So Hot HotPot- Cary — Restaurant in Cary

We had dinner with a group of friends and were seated at a large table with six built-in hot pots for our party of eight. My husband and I shared a pot, but from the start, it wasn’t heating properly. While the other five pots were bubbling and boiling, ours never reached a boil and kept turning off.

We flagged our server down four times, explaining the issue. Each time, he had to turn the pot back on and the heat up but dismissed our concerns, saying that if the pot got too hot, it would shut off automatically. However, our pot never even reached a boil—it just kept shutting off. I suggested that maybe the grid couldn’t handle all six pots running at once and was shutting ours off for safety reasons.

Despite bringing this up repeatedly, nothing was done until the fourth time we asked, when the manager finally came over and replaced our burner. By then, our entire dinner party had already finished eating. We had barely eaten anything except some stale shrimp chips, and since our pot never reached a boil, we couldn’t properly gauge if our food was cooked. We even suspect we ended up eating undercooked chicken (major food safety concern).

To make matters worse, the server, while pleasant, gave the same scripted response every time and should have escalated the issue to a manager much sooner. Which makes us wonder why they didn’t resolve the issue earlier instead of having us wait over an hour and a half. The place was busy, so I think they couldn't give us a new burner until someone left (our burner came from another table that was originally occupied plus I noticed when getting sauce all tables were currently occupied). Despite knowing we barely ate, they still charged us full price for an "unlimited" meal, plus an 18% gratuity. We’re not looking for a free meal, but this was handled very poorly. Had they fixed the issue promptly, we would have gladly paid without complaint. Unfortunately, this experience was extremely disappointing. Additionally, the broth lacked flavor, and the seafood came frozen when served. In the restaurant world, problems will always occur. That's not the issue for me. It's how you handle the situation, and that is why we won't...

I walked into this restaurant with sky-high expectations, fueled by its glowing 4.8-star average on Google reviews. Unfortunately, reality had other plans. The most frustrating part? The broth stubbornly refused to boil in a reasonable time frame. By the 50-minute mark, one of the three sections of the pot finally decided to start bubbling. Meanwhile, my dining companions and I were starving, left with nothing but rice and sauce—definitely not worth the exorbitant price tag for the "dinner" ACYE set we paid for at lunch, all while clinging to the hope that the premium dinner items would make up for the waiting game. Spoiler alert: They didn’t, because the food wouldn’t cook properly.

Ironically, I did end up with a stomach ache, which led to a rather uncomfortable series of bathroom trips later that night. On the bright side, the sauce bar was a welcome distraction, though I could hardly focus on it in my frustration. I had to tell multiple staff members about the broth issue, only to be met with the reassuring advice to "give it time." After moving tables and switching pots, the broth still refused to cooperate. At this point, I think the restaurant and its glowing reviews need a serious reevaluation—not just for its sky-high prices, but also for its questionable food safety, considering the broth was never hot enough to properly...

We recently revisited So Hot in Cary, NC, after several years, and it was a fiery delight! The restaurant has definitely undergone a positive transformation.

Gone are the limitations of single broths. Now, you can create your dream pot with up to four flavors swirling together. My personal favorites remain the classic Sichuan spicy and the umami-rich mushroom and bone marrow soup.

The menu boasts an impressive expansion as well, offering a wider variety of ingredients to tantalize your taste buds. And for a truly modern touch, ordering is a breeze thanks to their convenient iPads.

Service shines just as brightly as the broths. Our attentive waitress, Sophia, went above and beyond when we expressed interest in seeing the "melt-in-your-pot figurine" (apparently reserved for the extra spicy option). She even consulted the manager, Jay, who graciously allowed us to have one for a quick photo op. It's these small touches that make a dining experience truly memorable.

The bustling atmosphere speaks volumes about So Hot's popularity. The restaurant was practically full throughout our visit, so be prepared for a potential wait during peak times. Regardless, this revamped hot pot haven is definitely worth the wait, and we'll certainly be back to create more fiery culinary concoctions on our next...