Niu Si — Restaurant in Zhongshan District

Niu Si (牛肆) is a must-visit for beef lovers — a restaurant that celebrates the natural flavours of exceptionally fresh beef in a refined yet down-to-earth setting.

Every table starts with a signature hot pot, already bubbling with brisket, tendons, and plenty of vegetables. The broth is rich but surprisingly light, offering a comforting depth without the heaviness typical of traditional hotpot. It sets the tone for a meal that’s all about quality and subtlety.

We tried some of their house special cuts, which were excellent — but the real highlight was the selection of rare cuts. These were hand-delivered by the staff to each table, and we got to choose directly from the tray. Each piece was beautifully marbled and delicately sliced, and once cooked, the flavour really stood on its own. No dipping sauce needed — the beef spoke for itself.

Another fun touch: drinks are self-service from the fridge, including a solid selection of beers and sake. It adds to the relaxed, slightly hidden-gem feel of the place.

All in all, Niu Si is a beef experience with soul, perfect for those who want to appreciate the purity of the ingredient without distractions. Highly recommended if you’re in Taipei and want something a little more special than your...

Overall, the food is delicious, the service is also great, despite some reviews about the not friendly manager, but I did not encounter such problem. Be a good customer and they will treat you the same. I would definitely think of coming back here again.

Must order: 洋蔥煎烤生牛肉 - raw beef with onions This is one of the best raw beef I’ve had in Taipei. Even though it was raw, the meat had no raw taste at all. This dish is served cold.

燒烤蔥鹽牛舌 - grilled ox tongue The ox tongue is thick, yet very tender. It was easy to bite the ox tongue. The scallions mixture on top complements the flavour.

The hotpot portion is big enough for 6 people. We can add as much broth as we like. The broth was refreshing but I felt the tomatoes were too much. The beef and tendons are very soft, the vegetables are very fresh and of good quality. I would recommend to order 上選溫體牛肉 for the beef meat. Although the portion is written for 1 person, its actually quite a lot.

I also ordered 雜炊 to make porridge with the leftover broth. Need to wait about 30 min to cook the porridge. The server will cook it for you. Taste is good, but not excellent.

Have to book in advance to get a table. I don’t think they accept walk-ins as they prepare portions based on...

Food: The food had the most limited options I have seen at a hot pot place. Along with the beef which is overrated. Sauces with salty soy sauce as an option and some onions and garlic. What kind of place serves just these options for sauce.

Service: The staff kept bugging us while we were eating about the minimum amount that is needed to be spent per person. We asked for water and they had us buy two bottles and didn't bring any glasses. After which we ordered some beer and when we asked for glasses the waitress asked us to use our water glasses.

While we were finishing our meal the waitress came to our table asking if we were done. When we mentioned we are still working on it, she looked at her watch and made a face as she walked away.

They got some food on our table and when we started putting it in the hot pot, they were like you shouldn't put it in there and started fishing it out from the pot.

They have a lot of positive reviews but that was definitely not our experience at all. Wish we could have...