KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot — Restaurant in Hazlet Township

I recently visited KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot in Hazlet, NJ, and I can honestly say it’s one of the most fun and delicious dining experiences I’ve had in awhile. My server, Eren was hilarious and attentive and really made the night special. If you’re in the area and craving something interactive, flavorful, and just all-around satisfying, KPOT is absolutely where it’s at. Here’s why it blew me away:

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🌟 What Makes KPOT Stand Out

Interactive, All-You-Can-Eat Dining You get to be the chef here, which is part of the joy. Grill your meats right at the table, choose from a huge variety of items for the hot pot, and pair everything with sauces from their sauce bar. It’s not just a meal—it’s an experience. 

Fresh & Diverse Ingredients The selection is impressive: premium cuts of beef, pork belly, short ribs, an array of seafood, lots of vegetables, tofu, noodles, etc. Everything feels fresh, and there’s enough variety to satisfy even picky eaters. 

Flavor That Packs a Punch The broths for the hot pot are richly flavored, the marinades are bold without being overwhelming, and the sauce bar lets you tailor your flavors however you like. From spicy kick to mild and savory, they hit all the notes. 

Ambience & Atmosphere It’s lively without being chaotic. The decor is inviting; the feel is warm and fun—perfect for groups, families, or even just a casual meal out. I noticed people there just having a good time. 

Friendly, Attentive Staff Service was excellent. Our server checked in regularly, the staff kept the grill clean, and things moved along smoothly. Small things like topping off the sauce bar, helping with the hot pot, and making sure everything was to our taste really stood out. 

Great Value (Especially If You’re Hungry) Because it’s all-you-can-eat, you can try a lot without worrying about the bill piling up. If you go hungry (and are there for a while), you get a lot of bang for your buck. Worth planning for a longer meal. 

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✅ What You Should Keep in Mind • If you’re short on time, this might feel a bit long—part of the joy is taking your time. • Make sure you go with people who enjoy food discovery and trying things you can cook at your table—it’s less about eating fast, more about the full experience. • During peak times (weekends, dinner hours) it might be busy, so be patient.

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🎯 Final Thoughts

KPOT in Hazlet doesn’t just serve food—it delivers an experience. Between the variety, flavor, and the novelty of cooking your meal (hot pot + BBQ), it’s a standout. I can’t recommend it highly enough for anyone looking to enjoy something social, delicious, and memorable.

If you want, I can also pull together a short version you could post online, or a version focused more on takeout/delivery—whichever works...

Linda was the BEST server Okay, I don’t usually leave reviews before I even order my food/drink, but here we are. That should tell you everything you need to know about how good Linda is at her job. From the moment I walked through the door, Linda greeted me with so much energy and warmth that I already felt like a valued customer. It wasn’t one of those quick, forced “hi, welcome” greetings you sometimes get—this was genuine. She actually looked happy to be here and happy to serve, and that kind of positivity is rare enough that it instantly stood out to me.

Now, I’ll be real for a second… there might possibly be a free boba involved with this review 👀. But let’s be honest, I wouldn’t even waste my time writing this much if Linda didn’t actually deserve it. Plenty of people would just type “5 stars, good service” and call it a day if they were only chasing free boba, right? But no, I’m sitting here writing paragraphs because Linda is THAT good.

She’s attentive without being pushy. She’s quick without making you feel rushed. She’s professional but still keeps it fun and casual, so you actually enjoy the interaction. That’s a hard balance to strike, but Linda nailed it perfectly. Even before I’ve placed my order, I feel confident that I’m going to have a great experience, and that’s entirely because of her. Honestly, I could probably order a cup of plain water right now and still feel satisfied, because the service itself is already five-star worthy.

I also want to point out how effortlessly she handled everything around her. You can tell Linda knows her stuff. She gave helpful recommendations, explained things clearly, and made sure I had all the info I needed without overwhelming me. A lot of servers just go through the motions, but Linda went above and beyond to make me feel taken care of. That kind of effort is what makes people come back again and again—and trust me, I will be back.

So yeah, maybe I’m dropping this review a little early, maybe I’m writing it partly for the chance at free boba, but at the end of the day, Linda truly earned this. If anyone deserves recognition, it’s her. She turned what could’ve been just another casual stop into something I’m actually excited to talk about.

Linda, if you’re reading this: keep doing what you’re doing. You’re seriously one of the best servers I’ve ever had, and you set the standard for how customer service should be done. Five stars all day, no question about...

Unfortunately we did not have a great experience here. I’ve been to the one in East Brunswick and always had a good time. So we were excited to try one closer to home. Atmosphere is nicely put together, no Korean music playing which is a bummer. When we sat down it took 10 minutes for our waiter to come over to get our drink order, which at the time was fine we understood that they just open. We opted for the grill and ordered from the iPad and the meat came very quick. But you couldn’t order rice from the iPad (you can order rice on the iPad at East Brunswick). So we had to order through our waiter. And because of what seems to be a lack of waiters on the floor it took another 10 minutes to flag our waiter down just for rice before we could even start grilling. We cooked our food and our bulgogi tasted bland. It definitely wasn't marinated long enough and had no flavor and the Rice was kinda dry. We ordered a spicy version and wasn’t spicy at all. The shrimp and galbi was tasty though. We tried to order a drink from the bar and it took a while again to flag down our waiter and then our waiter completely forgot about our drinks, then it was other 10 minutes of trying to get their attention to remind them of our drinks. By the time we got our drinks from the bar we were over it and didn’t want to continue because it was a hassle to get simple things like rice, drinks, getting the grill changed. And AGAIN another 10 minutes trying to get the waiters attention for the check. We got the check and they walked away and we waited again just for them to ring our cards out on the mobile machine. Unfortunately we’ll probably continue going to the East Brunswick location or go to the KBBQ places in Edison. Hopefully with in time the service and the food...