Liuyishou Hotpot Boston — Restaurant in Boston

Liuyishou should shut down its business immediately and permanently for its service alone. Below is an accumulation of 4 visits where every single time their service failed in some spectacular way, to the point we question whether the owner/ franchiser was oblivious, or simply doesn’t care- Waitlist system: completely broken and exacerbated by the hostess’ incompetence. Beware, they do not honor their yelp waitlist system. We came in within the time frame yelp told us to, and was told by the nonchalant hostess that she doesn’t follow the yelp waitlist- she seated other people already, and said the next table won’t be opened for another hour. Other times after we received a text saying our table is ready, we waited on average another 30-60 minutes before being seated. As others have mentioned in their comments, the wait isn’t the problem; the staff’s incompetence in managing the wait is. The hostess is a hospitality nightmare. Unless she is the owner she should be fired immediately. She not only is incompetent, she has ZERO sense of hospitality (yet 100% self-entitlement.) If you dare raising any concerns to her, be prepared for her defensive and combative retorts. This woman probably thinks apologizing even for the thin veneer of pretense is the worst thing that can even happen to her. For example, when we kindly reminded her that two empty tables are left uncleaned and dirty for almost 10 minutes while 30+ parties are waiting behind, she replied with the utmost impatience- “our waiters are humans too, do you not have a heart”- and proceeded her flirting with one of the waiters. Other times you can see her wandering around idly, flirting with other male waiters, arguing with customers, and staring at her phone. Her behavior is akin to a self-anointed high school drama queen who treats a selected few waiters as her loyal squad and customers as her subjects. Waiters and service in general are inconsistent and often below standard. Upon being seated, you can expect that one of the following items will be perpetually missing from the table until you remind them: water, napkins, and utensils for hotpot. Waiters will stand in the middle of aisles and chat with each other (subjects not related to work) while other customers wave their hands in futile. Another time a waitress spilled the pot with sizzling hot oil broth 3 inches next to us. Although we were lucky enough to get only a few stains on our clothes, but the waiters treated the incident as if we should thank them for not spilling the broth onto our heads. We patiently waited for them to clean up, and was expecting to get some napkins as well as some acknowledgment/apology for what happened. To our astonishment, not a single word/ apology was said to us regarding the incredibly dangerous and potentially serious incident. Not even a napkin was provided for the stains on our clothes. They simply ignored us and pretended it didn’t happen. 15 minutes later we asked a waiter to come over. We told them that we don’t mean to cause any troubles but the incident made us feel unsafe eating here. Guess what the waiter and the hostess said? No apologies of any kind. They went straight into defensive and combative mode again- “the waitress who spilled the hotpot was the only person we were concerned with at the time. Luckily she is unscratched.” Miss, we saw what happened. The broth flew from the pot in her hand in a projectile. We were inches from that waterfall of boiled hot oil broth. If anyone would get seriously hurt, it would be us and not her. Apparently your concern for your waitress infinitely triumphs those for your customers. Long story short, Liuyishou treats its customers as if dining there is an honor to us customers. Lower your expectation and standards for service since it’s a never-ending...

🔥🍲 Liuyishou Hot Pot – A Must-Do in Boston! 🍲🔥

If you love hot pot, Liuyishou Hot Pot at 702 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111 is an absolute must-visit! Whether you're a seasoned hot pot pro or a first-timer, this spot delivers an interactive, delicious, and warming dining experience that’s perfect for the cold months—or really, any time you’re craving comfort food with a customizable twist.

🍜 Step 1: Pick Your Broth Liuyishou has a fantastic selection of broths, and we went all in with three: ✔️ Tomato Broth – A rich and slightly sweet option that pairs well with everything. ✔️ Signature Spicy Broth 🌶️🔥 – This one packs serious heat, so spice lovers, you’ve been warned! But the depth of flavor is next level. ✔️ Coconut Broth 🥥 – This was a standout! They literally cut a coconut at the table and add fresh coconut pieces into the broth. It’s an instant winter cure ❄️—mild, slightly sweet, and incredibly comforting.

🥩 Step 2: Choose Your Meats We went all out with Australian Wagyu, and honestly, it was worth every bite. The marbling on the beef was incredible, and when cooked in the hot broth, it melted in our mouths. If you’re a meat lover, this is the way to go!

🥬🍄 Step 3: Load Up on Sides & Veggies One of the best things about hot pot is the sheer variety of add-ons. We loaded up on fresh veggies, mushrooms, tofu, and other classic hot pot essentials.

🧋 Step 4: Sip on Some Boba Because what’s a feast without a little balance? 😆 We grabbed some boba tea, which was a fun and refreshing contrast to the rich, savory broths.

🍦 DIY Ice Cream No meal is complete without dessert, and Liuyishou lets you DIY your own ice cream—a fun, sweet way to wrap things up!

💰 Pro Tip: Definitely opt for the all-you-can-eat sauce bar ($7 per person). You can mix and match flavors to create your own perfect dipping sauce—whether you want something garlicky, spicy, tangy, or nutty.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Final Thoughts This is a great spot for families, groups, and even date nights. The atmosphere is cozy despite having a lot of tables, so you can enjoy a personal, immersive dining experience while cooking your own meal at the table.

⭐ Affordability: 7/10 (We spent a little over $100, but you get a lot of food!) ⭐ Ambiance: 7/10 (Busy but comfortable—ideal for both casual outings and cozy dates.) ⭐ Food Quality: 8/10 (Great broth flavors and high-quality ingredients, with tons of variety.)

Verdict? If you love interactive dining, bold flavors, and a feast-worthy experience, Liuyishou Hot Pot is a must-try in...

Highly rated on Yelp so I decided to give this place a try, even with a 1.5 hour wait. Just 2 problems...

1. Nobody speaks English very well. I went through 2-3 people and basic words like "off" were not understood, and I didn't understand some of their English either ("percentage"). I tried to use Google translate but that didn't seem to work either. Minus 1 star.

2. I was told they have ponzu sauce when I called - I always call hot pot/shabu shabu restaurants and ask if they have ponzu as I require it. It's my favorite part of the meal. So I called and asked and was told yes they have ponzu sauce. When I am seated my first question is if they have ponzu sauce and nobody knows what ponzu sauce is. I showed them a Google image of kikkoman ponzu sauce (its a very common sauce) and they still didn't know what I was talking about. They said the chef would try to make ponzu sauce (?) and when they brought it out, it was duck (apricot) sauce. Minus another star.

Those 2 issues aside the food was okay and the menu was very good - I enjoyed the variety of options. I found it annoying drinking out of a tiny cup (just give us a full size glass; the sake cups aren't cute and are a waste of time). The sauce bar was very good - I was able to conjure up a sauce to my liking, albeit for $2.50. Still, with a total cost of $55 with tip for 1 person, this wasn't a bad deal when put all together. As others have commented, they charge for everything - even sauces ($2.50) and rice ($0.95). As compare to Shabu Zen and The Q, the quality of the food is better (8/10) but the service and lack of communication/English is bad (2/10).

I can't see myself waiting again for 1.5 to 2.0 hours to have to deal with this lack of communication and service again. Shabu Zen is still my go to, but honestly all of the hot pot places in Boston suck.

Pictures of the menu attached since neither the website or...