Panda Hot Pot 蜀大侠火锅 — Restaurant in Melbourne

What an absolute gem I stumbled upon in Carlton! If you're looking for a dining experience that's more than just a meal, you HAVE to check out Panda Hot Pot. Seriously, it was one of the most sensational evenings I've had on my trip! Stepping into Another World From the moment you walk in, you're transported. Forget your typical restaurant vibe – this place is an explosion of ancient Chinese grandeur. There’s a giant, magnificent dragon floating above you, and the ceiling has this incredible LED sky display that makes you feel like you're under a magical sky. The vibe alone is worth the visit!

Now, onto the food – Panda Hot Pot is all about the Szechuan hotpot, and it's an experience in itself. You pick your broth (or broths, if you're like me and can't choose just one!). I tried the spicy broth, and WOW, it has a kick – in the best possible way! If you love a bit of heat, this is your jam. The Szechuan spicy peppercorn broth is soooo 🔥 numbing good. But they also have rich pork bone broth and a tangy tomato broth, so there's something for everyone. Then comes the fun part: choosing all your ingredients to cook right at your table. They have an amazing selection of fresh meats, seafood, and tons of veggies. I loved trying the thinly sliced beef and lamb, and even some of the more unique local delights. The friendly serving crew will advise you on the cooking time for each of these items to have the best dining experience.

Plus, there’s a massive DIY sauce bar where you can mix and match to create your perfect dipping sauce. They even have little cards to help you if you’re not sure where to start. Definitely try their homemade tofu and handmade noodles – they were incredibly fresh and delicious.

Don't Forget Dessert! After all that hotpot goodness, save a little room for dessert. I tried the Brown Sugar Iced Pudding, which was so refreshing and light, and the Fried Sticky Rice Cake with Brown Sugar – warm, chewy, and perfectly sweet. They’re the ideal way to finish off such a flavourful meal.

This place gets busy, and for good reason! It’s super popular with both locals and other tourists, so I highly recommend booking ahead, especially if you're going on a weekend or for dinner. It’s perfect for a fun night out with friends or family, and honestly, it’s a memorable part of experiencing the local culture and cuisine.

This is an absolute highlight...

Extremely disappointing experience – we left before even ordering

We walked past Panda Hot Pot the night before and were drawn in by the gorgeous decor and lively atmosphere. It looked like the perfect spot to celebrate a special birthday weekend in Melbourne, so we made a booking for the following evening. We specifically asked for a booth seat and were told by Lily (the lady at the front desk) that booths were for 1-2 people. She also recommended we arrive when they open at 5pm, even though our booking was for 5:30pm, so we could have longer to enjoy our meal (as the max seating is 1.5 hours).

Taking her advice, we turned up at 5:15pm, looking forward to a great night out. This is where everything went wrong. Lily greeted us and promptly told us:

There were actually no booth seats for two people — booths are for 3-4 people (contradicting what she told us the night before).

We still had only 1.5 hours, despite her telling us to come earlier specifically to enjoy more time.

When I pointed out this wasn’t what she’d said the previous night, she flat-out denied ever saying it, blamed it on it being a Saturday night, and gave us a completely different story. None of it made sense. It was clear she was either making things up or simply couldn’t be bothered.

She ‘kindly’ offered we could stay longer — but only if we took the less comfortable table she’d given us. No apology, no ownership of her misleading information. To make it worse, after we decided to leave rather than compromise our evening, she started talking about us to another staff member right in front of us. Completely unprofessional.

We were prepared to spend good money here to celebrate a birthday, but ended up walking out.

Would I recommend this place? Absolutely not for the service. Can’t comment on the food — though really, it’s hot pot, you pay to cook it yourself, how wrong could it go? Probably only worth it if you’re just after pretty lanterns and an Instagram shot. Beyond that, expect poor communication, dismissive staff, and a total lack of accountability.

Save your special night out for somewhere that actually values...

We loved this place when we came here 2 years ago and booked again months ago for 4 pax. because it used to be a great experience and very tasty. When we arrived at 7.15pm as booked there was a queue outside approx. 50 meters long, all reservations! Beyond me why they book everyone in at the same time. When you finally get to your table it’s almost 7.45pm, but they only give you until 9.15pm! We got a lousy table at the end of the restaurant, meant for 8 people, but we were only 4 and it was awkward to basically sit in a row. On top of that it’s next to the kitchen, toilets, and card board boxes everywhere. Constantly wait staff (kids mostly) running up and down the stairs with dishes, stumbling over each other, dropping dishes….Very unpleasant. We complained to the manager (James?) who was unaccommodating and almost unfriendly. Service level: Very very low. First they rush you through the menu and urge you to order instantly. Then the food comes in waves, i.e. veggies 30 minutes later than the meat. In the meantime you can try to find the corner where they are hiding the sauces, quite awkwardly presented, queue again and are rushed to pick the sauces you want. Winelist: One decent wine on the very short list, the rest unknown and unidentifiable labels. Ordered a white and to beg for a cooler which came 15min after the wine. They don’t offer you to try the wine, they don’t pour the wine, they just dump it all on your table. The wait staff is young, inexperienced, stressed, and obviously not happy with what they are doing. ⅔ through the meals they present you with the bill and remind you to vacate the table. Next you have to find a cashier who will charge you 2% extra for Amex. No thank you, no goodbye. Shame because the food experience as such is great, the setting quite charming (if you manage to get a nice table). But never...