Love this place!! My son said it's one of his favorite places in Berkeley so we were excited to try it and weren't disappointed. We went to the Irvine location and it was a completely different experience. This place was so clean and the restaurant was much lighter and inviting. The guys at the counter were super friendly and then you get to the food. Soooo good. I got the tom yum broth and it was just really amazing. It's like "I can't wait to go again" good. What can I say.. I can't wait to go again. read more

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I was one of the people with the two UC students who got banned from malatang because we couldn't afford to tip that one time. I find it completely unreasonable that my friends got banned that day because of tipping issue, I just want to say that my two friends were basically normals at Malatang and have tipped before. My friend who paid tried to find a reason as to why he was getting banned but the worker did not want to tell us, so we just assumed that he was upset that we didn't tip. He told us to hurry up and get out rushing us, whilst giving attitude and throwing a napkin or rag on the table. As well as everyone who has also said a review, this is a self-serve hotpot place as the waiters do not do much as just bring us our bowls and clean up every now and then. But most of the time you will just see them standing there staring at you, if anything the people in the kitchen probably deserve more than the waiters out there. I just find is severely disappointing that they treat customers like this and over a one-time tip they decide to ban regulars at said restaurant. I find it shameful that they act like this in broad daylight, where was the professionalism, of an adult, nonetheless. I enjoyed the food myself as well and even though I was one of the people they didn't "Ban" I will most definitely not return just because of this incident. read more

The malatang is not bad; the soup is flavorful, and you grab ingredients like every other malatang spot. To me personally, a red flag was already raised: they weighed my bowl and gave me a ticket (queue system) and didn't have me pay upfront immediately; other malatang spots usually have me pay upfront (which I like cause I don't have to feel rushed cause I already paid). Another thing about this Zhangliang that's different than the other ones I've been to is that usually EVERYTHING is self-serve (water, dippings, getting your delicious malatang, chopsticks, spoons, etc). Here? They deliver your bowl to you and pour water whenever there is downtime (which is okay? I guess?..), to me the service isn't restaurant quality, where the workers check up on you (cause it's a malatang spot, you just eat, vibe, maybe yap with friends!) Upon finishing my meal, one of the workers came up for payment, and that's where you would pay for your meal. The only thing that had icked me out personally was when they confronted my friends and me for not tipping. I was also in the restaurant when another worker got mad at college students for not tipping them, which I believe there's another review on here that talked about that... Anyways, I would not come back to this Zhangliang personally cause the service is subpar, basically the bare minimum (I would rather have self-service malatang, but that's just me), and they confront you for not tipping, legit spinning the square around and asking me, "You didn't tip." Redoing my transaction just to include the tip. If you come here, then hopefully you got a 15% tip extra cause I think it's crazy for a malatang place (where you PICK YOUR OWN ingredients).. read more

Malatang has officially earned a new regular. A friend recommended it to me, and I'm honestly sad I waited so long to try it. When you walk in, you put your name down and wait to be called. Once a table opens up, the staff shows you to your seat and you're ready to build your bowl. You grab a bowl and start filling it with whatever ingredients you're craving -- there are so many options, which makes it fun (and slightly dangerous if you go overboard like I did). They weigh your bowl and you pay by the pound, which I love because you're fully in control of what you're getting. After that, you choose your broth. I went with the tom yum, and it was absolutely delicious -- flavorful, comforting, and perfectly balanced with a little kick. Everything tasted fresh, and the broth really brought all the ingredients together. They also have a sauce bar for dipping, which is a huge plus in my book. Being able to customize your sauces just adds another layer to the whole experience. I'm already dreaming of my next malatang visit! One thing to note: parking in the area can be tough, especially on weekends, so give yourself a little extra time to find a spot. read more

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My rating is a 4.5. 4 stars alone for the food and cleanliness of the restaurant itself. I love Malatang. It's definitely a great place to eat when it's cold outside, but ngl, I don't mind eating it when it's hot either. I've been here twice, and their broth hasn't disappointed either time. So, that means I will be going back. It's $15.99/lb, and I love guessing how much my bowl will be. I'm always surprised when my bowl weighs less than 2 lbs. Heheh. They do have a smaller selection of items compared to some of the other Malatang spots that I've been to, but everything is fresh, and there is enough of a selection where you don't feel like you're missing out on anything. After you weigh and turn in your bowl, the wait for the food isn't very long. Long enough for a quick chat or a quick scroll on the phone. The bowls always come piping hot and smelling delicious! I haven't tried any other broth than the beef one. The medium, to me, wasn't spicy at all. Such great flavor. Their service is good. All of the employees are friendly. However, they really do expect you to pay a tip. I had my son go up to pay, and he didn't press a tip (because we were paying a cash tip), and the cashier was quite unhappy about it. I get it, the service industry is difficult, and tips matter and are an essential part of some servers' livelihoods. However, the gentleman who came to clear the table was being rather passive-aggressive. I mean, he grabbed the bowl from my brother-in-law, who was still eating, put it back down, after I looked at him, and then took it again, after my BIL told him he could take it. It was a misunderstanding. It did rub me the wrong way, but it won't stop me from going back. However, next time I'll be sure to pay the tip with a card, lol. That issue, along with the bathroom, is why I give it 4.5 stars. The bathrooms could be kept in better shape. It wasn't the worst I've ever seen, but it wasn't clean enough for me to want to relieve my bladder. I just washed my hands and then got out of there. I highly recommend it if you like hot pot, just want to eat, and not do any of the cooking. read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Classic beef bone broth - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

A popular college town establishment. The queue system was unclear, as you had to get a ticket, but we were able to seated within 20 minutes. The food was not bad, considering that the beef broth was well flavored. The mild spice did overpower the beef broth. The protein offerings aren't as expansive as MalaTang. My best friend had the tomato broth and it was very watered down. Id come here for a hot pot craving but it's not my top choice. read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I love malatang and I love zhangliang! I first tried this chain in socal, but since the weather's been getting chilly, the craving has come back full force. Malatang is so enjoyable because you physically pick what you want in your bowl and there's an amazing balance of carbs, proteins, and fibers -- And a great selection to choose from! We waited 20 minutes on a Saturday night at around 7:30PM, which wasn't bad at all (or maybe I've gotten used to waiting a lot longer at other places... malatang is popular now!). The process from building your bowl to making your own sauce was so chill, and it took maybe 5 minutes for our food to come out. After that, the bowl was cleared in another 5. Zhangliang is consistent, and consistently satisfying, and that's why I like them. Mild is barely a kick so note that if you want to feel the true mala in your mouth. read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Classic Bone Broth (mild) - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Two UC students were told to never return to this establishment because they couldn't afford to tip the waiter when he turned the iPad around to ask for it. The waiter responded by throwing the metal table number to the wall and yelling, "Never come back here again!" Is this the establishment you want to support? When the waiter asked why they didn't tip, a UC Davis student replied, "We are students, and we don't have enough money to tip." It's important for UC Berkeley students to support their fellow students and avoid supporting this place in the future. I will report this incident to the City of Berkeley soon. Shameful! Just shameful!! read more

Demanded tip even though I grabbed the food myself, placed it on the scale myself, and paid at a counter. What service am I tipping for?

If I could give this place 0 stars, I would. I would not recommend it at all. While I was still eating, an employee came up to me with the payment device and interrupted my meal to ask me to pay. The cashier also kept staring at me while I was eating, which made me feel uncomfortable and rushed. I don't care how famous this place is--customer service like this is unacceptable. Never coming back. read more

I've only had malatang once before and really liked it, so Zhangliang Malatang has been on my list for a while. Finally made it in and overall it was a solid experience. The restaurant is clean and spacious. When you walk in, they seat you first, then you grab a clear bowl and tongs to pick your ingredients. They've got a big selection of meats, veggies, and other add-ins. I went with beef, lamb, spam, beef balls, quail eggs, spinach, and baby corn. After you fill your bowl, you weigh it at the counter, pick your broth, and they give you a number for your table. I chose the tom yum broth. One thing I didn't love is that you can't adjust the spice level. The other malatang spot I tried let you pick your spice for any broth, and I really wanted my tom yum extra spicy. That said, the food still came out delicious. There's also a big sauce bar so you can mix your own dipping sauces, which is fun. They provide a water carafe at the table so you don't have to ask for refills, but I wish they added ice. When you're done, they bring the check to your table. My bowl weighed 1.36 lbs and came out to $22. Honestly a little more than I'd normally want to spend on soup, but thankfully my lunch was comped through work that day. Overall, tasty food and a nice setup. I'd come back, but I wish they gave an option to crank up the spice. read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Tom yum - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Zhangliang Malatang is delicious! This is one of my favorite spots for a tasty and affordable meal. After getting a table, you get to fill a bowl with as many things as you'd like. They serve everything from fish to frog legs to rice cakes and more. They have a huge variety of meats, sausages, and veggies for you to pick out your perfect bowl. After you fill your bowl with what typically ends up being far too much food, you go to the counter and select your broth and spice level (you can even have it served as a dry noodle too)! Your bowl is charged at the end of your meal based on the weight. They will give you a number and serve your bowl after they quickly cook it behind the scenes! Their sauce bar is also very expansive and always fully stocked. I love that everything is fully customizable! Zhangliang Malatang is an introvert's dream - many people have solo meals here! They are also super accommodating to large groups. The staff is quick with making the bowls and very attentive to any needed water refills. Be sure to ask them for a to-go bowl at the end of your meal because the portions are large! Definitely recommend! read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Classic Bone Broth (mild) - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Upon arriving at the restaurant, you are given a table and are to select various amounts of ingredients with the price being dependent on how much your bowl has weighed. After being seated, the waiters would soon bring the bowl to your table designated by a number on a bracelet chain. You can choose a multitude of broth flavors and ways to cook, such as Tom Yum broth, or Stir Fry. While tasting great, the broth is sometimes diluted with water when going during dinner service. The major red flag about this place is the mean-mugging and the outright disrespect when paying with little to no tip. One experience that I had when paying with little tip, the waiter refunded the payment and was told to "try again", as pressure to tip more. Tipping is voluntary, and given the self-service style of this establishment, the waiters still provided the bare-minimum of service, with filling water, serving bowls, and receiving payment to be the three main actions, therefore the lessened tip amount can be justified. Additionally, as this is located in a college town, the waiters should keep the students in mind when it comes to financial indifferences. I will not be coming to this particular chain again. read more

This is my first experience eating hot pot by the pound! The had a good mix of assorted mushrooms, vegetables, meatballs, tofu and meats. Everything was fresh and orderly. There is a station with sauces and toppings like ground peanuts, chopped celery, cilantro, etc. After grabbing what I want with clean tongs (there is a box to place the used tongs upon weigh in) they weigh it and then cook it in the broth I selected. I chose the bone broth medium spicy. It had a good kick and the broth was not too salty. The fresh noodles were good - almost like having a ramen bowl. Service was quick. They brought out the cooked food pretty quickly. Ambiance was bright and clean with lively music. read more

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I love malatang and zhanliang malatang is one of my favorite chains for malatang. I was really happy to find out that they opened a location in Berkeley. Parking can be difficult though as it is located in Downtown Berkeley. We had a hard time finding street parking despite going on a weekday. Overall, I love how this place has a variety of options for what you can put in your malatang. Some places don't have baby corn, but this place does!!!! Service is also really quick and efficient. I will be backk!! read more

Where do Cal Berkeley Chinese undergrads go for an evening nosh? Why, they go to Zhangliang Malatang. Not a hotpot restaurant, but a build your own noodle soup, a al Chipotle; but in actuality, closer to the Mongolian BBQ stalls you used to find in mall food courts. It's priced at $15.99 a lb. No matter how I try not to eclipse the that mark, I always break it, but only just so. The service and seating protocol is fashioned after the policies of the CCP, but probably belong to a tradition of regimentation that extends back beyond the Xia Dynasty, but less Mao Tse Dong and more Xi Jingping. That is to say, policies are tight, but egregiously so. As for you Malatang, they have all the toppings you could ask for: frog legs, mussels, shrimp, pork belly, chitterling, beef tripe and aorta, spam, Filipino longganisa, sweet potato noodles, fresh wheat noodles, Korean tteok rice cakes, bok choy, spinach, shungiku, etc. etc, ad nauseum. I've only ever had my bowl filled with their house special bone broth. Their spicy is not too spicy; but don't let that influence you into ordering extra spicy. Because up yonder you can access the seasonings bar. There, you will find, among other things, dried chili powder, salt fermented Tabasco peppers, glorious chili oil. Along with such capsaicin additives there is pureed garlic, Koon's black vinegar, soy sauce, peanuts, cilantro, scallions, till infinity. read more

Came at opening time but was surprised to already see a line forming outside. Self serve malatang, choose your own ingredients and pay by weight pre-broth, $10.99 per pound. After weighing your ingredients they serve your completed bowl to you, very convenient. Will say the ingredients choices are a little smaller than others I've seen. Big fan of the bone broth though! read more

Zhangliang Malatang - mild bone broth - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Zhangliang Malatang opened in Kokolo Donburi's vacated space. Infrastructure similar. Sparse decor. Windows has posters outside showing menu options. Offerings (soup base): classic bone, tomato, tom yum, mushroom, spicy dry wok. 14.99/lb. 1# min. Assigned a table when i entered. Went to assemble my bowl of meats, veggies, noodles, etc. weight: 1.1b =14.91. Choose med. For spicy dry wok. English literal translation: "Mala fragrant pot". Kitchen cooked it, arrived at table in less than 10 minutes. Went to sauce station, got peanut sauce, garlic pieces, onions, chili sauce, cilantro, green onions... In my bowl was beef/lamb rolls, shrimps, fish balls, lotus roots, enoki/black mushrooms, tofu skin, lobster/fish balls, "chinese donut", other veggies, no noodles, rice. Chinese donuts, beef/lamb rolls tasted bland. Other items flavorful. Veggies mostly melted. Mala was m.i.a. Got lots of chili pod pieces, no szechwan peppercorns. Spiciness muted. No buzz.. disappointed.",,- Paid at counter when finished. Staff spoke Cantonese & Mandarin. Patrons spoke Mandarin. May try another location for extreme spicy dry pot. Z. Is lots better than Tasty Pot..fresher ingredients. read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Spicy dry pot. No mala tasted - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I went here on a sudden whim, and I do not making this sudden decision to have MLT on a random warm sunny Thursday on a random week in February. What I loved most was the huge variety of options when creating my bowl. There were so many noodle choices, from classic instant noodles, to other textures that help accompany the broth so it didn't taste too soggy. I also loved the selection of vegetables was equally impressive--fresh greens, mushrooms, tofu options, and other add-ins that make the bowl feel balanced and hearty. I was also impressed at how plenty of meat and seafood options there were, is you were able to mix and match accordingly. The whole experience honestly felt like heaven -- and it felt very welcome to be in space like that. Once everything was cooked and served, the bowl was warm and comforting (and yes, even on a warm day like the day I went). Every bite had something different--soft noodles, crisp vegetables, and savory broth tying it all together. I think I'm definitely gonna visit Zhangliang MLT once more! And honestly, if you enjoy customizable noodle soups and bold broths, it's definitely a spot worth checking out with friends or when you're craving something cozy and filling!! read more

This is a great place to enjoy some malatang! My friends and I got here around 7pm and we put our name on the waitlist for a party of 3. It took about 15 minutes to get seated as it was very busy at this time. Once you have a seat, you serve yourself by placing food from the options along the wall into your bowl. There's a wide variety of noodles, meats, vegetables, and seafood. Be mindful of how much you grab because the cost of your bowl is dependent on how much it weighs at the end. It's $14.99/lb based on the ingredients in your bowl. Soup base isn't factored into the weight, but you can choose that at the end from a selection of different levels of spice and flavors. You're given a tag that'll act as your order number while you sit down and wait for your food to arrive. There's a sauce bar to the side to prepare your personal sauce mix for the food to come. My bowl was about 2.27lbs and I got the tom yum soup base. It came out to about $34.03. Food took around 10 minutes to arrive. The tom yum is my go-to for soup bases and it was really good! It had a great spice level and was super enjoyable. All the ingredients I put into the bowl tasted good as well. After you're done eating, you pay at the cash register for the table. The restaurant is located in downtown Berkeley, so there are lots of students who frequent the place since it's close to campus. It gets very busy in there, but it's kept clean. Aromas from different soups fill the air, and it's a great time whenever you go here. read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Tom yum - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Malatang serves piping hot, fully customizable, bowls of soup. I don't know another place like Malatang. They have a variety of meats, noodles, vegetables, eggs, and tofu you can pick from to customize your bowl. You also pick the broth and its level of spiciness. Don't be afraid to go spicy. The workers can occasionally come off as rude, but this is simply a language barrier and difference in cultures. I never take it personally if/when they say something tone deaf, the food and quick service makes up for it. We are almost always served our bowls in under 10 minutes. They are always a busy restaurant, so I understood their urgency to keep the line moving. They offer ice water, forks, to-go bowls, and to-go bags upon request. The to-go bowls come in small or large sizes and they don't spill, they're actually very secure! There is a station to build your own sauce for free, which you can also take to go. It can honestly get hot in this restaurant because of all the steaming bowls. I recommend taking off nice jackets/sweaters because you can get pretty messy eating this. The broth will jump out at you and it's oily so it will stain. Malatang is a classic and an essential restaurant in Berkeley, please visit this place! There's nothing like it. read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Stopped by to check it out and was craving buy $17 a lbs a little more expensive than South Bay. Also wanted something faster so ended up not having it but will definitely try on a day I have some time and can bring co workers with me. Staff is friendly and quick to make contact once I walked in. Would definitely come back to try. read more

This week I was watching someone eat at Zhangliang Malatang on TikTok and getting hungry, and I remembered Zhangliang Malatang actually opened in downtown Berkeley so I asked my husband to try the new spicy hot pot with me on a weekday. So many meats/seafood, tofus/bean curds, veggies, and balls to choose from. We are now fans! So many different toppings to pick the right items and portions, soups, drinks & dressings if you need them. There's also a little tissue packet for your nose because it's hot & spicy! Definitely coming back for more. read more

Food is always good and it's not uncommon for it to be busy. I like all of their soup options, but Tom Yum is my favorite! They have lots of options and a fresh sauce bar. Pro tip, get the green onions from the sauce bar and dump them in your soup for some extra greens and flavor!! read more

At first, I was planning on giving this restaurant 5 stars because of the rave reviews from a family member. I was excited about the concept of choosing what noodles and vegetables to put with your soup base. I even used Gemini Live to help me decide which soup base to use. However, when I started to select my vegetables I noticed that some of the bok choy was dirty and that some of the tong ho leaves were yellow. I then started wondering how fresh the meats were and how well-refrigerated they were since the display area did not seem cool at all. I am glad I didn't get any meat. This brought down my rating to 4 stars. The service was very expedient and not very friendly. The waiter tried to take away my bowl though I wasn't finished. The bathroom was not very clean nor nice. And finally, when we left the restaurant, I noticed the door was sticky. That brought down the final rating to 3 stars. read more

This is a review not based on the food but on the establishment itself. Don't get me wrong, this place is a great place to enjoy hotpot with your friends. The wide variety of choices to choose always made me come back with a different selection. The bone broth with mild spice was always my go-to order when coming to this place. The place is always packed with people, usually your own fellow college students. Being located in a populous space surely brings the customers to try it out. Having this place, especially next to UC Berkeley, sure brings in the students and families. It's one of the best places to go to. However, these are about the place itself. Unfortunately, the establishment team fails to meet the expectations of the image they were given. The environment, not having working air conditioning, made it hard for me and other customers to even enjoy the food itself. Even so, when I asked for some water, room-temperature water was all that I received. In such an atmosphere where the place is very hot, it would make sense if they had provided me with icy cold water. As disappointing as the atmosphere could be, tipping should always be optional and shouldn't be forced. Zhangliang Malatang is a place where you pick and choose the toppings you want and pay later based on their weight. You mainly serve yourself while making your own favorite blend of sauce. The workers there are mainly there to weigh it and give the bowls to you. The workers don't strike up any conversations, making it awkward when I'm pressured to tip a large amount. When given a small tip or none, they seem to go from disappointment to full-on yelling at you. Tipping is when a customer is satisfied and would like to reward the service they were given. I ate here with my friend for a light meal after a long day, and when it came to pay and tip, we would always feel a sense of uneasiness and judgement knowing the worker was focused on how much we would tip. This action is unprofessional and disrespectful and undermines what it means to tip. Customers should remember the place as a place to enjoy and experience the food, and shouldn't be worried about how much they tip. As a regular diner experiencing this problem, I wouldn't recommend this place if you're craving hotpot. It's best if you go to a different chain or place altogether. read more

Food was good. Service was below average. After a long wait and being served the food, the waiter didn't check back on us. I tip for exceptional service. Because the service was not that great I decided not to leave a tip but they confronted me on the way out, cancelled my transaction and guilted me into paying again with a tip. This is the first time I have experienced this from a restaurant. read more

I Will not be back and i will not recommend to others because mostly for the rude waiters. I even saw a waiter going to a table and telling them to leave since others need a table rudely. One waiter even left a clothing rag on the table of a customer while he was eating just to let him know that he needa to leave. read more

Perfect cure to the winter chill. The selections were fresh with a wide assortment to suit every taste. We both had the classic with options on level of spice, I opted for the medium which was plenty tongue numbing, I'd probably go mild spicy next time and let their plentiful condiment/ dip bar do all the "heating". Don't let your eyes be larger than your stomach, I'm a big eater and 1.3 pounds was more than enough. read more

When you enter the restaurant, you put in your party size into the tablet and receive a number. After your number is called, they set up a table for you & you are free to fill up your bowl to your liking. They charge by the pound so be mindful of your portions. Overall, the broth of the soup is good & at a relatively affordable price. I have been to other places with more variety, & with skewers. I thought this place was okay, glad I tried it but would try other options instead! read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I love eating Malatang especially on a cold, chilly night. We came on a Saturday night with 6 adults and a toddler and the team was super accommodating. I always go for the mushroom broth, you can't go wrong with any of the broth here. read more

if you want something to knock you out...come here. Food: I got the original standard broth, and I got it medium spicy which was perfect if you like spicy for the taste but not for the pain lol. Make sure to not get carried away with carbs, and get lots of beef. Service: the workers are fast paced and go go go in order to get the food to you which I love. Ambiance: Great place to eat in. A bit warm inside but it's okay the food is warm too. read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Yay! - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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So insanely delicious AND affordable!! After hearing so many rave reviews about the place, I finally came in with a friend to try it and it was so delicious. IMO--I liked this spot a lot more than Pixiu. There are a lot of different options for toppings to choose from, as well as a DIY sauce bar. I honestly thought I picked out way too many toppings but the total came out to be less than $20. I liked the veggies and fishballs filled with roe the most! This spot 100% satisfies a craving for something hot and brothy and I was pleasantly surprised by how rich and flavorful the broth was. Definitely coming back!! read more

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My friend and I came on Friday evening for dinner, and we were pleasantly surprised to find that there was no line. Staff immediately came up to us and assigned us a table to sit at, then told us to customize our own bowls. We headed to the ingredients bar and got a variety of meat, seafood, vegetables, and noodles. In my own bowl, I placed some lamb, beef, octopus, fish balls with roe, lotus root, enoki mushroom, frozen tofu, spinach, and wide sweet potato noodles. You then go up to a counter where you put your bowl on a scale and tell the staff what spice level and flavor you'd like and whether you want it hotpot-style (with broth) or drypot-style (without). Staff then give you a tag that acts as your order number, and you pay by weight for the food in your bowl. I chose the classical bone soup medium spicy, and my bowl came out to be just under one pound. It was the perfect amount since I wasn't too hungry, but I would definitely recommend getting more if you're hungry! We then headed to the sauce bar where I mixed sesame and peanut sauce with chili oil, cilantro, green onions, and garlic. By this time, the restaurant was getting super packed! There was a line alongside the entire wall by the ingredients bar, and even people waiting outside. All the tables in the restaurant were occupied at that point, and we were super grateful that we came earlier. Our food came in around 15 minutes, and I was pretty happy with everything in my hotpot. I personally felt like the broth lacked depth in flavor, and the meat and enoki mushrooms weren't as fresh as they could be, but I loved the fish balls with roe and wide sweet potato noodles! I also really appreciated this restaurant for having a sauce bar--something that I feel like is rare for a self-serve hotpot place. I would definitely come back again if I'm in Berkeley and craving hotpot! It's incredibly customizable, and I would just be aware that coming here might involve a wait. read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

BEST malatang I've had. This place has a lot of ingredients other malatang places don't typically have. Some ingredients I highly recommend: frozen tofu, chewy rice cakes (pumpkin flavored, I believe?), tofu skin, bamboo, lotus root, smoked sausage, imitation crab, fish fillet, scallop, beef tripe. This meal was so utterly satisfying I'm already planning the next time I go back. Also, since you get to customize your own bowl, no leftovers! Get less than you think you're going to eat--all the ingredients add up fast. Love the crushed roasted peanut topping and super fresh cilantro in the sauce bar. read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Devoured - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

great selection of different toppings, sauces, & ingredients! i really liked the mushroom broth, but they all have kinds of broths to suit different tastebuds the reason i didn't give this place 5 stars is because during busy hours, it can get quite unorganized - they don't always check queue numbers when seating people, so people who entered the queue after me got seated before me. they also gave us the wrong bill, so make sure to double check it matches your table's order! read more

Zhangliang Malatang - mushroom broth - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I used to come to this restaurant quite often, usually about once a week. In most cases, I tip around 15% when the service is normal, so this is not about refusing to tip in general. However, my experience today was very disappointing. The restaurant seemed busy, and I understand that, but I waited for sometime after finishing my meal and tried to get someone's attention for the check. No one came until I stood up to leave. Because the service experience was not good today, I chose to skip the tip when paying. After I paid, the staff member pointed at the tip option on the card machine and asked me to tip. When I said I would tip next time, he looked at me with a dismissive attitude, shook his head, and walked away. I found this very uncomfortable and disrespectful. Tipping should be based on the service experience and should remain voluntary. Customers should not be pressured or shamed for not tipping, especially when the service was lacking. I used to like this place, but this experience really changed my impression. read more

I came here on a weekend and there was quite a bit of people here. I love the wide variety of meats, veggies and noodles they serve. You get to choose the kind and amount of ingredients for your bowl. It is by weight so be cautious of how much you put in your bowl. They have various kinds of soup bases with different spice level. I decided to go with tom yum. It was quite spicy for me but I liked the spicy and tangy taste of the broth. They also have a self serve sauce bar, which I thought was pretty cool. I highly recommend this spot if you like malatang! They have great ingredients and soup choices! read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Walked in to a packed restaurant at around 1:00 PM on a Sunday. I was a solo diner so I had to wait longer than everyone else because all the small tables were occupied. Those that came after but in larger groups were seated first. Similar to most malatang spots, you get your own bowl and tongs and start to pick what you want to add to your bowl. They have a pretty decent selection but not as much as Tang Bar, another popular malatang spot with locations in the Bay Area. And all the ingredients were being refilled constantly. I got beef slices, lamb slices, potato noodles, Napa cabbage, enoki mushroom, spam, imitation crab, etc. Then you go to the counter and select either a soup broth or a dry pot and the spice level. They weigh your bowl then take it to the kitchen for it to be cooked and they bring it to your table once it is ready. Your meal is determined by the weight of your ingredients prior to it being cooked. I had a pretty filled bowl with some weight to it and it came out to be around 1.6lbs. With tip, it ended up being around $31 which is pretty standard for malatang. I ordered the bone broth with a spice level of spicy. It had a lot of chili oil so it was quite oily and filed with chili bits but not very spicy. Decently flavorful broth but I've had better so I'm not super impressed by the soup broth here. The broth is pretty hot and the ergonomics of the spoon did not help, so I kept burning my tongue trying to sip the broth. Ingredients tasted pretty fresh. Usually at malatang places the meat is quite tough or super fatty, but the meat quality here is actually pretty decent, even better than some of the AYCE, boil in your own pot, spots. The vegetables generally tasted very fresh and I did not see any wilted, yellow, or bruised pieces which was very nice. However, the enoki mushrooms weren't cut the best and they left some of the dirty parts on it. It was a lot of food and I couldn't even finish, so I'd def try to control yourself when selecting your ingredients so you don't end up wasting food. To pay you need to waive down a waiter which took a while. The kitchen staff spotted me and helped me get the waiter's attention which was so nice of them. Overall, a decent experience. I will come back to try their dry pot and update my review. read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Spicy bone broth malatang - Chinese Near Me - Berkeley, California

A great variety of ingredients to choose from that it's hard to not get carried away! The different proteins, vegetables, and stuff were good quality and fresh. The refrigeration area was kept clean, orderly, and everything was clearly labeled. I liked that you are mindful of your own selection and consumption. Five soup broth to choose from. Most have the chili symbol indicating the spice level option. I was concerned if the classic bone broth would be spicy. But the cashier told me it wasn't and that the spicy level was by choice. Yeah no! Unfortunately, it was spicy for my low tolerance of heat. I had a difficult time eating my food. Lesson learned... go with the mushroom broth next time. This was the first of many malatang experience to come! read more

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