Qiao Lin Hotpot - Chicago Chinatown

* very culturally authentic environment--lotsa pandas.* 15 minute wait for three--not bad 'cos it's inside a mall.* markup a menu with soup bases and hot pot ingredients, give it back to the server, they'll come out with your pot and your ingredients, then you throw them in the pot and eat them. * get the tender marinated beef--not too fatty. * server was very attentive and made small talk with us.* got an apron for cute photos.* sauce station was also nice--all you can eat soupy desserts--not too sweet (mung bean).* bill came out to $30/person.* also they sell lady M crepe cake for some reason

They have a spice bar and the desert a lot option for you to mix own sauce . Fresh meet and soup tasty so good . My favor place to go everytime i come to chicago

Solid tacos! No skimping on meat, Mexican music blasting, and great customer service.Highlight for me is the meat is seasoned so well!Had to try some Mexican food coming from the Bay.Don't hesitate.

Food: 4.5 The meat and seafood is fresh. However, in my opinion, it is a bit pricey for what it is. They charge you for the appetizers and sauce station when other places don't. Service: 5 The service is pretty good for a hot pot restaurant. They are attentive to your needs. I do wish they would have some appetizers for people that are waiting because the wait can be long. Atmosphere: 5/5 This place is spacious and I don't feel claustrophobic. I like the interior design and the tables have napkins and utensils. I don't really smell like hot pot when I leave.

Hands down, this place is amazing is service and quality meat. There are so many options to choose from as each of their items come with various affordable prices. I highly recommend the mushroom broth as that was my favorite. For the spicy one, I recommend the first one because it's a good comfortable eating. There are LOTS of side sauces and freebies (candy/chips/snacks) as well. Lots of perks! Try to get a spot using their Yelp check in for a spot as it can get very busy

My parents never experienced hot pot and since we were unable to celebrate Father's day on Father's day, we made a reservation to Qiao Lin on July 4 to make up for it. This place books far out so you want to reserve your spot on the Yelp app at least 2 weeks in advance for your desired date/time.You will not be seated until all members of your party arrive. I requested a booth and we were promptly seated the minute we checked in despite arriving 10 minutes early. Our server was good however things came out randomly and not in the order you would expect. I ordered 2 Lady M cake slices to share and when the server outright asked, "Did you want this to be held for dessert?" we said yes however when food came out, the cake actually arrived first. Aside from that, the menu is impressive. Since there was so much on the menu, we were not able to fully indulge during this visit which is probably a good thing because we all left with full bellies! If anything, it only entices us to return in the future.Do spring extra for the sauce bar. It enhances the flavor of your hot pot. You can create your own sauce or follow the guides posted at the sauce bar for recommendations.The parking was the only pain point because by noon, the entire lot was packed! I'm not sure if that is typical but in fairness we did arrive during the July 4 holiday. You may want to arrive at opening to secure a spot otherwise risk having to circle the lot to get a space.

The best hot pot so far in Chicago. The meat is great quality and fresh in taste. The soups are very nice as well. They offer a nice selection of sauces and small bites to each patron here.The price is fair for the quality you get.The service was friendly and informative.The decor is welcoming and cool to fit an Asia vibe. Would be happy to dine here again.

We came as the restaurant opened - no wait!It's a chose your own adventure sort of place - fortunately my brother-in-law is a frequent flyer here so he ordered for us. Golden chicken collagen and Chong Qing mild (yes I am a little too wimpy for medium haha).Love this everytime we come. Definitely check it out for an authentic Chinese hot pot experience!

Chicago has an abundance of hotpot restaurants but this is hands down my favorite. The restaurant is located on the 1st floor of the 88 Market at Jefferson Square, just a couple of blocks away from Chinatown. There are two parking lots that are easily accessible across the street. The restaurant is always full so they have snacks readily available while you wait.My friends and I always choose the split broth and get the spicy (not for the feint of heart) and the rich and full bodied chicken collagen broth. We end up over ordering since everything is so good and since its a la carte, you can always take home the leftovers. There is a sauce bar that also has some appetizers and fresh fruit and a sweet dessert soup to finish off the meal. We always leave stuffed but still looking forward to coming back again next time.

Everything about this hot pot spot is top tier! Ambiance and service is good too.WAIT: I keep seeing reviews about the wait but this place takes reservations!! Plan ahead and avoid any wait, even with a large group. They were super gracious and even waited for our party that was late.SAUCE BAR: This is towards the back and phenomenal! They have a lot of sauce types as well as snacks and desserts here. I wish there was a bit more labeling for the non-sauce items. The sauce bar is an automatic $2/person. FOOD: I love the option to try three different broths for the same price as 1 ($14.95). They were all really flavorful and different from each other. They kept topping you off with new broth. All the food we ordered was pretty tasty and came with decent portions for the price.