Huo Guo Hot pot & BBQ — Restaurant in Bel Air

This is hands down the BEST hot pot place I've been to (out of many, many places in Florida, Pennsylvania, AND Maryland). The inside is so cute and I love the chairs (plus-size friendly, even though they didn't look like it at first). The floors have koi fish pictured on them. The waitresses were super friendly and got us seated right away. I let them know that it was our first time at this hot pot location, though I should've clarified that it was not our first time at a hot pot location in general.

Their AYCE hot pot runs around $40 per person and is half off for children under 12. There's an hour and a half limit for seating since it is an all you can eat restaurant. They have alcohol options, but we did not try any. There were multiple options for broth - I opted for spicy and my partner opted for the pork bone broth. My broth was flavored really well and not unbearably spicy like it is at other restaurants. My partner enjoyed the bone broth.

The sauce bar was great and fully stocked. There is a house sauce that is premade if you're not adventurous or wanting to create your own. Our waitress brought over her three favorite sauces for us to try (a house sauce, a peanut sauce, and a chili oil sauce) and all three were wonderful. She also brought out kimchi (unlike any other I've ever seen, but we are not kimchi fans so we did not try it) and fried chicken morsels (AMAZING and I wish we asked for more - we usually do not like these when we tried them at hot pot king or other restaurants in the area).

The selection of meats and veggies is AMAZING, but it is cramped into one tiny area so customers often overlap in the small space. The meats included head on and off shrimp, LOBSTER TAILS, SNOW CRAB, premium sliced beef (no extra charge), sliced pork/lamb/beef, lobster balls (would love to see fish balls), chicken, mussels, crawfish, and some unusual ones too (would love to see salmon added). They had my favorite enoki mushrooms and wide potato noodles, as well as udon/rice noodles and lots of veggies (would love to see spinach added). The meats were not frozen (aside from the crab legs) which is my gripe with other Baltimore-area hot pot places - usually the meats are frozen to the plates and are hard to cook. Not here. I was super impressed. This is the best snow crab we have had at a hot pot restaurant, which says a lot about the quality.

Our waitress kept our hot pot broth and drinks topped off at all times. Our dirty plates were constantly cleared off so we always had room for our food at the table. Our waitress brought over warm melted butter and crab crackers when they saw what seafood we had picked out. The service was seriously incredible.

There are places in the middle of the table for BBQ, but it seems like they are not yet offering that. I hope to see it in the future, since we do like bulgogi when we do hot pot. We are already planning our next trip, although we live an hour and a half away in Pennsylvania... Sorry we didn't get any pics - we were too busy...

First time experiencing Hot Pot and it was very overwhelming for us. For $37.99 you get all you can eat buffet of fresh meats, seafood, veggies, fruit, and desserts (pre-maid like back in school). For those that may not know what hot pot is, you start with a broth (8 options) and add veggies, protein, and noodles to make your meal (soup). We knew that we would be cooking our own food but we had no idea there would be so many options which overwhelmed us at first. If they had a beginners recipe cheat sheet that would have helped. There is a buffet area (which is very tight) filled with fresh foods including Frog Legs, seafood, beef, chicken, and so many options. You wait for your broth to come to a boil at a stove top burner on your table (one at each seat) and then you add your items to cook. Make sure to look at the sheet that tells you the cooking times.

Here are my tips... Go early or make a reservation because they got busy around 6pm. Get a tray when you go to the buffet. Make sure to grab a plate, silverware, and a ladle. The little containers at the buffet can stack on your tray. Don't get overwhelmed and just start out with just one type of noodle and a protein. Once the items have cooked, move it to your plate to cool off so it doesn't over cook.

My favorites... I loved the spicy beef and specialty beef that went well with the bone broth. The "pot stickers" (I don't remember what they were called) were amazing in the soup. The peanut sauce went with everything and to add some heat to it, you can add chili seasoning available at the buffet.

My issues... They didn't explain it too well. There was a cart at the end of the table. Were we supposed to bring that to the buffet or is that for the empty dishes? I was very worried about cross contamination, using the chopsticks to get the meat into the pot and then using them to eat so I would just stick them in the boiling soup for a minute. It was very messy so ask for a lot of napkins! I wish they had the plates and silverware at the tables to start because we kept having to get back up for something we forgot. In the end my favorite was the beef, so will I pay $37.99 for beef soup again? NO. I would never take a picky person there.

They currently do not have their liquor license but said they are working on it and their authentic canned sweet tea was amazing.

I may not go back again but it was very good, very fresh, and I am glad I have had...

If you’re ever at a festival in Bel Air and happen to see Hot Pot — do yourself a favor and stop by! From the moment I approached their booth, I was met with nothing but warmth, professionalism, and incredible energy. The staff were some of the friendliest people I’ve ever encountered — smiling, attentive, and genuinely passionate about making sure everyone enjoyed their food and their experience. They made you feel like family, even in the middle of a busy crowd.

Now, let’s talk about the food — simply outstanding! You can tell everything is prepared with care and intention. Every bite was flavorful and fresh, but the real standout for me were the chicken nuggets. I’m not exaggerating when I say they were on another level. Perfectly crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, and seasoned just right. You can taste the quality in every bite , nothing like your average festival food. These nuggets alone could have a line of their own!

Beyond the food itself, the presentation and cleanliness were also top-notch. Even during rush hours, the staff handled orders quickly and efficiently, never missing a beat. They checked in on guests, made sure everyone was satisfied, and carried themselves with the type of pride and professionalism you rarely see at festival pop-ups.

Overall, Hot Pot absolutely stole the show for me at the Bel Air Festival. Between the flavorful food, impeccable service, and amazing people behind the counter, this spot deserves every bit of recognition. If you’re local, follow them wherever they go, and if you’re visiting, make sure this is your first stop.

10/10 Exceptional food, phenomenal service, and unforgettable...