Hou Hot Pot 厚火锅 & 极 Extreme Ji Chinese BBQ — Restaurant in New York

I was in a mood to have hot pot the other day and found this place on Google. Decided to have a try given its high rating. However, the food is nothing but disappointing.

First, portion is way too small. The price of food is higher than other hot pot restaurants in the area but the portion is smaller. I cannot believe I got only eight pieces of meat which is priced around 10 bucks. We were not told that there is an extra charge for the self-service sauce and fruit bar - it is fine. However, the choice of sauces is even far less than those hot pot buffet restaurants. There was no fruit at all either.

Second, the taste is not authentic. The server recommended beef tallow base. I went with his recommendation cuz I have tried this base in other places and really liked it. HOWEVER, their beef tallow base did not have the unique and favorable taste of beef tallow at all. It is even no better than the soup base I can get from the grocery store. We also had the fried crispy pork. I have to say this is the worst fried crispy pork I ever had - very dry, the breading is not right either.

Third, food is not fresh. One of the meat we ordered had an unusual smell which is not right.

The only positive side was the service and the environment. The servers were nice and friendly, and the restaurant was decently decorated and clean. I hope the owner can improve the food quality because all other areas are extra points but the food is the reason why we want to visit...

Came here on a rainy Thursday evening. Don't think there could be a better time to have hot pot besides it not being winter. The space is not large, but sufficient to serve a good handful of parties.

Besides the hotpot, you could also opt for the Xi Ta BBQ, which apparently they just started doing. Can't comment on it as I came for the hotpot. Maybe next time if I do come back.

Fair warning, they automatically charge you $3 per person to use the sauce station, regardless if you do so or not. I don't make the rules. Just wanted to make you aware of this charge as I was not. Fun hidden fees.

I got the Dual Flavor Pot ($20), which I chose the Pig Bone Base and the Spicy Beef Tallow Base. If you like spicy, the Spicy Beef Tallow Base is the way to go. They put way too many pepper corns, which got annoying when I was trying to scoop up the meat and veggies I put in. I liked the Pig Bone Base for a balance from the spicy broth.

We got the Ferris Wheel Combo, which comes with 12 small sample items. It's a good way to try a little bit of everything as well as having a very IG-able ferris wheel. Yes, it's gimmicky. I think the better choice would have been the other combo selection that was offered. Can't really go wrong with any of the meat, seafood, and veggie selections. Loved the large variety offered and the quality is...

We got way more food than we could even finish, and believe me, we both have pretty big appetites! The variety and portions were super generous. The shrimp and lotus root stood out for me, with their perfect texture and flavor, but honestly, everything we had was delicious. The soup bases, especially the tomato and the special mala tang, were bursting with flavor and really set the tone for the meal.

What impressed me just as much as the food, though, was the service. The staff were incredibly attentive, taking the time to carefully explain each dish and even going the extra mile to make us personalized dipping sauce mixes. You could really tell they care about their customers having a great experience.

Overall, it’s safe to say this has quickly become my favorite hot pot spot in the city! Between the high-quality food, thoughtful service, and overall experience, it’s definitely a place I’ll be coming back to again and again. Highly...