This is the perfect spot if you're a hot pot lover. One thing I really appreciated is that you can customize your own bowl exactly how you want it. Sometimes traditional hot pot can feel like too much food, but here you can choose the perfect portions for yourself, which is perfect when it's just you! I got the spicy broth and everything was delicious. The meat and veggies were fresh, and the sauce/condiment area was very clean and well maintained. You can tell they care about quality and presentation. The service was fast, and the atmosphere was peaceful and comfortable, which made the whole experience even better. I'll definitely be coming back. Highly recommend if you want a clean, customizable, and high-quality hot pot experience. read more

5 POT - Spicy Broth - Hot Pot Near Me - Pasadena, California

PROS: free street parking, complimentary passion fruit tea CONS: meat was basically all fat, very limited options on everything, didn't have the tofu I liked (they only had the spongey one), slow service, soup didn't have much flavor read more

Fun little make-your-own hotpot situation right across from the Pasadena playhouse. There's not much frill to this counter service spot, but there is definitely a lot of spice. Went a little crazy picking my toppings and it was still very affordable. The bone broth was great, I mixed with the spicy broth which added quite a bit of kick. read more

I discovered 5 POT during its soft opening way back in 2023. I highly recommend this spot for a unique DIY hot pot experience. Being able to customize your bowl from the assortment of fresh ingredients makes endless combinations to try! read more

5 POT - Hot Pot Near Me - Pasadena, California

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There was a literal ladybug larvae in my soup. I'm so disappointed and I am ill. Do not let the clean appearance fool you guys, you don't know what bugs you'll find in your soup 2 stars because the hotpot itself tasted decent but I've had more flavorful and cheaper hotpot at Yintang or YGF nearby! read more

5 POT - Hot Pot Near Me - Pasadena, California

Meat and veggies were not fresh. The lobster balls seemed uncooked. Seemed a bit unsanitary to choose your own veggies/meat (buffet style) with tongs yourself; however, the food was cooked after of course, so not a big deal. Reasonable price. Not many broth options. Main factor is low-quality meat! read more

Very fast service, customizable, hot and tasty. What's not to love? Whatever you decide to get and however you decide to eat you can make a bowl of soup spicy, mild, or forget the soup all over for a dry stir fry! My favorite offerings are the woodear mushrooms, quail eggs, and fish roe egg balls. It's very hot once you receive the final version so be careful not to burn your tongue! Also great condiments for dipping are available. Small place but perfect size for solo dining. read more

5 POT - Hot Pot Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I have been back to 5 Pot several times since my first visit. Owner Mike is always welcoming and friendly. Thank you Mike. Staff and service is wonderful and superb. Thank you Sylvia and Ernesto (he no longer works here... we will miss you!). Getting our soup bowl is timely without much wait. Soup bases continue to be savory and amazingly tasty. Though there are only 5 different options, it's plenty to choose from! Original is still the best! Just add a spoonful of chili oil and you've hit the flavor jackpot! Price per pound ($15.99) has gone up a little bit, but still very reasonable. They have improved on labeling their ingredients and providing instructions on how-to. I like the new and improved. They are offering better service for their customers. Thank you 5 Pot! Again, I wish I live closer to here. I would be a very frequent diner for sure. If you live in Pasadena or nearby, do come on by and support this one and only 5 Pot. 7 Tea is right next door. Why not hit 2 birds with 1 stone... mini hotpot and boba drink together and forever! read more

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Excellent hot pot - you pay by the pound so you pay for what you want to eat. Decent veggie selection and meats, lots of condiments for sauces and 5 broth options. Restaurant was super clean and the food came out quickly! It is 15.99/LB which is a great price! Normally you pay $40+ for some AYCE places - so this was great for us as neither of us wanted a lot of food so the total came out to about $60 for two. I got the bone broth, based on other reviews and it was very light and flavorful and hit the spot on a hot day. The sauces work well to compliment the food. Our server was very kind and attentive, we wish we had gotten his name so we could have mentioned him in our review!! read more

5 POT - Hot Pot Near Me - Pasadena, California

Good quick option for hot pot by the weight! Grab a bowl and fill up with the carbs, veggies and protein to your liking and choose a soup base. We went with the original and bone broth. Original was a little watery to our liking but bone broth was rich and tasty! Of course you can add more condiments yourself later. Complimentary self serve water or ice tea. Selection of ingredients may not be as much as other malatang-type places but all were good quality. It's close to old pas on Colorado so look for street parking. They do have a clean unisex bathroom. read more

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5th time visiting this establishment and I haven't been disappointed yet. This is not your typical hot pot place, as it's pay per lb and they cook everything for you. They have a wide variety of fresh and clean ingredients to add to your hot pot. The pretty establishment is clean, and the service is super friendly. A great place to go for a quick light meal (or heavy meal). Definitely a must try, if you're in the neighborhood. For everyone that's never been or are intimidated by establishments like this. You start by getting a bowl and tong. From there, you start grabbing what you want to fill your "hot pot" with. After you're done grabbing your ingredients, they weight your bowl and ask which broth you want. You pay $15.99/lb before the ingredients are cooked and before the broth is added (Rice is not included, so you have to pay for it separately). Once payment is complete, they take your bowl to the back to cook. After all that's done, you grab a small bowl by the counter to make your sauce... then find a seat. Here's my sauce combination. 2 scoops of Sesame Sauce 1 scoop of sesame oil 1 scoop of garlic A lot of green onions 2 scoops of chili oil (stick to 1, if you're unsure about your spice tolerance... then adjust as needed from there) Add soy sauce (adjust accordingly) Add some vinegar Stir and mix it all at the end! My Broth Ratings: (Tip: You can mix your broths) Hot Spicy Bone Broth Original (Mild Spicy) Note, they also have complimentary passion fruit tea. Oh, and don't forget to get a stamp card! read more

5 POT - Hot Pot Near Me - Pasadena, California

Delish and super clean. Highly recommend the house broth. Friendly service! I have been back like 3/4 times just in the past couple months read more

5 POT - Hot Pot Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Our go-to place for comforting soup on a chilly evening! I love the selection of fresh vegetables and meat. You get in line to pick the items you want on this big bowl and you oay for the weight of your selections. So don't get too excited, as the first time I was there, I went overboard and overestimated my choices. But nevertheless, I still finished it because it was so good after they put the broth of your choice and cook it for you! read more

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I've been coming here for about two years now with my family and friends, and every time the quality and selection never disappoints. My family and I have ordered take-out as well as dined in, and both have always been met with over the top excellence. The quality of meat, selection of vegetables, as well as the variety of broth to choose from according to your craving is phenomenal. My favorite is their lamb, quail eggs, bok choy, sesame sauce, and might I add bottomless passionfruit juice to pair with your cozy bowl of steamy hotpot?! I also work nearby, so even my co workers are hooked. The owner is nice, and every customer is greeted with a welcome and a smile. Highly recommend if you're in the area, and want to satisfy your hot pot craving in a nice cozy corner of Pasadena. read more

5 POT - Bone based broth - Hot Pot Near Me - Pasadena, California

I wasn't sure what to expect my son wanted to come here it's kinda like a buffet Great food yummy read more

Was actually on our way to eat at Lee's when "customizable mini hot pot" stopped us in our tracks. Pleasantly surprised with this place! You pay by the pound - put your ingredients of choice in a bowl, pick your broth (we chose a mix of original and beef broth), then they whip it up for you in the back. While you wait you make your own dipping sauce and that's it. Ingredients and meat quality were so good! Will be back soon!!! read more

5 POT - Hot Pot Near Me - Pasadena, California

They have peppercorn oil! Good for numbing. I don't know when they updated the sauce selection but the addition of peppercorn oil is perfect. read more

5 POT - Hot Pot Near Me - Pasadena, California

another malatang hotpot spot! parkings hard around the street but that's just pasadena problems LOL i opted for the original broth and it was okay. i really appreciate the spread of ingredients and the soup options they offer. i want to try their bone broth next time, bc the original fell a bit bland. im more used to the creamy milky deep broth that other malatang restaurants have. they have a sauce station, but not many choices. i also feel like 15.99/lb is on the pricier end... id love to try it again. read more

Their pound of build-your-own-bowl is filling, but the ingredients and the broth they use lacks flavor. Also, they needed more options for noodle choices. Overall, yummy and filling but the taste factor leaves a lot to be desired lol. Bland overall, especially for the higher price. 3 stars because of this. read more

5 POT - 1 lb. Hot Pot. - Hot Pot Near Me - Pasadena, California

I just went to 5 Pot recently with my friends and was glad to experience something new! This place reminds me of Mongolian barbecue, but with soup. You start with grabbing all your ingredients, then having them weighed (and thereafter paying for your meal), and then having the staff cook the meal for you. They then bring it out to you in a big bowl. You can get your food in broth or as a dry dish. The ingredients you can pick from it pretty varied . It's not unlimited choices, but I thought the choices were good enough. The food is weird so that 1 pound equates to $15.99. (don't worry. They account for the bowl in advance.) You get your sauces on the side . And there's complementary water and (juice/tea?) that is self service. Overall, I enjoyed my meal here. Interesting concept. I feel like you have to know how much you eat since it be awkward to go back to the bar to get more food and half the staff cook for you in the back again. lol! I found plenty of free street parking across the street near target . read more

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Man I LOVE self serve hot pot places, and got to say this is my favorite one in Pasadena!! Walking in on a Saturday afternoon, the owner kindly greeted us and showed us how to order as it was our first time there. Basically you put what ingredients and additions you want in your soup after choosing a base, and the amount you pay is based on the weight. I gotta warn you, you get way too tempted to order too much hahah, as I DEFINITELY did!! I almost paid about 40 for one bowl but do I regret it- NO!! It was so good ahahah I got the bone broth and my partner got the original. The toppings were so good, chinese donut, lobster balls, assorted amount of veggies and noodles. Definitely coming here again when the weather gets cooler! read more

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Walked in hungry and left happy--that's the short version. The food was solid across the board: fresh ingredients, portions that you determine since you literally make your own bowl, and prices that don't feel like a punchline. What really stood out, though, was the staff, especially the owner. Everyone was warm, quick with recommendations on ingredients to add, and genuinely nice without seeming fake. It's the kind of neighborhood spot you hope stays exactly as it is. I'll be back read more

The broth is what this place is all about. I got the spicy one and added all the ingredients. I liked the choices of meats and veggies. There were so many. This is more of a lunch spot but a bit pricey for a regular weekday lunch. I may or may not be back but definitely worth a try once. read more

5 POT - Hot Pot Near Me - Pasadena, California

First time trying 5 Pot customize Chinese hot pot and it was so good. Let me share the nitty gritty details so you all know what to expect. Location: it's on Colorado blvd, between oak knoll Ave and s Hudson Ave. Parking: free 1 hour street parking and its was pretty available on a Thursday's afternoon. Atmosphere: it is a small restaurant, it can maybe accommodate up to around 20 people. It is also very clean. How it works: you walk in and grab a bowl and a tong. You pick and choose what you want on your hotpot. It is very customizable for seafood lover, meat lover, and even vegetarian! Once you're done, your bowl will be scaled and you pay by the weights. Once your bowl is scaled and you choose a broth, the staff brings it to the back to cook. The food and drinks: when food is ready, the staff serves you a giant hotpot bowl. You can also make a customize sauce at the sauce station. They also provide free water and in-house passion fruit drink and the in-house drink was awesome! The hotpot was really good, all the seafood they have were high quality and cooked well! Overall: Highly recommend you try this place. Must be new cause this is the first time I heard of them. I shall be back soon! read more

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I've been to a few of these pay per weight hotpot spots and I feel this one has the freshest ingredients. Item selection was pretty decent and everything was clean. I only got 1 lb worth of veggies and meat and I actually was reasonably full. I tried out both the tomato and original broth, can say you can't go wrong with either. Sauce bar was decent with a small selection of ingredients like sesame, soy sauce, sriracha, chilies, green onions, and garlic. Also they had complimentary passion fruit tea which was super awesome. Overall I enjoyed this spot and as long as you don't go crazy with ingredients I feel it's reasonably priced. At the time of writing this, price is $15.99/lb which is on par with the other pay by weight spots I've been too. The restaurant itself is pretty small with maybe 10ish tables. Only two employees when I came, one chef, one server but server was sweet and very helpful. I'd come again! read more

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If you love malatang like I do and dislike spicy. This is the best place for you! They also offer healthier version than other places as they don't put msg in their broth. Okay, most of my friends have claimed, their broth is not as tasty as other places, but that's the power of msg. Lol It's dangerous and addicting, but don't consume too much so your body won't get used to it They also offer delivery service through DoorDash and fantuan. The place is quiet small but intimate, they play good c-pop music as well. Friendly and helpful staff! read more

5 POT - Hot Pot Near Me - Pasadena, California

What a great find. This is something new. Build your own hot pot. Lots of fresh veggies, meats and tofu. You put them in a big bowl and tell the server what kind of bone broth you want them cooked in. Two of the options were spicy. There are also condiments to add if you want. Right near the Landmark theatre. I'll be back. read more

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The portions are huge! The 1lb healthy hot pot is only $15 -- I love going there for lunch. It makes me feel so healthy, especially on a cold day. The place is very clean and the staff are super nice! read more

5 POT - Hot Pot Near Me - Pasadena, California

Clean quiet but there was only one staff in front and she messed up our broth order. There's only four broths, and we repeated multiple times but it was still wrong- then we found out afterwards you are supposed to confirm your broth on your receipt. So instead of spicy and tomato we got - bone and original. The original was great, the bone one smells a little. We did not like bone broth. It was a little weird as a first time there. You walk in and there's no signs or anyone to tell you the process . So we asked the people in front of us and they told us what to do. Weird since they have a cashier- so the first part was some bowls and things for you to get all the ingredients you want in your hot pot and they charge by the pound, a flat rate. Then you get to the end of the food stations into the sauces and unlike Mongolian you do not use that for your raw ingredients and instead that is the sauce bar. Then the cashier weighs and takes your order for the broth. You then find a seat and wait. She brought out the order and when we found out that the broth was wrong we noted and she just pointed to the receipt and basically said this is your food eat it! lol. Utensils and napkins are brought to you but water and dipping sauce is self serve. After you finish you go back to the cashier and pay. Very broken flow I hope they put some signs up or become more efficient. The cashier and runner and busser was one person. I also saw customers walk in and sit down confused and waiting for someone for 15 mins and no help. A table next to us had dirty soup bowls sitting there for over 30 mins - just not sanitary. The food bar was good and over all it was clean but there are many areas to consider to improve efficiency and clarity. read more

5 POT - Original broth - Hot Pot Near Me - Pasadena, California

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The food here is amazing and they let you customize your order. Everyone is always super friendly and welcoming. They also have really clean bathrooms. I love eatting here and would definitely recommend them. read more

Pasadena has limited options for hotpot and I was extremely excited for the addition of 5 pot to the city! We love coming here for the friendly/amazing service and of course, their soup!! Their soup is so delicious and flavorful because the broth is cooked for more than 10 hours. They have a few options and I absolutely love all of them - can't go wrong with the original or the tomato! They also offer a spicier version for anyone who loves a kick in their bowl. The ordering process is simple - you grab any vegetable, meats or seafood you desire and you'll weight it at the end. The selection is a little bit smaller compared to other places but they've been adding more options over time. They also offer water and passion fruit tea which is a nice cooling drink to pair with a hot bowl of hotpot. Nice and simple decor, super clean inside. Love coming here to satisfy any hotpot cravings! read more

I didn't realize this is a self-serve but they cook for you kinda hot pot style. It's interesting but I'm definitely more lean on the traditional hot pot or the individual hot pot over this. The place is very, very tiny and there aren't that many selections to choose from. The broth flavors are limited to a few but I didn't love them - it's practically a GIANT bowl of ramen. It's really average - not sure why everyone is raving with 5 stars, so dropping this to a 2-star now. read more

Such a unique and cute little gem of a place, tucked along a small row of shops, and right next to my favorite boba shop of all time (7 Tea). 5 Pot is a bright, inviting place with a long row of tables extending toward the back. It's sort of a hybrid buffet-meets-Mongolian-Grill type of concept: you take as much food as you want but they cook it. Here's the rundown: grab a container, load it up with your choice of veggies, fishballs, fishcakes, tofu, glass noodles and beautifully sliced meats, and they charge you based on the raw weight of the food. You then pick from four different broths (my partner and I had the bone broth and tomato base, both of which were outstanding), and there are plenty of fresh condiments and sauces to pick from as well. Then, the container gets taken to the back while you take a seat. After a short wait, a piping hot and COLOSSAL SIZED bowl is brought out to you, with everything PERFECTLY cooked. It was a feast, I tell you! (my eyes are often bigger than my stomach) Overall, an extremely novel way to enjoy Chinese hotpot. The server, a soft-spoken young woman, was extremely friendly and kind, taking her time to explain how everything worked to a noob like me. Will be back! read more

5 POT - The photo doesn't do the size of the bowl justice - it's genuinely the largest bowl I've ever been served in a restaurant! - Hot Pot Near Me - Pasadena, California

Wanted to try this new concept of hotpot in a bowl. How it works is you grab everything you want at the bar and then they'll proceed to weigh it for you and that's how much you'll pay. Think about it like it's yogurtland except they don't charge you for the base which is soup in this case. I had the tomato base. To me it wasn't as flavorful as I hoped. The presentation is nice and so was the meat but it's hard to gage how much everything costs as you're getting it. I accidentally got too much so I found it pricey. It was an interesting experience tho! You also get free refillable drinks at the bar too. read more

5 POT - Bar selection - Hot Pot Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I had visited a similar concept of "pay by pound" hot pot in Northern California, and i wanted to try it in SoCal. I discovered 5 POT while looking for restaurant with noodle soup. 5 POT is a rather small location, there is not a large variety for options. Finding parking on the street may be a challenge during the day. However, the 1-hour parking is enforced only from 9am - 6pm on weekdays if I remember correctly - so plan accordingly! I picked a variety of foods and built a bowl with their bone broth, and the bone broth was tasty! They also provide free beverages included a passion fruit tea which was quite tasty. It didn't taste heavy of syrup or come off as too sweet - although it was thin. The location is small and rectangular, but the staff are nice and make this feel homey - almost as if you were eating a homecooked meal from recently bought ingredients for hot pot. read more

5 POT - Bone Broth - Hot Pot Near Me - Pasadena, California

I'm surprised this place got 5-stars reviews. I tried one in Arcadia, and I expected to be something similar. There's a food bar where you can pick the ingredients you like, but very limited. I can understand their place is small, they don't even have much dry or packet noodles. Then the food took a while to cook, and also messed up our orders with just the two of us. I could understand if the restaurant was busy, but there were only 4 customers with us being the last. Then the flavor of the food was bland. Aside from the food, they offer free drinks, 2 options, so that's a plus. Their food was pricy as well, so not quite worth it from our perspective. The other thing that made us curious was that staff disappeared once we ordered. We had some questions, but ended up whatever, didn't bother. read more

5 POT - Hot Pot Near Me - Pasadena, California

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5 Pot is a different experience to Hot Pot. The food is good. The broth is a bit light in flavor. Especially the Original. However the Bone broth is decent. The fact that they restaurant cooks your selection was worrisome. But the food was cooked to perfection. The variety of ingredients was good. The only downside is the price to me. For $28, I think I would prefer a pre portioned or AYCE. But for people who don't eat much, this is a great alternative. I do want to try their dry pot next though. read more

5 POT embraces a fun and common dining concept in China, where the ingredients you select are weighed on a scale. Having had my fair share of this style hotpot, I can say the quality is decent and soup flavor was solid. There weren't as many ingredient options as some other similar restaurants but I thought the broth was full bodied with a kick of traditional Chinese herbs and spices. There were a few basic options at the sauce bar. Service is mostly self and the vibe is laid back. read more

Casual hot pot place, you pick your ingredients and then the kitchen cooks in the soup of your choice. I chose a mild soup and overall very good and the ingredients were fresh. The place was busy and seemed a little understaffed that day but the servers were nice and food came out quickly. Overall a great and quick hot pot experience. read more

I love trying out new places and now there's finally a hot pot place in Pasadena! With the limited amount of asian cuisines in Pasadena, this would make a great addition. Came on a Wednesday night and was seated promptly. I made sure I got a large variety of food types so I could try everything and paired it with the bone soup so I can taste all the flavors. And man, the food was outstanding! Everything paired well and I was super full by the end of it. Being brand new, everything was clean and bright and I was able to enjoy my meal. If you haven't tried hot pot yet, this would be the spot to try as it offers a clean and tasty meal customized to your liking. read more

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