Just dined here tonight and had a really great experience! No issues making a reservation for 5 online the morning of. The broths are all delicious, meats and veggies are good quality for AYCE. What really stood out to me tonight was the service. Everything we ordered came pretty much instantly, the staff were so on top of it with refilling our drinks etc. We were there for a birthday so I asked if we can eat cake we brought there and offered to pay a cake fee. However, the server was so nice and said it's fine and brought us clean plates/forks. They were also very patient with us despite us staying a bit past the time limit. Thank you everyone who worked tonight for your patience and hard work! I highly recommend this business! read more

I want to start by saying that I've been a regular customer at Urban Hot Pot for the past FOUR years. This restaurant has genuinely been one of my favorite places. On bad days, it's been my comfort spot, and on good days, it's one of the first places I think of to celebrate. I've introduced countless friends and family members to this restaurant, and it's become something of a gathering place for us. I've recommended Urban Hot Pot to so many people and have had nothing but positive things to say about it. That's what makes my experience yesterday so incredibly disappointing. My friends and I frequent this restaurant so often that several staff members recognize us. In four years, I have NEVER experienced the kind of treatment I received from one particular employee last night. It was upsetting enough that I'm genuinely reconsidering whether I want to return. Yesterday, I brought a friend here to catch up after not seeing each other for years. We arrived around 9 p.m., knowing the restaurant closed at 11 p.m. Naturally, we spent a lot of time talking, which slowed down our meal. However, we were very much aware of the time and made a conscious effort to finish well before closing. At approximately 10:38 p.m., an employee with dark, shaggy hair approached our table and abruptly slapped our receipt down in front of us. In a rushed, dismissive tone, he said, "Here's your receipt. You can pay up at the front when you're ready." I've been coming here long enough to understand how things work. I'm well aware that once your dining session ends, the staff typically brings your check. That wasn't the issue. It was the manner in which he approached us and the attitude that accompanied it. Shortly afterward, the restaurant's music was turned off, and we noticed several staff members standing around. My friend and I exchanged uncomfortable looks because the atmosphere suddenly felt incredibly unwelcoming, almost as though we were being pressured to leave. Mind you, it was still more than 20 minutes before closing. But what really bothered me happened just THREE MINUTES after he dropped off our receipt. I had literally just put my spoon down after finishing the last sip of my soup when the same employee returned. With an unnecessarily nasty attitude, he asked, "Are you guys still eating?" while gesturing his hands in frustration, as though our presence was some sort of inconvenience. I responded, "I literally just finished my last sip, and we were about to get up to leave, but I'm confused. Don't you close at 11? Why are you rushing us?" In an incredibly rude and dismissive tone, he replied, "Yeah, we do, but if you're done, I'd rather you go pay," while repeatedly gesturing toward the register. Excuse me? We were paying customers who had done nothing wrong, weren't being disruptive, and were already preparing to leave. We weren't refusing to pay, lingering past closing, or giving anyone a difficult time. And to put this into perspective, when we walked out of the restaurant, I checked the time, and it was only 10:44 p.m. We left a full SIXTEEN MINUTES before closing. So what exactly was the rush? There is a HUGE difference between politely communicating that a restaurant is preparing to close and making customers feel like they're being kicked out. I completely understand that restaurant employees have closing responsibilities and want to finish their shifts on time. I've never had an issue respecting that. But if a restaurant advertises an 11 p.m. closing time, customers shouldn't be made to feel uncomfortable or unwelcome at 10:40 p.m., especially when they're actively finishing their meal and preparing to leave. What makes this particularly upsetting is that it was so out of character for the Urban Hot Pot I've come to know and love. I've had countless positive interactions with the staff over the years, and this was my first time encountering this particular employee. Unfortunately, his attitude left an incredibly negative impression. What was supposed to be a fun evening catching up with an old friend ended on such an uncomfortable note. Instead of leaving happy, as I have so many times before, I left feeling disrespected and disappointed. This wasn't just some random restaurant I decided to try. This was a place I've supported, celebrated at, recommended, and returned to consistently for FOUR YEARS. I don't expect special treatment because I'm a regular. I expect the same basic courtesy and respect that every paying customer deserves. I sincerely hope management addresses how employees communicate with guests, particularly near closing. A simple, polite reminder would have been more than sufficient. There was no need for the hostility, dismissive tone, or repeated pressure to leave. It's genuinely sad that one employee's behavior could make me question returning to a place that has been such a favorite of mine for so long. But unfortunately, that's exactly how this experience left me feeling. read more

Urban Hot Pot - Hot Pot Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

This was my first time here and I absolutely loved itIt was good because you can season your own food, but definitely looking forward to going back. Service was good and they have robots that bring your refills of food to your table. It was nice in there during the lunch time, but I'm sure dinner is busy. read more

Urban Hot Pot - Table with Mushroom broth, chicken and beef, and veggies - Hot Pot Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

I love this place-- my go to hot pot place even though there are several in Howard County. They offer a variety of flavors, meats, and veggies for hot pot and it is all you can eat. Go hungry and be sure to try a little bit of everything! Food comes out quickly even you order more. Just a heads up-- it gets crowded during peak hours on the weekend! read more

Urban Hot Pot - Chicken hot pot - Hot Pot Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

I was there a several months ago and just got around to reviewing it. Not because it wasn't good, quite the opposite - I have been slacking! My friend and I should have checked out more reviews to get the finer points down before coming. Having said that, the food was amazing. It's just that there was SO.MUCH. We mistakenly ordered "a bit" of several types of chicken and pork, only to learn it was meant to be a full serving of each one. So we ended up with enough food to feed four people easily. Oops. Everything was very fresh and the serve yourself sauces meant a totally customizable experience. Staff was helpful at explaining things and the service was very good. Definitely not a romantic date place, as the ambience was very bright and sort of industrial. There's lots of free parking around there, and the only suggestion I have is they need MUCH better signage. We both parked across the street at the edge of the mall parking lot, but it wasn't until we were directly across from the restaurant that we could see where it was! read more

Yes I love a good seafood boil and hot pot. I love the condiments, sauces and food bar. They have half crabs, shrimp tempura, dumplings and more. I love the decor and high technology. The robot that brings you your food is awesome. The servers are very attentive and accommodating. The only downside is that they do not serve alcohol. If they did, they would have 5 stars. I'll definitely will be back. read more

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Continuing my alphabet series with U is for Urban Hot Pot (1 of 2 for U), on Friday, May 3, 2024, after a movie at AMC Columbia, we checked out a radio remote by the lake. We were weighing options of what to eat, and we decided on trying Urban Hot Pot. It's a smaller place, but we were seated in ample time. You order on the screen the various meats, veggies, etc. you want. Then, they have robotic trays to bring out the various things you ordered. Server comes around too for drinks, etc. but there isn't great instruction of what to do. We were struggling with something not cooking all the way and weren't always so sure when it's done. Most of the food was great with a couple of things that were just ok. It's a bit on the pricey side, but not really far off from our hot pot places. Overall, in spite of a couple of negative, it was very good and would consider coming back as hot pot is a specialty category we almost never get. Sadly, I guess I was too hungry, dealing with making the food, & in the moment, I didn't get any pics. read more

Great portions and fresh ingredients. Was a little overwhelming for a first timer - there aren't many instructions or staff around helping. But there is a fun robot that brings around food which is cool. read more

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As a big fan of hot pot, I had to try this spot by Columbia Mall. This place has parallel parking out front and shares the mall parking lot so theres plenty of spaces. This place is a bit smaller than most hot pot places ive been to but the service was great. You take your order on a tablet and a robot will bring your food. The servers will clear plates often to keep the table clean. The food was great. The broths were flavorful, meats and veggies are fresh, but the sauce bar was lacking. They didn't have as many options and dont keep it well stocked. They do have buffet hot plates with fried foods like shrimp, chicken nuggets which were decent. With tip, it ended up being right under $100. Great place! read more

Urban Hot Pot - Hot Pot Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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I rarely leave negative reviews, but my experience at Urban Hot Pot in Columbia, MD was truly awful. The servers had an incredibly bad attitude from the moment we walked in -- unfriendly, impatient, and almost rude when we asked basic questions about the menu. It felt like they didn't want to be there and definitely didn't care about customer service. Unfortunately, the food was just as disappointing. The ingredients didn't seem fresh, the broth lacked flavor, and the sauces tasted off. For the price they charge, I expected much better quality. The entire experience felt rushed and unpleasant. Overall, both the service and the food were terrible. I would not recommend this place to anyone -- there are plenty of other hot pot restaurants nearby that actually care about their customers and serve good food. read more

Okay so went here for my friends birthday and he made a reservation for 10 and they didn't say ANYTHING about not being able to accommodate us. When you go to a restaurant you always think you will be able to sit together this place did not do that, if they couldn't accommodate then do not accept the reservation. read more

I love urban hot pot!! I've been coming here for a while now. The selection of fresh ingredients is unparalleled, from premium meats/seafood to an array of vegetables. The are also many options at the sauce bar/toppings station. The ordering process is very easy and done on a tablet. It's unlimited and you have a 90 minute time slot. I also love that they have a conveyer belt where you can just get grab-and-go items for your hot pot! One thing I really like about this place is the how clean the environment is. You get sanitation wipes at each table and can swap out utensils/bowls (I'm a little bit OCD if you can't tell). If you're a hot pot enthusiast like myself, I highly recommend this place! read more

Urban Hot Pot - Hot Pot Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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I had a wonderful lunch at Urban Hot Pot. I have never eaten hot pot by myself before and didn't know what to expect on portion size. So I ordered what I wanted to eat thinking they would give me small portions, but they have very generous portions and I couldn't quite finish. The hot pot ingredients were very fresh and clean. I ordered medium spicy and it didn't taste as spicy as I expected, so next time I can try spicy. They had the robot guys bring plates to people, I wish I had more stomach room to order more food so that the robot can come to my table. So fancy and modern! The restaurant is conveniently located right across the street from the mall. Parking was easy. Bathroom was clean. read more

Urban Hot Pot - Receipt - Hot Pot Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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Urban Hot Pot offers a unique experience of all-you-can eat hot pot of veggies, meats and seafood within your own personal hot pot. It's a different way of experiencing food and I highly recommend. The wait for a table can be at least 40 minutes during the weekend so I suggest getting there before the lunch or dinner rush. I believe there is a two hour limit once you are seated. Once seated you order your food via a tablet and the food comes out quickly. We ordered a ton of meats, seafood and veggies. It was a great experience to cook your own meal at the table. The robot, Jessica brought out some of our dishes. My favorites included the sliced US beef, octopus, baby bok Choy and all of the mushrooms. Be aware most of the broths are pork based, the veggie and chicken broths are both good. The spice levels can we very intense, I prefer the less spicy option. The price for the hot pot is about $35 per person and dessert is included. I will definitely be coming back. read more

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Arrived on a Fri. Evening, didnt know what to expect or what kind of food or experience...welcome to the future...ipad menus, robot servers, conveyor belt items and kpop music that gets annoying after a while. Sat at a table with stove tops and ipads. Staff was young and friendly and explained you have to order via ipad. Staff coulve done a better job explaining the process or recomendations. Turns out its all you can eat. It was a good experience. I will come back. read more

Loved ordering from the iPad, the food kept coming. We ordered multiple times and got several rounds of meat, mushrooms, bean sprouts, fungai, udon and ramen noodles. Portions were generous and fresh. We had cake and tapioca coconut dessert, so yummy. Friendly staff, definitely coming back! read more

Urban Hot Pot - Hot Pot, watercress, mushrooms, tofu, beef/pork - Hot Pot Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Great hot pot place that has a variety of meets and veggies. They also had a lot of dessert of options which is different from other hot pot places. It's all you can eat so you can order as much as you want from the iPad at the table. The food is delivered by a cute robot, who is adorable. They have a variety of broths from mild to extra spicy. All our orders came out pretty fast and it was very delicious. I would come back for just the hot pot robot, it was so cute whenever it dropped off the food. read more

My husband and I used to love it here. This place isn't what it used to be. There must have been a change in ownership at some point. The broths tasted very different compared to prior visits and not in a good way (one very bitter, another just weird). The quality of most of the meats were ok but the shrimp tasted odd. Most veggies that came out were ok. Service was okay, especially since you're now able to grab things off the conveyor belt. They no longer serve or make the gongcha teas. Not a big deal, but it was nice to have fresh made drinks as options. The sauce bar was messy/dirty and did not seem well kept (several fruit flies? This place now has a mini self-serve appetizer buffet bar with some Americanized Chinese buffet food (ex. General tso's chicken). Also, there's a small dessert bar that also incorporates a cheap buffet vibe (ex. ice cream cups in a freezer case). The food and experience at this place was so much better when it first opened. Now, it feels like an overpriced low quality buffet. Disappointing. read more

One of my favorite hot pot places in the area. The broth, vegetables and cuts of meat are always consistent. Yes some of the meats come out frozen, but 2-3 mins in your steaming hot broth will cook everything. The location has tables on both sides. There's a conveyor belt in the middle with some random ingredients. I really like the high ceilings and Koi fish lights on the ceiling. The music here can be a bit loud if you plan on taking any calls. I've come here for lunch and dinner. Dinner is about $10 more at $35. You get some more premium cuts of meat and they offer better seafood options a la carte. Service here is always on point. There's always a staff member close to you ready to clean your table, refill your drinks and the food comes out really quickly. They even feature those robots now to deliver your food. The sauce station is always clean. Definitely try their meat sauce. If you're by the mall or Columbia in general this is the spot for hot pot. read more

Urban Hot Pot - A la carte dinner options - Hot Pot Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Regular diner here!! Like mentioned in my last review, me and my girlies always come every few months to have some good food and catch up. We love it here. Here are some recommendations when ordering: (MY) ORDER: Pick 2 seafood boil (snowcrab + crawfish) SUB sausage for extra corn. SAUCE: x2 Cajun, x1 garlic butter, x1 lemon pepper (yes, I order the sauces just like that) SPICY SERVICE: for how busy they typically are, they do great.... There's also a call button on the iPad if you need AMBIANCE: love it. All booth seats read more

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My family and I loved this hot pot restaurant. Ordering was super easy using a tablet at the table, and the hot pots are individual, so you don't have to all agree on a flavor or spice level. They have a really wide variety of meats (different cuts of steak, seafood, marinated meat, etc ), vegetables, starches, to cook in the broth as well as specials such as spicy boiled crawfish. The dipping sauce bar could have been a little neater, because some diners had spilled things into other bowls. The noise level was pretty loud, but the atmosphere was upbeat and fun. They also had delicious coconut sago for dessert which was not too sweet and refreshing. read more

This is one of the most extraordinary experiences of asian cuisine I have ever had. I frequent this place often

Tip: Pack your patience if you get there when it's busy; the wait can be lengthy. Urban Hot Pot is a unique hot pot spot because it has a Cajun seafood broil menu. We did both hot pot and ordered off the Cajun seafood broil menu. The hot pot is the Individual pot style. The menu consists of the standard hot pot items; meats, veggies, seafood, etc. The Cajun seafood broil menu had a variety of different options that was a mix of crab legs, shrimp, sausage, potatoes, and crawfish. You can add extras of some items for an extra costs. The flavor was excellent and fulfilling even without any extras. It would be nice to have more options by the pound of an item rather than base options that's not specified to one item. Note, not all items were available for extras that we wanted. For example, we wanted more crab legs than sausage. Based on the available additional options, what we wanted extra and for the price; we ended up just getting an entire bag of Cajun seafood broil to make sense of the price. We shared the extra bag. It would have been nice to just order an extra pound of crab legs. Overall the dual option of hot pot and Cajun seafood broil was a plus and great. We'd definitely go back again. read more

Urban Hot Pot - Hot Pot Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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Absolutely amazing. Great variety of food. Wonderful service. We had a party of 6 including 2 kids. There was something for everyone. We will definitely be returning when we are in the area. read more

Finally tried an establishment from my "yum list" and I was not disappointed! Kind of disappointed I waited so long. I love anything Asian inspired, infused..all of it. So I am always trying to find a delicious ramen like place and Urban Hot Pot has my attention for the time being. This place was really packed and seems like that's a regular thing but staff was working hard to accommodate everyone. My initial wait was 45 minutes but it only took about 30minutes in total and your orders will come out super fast. We were asked if it was our first time and received a clear rundown of how everything works. My kids enjoyed it so much, they've already scheduled our return. read more

Urban Hot Pot - Tom Yum Soup was delicious with lots of garlic. - Hot Pot Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

We have been at this location a year ago. It has really done down hill. Service is slow. The condiment bar was messy and it wasn't restocked timely. The presentation of the food was a mess. We were wondering why there wasn't any wait on a Friday night and it became clear once we sat down. Wouldn't visit again. read more

This is an awesome spot located in the Columbia Mall. We stopped by on a Friday night and made a reservation the day before on Yelp. It got busier as the evening went on so I'd recommend a reservation if you can. We did the all you can eat buffet and just ordered away. I'd say it's a little pricier than other hot pot locations in the Maryland area (at ~$35 for the buffet) but the experience/food quality was worth it in my opinion. They had a bunch of broth options, but I went for the classic option. The proteins were fresh and done of them were also seasoned for taste. The fish balls were really awesome. Of course they also had sauces that gave the broth unique tastes along with the proteins and vegetables. We paced ourselves a little by ordering 6-10 options for the entire table to share at a time until the food got depleted and ordered more options. They also had classic + fruity soju options that went great with the hot pot. Dessert options on the buffet consisted of ice cream, fresh fruits, a coconut liquid dessert, and cake. Service was super fast and the staff was super friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend that you stop by if you're in the area to fulfill your hot pot cravings. read more

Urban Hot Pot - Dinner buffet - Hot Pot Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

I was in the Columbia area. I actually started out craving a lobster salad. The restaurant where I usually purchase it. Didn't have it available. So I'm a seafood lover and decided to check this place out for their seafood boiler. It did not disappoint. Even though I purchased this to go. It had everything included that was needed to enjoy this at home. Including the crab legs. You decide the flavor and spiciness. This was enough for two people to share. We both enjoyed every bite. Including the sausage and sweet corn on the cob. I would definitely order that again! read more

Urban Hot Pot - This seafood pot was something good! 10-19-22 - Hot Pot Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Food was good. Staff were excellent. I only wish they had more soup base options that weren't pork.

What an experience. I came here back in January and didn't realize I never left a review. We came here during lunch time and I'm glad we did because we actually was able to eat and not feel rushed or feel like there were too many people in the restaurant. They had an abundance of items to put into our different broths and I did appreciate we could switch our broth out and try something different as well. I do appreciate they had a lot of non pork items including broth as well. I can't wait to go back read more

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Great food, pretty good service and chill atmosphere. We ordered (kind of over ordered lol) so many things as it was our first time. We just had fun choosing things off the iPad. I will definitely go again! read more

Urban Hot Pot - Hot Pot Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

I've been here multiple times and this place is one of my favorites for hot pot. I decided to try the mushroom soup base but I probably wouldn't get this one again. It's a bit bland/simpler compared to the other bases I've had in the past. There's a great selection of meats, veggies, and sauce bar. Sometimes, we didn't get our complete order of food but it's okay since it's AYCE. Definitely be ready to eat your moneys worth here! read more

Urban Hot Pot - Hot Pot Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

All you can eat hot pot in Columbia. Went for weekday lunch and thought the food quality was great for ~$30. Customized, individualized pot, great meat options (got beef and ribeye), really liked the lobster fishcake and rice-cake as well. You ordered via tablet which is super convenient. We went right w they opened at noon and the place was packed in 30 minutes! A decently large space, we'll be coming back! read more

Urban Hot Pot - Hot Pot Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

I love coming to urban hotpot. Everything is always clean and neatly organized. I like how you can order what you want with an ipad because it's so convenient. And the servers bring the ingredients to you pretty quickly. I usually get the original soup. The broth is so good and they also refill it for you when they see that you're almost out of soup. I always go during lunch hour too to get the lunch pricing which is pretty good for an AYCE. Parking Tip: this location is right next to the Mall in Columbia but if you park at the mall parking lot it's really hard to cross the street because there are always so many cars and not enough crosswalks. But the Urban Hotpot building has a free public parking garage on the other side of where Urban hot pot is located it's so much easier to just park there and walk around the corner than crossing the big road. read more

Urban Hot Pot - Hot Pot Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Visited Urban Hot Pot again today for dinner. We waited about an hour for a table after putting our name on the waitlist. We were quickly seated after checking in with the host stand. Sadly, the food was just not as good as it usually is. Everything looked old or like it had been sitting out for a while. The kimchi and some of the vegetables especially had this problem. The meat quality was also not up to par for what we're used to when visiting. The portions were even pretty small, granted it's AYCE so you can order more, but usually the first order of items is larger. Might have been an off night due to coming in close to closing and at the end of the weekend. read more

Love everything about this place! I had high expectations, as I regularly go to the Rockville location. Tried this location out, and it's safe to say that both deserve my 5 stars. I do think the Columbia location might be a tad smaller? Not completely sure, maybe it felt smaller idk. Everything tasted exactly the same across both locations. Columbia gets a bonus point for the parking situation though. Ordering through the ipad is always so nice and convenient, and I just love everything about Urban Hot Pot, across the board read more

Visited at the recommendation of my daughter. I blame it on TikTok...she might be a slight foodie in the making. Anyway, overall the food was good. I felt overwhelmed when initially ordering, but with a little help from the staff, I understood the process. There's a tablet on the table where you order your broth, ingredients such as your meat, type of noodles, etc. While it's "cool" to cook your meal by yourself (there's an electric burner on the table), for me, the experience was just ok. My daughter, of course, loved it. I wouldn't go back on my own; but if she tried to drag me, maybe I'd go. lol. read more

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I ordered the Pick 3 Seafood combo to go and got myself some shrimps, mussels, and crawfish. As you can see in the picture below, the amount of food for $36 post-tax is not bad. The whole online ordering and pick up only took about 20 minutes. So needless to say, the restaurant is pretty efficient. There were a good amount of corns, potatoes, and sausages. Unfortunately, the seafood themselves were a tad bit underwhelming in portion. The overall taste is good. I ordered extra extra spicy, and the flavors were definitely there. It's just there was a tad bit too much salt. I'll definitely go back to try their actual hot pot next time. read more

Urban Hot Pot - Pick Three Seafood Combo: Black Mussels, Shrimps (head on), and Crawfish - Hot Pot Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

16 year old and I dined here two days in a row while staying in Columbia, MD. During Covid, we missed going to Hot Pot and Urban Hot Pot really hit the spot! I would not call ourselves "pros", but we had been to enough hot pot places to know the drill. Pick your broth, then order all your goodies to cook yourself. It looks like this place might have once had a conveyer belt but now everything has to be ordered. There was a wide variety of items including meat, fish, pastas, veggies. It would be nice to have smaller portions provided. Sometimes I felt we wanted to try an ingredient or have a small amount but the portions were big and we did not want to waste. Service was fantastic. Order everything in the iPad (even water). Everything arrives promptly. There is a sauce bar so you can custom spice your broth. You can also order boba teas. Our hot pot came with dessert and soft serve ice cream. Urban Hot Pot gets busy so I recommend reservations. It's in a convenient area right near the mall with tons of other restaurants. read more

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Looooved it. I took my little cousins and we had a ball. A bit pricey but you can get tons of seafood. They do have a gluten free menu with a lot of options. It's not a dedicated facility so please keep that in mind if you have celiacs. I got the glass noodles, original broth, vegetables, shrimp and crab. I'm stuffed. The service was fast and everyone was nice. The restaurant is clean and nicely decorated. To order, you order everything on an ipad and it comes straight to the table. read more

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