Mala Town 自选麻辣烫 — Restaurant in Milpitas

If you enjoy hot pot, love picking out your own ingredients, and appreciate having your meal cooked for you, then Mala Town is the perfect spot! 🍲 It’s a unique dining experience that might remind you of Mongolian BBQ—except instead of grilling, your hand-picked raw ingredients are cooked in a flavorful soup.

Unlike an all-you-can-eat setup, though, you fill your bowl once, and it’s weighed before cooking. My bowl came in at 1.7 pounds, and I was pleasantly stuffed! The only challenge for first-timers is figuring out just how much to grab—it takes a little trial and error to get it right. 🤔

The selection is impressive, with a wide variety of fresh vegetables and meats to choose from. There’s a smaller assortment of fish balls, but they do offer shrimp, which is a nice touch. They also have a few “exotic” animal parts for the adventurous eaters! The soup itself is the star—absolutely delicious and bursting with flavor. 🌟 However, they tend to cook the food quite thoroughly, so the meat can end up a bit dry and tough. Even so, the taste still shines through.

Props to the condiment bar, which offers a great range of options—not just spicy sauces, but thoughtful ingredients to enhance your meal. Plus, they provide complimentary water or sweetened tea, which is a refreshing bonus. 🥤

A word of caution: this place gets incredibly busy! After 5:30 PM on weekends, be prepared for lines stretching out the door. My advice? Arrive early to beat the crowd and enjoy a more...

Mala Town Hot Pot – A Must-Try for Hot Pot Fans!

If you’re a hot pot lover, Mala Town is a must-visit. The whole experience is fun, interactive, and super customizable. You start by selecting your own ingredients from a wide variety of fresh options—thinly sliced meats, seafood, vegetables, tofu, noodles, and more. Everything is laid out buffet-style, so you can build your hot pot exactly the way you like it.

One of the highlights is the choice of soup broths. I went with the classic spicy mala and the chicken broth—both were flavorful and made the meal feel really comforting. The mala broth has just the right level of heat and numbing spice, while the chicken broth is rich and savory, perfect if you’re looking for something milder to balance it out.

The dipping sauce bar is another great touch. You can mix your own sauce using soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, cilantro, chili, and more. It’s a small detail, but it makes a big difference when it comes to flavor.

The restaurant is clean, well-organized, and has a lively but relaxed vibe. It’s perfect for a fun night out with friends or family. Service was friendly, and they kept everything well-stocked.

Overall, Mala Town delivers a delicious and satisfying hot pot experience that’s worth every visit when you don’t want full...

I’m a frequent customer at Mala Town and have always enjoyed my meals here. Unfortunately, tonight’s experience was disappointing. The lamb didn’t taste as fresh as usual and had a noticeably strong, off-putting flavor. (Not only me, my husband also feels it. Beef doesn't have this issue.)

After finishing my meal, I decided to share some feedback—not to ask for a refund or make a fuss, but to help the restaurant maintain its usual high standards, in case the kitchen hadn’t noticed the issue.

When I spoke to the staff at the checkout counter, I expected at least a sincere apology, a thank-you for the feedback, or some reassurance that the matter would be looked into. Instead, the cashier barely glanced up from her work and, in a disinterested tone, simply said she’d “let the kitchen know,” without any further acknowledgment.

I was left feeling awkward and a bit embarrassed for even bringing it up. As someone who genuinely wants Mala Town to succeed, I was disappointed by the lack of care shown. Feedback should be welcomed as an opportunity to improve. I sincerely hope the team takes...