Mala Hot Pot — Restaurant in New York

太难吃了，快跑！ The food and service are really bad, avoid this restaurant!

Updates after this review: I am not sure why the “fans” for this store is so crazy. They screenshotted the pages with reviewers’ names and gave bad words personally in Chinese social media. They are saying people who left unexpected reviews are the ones who received money from other stores, are the ones who haven’t ate anything good so have no tastes, are the ones they could described as 🤡 emoji.

I left this review cause I want to make sure I won’t visit this restaurant again. However, the whole experience including the social network beef now turns to a nightmare, now I want to give a review with further details.

Food: Really bad. Crispy Pork is just like simply frying the fat; Fresh duck blood was served by the waiter and he put it into the wrong part of the pot, causing bubbles in the blood. Fried eggs contained a taste of used oil.

Service: Even worse. We arrived at the front desk and waited the two waiters to stop their conversions to get seated. During the whole meal, the waiter filled our water like twice?? Then the waiter tried to help us on shrimp pates(虾滑）, but all he did was cut the pate into cubes which is not the expected shape in traditional Chinese hotpot. After we finished our meal, they can’t wait to let us go. A waiter stood back of me and tried to clean the table as fast as he could, he nearly hit me with the dirty box full of dirty plates.

Safety: The restaurant has a middle line of tables. They served food with sticks to the middle line as well, meaning if there’s someone who hasn’t seen the customer enjoying their food with sticks, the customer will have danger.

Social media: I am not sure if the “fans” are real fans or someone else. But try to spend your budget on your food and service instead of all...

An a la carte hot pot spot with a giant shared pot.

My friends and I picked two broths, mushroom and pork bone. I’d say the mushroom was better and I would love to try tomato next time! Tomato surprisingly adds so much flavor to the foods you cook in it, let me know how you like it ☺️

I enjoyed all of the different options available for order but my favorite beef option is probably still the fatty beef. I’d recommend cooking certain items longer like lotus root, beef tripe, and daikon whereas the usual beef slices should be quick if you like them soft. The sauce selection had the usual suspects and could really make your hot pot experience 10x better with a good sauce. Just don’t ever order lettuce please, every plate basically comes with a piece of lettuce so save them 🤣

My Sauce: Soy Sauce, Satay (XO) Sauce (I use more of this because I like my sauce a bit thicker), a lil bit of sesame oil, sprinkle some sugar, cilantro, green onions, a dash of hoisin, peanut, and sesame sauce

The servers were friendly and you got your orders within 10 minutes usually. They got some bops playing in the background like TWICE, DPR IAN, and Bruno Mars. They’ll help bag your clothes in giant see through bags when you enter. When you leave, there’s a machine near the entrance to deodorize your clothes before you put on your jacket when you leave. My biggest complaint is the size of the tables, my friends arm was constantly in front of my space because it was so cramped. Rather than seating us at a bigger table, my friend was seated on a stool outside...

If you're craving something spicy and fun, Mala Hot Pot in New York is definitely worth a visit. It’s the perfect spot if you love customizing your meal and having a bit of an interactive experience.

The concept is super simple: you choose your broth (the mala broth is a must-try if you like a good kick of spice) and then pick from a ton of meats, veggies, and noodles to cook in your bubbling hot pot. The mala broth is rich with spice and a numbing heat that’s just the right balance—it’s got a serious punch but isn't overwhelming.

One thing that really stood out for me was the Kobe beef slices. They were insanely tender, and when they hit the broth, they practically melt in your mouth. It’s the kind of beef that makes every bite feel extra special. I also loved the tofu skin, which soaks up the broth and adds a great texture to the mix.

The vibe is relaxed and fun, and the staff is super friendly. If you’ve never done hot pot before, they’ll walk you through the process and help you pick ingredients based on your spice tolerance (which is great if you’re not sure how hot you want to go).

Yes, it can get a little messy, but that’s part of the experience. It’s a great way to hang out with friends, share a meal, and get a little adventurous with your spice levels.

All in all, Mala Hot Pot is a great place to dive into the world of hot pot. It’s flavorful, fresh, and a blast to eat. If you're in the mood for something that’s both fun and satisfying, definitely...