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    Fast Hot Pot

    4.2 (140 reviews)
    ModerateHot Pot, Chinese, Soup
    Open 11:30 am - 8:00 pm

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    Hyewon K.

    My friends were raving about this place so we went on a Wednesday night and there was no wait. We ordered, sat down, and our food was at the table almost right away. They definitely live up to their name. The broth was incredibly flavorful, oily, and spicy even the mild. The topping selection is limited but everything was delicious. I'll definitely be back.

    Catherine Z.

    Wonderful self serve hot pot place! Plenty of options to add in, and I really liked the classic bone soup!! They also give complimentary wintermelon tea which was the perfect pair with the spicy hot pot. Would definitely return!

    enjoying our food, so delicious
    Diana S.

    just come and experience it. Their broth and fixings are so good and filling. The service is quick, and the ambiance was simple but very clean.

    tomato based diy pot
    Natalie Y.

    seriously a great deal over here! i just wish there were more meat options, and the selection was a little too fatty for my liking. flavor wise, the tomato based one was really good! i cant do spice very well so it was perfect. i like the konjac noodles and the veggie selection :) super casual establishment and a quiet sort of vibe. the workers are humble and seem like nice people! very kind and hospitable.

    Mild beef broth (a little over a pound)
    Liz B.

    I love malatang and the concept of picking your own ingredients and paying by weight. It was $14 per pound plus an additional few dollars for the broth, and one pound was the perfect portion size. My favorite things to get were the sliced beef and the squid legs, they also had a wide variety of noodles. The only complaint I had was that the broth itself was a little too salty. The complimentary sauce bar was also great, it had all the usual things I use, like garlic, cilantro, green onion, and sesame oil. They also had a chili oil that was quite spicy and can be used to adjust the spice level of your choice. After weighing and paying at the register, the cashier brought out our soup very quickly, within five minutes. I enjoyed this spot as a casual and customization quick meal.

    Becky C.

    Came to Fast Hot and it is your classic build your own hot pot spot with plenty of toppings to choose from. At $13.99 per lb, it is a pretty good deal for loading up on whatever you are craving. I went for the house special dry pot and the flavors were a little more nutty than expected but still very tasty. The mild level was not too spicy at all and I actually wish I had gone for the spicier option for more of a kick. The only thing that brought the experience down was the seating situation. I told the worker I wanted to eat there but she said there were no seats so I had to take it to go. One table was already cleared with the people leaving and another was cleared right after we ordered, but she gave the first one to people who had not ordered food. I even overheard her telling them in Chinese that they could sit there, maybe thinking I could not understand. It felt like she just did not want us to eat there which was disappointing because I was really excited to try this place and enjoy the food fresh. Food was good but the way I was treated really took away from the experience.

    Hot pot
    Annie W.

    Fast Hot Pot is a build your own hot pot where you pay by weight. I love places like this because you have so much flexibility about what you get. The hot pot was good and I liked the flower shaped fish cakes a lot! The signs are a bit confusing and all over the place, though. So sometimes, I wasn't really sure what I was grabbing and mostly relied on my own knowledge. I did ask about a few items, though and they were very helpful. There are several broth choices which I appreciate, including some I had not seen much at other places before. This is a very casual spot. You get your bowl together and pay at the counter. They'll take your stuff and cook it up for you in the back. Utensils, sauces, and water are self serve. Some of the sauce stuff is at the sauce / utensil counter while others will be at your table. Make sure you have a table (inside or outside) before ordering or you might be out of luck trying to figure out where to eat it. Overall, it's a cute small family business and I'd come back here again. Service is good because the people are friendly. The prices are reasonable and very on par with others in the area. It's in The District, so there's free parking, but it might be tough to get a spot.

    The best combo!
    Mike W.

    Love this place. Quality ingredients, great price and very friendly staff. Repeat customer forever--it's fantastic on a cold day, too!

    Bokchoy, cabbage, pork + beef + lamb, quail eggs, spam, udon, etc  Soup base: classic spicy hotpot beef rib soup, lite mild
    Michelle K.

    I came here on a cold Sunday night with two friends and had a very nice experience. This is a self serve place based on the weight of your food, so I was able to grab some tongs and get a nice variety of meat, veggies, and noodles (I even got some quail eggs!). Then, they weigh your bowl for you and cook it with broth - I got the classic spicy hotpot beef rib soup at lite mild spice. I was pretty worried that it would be really spicy (I'm weak to hot Cheetos) but it was honestly the perfect amount of spice! The bowl was humongous and the food was just sooo good, excellent for dispelling the cold. I didn't experience any stomach pains after, which was a bonus. There's also a dipping sauce station to the side if you need it. I really appreciate the owner and other worker's attentiveness and their nice variety of ingredients. Would love to come back again soon!

    Fish Maw Chicken Soup Base
    Gerina O.

    Had a random craving for this place so I stopped by on Thursday night. The staff was polite and service was fast. You grab a bowl and tongs and select your own ingredients first, then you bring it to the counter and they weigh it and ask what soup you would like. I chose the fish Maw Chicken soup this time. It was tasty, a little on the salty side. I'm not sure I would pay for the upgrade next time because the regular soup is pretty good. There are a few tables inside but I've never had trouble finding a seat. They also have the option to take it to go. Will definitely be back.

    yummy sauce bar
    Quinn N.

    tl,dr: interesting spot for some to-go hot pot. After you select all your ingredients, you bring your bowl to the cashier to weigh and price it, then they'll cook it. Likes: + Wide selection of ingredients to add to your bowl. I even indulged in their exotic ingredients, like tripe, duck blood, quail egg, and maybe gizzards. + The cashier lady was nice and helpful despite her lack of English proficiency. + Yummy sauce bar. Non-likes: - The cashier lady does not speak English. Thankfully, a nice guest there helped explain to me how ordering food works here. Also fortunately, my mediocre Mandarin skills helped carry me the rest of the way. - Also, the cashier lady didn't really know how to work the machine, so at first she was gonna charge me an extra $2 on the spicy option, but thankfully she reimbursed me after I pointed this out. - Considering her language and technology barriers, "Slow Hot Pot" would've been a more suitable name for this establishment. Gripe: - A little expensive. For a $33 lunch I could still eat more.

    Chris G.

    This place is an absolute GEM! My gf and I have been coming here every Sunday lunch for months now after the farmers market and occasionally for dinner, and it's become our comfort food haven. Not only is it reasonably priced, but I love the selection of ingredients and flavour of the soups and dry spice bowls. It takes me back to when I lived in Shanghai. I'm not sure, but I think they are a small family that runs it - we have our regular table outside and the uncle there always brings out the dishes with a huge smile on his face and says in Chinese, "eat it while it's hot!!" with the friendliest vibe. Also, their current $29.99 ayce deal with the skewers is amazing - we nearly burst after eating there last week. I genuinely love fast hot pot haha don't ever change!!

    Warm and hearty Hot Pot every Sunday
    Avid Foodie 1.

    I'm absolutely obsessed with this Fast Hot Pot restaurant! My husband and I dine here every Sunday! We've tried many Malatang restaurants but none compare to this place in terms of flavor and friendly service. The umami flavors of the hot pot always hit the spot! The owner was super sweet and gave us some free delicious coconut jello for dessert!

    Beef bone broth and more

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    2 years ago

    The ingredients are pretty good and the food came out super fast. We'll definitely be back!

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    4 years ago

    Spicy! Love it!!! I didn't even try the spiciest but I am most looking forward to it.

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    4 years ago

    Better than expected. Be careful not to overfill your bowl as it's very big and they charge by weight, but the broths they have are good.

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    EverSpring Modern Chinese

    EverSpring Modern Chinese

    4.3
    (458 reviews)
    2.7 mi
    $$
    Vegetarian friendly
    Casual dining

    Leaving this review after an almost bad experience to help the restaurant or anyone else that may…read morehave eaten here today. 5 stars for fixing the problem immediately for us. We've been here several times before and what keeps us coming back is the quality of the food. Today, they had a new chef cook our food and it was terrible. Green beans were extremely sour (way way too much vinegar). Mapo Tofu had a ton of oil but not enough sauce, so it was just flavorless except the oil. The fried pork chop was over fried where some pieces you can't even bite through. The rice had too much water in it and was mushy. I rarely return food but this time it was so bad we had to let them know. We returned all of our dishes back to them. They let us know there was a new chef today, and they would remake all the dishes for us with the original chef. The replacement dishes were just as good as all our previous visits and it was excellent again! So thanks to the staff for fixing the problem. I'm not sure if they are training a new chef to take over, or as a backup, but they need to be careful as serving bad quality food like that would drive most people to never come back. We knew the food was good from prior experience, so we knew we could ask why the food quality changed. For first time customers, or those that may have ordered to go - if you had bad food today, it may have been a fluke due to the new chef. Service however was a amazing as usual. For all our visits including today, the staff has been kind and always looking for ways to help out and make sure we were having a good experience. So besides the food being good, I would say excellent service is also huge plus here. Don't be fooled with the automated ordering and robot delivering the food into thinking there is no service. The people behind the counter are awesome! Hope management takes care of this new chef issue quickly since their food quality is the main reason people come here. There was a night and day difference between the original food we got today, and the replacement!

    We have eaten at EverSpring many times ever since they opened and my family loved it because it…read moretasted like authentic cantonese dishes. It had been a couple of months since we were last there and my parents and my daughter had been asking to go back and were really looking forward to eating there. However, we were so disappointed when we went back 2 weeks ago! The menu changed a bit, which was fine, and all our usual dishes were still there. We did notice that the cooks have changed and the original Cantonese chef was not there. I think the kitchen staff really changed how the flavors of the dishes for the worst. My 7yo daughter used to love their shrimp fried rice, but as soon as the fried rice came out, the first thing she said was "how come it looks so different from before." Not only did it look different, it was BURNT. It was like they fried the rice in a burnt wok so every grain of rice was coated in tiny black burnt bits. It was essentially inedible. They also just topped the rice with some tastless blanched shrimp instead of actually stir frying the shrimp into the rice. The green onion pancake used to be flakey with layers and expectedly oily for this dish, but the pancake we got this time was essentially a tasteless tortilla. It literally looked and tasted like a tortilla. No layers, flakes or oil at all and was the worst green onion pancake I've ever had anywhere. The fish with black bean sauce was acceptable, but it was definitely not the same. It tasted more like American Chinese flavors instead of the previous authentic Cantonese flavors. The only dish that I thought was still good was the stir fried eggplants, although my parents said it also tasted more Americanized. We are so sad that the food here has changed so much and it was one of the rare places my Cantonese dad actually said tasted authentically Cantonese in the area. The restaurant was full during our latest vist but we did notice that 90% of the diners and people ordering take-out were non-Asians. When we came previously, there was a good mix of Asian and non-Asian diners, so it seems like the clientele have shifted, which might explain the flavor changes or vice versa. The staff is still very nice and friendly, but it seems like the robot server has been laid off. I don't think we will be coming back again unfortunately as the food is no longer what we loved before. However, they seemed to still be doing well so others must still like it.

    Photos
    Crispy Beef. Photo is for demonstration purpose only, not our actual serving size.
    Crispy Beef. Photo is for demonstration purpose only, not our actual serving size.
    Orange Chicken
    Orange Chicken
    Dry Chili Chicken

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    Dry Chili Chicken
    Mama Lu's Dumpling House

    Mama Lu's Dumpling House

    3.9
    (849 reviews)
    4.2 mi
    $$

    Mama Lu's Dumpling House, 17662, 17th Street,…read moreTustin, CA92780. Dim sum, Taiwanese, Shanghainese. Service was good and attentive. The food came reasonably quickly even though the restaurant was packed when we were there. The dishes were tasty and well executed (*Garlic Pea Shoot was my personal favourite). Generous portion too. Next to the restaurant is a wholesale market (an international grocery market called Rivera Food Service). Location is really convenient if you need to do grocery shopping and grab a quick lunch.

    I would say this is a very solid 3.5 stars but rounded up because there was only 1 dish that wasn't…read morequite up to par. This is a chain and I've been to the ones in LA and always enjoyed the food there. I was happy to see one open up in the OC. The interior is very unassuming and is next to a bulk sized grocery store for Asian food. The signs are almost hidden from the front so you wouldn't know to look for it unless you read these reviews first! We tried a variety of items: Shrimp egg rolls, fish with seaweed, fried pork buns, Shanghai rice cakes, and salt and pepper pork. All the items were really tasty except for the fried pork buns - don't get those. The bun part was very mushy and you didn't get any soup inside. The fish with seaweed and salt and pepper pork chops were excellent. Very flavorful and not too salty. I would definitely get those again. The Shanghai style rice cakes are also very good, nice and chewy, definitely cooked correctly. And you can't go wrong with the shrimp egg rolls - they came with large chunks of shrimp which was nice. Prices are very reasonable and portions are generous compared to what you would find in Irvine for similar quality. I would come back!

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    Seating
    Seating
    SINGAPORE STYLE VERMICELLI | IG @moniquedao
    SINGAPORE STYLE VERMICELLI | IG @moniquedao
    1. JUICY PORK DUMPLINGS (10)

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    1. JUICY PORK DUMPLINGS (10)
    Sichuan Impression

    Sichuan Impression

    4.3
    (1.5k reviews)
    2.7 mi
    $$
    7 years in business
    Women-owned & operated

    Sichuan Impression serves some of the most authentic Sichuan cuisine in Los Angeles. I've visited…read morethis restaurant many times over the years, and one of my all-time favorites was the Bobo Chicken (钵钵鸡). Unfortunately, it is no longer on the menu. I really wish they would bring it back because it was one of the restaurant's signature dishes and a favorite among many customers. During this visit, I ordered the sliced pork and the jelly noodles. The sliced pork was incredibly tender, with a clean, fresh flavor that let the ingredients' quality shine. The jelly noodles were refreshing, spicy, and full of bold Sichuan flavors. The combination of heat, seasoning, and texture was simply delicious. The dessert was also surprisingly good. It reminded me of mochi, topped with puffed rice that added a pleasant crunch and contrast to the soft, chewy texture. If you're looking for authentic Sichuan food in Los Angeles, I highly recommend Sichuan Impression. The flavors are genuine, the dishes are consistently well prepared, and it's a place you really can't go wrong with.

    Went in for lunch special which I'm not sure if its still going on to try a restaraunt made dry…read morepot. The food here is good, not too msg/salt. Order with qr code (had specials) and servers are pretty good with water, may take some time for check Beef- tender beef (like cornstarch) and had some bamboo shoots, needed more wok hei String beans- fried with good flavor, slightly crunchy so very quick fry

    Photos
    #Impressive dumplings 锦城水饺
    #Impressive dumplings 锦城水饺
    #Tea Smoke Pork Ribs 七里香排骨
    #Tea Smoke Pork Ribs 七里香排骨
    #"Refreshing" Marbled Beef in Golden Soup 还魂金汤肥牛

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    #"Refreshing" Marbled Beef in Golden Soup 还魂金汤肥牛
    KPB Asian Bistro

    KPB Asian Bistro

    4.4
    (239 reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $$
    Certified professionals
    Catering service

    Introduced a friend of mine to KPB. You can pick individual or family size for every dish…read more Reasonably priced for the portions. We shared my 2 favorite items: Mongolian Trio and Walnut Shrimp. The quality of the food here has been consistent since day 1. Sorry, we came here hungry after a 3 mi walk and by the time I remembered to take a picture of the Mongolian Trio - we've already eaten half of it .

    I was surprised to find that I really like this place as I have been disappointed lately trying to…read morefind new Chinese places that were tasty. This place has great deals and happens to be next to one of my fav Japanese restaurants too! We started with egg drop soup and it was thick and hearty, added a little soy and spice to it and it was great, the schezwan wontons were amazing as well and had an interesting spice chili sauce to them which was great (I used the leftover chili sauce to add to my other food as well). The beef and broccoli had a lot of flavor but was my least fav of everything we ordered. Not bad but typical dish. The fried rice was cooked fine and I liked the veggies they included, it had nice taste and complimented the food as well. The chow mein was delicious and had great flavor and fresh ingredients too. Service was quick and excellent. The restaurant is pretty small so any party over 4 will need to combine tables which is what we did but it worked out. This may just have became one of my new fave Chinese places!

    Photos
    Filet mignon
    Filet mignon
    9/21/23 (thu): Lunch Special Kung Pao Chicken w/ eggroll, brown rice & crispy cucumber salad. My fav!! Sooo good!
    9/21/23 (thu): Lunch Special Kung Pao Chicken w/ eggroll, brown rice & crispy cucumber salad. My fav!! Sooo good!
    EggRoll

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    EggRoll
    Six Alley Xi’an Biang Biang Noodle

    Six Alley Xi’an Biang Biang Noodle

    4.5
    (580 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Happy hour specials

    I came here around the end of the day absolutely STARVING. We got seated quickly and everything was…read morehandled promptly. The restaurant itself is a bit on the small side so you'll be close to your neighbors not that it was an issue personally. My buddy and I ordered our items and shared with each other for a good full experience. We got the three-in-one noodles medium heat and the Ma Hu Beef noodles with mild heat alongside the cucumbers with medium heat as an appetizer. Cucumbers were very fresh! However, they really were just cucumbers with a little heat on them so they weren't anything too special. Once the main entrees came in, I couldn't stop myself from digging in! I forgot to take a picture until after some damage was done to our meals. Three-in-one was so flavorful and sweet with the noodles becoming incredibly soft after having mixed it all together. The star of the show for me though was the Ma Hu Beef noodles. The beef was remarkably tender and delicious and the noodles had a firmer texture that complimented with the flavors. Oddly enough, the mild heat on the Ma Hu Beef was spicier than the medium heat three-in-one! If you find yourself in the mood for Biangbiang noodles, this is definitely the spot to go to. On a side unrelated note about the parking which did not influence my review; the parking here is rough. It's consistently packed so watch out for that. There is a structure across the street that allows parking for the food court. I parked in the structure but I had a bad experience because since it's also parking for the residents above, the gate was closed on us after 8pm. I had to wait for a vehicle to come out and open the gate for not only just me but for multiple other people that had also parked in the structure!Just something to keep in mind. Hopefully that doesn't continue being an issue for future guests.

    Food tastes good. Service perfect! Ambiance good. Comfortable at all! Lucy's service is very good…read more Definitely will come back soon!

    Photos
    Ranked #36 -- Among Yelp's Top 100 Places to Eat in Orange County 2025
    Ranked #36 -- Among Yelp's Top 100 Places to Eat in Orange County 2025
    N3. Mahu Beef Noodle
    N3. Mahu Beef Noodle
    Braised Beef Rib with Oil-Poured Noodle

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    Braised Beef Rib with Oil-Poured Noodle
    Northern Cafe

    Northern Cafe

    4.2
    (454 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    Delicious Chinese food and great for family style! Near full house each time I visit but no worries…read more- got seated quick. Casual restaurant with a selection of cold dishes displayed up front. Lemon water in pitcher is provided once you get seated. Order via QR code. A standout dish was the pork pancake, which was layered almost like a savory crepe. The exterior was crispy and slightly oily. Plenty of flavor packed into each bite mmm I also ordered the spicy sauerkraut lamb hot pot. It comes with flames & reminded me a bit of Boiling Point. Lots of napa cabbage in the broth. The lamb was excellently fatty... tender and soft! I've recently had another hot pot place with lean lamb so this was on point. Portions were generous and the price felt very reasonable. My favorite dish of the meal was the fatty beef with scallions. The beef was indeed fatty and rich flavor, with what I think was a nice subtle Shaoxing wine or cooking wine flavor. The natural sweetness of the onions balanced the savory, salty sauce nicely.

    This is located in Irvine in the same plaza as H Mart…read more Plenty of parking spaces and open late. They have a QR Code to order online and they will bring the food at your table. We ordered beef noodle soup, shrimp wonton soup & chicken noodle soup. All soup are different, but flavorful. My favorite is the shrimp noodle soup. We also ordered beef wraps and scallion pancakes - it was crispy. Service is excellent - food came put really quickly after ordering.

    Photos
    Northern Cafe
    Szechuan Mala Pot 麻辣牛油鍋 | IG @moniquedao
    Szechuan Mala Pot 麻辣牛油鍋 | IG @moniquedao
    Half a Smoked Chicken

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    Half a Smoked Chicken
    A & J Restaurant

    A & J Restaurant

    4.1
    (2.8k reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $$

    A&J is an Irvine institution!! Can't even remember how much times I've visited in the last ten…read moreyears because it's probably my favorite Taiwanese spot in the area. It's about time I reviewed them! My number one dish goes to the minced pork rice- it's a pretty simple dish, but it's sooo good here for some reason. I've ordered this dish at other Taiwanese restaurants and nothing compares to the one at A&J- the pork is always SO flavorful, never dry and enough to coat all the rice, the egg is perfection, and all the little garnishes compliment the dish so well. It's also just as amazing takeout which I always appreciate. Other go-tos are the spicy beef noodle soup- the beef in it is always so tender and I love getting the thick noodle option because of the rough texture it adds. Beef roll and pan fried dumplings are always a good option for sharing. Have tried a lot of things on their menu and nothing so far has disappointed!

    Went to A&J with a few friends on a Friday night. There was about a 15-minute wait. We checked in,…read moretold them our party size, received a numbered ticket, and were seated shortly after. We ordered a variety of dishes to share, including the beef noodle soup, minced pork over rice, spicy wontons, fried pork chop, and scallion pancake. At first, the portions looked smaller than we expected, but the prices were reasonable and the food ended up being more filling than it appeared. We actually thought we'd need to order several more dishes for our group of four, but by the end of the meal we were completely satisfied. My favorite was definitely the spicy wontons. The wontons themselves were great, but the sauce was flavorful, slightly spicy, and addictive!

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    #151 sliced pork ears w/hot and spicy seasoning, #154 vegetarian delight (gluten puffs, bean curd, and mushrooms)
    #151 sliced pork ears w/hot and spicy seasoning, #154 vegetarian delight (gluten puffs, bean curd, and mushrooms)
    Chinese Style Fried Chicken on Rice

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    Chinese Style Fried Chicken on Rice

    Fast Hot Pot - hotpot - Updated June 2026

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