Uniboil was one of my favorite restaurants in Davis during undergrad. It is in a hidden spot of Davis, upstairs across from Zen Toro in downtown. Every time I've visited, it's been pretty empty besides one or two parties there. When you walk in, you are free to sit wherever you want and you order using the QR code posted on the table. The owner had recognized me as a frequent and always gave me a new side dish to try. It's a different cuisine that I'm used to but I'm not afraid to try new things. I've always enjoyed these dishes because they're always on the spicier side. I'm a fan of spicier food. I normally get hotpot when I come here, TomYum with medium spice. I've seen other reviews that say the chef doesn't care how spicy you ask for it but I've felt it's been pretty consistent. I also switch between the proteins and regardless of which protein it has a fresh taste. This is not an average AYCE hotpot. The dish normally comes with veggies, tofu. grain of choice and your protein of choice It's a different restaurant dining experience with the hotpot meals. With hotpot, here are a few tips for first time diners. It's HOTpot, it will be hot temperature wise. You will burn your tongue if you're not careful enough. Get an extra bowl and put some of your dish in there while you leave some of your ingredients to cook. I have tried different noodles and rice, I've preferred rice. Noodles can overcook easily and soak in the liquid, making them Use the sauces provided! I like to use vinegar, sesame sauce and chili sauce. I mix them and put some in each serving bowl of mine. Servings are usually big here, I can finish it if I'm hungry. If you don't eat much I recommend sharing it with a friend. Overall, excellent customer service! Love the food as well, and definitely a must try. read more

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Uniboil serves individual hot pots that are super good! The food comes out quick and in large portions. On top of that, the service is so great. Our server was very attentive, kind, and generous. Definitely a memorable experience when my friend and I came here... memorable in a great way! :) read more

They really need to hire a younger server that speaks english. We came from Sacramento to eat because of the nice pictures , but we couldn't even order because the elder chinese lady could not communicate with us. All we could do was point to the back of the counter for which hot pot we wanted. They have a sauce counter in the front also that we found out after we were 70% done with our food. Food is decent. read more

Uniboil - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

Our family of four came here on a Friday. It was not very busy, just us and 2 other customers. There was only 1 lady working there. People commented on the slow service but these are prepped one by one so I didn't think they were slow at all, for customized hot pots. It was a really hot day. The waitress was super friendly and offered us some complimentary iced hibiscus tea which my daughter loooved. Born and raised in China, hot pot is comfort food for me. These flavors make me feel so warm and happy. I did think the soups were a bit on the salty side. And it could probably use more veggies. But I liked the items we chose, especially the skewers. The mixed skewers were a big hit with the kids too, they liked the chicken more and my husband and I liked them all. The flatbread that came with the skewers was so fresh and delicious! Our meal was a bit heavy on meat and sauce, I should've ordered some veggie side dishes. Quantity of food was very good for the price. We ordered 2 pots with extra meat order, and skewers. College kids must have really good appetite because some people commented pricing was high for what you get but I thought it was plenty of food for us! I would totally come again. Great experience. read more

Uniboil - Skewers - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

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They are under new ownership and are called 866 Noodle Stop now. They still serve the same hot pot menu but they also have a new selection of pho. The special in house chili oil was flavorful and yummy. The portions are big, and they're giving out a 15% discount for their store's soft opening right now. It's still the same Uniboil but with more options. The waiter was very friendly and explained the new menu well. Definitely give them a try. :) read more

Uniboil - House Special Pho - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

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This place hits the spot on a cold, rainy day. They have QR codes at every table and you scan it to submit your order. You mostly decide on the soup and protein as it will already come with a set of various ingredients. Each order is in an individual pot. read more

I was reading the other reviews and I dont think a majority of people understand that this is just traditional Chinese hotpot! Not everything is AYCE yall sounding greedy up in these reviews like what Anyway, this place is BOMB! If you're familiar with Tasty Pot, it is very similar in terms of service and in the way the hotpot is served! This place is Chinese hotpot though so it is my favorite!! I got the Superfine Lamb Shoulder hotpot with the Numbing Spicy broth and a side of instant noodle. I definitely should've showed how everything looked like when it was cooked but it was so good that I lowkey forgot and ate it Also, if you've ever had Haidilao before-- Uniboil's numbing broth is just Haidilao's!!!!! Other people said the portions of meat were small; first of all, did you even eat any of the other delicious ingredients up in there?!? The portion of meat was perfect in my opinion. The serving size in general is perfect to me. I get full hella fast so I had a little leftover and was able to take it home :) The place is pretty affordable for what you get as well. With the add-on of my instant ramen, it was ~$22. Not bad! People comparing this to AYCE is ridiculous. AYCE is usually like $30/person-- and not everyone wants AYCE !! This is perfect for those who just wanna chill and eat a good soup ^_^. Overall, this place is (as I said earlier) BOMB!! Definitely one of my top favorite hot pot places ! It's a hidden gem and truly deserves more luv !! read more

Uniboil - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

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This place is just okay. It definitely satisfied my hotpot craving but for the price i don't think it is very worth it. I got the sukiyaki brought but it didn't taste like sukiyaki and the overall quality of service wasn't the best either read more

Uniboil - Sukiyaki Hotpot - Certified Angus Beef - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

For individual hot pot but with an actual-cooking-at-the-table experience (as opposed to many of their competitors where your individual pot items are actually all already cooked), Uniboil is one of the only game in town, especially out here in Davis. They have a legit selection of hot pot items including pork blood and beef tripe, and service is pretty good. Self-service sauce bar too. Would I be super excited if they were in, say, 415, 408, or 626? Probably not. But for Davis? They do the job, down to the slightly worn chairs and mis-matched front and aft sections of furniture. read more

I'm very disappointed. Only 1 person who basically cooked/waiter/cleaned & did everything. Maybe one more person in the back. On top of this an automatic 15% service fee for no service. We were a party of 3 people. WOW! We waited a long time for our food. I felt bad for the poor guy who did it all but I'm definitely never coming back here. My seafood soup was disappointing. I didn't like it at all. I selected the traditional soup and it was very overpowering. Tasted like a medicine soup. The wings weren't bad though. read more

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It is an amazing all together experience eating at uniboil! My friends and I love coming here and getting the hotpot. Best hotpot place in town by far. The customer service is amazing with great food recommendations and even bringing by complimentary drinks. Their ingredients are very fresh with so many options to choose from and the traditional spicy broth is so delicious :) read more

Uniboil - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

Finally was able to get my hands on some hotpot in Davis. Hot pot is one of my all time favorite foods so I came in with high expectations, and that honestly might have been why I was a little disappointed. To preface I definitely have a bias to AYCE hotpot coming from the Bay Area, but i came into this with an open mind nevertheless. I ordered the certified angus beef hotpot with the Szechuan numbing broth (my usual fav). The broth was delicious and flavorful, they also accommodated to my pork restriction and singled out my broth to not have pork. I really appreciated this and because of that I can definitely vouch for good service. The food was okay, the hotpot heating device wasn't manual and had to be lit and turn off by the waitress with a lighter. It got really hectic and a lot of the stuff overcooked/didn't cook enough since we weren't able to adjust the heat manually ourselves. Overall, probably won't return but I enjoyed my meal for the day. It was also relatively affordable for hotpot (~$20). read more

Uniboil - Certified Angus Beef Hotpot - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

The bbq kebabs were absolutely amazing. Juicy, flavorful. The 3 hot pots were incredible. The meat was tender, the seafood overflowing. The Hawaiian chicken was incredible tender. The staff is always so friendly, going out of their way to help and make sure the order is perfect! I would absolutely recommend this place!!! read more

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Bright clean place on second floor with plenty of natural light. Warm, friendly and efficient service. Hot pot mixes meat and vegetables were good and large portion. read more

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Entered anticipating being filled with hot pot, though left with pho? What had been expected painted the idea I found a hidden gem and would be eating a nice hot bowl of hot pot, which looked great in the reviews and menus listed. Yet when we got there, other than the faulty QR code menus placed on every single table, we got menus for several meat combinations of pho and only pho. To our surprise, the workers were nice enough to bring in a hot pot when asked about it even though it had been mentioned that the same ingredients weren't necessarily all there. For reference, a few ladies walked in with the same expectation, though quickly left when told about the pho-exclusive menu. The hot pot was just okay, but the pho hadn't the slightest of the typical pho flavor, rather animal broth with rice noodles and pho-adjacent toppings. Due to its barren and quiet nature, I felt obligated to finish this whole bowl to not frame dissatisfaction among the shopkeepers. What could improve could have them sticking to what they do best and a full rebrand of signage and labeling aside from their receipt titles to prevent further confusion. To my investigation, it appeared as though it may have been one of the first and possibly only hot pot places in town, up until a year ago when two similar restaurants came up and around the block, taking their business and forcing this gem to stay just as tucked away as it has been a hidden one. read more

Uniboil - Stir fry beef pho - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

The numbing broth is on point but can say that the amount of meat they gave is too little compared to the price you can almost get ayce hotpot at this point Also, keep in mind they charge for gratuity already for 15% which i could say that the services is not that good but worth to go and get some food from them read more

Uniboil - Pork shoulder with Szechuan numbing soup - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

The hot pot is really yummy and the people working are always very nice and welcoming. It normally not very busy and the food comes out quickly. I really enjoy coming here! read more

Very elegant presentation of food whose taste matched its looks! Great service too! read more

Uniboil - Lychee jelly Tea - how do they get the ice cubes in there?? - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

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It was good and the price was fair. I read other reviews and feel like they don't understand food service. It was perfect not being hovered over and if my friend and I needed anything you just called them over. The ordering was really cool I don't really like QR code menus but this is great for non English speakers because you can change the menu into your language. The feel of the place was so good and the server was really nice. The lady working also gave my friend and I free tea I think it's there flower tea and it was so good I would order it again because it was really good tea. Even my friend that doesn't like flower teas really like it. The boil was huge and I almost finished it all. Can't wait to go back :)) read more

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This place is so yummy! The Tom yum broth is the best I've had. I like that you get your own individual hot pots. I can't wait to go back. read more

Uniboil - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

Such a cool hidden spot in downtown Davis! It's within a small plaza near campus that serves delicious hotpot with premium beef and veggies. So excited and the staff is so friendly! read more

I was up in Davis visiting my friends when they suggested we all go out to Uniboil. I was fairly excited to try it since they said you cook your own food in front of you. Now I was picturing something along the lines of the Korean BBQ table grills but now I understand it's little pots where you boil your food. Hence the name Uniboil, or "one pot." It's a small little restaurant with a cozy atmosphere. It screams small business when you arrive. I liked the atmosphere in there and thought that it was lively and fun. The menus are found on your phone when you scan a QR code that is on each table. Each QR code is for a specific table. No matter how many people there are, anyone who scanned that QR code can then see the cart as you add your food items in. After you've placed an order the staff will come by and drop off some waters. I got a canned Sprite and the Noodle on Fire. They brought out a pot with all the raw ingredients in it which consisted of chicken broth, sunny up egg, green onion, spam, sausage (Hot Dogs), and noodles. I got Udon because I prefer the taste as apposed to the ramen. It only cost me 11$ and was decent. I think I got the worst one out of our entire table though. I had never tried spam before and wasn't a huge fan, and the sausage is just generic hot dogs so it wasn't like it was the most shocking meal. The broth is kind of bland and could do with a good deal of salt added in. It was an ok meal. Looking at my friends meals I think I'd try a different one next time because theirs looked good. Now I do have one thing I hate about this place and it's the website you order your food through. It is an absolute nightmare to look at and navigate. In terms of aesthetics and grammar you have things misspelled, capitalized at random, or not capitalized at all. For example, "Yougrt Green Tea" , "sprite" , "Coke" , "beer" and "Coconut milk tea." The categories off to the side have the same problems such as "DRINKS" , "APPETIZER" , "Hawaiian BBQ" , or "Rice bowl." When I tried to order a Sprite as shown in one of my attached photos, you have to select something under the smoothie category in order for it to allow adding it to the cart. The thing is, none of those options should even be listed considering they only serve cans of it. In my other photo you'll see the screen when ordering the soup. Half of these options don't need to be listed considering the meal can't be modified, as stated in the headers of each category. "Tbh the chef don't even look at how spicy you choose lol" was my favorite thing to read. The website gets the job done, but they could really do with polishing it up. So what's the takeaway from Uniboil? Decent food, service is completely through the phone except for when they're delivering it to the table, and the website is a disaster. I'll still be coming back to try other things on the menu! 5/10 for what I experienced. read more

Uniboil - Trying to order a sprite. You have to click an option under "Smoothies" in order to move on. They bring it in a can no matter what you pick. - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

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This is a solid hot pot place. The environment is peaceful and the lighting isn't too bright which is a plus for me. I would come back here if I'm in the area again! read more

Uniboil - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

I feel like this place predominantly has bad reviews due to its lack of service but the food still looked good so I wanted to check it out myself. When I came in it seemed like there was no one up front for a bit, it was a while before a lady came out and said we could sit wherever we like and the menus were QR codes we could scan to order. The food came out pretty quick for me and my boyfriend but there was a glitch with my friends and hers ended up coming out probably 10-15 minutes later. One thing I noticed is that the slow service is likely because it was one person basically doing everything. She was bussing the tables, serving the food, and helping out multiple tables all for herself, so I really didn't think the service was 'slow' at all. P A R K I N G Street parking, but lots of it available. 4/5 F O O D Honestly one of the better quality cuts of meat I've having been to multiple mini wok places. I like that the meat actually comes raw and cooks in your broth as opposed to already cooked, as most of the time my meat ends up over cooked. The the portions are also larger than regular, but this is matched with an increased price ~$18 per bowl. There are also no dipping sauces but I enjoyed mine just fine without it! I definitely want to come back to try other bowls as well!! 5/5 S E R V I C E Like I said above, it was one person serving/bussing/doing takeout so I really didn't want to fault her not checking up on us or anything. Even though we came on a Tuesday night there were still a good amount of people dining and I feel she definitely could've used a hand! :( 3/5 O V E R A L L Really enjoyed my food and didn't really mind the 'slow' service. Just sit down and enjoy!! I'll be back :) read more

Uniboil - Sukiyaki Hotpot - Certified Angus Beef - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

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Amazing. Just amazing. Don't know her name, but this lady who works here is just the nicest!

I honestly loved the well-flavored and tasty soup bases, but it's definitely not worth it for what I'm getting. My Sukiyaki Angus Beef hotpot came with a sweet miso-like soup base, which hit the spot for me. My brother got the option to choose his soup base for the lamb shoulder hotpot and we both agreed that his Satay flavored one was actually straight bussin. They didn't have sauces, but it wasn't even necessary because the food soaked up all the yummy soup. However, they definitely skimped on the ingredients. There was practically only one piece of everything listed on the descriptions except for the cabbage and noodles. One beef ball, one fish ball, 1 slice of lotus root, 1 piece of corn, 1 fish tofu... I wish I was joking. The pricing isn't cheap either. In the end, it's just not worth it in my opinion. read more

Uniboil - Sukiyaki Angus Beef Hotpot (front) and Superfine Lamb Shoulder Hotpot (back) - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

By far the worst hot pot I've had. The service was insanely slow with only one other party in the restaurant. First we ordered two beers and one was warm while the other was semi cold. Then you have to order online which is kind of confusing- we tried asking some questions but none of them were understood or answered so we just went for it. After getting our hot pot I noticed my noodles and mushrooms were missing, I mentioned it to the waitress who told me they were out of mushrooms and substituted lotus root.. without saying anything or asking.. It also took 15 minutes to get my noodles and by that time everything else was cooked but I had no plate to transfer food onto and no chopsticks with no one in sight.. The food was pretty mediocre itself and definitely not worth the headache and endless waiting. read more

Uniboil - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

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I still go here all the time and it's still spectacular. I actually need this place to cater all of my big life events it has such a special place in my heart. I finally tried their uniboil flowering tea with lychee because a sweet server thought that my friend and I would like it. It might be the best drink that has ever hit my lips. I love you uniboil!! I'm going to miss you so much when I leave davis read more

Uniboil - Budae jjigae - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

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Amazing food and ambiance. The server was really nice and the service was great. I went on my birthday and it low-key cured my homesickness. read more

Uniboil - Bbq Skewers - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

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Let's start with the positives. The hot pot itself was quite filling, offering a generous portion size that left me satisfied. The variety of ingredients available allowed me to customize my hot pot to my liking, ensuring a personalized and flavorful meal (though it was a bit pricey). The convenience of their online ordering system added to the overall positive experience, making it simple and easy to place an order. In terms of the hot pot scene in Davis, Uniboil stands out as a noteworthy option. My friends enjoyed their meals very much; we all ordered different things. With limited alternatives in the area, Uniboil is a solid choice for those looking to satisfy their hot pot cravings. I believe I ordered the spicy broth and beef combination, and while it was nothing special, it was decent compared to all the other full choices in Davis. Therefore, I recommend giving this unique hidden place a try, on top of T4 , a boba place that is alright. ( check my review ) read more

Uniboil - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

I've come here thrice with friends and the food is always really good. Great vegetarian options and love the spice level.

Came here back to back days. Had to make sure we try the dishes we want to try so good! Write a review and you get a free special drink read more

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The Chinese food was decent for anything in Davis however there was barely any meat. I got full off of drinking the soup and eating the lettuce that was like half of the entire hot pot. In the front they said they'll give a free beverage for giving them a review. I initially gave them 4 stars because of the meat and the lady in the front looked at it for 3 minutes before saying theyll only give the free beverage for 5 star reviews. Incredible... I would rather take a flight for an hour back home to eat my mom's hotpot than eat here. Prices aren't cheap either and they automatically charge 15% service fee (18% if you have a party of 6 or more or something) :)) so that's nice. Service was mediocre and you order stuff by yourself on your phone. Didn't even come over for water and we had to wave them over. Not worth the 15% fee they're gonna charge you. Also it wasn't even like they were busy. There was like 3 groups there on a Saturday afternoon read more

Uniboil - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

First time trying hot pot and wasn't expecting too much out of if, but was really surprised! It is a order yourself via QR Code which was interesting, but the service was pretty quick. The server, I believe she said her name was June, was extremely nice and caring. Despite being there towards the end of closing everyone was nice and polite. Definitely would come back again as the place had a nice, small, enjoyable feel to it. The food was also pretty amazing especially the BBQ appetizers! read more

Uniboil - H5. Tomato Pork Noodle 3x Angus Beef Hotpot - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

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The location is good, and the environment in the shop is nice. The food here is delicious. read more

Uniboil - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California

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At first I was kind of dreading trying this place out since I heard the SoCal location was just ok from a friend. However, I'm glad we gave this place a chance! There was a good number of people for the Saturday lunch rush, but not enough to pack the entire restaurant. We were immediately seated and our orders were taken very promptly. For each hot pot, you get a free side of either rice or some noodles. We got the: 1) Thai tom yum hot pot with lamb shoulder: -The balance of spice and sour was perfect for this soup. -It came with an abundant amount of toppings and meat. 2) Healthy tomato hot soup with the certified Angus beef: -The flavor of tomato was hearty and strong for this broth. It went really well with the beef. -This also came with a lot of toppings and meat. 3) Budae jjigae noodles: -I chose the option of Shin Ramyun noodles and it was definitely more than just one pack of noodles in there since I got so much. -There was also a fried egg, cheese, pieces of spam, a lot of kimchi, and a single hot dog cut in half. -Simple, but satisfied my cravings. All the rice orders came with some furikake sprinkled on top. Our only issue was that hot pots were left to boil for an extremely long time, making the soups very, very hot and making the ingredients over cook. The other hot pot places we've been to only had enough fuel so that the hot pot would stop cooking at a certain point. It wasn't until we were almost done that a server came out to put our fires out. I don't mind coming back here, especially on a cold day. read more

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I love Uniboil! It's hands down my favorite hotpot spot in Davis :) The food is very vegetarian/vegan friendly (the broths can be made vegetarian as well!!) and the food quality is excellent. The ladies that run the place are the absolute sweetest and they always provide excellent service! I've been introducing all my friends to Uniboil and everyone loves it :) highly recommend! read more

One person, one night, one hot pot, one mood... Really good, meat was fresh. I recommend duck blood, frozen tofu, tofu curly sheets... simply adding some vegetables to the soup is cheap, and it adds more varieties and better flavor. read more

This place is super cool, certainly something to do at least one time in your life. The ambience could be a little better. But overall, the service was good and the food was pretty good. Just a little pricey. Check out my live action video of me experiencing it all. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRwxYakq/ read more

My husband and I went together over the weekend, we tend to try new restaurants together. Most places in Davis are good but this place is a cut above others! We were completely stuffed and couldn't eat anymore! Price was very reasonable and better than other food places in the area. One of our favorite places to go to now! read more

Uniboil - Noodles Near Me - Davis, California