Lao Ma Tou Hot Pot

They have an appetizer and dessert bar, and all of the hotpot items were super affordable. My favorites were the shrimp/fish balls, tofu, and lamb. We also got spicy beef tongue and fish slices. I really liked both of the broths we got (tomato and mushroom) too! The line is usually out the door here, but we were luckily able to get in after a short wait! Service was great and staff was attentive!

Ahead of my trip down to SoCal, one of the things that I hoped to do was to hit up one of the any hot pot joints down here. While we've got plenty of great spots in the Bay Area, it's undeniable that the roster of options to choose from isn't nearly as extensive or varied. So, needless to say, I was super stoked when I found out we were going to be coming to Lao Ma Tou for dinner! Of course, it didn't hurt either that the reviews for this place are so incredibly positive, too!Now, I have to say - between their giant signage above the restaurant and their bright, overly Chinese-themed decor, it was impossible not to ese Lao Ma Tou as we pulled into the parking lot. However, as somewhat over the top as all of the decorations that adorned the front patio area looked, it really did feel like I was eating at a hot pot restaurant somewhere in China (I loved the red light fixtures on the ceiling when you first walk inside). As for the menu, it's set up a la carte rather than AYCE, so your bill can tally up pretty quickly if you aren't paying attention. However, it makes sense when you consider how impressive their collection of meats, seafood, vegetables, and noodles are and the quality of everything.For our group's pot, we opted to get a HALF SPICY & HALF TOMATO BROTH BASE and a variety of goodies to drop in - LAMB & BEEF SLICE COMBO, MA TOU MEATBALL COMBO, USDA PRIME RIB SLICE, PORK BELLY, MUSHROOM COMBO, VEGETABLE COMBO, QUAIL EGGS, and the WULONG YAM NOODLES (there were probably other meats, but I lost track). While I liked both broths, I thought the spicy one (some kick, but not very intense) was better than the tomato one (slightly sweet). As for the goodies, everything we got was solid - the cuts of meat were great, the vegetables were fresh, and the mushroom plate had several types. Of the meats, I especially liked the USDA Prime Rib Slice (nicely marbled), the meatballs (so juicy!), and the slices of lamb (tender, not gamey).Along with whatever items you order off their menu, their DIY sauce bar, which has a good mix of condiments available, also has some snack and sweets to offer, including shrimp chips, peanuts, fresh fruits, sweet tofu, and a sweet red bean dessert, among others. In particular, though, their Jian Dui (fried read bean sesame balls) are insanely delicious - practically every one of us kept going back up for more! With regards to service, the workers are pretty friendly and rather timely, as everything here moves at a steady clip.While just about everything we had was pretty tasty, I will say that Lao Ma Tou feels a little pricey for what you get. Even after considering the quality of the cuts, some of the plates still seemed light on value (a couple only seemed to have about 6-8 thin slices?). Granted, it's mostly because we were trying to be mindful of how much we were ordering, but I definitely left hungrier than if we had gone to an AYCE joint (we would've paid less, too). Despite that, I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy our meal here. I imagine there are better places to be found in SoCal than Lao Ma Tou, but this definitely wasn't bad for my first hot pot experience down here!

既然選擇了遠方，就別怕風雨兼程， 也別再頻頻回頭，無需糾結太多，試過了就不後悔，努力過了便無遺憾～老碼頭， 羅蘭崗生意數一數二好的麻辣火鍋店，我第二次來，去的時候是一般的weekday，不到七點就全滿了，還有人在排隊，外面火鍋店那麼多，沒有促銷，沒有特價，還能這麼的紅紅火火，就是東西新鮮，好吃，還有他家辣鍋的獨特風味、相信他家的麻辣鍋底是很多愛吃辣的首選，其實白鍋也是不錯的，個人覺得比海底撈好吃，他家也有好吃的餉玲， 還有一道炸豆皮， 這道一定要點，很好吃，喜歡吃麻辣鍋的，爾灣好像也有一家，這家要放在口袋名單裡歐！

Warning: long wait time on a Friday night. But since I was catching up with my friend, it was fine and worth it. Also they had a heater outside and water for those waiting. The quality of food was very good and the quantity of food was also good. A lot of places these days are giving less so I appreciate the good portion. Although it's a bit pricey I think the quality is worth it. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the rice. It was very dry and hard. Not my preference. But the fried crispy pork was great! Crunchy and not too much batter. We also tried the dried bellflower which is interesting cause it's a crunchy veggie. Would get again. Their snack bar was also good. They had fresh and hot sesame balls with red bean paste filling. Also chips and other snacks.

My husband and I decided to try this place out. They have great service, very attentive waiters and fast service. The problem we had is that we only ordered one soup base for the hot pot but ended up getting half and half on the broth. We chose the bone broth but received half spicy and half mild. It is a lot of food for 2 people, I think if you order 1 meat, vegetables, noodles is enough for 4 people. It was a little pricey for 2 people, almost $60. They have a self-serve bar for sauces and some fruits and sesame balls. I am not sure how the bill was $55 as I only ordered about $33 of food. You place your order using you phone, you scan the barcode and it takes you to the menu selection. The place is a little cozy, if you sit on the patio they can turn the heater on for you, but with the hot soup base you will be very warm.

I really enjoyed my dining experience at Lao Ma Tou hot pot. My initial impressions of Lao Ma Tou was of their oversized over the top signage lettering on the outside of the building. I definitely did not need my glasses to see the big letters. At first, it looked like cheesy Asian decor from the outside, but once I walked inside, I felt like I was in a different space, like as though I arrived in China.I was seated in a little booth. I had to scan a QR code to order food. The waitress helped me out to order via my phone. I ordered the 1/2 pork broth and 1/2 mushroom broth soup. Wow, the soups were delicious. Then, I ordered the beef combo and vegetable combo. I definitely liked the vegetable combo more than the beef. Be careful about ordering spicy at this place. When they say spicy, they mean it. The spicy beef that came with my beef combo was overwhelming with hot spices. I loved my oversized chopsticks and super sized bowl of soups. My thoughts after eating is that this place would be great to take a significant other for lunch/dinner or unwind with a group of friends and/or family over a nice bowl of hot pot.

Love the decor and service. Really makes you feel like you're in Asia eating hot pot. Get there early or make a reservation though. It's popular! The food is great and they have interesting cuts of meat (multiple tripe cuts, duck intestine, etc.) soups base is delicious.

The soup bases were thickly and flavorful. This place offers a huge selection of veggies, meats, and other items to go into the hot pot bases. The side dishes were yummy as well.

Great quality meats. And lots of choices of sauce to pick and customize from to make the food a delight. However beware there is long lines . You could get rushed by the waiter / waitress to finish your meal. Bathroom was 1 at a time only aswell for men and women, so a line can form for that too. The overall, Ambiance and layout could be much improved for comfort of guests.

Best service, the food was delicious and priced so well, and we sat outside and ate, so the vibes were immaculate. I can't wait to come back here!!