ChangHong Spicy Hot Pot (长虹麻辣烫） — Restaurant in Franklin

Malatang is a type of Chinese hot pot that originated in Sichuan province. It's a popular dish that can be found in many Chinese restaurants, so I am glad that one has opened in Franklin, TN. The restaurant had a cozy atmosphere, and the staff was friendly and attentive. Our family had the chance to taste the mifei broth soup, which was flavorful and had a nice kick to it without being too spicy. There were 5-6 broth selections, and we picked the green pepper. We also tried the beef roll and beef noodle soup. The beef roll was delicious. The beef noodle soup can be further improved with less noodle and more soups. The restaurant was too generous on providing noodles for 2-3 people in a single bowl.

Our family didn't have the chance to taste the malatang ourselves, but it looked delicious from the table next to us. There was a good selection of meats, vegetables, and noodles to choose from, so I believe there was something for everyone. The condiment table had so many different sauces and spices to choose from, which allowed everyone to customize the flavor of their malatang to their liking.

Overall, I would highly recommend this malatang restaurant to anyone who is open-minded and looking for a flavorful and satisfying meal. We will be back to try the...

Our family has been a loyal customer since the day this restaurant opened, and we've always enjoyed the authentic food and warm atmosphere. Unfortunately, today’s experience was deeply disappointing. Upon arrival, one of the staff members, who appeared to be Mid 30year old Chinese guy, rudely told us to find our seats, as if he didn’t want us there at all. We have always been respectful patrons, as our family also works in the same service industry, and we always make a point to minimize the workload for the staff. However, the way we were treated today felt completely unwarranted and disrespectful.

It wasn’t a busy time—it was around 3pm on a Tuesday—and yet it felt as though the staff didn’t want to serve a larger group (4 people and a baby). This experience has left us questioning whether we’ll continue to come back. While the food remains delicious and authentic, if the service continues to be subpar, I fear you may lose loyal customers in the long run. I hope you take this feedback to heart and remember that kindness and respect toward customers go a long way in maintaining the success of your business.

People love your food—stay humble, and don’t let poor service...

Franklin finally has some authentic Asian cuisine! I hope this sets a precedent that this city craves more real ethnic dining. Anyways, the food is excellent. You can order from the menu or fill a bowl with your own custom fixings then pay by weight and select your broth flavor. I've tried all except the spiciest broth and can't pick a favorite yet but the Sichuan pepper comes close. The street buns and wraps are really good too. Homemade boba teas like roasted oolong are a perfect compliment.

Staff is super friendly and they do their best to be accommodating when busy but the place can be crowded. Americans aren't super accustomed to sitting elbow-to-elbow with strangers at the same table and some may find it outside their comfort zone. My only gripe is really that and the chairs barely fit under the tables making sitting and getting up awkward. If they could figure out how to optimize the dining area better it would be a perfect experience. Overall, it's...