Qiao Lin Hotpot - Chicago Chinatown — Restaurant in West Chicago Township

It was a delightful meal, but being here for the first time and not having had the Chinese Hot Pot experience on my own before, it was a bit overwhelming. Thankfully, I'm not shy to ask around, and the servers were very kind and explained everything very nicely. It was good that we went early for lunch, at 11:30 (just when they opened) on a Monday.

Once at your table, tow your purse and coats in the bench storage. Pick your soups - you can choose up to 3 flavors. We got the Chonqing spicy broth level 2, pepper pork tripe broth, and the golden chicken soup with collagen. The spicy one was definitely a keeper. We personally liked the pork broth better than the golden chicken one.

For the toppings, we got the One meter sliced beef, crispy pork sticks, fresh beef tripe, and mushroom combo. The tripe is quite authentic, so if you're new to authentic Chinese food, skip it, but it really is quite tasty if you're into experimenting. The crispy pork was good, but I would personally prefer to have more beef instead. Mushrooms were good too, especially the sliced king oysters. And totally get a veggie dish. We so forgot.

As far as what this will cost, you start off with $13.95 for the broth, and $1.99 per person for dipping sauce, dessert, and appetizers. The very basic topping is meat - chuck slices for $8.95. The most expensive is the Kobe kalbi eye at $18.95. I would gather 4 people to go with - the amount of broth is set, and it was a lot for just 2.

The dipping sauce station can be overwhelming. You can make all kinds of sauces with all the ingredients they have, but if you aren't a cook, this can get ugly pretty fast. When in doubt, just ask one of the servers for a recommendation. I did even though I'm Asian and look like I should know what I'm doing lol. And she was super kind and knew just what to recommend.

The station also has a few appetizers, including pork ear salad! And some soups and desserts. It's all included in $1.99, so go crazy and try them all out!

Overall, I loved the experience. I knocked off one star because I believe in clarity, and a better explanation of how to eat here would be nice. You know, like when you go to a place and the server asks you, "have you been here before? No? Well, this is how we do things here!" Or a menu with Step 1, 2, 3... Their menu only has steps 1 and 2 for broth. Then you're left on your own. It would also be nice for the sauce bar to be a little better divided - appetizers on one side and desserts on the other? Though there really is no rules for eating..

Note to self: Next time, stick with 2 soups - Chongqing Spicy broth level 2 and Pepper pork tripe broth. The meter beef was great, but I think the chuck slices would do just as nicely. Beef tripe go again. Skip mushroom combo and crispy pork. Try: seasoned seaweed sprouts, tongho (쑥갓), Napa cabbage, maybe green leaf lettuce, king...

I like that this hot pot place offers 3 broth choices. I'm used to either one pot or two broths. I typically order tomato broth and spicy, so I stuck to my usual, plus tried mushroom broth for the first time. Love the umami flavor in it. I got spicy level 2 out of 3, and boy, it was still too spicy. I needed my other 2 flavors to balance out the spicy flavor. To be honest, I'm not sure if is get mushroom again though. Overall, Qiao Lin is worth trying once due to Instagram worthy photos. I'm not sure if I see a need to come back.

The interesting thing was my raw meat came out so much earlier (like 10 minutes!) prior to the broth. I was staring at the raw meat with my hungry self and couldn't do anything but stare, and take photos (of course!).

10 minutes later, the broth came. It took forever (or felt like!) to boil, still while staring at the raw meat. I saw tables near us who came in around the same time putting in raw meat prior to broth boiling. We waited for the broth to boil so we can cook properly. Our server let us know that the mushroom broth and tomato broth boils slower because there's not enough oil, so spicy one will boil first. I have not come across a hot pot place that still serves broth in its liquid + solid form of flavor. It almost was like the broth had the broth packaging brick still in the broth. It was pure misery to just stare at the raw meat and wait to eat. Overall process felt long.

One of the best perk that my dining mate liked was the sauce bar. There's an extensive choices to choose from. I don't typically use condiments but I did try sesame sauce and thought it was good. I like that it also provided grape tomatoes, cucumbers, and some fruits. I was a bit hesitant to use all of these in the middle of the pandemic, but after all, I did come choose to dine out so I guess it's eat at your own risk.

We ordered the following. I personally like lamb in my hot pot the best. Fresh Cut Sliced Short Ribs One Meter Sliced Certified Angus Short Plate Snake River Farm Kobe Beef Australia Sliced Lamb Shoulder Freshly Made Shrimp Paste Jumbo Scallop Prawns Fried Fish Tofu Napa Cabbage

My service was great and there was a laundry basket w lid to store your jackets. However, I see no point in that because my whole body smelled like hot pot anyway. I didn’t use it because I didn’t feel comfortable with storing my jacket in such closed space with no knowledge of who has used it prior. It is a cool...

The dining experience at Qiao Lin for hotpot enthusiasts is truly exceptional. One aspect that stands out is the remarkable depth of flavor found in their chicken broth. Its beautiful yellow hue and the distinct umami notes derived from using fresh chicken create an excellent base to dip the meat and seafood into.

Moreover, the quality of ingredients shines throughout the meal. Every dish we tried boasted freshness and excellence. The fish fillet and sliced Wagyu beef were our favorites. The fish fillet was delicate and tender, while the Wagyu beef was rich and melt-in-your-mouth. Qiao Lin's commitment to quality ingredients truly elevated the dining experience.

The entire staff was friendly, attentive, and helpful throughout our dining experience. From the moment we were seated, they took care of every detail, including storing our belongings in the convenient storage box. Their impeccable service continued until we left the restaurant, ensuring that we were well taken care of and satisfied. The attentive and courteous staff added an extra touch of excellence to our overall dining experience at Qiao Lin.

However, it's important to note that the only downside we encountered was the lengthy wait time. If you decide to join the waitlist, expecting your table to be ready at the suggested time, you might be in for a surprise. To ensure a great dining experience, making a reservation ahead of time is an absolute must at this popular establishment.

Must try: One meter beef, pork meat balls, shrimp paste, black fish fillet, frog legs, and the golden chicken broth.

Updated: In our last visit, I also loved the spicy garlic pig ear and the Mengo Lassi at the sauce bar.

Can avoid: fresh cut beef and...