Seatings are very comfortable. Service is good. Good selection of soup base, sauce as well as appetizers at self-service bar. There's also a good selection of ingredients that are fresh. Be prepared that ordering a-la-carte can get pricey. The only complaint I have is the reception system. It's slow (maybe they don't have enough wait staff) and inefficient. There's confusion among customers who book tables in advance, and those who are just walk-in, as well as those who put their names in the waiting list in the tablets on the side of the reception area. Everyone is crowding there, with just one waitress holding a tablet to try to get to everyone. It's VERY SLOW going. Also, be prepared that they enforce the 2-hour eating time. So, you only two hours to eat before you have to vacate your table for the next customer. read more

Delicious food and even better service. We ordered the mushroom, hot and sour, and chicken collagen broths. You can make your own dips with a variety of options (included in price) and you do have to pay separately for veggies and protein. The portions for veggies and protein are big so you can easily share. Ambiance is welcoming, everything looked clean, and they had great music playing. read more

Qiao Lin Hotpot - Boston - Hot Pot Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The gals took me to hotpot last night, it was good in many ways, yet lacking in quality for some of the desserts. The server was a very nice Thai guy, very kind and very attentive. We ordered so much it was ridiculously good. My favorite was the shrimp paste in bamboo, where you scoop it directly into the soup. Great place to hang out with friends, they do have a 2 hour seating limit. Very busy place. read more

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The hot pot experience here can be a bit overwhelming with so many options, especially if you're just a party of two. I decided to go with the staff's recommendations and tried the Pepper Pork Tripe broth along with the Chongqing Spicy broth -- and wow, the latter is seriously spicy ! Both broths were flavorful and rich. The selection of sides was great too -- I especially enjoyed the kimchi, sliced cabbage, jelly, taro dessert, and tropical pudding. Everything tasted fresh and balanced out the heat from the broth perfectly. Overall, it was a really nice dining experience. I'd definitely recommend making a reservation in advance since parking is a hassle and metered spots nearby are hard to find. This place is ideal for a group of four or more to make the most of the variety! read more

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This place was recommended to me by multiple coworkers (all Chinese). You can make a reservation on Yelp. They have off street parking (but it's very limited), so you may have to park on the street (meters around). The staff are very friendly. Our server was very nice and helpful since she knew it was our 1st time. She recommended the Golden Chicken broth, which was my personal favorite. All 3 broths that we got were highly flavorful. In addition to the golden chicken, we also got the chongqing (mild), and mushroom. The mild Chongqing had heat, but I didn't think it was as spicy as the mild spicy beef tallow at La Mei. Perhaps next time, my wife and I will try the medium level. They give you a lot of veggies. It was a hit or miss on the freshness, but the meats did look very fresh. They also offer a sauce bar and provided examples of a few sauces. However, since the broths are flavorful, you don't really need to have a separate sauce to dip in. The place is pretty loud as it is very packed patrons. When we had dinner, it appeared to be filled with a lot of Asian college kids. You know that you found the right place when the patrons are mostly Chinese. read more

Qiao Lin Hotpot - Boston - freshly cut short rib and lamb shoulder - Hot Pot Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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This is one of the most cleanest and fresh spot in Boston. I love it here, the sauce bar on point, meat and veggies are fresh. Just a bit overpriced but it's so good read more

Qiao Lin Hotpot - Boston - Hot Pot Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Give them another tray and it's really good Like fresh meat , but service could be better. read more

Hands down my favorite hot pot place. The kind of place that puts the same effort into their soup that they do in the quality of meats and veggies they serve. Staff are super friendly, helpful, and attentive. Place is much cleaner now with more ventilation. Highly recommend! read more

Always a wait for this place, so we tried to come on a really off time - like 3pm on a Tuesday and we still had to wait for like 20 minutes for a party of 2. Lovely hot pot place, clean and professional. The meats are wonderful cuts and menu has all your usual hotpot things to get. There is an unlimited sauce area with a generous selection of choices. Broths are wonderful. We tried three different ones to get a full experience and each were unique and balanced. The spicy Chongching was very comparable to what you would typically see in China - in a sense very 'authentic'. Might be too oily for some stomachs though. Mushroom broth has some ginger so there's a nice little kick that balances out with the umami. Herbal Chicken broth was light and delicious. Excellent for vegetables. Overall, it was a pleasant hot pot experience, but I don't really understand the hype and the prices aren't that great considering there's so much other competition in the area, so nothing wow-ed me compared to some other hot pot across the street. read more

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My go to hot pot spot in the area! I really love the broth and food quality here. Only downside is there can be a long wait but still worth it! read more

Qiao Lin Hotpot - Boston - Hot Pot Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Probably the best hotpot I've had so far, and this is coming from someone who uses most major holidays as an excuse to go out for hotpot. The #1 thing that distinguishes Qiao Lin from other places is the broth. I tried most of their broths on many repeat visits, and they are all different degrees of great to amazing. My favorites so far are the spicy - lvl 1 (level 2/3 will make you pay for it later) and Golden chicken. Their vegetables are super fresh as well. Interestingly, the least good item on the menu is the sliced meats imo. I tend to eat a lot of meat when I have hotpot, but their veggies and other items (meatballs, frozen tofu, etc) are so good here that I don't mind. It gets very busy with 1+ hr waits, so would recommend going at off-hours. If you are within 10 miles, you can put yourself on the yelp waitlist, which will significantly help your wait time. aficionado Overall, an amazing place that every hot pot aficionado should try at least once. read more

Qian Lin Hot Pot is easily one of my favorite hot pot spots in Boston. It's pretty popular, so definitely expect a wait during peak hours -- but honestly, it's worth it every time. One of the things I love most is their self-serve bar with desserts, fruits, appetizers, and sauces. There is a $3 charge for the sauce bar, but with the variety they offer, I think it's more than fair! Their broths are fantastic, and the selection is huge. My absolute favorite is the golden chicken broth -- it's incredibly rich and flavorful, perfect with any ingredients you throw in. Speaking of ingredients, everything here is consistently high quality. The meats, veggies, and especially the appetizers are always fresh and delicious. The service is always nice and quick, which makes the experience even better, especially on busy nights. Yes, the price is on the higher side, but between the portion sizes, ingredient quality, and overall experience, I think it's well worth it. read more

Amazing service here! The broth was DELICIOUS and full of flavor, unlike some other places. The free dessert and sauce and appetizers are really fun too. I do wish they had more clear labels and a few were unlabeled and so I had no idea what they were, also some things needed replaced more often. Super fun vibes though and it feels secluded at each table which is nice. read more

Qiao Lin Hotpot - Boston - Soup bases - Hot Pot Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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The broth here is AMAZING!! But this is definitely one of the more pricey hotpot places. You have to pay for broth and the sauce. But the quality of all the food is fantastic! They also have great service, and everyone gets an apron. Even the kids too. I would say that this place is good for a date or small groups! read more

Great hot pot spot with a wide variety of fresh ingredients--The broth is flavorful, perfect for sharing. Portions are generous and presentation is clean. Ideal for families or groups. Highly recommended!!!! read more

Qiao Lin Hotpot - Boston - Hot Pot Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Amazing hot pot spot that I would love to come back to! The meat here was so good and there is a ton of variety in terms of veggies, seafood, and more! The line is quite insane though so i highly recommend planning ahead for it like putting your name on the waitlist about an hour before you want to eat at Service was pretty good too. Nothing out of the ordinary. Interior was clean and much bigger than it looks from the outside They have a huge sauce bar and if you don't know what to do you can look at their recs right above the sauce bar! Overall would highly recommend to anyone who is looking for a quality over quantity hot pot place! read more

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Delicious food, best a la carte hotpot in the Boston area! Service is good but theyre busy. read more

Qiao Lin Hotpot - Boston - SO GOOD-- flat iron cut - Hot Pot Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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This place is not AYCE but I left full, and pleasant surprised by the price. I expected to pay much more but my friend tipped generously and we still only paid about $53 per person (and we also got the sauce). The ingredients seem high quality and fresh, and are well presented. You can choose up to 3 broths, which I haven't seen at many places. The spicy broth is very spicy and oily, even though I chose the most mild level. I would be careful of eating too much of the spicy since the oils can cause an upset stomach. I really enjoyed the tomato based soup which is a little tangy and sweet. The herbal chicken had the least amount of flavor for me, but is good if you like things mild. The worst part of this place is the wait. Make sure to sign up on the online waiting list early and go inside to check in or you may wait forever. We waited an hour and 40 minutes and I almost lost hope and started seeing black. They have a tiny little parking lot in the back too. read more

Qiao Lin Hotpot - Boston - Hot Pot Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

4.5 stars Great hot pot place. Very authentic. We got the chicken broth with collagen soup that was delicious. The meat was generally great. We got lamb, beef, shrimp, fish balls, etc. read more

Great place to enjoy quality hot pot over quantity! We went on a Thursday evening around 6pm and had to wait around 40 minutes for a party of three. Would recommend placing your name on the waitlist earlier if you plan to go around 5pm. It was definitely emptier a little later. Service is good. The Golden Chicken Broth is my favorite! Chicken flavor is in your face, but in a good way. Chongqing spicy broth was a good spicy. Hot and sour was decent. Meat was good and fried fish tofu was fried fresh! Sauce bar was extensive. read more

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I'm so full. Food, the broth really good I'd drink it straight up. Attentive service, my partner drinks water like a camel and they were always replacing our water the second it was empty. Ambiance erm fancy Chinese. Already been here twice. read more

Qiao Lin Hotpot - Boston - Hot pot - Hot Pot Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

First time coming here and easily my new favorite hot pot spot. The staff was very friendly (big shoutout to the host Mike who answered my questions about my other guests arriving late), the food was delicious especially the broth, and everything arrived really fast. Between the huge selection and amazing sauce bar - it's no surprise there was a wait. Will definitely come here again soon! read more

Based on the menu and the other reviews, I was expecting to give this place a 4/5 and move on from there, but I was pleasantly surprised. First, I do need to say that you are going to have a lot better experience if you make a reservation and show up close to opening, as there is otherwise a massive line and wait. We went with friends on a Saturday and got there right at open, so we were promptly seated while a lot of other parties waited in the front. The tables have storage in the seats for your coats to keep them from smelling, which was greatly appreciated since the broths really filled the air. In fact, the floor actually got slippery from all of the condensation which was interesting, but they put floor fans out to dry it out a bit. We ordered 3 broths - Golden Chicken Soup with Collagen, Tomato Broth, and Chongqing Spicy Broth. The reason I expected to give this place an average rating was that the menu looked good, but extremely overpriced. $2.99 per person for dipping sauce sounded tough, and most of the meats looked around $10 or more. Veggies looked to average $4-5, and lately I've been frequenting all you can eat places, so I was thinking the total bill was going to be massive if we ordered a lot. To my surprise, we ordered around 14 dishes plus the broths, and it only ended up being $39/person after tax and tip, which is even cheaper than some AYCE places! And the quality here really is extraordinary. Some highlights: Tomato broth - This was so sweet and savory - it was the perfect balance and I normally hate tomato broths for hotpot! Golden Chicken Collagen broth - WOW. This was so rich and delicious. I didn't know chicken broth could taste like this. It was thick and not too watery - really made the ingredients pop! Spicy broth - We ordered the least spicy version AND took a whole chunk of solid oil out at the beginning and this was still spicy - beware. But we were able to take the chunk of solid oil home to add to homecooked dishes, which was a HUGE plus Sauce bar - $2.99 per person seems steep, but besides your standard sauces, there were also a bunch of other goodies here. They had fried shrimp balls like dim sum filled with a cheesy filling, taro filled mochi balls, 3 dessert soups (the mango soup was SO GOOD I had 4 bowls), stuffed marshmellows, edamame and a bunch of other small dishes. This is definitely worth the price for "sauce" Freshly cut short rib - so marbled and delicious - you could tell this was a pricier cut than normal beef. Lamb and one meter sliced beef - very high quality beef and lamb - a good portion size and very tasty! Crispy pork stick - GET THIS. It tastes so crispy and soaks up the delicious broths if you dip it in for just a few seconds. SO GOOD After you're done, they give you tupperware to take home leftover ingredients and you can take your broths home too - we have enough broth for a week of meals! They also have these really delicious gummies at the front you can take as you leave. This is now my favorite hotpot place in all of Boston - 5/5 will definitely be back! read more

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omg so yumm this is probably now in my top 3 hotpot restaurants !! service was great, they're very attentive. food is fresh and there's a lot of options at the sauce bar. the side dishes were also delicious, and there's hotpot broths we chose were very good as well. read more

Qiao Lin Hotpot - Boston - Hot Pot Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Easily one of my top hotpot spot in Boston! The broths were so delicious and the ingredients were fresh! Recommend making reservations before or joining the waitlist ahead of time since it can take a while. read more

Finally got to try this hot pot chain! I thought the hype had died down after over a year, but it was still packed at 2PM on a Saturday. I highly recommend putting yourself on the Yelp wait list ahead of time. We got on the wait list when we got there and we waited over an hour before we got seated. My first impression was how spacious this restaurant was. The sauce bar was towards the middle of the restaurant and there were many different options so you can really make the sauce your own! It was $2.99 per dipping sauce. Their booth benches also had storage underneath for your belongings to keep them from smelling like hot pot. As for the food, they had a wide selection of meats, seafood, vegetables, and noodles to choose from and they were all reasonably priced for the portion size. They even tell you how long to cook them! There are 7 broths to choose from and you can choose 1-3 broths, all at $16.95. We chose the Chongqing Spicy Broth, Herbal Chicken Broth, and Golden Chicken Soup with Collagen. The third one was my favorite - it was milky, rich in flavor, and full of health benefits! Overall, everything we got tasted good quality. The highlight for me was the Freshly Cut Short Rib ($17.95). We only felt misled by the picture in the menu for the House Made Cilantro Beef Ball ($8.95). We were expecting them to be presented on a spiral staircase like in the picture, but they were given to us on a regular plate instead. Not a deal breaker, but just something to keep in mind if you're expecting to get what you see in the picture. read more

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I will say that the wait was LONG on a Friday night- about 2 hours. It's difficult to find parking so we had to drive around until we found street parking nearby. FYI once you get the text that your table is ready you have to be there within 10 min. However, the wait was worth it since I didn't have anything to do anyway. First off, the staff are super nice. Very attentive with ordering more, adding more soup, etc despite how busy it is. That said, the space is smaller and a bit crowded especially with people waiting inside to be seated. The staff gives you warm aprons to wear which is so fun! The food was all good. The tomato soup base was surprisingly my fav, it was creamy and a bit tart. The golden chicken soup base was more mild and not as flavorful as I thought it would be but still good if you're not looking for something super salty or flavor bombed. I honestly didn't try the tom yum soup but my boyfriend said it was very good. They even throw in a free shrimp and mussel in the tom yum broth! The food is all fresh, especially their fresh noodles which are nice and bouncy. The corn was also fresh, sweet and firm; didn't seem like it was previously frozen like at other places. The sauce bar has many options and there are also desserts and appetizers. When I went, there were only 2 appetizers out because it was so busy which was a bummer because I heard that there is chicken feet which I didn't get to try but oh well. We spent $150 which includes a 20% tip, but we packaged up our leftovers which gave us about 3 more meals out of it, so worth the price! Overall this is one of the best hot pot places I've been to but be prepared to wait!!! read more

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The food here is very good and of high quality! I like the array of sauces and appetisers and desserts. You do have to pay extra to use those though so be prepared I was not aware. It does seem like it's pricey at first glance but the portions are large. I've had some dishes I've never tried before. read more

Our waiter was super helpful and friendly and made sure we were comfortable with the menu and sauce bar (about $3/pp). The plates are reasonably priced and everything came out very quick! Everything was delicious and I highly recommend! read more

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Pro tip: behind the building, there is designated parking for the restaurant. I've been here a couple times with my family now, and found it to be extremely authentic to hot pot in Chongqing. The service here is above and beyond. Very high-quality of meat. Flavor profiles are authentic and the condiments area js clean and well-stocked. I have generally found overall restaurant cleanliness to be only so so, with the floors not the cleanest and the bathroom to be so so. But if you're looking for some of the best spicy, mala hot pot in Boston, this is the spot. read more

They have a waitlist but they also have a priority reservation list as well. So the waitlist will say 10-12min but ask them how long the actual wait is because it's said we have been 5th in line for almost 30min. read more

Absolutely amazing hot pot. First time I've heard of this place and I was extremely impressed by their selection and quality for the price point. The meats and vegetables taste clean and fresh while being priced well. The hot pot soup bases are perfectly balanced with flavor. I love making my own sauce as well, and their selection of snacks/desserts. Will come back when I'm back in Boston read more

Qiao Lin Hotpot - Boston - Hot Pot Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Don't know why the rating is this high. Yes, this place is good, but I was not too amazed to say that I have to come here for hotpot. The place is popular and it's full even during weekday dinner time. The wait time is a few minutes so it's not bad. Service wise, it's good in general. They also have aprons available. For hot pot base, we chose medium spicy broth and pepper pork tripe broth. The spicy broth is spicy enough, but not numb enough. The pork tripe broth doesn't have enough pepper taste. For meat, we got the freshly cut short rib and one meter sliced beef. To be honest, I don't want to order them again. The meat is not tender (and no, we didn't over cook them). For vegetables, it's pretty standard. I like that they have bamboo fungus which is hard to see in other places. For dipping sauce and side dishes, pretty standard. read more

Qiao Lin Hotpot - Boston - Hot Pot Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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One of the best hot pot spots I've tried in Boston! Super spacious inside with clean seating. Plus there's a parking lot! The meat was plated so beautifully. We also ordered the crispy pork which is a must! Loved the super long chopsticks they use too. read more

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Favorite hotpot place in town! This is a big statement for me. I went there on a friday night for a party of 4 and still had to wait for like thirty minutes or more although I got on an online yelp waitlist an hour+ before getting there. Make sure to get on a waitlist way ahead especially if you're going on a weekend night. Once we got seated, everything came quick. We opted for a three option soup base - Chongqing spicy (mild), mushroom and golden chicken with collagen. All three broths were a hit for me. I have a pretty high spicy tolerance and I am glad I only ordered mild for Chongqing broth. There was still a good kick to it and a little too numbing. Chongqing crispy pork stick was the star of the show that we ordered it again! It pairs so well with all the broths even after dipping it in. The meat was good quality as well. There is also a sauce bar with all the essential ingredients to make your own sauce, as well as appetizers like bean curd sheet salad and pork ear salad, also some desserts. It is not an AYCE place but I was so full after. I thought the bill would come out so high considering how full I was but it was around $50 per person which is (unfortunately) almost the standard for non AYCE hotpot places in Boston. What stands out for me is the value and the taste I get for the price I paid. I wouldn't feel this satisfied and full for the same price in other places. -9/10 read more

Qiao Lin Hotpot - Boston - Hot Pot Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Thank the lovely food here that gave me food poisoning . High fever and diarrhea are just what I need after a busy day at work.

The options here were pretty solid. I'd say it's a bit pricey, but not atypical of hot pot in Boston. However, this is a must-go in Allston and I love how generous they are with their servings of meat. The different broths are amazing, and as a spicy girly, I love anything mala or with peppercorns. Service is excellent with very attention staff that makes sure all your needs are met. I love the little snacks by the front, def get the fruit gummies. Better than Haidilao in my opinion. read more

Really good quality food! I really liked the shrimp paste. The spicy broth was super spicy, I only got medium. Very flavorful, but also very greasy. Had to wait a longgggggg time for the table, around a little over an hour, even though we made a res. Service was great, very quick. read more

Qiao Lin Hotpot - Boston - Hot Pot Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Great food. Long wait though. 85 characters how many left? 1 2 3 4 5 Great food. Long wait though. 85 characters how many left? 1 2 3 4 5 Great food. Long wait though. 85 characters how many left? 1 2 3 4 5 read more

phenomenal hot pot experience - the decoration inside is beautiful and the food is superb. the golden chicken soup with collagen base was so rich and infused everything with such a wonderful flavor. fresh ingredients and all the presentation was fantastic. they have a self serve sauce bar with complimentary pig ear and desserts which was a pleasant surprise. service was friendly and efficient. wait times are long but if you join the waitlist on yelp it goes by fairly quickly! read more

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