Mala Town 自选麻辣烫 — Restaurant in Pleasanton

Last week my friend and I came here for a meal. We both really love malatang, so I was genuinely excited to try this place, but it turned out to be one of the most disappointing malatang experiences I’ve ever had. The soup base was shockingly bland — no depth of flavor, almost as if no seasoning had been added at all, and completely lacking the rich, comforting taste you’d expect from a proper hotpot.

The meats were another letdown. I ordered lamb and lean beef slices, and both were dry, tough, and overcooked, making them unpleasant to eat. Even the freshness of some ingredients was questionable, which is concerning for a place serving hotpot.

To make matters worse, the overall experience felt rushed yet disorganized. The staff seemed uninterested in helping or ensuring that customers enjoyed their meals. For the price, the quality and service fell far short of my expectations. Sadly, I won’t be coming back, and I would not recommend it to anyone looking for authentic...

Here's my disappointing review. I was so looking forward to this place when I first found out it was a new restaurant opened here at Pearl Plaza. I love Szechuan food and mala flavor. My wife is also a fan. We came in for lunch after a early morning coming back from the city. As we came in. No greetings. As we started preparing our food selection, veggies were dirty, some were old, selection just wasn't fresh like my other goto spot. Meat selection was lacking. I was disappointed to say the least. I came here for the Mala broth. Disappointing. The only highlight was the house bone broth. That was really good. We went with both medium heat levels. It had some kick. I could have gone with hot. Not really sure if I would come back. I like Malathang across the freeway...

Abu is friendly！I had an amazing experience at this mala tang spot! The broth was rich, spicy, and full of flavor, with just the right numbing kick from the Sichuan peppercorns. There was a wide variety of fresh ingredients to choose from—meats, vegetables, tofu, and noodles—all cooked to perfection. The self-serve sauce station was a great bonus. The staff was friendly and helpful, making the whole process easy and enjoyable. Definitely a must-try if you love bold, authentic Chinese...