Lao Ma Spicy

I came here with 3 friends and really liked our dry hot pot. They have a wide selection of meat, seafood, and veggies. The flavor is very traditional and similar to the other dry pot places in flushing. The restaurant was spacious as well and not crowded.

My friend and I came by when we were in the mood for some mala dry pot (they have a more “regular” menu, but we didn’t try anything on it). I don’t really think there’s anything particularly noteworthy about the setup - the ingredients you pick from in the back all look fairly fresh, and indeed I was very happy with the quality of our delicious dry pot. Since it was my first time here, I was a little conservative with the spice level (only got the lowest level of spicyness), which was actually not that spicy. I’d definitely want to increase that next time. Price point was not bad - it was on the pricier end of things, but both of us were pretty full, and we still had around 1 meal’s worth of leftovers to take home. I think this place is a better option than Mala Project in price and quality - will definitely be back!

We ordered the vegetable spicy dry pot(you can select your spice level) and trust me when the say max spice level they mean it, you have 5 options to choose from broccoli tofu cauliflower lotus root etc.The food is prepared quickly tastes pretty good. And service is very attentive. You get one rice bowl with dry pot you can add extra rice bowl and easily share a dry pot between two people.

The meal made me question all my past food experiences. The team is superb! The menu items and setting worked well together. This place maintains hygiene alongside an enjoyable vibe. I had a good experience at this restaurant.

I recently visited this Sichuan restaurant that has quickly become a local favorite. The crispy chicken was a standout—crispy on the outside, tender inside, with a perfect kick from Sichuan peppercorns that lingered on the tongue. The dry pot was another highlight, packed with rich, complex flavors and a good amount of heat that you can adjust to your liking. The best part is that you get to choose up to five ingredients included in the base price, which makes it a customizable and fun experience. After that, each extra ingredient costs just $5, which keeps things reasonably priced. The vegetable fried rice was also impressive, loaded with a variety of fresh veggies and seasoned to perfection—flavorful without being overpowering. It’s clear that this spot is popular with the college crowd, likely due to both the price and the satisfying portions. The food delivers on both taste and value, making it a must-try for anyone craving authentic Sichuan flavors in a casual setting.

Think DIY-style Sichuan dry hot pot: choose your ingredients from meats, veggies, noodles—then pick your heat level and sauce.

This place really impressed me. The place creates a good ambiance. I've tried various items and found consistent quality. Workers combined speed with sincere friendliness. This place has earned my devotion and will earn yours.

I was in the neighborhood and asked a worker in the place I was shopping if there was a good Thai or Chinese restaurant in the area. He said right down the block and that is how I found this gem Lao Ma Spicy. The atmosphere is a bit loud but after awhile the din becomes secondary to the absolutely amazing food. I only ordered the Spicy beef soup and steamed pork dumplings and had to stop eating before I could finish the huge portions. Both were amazingly tasty, expertly seasoned, and piping hot. I did notice that I didn't see any American silverware on the tables, only elegant shiny black chopsticks. However, I'm sure if you're a novice they keep some in reserve so you won't starve or have to eat with your fingers. 😉 Go, eat, enjoy. I'm headed back there this weekend after John Wick: Chapter 4.

Favorite dry pot place not just in NYC but the entire country! I've been to many states but I've still never found dry pot as flavorful as this one. Others just had chili peppers and not much szechuan numbing but this one had it all and it was GOOD. Service/Ambiance was typical, nothing to write home about.

The staffs were friendly, we ordered food to go which included beef and broccoli and wonton soup. The white rice was not included. Food was good. Food: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Ambience: 4/5

This is my favorite dry pot restaurant. Fans of Mala Project: please consider trying out this spot. Like many white Brooklynites, I was introduced to dry pot through Mala Project and was amazed. It turns out, dry pot is just delicious and Mala project is overpriced. Here, you select your ingredients from the bar in the back and a friendly employee builds your bowl for you. The meat items are priced by weight and there's a flat price for 5 vegetable items. I generally have gotten spicy level 3 as someone with medium spice tolerance, but I think on my next trip I will try 4, as 3 is only mildly spicy for me personally. The items all seem fresh and the seasoning is perfect. I genuinely prefer it to Mala Project and the price is much more reasonable. The bowl pictured was about $30 and fed two people (though I often eat the same about by myself and leave stuffed and satisfied.) The interior of the place is beautiful and all the servers I've encountered have been lovely. I will return here many times.

Came here after a friend recommended this spot. We came in for a late lunch and overall this is a decent dry hot pot spot. The location is pretty convenient and easy to find, just a few minutes away from the subway and NYU. Once we sat down, the menu was a little confusing at first but were then directed to the counter to the lady that picks items to place in your dish after pointing out what you want in your dry hot pot. Though beware, we were not that hungry but the price does easily add up. Each time we asked her to add a certain item she would grab a HUGE handful and so don't be shy telling her to not put as much of each item. She does constantly nudge you to keep grabbing more and more items which does cause this dish alone to be quite pricey. For 2 people who were not that hungry, we still spent $25/pp which is quite hefty. Next, you select the spice level from 1-5. The food came out pretty quickly and the server was attentive at refilling our waters. Just beware of the spice level. I liked that there was a lot of variety, but just wished they had more of the numbing cumin flavor I love in mala xiang guo.

Came in on a weekday midday with two friends and shared the build your own dry pot and beef with enoki mushroom in tomato soup. The restaurant was pretty empty, but service was fast and nice. For the dry pot, you go up to the counter to choose what to put in it, and there are tons of options which was great. We got level 3 spice which was perfect for us - def not too spicy. Flavour was really good and I think we got a good amount of food for the price. However, the beef in tomato soup was lacklustre and didn't really taste like much. Wouldn't recommend unless you're looking for something really light. Good place for fast service and classic dry pot, but can't really recommend their other dishes

The dry pot here is great but it can definitely get pretty pricey. I wish it was more self-serve so you can portion the plate out, but you have to point to a worker to choose your ingredients, and you are charged by the pound for meat. I think the end dish ended up being a lot pricier than I expected. That being said, there's a great variety of ingredients you can choose from for the dry pot station. I got chicken gizzard, intestines, beef, aorta, etc. and an assortment of yummy veggies. It's a fairly large restaurant with good amount of seating, and service is attentive. I would come back again but just make sure to watch out how many meats I put in my dry pot :)

This is legit my favorite dry pot restaurant! There are other items on the menu but this is what I come for. I used to eat here weekly when I was taking classes at NYU and this is my first time back since the pandemic. A couple of things are different but the food is as delicious as ever. There is a large raw food bar where you pick your proteins and veggies. The meat/seafood is $15.99 per lb, and the veggie is $13.99 flat and you can choose up to 4-5 varieties (it used to be unlimited varieties until the basket is full). The fatty beef is great and I like that they offer several types of mushrooms and even have quail egg. It's an impressive selection, more than I've seen anywhere else - no other dry pot place in NYC or NJ compares in variety. Lastly you pick your spice level, which is always extraaa spicy for me! I'm a spicehead with an extraordinary tolerance for heat and I approve. Rice is $1.50 a bowl, so on average it comes to $30-$40 for me not including gratuities, but one order is usually enough for 2 people of normal appetite to share, or for a second meal. Cost is comparable to dry pot elsewhere, maybe a bit more, but worth it for the customization. I'm obsessed.

Lao Ma spicy is always delicious and truly can bring the szechuan-ey spice! Lately the price has gone up quite a bit, which is a bummer. It is still not a bad deal but gosh I feel that price increase! I appreciate that their space is large and usually well air conditioned. The food is piping hot both in terms of spice and temperature. Personally I love the hot pot with broth and would highly recommend it. Service is on your phone whihc is a bit odd and tricky because its not in english, but you can translate it.

This place has single handedly changed my perspective on dry pot and this may possibly be one of my new fav Chinese spots in the states! For context, prior to my visit here I've only ever had dry pot at Sizzling Pot King (dry pot chain on the west coast), and the food there is decent but honestly nothing to write home about. My brother and his gf both say that this place is also way better (but also less popular) than MaLa Project. LaoMa Spicy just knows how to do bomb af dry pot!! I love their ordering system where you can customize your dry pot bowl and select the specific meats, tofus, and veggies you want in your bowl. Each ingredient in the dry pot is cooked to perfection and seasoned so freaking well. We got spice level 3 which imo was the perfect balance to get a kick of the szechuan spice, but not numb your mouth so much you can't taste your food. Would highly recommend getting some fish fillets in your dry pot bc that was definitely one of my fav items. You can tell they took a lot of care to lightly fry the fillets and then to not over-drench them in sauce so it can still maintain it's crispy exterior. Obviously, dry pot is not the most aesthetic looking meal but this was hands down my most memorable meal during my trip to NYC this week.

Food was decent and the seasoning was on point but I was very disappointed with the portion size was very little , they filled it up with cheaper ingredients, considering the price you'd think otherwise.

Amazing spot to go with friends! Service is good and the food is super delicious. I'd definitely recommend stopping by with a couple friends!

Came here with my family for a birthday lunch!! It was great for a bigger group (6) and didn't require a reservation. Ordering was through the QR code at the table and was super convenient. We ordered a bunch of dishes to share and also created a dry pot dish. Dry pot at medium spicy (3) was very tolerable and still had a lot of flavor. I'd recommend adding fish fillet and glass noodles. Everything we ordered from the menu was great, but I also especially liked the sauteed cauliflower dish. Service was great and food came out quickly. I'll be back!!

5 stars, 5 stars, and a few more for good measure! I've been a hot pot enthusiast for ages, but trying dry pot for the first time at this restaurant was an absolute revelation. Here's the lowdown: You get to craft your own mix of meat, seafood, and veggies. Now, the veggies are priced at $11.99 a pound, and the meat at $13.99. I'll admit, it's a tad on the expensive side, but I reckon it's the cost of doing business in such a prime location. Now, let's talk service. I've got to be honest; it wasn't the highlight of the evening. We were never checked on, our drinks went unrefilled, and nobody bothered to ask if we wanted anything else (which I definitely did). It felt like they were in a rush to usher us out and make space for the next batch of diners. But here's the kicker - the spices they used were out of this world! I mean, they were THAT GOOD. So, even with the less-than-stellar service, I couldn't care less about being hurried along. Sitting there was an absolute privilege. I dined at this spot over a week ago, and I'm still daydreaming about those incredible flavors.

Dined in today. You order on qr code and so does placing it. Very convenient nd minimal interaction w ppl. Dan dan noodle taste just as good as take out and omg the chili wonton is very delicious. Stir fry ramen taste like my childhood bc of the chinese sausage and the noodles were al dente so perfect. There are two bathrooms and the one I went to is very large and feels like youre in a condo bathroom in china.

We've almost entirely relied on Mala Project for dry pots, and it's worked really well so far. However, it was time to give LaoMa Spicy a shot! For the dry pot, you pay a fixed amount for the veggies and then pay-per-pound for the meat. The meat selection is all right -- not exactly tons of variety -- but certainly satisfying enough. I'm not sure it ends up working out all that cheap, by the end of the day. We ordered similar amounts of meat as we normally do with Mala Project's and it ended up costing almost the same. The fish fillet was probably the best part of the dish, and the glass noodles are a must! Overall, tasty dish. But what was the supposed biggest draw -- a cheaper version of dry pot -- isn't exactly entirely the case.

Would have been 5-stars had they not had a sign offering to pay for reviews, a sign offering $5 for a pound of meatballs that was no longer available and the unwillingness of staff to communicate effectively with us. We had 2-types of delicious stew - lamb and seafood - to warm us on a rainy day. Quick service despite the busy lunch crowd. We love spicy and medium was the perfect choice. Clean, warm and welcoming.

This is a great choice for Sichuan style dry pot. I was able to choose from a wide array of vegetables and tofu. The broth was spicy and had the right level of numbing sensation. Prices were also reasonable. The menu can be a little difficult to navigate because it's almost entirely in Chinese, but it seems like most people just order dry pot from the counter anyway.

I'm absolutely obsessed with this spot. Every time I stop by, it's never too packed, making it my go-to spot for dry hot pot in the city. The portions are perfect for about two people, and I always end up with leftovers to take home.

Pretty bomb dry pot where you select all the meats and veggies you want. The spice level is akin to Asian people spicy so be ready. The best ones were the fish and the noodles! Quite excellent together.

Found a plastic strip in the rice...... The solution from restaurant is giving us a 85% discount Disappointing service and poor food security

Visited here on a Saturday evening for takeout and was pleasantly surprised at how clean and inviting this location was, as I'm a regular at the flushing location in the basement of new world mall! I ordered my usual mala dry pot for 2 with beef, fish, shrimp, potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, bok Choy, puff tofu, tofu skin, and a variety of mushrooms. Id say the main difference between this location and the flushing location is the price - typically for my husband and I an order would run us no more than $40, however at this location, it ran us over $60! Unsure if this was just city prices, or if this is just rising costs, but I will say, this location is a proper sit down place if you choose to be seated, and they have a huge variety on the menu aside from dry pot! I will most definitely be back to try some other menu items!

Sooooooooooooooo goood And the place is really easy to find right next to NYU. Will come next time!

The Lamb stew and seafood stew are spicy, filled with tofu, potato, cellophane noodles and a broth you just want to sop up with rice. It has become a favorite hot spot for NYU students so you might have a wait but well worth it. The soup dumplings are also really good and the prices are reasonable.

Dry hot pot! We were so confused when we came here because we saw bubble tea -- it turns out people got bubble tea across the street to bring to pair with their dry hot pot, genius! It was confusing how to order -- you leave your table and go to the "buffet" style looking counter and tell them your table number and what you want in it from the raw ingredients, and they'll weigh it and price it that way. Then they'll bring it over to you once it's finished cooking. Very casual and the staff was all very nice! Warning: I got very very very little spice and it was still very spicy to me. But so tasty and good!

Tasty Chinese restaurant near nyu, the restaurant has pretty quick service and good selection of noodle, dumpling, and hotpot. The price is reasonable, around $15 per dish and the portion is pretty good. The ambience is good but just pretty normal for its price. Great place for a quick meal or even slightly longer lunch. Will be back for lunch during my work days!

The best dry pot in Manhattan. You pay by weight and order at the counter - they have about every veggie and meat you could need, and you just pick and choose what you want. They stir fry it in the back and serve it to you at your table.

Not my typical choice for dinner, but excited to go back. The spicy flavors will both satisfy your appetite and make you feel reborn. There was this like tofu skin or something I have never eaten before. I do not like tofu... but I loved this stuff! The soup flavors are so exceptional, everything in the bowl is going to benefit. You can also do a hot pot style meal. We didn't do that but it sounds like a great time

Fast service and easy ordering. For the dry hot pot, you pick your ingredients at the station, it's weighted, and then stir-fried in sauce. I would recommend spice level 3 as you still get the mild numbing from the chili peppers but not overwhelming the flavors. The dry pot came out in less than 5 minutes and it was a good portion for 2 people to share. We also got a side of rice to cut the oil/spice.

Lots of variety and really good food! I really enjoyed my meal. However, I ordered the pick your own dry pot and the restaurant insisted I order at least 1 pound of meat even though the recommended portion is 0.5-1pound. I ended up wasting quite a bit of food (because i wasn't too hungry) so not too happy about that. My server was really nice though!

Continuing my Szechuan food map, I wanted to visit and try their dan dan noodles, mapo tofu and dry hotpot. We were seated quickly as there were only one or two other tables at the restaurant. I moved my seat a couple of times since it was cold and I didn't want to sit next to the door. The first time I asked, I was still next to the door. I think the employee wasn't sure if he wanted to give 2 guests a table for 4 guests, but eventually I just moved to a 4 guest table away from the entrance myself. The restaurant is pretty big and there was plenty of seats left (more than 3/4 of the restaurant was empty). When I left, still more than 3/4 of the restaurant was empty. I did notice him confirming with another employee that I moved though. The Dan Dan noodles came out first followed by our mapo tofu and dry hotpot! They dry hotpot, you go up to the front counter where all the ingredients are and order there. They put it in a basket and measure it out for you on the spot. I'm pretty sure I got food poisoning for their sea food options when I had the dry hotpot. I should've known as the seafood options looked like they haven't been touch in too long. I had a bad stomach for about 4 or 5 days. Nonetheless, the food was still tasty at the time and I enjoyed it, but don't think I'll be coming back.

Some of my favorite food in NY. Only had the dry pot but it's so good I can't order anything else when I come. Better than mala project IMO and much cheaper. Tell tourists to try it all the time if they want somewhere off the radar.

Wow, what a scam of a place. They literally bribe you with a $2 special to write them a false 5 star review.

Came here after work after hearing great reviews. If you like the dry pot from Mala Project, this is very comparable in flavor but beats in price. Think of this place as an Asian chipotle where you go up and order at the counter whatever you want in your dry pot. In addition, it is priced by weight and not item. Their spice level varies and I decided to go with 4 out of 5 and it was spicy so be wary! Will come back asap

The service here is insufficient to attend to all guests. My server did not provide a menu until I requested one. Throughout the meal, I was unable to see him from my table due to obstructive wall designs. Additionally, he neglected to check if my cup needed refilling. It's absurd that the receipt only offers pre-printed tipping options, with no space to write in a custom tip amount. After I attempted to add a custom tip amount, my server informed me, 'It's a New York law that the minimum tip is 15%.'

Stopped in here on a whim on a rainy day, and didn't expect to find such a gem! They do dry hot pot and an absolutely delicious way - you can select your meats, veggies, noodles, mushrooms, etc. We ordered wayyy too much food for two people (eyes bigger than our stomachs) because everything just looked too good! The dry hot pot was amazing - they bring it to your table after you order the ingredients at the counter. One word of caution - the spicy level is crazy! We ordered the "medium" and have typically decent spice tolerance. It had us sweating like crazy! Will order mild next time. We also ordered the pork baos which is one of my favorite dishes. They were good here, although not amazing. However, this restaurant offers so much and it was honestly a great deal for NY. Can't wait to go back and will definitely recommend to friends!

If you have kids going to NYU, I'm sure she/he will eat here at least once because it's close to the campus. When we visited NYU area for my daughter colleges, we stumbled into this Szechuan style restaurant. Szechuan is famous for spicy food and we do like it sometimes. We couldn't wait to have a bowl of spicy hot noodles soup. The restaurant seems to cater for students, the prices are quite inexpensive, all types of foods and we see the portions are huge for the price. I'm sure the students here can order one dish and may have left over for late night snack. It's kinda like Mongolian bbq, you can pick out what you want and let the chef cooks for you the way you want Or premade foods. The dishes are quite tasty and salty and spicy of course depends on what you ordered. The wonton soup my son ordered wasn't as tasty as other Chinese restaurants. The bowl we had could be shared for 2. We couldn't finish them. The beef were tender and The soup was flavorful. The noodles was just right. Many students were there we could see. The place was quite busy at noon and the service was good. We didn't have to wait long for our foods to come.

Pick your own ingredients is such a dangerous activity because I always want to eat everything! We shared this giant bowl of deliciousness among 6 people and all of us were super full by the end of it. Level 4/5 spicy was pretty satisfying, but I would say if I wanted to taste the ingredients better, than 3 would have been a good choice. Quail eggs, sliced beef, octopus were my favorites this time! Overall I do like this place @laomaspicy more than its competitors in the city

The menu is pretty big, and so are the portions. But it is also pretty expensive. We shared the spicy eggplant appetizer. My friends all got stews and I got the pork in chili oil. The bowl is massive. But I thought the food was just ok. The flavor was flat and the pork had a weird, rubbery texture. Also they said it was a level 4 spicy (almost the spiciest) but it didn't have a kick at all.

Been here twice, once last year and just recently. Perhaps it's because I'm partial to dry hotpot, but both times the food was delicious! The way the restaurant works is you select from a variety of vegetables, meats, and seafoods, then they will cook it for you in dry hotpot. The first time, we sat outside and had good service and the second time, we did takeout. The food can take a bit long to come out, but it tends to be worth it. The hotpot is flavorful, a bit spicy, and overall great!

I completely understand that LaoMa Spicy is located in the NYU area hence the price increase... However with that also comes with certain expectations and the food tasted like any other dry hot pot place in NYC. We had to pay $50 not including tip for maybe 1.3lbs of food... honestly that was fine if we didn't have to pay tip because the server didn't come up to us to get our order... and all they did was bring out the food. I have been to multiple dry hotpot spots and this was one was the only one that required tip even though all restaurants helped us pick out the ingredients and brought it to our table. They demanded 15 percent tip just because they brought out the food. They claimed "oh you know the workers don't make enough here" but whose fault is that? We they demanded $7 and we put down $5... eventually we were like whatever and just gave them $7 Honestly... if you truly miss Asian food and go to NYU, just head to Chinatown. Horrible mistake and wouldn't come back anymore.

Tastes like hot dog water not sure how it's still in business. Really not a fan tastes awful

I have already ordered takeout here so many times and I love this place so much. The chili oil wontons are honestly so marvelous, I love how it's the right amount of spicy and garlicky. The beef spicy stew is also so good and yummy, and I always appreciate how they give such a generous amount of beef and noodles. There is also the perfect amount of heat and spice in every bite that makes me crave this every week.

Ok so this spot is really cool. Located right in the village and has great veggie options as well. It's basically a Chipotle style dry hot pot bar. You choose all your protein and veggies and they cook it for you. They also have the yummiest dumplings! We watched them making them fresh! I had a huge veggie (with tofu) bowl and my friend had all kinds of meat and seafood. We shared veggie dumplings. We were so full I had to pack half to take home. Great value for the price too! Open now with safety measures in place. Please support your local restaurants!

You might just walk past this place, if you don't realize what it is. Or, you may wander in and accidentally order more "American Chinese" food off the menu. But, what is amazing here is the made-to-order stir fry. You can literally put anything you want in it - and dictate the spice level. They have an amazing selection of veggies, seafood and meat. Just be wary that adding a lot of meat will jack the price. I usually walk out with a full plate for under $20.

RIDICULOUS PRICING! STAY AWAY. They tricked us into ordering more than we asked for. Not vegetarian friendly, they charged more for only getting vegetables. First, they did not understand that we only wanted two portions separating the meat and the vegetables, and they ended up ordering and charging us one portion of meat +3 portions of vegetables. Their pricing is very unclear and misleading. We eventually paid $80 for only two people.

The food is so good. Ambiance is nice.Service is nice. The cold noodle is the best in town

[Unexpected Charges on Bill! ] Be forewarned, diners: you may encounter an unwelcome surprise when the bill arrives. Our visit was tainted by the discovery of unasked-for items on our check (an additional mara xiangguo, two rice bowls, and noodles). Regrettably, the staff's response lacked any sense of apology, and they even questioned the legitimacy of our complaint. We strongly advise you to examine your bill closely before paying to safeguard your hard-earned money.

Contains a lot of ingredients in it so I did not eat them all. If you cannot eat spicy food you can try level 1.

We ordered dry hot pot, which is something that we went to the counter for. There are SO many options that gets me so excited! I always came here when I went to NYU and they always reach my expectations in food. If you want a warm, comforting homey meal, you should come to Lao Ma.