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    Tanghuo Kungfu Mala Town

    4.0 (21 reviews)

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    (Dec 2023) signature spicy hotpot - medium heat
    Aly C.

    ===TL;DR=== - Soup base: signature spicy hotpot, medium spicy level ===TMI=== I'm excited that more and more Malatang places are opening all around the Bay Area. At this place, they have the simplest of menu since they don't have much soup options atm. Went for the spicy soup base and medium heat because the lady there made it sound like it was going to be real spicy. Turns out, it wasn't spicy enough for my preference so I asked for the spicy sauce on the side to tweak my spiciness level myself. Like many other malatang places, self serve on what toppings you want in your soup. They don't have a large selection but I think they have most of what people normally gravitate towards. Once you're done, let them know which soup base you want and they'll get to cooking. I think they have potential but currently, nothing stands out for me. Hope to see their growth! Bonus: they also have a self serve sauce bar so feel free to assemble your own sauce!

    Ashley B.

    I really enjoyed the food here, especially the sauce bar since it had Szechuan peppercorn oil! Not many places have Szechuan oil at the sauce bar so I was pleasantly surprised. The food and flavor was great too. The downsides was that there was no clear system or sign in place from preventing people who just arrived to save a seat for themselves before ordering. Another issue is that they don't refilled their utensils and napkins at the table. This place seems very understaffed, so I hope they fix that too.

    Tomato Base + Spicy Base
    Sean Y.

    This Malatang place has a relatively small interior but incredibly fast service. You pick and choose everything that you want with tongs and they make it for you in 15 minutes or less. The servings are much bigger than you may anticipate because the majority of it is soup. If you think the amount of food in your bowl is going to be slightly too little, it is probably just right. For a Malatang restaurant to be great, it simply has to have the things you desire. This place has exactly that. The selection of foods is diverse and the quality is satisfactory. I was surprised by how delicious the soup was and ended up drinking a large portion of it. I'd come here whenever I crave Malatang, which since coming here, has been way more often than before. Please check out this place. It gives an experience that many other A La Carte restaurants struggle to offer.

    Malatang
    Christina Y.

    After a lot of anticipation, I finally tried Tanghuo Kungfu Mala Town. The restaurant was smaller than I expected, but the decoration was really new and there was a lot of people there. This restaurant operates on a system where you choose which ingredients you want to be added to your malatang through an ingredient bar. You can pay by weight and choose your soup base. For around 1.7lbs of food, I paid $27. I chose the malaban option which came with peanut and sesame sauce. The flavour was good and the ingredients tasted very fresh. They offered a good variety of ingredients to pick from! I definitely recommend the quail egg and the fish ball with fish roe inside. Malatang is perfect for colder weather so definitely make your way down there in the next couple of weeks. You will feel warm and satisfied.

    Noodle soup and dry noodles
    Jillian G.

    Tried this place on a whim one night and was really pleasantly surprised! I love the style of personal hot pot when you get to pick all your own ingredients, but it had been a really long time since I've found one near me. I loved this place! All the ingredients were so fresh and they were very quick after we gave it to them. It was also fairly priced in comparison to Berkeley prices - it's $16 per pound and mine ended up being around $18.50. I thought it was well worth for the quick service, great food, and comforting, cozy atmosphere.

    Top: tomato soup  Bottom: spicy hot pot soup
    Christie M.

    Self serve noodles!! Actually everything is self serve from drinks and making your own sauce. Come in and you grab a large bowl and tongs, pick out the ingredients you want for bowl. There are like over 5 different types of noodles but I got the potato vermicelli since it reminds me of hot pot. Different variety of veggies like carrots, enoki mushroom, and some other Asian veggies. Protein side had fish, shrimp, squid, random types of meat/fish balls and chicken wing. The only con is that if you're a vegetarian is that there is definitely cross contamination between the ingredients, because we were using the same tongs on the meat and vegetables.

    very nice food!Tried a few times(for spicy mix) and never regretted . Always choose mild spicy as a person who can't handle spicy food. Also tried their bbq chicken this week and it tastes good. Very affordable and great meal

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    Tasty Pot

    Tasty Pot

    4.0(811 reviews)
    0.3 miDowntown Berkeley
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    Tried the beef hot soup at Tasty Pot and it was so good. The broth was rich and flavorful, and the…read morebeef was tender and cooked perfectly. Everything tasted fresh and comforting--exactly what you want from hot pot. Generous portions and price was decent as well!! The service was very friendly, which made the experience even better. Staff was very friendly and attentive when you need something. All the tasty pots we have visited had hit or miss servers but not this one!! Overall, a great spot for a satisfying meal. I'd definitely come back and recommend it to anyone craving noodles soup!!!

    I come to this place quite often but never left a review, so I decided to write one this time…read more The food is decent, but personally I prefer the Concord location -- somehow the food there tastes a bit better to me. My favorite is the Lamb Hot Soup, and today my husband ordered the Curry Flavor Hot Soup -- he said it was delicious. For the service, I have to say the lunch service wasn't great this time. We had to grab most things ourselves. I could've asked the staff, but since our table was behind the counter and the staff didn't seem very friendly or smiley, I didn't really feel like calling them. When we came during dinner time before, the service was much better. I like that this place has a reward program, and the restaurant itself is pretty clean -- including the restroom. Overall, it's okay. Not bad at all, but I do hope they can improve their lunch service.

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    Ben Ben Restaurant - Vegetable Platters

    Ben Ben Restaurant

    4.3(57 reviews)
    0.6 mi

    This spot has an all you can eat hot pot deal that's really good. For dinner it's 28 a person. You…read morepick a broth, load up a plate of veggies, appetizers, noodles etc and let them know what meat you want and pour dipping sauces. Absolutely loved the spicy broth, and the dipping sauces took it to the next level.

    While we were in Berkeley, I asked my son what he was in the mood for dinner since his birthday was…read morecoming up. He wanted AYCE Hot Pot. Lo and behold, this was the closest place when we checked the app. It was just a few blocks from where we were, and they have a designated parking lot. If I recall, dinner was approximately $28.99 per person, which is pretty affordable in this day of age. Of course, as I am writing this, prices could change. Lunch is even more affordable at $23.99 per person. Upon arrival, the lady/owner warmly greeted us as she simultaneously seated us. She handed us a menu and explained the process. You pick a broth base as it comes with that articular meat of your choosing, then select the different rolls of meat. There are also different sides available (like chicken feet and tripe). There is also a self-serve cooler fridge that contains the usual hot pot items that you can add to your bowl from veggies, protein and noodles. The soup options are the following: - Spicy - Tomato - Sacha Seafood - Curry Flavored - Hot & Sour - Pork Tripe and Chicken - Beef Brisket - Beef Rib - Wild Mushroom There was also a sweet (not-too-sweet) drink in a large carafe-type container that was quite delightful. It was light, tasty and quite addicting that I kept refilling my cup. The vibe of the place feels old and homey; however, most of the customers were young, student-types. Perhaps UC Berkeley students? It also wasn't busy and half of the restaurant was empty. Most of us were seated by the front. All in all, we had a good dinner as the broths were seasoned well and not overly salty. Yes, most of the dishes are self-serve, but you can control the portion this way. I also enjoyed the chicken feet and tripe, which aren't typically on a hot pot menu in most places. There's also the hidden protein inside the broths. Whatever option you order (i.e. chicken, pork) there's hunks of them on the bottom for you to discover. It's like having a hidden reward. It's a good hot pot spot that won't break the bank.

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    Zhangliang Malatang

    Zhangliang Malatang

    3.9(140 reviews)
    0.3 miDowntown Berkeley

    I went here on a sudden whim, and I do not making this sudden decision to have MLT on a random warm…read moresunny Thursday on a random week in February. What I loved most was the huge variety of options when creating my bowl. There were so many noodle choices, from classic instant noodles, to other textures that help accompany the broth so it didn't taste too soggy. I also loved the selection of vegetables was equally impressive--fresh greens, mushrooms, tofu options, and other add-ins that make the bowl feel balanced and hearty. I was also impressed at how plenty of meat and seafood options there were, is you were able to mix and match accordingly. The whole experience honestly felt like heaven -- and it felt very welcome to be in space like that. Once everything was cooked and served, the bowl was warm and comforting (and yes, even on a warm day like the day I went). Every bite had something different--soft noodles, crisp vegetables, and savory broth tying it all together. I think I'm definitely gonna visit Zhangliang MLT once more! And honestly, if you enjoy customizable noodle soups and bold broths, it's definitely a spot worth checking out with friends or when you're craving something cozy and filling!!

    Stopped by to check it out and was craving buy $17 a lbs a little more expensive than South Bay…read more Also wanted something faster so ended up not having it but will definitely try on a day I have some time and can bring co workers with me. Staff is friendly and quick to make contact once I walked in. Would definitely come back to try.

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    Dalian - Da lu noodles ($12.95) - the noodles are good.

    Dalian

    3.9(487 reviews)
    0.3 miGourmet Ghetto, North Berkeley
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    Family-owned & operated
    20 years in business

    I like this spot and I'm from Dalian…read more The walnut shrimp is good and worth revisiting. My dad (who incidentally is also from Dalian) and I celebrated an early Thanksgiving here, and the staff was courteous and welcoming. I very much enjoyed our visit and the other guests gave the space a mild and peaceful atmosphere. Will be back.

    The previous time we came to Da Lian was 20 years ago! Chatted with the waitress about how long…read morethey've been in business and they've had the same owner for about 20 years. Cool to see a restaurant stick around for that long. We got to the restaurant right when it opened for lunch at 11:30 on Sunday. Free street parking on Sunday! I thought everything was solid top to bottom, but here is my ranking in descending order: Braised Eggplant Tofu Clay Pot - I generally like this dish everywhere and they have a good version on this here - seasoned well, tender eggplant, and nice texture on the tofu Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings - non-traditional "salt & pepper" - thick coating of tempura-like batter, very peppery (black pepper), and wings set on a bed of sauteed onions. Sesame Bread with Green Onion - tasty, but unlike other "da bing" I've had. This was on the thin side, meaning you have a lot more crispy outside compared fluffy inside. This was also lighter on the green onion. Classic Shrimp & Chive Dumpling - can't go wrong with dumplings - an order comes with 12 dumplings, each filled with big pieces of shrimp. I liked the texture but it is a little different - looser filling instead of a solid meat/veg ball on the inside. Original Braised Pork Noodle Soup - I liked the flavor of the soup and noodles. There was a ton of meat (diced) but they were on the tough side.

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    Dalian - Pickled cabbage noodle soup with fish ($12.95) - pretty good but not great. Fish is battered and fried. The noodles are good.

    Pickled cabbage noodle soup with fish ($12.95) - pretty good but not great. Fish is battered and fried. The noodles are good.

    Dalian - Da lu noodles ($12.95) - yum. Broth is eggy and seafood-y and great. Lots of clams on top.

    Da lu noodles ($12.95) - yum. Broth is eggy and seafood-y and great. Lots of clams on top.

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    Cha-Ya - Agedashi Tofu

    Cha-Ya

    4.0(788 reviews)
    0.3 miGourmet Ghetto, North Berkeley
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    We had a pretty heavy dinner the other day, so today, I was looking to balance that with a greener…read moremeal while we were out. I ended up choosing Cha Ya since it was around the area where we needed to be and it turned out to be the perfect choice. We happened to come around noon on a Monday so it was pretty empty. Parking can be a little hectic around the area, but you can get lucky with residential parking as well. They accept cash or Venmo at this time only. Between my partner and I, we got the Senroppon Salad, Hasami Age and a Hana Gomoku. The Senroppon Salad came pretty quickly. It's composed of a lot of shredded root veggies, some tofu strips, edamame, sprouts and seeds mixed with a light soy vinaigrette. I found some inspiration while having this. It's a very refreshing, non-green, healthy salad. Quite unique! The vinaigrette gets a little stronger when you get to the bottom of the salad since those have been sitting in the dressing for a while. Next, the Hasami Age was something my partner was intrigued about. It's almost like a sushi roll, but made the filling is just corn and tofu. They're wrapped with a soybean sheet and nori and then lightly battered and fried. It turned out really delicious! The batter was indeed on the lighter side and it didn't feel heavy or oily at all. The corn and tofu mix was a little bland, so I wished they put a bit more veggie variety in there for different taste and texture. The almond sauce worked really well with it. If I have to describe this dish, it's like the offspring of a sushi roll and spring roll, haha. Lastly, the Hana Gomoku! This is like a very healthy Buddha bowl. All the ingredients were laid out neatly on top and there was a lot of veggie varieties! I love that they mixed hijiki into the rice, so it not only added flavor to the base, but also some texture. It was beautiful and delicious. We had a nice, quiet, and enjoyable meal here. I hope to try some of their other menu items when we're around Berkeley again!

    If your diet is restricted to vegan, this may be your spot…read more Otherwise, seriously dull and bland

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    Tanghuo Kungfu Mala Town - hotpot - Updated May 2026

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