Beauty in the Pot — Restaurant in Kowloon

I decided to visit Beauty in the Pot (Mong Kok) after seeing its high ratings on Google (over 3,000 reviews) and multiple positive YouTube reviews. However, after my experience, I strongly suspect that these might be part of a marketing gimmick or paid promotions rather than genuine feedback.

I made a reservation for the Saturday lunch buffet, expecting the place to be packed based on what I had seen online. However, when I arrived, I was shocked to find that most tables were empty, with only a few occupied. This immediately raised concerns about whether the hype was real, but since I had already booked a table, I decided to proceed.

I had reserved for two adults and two children. What I wasn’t informed beforehand was that the restaurant charges children based on height rather than age. My daughters, both 8 years old, were charged full adult prices because they exceeded the height limit. I found this policy very unfair and misleading. However, I was still willing to give the restaurant a chance—thinking that if the food was great, maybe the steep pricing would be justified.

Unfortunately, this turned out to be a huge mistake. The food was the worst I had during my entire seven-day trip to Hong Kong, and to make things worse, it was also one of the most expensive meals I had.

Upon entering, the service was extremely slow. I waited a long time just to get my soup, which was frustrating given that this was a buffet with a 90-minute time limit. Since I was dining with two young children, I was genuinely worried that we wouldn’t have enough time to eat properly.

For the buffet, we had to take our own food from the buffet area, but the selection was disappointing. Most of the dishes were cheap meatballs, processed sausages, and packaged food—nothing fresh or appetizing. There were very few vegetables, barely any meat, prawns, or chicken, making it far worse than a regular hotpot restaurant. Worse still, most of the items were completely tasteless, lacking any real flavor.

After eating for less than an hour, we had enough. This was the first time ever at a time-limited buffet that we finished way before the limit, simply because the food was so unappetizing. We just didn’t feel like eating anymore. That’s how bad or forgettable the food was.

In conclusion, we paid a premium price for a very disappointing meal and will never visit again. I strongly advise against visiting this restaurant, especially for tourists. There are far better places to eat in Hong Kong. Those who have visited Beauty in the Pot in other countries (such as Singapore) may assume this branch is of the same quality, but it is absolutely not. The soup in this Hong Kong branch was bland and lacked the rich flavors I had enjoyed in Singapore and elsewhere.

Overall, this was a complete letdown, and I would not recommend this place to anyone looking for a good hotpot experience...

Even though it was already after 9:30 PM, the restaurant staff were still very attentive. They quickly prepared our table and necessary tableware, allowing us to start our meal right away.

What pleasantly surprised us even further was that the staff proactively offered us aprons, so that we could keep ourselves clean during the meal. This considerate gesture made us feel truly valued as customers. We gladly accepted their offer of the aprons, and felt exceptionally comfortable throughout the entire dining experience.

To our delight, the staff also presented us with a complimentary plate of fresh sashimi as we began our meal. This unexpected treat demonstrated their dedication to providing an exceptional dining experience. The sashimi was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious.

Even as the restaurant was nearing closing time, the staff maintained a professional and patient demeanor. They constantly monitored our needs and promptly fulfilled any requests we had, ensuring our meal went by smoothly and...

I chose the mid-range option for $278. Overall, the seating arrangement for the hot pot was quite comfortable.

All the ingredients were ordered through a mobile app, and there were only a few cold appetizers and sauces available outside. We started with sashimi.

We tried two types of beef, and the marbled beef was really fatty, almost like fat jelly. The beef shoulder was leaner, and its tenderness varied. The beef had a stronger flavor. The pork was quite delicious, while the other ingredients were average, nothing too outstanding. The squid and meatballs were good, but there was something similar to shrimp spring roll not tasty.

There was a wide selection of beverages, and the service was excellent. Considering the price and the comfortable environment, it was fine for...