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Overhead view of a table full of Chinese hot pot plates, including a fiery red broth, raw vegetables, raw meats, and more.
Shu DaXia Hot Pot opened in Boston’s Kenmore Square in spring 2022.
Shu DaXia

Where to Eat Chinese Hot Pot in Greater Boston

Sichuan and Chongqing are the predominant Chinese hot pot styles around Boston, but diners will also find specialties from other regions

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Shu DaXia Hot Pot opened in Boston’s Kenmore Square in spring 2022.
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The phrase “hot pot” is a translation of huo guo, alluding to the Chinese cooking method where a large, metal pot filled with broth sits over the fire. This self-serve style of cooking is similar to fondue and raclette, but it varies from region to region.

Southwestern Chinese city Chongqing, home to probably the spiciest and most popular style of hot pot, has an incredibly densely packed hot pot restaurant scene; there were nearly 27,000 as of 2019. Due to fierce competition, the city’s own style of hot pot has spun into different sub-genres, some of which are making their way into Boston’s ever-expanding food scene. While Chongqing-style hot pot becomes easier to find around here, Sichuan also remains a predominant style, but the Boston area dabbles in other regions of China, too, when it comes to the popular cooking method.

From all-you-can-eat buffet-style hot pot joints to the trendiest and most traditional hot pot establishments hailing from Chengdu and Chongqing, a number of Greater Boston restaurants are offering a wide range of excellent options. Here are nine to try.

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Da Long Yi Hot Pot

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Global chain Da Long Yi Hot Pot finally arrived in Boston in May 2022 a few years after its United States debut in New York. (Pete Wells of The New York Times gave the New York location a one-star review — a “good” ranking — and described it as a gateway for newcomers to Sichuan-style hot pot.) But newcomers beware: It might be wise to stick with the non-spicy options, at least for your first visit.

Happy Lamb Hot Pot

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Happy Lamb — which has locations in Allston, Cambridge, and Chinatown — is best at a Northern-style, meat-heavy hot pot with clear broth and less heat. Don’t miss out on the cut beef and lamb, sliced so thinly that it only takes a few seconds to cook the meat to a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. The restaurant group is also known for running a seasonal “all-you-can-meat” lunch special.

Q is legacy hot pot establishment in Boston, with a style leaning heavily Mongolian, which tends to feature a clear broth and a lot of sliced beef and lamb. But diners can also get Sichuan-style spicy broth, Malaysian satay broth, Korean kimchi broth, and more at the Q — there are over a dozen broth styles available. Whether you’re dining alone or with a small group, the set menu options (under the “combinations” heading) are a solid go-to, coming with various proteins, vegetables, tofu, and rice or noodles for a relatively affordable price. The restaurant, which has impeccable service, also offers sushi, so there’s something for everyone.

Hot Pot Buffet

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Right by Boston’s Chinatown gate is Hot Pot Buffet, a late-night institution beloved by hungry locals and students. The all-you-can-eat menu continues to be a great bargain, despite price increases over the past few years. The buffet menu features a large selection of protein, seafood, tofu, and vegetables. For those planning a first venture into hot pot dining, this is a great place to sample ingredients one might not find at other restaurants.

Liuyishou Hotpot Boston

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Located in Chinatown in a space that was once a McDonald’s, Liuyishou Hotpot opened here in 2019, featuring Chongqing-style hot pot; its opening helped shift Boston’s once-dormant hot pot scene into one that delves deeper into regional hot pot specialties. With over 1,000 locations around the world, Liuyishou prides itself on serving mouth-numbingly spicy, rich, and aromatic broth cooked with tallow.

Shu DaXia Hot Pot

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After three years of anticipation, the Sichuan-style hot pot chain Shu DaXia celebrated its first expansion into the United States in spring 2022. The Kenmore Square restaurant has already received praise from its early diners for its intricate decor and diverse food offerings, such as goose intestines and beef aorta. Sichuan-style hot pot is deeply rooted in making less desirable parts of livestock delicious, so don’t miss this opportunity to try offal in various forms.

Six Po Hot Pot

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If hovering over a large, steaming hot broth constantly isn’t your thing, Six Po in Coolidge Corner offers a practical solution. The restaurant features chuan chuan xiang, the most representative version of hot pot from Chengdu in China’s Sichuan province: pre-cooked skewers of protein, vegetables, and seafood, immersed in spicy chile oil. Diners can choose to have the skewers served hot or chilled. 

Lamei Hot Pot

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A short walk from Six Po, Lamei serves an expansive menu of Sichuan-style hot pot as well as other iconic dishes from the region, such as mapo tofu, crispy pork strips, and cumin lamb sticks. The hot pot selection includes seafood, poultry, beef, and lamb; try Sichuan locals’ favorites such as duck and goose intestines and beef tripe. Broth options range from non-spicy mushroom or tomato bone broths to vegetarian mala to Chongqing-style “crazy” spicy.

Koi Hot Pot

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For the hot pot-curious crowds on the South Shore, this hidden gem in Quincy won’t disappoint. Nestled on a side street that borders some of the most exciting newly opened Asian establishments, Koi serves Chongqing-style hot pot and is known for serving its broth in a pot divided into nine equal-sized sections of varying temperatures, which allows diners to cook the ingredients based on the recommended heat intensity to prevent over-cooking. 

Da Long Yi Hot Pot

Global chain Da Long Yi Hot Pot finally arrived in Boston in May 2022 a few years after its United States debut in New York. (Pete Wells of The New York Times gave the New York location a one-star review — a “good” ranking — and described it as a gateway for newcomers to Sichuan-style hot pot.) But newcomers beware: It might be wise to stick with the non-spicy options, at least for your first visit.

Happy Lamb Hot Pot

Happy Lamb — which has locations in Allston, Cambridge, and Chinatown — is best at a Northern-style, meat-heavy hot pot with clear broth and less heat. Don’t miss out on the cut beef and lamb, sliced so thinly that it only takes a few seconds to cook the meat to a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. The restaurant group is also known for running a seasonal “all-you-can-meat” lunch special.

The Q

Q is legacy hot pot establishment in Boston, with a style leaning heavily Mongolian, which tends to feature a clear broth and a lot of sliced beef and lamb. But diners can also get Sichuan-style spicy broth, Malaysian satay broth, Korean kimchi broth, and more at the Q — there are over a dozen broth styles available. Whether you’re dining alone or with a small group, the set menu options (under the “combinations” heading) are a solid go-to, coming with various proteins, vegetables, tofu, and rice or noodles for a relatively affordable price. The restaurant, which has impeccable service, also offers sushi, so there’s something for everyone.

Hot Pot Buffet

Right by Boston’s Chinatown gate is Hot Pot Buffet, a late-night institution beloved by hungry locals and students. The all-you-can-eat menu continues to be a great bargain, despite price increases over the past few years. The buffet menu features a large selection of protein, seafood, tofu, and vegetables. For those planning a first venture into hot pot dining, this is a great place to sample ingredients one might not find at other restaurants.

Liuyishou Hotpot Boston

Located in Chinatown in a space that was once a McDonald’s, Liuyishou Hotpot opened here in 2019, featuring Chongqing-style hot pot; its opening helped shift Boston’s once-dormant hot pot scene into one that delves deeper into regional hot pot specialties. With over 1,000 locations around the world, Liuyishou prides itself on serving mouth-numbingly spicy, rich, and aromatic broth cooked with tallow.

Shu DaXia Hot Pot

After three years of anticipation, the Sichuan-style hot pot chain Shu DaXia celebrated its first expansion into the United States in spring 2022. The Kenmore Square restaurant has already received praise from its early diners for its intricate decor and diverse food offerings, such as goose intestines and beef aorta. Sichuan-style hot pot is deeply rooted in making less desirable parts of livestock delicious, so don’t miss this opportunity to try offal in various forms.

Six Po Hot Pot

If hovering over a large, steaming hot broth constantly isn’t your thing, Six Po in Coolidge Corner offers a practical solution. The restaurant features chuan chuan xiang, the most representative version of hot pot from Chengdu in China’s Sichuan province: pre-cooked skewers of protein, vegetables, and seafood, immersed in spicy chile oil. Diners can choose to have the skewers served hot or chilled. 

Lamei Hot Pot

A short walk from Six Po, Lamei serves an expansive menu of Sichuan-style hot pot as well as other iconic dishes from the region, such as mapo tofu, crispy pork strips, and cumin lamb sticks. The hot pot selection includes seafood, poultry, beef, and lamb; try Sichuan locals’ favorites such as duck and goose intestines and beef tripe. Broth options range from non-spicy mushroom or tomato bone broths to vegetarian mala to Chongqing-style “crazy” spicy.

Koi Hot Pot

For the hot pot-curious crowds on the South Shore, this hidden gem in Quincy won’t disappoint. Nestled on a side street that borders some of the most exciting newly opened Asian establishments, Koi serves Chongqing-style hot pot and is known for serving its broth in a pot divided into nine equal-sized sections of varying temperatures, which allows diners to cook the ingredients based on the recommended heat intensity to prevent over-cooking. 

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