Situated in the middle of Milpitas Square like an island, Mala Town was nicely decorated inside and a good place to sit and chat and eat, they don't rush you away. On Sunday even 1pm, lunch line was unavoidable. We started on the veggie session with spinach, napa, enoki and oyster slice mushrooms, taro and lotus slices, then move onto seafood and carbs and then fish balls and meat balls and finally fresh meat. This is my second time to malatang, so I know the process flow. You pick what you'd like to eat and they cook for you in the selected broth. You pay by the weight and everything is weighted at the same price. It's always easy to over pick. I don't think they have extra good variety of choices, but enough to let me pick. I got some spinach, enoki and oyster mushroom, a couple bunches of the shirataki noodles, some garlic soy marinated beef and cold sliced lamb. Their drink section also has some interesting imported bottled beverages, but I didn't get to them this time. For soup broth, since my spicy tolerance level is low, I was debating between the house signature beef broth which is mild or the chicken soup. In the end I chose the chicken soup and it was a very nice surprise. The broth was rich, flavorful and warm to the tummy. At first glance it looked a bit oily, but as I worked on my bowl, it's not that bad and the goji berry also cuts down some of the grease. I thoroughly enjoyed the broth flavor. They also have a sauce station and again, it has the popular items but nothing extra fancy. Overall I would come back for the chicken broth. Maybe for 2 pounds or less I paid $30, which is slightly higher than my budget for lunch though. read more

See all

My first Mala experience and won't be my last! I tried my best to get what I could eat (though you can easily take home leftovers in their to go containers) and my dish weighed about 1.25 lbs. I was a bit bummed when they took away the premium beef just as I was about to take some. I paired my veggies, noodles, and meat with the signature beef broth and got that medium. I did ask for no mala spice but found out they don't add it in. Got my sauce mixture from the sauce bar and my order came out quickly. Only to realize it wasn't mine! They quickly took it away and brought out my correct order. Noticed the difference between mild and medium is they add a lot of chili oil. After awhile it got overwhelming, so next time I'd get mild and just add the chili oil on the side if needed from the sauce bar. Overall, really enjoyed my creation of mala tang, but the only con is the meat gets very overcooked. Next time I will opt not to put so much meat and add in veggies, fish cakes, and noodles instead. Very reasonably priced at $15.99 a lb. read more

Mala Town - Chinese Near Me - Milpitas, California

See all

First time trying the dry mixed pot and it was delicious! It has a strong peanut flavor and it definitely is on the more salty side. Maybe I should try adding a little bit of water into it next time. Since the sauce is super flavorful, I didn't have to use a dipping sauce to eat it. read more

Mala Town - 2. Spicy Mix Dry Pot(with peanut sauce) - Chinese Near Me - Milpitas, California

At 4pm on aug 2, 26, it was not crowded. I was here the first time not knowing the soup based would be like. No guidance. Poorly customer service. The only thing that's good was the food read more

Great food, clean, awesome. We go here all the time. I love how efficient they are with seating

The food is yummy and a lot of people come here. Decent pricing and good service food comes fast too, line gets longs though.

Hands down the BEST one-of-a-kind broth, especially the signature beef bone broth. Would drive all the way from Sacramento to eat this place, super worth it! read more

Mala town is simple style hot pot and always my first option ~especially you have to control your calories r

This place has quickly become my go-to spot for malatang! The concept is incredibly fun and customizable: you grab a bowl and hand-pick exactly what you want from a massive, fresh selection of vegetables, noodles, meats, and seafood. They weigh it (it usually comes out to around $20-25 for a very satisfying and filling bowl), and then you choose your broth. I highly recommend the signature Beef Bone Broth -- it's insanely rich and comforting. If you prefer something with a kick, the Sichuan-style soup and the Tom Yum are also fantastic and deeply flavorful. Whatever you do, don't skip the condiment bar! Mixing up a dipping sauce with their sesame paste, peanuts, garlic, and cilantro takes the whole meal to another level. A quick tip: It gets pretty packed during peak dinner hours and the tables are a little close together, so try to go a bit early if you can. Overall, an amazing, budget-friendly spot for delicious and highly customizable hotpot. The ingredients are quite fresh, and the service is great. read more

It's perfect foods, easy for lunch. Good services and environment. Go to handout with friend

Went here for lunch on a Sunday and it was fun! Thankfully, there was no wait, and I was impressed by how clean and organized everything was. They make sure there's enough seating before letting you in by assigning you a table, and if there isn't one ready, there might be a short wait. It's self-serve, which made it extra fun to explore all the options. My favorites were the beef brisket, the fish balls with roe, and the noodles in the mild beef bone broth (all of which were delicious!). There is also a sauce bar. My eyes were definitely hungrier than my stomach--I ended up grabbing more than I could finish. But thankfully they let you take leftovers home. Just keep in mind that it's charged by weight. Mine came out to about 3 pounds and cost over $50. (Pro tip: take only what you can realistically eat.) We had no trouble finding parking out front, though it can get more crowded around dinner. It's great for any party size. Overall, it was a unique and tasty experience. I really appreciated how fresh everything was--I'll definitely be back! read more

See all

I've been here several times now since it first open a couple months ago and it has become one of my favorite malatang spots in the area! I like that the quality of the ingredients are very fresh and doesn't feel like it's been sitting out for a long time. The vegetables are very crunchy and thoroughly washed, which is great. The meats are also very tender and not super chewy like some other spots. They also have a wide variety of different noodles/rice/other carbs I'm also a huge fan of their soup bases, especially the beef one because you can adjust the spice levels. They also have a newer dry pot option, which I feel like the counterpart in the area doesn't do as well as this place. I find that a lot of the malatang places have this weird fishy or seafood taste in their broth, but this place does not have that at all, which is a huge plus for me. For anyone not familiar with the layout, you start by getting a ball and filling it with all of the ingredients that you like in your pot. Then you bring it to the cashier to away and choose your soup base so they can cook it for you in the back. Very fast and efficient! Huge parking lot. Staff is very friendly. Price is very reasonable, about $15 per pound and they no longer enforce a minimum weight limit. They used to get free teas when the place first opened, but the last time I went here it was no longer an option. read more

Mala Town - Chinese Near Me - Milpitas, California

I LOOOVVEEEE hotpot!! And this place is one of the top places I want to go now. There were lots of options for what to put in your bowl. All the fishball variations were delicious and meat sizes were abundant! Our soup came out quite fast and the bowls were easy to eat from. The employees made it easy to navigate how to pick our toppings as well! As for ambiance, the decor inside is very aesthetic and attractive! read more

Mala Town - Interior - Chinese Near Me - Milpitas, California

See all

I remember posting a review about this place in the past, just wanted to add some photos with it! I always get their tomato base or their classic beef bone mild! Both are pretty good read more

See all

Very good place for a quick dinner! 10/10 would recommend. Fresh ingredients and good utensils!!

Fav place to eat with friends ~ their Tom Yum is so good !! It does get a bit crowded, but the wait isn't too long, and i would say the wait is worth it :) read more

Mala Town is the best! Their ingredients are super fresh and all of the broths are delicious! They have a great system - I've never had to wait long and have always gotten a seat, so don't be daunted if there's a long line. My husband and I go several times a month and we never get sick of it. read more

My go-to broth is tom yum. They charge by weight, and I always end up overdoing it and taking leftovers home. There's a sauce station on the side where you can make your own sauce. Seating is pretty tight and close to other tables. They used to have a drink station with two fruit tea options, but it wasn't there when I went last week. The employees are nice and very fast and efficient. read more

Mala Town - Chinese Near Me - Milpitas, California

Great food and good service. I would highly recommend this location to anyone. Thank you

i love the malatang here! the variety is super wide and their broths are super good. i highly recommend this place

I had good experience at Malatown! The food was super flavorful and fresh, and I loved being able to customize everything exactly how I wanted. The portions were generous and the staff were really friendly and helpful. I'll for sure be coming back! read more

Food is always delicious and the wait is never long. They have great sauce selection as well. read more

Mala Town - Signature bone broth - Chinese Near Me - Milpitas, California

Good food. Love coming here. Every time I'm in town. Lots of selection and fresh ingredients.

This place was packed! I came in on a Friday evening and the line was out the door. I probably had to wait about 20 minutes before I could build my own bowl. With the amount of people that were eating mala, all of the ingredients were all still stocked up. I ordered the Tom Yum mala and my partner ordered the signature soup. The staff are really efficient since it was so busy. Some people didn't even fully walk out the door when they were done eating and they're already cleaning the table lol. After my partner and I sat down we shortly received our mala. It was all nice and hot and super delicious. I will say that the Tom yum was a little bit on the sweeter side, but the soup was still good. The seating is really cramped I feel like I was sitting with the table next to us since we were so close. Other than that, the environment's very lively since there's so many people eating there. I would come again when it's not as busy. read more

See all

This place has a nice upbeat atmosphere. What I liked was all the different options compared to other malatang restaurants. The employees kept the counter clean at all times and food options fully stocked. The space between tables were very narrow, but it didn't matter because we just went there to eat. The only thing I didn't care for was the cashier talked really fast and it was hard for me to understand her. I get they were busy, but should still be able to communicate in a way your customers will understand and not feel rushed, hence my score was only a 4. read more

Mala Town - Signature Set with Beef Bone Broth Base - Chinese Near Me - Milpitas, California

We came on a Saturday around 3 PM and there was plenty of parking and seating available. You start off by self serving yourself whatever proetins, veggies, and carbs that you want in your bowl and when you get to the cashier, they weigh your bowl and you choose your soup base. I got the Tom Yum soup base and my boyfriend got the Signature Beef Bone soup. While you wait for your bowls to come back out with the soup, there's a sauce bar where you could mix up your dipping sauce. The restaurant was very clean, had good music playing, and our food came out pretty quickly! I really enjoyed my bowl and it weighed in at around 1.25 lb. The Tom Yum soup was super flavorful and you can really taste the lemon grass. My boyfriend wasn't a fan of my soup base but really enjoyed his Signature Beef Bone soup. I think next time I come, I won't be getting too much of the frozen slices of meat because when they're cooked while still frozen, it comes out tougher than I'd like. I really enjoyed everything else though! read more

See all

So good!! Should definitely try the tom yun soup broth i highly recommend. Service is amazing!! Nice seating with nice music in the background. read more

Mala Town - Chinese Near Me - Milpitas, California

A little DIY hotpot restaurant located in Milpitas Square! No reservations, which is understandable given the space. You get a bowl and tongs to create your pot contents before paying at the register. There's also a complimentary sauce bar, fruit tea, and water. The most important thing to remember is that the food is price/lb!! This spot is not for big backs wanting more food for less $$. So, think of it as an everyone gets their own entree kind of meal. FOOD: *Spicy mix w/ peanut sauce (dry pot) -- This peanut sauce blend was *so* hecking delicious, it'd pair well with any protein, carb, and veg! I'd describe the savory experience as a mix of: peanuts, soy sauce, ssamjang, SHACHA SAUCE, sesame oil, sichuan peppercorn, and the slightest bit of sugar. Even tho this is a hotpot restaurant, I wouldn't mind returning just to have this sauce again. PARKING: The plaza is pretty big, but can get busy during dinner time Fri-Sun. Storefront parking might not always be available, but you won't have to walk more than 2 min or anything. read more

Mala Town - 2. Spicy Mix Dry Pot(with peanut sauce) - Chinese Near Me - Milpitas, California

See all

Great malatang spot in Milpitas! Malatown serves delicious pay-by-weight malatang with a large variety of fresh ingredients to choose from. You wait for your turn to pick up your tongs + bowl and go down a buffet style assembly picking which ingredients you want to add to your bowl. After you pick your ingredients, you choose your broth and pay at the register before sitting down at your table. I like their Signature Beef Bone Broth ($15.99/lb) due it being flavorful, yet not too heavy in comparison to other malatang spots in the Bay. I also like their sauce bar options which always elevates each bowl of malatang even more! The overall ambiance is lively while the service is friendly. The restaurant itself is very clean, especially given the amount of customers they get each day. I really like the pots they use to serve their malatang in, as well as the sauce bowls that follow the same design as their malatang bowls, just in a minature size. I recommend avoiding going at peak hours (for example: instead of 7pm, going a bit earlier at around 5pm for an early dinner) if you want to skip the lines because it does get busy. Overall, great malatang spot I would suggest anyone to try out in the area! read more

Mala Town - Set with Beef Bone Broth Base 招牌牛骨汤套餐 - Chinese Near Me - Milpitas, California

See all

Pretty decent malatang spot with quick food turn around times and service. There is assigned seating which is a plus compared to others where you are fending for a seat and table. I ordered the signature beef bone broth in medium with a selection of hotpot ingredients that you get to pick and choose from. I especially loved their fishcake selection. The sauce bar is also free, which is nice, and I actually enjoyed their sauces more than the broth itself. The broth could have used some more salt and flavor; the medium spice level wasn't as spicy as I had anticipated as well. Nonetheless, it was still a good experience but I'd say Tang Bar ranks higher for malatang solely in terms of broth flavor. read more

Mala Town - signature beef bone in medium - Chinese Near Me - Milpitas, California

I'm a mala lover and have had many spicy pot before. This place was highly rated so of course I had to visit. I came for lunch with my fiancé. The inside of the store is quite large. I thought that there was quite a but of seating, maybe 20 tables. You order ingredients like other malatang then choose a soup. I chose their sichuan spicy. The price is $16 per pound so a bit cheaper than expected. (vs 18) I noticed that we got actual service! Someone came to give us water during our meal and that was quite nice. Rice is available for 1.50. Super nice so you can get those carbs out of the malatang. The intestine and tendon were REALLY good! Very soft! There's a lot of different meats and they were all pretty good. I really enjoyed the former the most though. I also really liked the broth- extra spicy was good level of spice. I thought it was a cur above other malatang and would for sure go again! read more

My favorite mala spot by far. I've come here many times and it never disappoints. If you enjoy Chinese soup this place is a must

My favorite Malatang in the South Bay!! Super fresh ingredients and good soup. Our favorite is the tom yum.

Had a great time at Mala Town! The food was really tasty and full of flavor. Everything came out fresh, and the staff was nice and helpful. Definitely a good spot if you like spicy food. I'd come back again! read more

Been craving Mala Town so much and went the day before Christmas Eve, it was so packed. However the line went by pretty fast. You pick all the items you want, pay, and then staff will tell you which table to sit at. I got the Szechuan Style Soup Base this time instead of my usual Tom Yum because the I tried some of my friend's broth last time at the UC location and it was so good. At this location though it wasn't good; it was basically all oil and no broth. I'll just play it safe next time and stick to Tom Yum. read more

Mala Town - Tom Yum Soup Base & Szechuan Style Soup Base - Chinese Near Me - Milpitas, California

I love the idea of this restaurant. It reminded me of when we had to line up in the cafeteria for food during lunch. It was quick and easy. Food was good. Only note was there was mushrooms in my pot and I didn't add any. I had to pick it out individually as I was eating. Also, I wished they had more options for the dipping sauces. read more

Mala Town - Set with Tom Yum Soup Base (Mild Spicy) - Chinese Near Me - Milpitas, California

The meat is amazing run don't walk!!! Service is awesome. Great to bring your friends!!

Super delicious & easy to order! :) There was a wide selection of items and broths. My favorite is the signature broth

Been here a couple times. Food is always great, comes out quick and there is many different selections (though I wish there were enoki mushrooms). Service is decent, typical for your self service type of restaurants. Slightest complaint is I do find items in my bowl from time to time that I did not add, I am afraid of what implications that may have for those with allergies. read more

Such a great place if you want to customize your hotpot. You come in and grab a bowl, add your toppings and ingredients of choice, they weigh it out (you pay by the weight of the ingradients you have in your bowl). You then pay, they cook it for you and theyll bring your cooked hotpot to your table. Dont forget to make your sauce while you wait for your food to cook. Pro Tip: It's easy to overstuff your bowl. That said, choose wisely, and dont get too much of each ingredient. read more

See all