Galaxy Hot Pot & Grill — Restaurant in Maine Township

We came here a few weeks ago and I meant to review sooner, but a bunch of crazy stuff happened and life got in the way. In any case, this restaurant had a very cool atmosphere, really leaning into the "Galaxy" side of its name. Whimsical astronaut sculptures and space-themed decor permeated throughout; the hallway leading to the restrooms was especially a trip, with textured, rocky walls.

My husband and I arrived to the restaurant a bit before 5pm on a Friday night, so it wasn't so busy when we first arrived (though the seats all filled in eventually). We were seated at a table right next to the buffet. One side of our table had a booth and the other side had two chairs. We both wanted to share the booth, which made us feel a bit crowded while reaching around the table for various items. However, sitting side by side did facilitate easier conversation; it might have been more difficult if we'd sat across, due to the loud and energetic music.

Our table's position gave us easy access to the aforementioned buffet, which included all of the different sauces (essential to the hot pot experience!), spring rolls, dessert, french fries, rice, and even sushi. This position was very convenient for us, but I noticed there is only one buffet section in the giant restaurant. I wondered if it would have felt inconvenient had we been seated much further away. The aisles were sort of narrow and busy with staff, so a little rough getting around. I guess it depends how many times you want to revisit the buffet.

Each dining table is equipped with a grill plate at the center and a personal hotplate for each guest at the table. Thus, every diner gets their own tiny hotpot and can pick a different broth, unlike some places, where everyone just shares one or two broths from a big pot in the middle.

I hardly ever eat enough to make All You Can Eat pricing pay off, but it is what it is. The menu did imply there was some kind of a la carte alternative, but it wasn't very clear how or if you could really do that.

For the hotpot, you tell your server which broth you want at the start. After that point, you use a touch screen to order anything else you want; either ingredients to grill on the grill, or things to boil in the hot pot. The ingredients can be fairly plain and healthy to begin with (lots of protein and vegetables), so it is up to you to concoct a delicious sauce to spice things up.

We were forewarned that, if we tried to order too much stuff at once, the touch screen would temporarily "lock us out," to help pace ourselves. We didn't personally encounter that, but FYI.

We did have some difficulty getting the server to return at the end of our meal when we wanted to pay, but saying a new restaurant has staffing issues is a bit like saying water is wet. That said, the table bussing team was actually quite robust, working hard throughout the restaurant, clearing/delivering items and refilling broth as needed.

It was a lot of fun to eat here. Only caveats are that it will unavoidably be pretty pricy (value depends on your appetite) and a meal will take a while. It took us two hours overall, so not necessarily the place to grab a quick bite before a show. Plan accordingly! Also, I probably wouldn't bring young kids here since you'll spend the whole meal making sure they don't burn themselves - or their food. Indeed, even adults...

I checked out Galaxy Hotpot and Grill for dinner last night with one of my girlfriends. I had mixed feelings about it because I had the worst experience at their Deerfield location when I went 2 times during their soft opening.

It's not the best place for hotpot and kbbq, but it gets its job done, and I'm just happy there is a place like this close to home. To get your quick cravings fixed for hotpot & kbbq all in one, I would opt for their lunch, where it's $23.99/person from 12 pm-4 pm. They don't take reservations, and you can't be seated unless all the people in your party are present.

The interior is spacious and well-decorated. When you get seated, you can pick your broth with your server and put it in the order of everything else on the tablet. If you want a drink or more broth for your hotpot, you can ask your server.

I went with the Szechuan Spicy, which was a lot more flavorful than the time I tried it at the Deerfield location. However, when you add a lot of veggies like napa, it waters it down and loses that flavor. You just gotta make it up with some fire dipping sauce. After we put in our order on the tablet, I went to get some sushi rolls. I hoped to see some nigiri like I saw in some pictures, but there were just a few selections of basic rolls. Again, it's not the best. Lots of rice, but it gets its job done if you just wanna get those cravings fixed. The food came out quickly, and the server was great. I do love that the items come out in smaller portions so that you can try everything and reorder the ones you like in a bigger quantity. I hate when AYCE places are inconsistent with their portions. The food was pretty solid, and I'd go back because I hate driving to Chinatown. The bowls and plates were dirty, but it's also not a fancy restaurant, so I don't have high expectations. Pictures will always be deceiving because they will always make it look better than what it is, but if I were to recommend some options from what I tried, here are things I would get again and things I wouldn't:

What I would get again for KBBQ: Prime Brisket, Sliced Beef Belly, Galaxy Short Rib, Angus Chuck Flap Tail (This was our FAVORITE- so tender and delicious), Jumbo Shrimp (So plump and fresh), Onions, zucchini, pineapple, garlic, beech mushroom, king oyster mushroom, green leaf lettuce, pepper What I would not get again: Galaxy Steak (small, very different from the picture, not tender like Angus chuck flap tail, not tasty), Galaxy pork belly (this is marinated, not premium whatsoever, too sweet), garlic shrimp (not very garlicky, would rather eat jumbo shrimp)

What I would get again for hotpot: sliced beef belly, prime brisket, sliced lamb, sliced rib eye, quail eggs, lobster balls, fish cakes, squid, jumbo shrimp, mussel What I would not get again: Beef meatballs and fish roe balls (They're not bad, but I'd rather fill my tummy with other things)

The total was $43.83 for dinner after tax, with soda included, not including tip. Overall, a solid experience. I left with my pants unbuttoned....

Walked away with mixed feelings. The location is great, especially for those living nearby, and the atmosphere is clean, well-decorated, and welcoming, with friendly service.

The concept of combining Chinese hotpot and Korean BBQ in an all-you-can-eat format is creative, but it might also be the reason neither cuisine really shines. If you're Chinese or Korean, you’ll probably know what I mean — it lacks the depth and authenticity that you'd expect from a dedicated hotpot or Korean BBQ spot.

There are plenty of better Korean BBQ options just 10 minutes away in Niles and Glenview. As for hotpot, while there’s a real lack of good ones in the northern suburbs, this wouldn’t be the place I’d recommend if you’re willing to make the drive to Chinatown.

The portion sizes for hotpot are very small — you'd need about 4 plates to equal one standard portion elsewhere. Plus, they have a 10-minute delay between orders, and it often takes another 10+ minutes to receive the food, even for simple items like fish balls. One of our orders took 20 minutes to arrive, and it was just fridge-ready stuff. By the time your second or third round shows up, you're already full. Great strategy for limiting waste — not so great for the dining experience.

Overall, this place is worth a try if you live nearby and want a casual AYCE fusion meal, but don’t come expecting top-tier Chinese hotpot...