I love the concept of malatang. You grab a bowl, load it up with everything your heart desires, pick your broth and they cook it all for you. The concept might be simple but the possibilities are endless! I went absolutely overboard with my proteins (both beef and lamb), enoki mushroom, napa cabbage, tripe, baby corn, fish balls filled with roe and tofu skin. I saw that they had tofu mochi too and it was one of the best new things I decided to give a try. The bone broth was rich, flavorful and had that perfect mala kick with the numbing spice. I got mild flavor so it was not the kind of spicy that I could not tolerate. Each topping also soaked up all the flavorful broth. My friend got the medium spicy bone broth and that was packed a punch! I love how all the ingredients are fresh and fully restocked. The staff is very efficient. And they also give out vouchers, and free oranges. read more

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I was looking forward to trying this place, but unfortunately I left disappointed. The first thing I noticed was that the bowls and tongs didn't appear very clean. On the positive side, they do offer a large variety of ingredients to choose from. When my bowl was served, I realized it wasn't the one I had ordered. They had accidentally switched my bowl with another customer's. Later, while eating, I came across some of the marinated cilantro beef, which looked raw. I asked the server if it could be cooked a bit longer, but she explained that it was supposed to be pink. I tried a small piece, but the texture was still very tender, which made me uncomfortable. It also didn't have the texture of what I expected from beef. My cousin also had an issue with her bowl. The lotus root slices were cut fairly thick, so after cooking, it was still undercooked and crunchy. Overall, it was a disappointing experience due to the cleanliness concerns, the order mix-up, and the food quality. There are plenty of ingredient options, but I don't see myself returning. read more

I met up with some close family friends for dinner at YGF Malatang which is located in Milpitas Square with 99 Ranch Market, Fantasia Tea, Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks, Somi somi, etc. The parking is horrendous during lunch hours. The interior is simple with basic decor. Inside seating only. The place is small so its hard if you have a party larger than 6 people. The service is friendly, attentive, and helpful. One unisex restroom only. Build-Your-Own-Bowl at $15.99/lb. A good selection of vegetables, tofu, proteins, noodles, etc. Then you select your broth from Signature Bone Broth, Tom Yum (new), Tomato Broth, Golden Chicken Broth, or Mala Spicy Dry Mix. I ordered mine with the mild spicy bone broth. My wife got the golden chicken broth which she really enjoyed! Sauce Bar with soy sauce, black vinegar, sesame & peanut paste, chili oil, chopped green onions, and chopped cilantro. Support your local business. read more

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I feel like there's YGF Malatang everywhere so its no wonder they opened up a place in the Milpitas square. I was kind of shocked because the restaurant was completely full on a weekday but we were still able to get seating. I ordered an assortment of items with the Mild Spicy Beef Bone Broth as the base and it was a pretty good but standard malatang experience. I felt like the soup felt a bit heavy to me so I didn't end up drinking any of it and so because of that I felt like you didn't really need any of the sauce. All the ingredients I had chosen are pretty good but I really wouldn't recommend the Cilantro Beef as the item didn't feel like it got cooked through all the way and it was a bit thick. Overall, a pretty standard Malatang experience although I did appreciate how fast they delivered my food which was essentially within 5 minutes of me handing them the bowl. read more

YGF Malatang - Mild Spicy Beef Bone Broth - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

Good luck with parking~ Came during lunch time but there was no line. Was given a table number and then you grab a bowl for your soup fillings. You pay by the weight, minimum 0.8 lbs, plus your broth. There's a DIY sauce and water station at the front. Variety of toppings and meat. Broth: . Signature Beef Bone Broth, mild spice - was too busy struggling with the spice to notice the beef bone flavor hehe. BUT it was flavorful. read more

YGF Malatang - Signature Beef Bone Broth - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

There's not much to say here. One of the first pick-your-own ingredients malatang in the south bay. Ive tried them all and this one prob has the best ingredient selection, quality, and soup flavors. Always a solid place to go for malatang. Dry style is decent too read more

Despite seeing tons of malatang spots opening up and being everywhere on social media, this was my first malatang experience. Easy and familiar concept akin to mongolian bbq. Create your bowl, weight your food, pay and wait for your food to be cooked and served. Love that they have a few broth options as well as dry! Grab your tongs and bowl, start along the line and grab all the items you want. I mostly focused on vegetables and protein of choice, though they do have a good variety of noodles as well. Minimum amount of food you can get is 0.8 lb but can add up quickly on certain food items. Mine came out to 0.83 lb. For broth, I opted for the mild beef broth. Drinks in the fridge were all $1.99 and were all drink options that are perfect for malatang. I got a can of chinese herbal tea and it was perfect with my meal. They also give you a water cup and cup for sauce, where you can make your own dipping sauce. Once they cook your dish, they'll bring it out to the table I was shocked at how good it was, I mean, I made it so yeah-kind of a given. But, the broth itself was flavorful, not too salty and was the perfect amount of heat. You can taste the peppercorn that gives that signature mala flavor. Everything was cooked through and felt that the amount of food I got was filling enough. Tried my cousin's dry mala dish and it was delicious as well! Service was quick despite being busy and what seemed to be like one staff working as a host, cashier and running food out to tables. Music wasn't too loud and the place was relatively clean, although small in capacity. Definitely will be back! read more

YGF Malatang - Mild beef broth with Tong ho, spinach, enoki, quail eggs, seaweed, lotus root, rice blood cake, fish ball with roe, beef and lamb. 0.83lb. - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

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Is there an explosion of Malatang places? I keep seeing so many of them and I think the Milpitas Plaza where YGF is located has a couple of the same type of restaurants as well. I'm all for it thought since it is definitely a nice way to customize your hot pot to your specific liking. [[ Pro's ]] 1.) Good selection of items to go in your Malatang and the broth you choose is also very flavorful. 2.) Reasonably priced if you don't over-stack your bowl and you probably can get the same amount as if you went to Tasty Pot or Boiling Point. 3.) There's a lot of other places at Milpitas Square to do after you finish eating such as Claw Mee and lots of boba or dessert places in case you want to do something. [[ Con's ]] 1.) The place isn't very big and the tables are close together. I brought my toddler along to eat and I was trying to sit at the end of the table (it blocks the aisle a little) bit and was told I couldn't do it. They didn't even offer to maybe give us a table of 6 for our table of 4 so we had extra room to accommodate. 2.) As mentioned above, service was not very good. I think the waitress at the time was just annoyed I brought my toddler along and just had a big frown on her face the whole time. Kind of ruined the vibes. read more

YGF Malatang - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

I feel like I'm late to the malatang game but I think I like it since I've always been a fan of places that let you choose all your ingredients. You basically build-a-bowl, select your base, and then also create your own sauce. I went with the beef bone soup base at medium spicy which has the perfect kick. Very tasty although not sure I would come back too often with how oily it is. I also do wish there were more broth options. Pretty quick service for this small but bustling restaurant. Good luck finding parking in this plaza at times though. read more

YGF Malatang - Beef Bone - Medium Spicy - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

I'm hooked! Been here a few times already and I think I found my ratio and if you've never been here, it might take a few tries to create your perfect bowl. The meat is towards the end so be mindful with everything in between. The different types of noodles make it hard to choose 1 or even grabbing less so you're not too carb focused. Potato, udon, clear, egg, ramen and more! I like the potato noodles for the chewy texture. There's veggies towards the beginning, other toppings such as fish balls, different types of tofu, mini corn, lotus, sliced rice cake, etc.. don't forget to check out the top of the serving station for other items such as instant noodles. There's some seafood options but I just stick with their thinly sliced beef. Lamb is good too but the flavor might not stand out too much. I disliked the texture of the marinated beef since it's a bit thicker, I would have been better grilled than boiled. If you end up going overboard you can take it to go! I like to balance the bowl with some veggies, light noodles, and more beef. I've been sticking with their beef broth, medium spicy. They have a sauce bar with garlic, cilantro, green onions, and a few different sauces (chili oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, etc..) Some of the photos on yelp do not match their self serving station at this location. It's just one station front and back. It could get super packed after 5pm and finding a table indoor might take some time. read more

YGF Malatang - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

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Came by on a Saturday night and we were able to get seated immediately despite the restaurant being full. There were plenty of staff delivering bowls to customers. The toppings bar was stocked with plenty of variety. There was also a water dispenser and a side table that allowed patrons to put on as many extra toppings and sauces without additional charge. My bowl was about $30, and it was definitely enough soup for two people. They gave us some to go containers and we didn't feel rushed even as we were one of the last ones to leave. I got the signature beef bone broth with medium spicy and it was pretty good. Quail eggs and spam were also a must. They also gave us a coupon to come back for a discount - I believe since it was the holidays. 4 out of 5 stars simply for cleanliness - I felt like that the toppings bar could have been cleaned a bit more often, and the bathroom doubled as open-air storage. Dust was noticeable on some of the boxes, so it made me a bit worried for overall cleanliness. read more

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Tried YGF Malatang and it was pretty average overall. The build-your-own setup is nice and they have a wide variety of ingredients to choose from, which makes it easy to customize your bowl. That said, the flavor didn't really stand out. The broth was decent but lacked the depth and richness I was hoping for. Nothing was bad, just nothing memorable either. Prices can add up quickly since it's charged by weight, which is pretty typical for malatang spots, but it didn't quite feel worth it for the quality. read more

I got extra spicy with a little bit of everything. The next time I come, I know not to over indulge. The beef broth was very flavorful. They have a variety of toppings, meat, veggies. The only thing I wished they had was more sauce options. They only had peanut, soy sauce for the base and other things like garlic, oil, chilie etc... Will be back read more

YGF Malatang - Beef broth extra spicy. It's good! Not too spicy for me but may be for others - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

Eating at YGF Malatang is always a fun experience since you get to choose which ingredients you want to include in your hotpot. Your bowl is weighed at the end after choosing your broth. There is a 0.8 lb minimum for each bowl. Then, you wait for your bowl to be made and served at your table. There are a wide variety of soup bases and ingredients. The price is also reasonable and the meal is pretty filling. Unfortunately, parking can be difficult especially during peak dining hours so make sure to plan accordingly. read more

YGF Malatang - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

When you don't know what to eat for lunch or dinner, you might as well have YGF Malatang, where there are many options to choose from a variety of thin-sliced meats, seafood/fish balls, veggies, carbs, and a broth flavor. This place is always packed with a line out the door during lunch due to Cisco employees coming across the street. Some were slow to pick before me. Must be decisive in a minute during rush hour. It's a cafeteria buffet style, yet you check in for a table with a waiter while in line. The waiter came up to me at the register to let me know which table to sit at since I came alone, being a small lady with a big, hearty bowl ready to pay. I ended up paying $29 for almost 2 lbs of lamb and beef, Chinese veggies, enoki mushrooms, seaweed, mussels, clams, fish balls, quail eggs, pig blood pudding, potato noodles, and mild spicy beef broth. That broth made me cry like a heartbroken K-drama lead, not only because it was good, but also because it was moderately spicy for me. I don't recommend getting the seaweed because it's not completely cooked, but the rest was good. The meat was soft and tender to bite, and the fish balls were fun to eat. The potato noodles were chewy and made me full easily. Prefer to take fewer than five pieces next time. They even have a sauce bar and water cooler next to the register. I recommend getting the sesame sauce mixed with chili oil, a bit of soy sauce, lots of green onions, and cilantro. Service was fast and efficient. They clean the tables right after each party leaves. The line calmed down around half an hour before closing, so it's best to be there at opening hour or after 1 pm. read more

YGF Malatang - Fish ball - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

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Best part is the fun experience. I came here with my sister and mother and we had so much fun going through the food display and pick what we like for our pot. The weighting part is weird. Their screen mentions food is weighted excluding the bowl, BUT I noticed my bowl AND my food weighted total of 1.5lb and it came out $25. I enjoy the variety of food selection. Broth isn't impressive. Fast service. Crowded but clean place. read more

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Pretty good soup. The ingredients were fresh and it was busy but I didn't feel cramped at all even though tables for two were butted together without any dividers in between. If you speak your is dialect or language the people next to you probably don't understand anyways. When we first walked in, we were immediately assigned a table. I like the assortments of vegetables, means and seafood. My favorite is the one that's shaped as a hersheys kisses but made of fish and has fish roe inside. They had pork belly and other types of seafood such as octopus, fish cakes, shrimp. They have everything you can think of adding in your soup. At the end of the line, you tell the cashier what broth you want to finish off your ingredients. There's also a water dispenser to help wash down any overly-added chili oil that someone as myself did to my soup. After5 minutes or so, your soup is brought to your table. I was that person who added just a tad bit too much chili oil and I was sweating bullets. Great for the sinuses but my napkin quickly turned into a towel wiping down beads of sweat racing down my forehead and back of neck. Overall not a bad Malatang soup place. There's another one just less than 50ft away across the parking lot. Try that place next time as well and compare. read more

Whenever my partner and I are in Milpitas, we know we have to go to YGF. We usually have to wait for a table, but it's worth it. They have plenty of options for meat, vegetables, and other toppings, and they're always very generous with putting lots of soup in your bowl. read more

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Long time hot potter, first time pre-made-with-all-ingredients hot potter. What a treat this place was! The beef bone broth comes in a range of different spice levels, with the medium hot option working well for those that enjoy spicy food but need to give their stomach a break. I didn't find the medium hot option to be overly numbing. Decent variety of ingredients including the usual rice/egg/instant noodles, quail eggs, lotus root, enoki, bok choy, and Chinese yams. I definitely have a preference for pre-made hot pot now. The experience feels similar to conventional hot pot but less wasteful and 2/3 the price. $15/pound for a huge, extra customizable bowl of the good stuff? I'm in. read more

Lots of hype surrounding this restaurant! Heard wonderful things; tried it for the very first time during lunch time hours. What a mad rush. Arrived at 12:05pm in the afternoon. Made a reservation via Yelp before arrival but upon arrival, we waited and waited for ten minutes. There was a long of people outside and indoors was all packed. All tables were occupied. There's no sign up sheet or sign to direct customers. I checked in with an employee and asked about the wait list on Yelp and he informed me that they are not using the reservations via Yelp. He scanned the room and looked around and gave us a number for a table. He informed us to line up and create our bowl and pay and a table should be ready by then. There was a variety of different veggies, meats, noodles and other items -- I chose all the things that I liked and also in the portion size that I wanted. Everything looked fresh and it looked good. You choose all the food you want like and at the register, you pick your broth and pay. It depends on the items and how many items you choose, that determines your price. My bowl was $17 and the weight was 0.98 lbs. After payment, we were given you a number, you seat yourself and they bring your bowl to you once it's cooked. It was super fast when we went. Wait time was about ten minutes. The food was delicious; flavorful. I would definitely come back in the future but probably not during rush hour. The staff is very nice but not very organized. Parking can also a big difficult, the plaza has a huge parking lot but it does get full and busy very quickly. I can see why there is hype surrounding this as the food is delicious but be aware of long wait times. read more

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Service has definitely gone down. I don't like being indicated where to tip when paying cash. I can see the tip jar. They also are selective on which customer receives a coupon. The constant replenishment is nice. You're not choosing veggies or toppings that have been out for a while. The beef mild broth was my go to but I recently tried their tomato broth and that is now my new go to. It's sweet and sour, tangy tomato soup. It's also lighter than the beef broth. Lunch time is not the best time to come here. Interior is small and they pack in their customers. Sometimes eating outdoors is preferred when they're packed. There will be a wait during lunch time. read more

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This was my first time having malatang and YGF does it pretty well. All the ingredients look fresh, and I appreciate that they minimize cross-contamination by keeping the veggies separate from the proteins. It can be easy to get carried away with your selections, though and the price definitely adds up. That said, I'd try it again because I love the idea of a customized hotpot. The service was very nice and accommodating. read more

I went to YGF Malatang with some friends since I was craving a nice bowl of soup. I've been to the one in Cupertino a while ago but not the Milpitas location. The restaurant itself is on the smaller side, so I personally wouldn't recommend parties of more than 4 to dine here. The ingredients are pretty standard, but I noticed a bit more variety compared to other places. I chose out my ingredients and decided on the mild bone broth. The sauce bar was pretty standard with the typical sauces and condiments. My first impression of this malatang is that the broth was a little bit too ... orange LOL the oil created this orange film on top of the broth, which was kind of interesting. The broth also lacked flavor; it didn't taste horrible, however it tasted watery. My friend and I also thought the lotus roots were not the freshest. The fish ball with roe tasted rubbery to me. I don't think I'll be returning to this specific YGF location, as I remember my experience with the Cupertino location was more positive than this. read more

Service is clean and straightforward, self serve. The food was delicious!... fresh ingredients. Really fun to build my own bowl. Loved it!... really great concept. read more

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Tried out this place for weekend dinner and got their beef bone broth in mild spice for the soup base to get with their self-select raw ingredients bar. There is a decent variety of raw ingredients, but all of it seemed pretty good quality. Your selected ingredients are weighed and paid for by pound, then they make the soup and bring out to you. It's great that they offer plastic bowls so you can have the option to share with others (i.e. 1 big bowl for 2 people). Food comes out in a reasonable time even when busy, but there may be a lack of available seating given their limited floor space and how busy they are! Food was great and would recommend trying! I saw some people grabbed too much for their own bowl, but you can also pack it to go if you don't finish or there's no seating. Service was attentive and efficient. Nice ambiance though it can feel crowded with how close the seating arrangement is. read more

YGF Malatang - beef bone broth mild - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

I always get tomatoes broth every hot pot and this one tasted a little different. I did put a bunch of meat and no noodles which ended up spending total of $29 with a can of sprite. They do offer the side sauce like chili, peanut sauce, garlic and green onions which I appreciate. I came alone and I know its common sense to sit at the window bar but wish I had an option to eat at the tables as the bar was too high for me to eat. Waitor informed me to sit there only. No matter the # of party it should always be first come, first serve seating. read more

YGF Malatang - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

One of my favorite places to get some good soup in the Bay Area. My group of friends (around 8 of us) got there right when it opened, and there were already people lining up. They were able to combine two tables right next to the door to allow us to sit together. Be careful when sitting here cause some people tend to leave the door open so it can get really cold or hot depending on the day. They do have a waitlist in which you are able to join (would recommend joining it before heading to the restaurant as it is really popular), but since we were one of the first ones, we got seated right away. You first pick up a bowl and some tongs and line up to go look at the different stations to add food into your soup. They had a large variety of vegetables, meats, noodles and some other stuff I can't remember. You can go as crazy as you want with the amount of food you can get. I will say that since we are using the same tongs for picking up each food item, it might not be the best place for people who have allergies to certain foods (since there could be some cross contamination). They had a deal where you are able to buy a drink for I think $1 more which was a steal. My bowl ended up being 1.2 lbs at around $20ish dollars. After weighing and paying for your food, they cook in the broth that you choose and bring it out to you. In the meantime, you are able to grab sauces and some garnishes to add to your soup. The food comes out fast, and the bone broth was very flavorful. I do recommend going to this place but remember to join the waitlist beforehand. read more

YGF Malatang - Beef Bone Broth w/ Medium Spicy - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

I love a good hot pot and this place does not lack flavor! I got their beef bone broth medium spicy, as soon as I smelled it and saw that color I just knew this was going to be good and sure enough it was bomb! Although for being medium spicy that broth had a lot of kick to it! Still good though. I love that you're able to pick and choose all the goodies that you want. The only flaw is I wish they had the fresh noodles instead of just instant, which I don't mind instant, but the fresh ones would have been better. read more

YGF Malatang - Medium beef bone broth - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

Love this hotpot spot! You pick all your ingredients, put everything in a bowl, and they weigh it before cooking. Super easy. The restaurant is always clean and the service is fast. The broth is fresh, rich, and full of flavor. I always get the beef broth with medium spice and it's perfect every time. Such a great place for a cozy fall day. Very fast-casual and convenient! read more

YGF Malatang - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

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So many options of veggies, meats, noodles, etc. For my bowl, I got a good mix of cabbage, spinach, fish balls, ramen noodles, and beef slices. For my broth, I chose the beef bone with mild spice. While your bowl is being prepared, there's a sauce bar to make your own dipping sauce. My food was ready within 5 minutes and once I took my first bite, I was in love! The price would depend on which broth you choose and the weight of your ingredients. My total came out to about $23. The restaurant was clean and service was speedy. I'm looking forward to my next visit! read more

YGF Malatang - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

This place is poppin! We pulled up on a Tuesday night and it was pretty busy. Fair warning; the tables are packed together like sardines so you might be touching elbows with a stranger next to you. This is like a DIY hotpot kinda place, you load up your bowl with veggies/meat/etc and then choose your broth at the end, then they add the soup and cook it up for you. Beware not to load up your bowl too much, my first bowl that I got ended up being over $30 LOL. And it's all charged per pound so keep that in mind, via this system meats and seafood cost as much as veggies. My favorite are the potato noodles and fish ball with roe filling. They also have a nice veggie selection. I love their signature beef bone broth! It's full of flavor and the medium was adequately spicy. The beef brisket was super tasty and tender as well; I was impressed at the quality of ingredients! They also had a sauce bar but I didn't end up using much of my sauce because the broth was already flavorful enough on its own. Overall I love their beef, simplicity of ordering, and DIY nature of the meal, the power of choice makes it more fun. I would definitely recommend if you love hotpot! read more

YGF Malatang - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

This was my first time having malatang ever! I really enjoy the concept of it being similar to hotpot but everything is cooked at once. We went on a Saturday night for dinner and it was packed! The restaurant itself is quite small so it does fill up quick. I loved the variety of veggies, meat, and carbs. I got the beef bone broth and honestly the flavor fell flat for me. I wish it was more flavorful. There was a small sauce bar that had a few basic sauces and toppings which helped add more flavor. Overall, pretty decent first experience with malatang. I would come back but I would try another broth or maybe the dry pot flavor. read more

YGF Malatang - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

This is one of the standard malatang places to get. It always hits the spot. The medium spicy broth is good, the sliced beef and lamb were tender, and there's lots of other options to put in your soup. My soups flavor was great, a bit creamy yet light and spicy. Basically hot pot but all cooked for you in one big pot. For the price point, it's definitely worth it. Would be twice as expensive at a regular hot pot place. read more

YGF Malatang - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

It was a cold night and we decided a hot bowl of soupy noodles were just what we needed. Place has Yelp waitlist so we got onto it before driving. Since it was Friday, they were busy and I was 20th on the list but managed to get a table within 10 mins after arrival. I loved their Cupertino location and knew what to expect. Looks like they added chicken broth recently so this is what we opted for. I didn't find any fish this time but they had some shrimp and shrimp balls. The kids had a wild time picking their ingredients of choice. I felt it was a good experience as it helps them appreciate the ingredients going into their food. Most cuisines don't offer such deep insight into the dishes. I decided to split a bowl with my five year old, but the little guy loved his noodles so much that he refused to share with me. Everything I picked was cooked beautifully, I loved all varieties of tofu, yellow noodles, fried egg, baby corn, shrimp balls, veggies in my sizzling hot golden chicken broth. We went wild at the sauce bar and the sauces helped bring so much more added flavor to the soup. Can't wait to go back now that it's raining here in the bayarea! read more

YGF Malatang - Chicken broth - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

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Second time trying this place! It didn't hit the same this time unfortunately. I feel there are better malatang places in the bay than this one. read more

YGF Malatang - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

Solid Chinese hotpot/soup place with great options of veggies, noodles, meats and a variety of broths to choose from. The sauces are great too, and there's a water dispenser right next to it. The tables are a bit small and crowded near each other so it can be a bit hard to navigate the space when there's a lot of people (which tends to happen almost if not every time we come here for dinner or lunch), but overall not too bad. The only thing that bothers me a bit is that everything is plastic: the bowls, the spoons, the sauce cups, etc. I might be overthinking it a bit, but I can't help but think about the microplastics leeching out into my soup especially with how hot it is I know tons of places use plastic though, so it's not the worst thing! The coupon system they have here, where you get a $2 off coupon if your bowl is more than 1 pound, is nice if you eat a lot and go regularly. read more

This is a smaller shop for Mala tong inside the same Milpitas square . It has fewer tables but the line is shorter . The food stations are well stocked and has good quality meats , seafood and vegetables. Their New Zealand lamb , shrimp and some side dishes are fresher than the near by shop Mala Town ( I went a few times and their items were frozen ) . It has the fish noodle ( taste is good and it has no carbs so it will not affect people on diet restrictions) . Mala Town used to have the fish noodle but they discontinued carry it one year ago . I am pleased with the taste and qualm of their self serve stations. Vegetables are fresh and good selection. The seafood and meats ( lamb , beef , prawn , fish ) are all fresh . Only disadvantage is their tables are smaller . The noodles come with original pack inside of cut into half size . Since the cost is by weight, I would like to pay for more protein or vegetables inside of one full pack of noodles . Good value and good service . Parking lot is big . No problems on weekdays but it is crowded on Sunday . This will be one of the Mala tong restaurants that we like to come back next time . read more

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Price is $15.99/lb with the many options for the broth. Malatang has gotten very popular recently and feels similar to hot pot. You get a decent amount of food if you only eat 1 lb of food. The space in the restaurant is on the smaller side, but the wait time is short. You grab a bowl and go down the line while picking up the ingredients you want into your bowl. At the end, the cashier weighs the bowl to determine how much to pay. Wait time for them to cook the food and bring it out to you is very quick, which helps bring down the wait time. I enjoyed the beef broth but spice level was high for me personally at the mild level. read more

YGF Malatang - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

I love malatang, and I know it's naturally a high-sodium dish. But the broth at YGF tasted overly artificial and extremely heavy on MSG and salt. After eating, I felt super bloated and unusually thirsty from all the sodium. They also have pretty limited topping and sauce options, which made the experience less exciting. Overall, not my favorite spot for mala. read more

This was my first experience with "malatang". And if it's your first time like me, I'm wagering your first bowl is more than likely going to be like $25-$30 lol These shops have basically taken over everywhere I go. Apparently it's a very popular style of Chinese street food (soup that is). YGF...Mala Town, I don't know which ones better, but I chose this one because I think it's been here longer and I've seen the crazy lines out the door. Basically you grab a bowl and go down a buffet line to add toppings into your bowl. It's $14.99/lb at this establishment, you add carbs/veggies/proteins/etc into your bowl, then they weigh it, then you pay, then they take your bowl and add the broth of your choice and boil the toppings in your broth. The first three tongs I grabbed were all hella dirty. It still had food particles baked into the metal. I kept giving them to a staff member one by one telling them it was dirty. After the third one I just told him "hey maybe you should double check this entire batch" which they did. I got the signature broth and man, was it hella mid. There was barely any flavor/depth to it. Luckily there's a sauce bar with salt, sugar, and minced garlic. I was able to spruce my broth up to my liking, but they ought to make the broth tastier. Honestly it needed like a knob or two of beef better than bouillon IMO. It was too light. Also the restaurant is just so small, and yet so crowded. It was triggering my claustrophobia at times and I hated how I felt like there was someone always going to be walking by or hovering over me whether it's walking up and down the restaurant to get sauces/water, or waiters zipping by and what not. I'm a pretty open minded eater but this was not it IMO. I know Chinese flavor tends to be more oily flavor (aromatic/herbal), but there really wasn't much hearty sweet savory flavor to help round it out. Also one of the stupidest things they do here (as mentioned in a few other reviews) is they let you choose Chinese donuts as a topping, but they literally boil it along with the rest of your toppings so it comes completely soggy and demolished in your soup. I honestly don't get why on Earth they decide to do this, and not let you take the donut on a separate plate or something. Such a terrible oversight. read more

YGF Malatang - Why do they have this up? If it's old Halloween decor, it's December. If it's not, it's kinda creepy/ominous - Noodles Near Me - Milpitas, California

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