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Mala Town

4.6 (1.1k reviews)
Closed 11:30 am - 10:00 pm

Order Mala Town Takeout or Delivery

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MALA TOWN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Trendy
Dogs allowed
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Mala Town

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Reviews With Photos

Jenny T.

This was my first time dining at this restaurant, although I've had malatang at several other places before, so I was already familiar with the concept and ordering process. I was excited to bring a friend here for his very first malatang experience, and overall it was an enjoyable visit. One thing I noticed right away was that the ingredient selection felt more limited compared to other malatang restaurants I've been to. I was hoping to find items such as bean curd, duck blood, wood ear mushrooms, and shiitake mushrooms, but unfortunately none of those were available. The seafood selection was also fairly limited. Additionally, there seemed to be a larger variety of frozen ingredients than fresh ones, which wasn't my preference. I also noticed that the spinach and oyster mushrooms didn't look as fresh as I would have liked. That said, there were definitely some positives. I appreciated that they provided takeout containers and bags for customers who couldn't finish their meals and wanted to bring leftovers home. The sauce bar was solid and had all the standard options you'd expect. For my soup base, I chose the signature bone broth with a medium spice level, and it was quite flavorful and enjoyable. Overall, the broth and dining experience were good, but the limited ingredient variety and freshness of some produce are areas where I think the restaurant could improve. I'd still consider coming back, but I hope to see a broader selection of ingredients in the future. One funny highlight of the visit was watching my friend experience malatang for the first time. He got a little carried away while selecting ingredients and somehow ended up with a bowl piled to the brim, resulting in a bill of over $90! His eyes were definitely bigger than his stomach, and he ended up receiving two full portions because of how much food he had packed into his bowl. It gave us both a good laugh and served as a memorable introduction to the world of malatang.

Savory Dry Set with Spicy Mix 醇香麻辣拌套餐(with peanut sauce)
Linh N.

Final Thoughts: 3.50/5 Very very soft 4 stars for this place. The overall experience is kind of interesting and the only thing that saves this place from losing a star is the fact that the food and sauce tasted quite good. I feel like this malatang place has been here for a while now and it is ranked high. Finally had the opportunity to try it for dinner. Food: Bases: 1. Signature Beef Bone Broth 2. Savory Dry Mix 3. Yom Yum Soup 4. Chicken Broth 5. Sichuan Style MaoCai 6. Sweet and Sour Tomato 7. Classic Beef Bone Broth Savory Dry Mix: 4.2/5 My preference is always going to be the dry mixes because I'm not too much of a broth person. Their savory dry mix is a peanut based sauce. It reminds me of the dipping sauce for the spring rolls. Very umami. Nice balance of sweet, nutty, and savory, which I liked. There are these crispy bits added to the sauce and I really like it because it adds a texture component. Looking at the presentation, it wasn't bad. They seemed to have put the sauce on top and then garnish it with peanuts. I like that it's not just all mixed into the bowl and tossed in. You are able to choose your spice level too. I only chose mild today. Very light kick from the spice. Ingredients/Mix-Ins/Toppings: Nice variety They do have a fair amount of ingredients here. Loved seeing the marinated egg, but it occurred to be after the fact that when everything is mixed together like that, the flavor of the marinate for the egg gets lost. Lots of proteins, sides, and veggies to choose from. Of note, a lot of the items are cut into larger pieces. Makes it just slightly harder to just get just exactly what you want. I prefer the smaller portions and to get something of everything. Layout: Veggies first, then proteins Layout makes sense. Upon entering, the ingredients are on the left side. The vegetables come first and then meats. There is a space where you can keep your bowl. It also keeps a fair distance from the person to the ingredients, which is a good note for food safety reasons. This does, however, make it difficult for me to reach any ingredients in the back given my height and arm length. Note: When my bowl came out, it had ingredients that I did not choose. I'm aware that the ingredients may be cooked in the same water. It was just something I noted because I ended up with additional mushroom pieces, noodles, vegetables, bean sprouts, and a piece of meat. --------- Quality: Fully cooked and appropriate temperatures Their sauces are quite good and the items appear to be cooked to appropriate temperatures. All of the items in there, I was the most concerned for the kabocha pumpkin because it takes a little longer for it to completely cook and soften. All items did come out fully cooked though. Price: Topic of Conversation Today Main topic of conversation for me today. For malatang places, there's usually a scale where you weigh your bowl and ingredients. I've usually seen the scale tared to show a -0.XXX number. This means that the weight of the bowl is taken into consideration and removed from the final weight and pricing calculations. Here, the scale just showed 0. My ending weight was 1.33 lbs. This is really not normal for me because I'm always struggling to even reach 0.8 lbs, let alone trying to meet their 1 lb minimum after going back about 3 times to add something else. May attribute that to them providing larger cuts and portions of the ingredients though. My friends and I were just a little curious as to why it was 0 and one of my friends went to the cashier just to clarify how the calculation was done if the scale is not tared. Per the employee, she stated that the bowl weight is already considered and the price for the weight of the bowl is removed from the final price that is seen on the final check. This seems like such a convoluted way to do it, versus just taring the scale and removing the weight of the bowl to begin with. Of note, my friend observed a wire that went onto the scale that added some weight onto the scale. There are items around the scale that can fall onto it, so just make sure that it's at 0 when you're weighing your items. Service: Simple Interactions Besides trying to clarify things with the scale, really nothing significant at all. They helped us get bowls when we first came in because there was only one left when we entered. Upon completion of cooking, they brought us our bowl. Ambiance: Spacious Interior Interior is very large and there is optimal seating inside, as well. I like that the seats are not super close to each other. There's enough space to walk around and just be separated enough from other groups, so we can have a conversation comfortably. Location/Parking: Has its own little island They're located in Milpitas Square. It's kind of in its own island and closer to the side of the road. Very spacious parking space, as well. There is a 99 Ranch within the plaza, so it makes sense to have a large parking space here. Usually not a concern.

Set with Tomato Flavored Broth 酸甜番茄汤套餐, Set with Tom Yum Soup Base 冬阴功汤底套餐 (Mild Spicy)
Rui Y.

This malatang spot is located in a large plaza home to a massive variety of restaurants, services, and other miscellaneous good shops, so it's a great place to grab a meal while knocking out some shopping tasks. There is a lot of parking allotted for the plaza, so it isn't hard to claim a spot; there are chargers for EVs as well. The inside is well-lit but crowded, with tables squeezed in very closely together. It can get quite busy during mealtimes as well. The options offered here cover most of the options you usually expect at a malatang or hot pot spot, with plenty of vegetables, noodles, seafood options, and meats. There is only one vegetarian broth, though.I will note that some options were empty, and some other options were not properly defrosted before being set out. Like many other weigh-and-pay restaurants, the price can quickly rack up to being quite expensive, so be mindful of how much food you're adding to the bowl. For the price, it's a little bit disappointing that the ingredient options were not well-stocked/monitored. Overall, I enjoyed the atmosphere, liked the food, and didn't have an issue with the service either. I don't think it's significantly better than other malatang places, but it's definitely a solid choice.

Eunice C.

Get here when they open if you don't wanna wait in a loooooong line and struggle with a parking spot! The marbled beef is better than the premium beef and I highly recommend trying a few different sauces (I like the chili oil with scallion, cilantro, vinegar, sesame oil and soy sauce!). The food comes out quickly and they have a lot of options (the thin ramen noodles are sooo good)!

Set with Beef Bone Broth Base 招牌牛骨汤套餐
Rose C.

Took my husband to try the Mala Town hot pot experience. It was Thursday around 12:30pm. The place was packed, not too many people in front of us. We were assigned a table, but the person was still eating. People who paid after us were getting seated while we continued to stand waiting for ours. Thankfully, one of the servers noticed this he swapped seating around so we could sit just in time to get our food. The food was good, but our experience was okay. I am giving Mala Town a 4-star because of the attentive server. Otherwise it would have been lower.

Jenny P.

I've been here multiple times as it's a classic place to hit. The toppings are pretty fresh in my experience, and the food comes out pretty fast rven on days where they are super busy. However, I feel like the quality has been going down as this place has gotten more popular, and hasn't hit the same way it used to. Overall good place to go with friends though. Parking can be tricky depending on when you go.

Edward L.

Just went to Malatown, after a year, and damn, quality went downhill. The beef bone broth, I got medium. There's no more mala flavor, and the bone broth you can barely taste, like water. What are you talking about? We also got the dry noodles. The dry noodles. You see the peanuts, but you don't taste the peanut. The sauce is very watered down. It seems like, with the craze of Malatang and hey tea and the fact that they have so many positive reviews at opening, they don't care about quality anymore. Also they don't hire enough people because it took forever to get my order today at 6pm non peak hour.

Jennifer N.

I'm actually shocked that this place is popular. I've tried Mala Town in Vegas and it was good there so figured I'd give this location a shot but it was a completely different experience. All the veggies were pretty dirty here and looked anything but fresh, which made me hesitant to pick a lot of things. I think the bar needs to be upkept a lot better as I'm sure things got dirty from everyone's tongs since it's self serve, but nonetheless some of the stuff looked old as if it's been sitting out for a while. I found the sauce bar to be a bit flavorless but that could just be my taste palette, and they run out of sauce bowls pretty quickly if you go during prime time. Not sure if they overcooked the meat but it was incredibly tough to chew, and the same for my friends. The Tom Yum broth was good though, and the customer service was efficient and quick. Wouldn't be back nor would I recommend unfortunately, I'll stick with YGF.

1. Signature Beef Bone Soup hot
Victor L.

5 stars! The tea is back! The food is consistently good. My wife and I come here about once a month. If I don't finish my huge bowl, I combine all of my family's bowls and I literally have another 1.5 meal at home. For a self serve place, it's actually decent service as you can flag anyone if you need anything. The tables were pretty packed on a Friday night. You know it's good when Asians of all ages frequent this establishment. The restaurant is very clean. You line up to load up your ingredients, pay by weight and get seated. There is an amazing sauce bar and free tea!

Signature Bone Broth (Medium)
Ling L.

Consistency is key! Mala Town has been busy every time I go here, but the quality is not consistent. I have trouble deciding if I want to order the signature bone broth in mild or medium. Sometimes when I get mild, the soup is just milky with no slight kick to it, other times when I get mild the soup has a strong kick to it. The ingredients are not restocked in a timely manner. Often times I find myself having to go back towards the beginning of the line to get the veggies that were initially not there when I was in line, but got restocked once I'm towards the end of the line. Quality of ingredients have gone down. Frozen tofu used to be one of my favorites/essentials here! However, Mala Town definitely replaced their frozen tofu with something else. It's no longer spongy, instead it's hard and chewy now. They also don't put out their dried shiitake anymore :( I'm able to overlook these negatives, as I can always add more chili oil to my soup if the "mild soup" is actually mild, having to go back in line to get ingredients that were restocked while I was in line, and try different ingredients instead of sticking with my essentials. The sauce bar is still great, and if you're in luck they'll have their complimentary tea out as well. Overall, I'm quite disappointed in how Mala Town has only gone downhill ever since I've introduced my friends and family to it. I will most likely be going to other malatang spots (like Miss Gu Malatang or Cuanyue Malatang) instead as I know they're more consistent and are actually worth the wait.

Set with Tom Yum Soup Base 冬阴功汤底 (Mild Spicy)
Melissa N.

Self make hotpot Wide variety of toppings & fresh sliced meats Tom yum broth is perfect not too oily (hotpot came out pretty fast) Okay sauce bar

mushroom
Jennifer

Get ready to be full and happy! My favorite part is that they use high quality metal bowls Food: They have a wide selection of fresh veggies. They have pork, lamb, and beef slices. Some of their meat is even marinated. Service: A lot of the process is atomized for a quick process, so it was nice and fast! Parking: This plaza has a lot of food and milk tea options so it can get busy but i've never really had a hard time finding parking. They are right next to a tesla charging station as well if you want to charge up during dinner.

Emily M.

My new go to malatang place. I was super surprised at how many options of veggies and protein they offer plus they offer tom yum soup. I found that majority of malatang places only offer bone broth or spicy bone broth. The tom yum soup was super flavorful and paired well with all the toppings. Another huge plus is they offer free tea by the sauce bar. It can get pretty busy but the line goes by pretty fast and they assign you a table to sit down at. The tables are pretty close to each other but it makes sense for how busy it gets in there

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Good variety of toppings and easy to order! yummy broth and amazing service as well!!

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Hi, Megan. Thanks for the support! And the fish tofu is back!!

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Mala Town Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Mala Town

When will the chicken broth come back?

Do they have thin sliced pork?

Yeah

Do they have air conditioning?

Yes they do

Are any of the flavors / broth options gluten-free?

Do they offer student discounts?

No they don't

View All 6 Questions

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Kokoro Ramen

Kokoro Ramen

4.0
(1k reviews)
0.5 mi
$$

There's plenty of parking in front BUT inside is very small. Came here for lunch but it gets busy…read morearound 12:30pm. You can order by the server or tablet (if it's on the table), they're very accommodating to requests and substitutions. I got the Tonkatsu Ramen with a less salty broth and my friends got the regular broth. With the less salty broth, you can tell it's diluted but the flavor still remains. The regular broth keeps it creamy. Both are savory. Noodles are soft and well-cooked, love how the meat is balanced with the fatty parts, and toppings are well-proportioned to the noodles.

Overall, the flavor is pretty good. Every time I eat ramen, I only choose miso ramen, so it really…read morereveals how good each place is. In terms of price, this place is very affordable, with each bowl costing under $20, which is not expensive. The only downside is that the space inside is quite small, so you may have to wait if it gets crowded. However, overall the restaurant is very clean, the broth is solid, and the thick noodles have a great chewy texture. Next time, I'll probably try the thin noodles. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys ramen. Overall rating: 4.5 out of 5. 基本上口味還不錯,我每次吃拉麵都只挑味增拉麵,這樣每一家的好壞會直接呈現。價格方面,這家非常的親民,一碗在$20以內,不算貴。唯一缺點是店內空間很小,要是遇到人多就要等!不過整體來說,店內衛生非常好,湯頭也不錯,粗麵條也很有嚼勁,我下次應該會嘗試細麵條看看。推薦給喜歡吃拉麵的各位。整體評價4.5/5。

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Seating
Seating
Agedashi Tofu and Chicken Karrage
Agedashi Tofu and Chicken Karrage
Ordering tablet

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Ordering tablet
HiroNori Craft Ramen

HiroNori Craft Ramen

4.4
(3.7k reviews)
3.9 mi
$$
Vegetarian friendly
Locally owned & operated

HiroNori always hits the spot if you are craving ramen! It's my go-to place with a simple menu and…read moredelicious food. It's also the go-to spot for sports fans if there is a game happening at Levi's Stadium. The parking lot has a time limit of 1 hour now because people would park there and walk to the stadium. The tonkotsu ramen is a generous portion and tastes divine. The broth is rich, but not too salty. I'm craving it again just writing this review! I like the lemon infused water they offer here. They recently switched the uncomfortable black stools out with new chairs, which is nice. The staff is friendly and they make sure to point out the 15% service charge (also shown on their menu) if you are dining in. This is not a tip, but tipping is optional at the end of your meal. This doesn't seem to deter customers at all because the wait time can be long around dinnertime. I highly recommend making a reservation before your visit!

Came here before our World Cup match at Levi's stadium. It's walkable to the stadium! About 15-20…read moremin walk. We got there around 5pm so lots of tables available. I ordered a tonkotsu. The noodle was quite chewy. They did offer a thin noodle. Maybe I'll try that next time since it was a bit chewy for me. The broth was good. Pork was a bit too fat for my taste. Portion was small for the price. My son ordered the dipping noodle and he said it was good. I wish they have an option to have non-spicy dipping noodle. Ambiance was good. Table was a bit small for 2.

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Two Chefs
Two Chefs
Shoyu Ramen
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Sign
Ramen 101

Ramen 101

4.0
(210 reviews)
0.5 mi
$$

Came here for dinner because I couldn't decide what to eat…read more The food is consistent here and the fryer is always hot! The bbq chicken and beef plate was pretty good. I don't normally order bbq but this was done well, without too much sauce. I chose to go with all Mac but this plate usually comes with Mac and white rice. I also orders the chicken katsu plate. The chicken katsu was fried well. Super crispy on the outside but the meat was not dry at all. I liked that both dishes had steamed cabbage and broccoli to help me feel better about eating more veggies The inside of the place was minimal with tables all my the wall. The staff was quick with taking orders, bringing out utensils and bringing out the food. This is always a safe choice for dinner

Have been meaning to try this ramen spot for quite a while. The menu is definitely interesting too…read moreas I don't know any other place that has both ramen and hawaiian food. It's also a quick service - order before sitting down and your food comes out in 2 minutes. We got the black garlic ramen (medium spice), which was super tasty but not spicy at all, and the tonkotsu ramen (mild spice), which was rather bland. It tasted more like chicken than pork. Lots of appetizers to choose from so we tried the lumpia. Would not get again. Bland as well and dipping sauce was just your chinese restaurant packets. Water cups were red solo cups - that was fun! Love that it's a family business all around and would definitely come back to try the hawaiian side of the menu!

Photos
Interior
Interior
Not the greatest packing job, my spice escaped. Boo
Not the greatest packing job, my spice escaped. Boo
Come back again second time in a week ;)

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Come back again second time in a week ;)
i-Tea

i-Tea

3.9
(969 reviews)
1.6 mi
$

It's good to see them fully staffed and organized here. All kinds of credit cards are accepted…read more Opened on time. Quick service. Clean interior. There are a few seats/tables outside too. If there are no lines or crowds, the orders come out usually within 5-6 minutes after ordering. Good beverage menu and foods selections. I had the Unagi Avocado onigiri sandwich. Good choice. Filled with unagi/eel, avocado, SPAM luncheon meat, veggies/spinach, egg, wrapped with seaweed and rice, etc. I like the size and taste. Good combination for quick bites. I also drank a hot small cup ginger milk and it was authentic in flavors/legit. They also have other onigiri options, ramen, fried snacks, and more. Good Taiwanese snacks and beverages. It's a place worth stopping at for convenience. Mikonos Grill and Yogurtland attracts lots of customers in the same plaza. Teenagers and young adults love it as well. Great place to meet up/chat. I'll try other items next time. Not expensive for beverages. Popcorn chicken is always tempting and delicious.

Was in the area and found i-Tea on yelp…read more I ordered a strawberry green tea. It was inedible, so I had asked the staff to remake it and just asked for green tea and boba. Staff didn't ask any questions and remade it quickly. The regular green tea and boba were quite good. Maybe their strawberry syrup went bad or just isn't fit for my taste buds. If I'm in the area again, would be open to trying their regular green tea again. Parking was relatively easy in the plaza. Quite a bit of seating inside.

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Mala Town - ramen - Updated June 2026

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