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I am so so glad a hot pot AND banh mi chao place has opened up in Tacoma. I have been waiting for this moment! The restaurant itself is very cute, lots of space but there isn't as much seating as I thought. The owners and staff are very sweet people from my conversation with them while ordering and as they were working around the restaurant. We got the banh mi chao with sausage/meatball/cha lua and also one with steak. They came with salad and a baguette on the side. I really enjoyed my plate with the various meats and I really liked the pate! It came out very hot so be careful. My boyfriend also enjoyed his steak. The bread was nice and light with a crisp as well. We also got the cheese and shrimp toast as well and this really amazed me. The shrimp toast was so big, like the pieces were huge. Normally shrimp toast is often a bit smaller, but here the bread was thick and they added so much topping on it. Shrimp toast is pretty simple dish for me but the way they made it large stood out to me haha. It was delicious. I would love to come back and try the hot pot and some of the drinks that they have :)
This place is pretty good. Came here on a Friday night with a party of 5 and got seated right away. We got to choose our seats. The inside itself has nice decorations on the wall but the decor overall does seem kinda unfinished. It's cozy though. I ordered the tomato hot pot with pork belly and instant noodles and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A lot of reviews mention the lack of meat but I got a lot of meat in mine. The broth was super flavorful and each ingredient tasted great. It also came with a black iced tea I think, and it was so good. Service was good too. Got checked up on a few times and everyone was pretty nice. I'd come again when I'm craving hotpot.
The people (owners? that works there are super nice and accommodating. We were a group of 5 with 3 young kids thar are loud and running around But they looked at us with big smiles and moved tables and chairs around to accommodate us! I got the egg coffee- so so so so so good is all I can say. It's good when it goes in and then a blast of good aroma afterwards too!! Highly recommended We got the banh mi drink combo which is only about $12. I don't know what is in the banh mi but it's so good- there is so much going on. Light crisp bread and just a bunch of texture and flavor inside- it's so good!! The sauce, the meats, the veggies ... one word to sum it up- yum!! Chicken wings and tater tots were delicious too and came with 2 big container of sauce (not pictured) Proportions here are generous and pricing is great. It's kind of small so plan accordingly if you have a big group. So excited to try their hot pot combo next time! Highly recommended!! The kids enjoyed their nuggets (not pictured) wings and tots! Husband got the phin black coffee he said it was really good too. Basically the whole fam is happy! So happy to stumble across here
Love that there's a hot pot place in Tacoma! Makes it so convenient when I don't wanna drive to Tukwila. Their homemade dipping sauce was good. I didn't need to add extra toppings, it was more than enough for me to take home leftovers. Overall I liked the broth but I would've loved more intense flavors and it was more of a clearer broth than what I'm used to.
Staff is very nice and welcoming. Food and drinks came out very fast. I love how they have the food and drink combo making it very affordable. The shrimp toast and octopus balls were loaded and packed with flavor
Sooo good, especially on a rainy day. This was my 2nd time here, and everything was just as delicious as the first time. The hotpot dipping sauce is so good. Service is so nice and friendly. Note to self to remember order: - wings w/ tamarind sauce - yellow curry hotpot with extra lamb +bowl of rice, maybe add bok choy - ube house coffee
Coming here for the second time and it's consistent! This time I got more refills on the tea with the hotpot because it comes with refills and like I said it's bomb. The place is still spacious and room for everyone. Next time, I'm going to try a different hotpot soup base instead of the creamy hot and sour. Try it and don't sleep on it. This visit also was a try of the tiger boba with the ube foam. I personally still love the house tea with chia seeds that come with the hotpot better.
SO happy a hot pot place opened up on the south end! They're having a great deal with their hot pots! You get a free oolong tea with cheese cream for $15.95 and it is delicious! Met the owner and he's super friendly and the service was great! Space is definitely limited but they're planning on expanding so that'll be great! We will definitely be coming back!
The food is good. They have a limited selection of hot pot, but it's actually better than I thought it would be. The portion is a bit smaller than boiling point, but flavor is there. My party said that the Bo Ne is very good as well especially the pate. Hot pot does come with tea so that's a plus. Haven't tried the banh mi yet, but will next time. The people here are nice as well. I recommend give this place a try.
One of the most promising new Asian eateries. They appear to be just starting out, so the food took a while to come out but their staff was very friendly and their hot pot was the highlight of the night! The sizzling plate came pre-sliced but was overall very delightful. The patte is also good but I'd prefer if they offered a menu option with just the sizzling plate without the patte. The combination of great food, drinks and seating makes this a place that is worth dining in rather than takeout. I give this place 5 stars based off of their food + potential. And compared to other options in town, they are a breath of fresh air. Once they get more streamlined with their operations and word of mouth spreads, I can see this place reaching its full potential. We plan on being regulars here!
I came here when they first opened and liked this spot. Came back today to order a banh mi and got this. This is not a banh mi at all, super disappointed
The previous owners of the original Pho Friends of lakewood are baack!! They originally only had snacks and boba, but they are now serving some good single hot pot. Had the mala soup base, and it was a good portion of veggiess and meats. You can do add ons if you want more. Service was outstanding! They're super friendly and attentive. It's a simple restaurant/cafe, nothing too fancy. Just plain good food. So, if you need a break from all the pho places around lakewood, check them out!!
We were excited to try this place as there is no hot pot spots in this area. My husband and I love the flavor of the soup -- he had the Taiwanese one and I had the Hot and Sour. The only thing is there was not enough ingredients in the pot, especially the meat, only 3-4 pieces. Also, it was not good quality meat, there was just too much fat. I understand that everything is expensive now, but we don't mind paying more for more ingredients in the pot. You can get more noodles and meat going to neighboring Pho places for less. The service is very good though. They were very nice and attentive. But we will think again about coming here if the amount of food will stay the same.
1 year ago
hot pot was one of a kind for a small hole in the wall place like lakewood!! we became regulars up until their recent change of management :( they've been closed for some time now. the owners were incredible we built a relationship with them and they were truly the sweetest people! looking forward to what this place will be once new management opens once again. read more
What a gem! A cute establishment in an unassuming strip mall serving boba, rice dishes, sizzling plates, hot pot, and banh mi chao. We came for an early dinner so it wasn't crowded at all. Service was quick and attentive, they brought out our bowls and drinks in minutes. The hot pots each came with their own burner under the pot, so mind those metal handles!! Soup was incredibly flavorful and TBH I think I prefer these to the ones at Boiling Point. It's always an adventure to fish for items in the soup: notable finds included extra glass noodles, fish ball, tofu, and a block of taro. Sooooo good on a chilly day! Hot pot came with a chia-infused oolong tea, which was actually very tasty and boba-esque (but without the boba balls), I think this was promoted in an instagram post. I will be back. read more
I ordered from May Cafe once from DoorDash and was disappointed in the ramen as it tasted and looked like Shin Ramen but got dressed in a few vegetables and chicken. However, the chicken was terribly dry and the soup just tasted like Shin ramen. However, my drink that came with the order was good. Despite my disappointment, I wanted to come try their other options and my boyfriend and I were in Lakewood area. When we arrived in, we were greeted warmly by an employee who was busy helping a large group. We were told that we can have a seat anywhere and scan a QR code to order our food. However, the deals that they were offering was not on the QR menu so we just patiently waited until we could order up front. The same employee was very polite and friendly as she took our order and would be the one to deliver our drinks and food. I got the hot pot combo that came with a free drink while my partner got the banh mi combo that came with his choice of drink. The interior is a nice modern, cozy feel. It is definitely a cute spot to hang out with friends, family, or even co-workers as they have several accommodating seating styles. We really enjoyed their music as it was several American pop songs covered by one lady but her voice was very relaxing to listen to. Our drinks arrived first and we really enjoyed our drinks, it was refreshing and the perfect balance of sweet. Our food arrived not too long afterwards and we really enjoyed our food. I had ordered the mala hot pot with seafood and instant noodles which was the perfect amount of food. I did add more chili oil to my soup as I just love my food spicy. The chicken teriyaki banh mi was according to my boyfriend, one of the best ones he has tried so that is super high praise. Overall, I would suggest not ordering the ramen here as you can make the same bowl for a lot less and better. However, please do try their drinks, banh mis, and hotpot which were all fantastic! read more
2 years ago
I am so so glad a hot pot AND banh mi chao place has opened up in Tacoma. I have been waiting for this moment! The restaurant itself is very cute, lots of space but there isn't as much seating as I thought. The owners and staff are very sweet people from my conversation with them while ordering and as they were working around the restaurant. We got the banh mi chao with sausage/meatball/cha lua and also one with steak. They came with salad and a baguette on the side. I really enjoyed my plate with the various meats and I really liked the pate! It came out very hot so be careful. My boyfriend also enjoyed his steak. The bread was nice and light with a crisp as well. We also got the cheese and shrimp toast as well and this really amazed me. The shrimp toast was so big, like the pieces were huge. Normally shrimp toast is often a bit smaller, but here the bread was thick and they added so much topping on it. Shrimp toast is pretty simple dish for me but the way they made it large stood out to me haha. It was delicious. I would love to come back and try the hot pot and some of the drinks that they have :) read more
This place is pretty good. Came here on a Friday night with a party of 5 and got seated right away. We got to choose our seats. The inside itself has nice decorations on the wall but the decor overall does seem kinda unfinished. It's cozy though. I ordered the tomato hot pot with pork belly and instant noodles and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A lot of reviews mention the lack of meat but I got a lot of meat in mine. The broth was super flavorful and each ingredient tasted great. It also came with a black iced tea I think, and it was so good. Service was good too. Got checked up on a few times and everyone was pretty nice. I'd come again when I'm craving hotpot. read more
3 years ago
The people (owners? that works there are super nice and accommodating. We were a group of 5 with 3 young kids thar are loud and running around But they looked at us with big smiles and moved tables and chairs around to accommodate us! I got the egg coffee- so so so so so good is all I can say. It's good when it goes in and then a blast of good aroma afterwards too!! Highly recommended We got the banh mi drink combo which is only about $12. I don't know what is in the banh mi but it's so good- there is so much going on. Light crisp bread and just a bunch of texture and flavor inside- it's so good!! The sauce, the meats, the veggies ... one word to sum it up- yum!! Chicken wings and tater tots were delicious too and came with 2 big container of sauce (not pictured) Proportions here are generous and pricing is great. It's kind of small so plan accordingly if you have a big group. So excited to try their hot pot combo next time! Highly recommended!! The kids enjoyed their nuggets (not pictured) wings and tots! Husband got the phin black coffee he said it was really good too. Basically the whole fam is happy! So happy to stumble across here read more
Love that there's a hot pot place in Tacoma! Makes it so convenient when I don't wanna drive to Tukwila. Their homemade dipping sauce was good. I didn't need to add extra toppings, it was more than enough for me to take home leftovers. Overall I liked the broth but I would've loved more intense flavors and it was more of a clearer broth than what I'm used to. read more
2 years ago
Sooo good, especially on a rainy day. This was my 2nd time here, and everything was just as delicious as the first time. The hotpot dipping sauce is so good. Service is so nice and friendly. Note to self to remember order: - wings w/ tamarind sauce - yellow curry hotpot with extra lamb +bowl of rice, maybe add bok choy - ube house coffee read more
2 years ago
Coming here for the second time and it's consistent! This time I got more refills on the tea with the hotpot because it comes with refills and like I said it's bomb. The place is still spacious and room for everyone. Next time, I'm going to try a different hotpot soup base instead of the creamy hot and sour. Try it and don't sleep on it. This visit also was a try of the tiger boba with the ube foam. I personally still love the house tea with chia seeds that come with the hotpot better. read more
SO happy a hot pot place opened up on the south end! They're having a great deal with their hot pots! You get a free oolong tea with cheese cream for $15.95 and it is delicious! Met the owner and he's super friendly and the service was great! Space is definitely limited but they're planning on expanding so that'll be great! We will definitely be coming back! read more
The food is good. They have a limited selection of hot pot, but it's actually better than I thought it would be. The portion is a bit smaller than boiling point, but flavor is there. My party said that the Bo Ne is very good as well especially the pate. Hot pot does come with tea so that's a plus. Haven't tried the banh mi yet, but will next time. The people here are nice as well. I recommend give this place a try. read more
2 years ago
One of the most promising new Asian eateries. They appear to be just starting out, so the food took a while to come out but their staff was very friendly and their hot pot was the highlight of the night! The sizzling plate came pre-sliced but was overall very delightful. The patte is also good but I'd prefer if they offered a menu option with just the sizzling plate without the patte. The combination of great food, drinks and seating makes this a place that is worth dining in rather than takeout. I give this place 5 stars based off of their food + potential. And compared to other options in town, they are a breath of fresh air. Once they get more streamlined with their operations and word of mouth spreads, I can see this place reaching its full potential. We plan on being regulars here! read more
2 years ago
I came here when they first opened and liked this spot. Came back today to order a banh mi and got this. This is not a banh mi at all, super disappointed read more
3 years ago
The previous owners of the original Pho Friends of lakewood are baack!! They originally only had snacks and boba, but they are now serving some good single hot pot. Had the mala soup base, and it was a good portion of veggiess and meats. You can do add ons if you want more. Service was outstanding! They're super friendly and attentive. It's a simple restaurant/cafe, nothing too fancy. Just plain good food. So, if you need a break from all the pho places around lakewood, check them out!! read more
2 years ago
We were excited to try this place as there is no hot pot spots in this area. My husband and I love the flavor of the soup -- he had the Taiwanese one and I had the Hot and Sour. The only thing is there was not enough ingredients in the pot, especially the meat, only 3-4 pieces. Also, it was not good quality meat, there was just too much fat. I understand that everything is expensive now, but we don't mind paying more for more ingredients in the pot. You can get more noodles and meat going to neighboring Pho places for less. The service is very good though. They were very nice and attentive. But we will think again about coming here if the amount of food will stay the same. read more
3 years ago
- Food & Drinks 9/10 - Service 8/10 - Short staff and small with not much diner tables But it's okay since it's a small business . The cafe did a revamped on the menu so they was a grand re-opening . The wait was worth it since we wanted hot pot. The fact that they is no close hot pot shop near by beside up north. This was a must to try. We had order the mala soup broth since that was popular and the tomatoes broth was popular as well but was sold out . We also order octopus balls that came with fries. It was delicious !!! For our drinks I had the oolong tea with cheese foam. Let me tell you :) it was refreshing and so tasty. It actually reminded me of 85 degree bakery drink that is called " jasmine sea salt green tea" the oolong tea was sooo good ! Would have to say the place is alittle small on the weekend while they're still renovating, so heads up. Will definitely be back to try more things on the menu. Be mindful that the staff can be forgetful due to being busy and short staff. Besides that the owner and staff was friendly and kind . The hotpot was simple if you want something simple to eat. It's not fulfilling nor has much rich flavor but still good. My Favorite hotpot is still boiling point for sure . read more
3 years ago
The food and drinks here are so delicious! The drink sandwich combo is a great deal and the chicken teriyaki banh mi is excellent. Staff is very friendly and service is quick! Very cute decoration and nice atmosphere. Highly recommend!! read more
2 years ago
Soo good! The food was delicious, the service was great & attentive. Would definitely come back again. read more
2 years ago
The red curry hot pt was fire.... service was fast and easy. Love the vibe of a small cafe setting... read more
2 years ago
My 2nd time trying and it was so good again. Tried the tomato mini hot pot with pork belly, instant noodles, pork intestines and it was delicious. Many combinations to pick from and It also had clear noodles in it which was a plus. They also expanded the restaurant so has a lot more room for dine in. If you are in Lakewood & Tacoma area go try and you will not be disappointed. Great service with mom and pops home feeling. Plenty of food to choose from. Will keep trying different soups Also comes with sweet tea. Love giving back to small family businesses. They all need our support. read more
2 years ago
I've been dying for a hot pot spot to open in the area and May Cafe did not disappoint! I typically like the more communal style of hot pot but this was still so delicious. I got the Mala broth which is more of the Chinese style hot pot broth with beef and glass noodles. I also got a guava passion fruit tea with lychee topping. All of it was delightful and in a clean, beautiful space. Definitely check them out! read more
2 years ago
We wanted to give this place a try. We tried a hot pot and was very surprised at the size and amount of food. The very shallow pot had a very bland soup base. The portion looks to be "kid size. Two or three scoops and you're done. So taste, quality and size was really not worth the price. And to add to that was we felt sick afterwards. Not sure what it was, but they really can improve on hotpot. We tried and probably will not return again. read more
2 years ago
We just had an AMAZING dining experience here! The food and service were top-notch! The owner whipped up the best drink I've ever had! Plus, the menu has many unique and delicious dishes you won't find anywhere else. We will surely come back again to try other dishes.! Don't miss out on this gem in Tacoma read more
Ordered the mala hot pot, with octopus balls and fries, with an oolong ice tea and dragonfruit lychee tea. The drinks were great and the octopus balls were great too. The hot pot could have been more flavorful though but great pricing for a $15 hotpot meal. I would definitely go again because it is so affordable for its price. read more
2 years ago
This place is a hidden gem!! Looks super sketch on the outside and area for sure but In my personal opinion, this place is better than boiling point. Taste, price point and portion. Got the creamy hot and sour soup ($16) with seafood and tiger brown sugar UBE ($7) BOTH sooooo good! The service was great. Very attentive and so kind. Would highly recommend it!! read more
3 years ago
I highly recommend this place. We tried all fruit tea drinks and they're all good. We also ordered some fries and banh mi. I love everything here. The food was excellent and you can tell the food was made with love. I have found my new favorite spot. Lakewood is lucky to have you. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
This was my first time at May Cafe and the food was so tasty!! I shared the creamy hot & sour hot pot and octopus balls with my partner. It was more than enough food between the two of us, the only thing I wish I had was more broth because it was delicious. I would highly recommend this hidden little gem read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
This place was incredible! I got the creamy hot and sour hot pot with seafood and my husband got the fried rice with combo meat. Surpassed my expectations! The staff was very friendly and helpful in choosing my entree. Hubby really liked the rice as well. We will definitely be back. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
I loved my meal! I got tomato hot pot. Good service and yummy soup . I got a drink as well. Very clean and modern location. read more
2 years ago
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2 years ago
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May Cafe - cafes - Updated September 2026
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