Boiling Point — Restaurant in Redmond

Updated review. Leaving my original....The only hot pot place I really enjoy. The other places the soup base tastes kind of bland. I usually stick with the Taiwanese hot pot. Which is great if you like spicy food.

----updated--- Boiling Point is/was my favorite hot pot restaurant. My review here is specifically for this Redmond location. And the rating is targeting towards the experience, not the food quality.

I haven't been to Boiling Point since before the pandemic. The menu has largely stayed the same. The options for add-ins have been reduced. Inoki mushrooms are no longer available.

The interesting part here. I asked if they had any mushrooms, and they said no. This isn't really correct. The Taiwanese I order has mushrooms in it. So it is a strange they would say they don't have any mushrooms I could order.

Currently, this location is not open for sit in to eat Monday thru Thursday. Only to-go orders. The restaurant is pretty small to begin with. But they also have 3 tables blocked off and taped only for to go orders. Not only were 3 tables taped off I noticed they placed a no seating sign on a fourth (4 seat) seat table. So four tables not available for use. While I was eating there, I didn't see one to-go order placed on those tables. Considering the size of the restaurant this greatly reduces seating capacity. We went on a Saturday and it really was not busy. However, we waited 45 minutes to be seated. Early pandemic, I would get it to some extent. Social distancing, etc. But at this point I think people who are willing to go eat at a restaurant are vaccinated and understand the risks involved. This arrangement is not customer friendly.

The food was excellent as always. However, as other recent reviewers have noted, the customer service is poor. I'm somewhat used to this. Some Asian restaurants survive because the food is excellent despite their poor service. I currently place this restaurant in this category. Which this place has some of the best hot pot available, but don't expect great service. Once my food was delivered no one checked on us. We only received 4 napkins for 4 people. Extra sides, water, we had to wave someone down. Remind you that this restaurant is not large, and maybe 4 tables were seated and eating at that time.

I love this restaurant, but probably won't be returning here for awhile. I'd rather go to the downtown location which has far more seating. In the end, Boiling Point is going to earn less money from me. There is far too many great food...

I have never thought that I would have to fight for a table! Go somewhere else and avoid the headache!

On Sunday, Sep 19, 2021, at around 20:15 PST, I arrived at store. It is clearly stated on the front door that the restaurant will close at 21:00 that day, and I also confirmed this information with their staff. HOWEVER, the staff told me "We CAN NOT serve you.". I am so so surprised that the restaurant refuse customers to take a seat 45 minutes before the marketed closing time! Additionally, it is a very small restaurant, I could clearly see there is a table cleaned and ready to use. I told the staff that I see there is an empty table, he insisted they can not serve me, and claimed that table is for them to clean something. Well, I saw people walked out from that table!!

WHAT A SHAME!!! That is a huge disrespect of your customers' time! Everyone's time is valuable! Who would drive to a closed restaurant? If you claim the store open till 9pm, then allow your customer to take a seat especially when there is one at 8:15!!!! If you plan to have all the staff leave at 9pm, tell your customer the store close at 8pm then. I would suggest an edit on Google or Yelp and your website about your hours! Don't lure people in and force them to leave.

Besides, on Google map, the hours says it is open every weekday, thought actually they only accept to go orders, no dine in allowed! Again, no respect to your customers time. I'm glad that I called prior to my visit.

Admittedly, the food is generally good. Can't...

The Hot Pot and the iced tea served along with it were excellent, however there are some glaring detractors which is why I'm not giving this restaurant high marks. As far as the quality of food and the service is concerned, I give Boiling Point high marks for bringing an authentic Chinese hot pot experience to Redmond. This restaurant caters primarily to people from China or Taiwan who are used to the flavors and style of eating this place has to offer. The problem is, they are continually driving away their Western customers because of the dominating odor which emanates from this restaurant: barnyard animal poo. The reason for this is simple; they serve and prepare a lot of Chinese fermented "stinky" tofu. This dish is considered a delicacy for most Chinese, and it is actually fairly delicious. The smell definitely turns customers away, and in fact as I was eating I witnessed 3 different groups of caucasian customers enter the restaurant, look around a little, then leave. Which leads me to my next issue: seating. This restaurant packs a lot of people into a small space, and instead of chairs, everybody is seated on small stools, with no seatbacks. There is no where to hang a coat, except to put it in a fancy box on the floor, which is provided by the servers. Even though the food is great, the olfactory abuse is too punishing for my nose, and the seating is too uncomfortable for me to come back a second time. For now I'm sticking to my favorite Hit Pot place in Seattle, even though I...