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    Mala Hotpot

    4.1 (73 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 8:30 PM

    Mala Hotpot Photos

    Business Info

    MALA HOTPOT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Quiet
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Mala Hotpot

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    Tomato beef broth, lamb, steak flank
    Angel E.

    Went for dinner and our server was very kind and quick! We got the tomato beef broth and mala spicy broth. I liked the tomato broth! We got them with the lamb and beef flank combos. The beef flanks were really good!! There was a self serve veggie buffet which was really nice. I wasn't sure if there was enough meat but we were very full by the end. The veggie station included fish balls, lobster fish balls, and tofu. It's a very filling meal, especially since the combos also include noodles. For dessert we got the jelly with some of the brown sugar syrup and crushed peanuts (at the sauce bar). I haven't had this dessert in so long, and even though we were so full, it was a very nice and light dessert to finish on - recommend! The restaurant itself is also really nice and the booths feel pretty private.

    Rachael H.

    We came here on a whim when we decided to drive around randomly and eat somewhere we drove past for lunch. We ended up in Springdale and settled on Mala. I love hot pot and my husband had never had it before. We each got different options and split everything so we could try more stuff. He got lamb with udon in the beef tomato broth and I had mala flank steak with rice noodles in the chicken mushroom broth. Broths were both tasty but we both preferred the chicken mushroom. They were heightened by adding raw garlic to the broth. The mala flank steak was also both of our favorites. It was definitely not as spicy as I was led to believe. Next time ill get the mala spicy broth. You can also get unlimited veggies but they will charge you if you have "too many leftovers" so get a small amount and go back for more as needed. They also have free ice cream which I thought made it worthwhile for the price. You get a lot of stuff! We would definitely come back. Also, don't sleep on the spicy bamboo shoots. They are so good!!!

    Marc C.

    Was super excited to find another hot pot spot that looked promising from all the great reviews and pictures posted on here. I finally got to try it this past weekend and all I can say is it's subpar. It had all the hotpot basics, but nothing else more. Nothing special. I found the food here to be overpriced for what it was especially for the quantity that was served. The broth wasn't that flavorful and the sauce bar was very limited. The menu was lacking -- it didn't have some items that would typically be available at a hotpot joint like some enoki mushrooms or fishball with roe! The veggie combos were odd -- first time seeing potatoes on a hotpot menu. The marinated beef was a bit bland. I did enjoy the sides of bamboo and pulled meat. Service was fine, but we did have to remind them about some missing items we had ordered. A bit disappointed. If you're looking to experience hotpot, I say why not -- give them a try. If you're used to eating hotpot I would say don't expect much from here. I'm still on the lookout for some great hotpot around cincy!

    Wenyi W.

    Hotpot dining format and ingredients is authentic! We have a really hearty meal at $100 for two person. The store has free snacks (edamame and spicy sour bamboo is the best) and super milky free ice cream (love it). It will be great to have some fruits like melons to balance the hot and spicy taste. Recommends: spicy beef, chicken, fresh shrimp with head Not recommends: Basa fillet (frozen), beef roll (too fat), frozen tofu (not juicy) Overall it's a great store with great service. Waitress replace the fat beef roll with a leaner one after we showed her how fat it is. Tables and share food zone is super clean.

    Saucy
    Iona B.

    This place is so good. 9/10 The bases are tasty in and of themselves, with flavors so good they're basically soups. No sauces needed. The restaurant is super clean, and the hot pot dishes all were hygienic. There was enough variety to pick exactly what you want, but don't go overboard! These aren't small plates. The one thing I wish I had more of was more variety at the sauce station. No, the bases don't need sauces, but it's always nice to have the option. I did like the pickled veggies, I don't see that often at hot pot sauce stations. The best part? The robot servers!! These are trendy in China but it's awesome to see a restaurant in the states serve with them. Very techy and cool.

    Chrissy T.

    Mala was delicious. So yummy that I crave their tomato soup hotpot! The restaurant is super clean and has a very white aesthetic. The staff is super patient and will explain the process, especially if you are new here. The menu is pretty easy to read and fill out. It goes step by step but for the price the portion was a lot! To the point I even had a left over meal to take home. The plates provide a lot of meat and the best part was that you could cook it all yourself. They also have a sauce bar so you could add hot chili oil or dip your meats for more flavor. Overall it was a 10/10 experience. They even had a robot bring you your order/additional items that you order.

    Import mushrooms

    We went in a Sunday afternoon around and for a brief while we're the only ones there. Don't know why, this place is great! Of course you cook on an individual stove right in front of you. All the veggies are buffet and they bring the meat and protein by ROBOT....too cool if you have never seen this (which I never had). I had the Malia spicy broth / soup which was awesome. Protein was the lamb. We will be back, especially in colder weather as this stuff made me sweat!

    Big ol' 啤酒
    Erik S.

    I'm a little jealous that Cincinnati has a solid, and very inexpensive, hotpot place like this. My wife and I are visiting from southeast Michigan, where our hotpot options are really pricey (i.e. $80 - $100 for the two of us). Mala Hotpot has a couple interesting features: First, they put up large Plexiglas dividers between each of the booths (presumably as part of a COVID measure?). The dividers actually provide a level of sound insulation as well, so it feels pleasantly quiet and almost intimate. Second, they have robots doing food and drink delivery, which I f-cking love. I couldn't stop watching them. Anyway, going back to the price / value, we ordered: * 牛肉 (beef) * 鱼丸 (fish balls) * 虾 (shrimp) * 豆腐 (tofu sheets) * 白菜 (cabbage) * 拉面 (ramen noodles) .. and I drank two large (~24 oz) Tsingdao beers, and we had 豆浆 (soy milk) and tea. And our final bill was $54. Basically around half of what we're accustomed to paying in our overpriced world. No fair, Cincinnati.

    inside
    Vicky A.

    Very nice clean hot pot restaurant. The service very nice friendly, and they have a robot for service food. You can pick the kind of meat you like and other things like vegetables you can eat unlimited. And I like the pot, is very pretty.

    Chicken and mushroom broth/soup base
    Sandy E.

    Finally had the chance to try this place and not too shabby. Price is reasonable with pretty cool food delivery technology brought to your table. Service needs a bit of improvement but other than that I will definitely be back.

    A photo of my hot pot.
    Amy B.

    We had a great time eating good food. I appreciate being able to build my hot pot the way I like it. There is a little bit of learning curve figuring out how to do everything. But I encourage everyone to try this experience!

    Assortment of veggies and starches
    Kate F.

    We love a good hot pot. I'm torn on this review. There was lots of good about this place. The portions were huge (I had two extra meals with my leftovers). Prices reasonable. There is lots of fun ingredients to choose from - my favorites being the premium beef and the lamb. The beef based soup broth was decent (though there was a small seed-like thing in our broths - looked like a caper- that threw off the flavor for me every time I accidentally ate one). The service was slooooowwww. They just don't seem to have their rhythm down. Our table had to get up to help ourselves to water, utensils, napkins... I would NOT pay the $2 extra for the sauce/dessert/appetizer bar. There is not enough on it (and there were no desserts or fruits as advertised). They do not have an alcohol license yet. Again, I'm torn. I can get ingredients at CAM and make a better hot pot at home.

    Beef belly and lamb lunch combo
    Ever C.

    Well I am sad ... I haven't been able to eat for a few days due to a long term chronic intestinal issue. And all I could think of eating was this. Mala Pot is so amazingly delicious and comforting and I know nothing like them. As I plan to move on from Ohio soon I just wanted to savor some Mala at least once before I left. But the very kind woman who answered when I called said they were temporarily closed and would open next week, maybe. Whomever will be here for it - please SUPPORT them BIGLY for me.

    We love all the options!

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    6 months ago

    The hotpot was tasty and the dim sum was too. Super friendly staff is a bonus. Highly recommended!

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    4 years ago

    Fantastic spot. Authentic hot pot with great service. We go once a month and have never had a bad experience yet.

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    Ask the Community - Mala Hotpot

    Do they have vegan options, like veggie broth?

    The menu does not list a vegetarian option for broth. Only chicken or beef, plus a spicy beef option, are given. They may accommodate you if you request veggie broth, but I would call ahead and ask rather than just showing up and expecting to order… Read more

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    Catch & Cut - General Tso Chicken

    Catch & Cut

    3.4(177 reviews)
    11.1 mi
    $$

    Overall a good experience. The oysters, shrimp and crawfish did not disappoint. They were very…read moreshort-staffed and I think the bartender did everything but cook-she did a great job with what she had. Atmosphere is a bit mixed as it looks like several themes, and maybe because of multiple name changes. I will go back and hope they give this menu a chance. For folks who like this type of food, I do suggest you try it.

    We came in because of the new signage that was put up got our attention! The food was really great!…read moreI got the fish and chips, the batter on the fish was light and seasoned great, fried to perfection and my husband got the chicken parmesan sandwich marinara sauce was so tasty! Both were delicious! We started with charred boiled oysters also great! My only suggestion is and it is not a complaint is the that the servers needed help! I am sure that during this rebranding it's hard to keep people because business is slow. Our server was great ! She and the bartender were the only people there on the floor. The place was not full but our server the blond hair lady but busting tail, she was hustling she at one point look like she had at least eleven tables, inside and out! She was obviously great at her job but we probably would have ordered more but didn't want her stretch her more than she was! I am assuming maybe some called off or did show up for their shift but with a great server like her, she might not stick around long because she is being stretched thin! Food is great you guys got that down but the atmosphere is what needs improvement! But we will be back the food is worth it!

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    Harbor Tacos

    Catch & Cut - Night view from the restaurant

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    Night view from the restaurant

    Mala Hotpot - hotpot - Updated May 2026

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