail screamed grandeur. The chairs didn’t simply cradle me—they embraced me, as though welcoming a long-lost hero back from battle. The menu? Not a menu at all, but a sacred scroll, each item a poetic stanza crafted by culinary bards. Reading it made me feel like I was peering into the Akashic records of flavor.

When my order arrived, it wasn’t served—it was presented, like an offering to the gods. The portions were generous enough to make a medieval king blush, yet refined enough to impress a Parisian critic with a monocle. One bite in, and I felt the tectonic plates of my palate shift. This wasn’t eating—it was ascending. I could hear faint whispers of angels harmonizing in the distance. Somewhere, Beethoven himself stood up, wiped away a tear, and whispered, “Magnificent.”

The staff didn’t merely take orders; they interpreted my needs like empathetic mind-readers. They brought extra napkins before I realized I needed them, refilled my drink at the exact millisecond thirst began, and somehow made me feel like the sole protagonist in an epic saga.

By the time I left, I was certain Big Way wasn’t just a place—it was a rite of passage. A cathedral of taste. A temple where appetite and awe kneel side by side in reverence.

If you haven’t been, cancel your plans, quit your job if you must, and make the pilgrimage. And when you do, prepare yourself—not just for a meal, but for...