MLBB Hot Pot 马路边边 — Restaurant in Philadelphia

Was excited to check out this new hotpot place. Overall, it was a fine experience but I do think they have some kinks to work out.

To start with the positives: There are a LOT of skewer options and they're so easy to grab for the table. Good mixture of classic beef options with some interesting prepared beef/vegetable skewers. And lots of non-meat options and easy to grab noodle dishes, as well. They're pretty attentive at refilling this. The sauce bar is good, pretty standard but I was able to make a pretty tasty sauce I was proud of. The two meat options to order were fine-pretty standard (1 beef cut & 1 lamb cut). There certainly aren't as many cuts as other places (the skewer beef really isn't the same as slices of beef at traditional hot pot locations) but you can certainly get your full for a reasonable weekday price. And the two broths we got were fair: the mushroom and traditional spicy (it is much spicier than I anticipated). Shout out to the fried lobster roll skewer as this was a really surprise.

Some other things need a bit of work. There was a tiny wait but I'm not sure why as half of the restaurant was empty. There was seemingly one waitress for the four/five tables in the back where we were and it took a lot of work to get her attention for things like a ladle, water, or more napkins. Also, the ambience is a little rundown and I'm not sure if that's just because they don't know where to put things yet or what (like random refrigerators or carts strewn about). Finally, this may just be because of the nature of skewers, but the pot itself was very sunken into the table and somewhat difficult to grab out of despite them giving fairly length chopsticks. They had baskets you could use for the hotpot but do wish that tongs were an option, too.

It was a nice try and maybe will be a better option in a few months but would probably choose to revisit some of the other options...

OK, so I’ve left this place a pretty decent review before but After yesterday, I take it back. This would have been my third time at my favorite hot pot place, which I usually visit with my boyfriend. However, I was there by myself this time. I had no idea that the pool hall wouldn't let me in due to ongoing protests, as they wanted to adhere to the law for the first time. Since I didn’t have an ID, I thought, "I can't hide in a bar, so Ima treat myself to some hot pot." I had to psych myself up, telling myself that it was a little stressful to navigate the protestors, but I deserved to treat myself to some hot pot. Well, guess what happened next?Apparently they don’t serve parties one on weekends. After walking 20 minutes navigating the chaos all over the city I had one mission in mind. I had to build up the courage during that 20 minute walk to ask for a party one. I was going to eat by myself and probably just watch twilight at my table. I walk in say “a party of one please” the host goes “Okay party of one” then this other guy may be a server or something goes we don’t serve parties of “one on the weekends” didn’t say sorry Just basically kicked me out. I was like OK that sucks. I guess I’ll leave. I understand if it’s house policy, but I would’ve only been there for 1 hr. I also had a reservation at 7 pm for two but I canceled because my friend was afraid to come to the city given the protest and I was still gonna give them my business. It was still gonna be a $50 table regardless probably more if I got a drink so that was sad I felt really down bad afterwards and almost gave up on my mission to have amazing food but luckily love noodle gave me a table for one immediately on a Saturday, which was awesome. I think this place really needs to adjust that rule considering it’s low-key feels like discrimination when you’re thrown out of a restaurant for being a...

This is a newly opened restaurant in Chinatown. I saw a reel about them and wanted to give them a try. I believe they are a franchise from China.

Parking: The restaurant doesn’t have its own parking lot. It is either street parking or park at nearby parking garages.

Service: The waitress was on top of it. Once anything gets empty out, she would come right by to clear up the table space. Stop by frequently to see if you need anything. Pays close attention when you seem like you needed something. I didn’t have a bowl or spoon to try out the soup base, right away the waitress brought them over. I have long hair, right away the waitress brought over a hair tie and ask if I needed it.

Food: Everything is pretty much self service. You get your sauce from the sauce bar. All the food and skewers are across from the sauce bar. There are many, and i mean many, varieties to choose from. My husband and I did a split pot with one free pork bone soup base and a paid $7.99 fish maw soup base. That fish maw soup base was gooood!! At least I feel worth paying for. The only problem we have was we got a little confused by the menu when we’re choosing our soup base. Took us a little time and Q&A with the waitress. And there are plenty of food on the menu that are basically self served in the back. We didn’t even have to look over the entire menu.

Overall, it is a good meal and I am definitely full. Food coma! Will I come back? Possibly. But I might question if I want to bring my young kids here because I’m afraid they might play and mess with the sharp skewer sticks that are on the table. But definitely a nice...