Souper Hot Pot — Restaurant in Toronto

Our experience last night was extremely unpleasant. The host seemed inexperienced in handling large groups. It felt like we were ignored, as there was no communication despite us standing at the entrance for an hour. We were patient because we understood we were a large group, but our number was 87 (proofs attached in pictures), and we only got a response after pushing the host when we noticed numbers in the 100s being called !!!!. The host explained that if they reserved a table for us, smaller groups would have to wait. This felt like we were being told to compromise our time for others. I was frustrated because this was my third time here. Eventually, we were offered a free drink for the wait, which we did appreciate, but it didn’t make up for the poor experience.

While we understand the challenges of the holiday rush, we feel that more proactive communication from the host would have greatly improved the experience.

Offer limited dining slots during peak hours to enhance table turnover. We noticed staff cleared trays quickly but didn’t encourage customers to grab ice cream sooner, which could help free up tables faster. Creating separate lines for small, medium, and large groups.

Provide estimated wait times and queue updates so guests know their table status without having to wait inside the restaurant. Don’t just send a notification when the table is ready because because customers might not be waiting right at the restaurant or nearby when they receive the notification. It takes time for them to return, during which the table remains unused, leading to inefficiency. There should be flexible seating arrangements. Not sure if host familiar with Snappy, but the floor plan can be adjustable in the system.

Most importantly, staff should give clear and honest updates. In our case, the host could have simply told us, “We’re holding that specific table for your group, it’ll be ready when they leave.” That small bit of communication would have made a huge difference and saved us a lot of frustration.

FOOD WAS...

I'm a huge fan of hotpot and Malatang so I was very excited to try this new spot in town. If you're not familiar with the concept of Malatang, you basically select a bunch of ingredients (veggies, meats, seafood, noodles, etc) spread out buffet-style and then choose a soup base or sauce to cook them in by their chefs. The price is calculated by weight so it's always good to make sure you don't load up on the heavy stuff!

I went on a Friday night with 4 friends and we waited for about 45 minutes. They currently don't have a remote waitlist option so you have to go in person to put your name down. Now there are many Malatang and hotpot places in Toronto but this place stood out in the sense that they have A LOT of ingredients to choose from and it can be overwhelming. There are more tables than your average Malatang place and they have tons of staff (I assume to help with the opening rush). There is also a sauce bar similar to the ones at traditional hotpot places.

We all enjoyed our soup bases and the ingredients were cooked well. I chose the suancai (sour veggie) base but my friends tried the tomato and spicy broths. They were all so tasty. Unfortunately the oysters weren't super fresh and I grabbed a ton of them lol. They also forgot the beef in one of my friend's pot (the manager explained that they have to cook every component separately so sometimes things get put in the wrong order). This was understandable and they let us choose another pot of ingredients free of charge.

The ambiance is bright and loud. We tried their drinks and they were comparable to most bubble tea places. Lastly they serve free ice cream at the end so that's a nice touch. My bowl came out to $40 which was a lot but I was hungry haha. The guy said on average people spend $20-30 on their bowls. I think I still prefer traditional hotpot where you cook everything yourself but this is an easier and quicker option if you're feeling too lazy to cook everything yourself. I wish they had an easier waitlist...

I chose this place for dinner as it was budget friendly and in the area. When I arrived, I was asked to put my name down on their waiting list via a monitor at the door that asks for your name and number. The queue and wait time depends on how busy they are, bit luckily I came at a good time. I had waited about 20 minutes before my number was called and we were seated. After that though, it got quite busy as the line was outside the door.

Despite the wait, I had a "souper" time here with my family for a Friday night dinner! The ingredients were fresh, and the variety was amazing. They have several soup bases to choose from and even give you a number to bring back to your table once you've selected all the ingredients you want in your personal hot pot bowl. At the table, they give you long plastic aprons to make sure your clothes stay mess free. At the end of your meal, they give you a free ice cream cone (vanilla soft serve on a sugar cone). That was a nice way to end the meal.

My bowl ended up being around $20 dollars (before tip). The price varies depending on how many items you put in the bowl as they charge $3.99/100g. See the photos for reference on how much I filled my bowl. When I asked how much soup base they put, a worker said they fill it with enough soup to just cover your ingredients. Keep that in mind when filling your bowl. They also have a sauce bar where you can make your own sauces. For me, I mixed together some sesame sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, green onions, cilantro, and chili oil. Super flavourful!

I can see why they are gaining popularity as it is a very personalized dining experience as you get to choose your own ingredients and soup base. That is definitely a plus! I do wish they had more seating to accommodate more people, though. One note about the washroom. There is only one room/stall, so there may be a queue to use that as well.

Overall rating: 4.5/5 stars I highly...