JPOT — Restaurant in San Antonio

So I've been to many, many different hot pot places. I went during lunch by myself and paid $28 in total, including tip, just for hot pot. This one happens to be okay.

A lot of the vegetables are fresh, except the woodear mushrooms. They looked gnarly, and they didn't cut the roots off (and I happen to be a fan of these mushrooms). They also don't have a variety of vegetables that claimed to have on the menu, which was a shame because I was really wanting to grab lotus roots and water cress.

They have a variety of sauces in the sauce bar, which I very much like. However, there are some that didn't look fresh. The sesame paste, for example, looked so old and all weirdly clumped up together that it doesn't even remotely resemble it. Also, some names of the sauces are left out and some have names that so hard to read. If it's someone's first time trying hot pot/bbq, I'm sure they would demand to know what some of these sauces are.

I got the mushroom hot pot which was tasty and bold, but it kind of tasted a bit artificial for me as if they added seasoning packets in there like ones you would typically add to instant noodles. Nonetheless, I still liked it.

I got comfortable and busied myself with cooking and enjoying the food, using the delicious sauces I’d mixed together. I only chose vegan and vegetarian ingredients—no meat, dairy, or eggs. As I ate, though, I couldn’t help but notice that the place didn’t feel particularly cozy. Since this was supposed to be a Japanese restaurant, I expected a warm, homey atmosphere. Instead, it felt like they copied KPOT’s concept and vibe and simply pasted it here. I’ve been to Japanese hot pot spots in other parts of the U.S. that offered a much simpler, more comforting experience with the same price point. This one, however, seemed more like a lively party venue meant for loud group gatherings. I honestly came in expecting an authentic Japanese shabu-shabu experience, but it feels like they just added a “J” to “JPOT” to make it seem more Japanese than it really is.

Great service though. I felt like I was being taken of and consistently asked if I needed anything. The server was warm, polite, and respectful.

All in all, I don't think I'll come back here by myself. The food was good, but I know I can make better hot pot at home (lol). Unless I'm brought by a group of friends or family, I don't see a reason why I shouldn't go. I know this place caters huge groups of people—and the type of seats they have reflects that. I also know that for meat eaters, this place is pretty good as they offer you a generous list of options. As a single diner who happens to be vegetarian, I find the food to be pretty good with a lackluster dining experience. My advice is to come here with friends and family, and I think you'll have a great time cooking and sharing a...

So I really wanted to love this place.

As a Korean-American, I don’t have many obsessions—faith, family, close friends, and Korean BBQ. We just moved to the area, and there aren’t many restaurants around here that fit the bill. We were genuinely excited to try this spot.

We were seated quickly, but then told our server wasn’t ready yet, which was a little odd. When she finally came out, about 15 minutes later, she was very sweet, but the wait already put a damper on things. At that point, we were still at four stars in our minds.

Some of the meats tasted good, but the marinade wasn’t even remotely close to what I’ve come to expect from authentic Korean or Japanese BBQ. It lacked the sweetness and depth I’ve grown up with. Honestly, it felt like a big miss on one of the most important elements.

Then there was the water. Like another reviewer mentioned, the drink tasted off. It had a strong mossy taste. We let our server know, and she said, “That’s how the water tastes in San Antonio.” So we kept drinking it. But about ten minutes later, she came back and said another table complained too, and she now believed something was off with the water that night. Great. We had already consumed quite a bit of it.

We asked for bottled water. After another 10 to 15 minutes, she returned and said they were out. I asked if we could have unsweet tea on the house since I’m diabetic, and we were eating all this meat with nothing to drink. She brought out tea—but it was sweet tea. I let her know, and she apologized and brought out the correct one.

Then came the bill, and we were charged for bottled water—which we never received. I got it reversed, but still, it added to the sense of disorganization.

The worst part is that later that night, both my wife and I had serious stomach issues. AKA M. Revenge. That sealed the experience for us.

I’m giving this place two stars—not to be petty, but in hopes that upper management takes this feedback seriously. The staff were friendly, and the space had promise. But the service needs tightening, the water situation needs to be addressed, and the marinade really needs to reflect the flavor profile that makes Korean and Japanese BBQ so beloved.

It feels like a lot of the high reviews are riding on the reputation of other JPOT locations. I truly want this place to succeed—San Antonio could use more great spots like it. But for now, there’s a lot of room for...

The service was good and attentive, especially from Juan — his service was excellent and one of the highlights of our visit. He was kind, responsive, and really made us feel taken care of.

That said, the food and overall experience left a lot to be desired.

My husband and I are big fans of hot pot and were excited when this location opened close to our home. Unfortunately, our first visit left us feeling uneasy — it felt like we had to be overly cautious when ordering or risk being charged extra, which made the experience uncomfortable. The sauce bar was also underwhelming. As frequent hot pot diners, we found the selection lacking compared to other places.

We hadn’t returned until today, hoping things had improved. Our go-to hot pot spot is 30 minutes away, so we really wanted to like this one for convenience. Sadly, we were disappointed again.

The cleanliness of the restaurant was a major concern. The floors were sticky, and many of the bowls and plates looked dirty, with cloudy water still on them. I actually had to double-check to make sure I wasn’t grabbing from the used pile. The sauce bar was messy, sticky, and some items were missing labels. The soda even tasted unfiltered — I’m not sure how that’s possible, but it was unpleasant.

The quality of the meat and hot pot broth (tonkotsu) was just okay. It didn’t match the standard we’re used to at other hot pot places. The grill used here is a grate grill instead of a flat top, which is a personal preference, but the meat kept sticking even with oil, making it frustrating to cook.

That said, there were a few highlights: we really enjoyed the chicken wings and fried gyoza — they were great both times we visited. Also, the inclusion of ice cream at the end is a nice touch that we wish other hot pot restaurants offered.

I’m sharing this feedback in hopes that management takes note and makes improvements. We would genuinely love to have a great hot pot option closer to home. Hopefully, the quality and cleanliness improve — and maybe we’ll give it another try in the...