贤合庄 自助火锅 Vintage The Hotpot AYCE Toronto — Restaurant in Toronto

My experience at Vintage the Hotpot was decent, but there are definitely areas for improvement.

Seating and Service: When I arrived on a Saturday, I was seated immediately since the restaurant wasn’t busy. The service throughout my meal was good and attentive.

Ordering and Food Selection: I quickly scanned the QR code to order, as I was ready to eat. My first impression of the menu was that it lacked variety compared to other popular hotpot restaurants like LIYISHOU or HAIDILAO. The seafood section, in particular, felt limited. While I’m not a big fan of seafood, I still noticed the lack of options. Improving the variety would be a good step forward.

Food Quality and Speed: I ordered beef and a few other standard hotpot items, and I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly the food arrived. However, despite the fast service, the quality of the meat was disappointing. The beef, for example, didn’t look as fresh and vibrant as I expected. Though the food itself tasted decent, it didn’t quite meet my expectations for quality.

Sauce Station and Desserts: The sauce station was a bit disorganized and small, with limited options for sauces and fruits. I think enhancing the variety and tidiness would make for a better experience. On a positive note, there were complimentary desserts near the entrance, which was a nice touch. I especially enjoyed the coconut sago, which was rich in coconut flavor (I even went back for three bowls!).

Pricing: For four people, the bill came to around $160, including fees for the waiter. The price seemed reasonable—neither too cheap nor too expensive.

Final Thoughts: While the service was good and the dessert was a highlight, the limited food selection and inconsistent quality left me wanting more. I somewhat enjoyed my visit, but I would likely choose other hotpot restaurants next time. (And the atmosphere is very...

Totally not worth it, especially if you're looking for more standard hot pot fare. We got the "special combo for two" for $110, which was recommended by staff. Importantly, this restaurant only does à la carte, no all-you-can-eat option.

We received 6 meat dishes: 2 plates of typical thinly sliced meat (one was definitely beef, the other one could've been lamb), one plate of tripe slices on ice, one plate of marinated thick cut of something, one plate of intestinal shavings, and a plate of luncheon meat. There were no meat balls, no chicken, no pork, no seafood (not even fish), no tofu. They seemed generous with their intestines and luncheon meat though so there's that. The plate of marinated meat was mostly inedible due to its toughness, even with only light cooking.

For carbs and vegetables, there was one plate of melon strips, a single paltry plate of watercress, and... ONE SINGLE instant noodle. That's it. For two. No taro, no other form of noodle, no rice (you can choose between the single instant noodle or a single bowl of rice), no vermicelli, no rice cake, no mantou. We did get 4 potato pancakes with red bean, which was nice.

Overall, food-wise, don't bother, it's an obvious money-grab. Regardless of the "cultural significance" of the chain, the food is lackluster and (as many people note) overpriced. Maybe people come here for the print-outs of the "celebrity" endorsements that they've taped all over the walls?

Oh, also, they charge you $1 each for using the sauces. Give me a break (also, literally no break because no eggs anywhere).

The only positive aspects were that the two staff were very, very nice, the spicy soup base was very legit, and you do get a double soup base with this "combo" so that was nice. The restaurant itself is very clean and well lit.

2/5,...

Pretty disappointed that our dining experience turned out this way because we loved the decor and songs that were playing here. Let's talk about the good things. The food here is alright with a good selection and quality of meats and veggies. We got a dual soup base (pork bone and tomato) and added $5 per person for the ayce soy milk/plum juice. The total came up to just about $60 per person. The drink prices are very reasonable compared to other restaurants.

But here is why they get such a low rating. The lu wei felt like it had been sitting around for a long time and was pretty tough/dry. The service was all in Mandarin and came off as super rude. At one point, I was shoved a menu in my face to tell me to look at it so she can take my next order. Although they came by to refill our broth frequently, they would never ask and it was also right after I had put raw meat into the pot. When the waitress was cleaning up and had some extra water, she came by and dumped it into our pot too. Not sure where the water is from but it was not the broth from the kettles they typically use. At 1.5 hours in, they did a last call and gave us our bill quickly after that. It felt like we were rushed out that we didn't even bother with trying their dessert. It was a Tuesday night so it wasn't busy and there was still an hour before their closing time. The kicker is that the next day, we both had upset stomachs and had to made several trips to the washroom. We eat hotpot alot and always fully cook food but never had this happen to us. My sister told me that she actually heard the chef scream 'mouse' in Chinese and we had heard the server scream in the back at one point too. Warning to others eating here to be cautious because we got sick after and they probably have a...