There are so many hot pot places springing up that it's impossible to keep up. I've been pretty…read moreloyal to happy lamb for the past couple of years bc they have the best selection and value for ayce (meats included). HOWEVER, my friend raved about this place (it's a chain and she loves the one in Seattle). They have ayce vegetarian option for $22!!!! That is hands down the best deal in Boston. If you want meat included it's $38. We got to enjoy fried bean curd rolls, enoki, all diff kinds of greens plus the broth was so delicious and they have a really stacked sauce bar. Also, I have to say the service here was amazing. I have never in my life been to a hot pot restaurant that had good service which is fine, it's buffet, I get it. But the server was so attentive, he stayed in our little section, watered our table, refilled broth, took our order multiple times and the things we ordered came out so fast. This place is definitely my new favorite. Beware the spicy broth is SPICY! My recommendation is no matter what spice level you order, take out the chunk of spicy broth base out of the soup when your pot comes to the table. That way you can adjust it to your liking and add more if you want. I didn't think of it until it was completely melted and it was a little too oily/spicy for me but I would still give this place a 10/10

I went on a weekday right when it opened. Wasn't that crowded at first but began to fill up…read more Currently they have a deal for their All you can eat, and I wasn't disappointed. The service was quick and attentive to our needs, refilling our water and bringing out dishes quickly. They understood their menu perfectly and was able to recommend us dishes to try. We tried the Pork Belly, Pork, Beef, and Lamb. They were all pretty good and came with good portions for our party. We also tried the watercress, fried bean curd, silken tofu, quail egg, and noodles. All of them were pretty standard, though I highly recommend the noodles as they were pretty good. We tried the pork dumplings and brown sugar rice cake as appetizers. The pork dumplings were standard, and the brown sugar rice cake was good. Not too sweet, and the rice cake was fried and crispy. The saucebar is pretty good, standard options but also options of chopped peanuts for the sauce. They also have a dessert bar with ice cream and popsicle options available as well. The ambiance is quite good, the chairs are unique and the theming was nice. The only issue I had was the pot was a bit far from the seat, but that was just a problem with how I sit. Overall a great experience and is a place I would go back to again.

First off, let me preface this that so far Chinese food in Boston is really disappointing compared…read moreto the San Francisco Bay Area where I'm from. So mind you, I was super surprised by this place. Clay pot rice is hard to find to begin with. Good claypot rice is a treasure. This place got my parents as my approval so that bar as high as heck. This is a definite must for those who want authentic Chinese food in Boston. We ordered their chicken with mushroom, two clay pots of frog, a vegetable one, Chinese sausage with bacon, and a preserved duck claypot rice. We had my brother's friend and my husband too so this was for a party of 6. We also ordered their sauteed lettuce, soup dumplings and their house chicken. Their house chicken is to die for. Oh my lord is it good. Their sauteed lettuce was pretty good too. The only one that fell really flat was the soup dumplings. Pretty sure they're frozen ones...and they kept ripping/sticking to the paper under them...on top of being way too close to each other that they all stuck. Um...yeah, hard pass on that next time. But the claypot rice is absolutely delicious. Add the claypot rice soy sauce and you're golden. Only thing that was different and this is more of a personal preference...less ginger? I know ginger is needed but having small planks of them showing up is a bit much. Minced maybe? Even strip to pick out is fine. But happily eating claypot rice only to bite into a piece of ginger is not so nice. The only claypot rice I didn't care much for was the preserved duck...it's not really my thing. My brother ordered it but I prefer normal roast duck to preserved. Tasted kind of weird. Still, lot of good food here. But perhaps stick to their house chicken, sauteed vegetables and their claypot rice. Skip the soup dumpling.

To preface, I only had the sausage and bacon claypot...I didn't like it flat out. The ingredients…read moreweren't cooked with the rice. It tasted like they were placed on top. That's where the beautiful aromatic flavors marry with the rice and what makes the entire dish. The aromatics were very few as well. I am truly hesitant to try other things because of my experience with their claypot and maybe it was just the specific dish but it just wasn't shown the care. Their service and ambiance were okay nothing special.

Growl Growl is basically hotpot without having to cook it yourself and smelling like hotpot…read moreafterwards. Great concept though very pricey for what it is. You could come out of it paying for $30. Space isn't too big so it does get crowded fairly quickly. I recommend coming right when it opens. Service was quick though!

One of the worst experiences I've had in a long time! Growl Growl is truly just horrible. I will…read morenever be back. Came here for lunch and it was not busy at all. Picked out all the stuff I wanted to eat and put it in my bowl. Then, when you're ready, you give it to a staff member to help you weigh it. It is ~$18/lb of food here (before adding broth). Mine came up to 1.34 lbs w/o broth, $26. I should've taken a picture of the amount of food I had but it really wasn't much. The soup broth I chose was Tom Yum. Big mistake. It took FOREVER for our food to be ready. It ended up being 40ish minutes and probably would've been longer if we didn't ask one of the workers if we could just have it to go. I'm honestly not really sure what took 40 minutes because: 1. The soup bases are already premade sitting in their own individual pots 2. The ingredients for hotpot do not take long to cook at all 3. Restaurant was not busy Now, onto the food itself. Everything in my bowl was overcooked completely. The fatty beef was dark brown, which only happens when it's overcooked lol. Tasted like cardboard. The fish balls I chose were also overcooked because they were mushy and ballooning almost. The broth was awful. Just water and probably seasoning packets. No depth in flavor and was very flat. Another thing I want to note: there was pretty much no sauce left to choose from at their sauce bar. None of the sauce options were replenished during the time that we were here (from entering to leaving). There wasn't even soy sauce available lol... Ended up only trying a few bites and threw it all away. Waste of money & time! I honestly think it only took that long because whoever was in charge of cooking it, forgot or did not pay attention to the ingredients. 0/10; Never again.

This was SO SO SO delicious! My friend from Yunnan said it reminded her of the rice noodles…read moredownstairs from her house, and I, a spiritual Yunnan native, was instantly moved to tears. Yunnan Style Fresh Pork Rice Noodles Cooked with Chinese Pickled Sour Cabbage and Chili Oil 老字号小锅米线 : As a Cantonese, I opted for the mild spiciness, and it was indeed very light--flavorful yet safe to eat. It was served piping hot, which was a good start; the broth, made with tomatoes and authentic Yunnan pickles, had just the right amount of refreshing sourness and fruity aroma amidst the exquisite freshness, creating a complex yet harmonious flavor profile; the minced pork was incredibly tender, not at all gamey, ​​and even had a hint of milky flavor; the chives were only fragrant, without any unpleasant odor; the rice noodles were on the firmer side, providing both texture and absorbing the broth perfectly. The portion size was enormous, enough for two meals; even though I was already quite full, it was so delicious that I didn't want to leave a single drop of soup. This restaurant even imported litsea cubeba from Yunnan, although the flavor wasn't particularly strong, it still showed their sincerity! Stinky Yunnan Style Fresh Pork Rice Noodles with Chinese Pickled Sour Cabbage and Chili Oil 臭豆腐差点意思的臭豆腐小锅米线 : My friend ordered the normal spicy version, and I tried a little, but it wasn't very spicy. This one had a noticeably richer and more unique flavor, with a layer of chili oil on top. The first taste was the pungent aroma of the stinky fermented tofu, followed by the savory aroma of fermented black beans and minced pork. The flavor was also stronger, instantly stimulating all my senses. My friend said Yunnan stinky tofu is white, but this one used black Changsha stinky tofu, perhaps due to different preparation methods or limited resources. The Comeback of Yunnan's Unbeatable Cold Rolled Noodles 云南无敌好吃凉拌卷粉之卷土重来: My first time trying Yunnan rice noodle rolls, and I was blown away from the first bite... How could something be so delicious?! The rich aroma of peanut butter laid the foundation, with a perfect balance of salty and sweet; the chewy texture of the rice noodle rolls, the crunchy peanuts, and the crisp carrot shreds created a rich texture. However, it was a little too spicy for me, and by the end, I was just slurping and didn't want to stop... Also, rice noodle rolls are actually what Cantonese call "pig intestine rice noodles 猪肠粉," so seeing them with peanut sauce felt very familiar. Spicy Lemon Chicken Feet 云南胡辣子柠檬鸡爪: My friend loved it! The aroma of the roasted chili peppers was outstanding, and the refreshing lemon was a delightful surprise. It just got spicier towards the end, though, and I couldn't handle it... Flower Pastry 鲜花饼: It seemed like a very ordinary packaged flower pastry, but it was great to be able to get it in Boston!

Yes yes yes we need more of these no frills just good food spots in Boston! You can just tell how…read morepopular they are by the shear amount of take out orders they get (we were eating in and their machine was non-stop dinging with new orders). The noodles are REALLY spicy though and I wish there was an option to go even less spicy (maybe there is and I just missed it). But it's so flavorful and I personally love the texture of the rice noodles. Highly recommend trying this out!

Small corner restaurant in Chinatown that specializes in noodle soup…read more I tried the pickled fish noodle soup. The broth is okay; not too overpowering. The ratio of noodles and fish/ other toppings was a bit off. There were just a lot of noodles. The texture of the noodles is okay. I personally don't like the fact that the noodles don't absorb the broth taste that much. Overall, it is an okay and fast noodle place.

Delicious food, quick service, huge portions and a great price. What's not to like?…read moreMy go-to order is the intestine noodle but I've yet to order/try a dish I didn't like.

We keep coming back to this restaurant. Very authentic northeast dishes. Love their braised pork…read morebones - lots of meat and fresh quality. NE sweet and sour pork is such a Chinese classic (not the American version) that it is a must try! Blueberry yam is so good. The list goes on. Squirrel fish, spicy boiled fish, salads, etc. Lucky to have this gem of a restaurant in Boston!

The braised pork bones (Jiang Da Gu) were excellent--tender, flavorful, and definitely the…read morehighlight of the meal. The Di San Xian was also delicious, with great texture and seasoning. However, some dishes were disappointing. The dumplings were just average and didn't stand out. The Guo Bao Rou was much too sour for our taste, and unfortunately we had to send it back.

I came here with my husband after he tried it out with friends and RAVED about how good it was…read morehere. I was surprised how much I enjoyed the food given that I enjoy meat but am not usually the type to go all out on meat at barbecue restaurants. Friendship BBQ has a wide array of meats available and in my experience, the service has always been prompt. I really like that they place your skewers on the warming tray to keep your food hot and tasting fresh even if you get to it later on in your meal. There's also a skewer bin so that you can keep the table clear and tidy. My personal favorites are the pork belly with enoki mushrooms, chicken heart, and pork intestine, although you really can't go wrong with any of the skewers (at least that I've tried). The meat with the sauteed bean sprouts (pea pods), grilled green beans, and egg fried rice are my go-to side dishes although I'd love to try out more. There's also bubble tea, soju, and beer so it's a great place to stop by and eat with friends and there's something for everyone. Overall, I've been thoroughly impressed by the food at Friendship BBQ. I really like that they have a variety of food and authentic meats for more adventurous eaters. I will definitely be back again soon!

Food was pretty good overall. Some of the dishes could've been served hotter, and I wish they had…read moremore entrée options on the menu. Still a decent experience and I'd come back again.

A solid Chinese restaurant for the area. I have been to its Weymouth location. Not sure if this…read morelocation is newer than Weymouth or not. Limited street parking out front, but there are more street metered parking on the side street (next to the green line). The restaurant is much smaller than the Weymouth location, and the menu selection is also different. The server asked me to scan the QR code on the table for the menu, so I'm not sure if they have a paper menu. You can place the order directly via the QR code. I requested one dish to be non-spicy, and they were able to accommodate that. The only thing was that both dishes were a little bit too salty than my liking. I came here during a weekday lunch, and it wasn't super busy. I would return again.

The best of the best!! The fish in a pot (干锅鱼）is the best!! It was crispy outside and very juicy…read moreand tender inside, the flavor was perfectly balanced with salty, peppery, and chili seasoning. Beef and tripe was very well seasoned and no weird taste at all. The duck blood is the best duck blood in Boston, very tender and delicious. The cost of the dishes surprisingly a little bit cheaper than other restaurants. Even though the restaurant was super super busy, a lot of people waiting for a seat, and there was only one server, a very friendly man, we had water refilled and all the dishes arrived quickly. The service was great. Because the food was so good, many people willing to wait for a seat. I love the small busy restaurant kind of ambience. I will definitely go back soon!