Top Hot Pot — Restaurant in Toronto

Verdict 3.9/5 (breakdown below)

I liked this place so much that I went there twice BUT be careful as you pick all of the items you want in your soup and then they cook it for you.

The way it works is that you pick all the ingredients, such as protein lamb, beef, tofu, etc. veggies: broccoli, lettuce, mushrooms, etc. and at the end they weigh, pick the broth and you pay.

They cook it and bring it to you.

I have 2 issues with this type of style

You have to know what are the combinations that would work well with your palette, randomly picking ingredients without realizing that some of them won't go well together will affect your experience

They cook it for you so you can't make it the way you want. For example, I prefer my broccoli soft but they don't cook it to that point

Alright here's the breakdown

1st time I had the miso broth (my fave) I had it with lamb and beef, broccoli, shitake mushrooms, nappa cabbage, regular noodles and I can't remember the rest but it was good. 4.5/5

My friend had the mushroom broth and it was okay (needed more salt that you can add but it wasn't our thing)

2nd time I had the Budae Jjigae (korean army stew) it was too sweet IMO (see picture) 3.5/5

The rest of the pictures you can check from other reviews as they are legit

I wish they had the option of boiled egg as that would really enhance the experience

The service is great. They didn't have the tv on when I went there and just turned it on later and the table beside me rotated and was broken. I mentioned it to the staff who looked at it but couldn't fix it in time as they were getting busy. I think had she put a note, it would have been nice as you don't want to start eating and your bowl would rotate on you 2.5/5

the atmosphere and decor is great. The golden bowls is also a great...

This is my first-ever 1-star review on Google. Normally, I am very easy to please and always leave good reviews, but this time I experienced one of the most unprofessional services ever.

One of the staff members was mean and very unprofessional for yelling at customers from across the restaurant. I understand she might have been upset that we picked a table that hadn’t been cleaned yet, but there were many tables that hadn’t been cleaned (at least 3 tables) at that time. And the ONLY table that was cleaned was the awkward long table in the middle of the restaurant. We would have understood if the restaurant was busy, and we probably wouldn’t have minded sitting there. But at that time, the restaurant was more than half empty with a lot of unclean tables. She did clean, though, BTW, after a bunch of complaining to us, even though we pay tips, and most of the service was self-serving.

Food-wise (we were already in a bad mood, so this might have affected the food's taste, but I don’t think it would have been that much), the ingredients were fresh and had variety. The spicy soup, however, was kind of bland and had no flavor. I couldn’t taste the broth; it tasted like hot water with salt and some chili oil.

I wonder if this place has a high rating because they offer free drinks for reviews.

Will NEVER come back and also NOT recommend...

Top Hot Pot – A Delicious DIY Feast in Downtown Toronto! 🍲🔥

Top Hot Pot truly lives up to its name! This was one of the best hot pot experiences I’ve had in Toronto. 😍 From the moment we walked in, the staff were incredibly kind, polite, and attentive — they made us feel so welcome and comfortable.

What I loved most? You get to choose everything yourself and build your own perfect bowl! 🥢 From the fresh-cut meats and handmade noodles to the colorful veggies and tofu, it’s a totally hands-on and fun dining experience.

We went with the Mala Spicy broth, and WOW — it was bold, fragrant, and had the perfect level of heat. 🌶️🔥 Every bite was packed with that deep Sichuan-style flavor that keeps you coming back for more.

Their custom sauce bar was another highlight — I created my own sesame-garlic-chili mix that paired perfectly with everything we dipped.

The staff were incredibly kind and polite, always checking in and making sure we had what we needed without being intrusive. The place was clean, cozy, and great for both casual hangouts and special outings.

Highly recommend if you’re in Toronto and want an interactive, tasty hot pot adventure. I’m already planning my...