Lepot Chinese Hotpot — Restaurant in Minneapolis

This whole experience was amazing from start to finish. It was our first time trying Chinese Hot Pot cuisine, and Le Pot was a wonderful introduction. We didn't exactly come in blind. Watching a few videos on YouTube (Strictly Dumpling channel) helped us figure out a few of the basics. Also helps if you've eaten at a fondue restaurant before, as it is somewhat similar.

Service here was incredible. Several wait staff were always around asking if we needed anything. I ordered the beef combo w/ ramen and mushroom broth and a side of spring bamboo. My wife ordered the lamb combo w/ vermicelli and house spicy broth and a side of quail eggs. Each of us also made up some sauce for dipping off of their sauce bar. They have a few suggestions posted for sauce combos. There are call buttons if you require assistance, but they came around so often we never used the call button.

Everything came out very fast and fresh. Broth to heat first, and then a large bento box full of the combo ingredients. The beef and lamb were sliced super thin, and cooked in seconds. All of the things looked and tasted very fresh and well kept. The sides we ordered were very healthy portions of each. The spring bamboo was very tender, best I've had.

There were a lot of firsts here, all of them wonderful. First time eating beef tendon balls. Simmer for a couple minutes, and they were amazingly tender. Completely unexpected in a good and flavorful way. I imagined I'd be chewing on a tire. Hah! First time having fish balls, and stuffed ones as well. Great flavor.

Speaking of, the mushroom broth is incredible. It's subtle and powerful at the same time. Rich with mushroom goodness without being heavy. If you call this a pot of soup, it's quite possibly the best pot of soup I've had, bar none. The spicy is also good, but my wife agreed the mushroom broth was outstanding. The staff also raves about the light tomato broth, and suggest adding some hot chili oil. Mushroom broth didn't need anything. I'm a spice fiend, and didn't miss it, which is saying something. Six stars out of five.

Couple warnings, they do close at 10, but begin shutting down the raw bar at 930ish for reorders. They gave us ample warning, though. The other is don't accidently hit the cooker with your knees under the table. There's plenty of legroom, but if you raise your knees too high you could bump the thing out of place.

Also the value for the cuisine is top notch. This meal was amazing considering the price. Everything was...

They give themselves a 20% tip added to your bill automatically, no matter what kind of service they provide, so please keep that in mind if you go here. It's only shown on a small white sign on the front desk and no one mentioned it to us before we signed, so my boyfriend ended up tipping them another 25% on top of that. Just a heads up.

The service wasn't the best, I understand they are short staffed but also there was only us and two other small groups there. It was our first time trying hot pot so we really did not know what to expect or what to pick. Online it shows combos you can get, which seemed perfect for us. However when we got there and asked for them we were told they no longer offer the combos. We had to order everything individually which costs us way more for a fraction of the variety. Also please note, because I had no idea, that if you order eggs they are not hard boiled like the photo, but are raw. That may be common for Hotpot places, I had no idea at all and figured maybe other people may not as well so that's why I mention it.

Again, this was our first time trying hot pot so we really did not know what to do and were not given any directions on warming our broths, which unfortunately one of ours ended up overflowing over the table rather quickly. So keep an eye on it!

The food itself was pretty good, the pork bone broth was very flavourful and the sauces you can mix yourself adds depth to the dish. The quality of the meats seemed pretty decent but not amazing, the other items were standard. You get very few udon noodles when you order them so if you're really hungry I'd recommend ordering 2.

Overall, I don't think I'll be trying this particular place again, but I do plan on trying other hot pot places available in the area. To me, it just was not worth the price for what you receive. The service was lacking, and the automatic tipping just makes me not want to come back. I'd hope they would take these reviews into consideration but seeing as it's the same criticisms over and over, I...

My wife and I found Le Pot incidentally, as we were just going to try Kung Fu Tea. When we stopped in, we noticed that there was a hotpot restaurant in the same storefront. For this unfamiliar with the wonderful cuisine that is hotpot: think fondue, but instead of dipping breads and things in cheese, you are dropping things into flavorful, simmering broths. We decided to sit down and try it. First off, I'll say that the feel of the room was great. It's a casual dining experience that's fun for first dates or an exciting new place to visit with your longtime flame. The number of options is nearly overwhelming at first. There a nice variety of broths varying from what I would call a plain broth to a Tom Yum broth, and even a few spicy options. (Which are my jam). The second time we came here I got a Valentine pot which a pot with a divider, allowing you to try two different broths. Next, you can choose from a variety of options of foods to cook in your broth. They have a seafood option, pork, and vegetarian options, too. There are various vegetables, meats, fungi, and more. My wife got the chicken box the first time, while I tried the seafood. They were both wonderful. Where the fun really shines is the other option: a la carte. Sarah and I went this route the second time and it was a much more fun experience. The portions are great for sharing, and with a customizable menu you can get a mix of time-tested favorites and bold new experiences. We enjoyed everything from scallops, Chinese broccoli, enoki, lamb, udon noodles, and even black agaric. This has quickly become one of our favorite date night destinations, and we can't wait to go back. If you're in the Dinkytown area or out for the evening, stop at Le Pot for a fun dining experience you can share with family and friends! Don't forget to grab a delicious Thai tea while you wait...