Best Hot Pot in San Mateo, California
1
Liuyishou Hotpot (San Mateo)
Address: 98 E 3rd Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401
Liuyishou Hotpot in San Mateo, California stands out as an authentic Chongqing-style hot pot destination featuring rich, customizable broths ranging from intensely spicy to mild mushroom-based options. The establishment impresses with its high-quality ingredients, including tender marbled meats, fresh seafood, and handmade meatballs, complemented by a well-stocked sauce bar offering diverse condiments. The modern, spacious interior creates a lively atmosphere perfect for group dining, while the attentive staff ensures a comfortable dining experience from start to finish.
Price Range: $$
Broth (Soup Base): Multiple reviews mention various broth options, including spicy Chongqing broth, mushroom broth, chicken soup with fish maw, tomato broth, and pork broth.
Meat: Many reviews refer to beef, lamb, and pork as available meats. Some reviews specifically mention marbled beef and high-quality meats.
Seafood: Several reviews cite fresh seafood as being offered, although one review mentions the seafood as being frozen.
Noodles: Reviews mention potato noodles, glass noodles, and rice noodles as options.
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2
Seapot
Address: 1952 S El Camino Real, San Mateo, CA 94403
Seapot in San Mateo, California offers an interactive hot pot dining experience with individual cooking stations and a convenient conveyor belt system delivering fresh ingredients. The restaurant features a diverse selection of broths, meats, seafood, and vegetables, along with an extensive sauce bar where diners can customize their dipping sauces. The establishment stands out for its unique combination of hot pot and Korean BBQ options, though prices run on the higher end for their all-you-can-eat format.
Price Range: $$
Broth (Soup Base): Multiple reviews mention various broth options, including mushroom, spicy miso, sukiyaki, curry, tom yum, tomato, and house spicy broth.
Meat: Reviews mention numerous meat options such as beef brisket, pork belly, short ribs/galbi, spicy pork bulgogi, spicy beef bulgogi, garlic pepper beef, ribeye, and lamb. Many reviewers highlight the quality and variety.
Seafood: Reviewers report a wide selection of seafood including snails, clams, shrimp, scallops, octopus, and various types of fish. Some reviews mention the freshness and quality of the seafood; others note concerns about freshness.
Noodles: Reviews indicate the restaurant offers various noodle types including ramen, rice noodles, misua, and green tea noodles.
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3
Happy Lamb Hot Pot, San Mateo 快乐小羊
Address: 215 S Ellsworth Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401
Happy Lamb Hot Pot in San Mateo, California offers a bustling hot pot experience with fresh ingredients and flavorful broths served in a modern, spacious setting. The restaurant specializes in high-quality meats, particularly their signature lamb, alongside an extensive selection of vegetables and house-made noodles that can be cooked in various broth options including spicy and original flavors. While service can be hit-or-miss during peak hours, the establishment stands out for its contemporary atmosphere featuring robot servers and a self-service sauce bar, though recent changes to their all-you-can-eat format have received mixed reviews from regular patrons.
Price Range: $$
Broth (Soup Base): Multiple reviews mention various broth options, including original marrow, spicy marrow, beef oil, curry, tomato, and a unique sour and spicy cabbage broth. Some reviews also note a "half and half" option.
Meat: Many reviews indicate a wide variety of meat options, including lamb (specifically Mongolian lamb sticks and New Zealand lamb), beef (angus and short ribs), pork, and various other unspecified meats.
Seafood: Several reviews mention seafood options, such as shrimp and oysters. One review mentions a "combo" option including seafood.
Noodles: Reviews mention various noodle options, including udon, thick noodles, and wide noodles. One review notes noodles made on-site.
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4
Shabuway
Address: 145 E 3rd Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401
Shabuway in San Mateo, California offers a casual hot pot dining experience with a focus on their signature Tonkotsu broth and premium meat selections. The restaurant provides a straightforward shabu-shabu experience complete with house-made sauces and traditional accompaniments like noodles and fresh vegetables. While opinions on the broth's flavor intensity vary, the establishment is particularly known for their American Kobe beef and generous portion sizes that keep regulars coming back.
Price Range: $$
Broth (Soup Base): Reviews mention Tonkotsu and miso broths, and a spicy miso option, implying at least three broth options are available.
Meat: Reviews mention American Kobe beef, Angus beef, and generally high-quality meat options. Specific cuts or types beyond these are not detailed.
Seafood: No specific seafood options are mentioned in the provided reviews.
Noodles: Reviews mention noodles in the context of kids' meals, but do not specify types beyond that.