Haidilao Hot Pot San Diego

Such a unique experience and we thoroughly enjoyed the entire hot pot experience. We were accompanied by someone who had previously eaten here so that helped us maneuver the menu and process. The Golden Chicken Soup and Tomato Soup Base were excellent choices to start. We accompanied the soups with Premium Fatty Beef Brisket, Pork Belly, and mixed vegetable platter. All excellent choices. Do not forget to order the Haidilao Dancing Noodle to complete the experience. All goes great with the House Sake. Highly recommend this experience and food.

We signed up for the waitlist on Yelp and waited a few minutes to get seated. I wasn’t familiar with the different soup bases and found the spicy ones to be quite oily, almost half the soup was oil! The tomato base was better, but still oilier than I had hoped. The food quality was good, but a bit pricey. The sauce and snack bar could offer more options. And the dessert selection was a bit disappointing. It was worth trying tho! I enjoyed the dining experience overall.

As someone from China, I’ve enjoyed Haidilao for years, and I’m delighted to say the San Diego location delivers the same exceptional quality and service that has made it a gold standard back home. The service here is incredible—attentive, thoughtful, and always a step ahead of your needs. From helping you perfect your dipping sauces to offering warm towels and small extras, every detail is handled with care, making the experience seamless and enjoyable. The food is exactly what you’d expect from Haidilao: rich, flavorful broths and a wide variety of fresh, high-quality ingredients that cater to all tastes. Whether you love spicy or mild, there’s something here for everyone. The buffet-style fruit bar is a highlight, offering fresh, juicy options that are perfect for cleansing your palate or wrapping up the meal. For anyone craving authentic hot pot, Haidilao in San Diego delivers the same outstanding experience as their locations in China. It’s a must-visit for hot pot lovers!

I must be the only Asian who doesn't like hot pot. Tried it for the first time and it just didn't do anything for me. I let my friend choose the base broth, protein and the veggies. Normally I like Asian food and veggies but I didn't enjoy what I was eating. Maybe I need to try again... or just call it a day and cut my losses What was cool was their bathroom! They had floss and packets with a toothbrush and toothpaste in them. Very considerate!! Wish all restaurants had that!

Be prepared they asked for your phone number to get deals and they charged you extra for the snack buffet even you didn't get it. Remember to check your bill! The restaurant is very clean and decent, nice and fresh food. Don't miss their restroom that it feels like you are in his class lounge

We have been coming here for years and we absolutely love it. The staff is always incredibly nice, the food is phenomenal, and if you take some soup home with you it’s more than one meal for the price. Couldn’t recommend it more.

Woooo, the food was good, so much so I forgot to take pictures of it. There were four different types of broth all delicious. Veggies and meat were top notch, loved the pork belly! The noodles, yum. The mushrooms, yum. Just yum, all the way around. I did feel it was too busy, meaning too much extra going on. There is no need for people dancing around in costume, flipping noodles around and such. The food speaks for itself.

Came to Haidilao with my girlfriend to enjoy some hotpot on a cold San Diego night. We were served and helped by Denise who was very attentive at taking our order and providing insightful recommendations on what to order off the menu. All the choices she helped us pick were really great and she even asked the bartenders to make a custom drink off a soda option! When we went it was right before the rush but as we ate it got more and more busy, despite this, Denise was extremely quick at checking in with our table to assist us with any of our other needs as we dined while simultaneously providing the same support for other tables. Highly recommend Haidilao, and especially being helped by Denise!

The taste was really good. Tomato source base is always our favorite. We got great services from Leo. The dining environment was very pleasant.

The staff is very accomendating and welcoming as well as the food was very good! Recommend to give this place a try and won't regret it at all! Very full but very content with everything.

Been here for 20 times! Love it! Lots of dishes and sauces! Best service ever in Haidilao

Great waiter, great experience, very clean, and fast! We out nake in list and went shopping til our table was ready then the waiter explained everything perfectly. We got the tomato and the Tom yum we added veggies and steak and chicken ... Great service we will be back!

I dined here two nights ago and I was honestly so disappointed. To my surprise, it was not all you can eat, it was a La carte - so our total went up faster than we thought it would. The seasons bar, which was literally a bar of oils, sauces, seasonings, and fruit was NOT included and ended up being $12 for the three of us which was not disclosed beforehand. We received all the veggies, noodles, and appetizers we ordered and NONE of the meats, which is the most expensive part of our order. When I pointed it out to our server after waiting for about 40 minutes he stated "oh I'm sorry, I just got back from my break". Okay, so the rest of the team can bring the other items but not the meat? Very confused. Another 15 minutes went by before my friend grabbed his attention AGAIN and only then did our meats come out. By then we had filled up on our other items. The food tasted great, which is why I am giving three stars, but I was incredibly disappointed with the service and cost. I am more than willing to pay $45/person for all you can eat and actually receive a decent amount of food. But charging for SEASONINGS is crazy to me. Paying $168 for three people to just fill up on noodles, a few dumplings, and veggies was not worth it to me.

The staff here is extremely welcoming and friendly. Very cheerful bunch and super patient/helpful since it was our first time and we didn't quite know where to begin. The 2 broths we selected were really tasty and sufficient for 3 people. 4 would have been too much. Since the broths were so flavorful, we didn't opt in for the sauce bar. It's not an AYCE place, have to order ala carte. We selected 2 half orders of vegetable, mushroom, cellophane noodles, 2 meats, fish ball. Luckily we weren't too hungry otherwise we would have needed to order more. Our bill came out to $110 before tip. Pretty pricey but I haven't been to hot pot in awhile so not sure if it's comparable, especially to an AYCE hot pot. Really enjoyed the experience, it's super cute with all the pandas on the wall. I wouldn't come here regularly because of how much it cost.

Haidilao always hits the spot! I always love the variety of snacks, fruit and sauce options at their sauce bar and the meat here is fantastic! I love the cuts of beef and American wagyu. There's also a great variety of veggies, tofu products and one of my favorites - tripe! Service was a little slow and they forgot a couple of the juices we ordered but they were quickly brought out once we reminded our waiter.

I went here with my family for dinner. This restaurant is in the Westfield UTC mall which has a plethora of dinner options now. They take reservations which is great and saves us the hassle of showing up early for a table or having to wait for one. There was no noodle dance on the night that we went which was a bummer but the food was really good. I think all of the meats and seafood were high quality. They don't have a all you can eat option which is a bummer and it can definitely get pricier ordering everything a la carte but we left felling full and satisfied. They had a sauce bar and the staff was also super helpful. I feel like everything that we ordered came out in a timely manner as well. Another good option at UTC but I think I would maybe choose some of the other places in the mall to eat unless I specifically was craving hot pot.

This was a fun dining experience for a work event team building. It has usual hot pot set up with a bar and all. Everything is electronic and robots and people serve you. The Kobe was delicious and the bib was a must or don't wear white ! They even gave us some go to. If I came back I would take on more Kobe and tofu.

Honestly so glad that Haidilao was able to open up in UTC. When you are feeling lazy about going all the way to Convoy or making your own hotpot at home, you can just go to Haidilao. The service definitely stands out. They have the dancing noodle which is cool as well as the face mask changer dance if you go for dinner. Rather than simply food, you really get an experience when you come. The meats and other food themselves are pretty in line with the quality of other Haidilao restaurants if you've been. It's pretty good, but also you control most of the taste since you're cooking it yourself. One note though, I think their bathroom is cleaner than the one in the Bay Area. Overall it's a really fun experience as long as you don't mind the price. Even though it's not AYCE, you don't really need it to be.

Haidilao Hotpot is a fantastic choice for hot pot fans! The food was absolutely delicious, and I loved both the Tom Yum and Golden broths, they were rich, flavorful, and the perfect bases for all the ingredients. The sauce bar was another highlight! There were so many options to customize flavors, and I had a blast mixing my own dipping sauces. That said, it's very easy to accidentally order too much and have your bill well over $100 with so many tempting options, so pace yourself and order smart if you're new to hot pot! The service was okay. Our table wasn't fully set up when we arrived, and we had to grab our own bowls, chopsticks, tongs, and napkins. Plus, the soft-serve machine was unfortunately broken, which was a little disappointing since we were looking forward to dessert. The ambiance was lively and welcoming, with a clean and modern vibe. I do enjoy the fact that they give aprons, hair-ties, and bags for your phone. Overall, it was a delicious and fun experience but service here does get a bit inconsistent at times. I'll definitely be back for those amazing broths, snacks, and the sauce bar!

Hai Di Lao is an absolute party in a pot!! Such a FUN time! From the moment you sit down, it's clear this is not your average hotpot joint. Where else can you get an assortment of delicious soup broth AND order a cool noodle dance to go with it? They also give you an apron, hair ties and wipes to keep your phone/ glasses clean! You order everything on an iPad and they'll talk you through the process of ordering, so you can order as much or as little as you want, and you'll know how much you're spending at the bottom. Make sure you sign in, so you get points!! I highly recommend ordering the sukiyaki broth, with a veggie side platter, enoki mushrooms and Kobe Beef Belly! Ugh such a perfect hot pot soup combo. The sauce bar is also totally worth the extra $3. You're able to create your own perfect sauce combo to dip the meat in to make it an even more delicious meal! The free snacks, fruit and sweets above the bar are also tasty! Lastly, wanted to give the BIGGEST shoutout to our awesome server Willson, the MVP of the night! He kept us laughing, and made sure everything came out perfect! We had a birthday in the group, and he made sure she felt celebrated :) Also Make sure to let them know how much you "love their free snacks!" Because their snacks are awesome Haha If you're looking for great food, good laughs, and a delicious hot pot meal you won't forget, Hai Di Lao is definitely the place.

I feel bad writing this review because I've always enjoyed Haidilao and I was proud that we have an authentic Chinese hotpot presence in San Diego, but my most recent experience was disappointing. We ordered two soup bases, a plate of 8 thin slices of beef, a plate of mixed veggies, a few slices of luncheon meat, fish cakes, and 6 quail eggs. The total? A staggering $110! I left feeling like I hadn't eaten a proper meal with so little food! The salad bar was also underwhelming, featuring items like Mexican tortilla chips in an authentic Chinese restaurant--quite absurd. The fruit is good, but then, it's NOT free and added to the overall cost regardless if you want it or not. In the past, we were often offered a kid's meal, but this time the waiter never mentioned it to us. My child did receive a toy every time we went, but honestly, we were there for a good meal, not a toy. Finally, my wife had water on the floor where she was sitting, which reflects a lack of attention to detail despite that attention to detail is something that Haidilao is famous and proud of. Overall, it feels like Haidilao is going downhill. If you're looking for a better hot pot experience, I would recommend Shanchenglameizi in Convoy st instead. It offers a much more authentic and satisfying hot pot experience at a fraction of the cost, with a salad bar full of interesting, authentic Chinese snacks and goodies. And please, no tortilla chips. I love them myself, but putting them there in an authentic Chinese restaurant is an insult to the hot pot culture and your brand!

I'll start off by saying, we overspent, but it was well spent. Ordering on the tablet was too easy and once we started to enjoy the cooking part, we just wanted to try everything. The staff were welcoming, friendly and extremely helpful. Ok, ready for this....here's what we ordered: Pork bone & golden soup base (non spicy) - our favorite of the two was the golden soup base. It was tasty and felt comforting. Spicy beef tallow & spicy pork soup base - no joke on the spice. Both stingingly flavorful! Lobster fish ball and jumbo wild caught shrimp - the lobster wasn't terrible, but we wouldn't order it again. The shrimp was large and appetizing. Angus chuck flap steak, sliced beef chunk and American wagyu chuck log - from the different cuts, our favorite was the wagyu. It was tender and delectable. Most likely, we will stick to the wagyu on our next visit. Lotus root slices and bok choy- nice little crunch from the lotus root, but personally, it didn't add much to the meal. The bok choy however, was a nice healthy addition. Tri color veggie noodles & white rice - we barely ate the rice; we mostly stuck to the noddles which were absolutely perfect for the broths. Egg dumplings and quail eggs - the dumplings were a little underwhelming, but the quail eggs were delicious and added a fatty savory layer to the soup. Imitation crab sticks - loved these! We cooked them so long that they were tender and falling apart. It added a layer of savory richness. Fried dumpling - satisfyingly flavorful. For our drinks we ordered: Sapporo, old fashioned, Thai tea - the Thai tea and old fashioned were well balanced. Highly recommend. We paid $322.27 (with tip) and it was worth it. We'll be back and probably go crazy again.

Haidilao Hotpot San Diego 1st time here, what a great experience especially with a group of 6, you get your own booth with 4 different soup broths, we had Golden, Sukiyaki, Mushroom and Pork Bone Broth. Would highly recommend the Sukiyaki and then the Pork Bone Broth. Our experience included Bok Choy, Instant Noodle, Fried Steam Bun, Australian Lamb Shoulder, Steam White Rice, Premium Fatty Beef Brisket, Napa Cabbage, Hot Pot Egg Noodle, Haidilao Marinated Basa Fish, Broccoli, Bok Choy, Tender Tofu, Bean Curd Skin, Shrimp Ball with cheese, Fried Pork Dumplings and American Wagyu Chuck. Celebrated my wife's birthday and she received a Panda Purse plus a nice birthday song by the staff. Our Server - Mindy, was exceptional, always there to help and make our dining experience alot of fun. Would very much recommend Haidilao Hotpot and would definitely come back next time we are in LaJolla

This was my very first hot pot experience. I wasn't sure what to expect. First off arrive early. Parking is a challenge and this mall is huge it will take you a good 10 minutes to find the restaurant in the mall. We were seated promptly service was very nice. You get small portions of meat for the price. At least this is how I felt. You can easily rack up the prices if you want several different kinds of meat and broths. I wish they had a package that had a variety. I wasn't a fan of the giant a la carte menu. We ordered two broths two kinds of meat some vegetables and noodles. All portions were very small and it was over $100 which for the amount we got seemed kind of pricey. I did like the sauce bar that they had(this costs extra, but the trips are unlimited ) The peanut sauce is excellent. I do feel like the robot gets in the way and hinders the movement of people throughout the restaurant, even though it is acute concept. it was fun. The aprons in the hair tie wore a nice touch as well . The food and service was good, but I probably wouldn't come back to this location based on value

First time here and were excited for the experience. The service and host were great! The were patient with our questions and time deliberating what to order. You order everything on a tablet and then the server will come and review and makes sure you have what you need. There is a "do it yourself" bar that has a lot of different sauces, fruits, and other snacks. It is roughly $4 per person and you can go back as many times as you'd like. Once you order your food they bring the hot pot for the center and get it warmed up. Soon the meat and veggies you ordered will be delivered by a cute robot. The freshness and texture of the meat, unfortunately, left plenty to be desired. I ordered one of the hot pots that was supposed to be spicy but I couldn't not detect much in the way of spice. The restaurant itself was well laid out and decorated well. The restrooms were very clean and offered amenities like a toothbrush, mouthwash, and sanitary napkins. The price to value did not make the cut for us.

This interview is long overdue (June 16 2024), but we came in about 2 hours before closing with a group of 11. It was a busy night since it was both Father's Day and UCSD's graduation day, so we were anticipating a long wait. We put our name down on the waitlist, and waited for almost an hour before we went to go check on the status of our table. Turns out the host inputted our phone # incorrectly so we never got the text that our table was ready, and our name was taken off the list. They apologized for the inconvenience and said they'd find tables for us as soon as possible - we weren't seated until nearly half an hour after that. When we were finally seated, we had to be seated separately - half of us at a booth and the other half at a table about 10ft away. It was a bit hectic in the restaurant so we were trying to figure out how to split ourselves, especially since one of my cousins uses a wheelchair. We decided that it'd be best to put her at the booth for her comfort and park her wheelchair along a wall near the back of the restaurant. She's able to walk, so as she was slowly walking to the booth during this chaos, our server Kit chimed in and said "Oh my God, guys, she's handicapped," in frustration, as if she knew what was best for our family in this instance. That comment was wildly inappropriate and ruined the rest of the meal for me. Food wise, I was expecting much more since my sister loves it and has been to this location several times. Between the cost and the awful service, I wouldn't say it was worth it. Maybe I'll be open to trying a different location outside of SD during happy hour.

While the price per dish may seem exorbitant, the exceptional quality of meats, vegetables, and broth provided at this establishment makes it a worthwhile expense. The sauce bar is particularly noteworthy, offering a diverse selection of recipes for sauces, fruits, packaged snacks, and self-served ice cream, earning it a well-deserved 5-star rating. A memorable touch was added to our dining experience when the staff presented a complimentary lemon cake to commemorate my birthday and my friend's daughter's birthday, accompanied by a customized poster and an entertaining musical performance by the servers. In my opinion, the high prices are offset by the superior quality of the food and the exceptional overall experience. To minimize wait times, I recommend making a reservation, especially for larger groups. It is also worth noting that learning secret phrases can result in the servers providing complimentary toys. I would highly recommend returning to this establishment. 5 star!

The ambiance, the food was top tier, our waitress Ellie was incredible she was nonstop all night and was extremely helpful we couldn't have asked for a better night out at this amazing restaurant!! We will be definitely coming back!!

Loved the food and the experience! Our favorite soup bases were the hottest and the curry. The sauce bar was clean and well stocked. Our waitress Ellie was so pleasant and helpful!

Had a great experience at haidilao! Very comparable to China! Ellie did amazing serving us!

I'm not usually a review type of person , but I'm very impressed with this restaurant for my first time First, Ellie our waitress was hands down amazing. For our first time, very thorough and patient as we've never done hot pot before. Walked us through all the steps and explained everything to us. Highly recommend and thanks Ellie! Excellent service! 2. The food is delicious! Definitely a fan of the flat meat with the spicy soup. A big hit! 3. Overall experience was excellent from start to finish. Great for a date night, family night, and end with a complimentary ice cream. I'll definitely be bringing my wife and kids back as this was a great experience and wonderful environment

We had a wonderful experience here for lunch! Food was great, enjoyed some freebies with the codes, good service and loved how kids got free meals and toys. The sauce bar had other sides which were a great addition (such as fruit, chicken cucumber salad, almond tofu dessert). The matcha soft serve was also complimentary and it was delicious. Would recommend coming here!

My family and I love Haidilao. The service is great. I love all the small details like you get an apron, women get a hair tie, and a little ziplock for ur phone. You can have your choice of up to 4 broths. My family and I usually choose just 2. The Golden has to be my absolute favorite. It taste just like chicken soup. They have a great variety of meats and veggies. My go to would be the bok choy, enoki mushrooms, brisket, and fried tofu sheets. They also have different noodles. I like the egg noodles. Kids also get a free meal which is always a plus and their meals come with the cutest toys. Our whole family especially love the sauce bar. Kids can't get enough of the Asian snacks and my husband and I love the variety of sauces. At the end you get your choice of matcha or vanilla soft serve. So delicious Let's not forget about the entertainment. Noodle dancing and the changing face performance are always fun. And if you follow Haidilao on social media then you should try out the special codes. This place is definitely worth it!! I can't remember our servers name when we went the other night but she was great. The guy seating people at tables has the best customer service as well.

Overpriced for what they offer. The pork broth was bland and greasy. Not flavor at all. Chicken broth was ok.

I love Haidilao and have been to other locations. This has been my least favorite experience. We went for an anniversary meal while visiting on a Sunday before Veteran's Day. Traffic getting into the Westfield Mall was horrible. It's also confusing to find Haidilao once we were able to get in the mall and find parking. Beware of the weekend traffic! We got there approximately 2-3pm and got seated right away as a walk in. That was great! My bf told our server it was our anniversary and she kindly let me try my 1st Haidilao hack. I was only allowed 1. I was excited and said the phrase for the tomato base, which I got! I poured the tomato broth in the water broth in front of our server. She kindly came back and took the trash. Later, a male server approached our table and told me that is not allowed and it is okay this time, but not allowed. I was so sorry and embarrassed. I didn't know and it was truly my mistake. I would have preferred if our server had notified us right away, instead of taking the trash away like it was not an issue and then having another server reprimand us after. I felt bad for the rest of our dinner because I felt our server wasn't as friendly anymore even after the crowd died down. Regardless, food came out fast and we still enjoyed our meal. They also offer a self serve soft serve ice cream machine. Matcha and Vanilla. It was a first for us and we enjoyed it to end our meal. After we finished eating, we asked for to go containers for leftovers and our sauces, while pointing and looking at my sauces on the table. Our server told me she can only give to go sauce containers for my sauce on the table not for the buffet. I wasn't even thinking about the buffet sauce bar. I specifically asked it for my sauces to go. She brought us a complimentary cake slice for our anniversary but it was not edible. It was completely frozen and didn't taste good. As much as I love Haidilao, I will definitely steer clear of this location. The traffic and service to get to this location was not worth it, especially for a special meal together. Quality of food: 5/5 Service: 2/5. I appreciate the hospitality but felt it was awkward passive-aggressive service.

I had such a great experience at Haidilao! Ellie was our server and very kind and attentive :)

Came here for dinner in a Saturday at 6pm. It was really easy to make a reservation and our table was available even though we were a little early. The servers were so extremely nice! The hostess was nice too. The server explained everything to us, brought us snacks too! We didn't have to go get it ourselves. I really liked all of their sauce options, they had everything! Maybe except black garlic oil that another place has. They also had some fruit, crackers and jelly/bean style dessert. However there really weren't any side options and you pay $3 per person for this. There were many meat options, we tried several and the quality and cut was great. Well worth the price. We also got the fish and that was awesome! We ordered several plates of it. The meat options were expensive but quality was worth it. We got the 4 birth options, tomato, sukiyaki, pork, and spicy (something). I thought the flavors were all amazing! Not too salty like most places. I really liked their tomato broth and would definitely get it again. We all liked the ones we ordered and tasted each others, we all agreed that everyone's was good. Overall we did pay a little more since it's not AYCE, but I really liked the set up, the service, the quality of the food. I may have found my new favorite hot pot joint.

This was my first time visiting any Haidilao locations and I had a wonderful experience. We had the beef and lamb (among other meats) and a ton of other vegetables such as enoki mushrooms, napa cabbage, spinach, and lettuce. I also love their sauce bar where you can mix a ton of different sauces together (I like mixing the house soy sauce with the shacha sauce, sesame sauce, sesame oil, and mixing it with green onions and minced garlic. My favorite broth is the mala spicy broth which is so spicy but so good. You can also make large party reservations in their VIP room which we did since we were coming for a birthday celebration and it made the experience more intimate and special. I wish it wasn't as expensive so I can go more often but I'm sure it won't be the last time I'll visit a Haidilao establishment.

Great food and great atmosphere, but most notably was the service from our server, Jeremy. He was extremely proactive and always around to help my group, as it was our first time at hotpot. This alone has earned my business and I will definitely be coming back, hopefully to be served by Jeremeanother server who shows the same, amazing customer service.

I always hear about haidilao and we went during what was supposed to be a happy hour as seen advertised, but when we arrived hey said they no longer had it which was odd. It didn't deter us as I've been waiting to come here for a while and I don't shy away from spending money on food. In the end though, I may be in the minority, but it honestly wasn't as good as I expected for the price point. It was what you would expect in hotpot and didn't go above and beyond. I ordered their seasonal broth at the time and maybe that was my mistake. It didn't have any flavor so I ended up cooking a lot in my partners broth. The sauce bar with the sides was extra and the selection was nice for the packaged treats, but they are things I can buy at H mart. I just wasn't impressed and that's okay, haidiloa isn't for everyone.

Everything was great from the food to the service! I'd def recommend the golden and the tomato soup base. Ellie really made our night with her quick service and friendly presence. The wagyu was top quality and the dancing noodle was such a delight! Much better food and service than even that I've had at other Haidilao locations. Very bright and happy environment great for a nice family dinner.

Within the utc mall. It wasn't too crowded when we went on a weekday. We saw an advertisement outside for an ayce, but when we went inside they said they don't do that. Nice restaurant with tons of tables. Love the sauce bar. You have to pay extra for it. It has some yummy Japanese snacks and dessert. Careful on the spicy broth, the waitress warned me but I didn't listen. Even on the mildest it was still borderline too spicy for me. But it was delicious and flavorful. All the broth we tried were really flavorful, probably one of the best hot spots we've been to. The menu is pricey, but everything was delicious & great quality. Worth it imo, and we will definitely be back.

Conclusion: would recommend! Price: My group had drinks, food, and dessert at $33 ish per person. Food quality: Vegetables were good, meat fell apart in my mouth. Mushroom soup broth was really good Free ice cream: There was a vanilla, and a green tea ice cream. Green tea tasted like it had an almond milk base, and vanilla was just regular vanilla ice cream. Service: Fairly attentive. Ambiance: clean, modern, happy, traditional Chinese.

Amazing service as usual for haidilao! The setup was great inside - it was a birthday in our party and they sat us with the birthday decor and sang a song. Great place for a gathering. We got Tom yum and pork bone and it was amazing broth. Meats were of great quality. They stopped doing the noodle man so don't expect him there haha!

Finally got to try this place this week. It was a fun experience for the family. Upon entering we were able to enjoy some snacks and soft serve, but we decided to wait to have those at the end of our meal. You pretty much pay for each item separately. And to use their sauce bar is an extra charge. Their pork and chicken broth are both so delicious. It was yummy to cook our meat in and even more delicious to put our ramen noodles in. The servers were all very friendly and patiently explained everything to us, as it was our first time there. It's a bit pricey for even a lunch, but a fun and delicious place to eat with family and friends.

Food 7/10 Service 8/10 Ambiance 7/10 Too pricey for a hot pot. We did all the cooking, and so can't really rate the food. Can't say that there is really something special about the soup broth. If you got a deeper pocket, then this review is not for you. Enjoy the experience.

There aren't enough hot pot spots in San Diego! Hadilao is located in La Jolla and it's always popping! I understand why. The food is good!! I love all the different options they have available. I'm never one for the primary meat. I always love all the extra goodies you can add in like the shrimp balls, spam and sausage. So good! They have different broth. When you're sick, the regular broth is perfect to make you feel better. The chicken plate is good, but it does have a lot of bone in it. I like the sauce it's cooked in. You can order Hadilao on doordash and they have some premade sets that are great!

Its a little too pricey, but its worth it! Their broths are rich, the quality of food is great, the servers are attentive! Definitely will come back!

I put my party of 6 down for the waitlist 30 minutes before arrival on a Thursday at 6:30 pm. It was an additional 30 mins before I was texted to check in. We just looked around the nearby stores since it's located in UTC Mall. The people at our assigned table took longer to leave after paying so it was another 15 mins before we got seated. Once we got to our table though everything was fast and efficient. Food came out quickly and everything was delicious. They sing a happy bday song if requested and the entire staff seemed happy to work there. Excellent customer service from the hostess to the 3 different wait staff that helped us. We'd definitely come back for special occasions!

Had a lovely time with friends here! Ellie was sweet and accommodating, I didn't even know they peeled your shrimp for you! I'm here on vacation but would love to come again

Food, amazing. Selection, amazing. Service, amazing! Ellie(our server) was so attentive and the whole experience was wonderful. It's been such a long time since I've had Haidilao and I'll definitely be coming back!

The perfect hot pot place for an occasion. I think it's too pricey for a casual hot pot meal though. They have a free kids meal that they bring out right at the start if you want it and I think it's a brilliant idea to keep the kids occupied. The plate was very cute with an animal shaped bun. The broth options are plentiful and can choose 1 to 4 of them in the same sectioned pot. We picked the tomato and the spicy broth. There is an option sauce/side counter which is worth the $3 per person. They have a peanut salad which was excellent. They have an assortment of snacks here as well. All the meats/veggies/noodles we picked were fresh and were delicious with the different broths. Once the hotpot states I got to busy to take pics

Haidilao for hot pot? Say less. I have been twice, and I would definitely come back. It is definitely on the pricey side, but they do tend to have specials! For instance, the second time I went, they had a $1.99 meat special from M-F from 3-5pm or so. That is a bang for your buck, so keep a lookout for deals. It is also a little pricier because of the type of establishment itself. For instance, there are free snacks and beverages at the front of the restaurant. When you are seated, they provide hair ties, phone wipes, a plastic sleeve for your phone, a mint and other little details. The quality of their food is great. I mainly do the (wagyu) ribeye, beef and brisket type proteins. There was one beef that I had ordered with my sister one time because it was discounted/special priced and we disliked it. I can't remember what it was, but it was a thicker cut as opposed to the thinly sliced meats. Lesson learned. I love the DIY sauce bar. For indecisive or new folk, they also list what ingredients you can mix to curate different types of sauces. As for me, I mix and match everything I like and hope for the best (and luckily it always turns out amazing.) I also like how there are sides at the bar, and an ice cream machine, so do not forget about these perks also. For the most part, you may not necessarily have to speak to the waiter because you order off of an iPad. Though they do still come around, but there are also little robots that come around.

Haidilao is one of those "special" places to go out to eat simply because of the higher price point. (Spent around $100 for 2 people) I've been several times to other locations and overall I'm always impressed by the service, cleanliness (specifically the restrooms), and quality of the food. This time around we dined when there was a birthday going on (cue birthday song and a mini celebration from the staff), the iconic noodle dance (courtesy of another table), and a masked dancer who would go up and down the aisles switching his masks without actually touching it. Sounds strange, but the theatrics of Haidilao are all in good fun. Ordering is really simple as it's done through an iPad. You get to choose your broth, meats and veggies with a click of a button. Since it was just 2 of us, the waiter suggest we add 2 water broths so that we wouldn't have to pay more. (See photo - 1 person only needs 1 slot out of 4). The food was all really nice and the only drawback I have is the price. I don't think it's significantly better than other places to justify the $$$ but that's just me. They nickel and dime you for everything here (you have to pay for sauces and broth on top of the meat/veggies). Most people would find more value at an AYCE hotpot places but still, I think Haidilao is worth checking out at least once.

Very good food. Vegan options available. Servers are very nice and explain the process. They have peanuts which is awesome.

I've been here a week before but never knew the level of exceptional service could be this good here. Ellie was our server. Happy, bright, smiling and kind. She brought us drinks and fresh fruit right away. She also had us taste the soup with a beef and cilantro mixture. I had no idea that was an option! Fast service and checked on us often but not too much to where she interrupted our meal. A+!

The food was delicious, and shoutout to our server Jeremiah for the outstanding service and awesome sauce recommendations for some newbies. He was really attentive as a server and refilled the water consistently. We waited about 1 hour to be seated on a Monday evening, but as soon as we got to our table, the soup and all of our side selections arrived quickly which was great. Whoever was on the aux Monday night had a great playlist too.