The 10 Best Hot Pot Restaurants In SF

It makes sense that SF has a thriving hot pot scene—our average weather report reads 60, cold, and foggy with a chance of a boiled lamb craving. But really, we’d head to these shabu-shabu, malatang, and AYCE spots on the rare warm day. These 10 places have bubbling broths, legendary sauce bars, and, of course, vegetables, noodles, and endless piles of thinly shaved meats. Here’s how to get your money’s (and stomach’s) worth at each of these spots.

THE SPOTS

Mumu Hot Pot

Mumu Hot Pot gets points for having individual pots—you won’t have to jostle with your elbows to grab a bobbing quail egg, or spend the entire meal standing up in order to reach a vat of broth. But aside from being the most conducive to non-sharers, this Parkmerced restaurant is also just really damn good. Their savory broths, like tom yum and miso, pair perfectly with the range of boilables, like house ramen, rice cakes, and fish balls. It’s not AYCE, so choose your set (the Mumu’s Signature for $75 easily feeds two) and go to town at the peanut-heavy sauce bar of your dreams.

Shabu Club

At Shabu Club in the Richmond, you’ll eat your body weight in their iconic green sauce (it’s a ponzu, cilantro, and garlicky blend) while hovering over a gurgling hot broth. The Japanese restaurant is a big group destination with huge round tables, plenty of sake and beer on hand, and a decibel level that rivals that of a Warriors championship parade. AYCE is $43 ($15 for kids), but if you’re not feeling confident about your ability to become a cost-effective beef vacuum for the next 90 minutes, order a set where you can still pick and choose your meats, broths, and sides (they range from $17.50 to $32). And save room for the free cone of ice cream at the end.

M Pot

If you find yourself with a group that likes to be in control, M Pot is the place. This Sichuan spot in the Richmond prices its malatang by weight, and it’s completely customizable. You’ll get a giant metal bowl and fill it with vegetables, meats, and noodles that are all displayed on a few shelves. After you make your picks, the staff will ask you for your preferred spice level, if you want beef or tomato broth, and then they’ll take everything to the back. Soon, you’ll receive a bubbling cauldron of stew. There are a lot of ingredients to try, so it might take a few attempts to figure out your own perfect combo—thankfully the broth will do most of the heavy lifting.

Muukata6395

We love this Thai BBQ restaurant in the Richmond for its grilled meats, but a lesser-known secret is that they also have excellent hot pot. Available in a small ($39, feeds one) or large ($59, feeds two), their herbal soup is your base for a mostly pork menu of bacon, sausage, and pork belly, plus some seafood items like squid and fish balls. All of the flavor gets extra concentrated in the communal pot throughout the night, so take advantage of the provided small bowls to drink every last bit of soup when you’re done. It’s loud in here, and the occasional smoke alarm may go off, so save this place for birthdays or soju-fueled late-night hangs.

Fiery Hot Pot And Grill

Looking for hot pot for your birthday? Look no further than Fiery Hot Pot and Grill. Spin the giant birthday wheel at this Inner Sunset restaurant for a chance at a free drink, dessert, or wagyu beef on top of the $38 AYCE menu that comes with limitless proteins, noodles, and veggies. Then boil (or grill for an extra $5) your meaty bounty in broths like coconut curry and roasted tomato. Individual pots mean vegetarians and vegans can head in their own direction. For those who hate making decisions, get one of the set menus (it left our table so full we could barely set our arms down) with the fiery beef broth.

Dragon Beaux

Dragon Beaux’s bread and butter is their dim sum , but the swanky Richmond spot also does half-and-half hot pots at dinner. For $45, you get an AYCE supply of marbled meat, seafood, and other staples like wontons, ramen, and lotus root—or you can order a la carte. Fishing for pork belly slices in one of the royal purple booths is a great way to ramp up a regular old date night —but really, come here anytime you need a meal with enough dipping and simmering activity to distract yourself from the horrors of the impending work week.

Jin Pot Shabu House

Anyone looking to spend 90 minutes with a life-sized bespectacled cat plushie and a carnivore’s dream spread should get to this quirky AYCE hot pot place ($41-54 per person) in the Richmond (you can also order a la carte, but that’s less fun). Each pot fits two flavors—when in doubt, go for the spicy garlic miso and 20-hour tonkotsu. As with any hot pot place worth its weight in meat, everything is endless. Keep the unlimited, paper-thin wagyu slices coming, along with the meatballs that you can plop out of a little wooden chute straight into the soup. And save room for the free bowl of kinako ice cream, a much-needed refresher after all that boiled meat.

Ilcha

For those hoping to do the least amount of work possible during a hot pot dinner, beeline to Ilcha. The Korean restaurant in the Marina has a bunch of pre-determined pots that arrive loaded to the brim with both traditional and more unique fillings—think spam, baked beans, and american cheese. We like the bulgogi jeongol, which has a generous amount of wagyu bulgogi, plus japchae, rice cakes, and cabbage to round out the beefiness, and will run you $39. Also know that no visit here is complete without getting hands-deep in their soy-cured shrimp.

IPOT

If you simply can’t decide between grilled or boiled meats, get both at IPOT. This large group-friendly AYCE place in the Sunset has tables outfitted with grills and tubs of boiling broth. For about $38, choose two flavors from over a dozen different options and order a never-ending supply of thinly sliced meats, marinated proteins, and noodles (the biang biang noodles hanging on a mini clothes line are a must). One thing to note is that IPOT limits you to ordering from their QR menu once every 15 minutes, so there is some strategy involved. If you miscalculated and get a little peckish, or need an activity to fill the time, cruise to the sauce bar and play mad scientist or turn around and get a few small bowls of complementary veggies, fruit, and Jell-O. If you’re not the sharing type, IPOT also has individual pots for parties of four or less.

The Pots

The finer details at The Pots in the Sunset are what make eating AYCE hot pot here a fantastic experience. For $35 per person, choose from a seemingly endless list of broths—including vegan and low-sodium options—and let the staff know if you need to adjust the spice level. Their mobile menu feels like a spell book as trays of meat and seafood are conjured up almost instantaneously after pressing “order.” Never get bored of your veggies thanks to a self-serve, farmers market-sized greens bar right next to a perpetually well-stocked sauce station. And while many hot pot places in the city throw in sodas and a scoop of ice cream for dessert, there’s yet another separate area with freshly squeezed tropical juices, Thai iced tea, churros and chocolates.