"Hou Yi Hot Pot is a magical place on the Lower East Side, crowded with people and suffused with the smell of meat and boiling chiles. It’s AYCE, there's a scoop-it-yourself ice cream station, and the broth is some of the spiciest in the city. You’ll pay a little over $45 per person for a massive amount of food, but you pretty much have to speed-eat it, because by the time you choose and cook your food, you’ve likely used up a chunk of your 100-minute time limit. If you’re sensitive to spice, pick a milder broth. " - neha talreja, bryan kim, hannah albertine