I've been to a different Zhangliang Malatang in Irvine, CA and I was a frequent visitor because of how wonderful it was. When I saw there was another location in Chicago I was eager to try it. It wasn't a terrible experience but it wasn't as great as my previous experiences, either. They had a great selection of ingredients, tons of vegetables and different proteins- anything from sliced beef, beef tongue, frog legs, pork blood, fish and lobster balls, etc. However, when I went around lunch time a lot of the sliced beef and other meats were very low stock.. I got probably what was the last of what they had because by the time I had left (around thirty minutes later) I walked by and noticed it still wasn't stocked. Service was okay. Not too memorable but I got in and out just fine. Quite pricey.. especially for limited stock of meats because you pay for weight- so I paid a lot for majority of my bowl being vegetables. The broth was fine- I got the classical bone broth in mild but I'd definitely reach for medium next time because it was a little bland for me. read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Frog leg - Hot Pot Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came here for dinner on a Saturday and it wasn't too busy. There were quite a few open tables. After we picked our food and went to the cashier, he asked where we wanted to sit. We chose a table, but he told us to move to a different one. It felt a little odd, especially since malatang is usually a self-service experience, so I wasn't sure why we couldn't sit where we wanted. The selection was decent. They had some items I don't usually see, like mochi fish balls, which were interesting and actually tasted pretty good. The beef tray was empty when we first started picking, but they refilled it before we finished, so we were still able to get some. The broth was just okay. I think it could have been richer in flavor. The space also felt a bit dark, which made the overall atmosphere less inviting. Overall, it's a pretty standard malatang spot. Nothing bad, but nothing that really stands out. read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Hot Pot Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The malatang is packed with flavor. I love the process where you pick out your own ingredients and the amount of food you want. This is a sit down restaurant but it's more casual. The service is normally really quick. The soups are so flavorful and if you get a dry pot, it'll also come with the softest rice. read more

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Service was ok, good amount of options to choose from for meat/veggies. Got the Tom yum soup and it was NOT tomyum at all. Just tasted like pork bone soup with some kind of spice but definitely nothing close to the authentic one. read more

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$14.99/lb building your own hotpot bowl with various broth options. Also the options of a stir fry and dry pot. I ordered the classical bone soup - mild. This broth is creamier. The concept of your own bowl is nice because it's a quicker meal but it is on the expensive end due to the price per pound. I would probably opt for a typical hotpot place but it was nice to try out this concept! There is a sauce bar close to the cashier. You build your bowl, bring it up to the cashier, they'll seat you and then you'll pay at the end of your meal. I wonder how fresh the food is though because there were fruit flies while I was eating. They can also validate your parking. read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Hot Pot Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was soo good. One bowl of soup can probably be shared by 2 people. The bone broth was tasty and the choice of ingredient to as to your hot pot was extensive. I love this place. The owner was really nice and love the options for your hot pot sauce. read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Soup bone broth mild 10/10 - Hot Pot Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ugh I can't help but love malatang because I love any creamy bone broth, and I LOVE when you get to pick your own ingredients. What I don't love is how pricey it can get, especially cuz just a few ingredients will make your bowl so heavy, and you pay by the pound ($14.99). I got a bit of everything including beef slices, pork slices, octopus, fish fillet, enoki mushroom, chicken leg mushroom, etc. The potatoes and chicken leg mushroom were definitely the highlight, in addition to the insanely yummy "cheese fish ball" which was filled with some sort of cream cheese filling? Sounds weird but HEAR ME OUT! The mild bone broth itself was quite good, though I think it lacked some mala with that signature numbing spice. when I added more chili oil, it was definitely delicious!! They have an AYCE free sauce bar with a peanut appetizer too, so that was nice. I spammed my bowl with scallions and their garlic paste. Their service is incredibly fast and you pay after you eat! A good number of tables, though it was quite packed even on a random Thursday lunch at 12:30pm. They kept the place very clean! read more

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I've been here twice so far and I love the concept of Malatang! Their broth is very yummy and flavorful and they have a good variety of ingredients you can choose from. I just have a few concerns since both times I have been here the restaurant is almost close to empty so their ingredients just sit out for who knows how long. Another concerning issue is the flies. Both times I've been here there were so many visible flies everywhere. The first time I came here I even saw a worker using an electric flyswatter right above the sauce bar. So it's very off putting. I think the food and concept itself have great potential but the cleanliness and time control of ingredients need improvement. read more

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Whenever I'm craving malatang, I come to Shangliang. The service is good and you can pick your toppings + spice level for your broth. It's such a comforting meal whenever it's cold outside and always hit. You can also make your own sauce but beware of how much you put! read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Malatang - Hot Pot Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I dined in on a thursday during lunch time with my friends. We were very happy that we were able to select what we wanted on our bowl of hot pot. Its 14.99 per pound of food. They also subtract the weight of the bowl. You choose your broth, and they'll bring it out once it's cooked. Afterwards, you can take the leftovers to go or leave it there. We would highly recommend this place since you get to choose your hot pot items. read more

Amazing array of options for the malatang self-serve; I especially appreciated all the seafood! Absolutely delicious. Will definitely be back. read more

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came here around noon as a party of 2 on a sunday! i was super excited as this was my first malatang experience and ive had this place bookmarked for a bit. upon entering, we were seated immediately, the place was about half full at this time. we got our bowls and utilized the self serve buffet to pick out our malatang ingredients. there weren't as many options as other hot pot spots i've been to, but it was still pretty good. theu had a couple types of beef and they also had pork and i believe lamb as well. they even had pig's blood! i read another review that was worried about the hygiene of this place, and i will say that i also noticed that the ingredients had no "sneeze guard" over them and it was a little off putting knowing that so many people will be getting so close to the food. i guess this is expected for any kind of food buffet though, and at least this food ends up getting cooked after! i was worried about my bowl being heavy as i put a bunch of noodles and meat and veggies, but luckily it ended up being less than 2 lbs still. the bowl is kinda heavy on its own so be aware of that! we then handed over our bowls to the employees and specified which broth and spice level we wanted and then within ~7 minutes, our bowls were returned to us, piping hot and cooked! i got the bone broth at a medium spice level and it was DELICIOUS. the bone broth was rich and hearty and the spice level was perfect for me, although i did add scallion and cilantro from the sauce bar! overall, i was super happy with this meal, and given that i made quite a big bowl, i was able to take the rest home and get 2 meals out of this! i'm excited to come back. read more

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Ambiance - casual dining spot, great for 1 person dining Service - self serve bar, you pick the items (meat, noddles, veggie), weight the bowl by the cashier and you pick soup base or stir fry Food - amazing flavors, tom yum soup base came out pipping hot and spicy, stir fry spicy pot was the right about of numbing spice & came with a side of rice read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Stir fried spicy pot - Hot Pot Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great spot when you're craving an affordable, individual size Chinese hot pot meal. They've got a wide of variety of the common meats and veggies. They're either frozen or fresh although some of the veggies is questionable. Wide selection of sauces including Sacha, my go to. Bone broth was flavorful and nothing was overcooked, including the noodles and meat. Good amount of seating inside. They didn't check on us or refill waters after bringing the food. read more

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First time at a malatang in the States. Friendly staff. Took some time for ingredients to get filled and for food to come out. Otherwise clean place, nice restrooms, and good crowd. They were surprisingly busy on a Thursday evening. Spicy bone broth is yummy. read more

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The food were fine, but the service there were awful. The staff spoke in Chinese very wired and fast, even Chinese people couldn't understand. And his attitude was rude. Won't be there again anymore. read more

My korean girlfriend approved this and I agree. We thought the food was delicious with a lot of fresh ingredients to select from. The broth had a homemade taste, not commercial taste, and with the quality ingredients for the sauce the food ended tasting amazing. Beware it's busy and can feel chaotic, especially with all the youth that enjoys eating here, but that just added to experience for us. The place was clean which we appreciated. read more

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Great experience! The food was fresh and delicious, and every bowl was full of flavor. The service was excellent as well, they are friendly, attentive, and welcoming. Overall, a wonderful dining experience. I will definitely come back again! read more

Food is decent by North American standards, you can't expect more. Which really bothered me was the attitude. This is a casual Malatang shop where you pick your own food, and the only service I got was a cup of tap water. Yet the owner/manager chased me about tips, even asking, "Why do you always leave such a small tip?" (I left 10%) Seriously? What service did I even get? A cup of water? He even asked, "Have you ever eaten Malatang before?" Bro, do you know where the brand "Zhangliang" came from? My hometown. I've lived in the US 17 years, from snack shops to Michelin 3 stars, and I've never seen a place chase customers for tips like this. Asking for 18% or more is completely rude. The manager/owner showing annoyance because I left 10%, it was all over their face. If someplace like STK I would leave 30%, I'm totally fine with that, but not here, period. The way this place is run: pressuring customers for tips, acting frustrated, questioning people, this absolutely NOT how small businesses should operate. Back to your question: Why I gave only 10% tips? Ask yourself that. read more

I wanted to like this place but I simply didn't. My friend and I came here on a whim on a Monday night at 5p. There were a few other tables in there but not very busy. I'm going to get the bad out of the way. My first issue was that the food selection was just sitting out without proper temperature control. It made me wary of the seafood and the meat. The 2nd issue I had were the fruit flies around the food bar. 3rd issue was the fuzz on top of our water in our cups. Now onto the rest of the experience. There's a sign at the entrance that tells you what to do which is good because I've never been to a place like this before. First you grab a bowl and tongs and grab whatever you want (there was a selection of various meats, veggies, meatballs, seafood). After you grab your food, you take it to the back where the bowl is weighed and you choose if you want a hot pot or stir fry. I opted for tomato hot pot and my friend got hers stir fried. The tomato base was good, thicker than I was expecting. And it came out pretty hot so I knew everything was cooked. The mussels were not fresh tasting. It was funky and fishy. I didn't eat the rest of them in my bowl. Everything else was overall fine. My friend liked her stir fry though. I tried it and it wasn't bad. Overall, this just isn't a place I will return to. I can't be worried if my food is fresh or clean. read more

Highly recommend the stir-fry dry pot！10/10 it's my absolute favorite. The staff are so friendly and the prices are really reasonable. read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Hot Pot Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place will question you if they think the tip is not enough. Be careful of this place. This man, owner or manager is rude and you will be treated badly if you don't leave 20 percent tip. All they did is to give u a cup of water. And We spent 60 dollars for two bowls of food. read more

Visite el lugar me gustó mucho la comida muy fresca probé la sopa tradicional las salsas adicionales muy buenas. No tuve inconveniente por el parqueadero fue rápido. Muy satisfecha read more

I have been here several times, and this restaurant has very clean hygiene and good food preservation. It has a refrigerator and magical water mist. The employees are very friendly, and they also have a variety of sauces to choose from. I highly recommend dry stir frying as it tastes great. and I love Chinatown read more

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Hot pot & dry pot restaurant in Chinatown - you pick ingredients and a broth or sauce (e.g. tom yum soup, spicy mala soup, spicy dry pot mix); the restaurant cooks for you and you pay by ingredient weight (approx $15/pound as of summer 2025). There is a large variety of ingredients and ample room for indoor seating. They also will validate your parking in the large Chinatown lot. read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Hot Pot Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is amazing! I love coming here whenever I'm in Chinatown. Great customer service and delicious food. read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Hot Pot Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Service 10/10: it was our first time so we were honestly kind of lost but they guided us through the whole process - we first got a table to get seated - we then got a bowl & selected our malatang contents and brought it up to the counter to weigh - it is 13.99/lb & u select your broth - they give you a key ring for ur table, they cook ur food, you get your sauces ready, and you get seated - they bring out your food to you in a heaping bowl, you pay at the end of your meal - they gave us a pitcher of lemon water to refill as we went Ambiance 9/10: - spacious roomy restaurant - brightly colored, clean Food 10/10: - genuinely so good - our malatang came out to 1.6 pounds so about $22 so $24 ish after tax - it was more than enough food between me and my boyfriend - we got a good mix of seafood, veggies, and meats and other toppings - we got the bone broth medium spicy, honestly not that spicy but the bone broth is hearty - very diverse and clean sauce bar, use it to further season ur broth - overall, food was so good and filling and they even packed up our leftover broth for us read more

Quick and tasty malatang spot! Great and fresh ingredients offered and of course all the sauces for you to make your own concoction. You pay by the weight and really affordable even if you pile on your toppings! The broth choses and spice level is great. The spiciest isn't too hot so if you can take on the heat then ask for extra spicy and they can help adjust it for you. I like that you don't have to cook your bowl- takes probably less than 10 min for them to cook your bowl! read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Hot Pot Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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FINAL RATING: 8.5/10 This is such a quick and easy way to get your fix of malatang! For all of the ingredients and selection, this was a great deal at $13.99/lb. I ordered one pound of food and it was enough to last 2 meals. My boyfriend and I both got the mild bone broth and it was the perfect amount of spice. When you first enter, you grab a bowl and fill it with your choice of meat, seafood, tofu, and vegetables! They had beef tongue and lamb leg which were delicious. Then, you can make your own sauce at the sauce bar. You don't pay until you're finished eating. Service was great and they even packed up our food for us! read more

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I swear it looks better than it tastes! The bone broth was super garlicky which I enjoyedYou get to pick out your own ingredients and are able to control how big of a bowl you want. Also free hotpot condimentsHowever, none of the ingredients really stood out. Meats are on the tougher side, nothing special. I didn't really care but wanted to point out how it's probably not the most sanitary. As you get one pair of tongs and pick out what you want. I wouldn't be surprised if there's some cross contamination haha read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Mild Bone Broth - Hot Pot Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Me gustó la sopa es muy buena los vegetales estaban frescos lo visité por primera vez y de seguro regresaré. Use el parqueadero que estuvo justo al frente del restaurante lo cual me agradó mucho. read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Hot Pot Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Love this place!! I probably have been here at least once a month since it's opened. I love their regular bone broth when it's mild since I don't like it too spicy! There's beef, fish tofu, mushrooms, ton of vegetables, etc. They also have a great sauce bar if you even need more sauce though I find their soup flavors enough. My only qualm is that if you come too close to closing time aka 15-20 minutes before they close, they won't serve you even if you say you'll eat fast haha! read more

Zhangliang Malatang - Hot Pot Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I love coming here being able to choose what I'm able to put in my bowl they have a endless amount of options great customer service

i've come here multiple times and it never disappoints and always hits the spot. i love how you can choose what is in your malatang and the type of broth you get plus the dipping sauce. the service is really quick and efficient. 10/10 read more

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love this place for an individual serving of hotpot or quick malatang fix!! it's super affordable and easy. i love the classic bone and tom yum soup! for the soup option, it's $13.99 per lb and I usually can eat around a pound. they have a great range of toppings and free sauce bar. it is self service when making your bowl. the waiters give you a seat, weigh your food, and give you the check. they also refilled our water often which is nice! they also package your leftovers if you like my boyfriend and i love coming here when it's just the two of us in comparison to going to a full on hotpot restaurant read more

If you're craving something delicious and quick in Chinatown, this is the place to go. You select your items, choose your base, and the staff weigh it before cooking and serving it to you. The staff were helpful, and the place is casual. read more

They have a branches in California and New York, and I'm so happy they opened one in Chicago! A build your own hot pot place with hearty broths. I'm a huge fan of their classic broth in medium spice - very full flavor. It was my partner's first time trying it and with each consecutive bite, he started loving it. This place is still getting itself established but I have full faith it will soon be up and running like the other stores. When we went, there were a couple of items missing and we had to ask them to refill. I also feel like the branch in Mountain View, California had more of a selection of items but it could just be false memory. I'm not sure if you had to ask for a side of rice, but at the MV location, they give you a side of rice on default. The staff are nice and attentive to the tables which is always appreciated. I will definitely be coming back! read more

Zhangliang Malatang - a bowl of soup with meat and vegetables - Hot Pot Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

this was to die for , although watch how much your ingredients weigh as i ended up paying like 25 dollars

really nice spot in china town for a comforting bowl of malatang. first thing i noted when i walked in was it smells CLEAN as in you can still smell the clorox lingering in the air. the server was very attentive and nice to us as she guided us on the process since we have never been. the food was fresh and flavorful-- but also pretty spicy and piping hot. I had a really good experience and felt very satisfied at the end, and the price was very reasonable. the sauce bar is okay but you don't really need it since the broth is so flavorful anyways - sent from my iphoen read more

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You pay by weight and they let you pick what you want to include. There are a variety of soups for spicy eaters. You're a bit limited on your broths for non-spicy but their original mild isn't too spicy if you can handle some spice. Service has always been friendly and they have a nice selection of noodles, meats, seafood, and veggies. The ambiance is very casual. You grab a bowl and tongs upon walking in and then fill your bowl with the things you want, go to the counter, they weigh it, pass it off to the kitchen, and then you take your seat. read more