My husband and I visited YGF Malatang during their soft opening, and we really enjoyed the experience! Even though they were very busy, the service was fast & friendly Malatang is a customizable Chinese street food dish where you choose your own ingredients, including meats, vegetables, and noodles, which are then cooked in a flavorful, spicy broth. We tried the classic herbal beef bone broth and the chili oil spicy dry mix, and both were incredible! They're conveniently located right off Hampden & I-25, making this a great spot to keep in mind when you're craving something spicy, flavorful, and completely customizable. Their new space here is large & well maintained. We'll definitely be back! read more

YGF Malatang - Chinese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Delicious and reasonably priced. Bowls are charged by weight, so you can choose your own adventure when it comes to noodles, vegetables, meats/seafood, etc. Just be careful not to go overboard otherwise you'll create a 3 lb bowl that costs $60 like my friend did... Ingredients are good and the spicy beef bone broth is delicious. Now, onto my complaints... 1) There are no signs for any of the ingredients. Anywhere. Fine for most people, but if you have dietary restrictions or food allergies, you're kinda screwed. I already gave them feedback on this weeks ago, seems like they don't care. 2) The tables are "first come first served." This is not good, because you have to line up to make your bowls. People will come in to the restaurant and just grab a table before they've even ordered, so there are situations where people finish ordering and get their food before they can get a table. The whole thing is stupid, you should not be allowed to get a table if you haven't ordered food. The food is delicious but the process around identifying what ingredients are and finding a table after ordering takes away the enjoyment. read more

This was an overall fun and seamless experience for our first time trying malatang. My first impression was how clean and organize everything is. They had a good amount of staff restocking, bringing out orders, etc. We got the beef broth which was super flavorful. There were a good amount of veggies and meats you can add to your bowl. They hand you a # and bring your bowl to you. The only thing is the limited sauce bar that many people have noted. Otherwise, it was a pretty busy spot since we went for lunch on a Saturday. read more

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Went here at 11 AM on a Sunday and there was NO line, thankfully! I've never had Malatang before, so this was my first time experiencing it and having it. I got the chili oil spicy dry mix and it was indeed spicy. The flavor was good and I liked the selection of meat and veggies that they had. They did a good job of maintaining everything and keeping it nice and clean. Nothing looked like it had been sitting in a freezer for days. Only downside is that the sauce bar is very small and limited in options. I'm not sure if this is normal for Malatang places, but I think they could have provided more variety. I would definitely come here again to try one of their broth options instead. read more

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A bowl of noodle soup is comfort for the soul. This branch of international chain YGF Malatang is the first malatang business in the Denver area, and operated super smoothly during their soft opening. This storefront takes over several previous failed businesses in this plaza location, and hopefully will survive as they came out swinging! Plenty of free parking in the shared lot across from Whole Foods. During the soft opening, there was a line winding out the door, yet moved fairly quickly considering that most people were dining in. This speed was thanks in part to the self-serve model (grab a giant salad bowl and tongs, pick your poisons among the veggies, noodles, protein, and yes, even a variety of fish balls), but also the efficiency of the staff continuously prepping and restocking items (we never had to wait long), cooking, and bussing tables. You can tell this ain't their first rodeo. After ordering, you'll receive a number linked to your bowl, which one of the staff will then call out and bring to you when ready. Seating is first come first serve. Drinks are currently limited to some refrigerated bottled drinks and a soda machine. A few nitpicky points for which I docked a star: food labels, pricing, and cross-contamination. Seasoned hot potters will recognize most items in the self-serve bar, however there will definitely be confusion for those who don't normally encounter bamboo shoots, potato noodles, or sliced squid. The only labels currently present are for the pork, beef, and lamb. I'm not a fan of lamb and didn't get any in my bowl, but could definitely taste some of this gaminess in my otherwise delicious and hearty beef-based herb broth. Which is excellent and I wholeheartedly recommend. However, I think for those with true dietary limitations, be a bit wary. Normal pricing is $14.99/lb of food (I hope tared for the bowl). I think most people will end up somewhere around 1-2 lb of food, and with a broth it's easily enough for 1-2 meals. However, it's also easy to just load up a bowl if you come hungry, at which point you're looking at closer to $30 a bowl which can be a lot. Other AYCE places usually cost around $30-40 per, but the mentality of paying for true buffet style is easier to wrap my head around than paying for the service of someone cooking a defined amount for you. read more

YGF Malatang - Inside - Chinese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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I'm very happy that there's finally a malatang here in CO! Went during their soft opening week and must say despite the long line, the service is fast. Got their house special spicy dry pot and the tomato soup. Dry Pot: Great flavor and right amount of spice. Definitely recommend this flavor. Right amount of flavor with a good kick to it. However I wish this place offered an option to get rice on the side because it would've been great! I didn't make the fried pot with noodles because I feel like at 15$ a pound...adding a block of noodles seems like a waste. Tomato: For me the broth was a little too sweet that drowned out all the natural flavors of the meats and fish balls I placed in there. Overall this build your own malatang is great! Will stop by when I'm in Aurora. It is great for family style! read more

YGF Malatang - House special spicy dry pot - Chinese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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New self serve hot pot! Friday evening dinner. Not crazy busy surprisingly. 1st you grab a bowl and tongs then you grab your veggies move along to your carbs then pick your protein. 2. Pick a soup base or dry seasoning for stirr frye. I pick the soup bases the classic beef brother and Mild. They had 3 level of spice. Mild, medium, spicy. 3. Put your food on the scale and it charged by weight. Which on the sign says 14.99 lb. My total came out to $23 I think my udon was most of the weight since it was frozen. 4. Find a seat it was busy so we were able to find a seat after we paid another table was leave and it got cleaned right way so we snagged it. Maybe you can have someone save a seat which checking out. 5. They do have some extra condiments at the drink station. Not alot. Soy sauce, Sriracha, vinegar, sesame oil. They did have minced garlic, cilantro to add. Also the to go container by the fountain drink. 6. Enjoy! Over all the soup was good creamy and the spice was there. Food was delish. I would definitely go back. It was plenty and i was full. Worth the hype. Great ambience great place for a quick bite. read more

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Very delicious malatang. Fast Asian food restaurant atmosphere. Go to the line and grab a bowl and tong. Pick all the ingredients you like and add to your bowl. 4 types of broth or dry mix to choose from. We tried the classic herbal beef bone broth and grind pleasant spicy dry mix (both medium spice). The spice level is American level, so if you are use to real malatang, you may want to order hotter spice. We liked both flavors and will defenitely return. They have sauce and drink station to make your own dipping sauce and also have to-go containers for leftover. They give you your order number at check out (you pay by weight of the food) and they call out your number and bring the food to your table (and they also clean the table for you after you leave) so it's worth tipping them. Their beef meat may have little bones in them, so be careful when you are eating. read more

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Hooray for Malatang finally coming to Denver!!! We came for dinner during their soft opening and got 20% off. Line was long, but it moves. You pick your veggies, noodles, meats, etc with tongs and a bowl. They weigh it and it's paid by the pound- $15/lb. You pick either broth or dry mix, and then they cook it up for you fresh. It was A LOT of food! I got about 2 lbs and had so many leftovers. I know they're still in soft opening stage- so ironing things out- but I am looking forward to having all the food items labeled. I mistook lamb for beef- doh! I personally don't like the taste of lamb, so bummer for me- but the spicy mala broth kept things very well seasoned. Very friendly team. Looking forward to coming back! read more

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They finally have a YGF malatang here in Denver and I am so excited! I always try to visit when I'm in California and now I can get it here. You pick your toppings, noodles, meat, veggies, and broth and then they weigh your order before you pay. There isn't as many toppings as California but it was still pretty good. The restaurant was busy but not too busy where we had to wait and the service was top tier. read more

YGF Malatang - Chinese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Food was really good, at first it seemed a little expensive but I actually had quite a bit to take home. Lots of variety and the service is pretty quick. The restaurant has a good vibe and everyone is lively. read more

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1 week after grand opening we decided to have dinner Friday evening here! They were not busy a bit surprised but even better we didn't have to wait. This a a self serve hot pot and enjoyed it. 1st you pick a bowl and tongs start off with your veggies then move along and pick your crabs they had a few different type of noodles i had the udon and daughter had ramen. Also udon are aways frozen so that being said i think my bow weighted more from that. Next you pick your protein they had 2 different beef buts and a pork cut, and some seafood shrimp, muscles, some tofu and meatballs. All everything loaded I'm your bowl you pit your bowl on the scale and pay by weight like they do at yogurt shops Also you get to choose either 2 type of broth we went with the classic. And spice level mild and medium they did not have any non spice beside the tomatoe base which had a sweet flavor from what the board says which daughter did not want so mild and a bit spice for her bit she could handle or you could have went with dry seasoning to make a stir fry. Will try next time. We got lucky and a seat opened up when we paid for our food and we snagged the seat right away. Also they give you a number and bring your food out to you when it is finished cooking. Food was great and very filling. Soup was creamy and packed with flavor. They had a few sauces at the drink fountain. I had to add my mince garlic and cilantro read more

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YGF Malatang hits hard, this branch of the international chain is the first in Colorado and lives up to the hype. Unlike other hot pot places we are used to, this one has you grab a bowl and line up along the counter to pick anything you want from their refrigerated display cases filled with a variety of veggies, tofu/fish tofu and meat (pork, lamb and beef). Once you fill it up, you head to the cashier where they will weight it to determine the price. It is currently sitting at 14.99/lb. From there, you pick your base. From their classic herbal broth to a dry spice mix, you cannot go wrong unless you do not tolerate spice at all. For my non-spice friends, your safest bet is the tomato broth but their signature beef broth (herbal) at the mild spice level was not bad at all. It is more of a numbing spice but I noticed between the two times I have been since it opened, it can be inconsistent. The first time I went the spice was a little bit sharper but still edible for someone who can't really eat spice except for KBBQ Spicy Pork Belly. The second time, the spice level was perfection! Very friendly group of staff working there, got any questions let them know! read more

YGF is a malatang chain that's popular in China & globally - so you can go in expecting consistency in flavor/ingredients. Here's how it works: you grab a bowl + tongs, fill the bowl with whatever you want to eat and they'll cook it using two broth options or two stir fry/dry options. You pay by weight, so don't be too greedy (my mistake, every time.) The concept is very similar to hot pot - but you can eat a smaller portion here for a lower pricepoint. This YGF is nicely located, interior is clean, and they have good quality for ingredient options. The seasoning for the bone broth is good, flavorful, and spicy. Meat quality is good and they're speedy. For soft opening day, they worked quickly with minor bumps! If you eat under 2lbs, it's worth it vs going to eat all you can eat hot pot. $15 per pound is pretty solid! read more

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Waited after the grand opening to visit the recently opened YGF Malatang to beat to crowd, but it was still quite crowded in early afternoon on the past Sunday. Fortunately, even though the place was packed, the flow was quite smooth. Luckily, by the time I was done picking out the food and paid, seats were already available. Despite the queue of people, the restaurant was spacious enough that it didn't feel crowded. I followed the steps grabbing a bowl and a tong, picking the vegetables to start with, then moving on to the staples like noodles, rice noodles, and rice cakes, and picking from a variety of fish balls and meats. There was quite a selection and the staff restocked the items quickly. Finally, chose my broths and paid. It took about 10 minutes to get my malatang ready. As the kitchen called out my number, I raised my hand, and the server brought over the freshly cooked malatangs to the table. The malatang is charged by the pound, at $14.99 per pound. A large bowl packed with a bit of everything came to about one and a half pounds, costing around $25. The owner mentioned that even those who could not tolerate spicy food (like me) should be able to handle their light spicy level, so besides ordering the non-spicy sweet and sour tomato broth, I also ordered their famous herbal beef bone broth in light spicy as my bases to try two different flavors. BTW, for those who enjoy spicy food, the the herbal beef bone broth is also available in medium or extra spicy. The sweet and sour tomato broth had a fresh, savory tomato flavor that's well-balanced and not overly sour. Although the lightly spicy herbal beef bone broth really wasn't that spicy, it still left some tingling sensation on my tongue, signature of the spices used. The beef bone broth was rich and full bodied with the aroma of Chinese herbs and a sweet aftertaste. I could tell it's been simmered for awhile. After finishing, I still had half a bowl of broth left. Rather than drinking it straight, I decided to pack it up to make another meal or two at home. Quite a few people at the nearby tables ordered the signature dry spicy mix, slurping it up noisily and breaking out in a sweat, seemed like they enjoyed it a lot. I was not courageous enough to try that though. Overall, the restaurant's decor was simple and clean, and the seating was well spaced, not too cramped. Even though it was pretty busy, the service was attentive and prompt, and the staff were quick to serve dishes and clean the tables. A quick reminder: if you find a table with items still on it, the staff will assume you haven't finished eating and won't clean it on their own. You'll need to stand up or call a server over, don't just sit there and wait. YGF Malatang is located directly across from Whole Foods Market. read more

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My sisters and I went tonight for a late dinner together. As we waited in line, we watched employees constantly run back and forth to deliver bowls of malatang and buss tables. After grabbing our tongs and bowls, we loaded up on veggies, carbs, and protein. Then weighed and let the cashier know if we wanted soup or dry mix. They gave us a number and we waited for a few minutes. Our food was delivered piping hot and full of all my hopes and dreams of a comforting meal. Now I'm on the way home thinking about our next time here. Hehe. read more

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usual place but so crowded. The broth so amazing with chinese flavor and some soup have own spicy level, but problem is the sitting area is still limited so people waiting other people finish their meal to have chance to sitting. read more

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Wonderful experience! If you're new to Malatang like I was, don't be intimidated. You simply pick out your favorite meats, vegetables, noodles, and other ingredients from a huge selection. There are plenty of vegetarian options, too. The chefs then cook everything for you in a delicious hot pot-style broth, or you can choose noodles instead. The pricing is by weight, which makes it easy to customize your meal exactly how you like it. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, and all of the ingredients tasted fresh and high quality. Such a fun neighborhood find. I'll definitely be back! **Food:** 5/5 **Service:** 5/5 **Value:** 5/5 read more

YGF Malatang - Chinese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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I've been living in colorado for the past 5 months so I was so excited to hear that ygf malatang opened! satisfied my craving read more

YGF Malatang - price by the weight - Chinese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Absolutely love this place and the concept of not needing to eat my brains out at all you can eat hot pot but still satisfies my craving. Everyone who works there is super kind and the food comes out pretty quickly! My only note is I wish I could do the fried tofu puff on the side as it gets too soaked when they cook it with everything else. I'd also love a few more options at the sauce bar like fried garlic and onions, salt and pepper, and sesame sauce and oil. read more

YGF Malatang - Chinese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Stopped by YangGuoFu (YGF) Malatang's first Denver outpost on my ongoing quest to hit every noodle shop in town. The setup is pick-and-pay by weight: grab a bowl and load it up from a wide selection of noodles, veggies, and proteins. I went with a mix of classic and purple noodles, pork meatballs, sliced beef, and sliced pork. When your bowl arrives at the table, it is piping hot--let it cool a minute so you don't burn your tongue. The herbal beef bone broth is noticeably aromatic, pleasantly thick, and silky. Measuring against the beef broth at Noodles by Nina (my personal gold standard), YGF comes in a very close second. I ordered the medium spice level, and it delivers genuine heat with that classic, tongue-tingling Sichuan peppercorn numbing effect. If you're sensitive to spice, definitely start with mild. I tend to steer clear of corporate chains in favor of local mom-and-pop spots, but given the slim pickings for standout food in Southeast Denver, I'm more than willing to make an exception. At around $20 for a massive, satisfying bowl, the value is tough to beat. I'll definitely be back, and it's well worth a visit if you love Sichuan flavors. read more

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Hits the spot when the wife and I are craving Mala. Friendly service and good atmosphere! read more

YGF Malatang - Classic herbal beef bone broth. Medium spicy - Chinese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Absolutely delicious and soul-warming. My boyfriend and I found out about this place around the time that they opened in Denver and we immediately made it our goal to visit and I am so happy that we did! We have been twice already! Personally we enjoyed the soup better than the dry, but both are fantastic flavors. The dry bowl was way too oily when I first got it, but the soupy bowl was perfect. The staff is beyond friendly and helpful, the restaurant is clean, easy to navigate, and I love the big windows for lots of sunlight. I think the selection of toppings is fantastic and versatile so that everyone can find something that they like. The ONLY thing I'd suggest, is that labels would be helpful on the toppings, and then some raw veggie toppings (i.e sprouts, mint, leafy greens, etc.) could be a nice option to add around the sauce bar. Other than that, wonderful!!! read more

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Absolutely Delicious！Definitely try the traditional herbal bone broth. Medium Spicy Recommended. read more

YGF Malatang - Chinese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Great concept and quick service! However, the meat was absolutely inedible because it was so overcooked. I think I may have just chosen the wrong ingredients because I think I would have liked it if I went meat-free. read more