Lazy Pot is one of those places where I was skeptical with the concept: AYCE hot pot, Korean BBQ AND sushi.. and wondered, "Okay, but which one of these is actually going to be good..?" Because there's no way you can have a restaurant that serves it all without compromising the quality of food. Turns out though, I was pleasantly surprised! Not as bad as I thought it would be.
I came here with family about two months ago while visiting California, and we decided to do everything because why limit ourselves? I wasn't the one footing the bill (thanks, fam!), but looking at the prices, it can definitely add up and I don't think I would pay for the upgrades personally. But for this visit, I definitely left so ridiculously full that I don't think anyone could accuse me of not getting my money's worth.
There is a limit to how many items you can order at once, which I know can sometimes be annoying at AYCE places, but it didn't bother me much here. Our orders came out at a pretty reasonable pace, and our server was nice and kept things moving. There's also a self-serve bar with other food and sides you can grab, so you're not exactly sitting there staring at an empty table while waiting for the next round.
Now, the FOOD. Seafood is absolutely where Lazy Pot won me over. The sushi was surprisingly better than I thought! I went here expecting it to just taste subpar but anything seafood-related we ordered was superb, and I kept going back for more sushi throughout the meal (especially the sashimi). Easily my favorite part of the experience. Not the most exquisite sushi ever but great quality for this type of restaurant.
For hot pot, I chose the tom yum broth and really enjoyed it. Tangy, flavorful, and a nice contrast when you're eating an ungodly amount of food in one sitting.
The meats, however, are where that fifth star disappeared. The quality was just okay, particularly with the Korean BBQ and hot pot meats. Nothing was necessarily bad, but compared to how much I enjoyed the seafood, there was definitely a difference in quality. Then again, after you've cooked and eaten what feels like your 47th piece of meat, I feel like your taste buds start waving a white flag and everything becomes "meat." Still, if the meat quality were a little better, this would have been an easy five stars for me.
I also really liked the atmosphere. We were seated in an area illuminated by blue lighting, which gave the room a cool, almost lounge-like vibe. Our table happened to be close to the restroom too, which normally isn't something I'd bother mentioning in a Yelp review, but after AYCE hot pot, KBBQ, sushi, AND multiple trips to the self-serve bar? Location, location, location.
Lazy Pot is ambitious for trying to cram three different AYCE experiences under one roof, and while I do think some quality gets sacrificed with the meats, I can't say I walked away disappointed. Quite the opposite. The seafood exceeded my expectations, the sushi was genuinely good, I loved my tom yum broth, service was pleasant, and I practically had to roll myself out afterward.
I'd say I'd come back, but I live out of state, so that's easier said than done. Still, for one of my meals while visiting California, this was a fun family outing and I'm glad I tried it. read more