Jana J.

It's been too long since I've come back here! I returned with a group of friends, and we had an amazing lunch. This is well worth the price for what you get! I absolutely love the flavor of the spicy Szechuan broth I got (in mild which was plenty). I will definitely get this again next time! Unfortunately, our service this time around was not good. Our server seemed to ignore us unless (and even sometimes while) we called out with request. This is an unlimited place where you order more as you go, so it's not uncommon to have the number of request we did, which was just getting a few more proteins here there for our broth. Nothing out of the ordinary. I didn't get the appetizer I ordered, and it took us quite a while to get his attention to order and then receive some of the items we wanted. Our server didn't do a good job, but the restaurant itself is amazing. I will definitely be back, but hope for a different server next time!

Alessia J.

A few friends and I went here for lunch and were pleasantly surprised! The food was incredible. The variety, the soups, the sauces, even gluten free soy sauce/noodles was all 10/10. The place was clean and well stocked. There was a variety of different seating, and we were able to be sat fairly quickly. I tried the bone broth soup with a variety of veggies, chicken, and beef. The broth was perfectly paired with all my food, and didn't take away from the flavors. The only reason this restaurant isn't getting 5 stars was the service. Our server was attentive at the beginning and then once we got our soup base, basically ignored us. We had to flag him down several times. He mentioned he didn't want to interrupt our conversation, which was kind, but it got frustrating when it happened multiple times. This restaurant is still one of the best hotpot places in Omaha, so I definitely will be back to give it another try even if it's just to enjoy the food.

Ankita S.

My first experience with hotpot and now I'm sad I waited so long to try it! My husband and I came here for Saturday lunch recently with another couple friends. It was busy, but there wasn't a wait to be seated. Our waitress quickly explained how it all works - non-alcoholic drinks, appetizers, broths, veggies, meats, and dessert were all included in the price. Of note, there is a 90 minute restriction as it is essentially an all you can eat. Instead of communal broth, everyone gets their own hotpot! This was crucial as I was the only vegetarian in our group of four and I wanted to partake, but didn't want anyone else to have to go vegetarian if they did not want. I got the miso broth and ordered the vegetable spring rolls and steamed dumplings as my appetizers. Once the food was ordered, we made our way over to the buffet to choose our veggies, tofu, noodles, toppings, sauces, etc. It all seemed to be clean and well maintained, which I was happy to see. Our broths were ready by the time we made it back to our table and we started feasting! Both the spring rolls and dumplings were very good and a great way to wait for the broth to cook the rest of my food! Unfortunately the miso broth was fairly bland and I had to zhuzh it up quite a bit with the sauces I got from the buffet. Once I combined my sauce concoction (peanut butter, soy sauce, chili oil, sriracha, sesame oil, and cilantro) to the broth, though, it was actually very good! I tried lotus root and rice cakes for the first time and loved both. I also tried both of the small cakes (labeled as tiramisu, but don't expect authentic tiramisu) that were available at the buffet for dessert and was happy with both. There were also cups of ice cream and popsicles available. I will say that it seemed a little expensive as a vegetarian, but I definitely ate my fill and would go back! I would also opt to try the mushroom broth instead next time. Overall I do recommend this place especially if you've never tried hotpot!

Sam M.

Our server was very friendly and quick with getting us what we wanted. I wish there was a "rule book" or more instructions on how to do all of this because it was very good, but I was very confused throughout. I wish I had known that apps and drinks were included in the price. I wish I knew how the temperature worked other than just up and down. I wish I was explained the "best way" to start with the meats and veggies. I wish someone explained the sauces. I wish they had let us know you could get different meats to try too. Fortunately, the food was delicious and I enjoyed the experience. I don't know when we would be back again, but it would need to be with a group because it's more fun what way. Unfortunately, the bathrooms were kinda gross.

Kevin B.

The food tasted great overall. You get to pick and choose what type of soup broth you want, along with any type of meats, and as many appetizers as you want. The best appetizers that I tried here were the beef short ribs. I got the tom yum broth and it was delicious. The place is very casual and family friendly. Excellent place to bring the kids and enjoy eating until your heart's content. The service was great and friendly as well. The pricing for the meal was great considering it is an all-you-can-eat. Would definitely come back here again.

Audrey E.

I really enjoyed eating here! I've been to one hot pot spot before, but I love that this one lets each person customize their bowl - I have some friends with very different preferences and this is just perfect for us! If you haven't been to hot pot before, it can be a touch overwhelming at first, but it comes pretty naturally. You can order any of the apps or drinks (minus alcohol) you want for free with the buffet. I really enjoyed the calamari, short ribs, and the crab Rangoons for apps. The buns like the golden buns and taro buns were also tasty but I'd put them more as a dessert. For the hotpot itself, you pick your base broth then any meat you want to add in. They have a buffet with other toppings that you can peruse and pick anything up for your hotpot. They also have some sauces that you can mix together to dip your ingredients in once they're cooked. I got their bone broth (great and neutral base!) and a variety of toppings including beef and pork belly from their menu, then things like bok choy, shrimp, lobster balls, squid, quail eggs, lotus, carrots, and more! My sauce was some combo of sesame oil, garlic, scallions, hoisin - and then I got some kimchi, seaweed salad, and pickled radish for the side as a sort of palate cleanser. When you get all your food, you just plop it in the bowl! I would suggest thinking about how long the items will need to cook (for me the veggies were the thickest so they took the longest) - it is up to you really - but make sure you cook the meat all the way through (it doesn't take much time). Then you're ready to eat! Our server was great and came around a few times asking if we needed more food or broth. Some extra pro tips: try to use the tongs for the meat and then remember that they're "raw meat" tongs - aka don't grab your nice veggies with it if you don't want to contaminate them. You may find it helpful to snag one of their sauce bowls to ladle some of your broth into (I'm a wimp at too hot of food) to let it cool a bit. It might be overwhelming at first but it's a great way to try something new and you can do almost nothing too wrong!

Diana J.

I have a hotpot problem. The problem is that I can't afford to eat here every day. So it works like this- you get seated at a table with spots for the hotpots, everyone gets their own. You pick your broth from a variety of options, like bone broth, miso, thai, etc. They have two vegetarian options. I enjoy the mushroom one myself. Drinks, appetizers and meats are ordered off the menu. Everything else can be found on the buffet. The buffet is huge. There are even more meat options here, as well as multiple varieties of tofu, tons of seafood, and a lots of veggies and noodles. Pick what you'd like and dump it in your hotpot. Let it simmer until it is done to your liking, and enjoy. Oh, and don't forget the sauce bar, and the desserts! The desserts are pretty standard, your little square cakes, ice cream, popsicles,that sort of thing. Hotpot is infinitely customizable to your preferences, and just a perfect meal on a Cold evening. Seating-wise, there are tables and booths, both of which are quite comfortable options. You can't really move the tables at all due to the machinery involved, if that matters to you. They also have a party room for up to 10 people. The only bummer is that it is a bit of a pricy meal, but it makes sense since it is all you can eat (including appetizers and meats). This is also a Pepsi establishment. Go eat some hotpot tonight!

Sara C.

I visited Hot Pot 88 with my Supper Club group, and luckily we were only 6 people this time, so we fit perfectly in one booth. I think 6 might be the max per table, but double check on that if you have a larger group. Before this, I had never been to a hot pot restaurant with the boiling pots on your table, so I was a little scared at first, but there was nothing to be scared about. Everything went well and no burned arms or fingers! The interior was very cute with bright orange and lots of white to keep it cheery and light in there. Our server was so great, and she went through the ordering process with us first, very thoroughly. You can also order appetizers that come with your meal, but don't over order, because you will get charged if you order a bunch and don't eat them (we didn't over order). So you choose a protein or two for your hot pot, along with which broth you'd like, and place that order with your server. Then you go up to the cold items bar to choose what veggies, noodles, or other cold meats you will put in your hot pot concoction (like lobster balls, SPAM, etc). Our appetizers came out very quickly. We got the BBQ Pork Bun, Edamame, Beef Short Rib, and Beef Skewer. They aren'y huge appetizers, so you shouldn't have a problem finishing them. The BBQ Pork Bun was so flavorful, with a soft little fluffy bun. The edamame was great, and pefectly salted. And the two meats we got, the beef short rib and beef skewer, both came out nice and hot, and were super flavorful! When your hot pot kicks into action, the little plate on your table in front of you will sink into the table and you pour your broth in and turn the heat on. Once it's bubbling, you put your protein in to start cooking, then your veggies and noodles and things too. I got the mushroom gravy broth, and beef for my protein, with noodles, SPAM, and sausages added in from the extras bar, along with some veggies. It was a delicious mixture! Once your items are cooked and ready, you have some little tongs to scoop out each bite and not burn yourself. After we were done eating our hot pots, there is also a small selection of desserts near the veggie bar. We got ice cream, and a few different flavors of mini cakes. The desserts were pretty on par with the kind you find in a Chinese buffet restaurant, which I love. With basically all-you-can-eat of the above, wonderful service, and a great price point (about $35 a person), I definitely recommend checking out Hot Pot 88!

Samantha L.

Such a fun experience!! Brought my friends that have never experienced and they all enjoyed it so much! Meat was thinly sliced and had so many toppings. Service was so sweet and super helpful explains how it all worked. Can get hot in there but still so fun and so yummy food. Someone had a birthday and they had a dragon come out!

Michelle M.

If you like an eating experience, this is a good place to check out. As far as the food, it was good but nothing that particularly stood out to me. I had a lot of fun with the concept of cooking my own food at the table, since it's different than the usual order-eat restaurant experience. That being said, $34 a person for the dinner meal is a bit high when you have to cook your own food. It's a buffet, so everything on the menu is included. That would've been nice to know or have explained ahead of time because we would've ordered a couple other things to try had we known it was all included. It's a buffet, so that part was clear as to what was all included. However, there's also a menu that apparently was also all inclusive with the price. The friends we went with had been several times and love it, but we were talking on the way home and we probably wouldn't go back if given another choice. As far as the food quality, it was really good. The veggies were fresh and plentiful, they had so many options of veg, seafood, noodles, sauces, etc. Since we went for dinner, they ran out of some foods at the buffet but were restocked pretty quickly. The ordering is simple. You get a menu and choose which flavor of broth, appetizers, meat, then you go up to the buffet to get what you want to cook in your broth. You can go up as much as you want, but with all the meat and veggies, I could only finish my first plate. They come back around to refill the broth and give more meat or appetizers if you want them. There are alcoholic drinks and soda for purchase or hot tea is included, but that's not listed anywhere.

Freddy C.

Okay, so I might be a little obsessed... this is my second time at Hotpot88 this week, and honestly? I'd come back again tomorrow. This place is dangerously addictive -- in the best way possible! From the moment you walk in, the staff is warm, the vibe is casual and cozy, and you know you're about to feast. What makes Hotpot88 stand out? It's everything -- the broth options, the ingredients, the sauce bar, the service -- just YES. THE BROTH: I got the Coconut Chicken Soup Pot (again!) because it's THAT good -- rich, creamy, and subtly sweet with deep umami from the mushrooms and herbs. You can really taste the love in it. My friend went for the Chicken Soup Pot, which was lighter but still flavorful -- perfect if you want a more delicate base. Both came piping hot and stayed warm thanks to the tabletop burner. APPETIZERS: So many fun bites to start with! We had: * Fried Calamari -- crispy and not greasy at all * Sticky Rice with Chicken -- comforting and fragrant * Taro Paste Buns -- soft, lightly sweet, and perfect as a mini dessert * Steamed Dumplings and Shrimp Dumplings -- juicy and satisfying * Oh, and don't miss the Beef Skewers! Flavor-packed with just the right amount of char. THE SPREAD: We loaded up on pork slices, beef slices, lamb slices, and chicken slices -- all fresh and beautifully presented on wooden trays. We also added shrimp, mussels, and a bunch of veggies (hello mushrooms, corn, broccoli!). Everything was fresh and perfect for hotpot dunking. Drinks + Extras: They serve Pepsi products and have a nice DIY sauce bar, so you can customize your dipping experience. I like mixing garlic, chili oil, sesame paste, soy, and a little vinegar for the perfect balance. LOCATION + HOURS: Found at 2502 S 130th Ave, Omaha, they're open every day (check the pics for full hours). Pro tip: Come hungry. Like, really hungry. Pics speak louder than words, so I've attached some shots of our glorious table spread -- you'll see how serious we were about this meal! Honestly, if you're even slightly curious about hotpot or just want a fun, interactive dining experience with super fresh food -- Hotpot88 is the place to be. Just be warned... you might find yourself back here again within the week.

Tara E.

I had never tried hotpot before but I am excited to go back! Our server explained how everything worked to us and was very good about coming and checking on us to see if we wanted to order anything else. I like that it was all you can eat and all the options they had - so many different veggies, noodles, meats, soup flavors and a bunch of options at the sauce bar! The place was very clean and tidy, even in the communal sauce station and the open food stations. It was definitely a little pricey but overall worth it for the amount of options they had. So delicious!

Kimberle B.

First time going to a hot pot and it was great experience! We were able to customize our broth and meats! There were so many options for veggies, meats etc. The service was great and the server explained hot pot to us newbies! The vibe was great and everything was layed out very foot and was easy to understand!