Nanshan Hot Pot - Bayside｜南山•熊猫烫火锅 - 贝赛店 — Restaurant in New York

I came here with my boyfriend on Saturday, August 30th, 2025 for dinner. We were both really excited because we love hot pot and pandas — and based on what we saw online, we thought this place would be perfect.

Unfortunately, our experience didn’t live up to our expectations.

When we were seated, no one explained the process to us — we were just handed a tablet without any instructions. A few minutes later, our server came by and started speaking to us in Chinese. Once she realized we didn’t understand, she gave us a strange look and asked if it was our first time. When we said yes, she simply told us to “order the soup” — no explanation, no guidance, and no mention of how to get the panda-shaped items we had been looking forward to.

We were especially disappointed when our soup arrived, as we’d seen Google reviews showing the adorable panda figurines on the soup divider. Ours had none — which was one of the main reasons we came in the first place.

Service-wise, we also felt ignored. Our server regularly checked in on other tables but never came back to see how we were doing. It left us feeling overlooked and a bit unwelcome. On top of that, they didn’t refill the broth unless we flagged someone down — which wasn’t easy, given how hard it was to get anyone’s attention.

Reordering food was also a frustrating experience, as it took so long for it to arrive after we submitted it in the tablet. This threw off the pacing of our meal, as we ended up being full before the food got to the table.

The most frustrating part, though, was the checkout process. We were told that we had to sign up for a membership to pay — with no option to bypass it — and that we needed to preload a minimum of $200 to our account, which came with $20 in bonus credit. We asked repeatedly, even with the language barrier, if there was any way to pay without signing up, and were told “no” multiple times. We felt pressured and backed into a corner. So, reluctantly, we signed up. We were also told that moving forward, we’ll need to reload in $100 increments just to use the balance we already have.

Later, after leaving, we called the restaurant and spoke to a different representative — and were told that the membership was actually optional. That felt incredibly misleading.So now we feel stuck — we still have credit left, but we’re forced to spend even more just to use it.

Overall, the experience was confusing, disappointing, and not at all what we hoped for. We really wanted to like this place, but after everything, we’re honestly hesitant to return.

Also, you have to spend another 2.99 for sauces which is a...

Update as of 10/20/2025: Google does not allow me to add more reviews for the same restaurant but how can we not when the food, service and attentive is always outstanding and on point? Thank you so much for your hospitality, Xun, Han and Alvin! Keep up the amazing work.

Update as of 4/10/2025: We are back. Winnie and Han are so attentive, kind, helpful, professional and friendly!!! We love the customer service by them. Keep up the amazing work. Xoxo

Update as of 2/26/2025:

We are back again and as always, we always want to take the time out to leave a wonderful review for the staff. We were so happy to see Alvin again. He is such a hardworking, energetic, kind, attentive and very friendly to all the customers that came in. We were treated with the utmost respect as always. He really made our dining experience memorable. Keep up the amazing work, Alvin. We will be back soon.

We're definitely love Nanshan Hot Pot on Northern Blvd. We're back again! Just want to say that the service at this location is impeccable and wow, truly one of a kind. The staff are so attentive, kind, friendly and informative. We truly want to thank the staff, tall Peng (Josh), Peng, Sean, David and Jun. They know how to take such wonderful care of their returning customers. It truly made our day each time we went. We love the spicy broth, tomato broth and their chicken broth. All were made very nicely and very flavorful. We love all the dishes especially the dry squid, dry tofu, homemade shrimp paste, noodles, etc. Keep up the amazing work. Thank you all so much for your hospitality. They truly work hard and it is shown through their work ethics. We hope other clients will truly acknowledge them and appreciate their...

My experience at Nanshan Hot Pot was nothing short of incredible. As a fan of Sichuan cuisine, I was excited to try their famous spicy broth, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. The fiery, red broth was rich with chili, Sichuan peppercorns, and aromatic spices, delivering that signature numbing and spicy kick. For balance, I also chose the mild herbal broth in a yin-yang pot, which was soothing and flavorful—a perfect contrast to the heat.

The menu offered an impressive variety of fresh ingredients. I loved the thinly sliced beef and lamb, which cooked in seconds and absorbed the flavors of the broth beautifully. The seafood was another highlight—especially the shrimp and squid, which were fresh and tender. I also couldn’t resist trying some of the more adventurous options like beef tripe and duck blood tofu, both of which were surprisingly delicious and paired perfectly with the spicy broth.

One of my favorite parts of the experience was the dipping sauce bar. There were so many options—sesame paste, soy sauce, garlic, chili oil, and more—that I had a great time experimenting with different combinations to create my perfect sauce.

The atmosphere at Nanshan was lively and welcoming, with warm lighting and a traditional Chinese décor that set the perfect tone for a communal meal. The staff were friendly and attentive, always ready to offer recommendations or help adjust the spice level if needed.

Overall, dining at Nanshan Hot Pot felt like a celebration of Sichuan cuisine. From the bold flavors to the fun, interactive cooking process, it was an unforgettable meal. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves spice or wants to try something...