I Luv Hot Pot — Restaurant in Norcross

TLDR: 8/13/23 (11 pm) I went to this restaurant on a date and was given terrible service by three men who talked about me and my date (in Vietnamese) while sitting beside us. My date understands Vietnamese and asked for a manager to report their lack of professionalism.

Long story: This past Sunday (August 13th, 2023), I went to this place on a date. This was my first time there and we checked the time to make sure they weren’t closing. We arrived at 11 pm according to their front desk computer. Immediately I felt uncomfortable. The two employees looked at me and my date like they didn’t want us to be there. However, they say is down and my date was able to order us broth. When the broth came out, the conveyor belt was sending around veggies, but the selection was limited. This being my first time there I didn’t think much of it and my date told me what I could grab. Around 11:18 (my date checked his watch) nothing else was being sent out and the staff did not come to check on us or tell us they would be shutting anything down before the midnight closing time. This frustrated my date and I. He called someone over and asked them what was going on. They claimed they shut down the conveyor belt at 11:15 and my date showed him his watch and said that we’re still paying customers and no one told us this or asked if they could bring us anything out. My date also explained that he wasn’t frustrated with the employee that came to help (a man that refused to give us his name) because it wasn’t in his control. The employee nodded, then brought us out a few things and went on to sit with two other male employees (one wore glasses and all three could be about 5’6 - 5’7). As they were talking in Vietnamese, my date caught something they had said and stood up and listened closely. Whatever they were saying irritated my date enough to confront them and ask them what they had said and informed them that he understood Vietnamese. They employees would not repeat what they said, but we’re visibly shocked that my date heard them. There was no apology given by any of the three men and when my date asked for their names they refused and one decided to step into my date’s face (this was after he paid and when he had asked for a manger).

After me and a very kind Spanish woman (she tried her best to help) intervened before a scuffle could happen, we left still hungry and very annoyed. My date didn’t share everything that was said, but it was enough to make him angry. Since that situation, I’m tried to call to speak with a manager yesterday (8/14) but apparently they manager wasn’t at work that day either. I’ll try again because the experience was just that...

I'm being generous when giving this hot pot place a 3 stars. I don't usually write a review just to complain about a restaurant but because of my bad experience today, I want you to be aware and if the restaurant knows then hopefully they will improve for the future.

Table section: we sat down at a table that was almost all the way back of the restaurant. If you don't know, this restaurant is connected to I Luv Bowling next door—where we seated we could hear music from both I Luv Hotpot and I Luv Bowling. Not only that but it's also awkward to have people look at you from the bowling place. I strongly recommend waiting for a different table (up front area) if you come here.

Cleanliness: the table was super oily! I believe they wiped off the table but I think the rag they used is not clean. I had to use a lot of napkins to wipe the table. Some of the plates on the conveyor belt didn't look clean. And this has nothing to do with the restaurant but FYI: the table right behind us did this several times-they would picked up a plate, looked at it and placed it back to the conveyor belt! -.-

Customer service: Need a lot of improvement! I can understand if it's a busy night but they were not that busy. Nobody came to give us bowls, plates, spoons nor chopsticks for the setup at our table. The entire time we were there, we saw our server twice: when he brought out the soup base and when he checked us out at the end. We ordered "Sam Bo Luong" (a Vietnamese drink) but it was never brought to us. The server took off the drink from our bill, did not say sorry. He didn't even bother to explain that they were busy, forgot the order or anything. Situation like this happens all the time at restaurants, but they always offer something such as a discount for the total bill, a gift card for the next dine-in, or maybe they will make the drink free for you right away, but Unfortunately not here at I luv Hotpot.

Also, the conveyor belt stopped about 5 times when we were there. I'm not exactly sure what happened but it's incovenience if you run out of food. So yes, please take a few plates from the conveyor belt in the beginning just in case something happens and you don't want to wait for food.

Food: Hotpot soup base is great! The price is also affordable. They should have more variety of meats on the conveyor belt, more veggies, but overall food...

This is an Amazing Experience! I recommend everyone go try it!!!

The Good Soup is delicious, we had the beef & Thai soup base. The add ons we selected were octopus, lamb, chicken, beef flank, prawns, scallops, chicken, brocalli, corn, dumplings, pork belly, noodles and shrimp balls! For dessert we had watermelon, Peanuts & Carmel and cake. On a Saturday evening we were able to walk right in, No wait time! 3.The items on the conveyer belt are covered up. 4.Outside in the plaza there is a dope eiffiel tower replica, great for photos. 5.After dinner you can go bowling. They give you a free bowling coupon on the receipt. Redeemable on Wednesday & Thursday. The booths felt private due to separat glass. Ambiance was Gorgeous!! We love the decor. The sauce bar was cool. Most plates had good portions. 8.They have napkin dispenser at the table. They have 4 heaters at each table. You can change the temperature of it.

The Bad: Peanuts & Carmel dessert was nasty! If you see something grab it because if you wait it will feel like forever that it comes around again. 3. Since the plates travel around the entire restaurant people touch them and put them back! The servers don't give you an explanation of how everything works. We had to figure it out and ask. 😒 We had to ask for forks. The Sprite flavor wasn't right, almost tastes like a flat Sierra mist. Just happened someone grabbing strainers, we were removing hot food with the small spoons. They should be at each table or the waitress should automatically bring it out. Tongs would have been nice to have, to put your items in the soup base.

The ugly: Your not paying attention to the color of the plates, the price can add up fast!! For example the dessert was $6! That's alot for the portion.

Overall this is a must do experience. We live an hour away and will...