Underrated Chinese restaurant in Pac Commons! My roommates and I wanted to try a different, affordable restaurant, and we stumbled upon General Pot. We were able to get seated instantly and were instantly given hot tea to sip on. They have plenty on their menu, but we were very impressed with the dry spicy beef pot, fried pumpkin, and tofu with century egg. The spicy beef dry pot had a lot of flavoring came with lots of onions and peppers. It paired nicely with the rice. For some different texture, the pumpkin was fried and seasoned greatly, with the fried crust balancing the softness of the pumpkin. The cold tofu and century egg balanced the warmth of the other two dishes since it was cold. It came with green onions. It was a refreshing bit between spicy and hot! Overall, I'm excited to try the other dry pots and dishes in the future! read more

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I was looking for a quick lunch during work, so I stopped by General Pot to try their lunch menu. They had a good variety of options, and I ended up ordering the Spicy Beef Pot with the spice level set to mild. When I opened my meal, I was pleasantly surprised by how much food came with it--it was a generous portion and definitely filling. That said, don't let the "mild" label fool you. It was still pretty darn spicy! The dish had a strong oily, spicy kick that really packed a punch. If you're someone who enjoys spicy food, you'll probably like it. But if you're sensitive to heat like I am, I'd recommend being cautious, because their version of mild is much spicier than expected and it was extremely oily. Overall, the portion size was great and the lunch menu offers good value, just be prepared for the spice and oil level! read more

Highly recommend; dry pot lamb spareribs and chicken wings, with the at least mild spicy! read more

General Pot - Chinese Near Me - Fremont, California

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Everyone working here is friendly and attentive!!! They remind me of the neighborhood restaurants just down the street in China. The food was decent. We got the grilled fish with additional veggies. The fish was freshly killed and tasted fresh. The veggies were decent quality too. Flavoring was decent but not outstanding. Overall I'd eat again at this place if I'm nearby. read more

General Pot - Grilled Fish - Chinese Near Me - Fremont, California

My roommate has raved about the vegetarian dry pot here (and how spicy it is) but when we went together we decided to switch it up and get the salt and pepper tofu and salt and pepper white fish. Each dish was perfectly soft yet crispy and perfectly seasoned with flavor. The dishes weren't saucy so you don't need if you don't want - the serving size is generous anyway! Logistics: - indoor seating only - plenty of strip mall parking outside read more

General Pot - Salt and pepper tofu and fish - Chinese Near Me - Fremont, California

It's 3.5 stars rounded up. The price is great. And everything is tasty in general. But chef uses lots of oil & dishes are quite salty. Melon veggie dish is great due to fresh ingredients. The lamb with onions dish is best in the group. The celery with pork is ok. Spicy fish tastes great but the battered is a bit thick. The physical restaurant's decor is a bit dated and probably needs a refresh. Maybe that's the reason for the reasonable prices. Service is fast & no non-sense. read more

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Must say wow, this is one of the best Chinese restaurants in the area with him like grandmas cooking vibes. The food is excellent and on the spicy side BUT it's a must try with for an authentic experience. Service was fast and friendly, easy parking and good atmosphere. Must try !! read more

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Good food and good service. We ordered the beef dry pot with mild spiciness. It was very spicy even at a mild level and we are used to eat very spicy food. It took about 30 minutes for our food to arrive. It was crowded even for a Sunday night. Overall, it was a positive experience. We will definitely be back. read more

Ordered spicy dry pot with Shrimp and fish tofu for Togo. Took 40 mins, but worth it. I even finished the all the veggies!!!!! It is so delicious just like the dry pot I had in Guangzhou. Will definitely come back read more

The minute I walked in, I felt that ominous feeling - the feeling you're walking into a crappy Chinese restaurant that gives Chinese food its bad rep. From the outdated American diner decor with hints of Chinese accents, to the old menu books that are covered in clear plastic, to the loneliest fish in the tank, my senses could not prove me wrong otherwise. Don't get me started on the menu numbered past 30 with more alphabetical letters than 1 hand's worth of fingers. Regardless, 小红书 claimed this spot was pretty good, especially for their dry pot bullfrogs. Frog dishes are really lackluster in the Bay, and I hoped we've stumbled upon a hidden gem like other reviewers claimed. I ordered a frog dry pot, mild spicy, and a "general style spicy chicken wing with chili pepper". The bullfrog dry pot, was adequate at best, and hideous at worst. Having the price being "market value", or $40 aside, over half the pot was filled with unedible vegetables, mainly of onions, green onion, and chili peppers. There were a few stalked of celery we managed to scour, along with some bean sprouts and frogs. Although the pot looks big, it was really shallow, and I don't even think it's enough for 2 people! At least the taste was good...right? Nah, it doesn't even taste close to the flavors I've had at other frog restaurants; this one was bland with only the spicy flavor of the chili...but it wasn't the good spicy, or 香辣. 2/5 at best. The badly translated chicken was good right? Nope. If you can read Chinese, the authentic dish under the same name should be small bits of fried chicken, stir fried with chili oil that makes for a perfect side dish. However, in this case, we got around 8-10 half chicken wings that...were okay in terms of flavor, but not okay in terms of presentation. The spicy was definitely more flavorful than the frog, but very, VERY unauthentic. To conclude, this place easily tricks the unsuspecting Chinese food lover into a bunch of unauthentic flavors. The prices are pretty expensive for the value and flavors, even the environment cannot justify it. Maybe other dry pots are the way to go, but I've quite literally had the worst bullfrog in my life. Maybe the bad translations, with the biggest menu possible, were red flags to begin with. read more

General Pot - General style spicy chicken wing with chili pepper - Chinese Near Me - Fremont, California

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Amazing food! My family and I don't usually eat spicy chinese food, but I brought my family here because I had them once and thought it was delicious. My family enjoyed the meal albeit it was a bit spicy. The fish was phenomenal! Fresh and flavorful, can't stop digging around the pot for The flavors are amazing, nothing bad about the service. Plenty of parking available. I'd come again if I'm in the area and craving some spicy chinese food! read more

General Pot - Dry pot - pig intestine (left) and mapo tofu (right) - Chinese Near Me - Fremont, California

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I suggested this place to my team members! We went there once around two weeks ago for team lunch. We got their dry pot: shrimp, chicken, and lamb. We were so satisfied with the food and portion size that we decided to bring our other internal team to the same place today. The service is beyond words. They were so attentive to details and made sure everyone liked what they ordered. 这个餐厅绝对是湾区宝藏餐厅了 我带着我们小组队员去吃中饭。不但食物好吃，分量足，食材新鲜，而且服务还特别好 总之老板和员工都特别聊得来 我老板说他们一看就是发自内心希望来他们餐厅的人开开心心吃一顿饭 会带我们整个小组一起再来的 read more

General Pot - Dry pot lamb - Chinese Near Me - Fremont, California

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This restaurant is definitely being underrated. Solid food plus friendly stuffs, I am a happy person! Been there multiple times, and food quality is consistently! read more

General Pot - Chicken wings dry pot - Chinese Near Me - Fremont, California

came for the lunch special dry pot -- value is so good!! each dry pot order came with a very generous portion of spicy dry pot with your choice of meat, a big heaping bowl of rice, and soup (they were actually sold out of soup when we got there). i think mild is a good level to start with if you can handle spicy food but not sure where you fall under their spice spectrum. 11/10 would come back for their lunch special dry pot, and maybe try an appetizer or two ;) read more

General Pot - spicy beef dry pot (tender beef, cabbage, onions, wood ear mushroom, bean sprouts, chinese cauliflower, and LOTS of aromatics) - Chinese Near Me - Fremont, California

I've been to this restaurant years ago but finally decided to revisit despite the subpar reviews. It's about just as tasty as I remember! My mom and I went with a Mild Spicy Sliced Beef Pot and the base pot was filled with onions, sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, and beef. They were really generous with the beef and it was also quite tender. We added on quail eggs, potato slices, pigs large intestine , and enoki mushrooms, all of which went super well with the dry pot. I wish we went up a level or two on the spice scale as mild didn't really do it for me. Everything was flavorful and savory but with a little extra spice it would be great! The bean jelly dish was also really tasty with hints of salty, sour, and spicy. It was the perfect refreshing side dish to cool down from the steaming hot dry pot. As for the service, both the hostess and the owner were very friendly and welcoming. Food didn't come out super fast but not very slow either. The ambiance is okay, a little dim inside but all the tables are clean and there's a good amount of seating. Overall, I enjoyed all the food and service here! The prices are a bit high but it was ton of food! Probably could feed 3-4 people. read more

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Always such amazing and delicious food, very quick service, and an authentic chinese ambiance.

General pot is a place to go if you like spicy food not every food is spicy but you could pick out a different kind of food soup ribs with vegetables and salad soup you won't regret it because their food come from the heart when it comes from the heart it has a lot of blessings so I highly recommend this place and I rate them 10 why the hospitality is top 10 their food is top 10 so why not try their food you will like it and you'll just keep coming back for more when you like spicy food all kinds of different Asian food this is a place to go and try their different kind of food and you won't regret it plus it's comfortable being there and they embrace you with open arm when you walk into the door so try general pot you won't regret it read more

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Having recently dined at this venerable Chinese restaurant, a local institution for over a decade, I felt compelled to share my experience. The undisputed star of the show is their beef dry pot - a harmonious symphony of spices and tender beef that has consistently captivated my taste buds. It's an absolute must-try for anyone seeking a flavorful and satisfying meal. Spicy fish filet - a dish that never fails to impress with its fresh fish and perfectly balanced spice levels. The combination creates a delightful and memorable culinary experience. spicy boiling beef - a personal favorite of mine. The rich broth and succulent beef make for a comforting and flavorsome treat. pork ear - didn't quite meet the same high standards set by their other offerings. I'd recommend exploring their more celebrated options for a truly exceptional dining experience. Beyond the food, the service at this establishment is noteworthy. The staff is consistently friendly and attentive, adding to the overall positive dining experience. The ambiance complements the culinary delights - a comfortable and welcoming space that enhances the enjoyment of the meal. What truly sets this place apart is its dedication to providing ample portions at a reasonable price, making it an ideal choice for those seeking value without compromising on taste. With over a decade of successful operation, this restaurant has earned its status as a local favorite for authentic Chinese cuisine. I wholeheartedly recommend savoring their signature dishes while appreciating the warm service and inviting atmosphere. I'm already eagerly anticipating my next visit! read more

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Tried out their beef noodle soup and stir fried lamb for dinner. Lamb was good, beef noodle was average in comparison to others I have had. Most of their menu choices are typically spicy, but can be adjusted upon special request. Service was alright, the staff is quite attentive and quick to respond. The place is not particularly large so there is limited seating that can fill up on busy evenings. A few booths, and few large party tables, and lot of small party tables. The small party tables adjacently connect with each other. Expect a wait if it is busy! read more

General Pot - H4. Beef noodle stew - Chinese Near Me - Fremont, California

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I'm surprised I haven't written a review for this place yet, especially since my friends and I are regulars--so much so that the owner knows us by now. This spot serves what I think is the best Szechuan food in the Bay Area and definitely feels like a hidden gem. We usually order the intestine dry pot, chicken, and roasted fish. While the food can sometimes be a bit salty, it's consistently delicious. What we love most about this place is the comfort it provides through its flavorful dishes. It's a go-to spot for us, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves Szechuan cuisine! read more

Food/Taste/Flavor: 5/5 - Stir-Fried Spicy Pig Large Intestines were nicely fried and very aromatic. The intestines were cleaned well and fairly consistent in size Ambience: n/a - ordered to go Service: n/a - ordered and just grabbed the food Value for price: 5/5 - yummy food that hits the spot! read more

General Pot - Stir-Fried Spicy Pig Large Intestines - Chinese Near Me - Fremont, California

将军花菜 2 too spicy 烤鲶鱼 2 don't like the catfish flavor 干锅排骨 5 辣子鸡翅 5 干煸四季豆 2 too undercooked read more

We tried the Grilled Fish today and it's awesome. The fish is big and fresh. We added the famous Fish Gluten and it did live up to its name. Both the flavor and the texture are very nice. And it might be the most expensive side in this restaurant. We asked for "less salty" again and this time they did it well. The service is good. read more

Very packed Sat at 8:30pm (very crowded inside with tables right next to each other). Came as group of 13 - split into 2 tables. For four of us who sat in one of the booths, we ordered a non-spicy beef dry pot (can add additional ingredients), fried tofu dish, and another veggie dish, 2 bowls of rice ($76 with tax and tip). Service is fairly fast, the workers are running back and forth (watch out for hot fish and the pot dishes!) Although menu shows chili symbol next to almost every dish, everything can be made non-spicy if you ask. Hours close at 10pm (need to update hours on Yelp and Google). Get 5% discount if pay with cash. read more

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Food: 5/5 DELICIOUS! Got the medium spicy grilled fish, definitely SPICYYY. Super tasty, fish super fish. The catfish is killed right before we eat so you know it's quality fish! Also got the salt pepper fried tofu, yummy as well! Wish the onion was more cooked thoroughly. Overall definitely recommend! Service: 5/5 fast on ordering, bringing tea to table, providing additional napkins/utensils when needed Ambiance: 4/5 on the dim side. The seats are bit narrow and small. Nice fish tank when first walk in though! Small cozy restaurant. read more

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Was looking for a place to eat as the hot pot place on the other side of the lot was 2hr wait. Fried rice 4/5 portion is too tiny but it tastes good Frog leg mala dry pot 4/5 too mala for me, but good for others who love mala. I needed more rice to lessen the mala in my mouth. Parking is the usual busy parking in this area. read more

General Pot - Chinese Near Me - Fremont, California

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This is my favorite place to go eat spicy food. All the dishes are so delicious. I go there once a month. Their prices are fairly decent.

Spicy, and I love it! We wanted to have asian food to warm us upon a cold week night. This place is located in the plaza behind the movie theater. Parking and getting a table were easy, but it was also a Thursday evening. We ordered a level 3 (out of a level 5) beef and veggie hotpot/stirfry. It was a good portion to feed 4, and wowza was it spicy but in a good way. Lots of flavor! Also ordered, kung pao chicken for kids (less spicy), chicken fried rice (too plain in color/taste not my favorite) and the stir-fried greenbeans with minced pork (amazing-a must). We had plenty of food for 2 adults and 2 kids and took leftovers home. Service was fair. Our waiter was nice, serious but professional, and food was made to order, and they turned on the tablestove so it stays hot. In the end, it was a great place. We have always wanted to come and try one of the restaurants back in this plaza but tend to get intimidated on the weekends. Now we feel like we got this, know what to order & what spice enthusiasts to bring with us next time! read more

General Pot - Chinese Near Me - Fremont, California

If you crave for spicy food, you should definitely try their fry pot! They have a lot of protein options to pick from and also different spicy level to choose from. Service is great, food came fast and piping hot! Great portions comes with lots of vegetables with the dry pot. Ambiance is ok, they have electric heater and booth seat available. read more

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Best dry pot in the area so far! I love coming here for their spicy intestine dry pot-- yum! I love ordering this with a side of the green beans which are perfectly crunchy and flavorful. You also can't miss the fried fish, it's the perfect level of spice, crunch, and fresh tender fish! I would recommend coming with at least 2-3 other people to share the pot because the servings are quite large! Although if you don't mind leftovers, you can also come by yourself ;). I personally think it's best to dine in so the items are all nice fresh and crispy. I've always had great service when I come here and never had to wait too long. The only con here is that parking can be difficult in this plaza during peak hours. We once had to park at the movie theater and walk across the street, but it's not too bad at all! read more

The smell coming out of this restaurant is hypnotizing! On our way to a neighboring restaurant for lunch, we stopped to check out General Pot's menu that's posted by their entrance trying to figure out what dish was producing that smell and we see that they serve Sichuan style food and specialize in dry pot. I noticed that inside the restaurant it was packed and that's always a good sign, so we immediately went in and were seated right away. We ordered the dry stir green beans to start and these were absolutely delicious. These came out glistening and pretty much every table around us ordered it as well. It's tossed with fried garlic, ground pork, and dried chili peppers which surprisingly was very mild. We also ordered the double-cooked sliced pork with rice. This is one of my favorite dishes as of recently so I was excited to see it on their menu! It was sweeter than I'm used to but overall a great dish. read more

General Pot - Double cooked sliced pork - Chinese Near Me - Fremont, California

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Good place for spicy dry pot. My girlfriend and I shared a sliced beef dry pot and the braised soybean seedlings. The server recommended mild for the dry pot so we went with the recommendation; it turned out to be the right level, much spicier than I would expect for mild (probably a medium at most places) but perfect for us. There was enough dry pot left over to take home and make again the next day with bean sprouts and some protein. read more

impressive！marvelous！the best Chinese food we've enjoyed in SF ever! Hardly can we find so fabulous Chinese cuisine these days and this restaurant totally cure our Chinese stomachs read more

I've only been here once for dinner on a weekday so I will write on my dine-in experience. The staff was quick to sit us as a party of 2. There is plenty of seating inside the restaurant, and I even saw some large parties of 8-10 per big round table. Needless to say, it was a popular place on a Friday night. The normally keep the front door open so it got quite cold at the tables near the entrance. There were a few empty tables towards the back of the restaurant so I asked the waiter if we could switch tables (no food at come yet at the time). Two waiters walked towards me, one said yes and one said no. Lol it was an awkward moment but they moved us anyway. We ordered a dry pot with 2 additional toppings as add-ons. The dry pot was good, but it came with way too many onions. The bill came out to be a bit higher than expected due to the expensive toppings, but I guess we learned our lesson. read more

General Pot opened in A La Shanghai's space over a decade ago. it's been existing in plain sight since, dispensing a diverse menu of affordable, tasty edibles. offerings (Northern Chinese-Szechwan?): lunch specials, seafood, vegetable, rice, noodles, hot & spicy, meats, hot pots, add ons, dry pots, appetizers, special mini pots... eats: fried (braised) eggplant with minced pork, non spicy (Lunch sp.11.99) -egg drop soup had seaweed, egg drops, tofu, green onions, tasted slightly sweet. -white rice was fresh, didn't eat much of it. just pairing it with the eggplant. -moist egg plant with carmelized gravy, had slight sweetness, didn't have soy nor imitation fish flavoring, options which i didn't take. -lunch menu didn't specify inclusion of rice, soup, though it did. *old menu price is 9.99, bottom has sticker (+1), though billing was 11.99, -lunch menu lists most items as "fried", though pan fried was the de facto method, not deep fried. checked the written Chinese with the translated English to clarify cooking style, ingredients: braised mentioned, not fried... -ticket notes style as "dry", non spicy though i didn't specify...didn't know it had an option. 4.5 stars lunch specials a great value. mini pots also a possibility. pig ear sliced with red chili oil (9.99) -generous portion, crunchy fresh with cilantro, great source of collagen, protein. has slight chili taste not accumulative nor mala hot. comped tea made with tea bag. single waiter efficiently & courteously serviced multiple tables and take outs in English and Mandarin Chinese. lots of parking in lot.... read more

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I have been to General Pot several times, and thought I should leave a review for the establishment. The food is great. Amazing portion with a great price. You order the protein first, and you can add additional ingredients to the dry pot. They have a very comprehensive selection of what you can add to the pot. You also would need to specify your spice preference. Do keep in mind that it is SPICY. Definitely order rice to eat with the food! The staff is also friendly and attentive. But the restaurant feels a bit claustrophobic. There aren't much room between tables. General Pot is a great place to spend dinner with friends and family! read more

General Pot - Chicken dry pot - Chinese Near Me - Fremont, California

Unique Chinese restaurant that sells Chongqing grilled fish, you can choose between two sizes (regular or large), I always get large for a party of 4. There additional toppings you can add to the dish as well, i would recommend the bean sprout, intestines (not everything is a fan), spam, celery, fish tofu. You can change the spicy level as well, I like Medium. If you pay with cash, there is a minor discount. read more

Delicious restaurant for dry pot! We came on a friday for their weekday lunch specials. They were all so tasty and came w a side of sour soup and rice. You also get free tea. Would definitely recommend, it's a great price for lunch!! read more

General Pot - Short rib dry pot - lunch size - Chinese Near Me - Fremont, California

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Was in the mood for some spicy, authentic Chinese fry pot and was lucky to find General Pot while waiting for my other takeout order next door. They have a pretty extensive menu and I thought their lunch specials was a good price: $14.99 for a mini pot with rice and soup. I ended up ordering the beef dry pot, shrimp dry pot, and a tofu with veggie dry pot to go (about $48 before tip). When I went home and opened up the order, I was surprised to see the dishes were all massive. The flavors were great and not too oily. I liked that they included a good variety of veggies with each dish and that they also deveined the shrimp, which is not common for many Asian restaurants. Unfortunately, half way through the meal I found a long piece of hair in one of the dishes and that was a little off putting. This made me question the cleanliness of the restaurant and their quality control. If I was in person and had this experience, I would've definitely pointed it out to the staff. We did not finish the dish and tossed it out. Overall, I have mixed feelings about this experience. I still would like to go back to try other dishes but I am also skeptical of their overall cleanliness. read more

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We keep coming back for the dry pots. We rarely order other dishes unless we go with a big group. We always go with either the dry pots or the fish pot. I often pick up take out for dinner when I dont want to cook as well. My favorite order is beef dry pots then add large intestine and beef tendon, plus a couple veggies options. read more

General Pot - Beef dry pot with large intestine and beef tendon - Chinese Near Me - Fremont, California