Xiang La Hot Pot

Stumbled on this place in ktown and honestly wasn’t expecting much because it’s kind of tucked away upstairs but it ended up being a hidden gem to me! The jasmine chili broth was different in a good way. It’s lighter than most hot pot bases and really fragrant without being too heavy. It was my first time tasing it and I honestly liked it. The meat quality was great. The wagyu cuts were tender and fresh, and the seafood was solid too. Also pleasantly surprised by the pricing. A $19 lunch special in ktown is kind of rare for hot pot, and they also have late-night deals, which makes it even better. The sauce bar had more options than I expected, plus FREE slushies and ice cream. Woohoo~ No extra charge for it which I really appreciate. Personally I’d definitely come back to try out the lunch deals!

I recently found an amazing hot pot spot!! They have a four-section pot you can cook all at once—spicy mala, jasmine flower, mushroom, and tomato broth. The jasmine flower broth is new and highly recommended 🌼 All the ingredients are super fresh: the beef is sliced paper-thin, so it only needs a few seconds in the pot. The fish balls, fish tofu, and lychee shrimp balls are all bouncy and flavorful. There’s a huge variety of veggies too—my favorite was bamboo fungus, which I tried for the first time. It’s crunchy and soaks up all the soup 🤤 I brought my date to try a bunch of things he’d never had before—youtiao (fried dough sticks), enoki mushrooms, beef tripe, yellow throat, and duck feet. Watching his reactions was hilarious 😂 The sauce bar has tons of options, and the best part? Fruit, drinks, and ice cream are all free—love that for us 🙌 And if you’re not in the mood for hot pot only, they also have fried rice, stir-fried noodles, stir-fried rice cakes, and fried chicken. The drink menu is stacked, even Moutai and Wuliangye, and you can order them by the glass. We came at night—the vibe was lively, and the staff told us to take our time because they’re open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, which is sooo rare in NYC! After 9 p.m. there are late-night specials, and they also offer lunch specials—you can even upgrade regular meat or seafood sets to wagyu, which is great value.

They say the best spots in K Town are more often not at the street level. For Xiang La, this definitely seems to be the case. They offer a very affordable 19 dollar lunch hot pot that can come with beef and seafood! They have a decent array of a sauce station, along with free spice peanuts and pickled cabbage. The beef comes atop a bed of ice and is very beautifully marbled. The veggies are fresh and the noodles are springy and hearty. They offer a wide selection of broths, not all spicy. They also have a lot of snacks, cocktails, and even rice bowls. Overall, this is a hidden gem and people should come to see what they have to offer. It's just the second floor!

Tried Xiang La Hotpot in ktown and it hit the spot. The soup bases were so good, rich and flavorful, exactly what you want when you’re craving comfort. I love that they offer lunch and late-night dinner sets at such a good price! Everything was satisfying & they have great quality meats. Also, they offer complimentary ice cream as well. Definitely one of those spots you can keep going back to!

One of the better hot pot spots I’ve found in NYC so far. It’s hidden on the second floor in Koreatown so it’s easy to miss, but the environment is nice and the prices are reasonable. The flavors feel pretty authentic Chinese-style. I also liked the little details like free fruit and ice cream at the sauce bar, and they serve tea instead of just tap water. We got the four-section broth and tried a few kinds of wagyu — very tender and flavorful. The fish fillet and shrimp paste were great, and the fried buns with condensed milk were a fun nostalgic dessert. Would definitely come back.