Lao Ma Tou Hot Pot 老码头火锅

This hotpot restaurant truly lives up to its "best in Seattle" recommendation. We thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience, finding the food quality to be consistently top-notch, with particularly fresh meats and vegetables. A significant advantage is the extensive, complimentary sauce bar, which provides a diverse selection of side dishes and ingredients for custom sauce creation, accommodating various tastes. The only unexpected detail was the lack of local draft beer options, with only imported bottled selections available. On a practical note, the convenient downstairs parking is subsidized for two hours, which is a welcome convenience for diners.

Came here with a large group and service was great from start to end! Employees were consistently nice and helpful when I called to ask questions about making/changing reservation and parking. The spicy broth is actually SPICY, which I love! The chicken broth was also highly complimented throughout my group. I tried a lot of things for the first time here, such as goose intestine. In general, the restaurant has many authentic items on their menu that are difficult at competitors. I like the jelly desserts too. Would love to come back and try lunch here someday!

I was really disappointed with my visit. While the hot pot itself was okay, I found a dead fly on top of the raw squid. It was quite off-putting, especially since it came straight from the kitchen. When I brought it up to the staff, they apologized and gave me a 15% discount and a $20 gift card. I appreciate the gesture, but honestly, it didn’t fully make up for the experience of finding a fly in my food. I hope they take this seriously and improve their food safety practices. I’m hesitant to come back.

Went there for the new coconut chicken pot. It’s more than enough food for two people. The coconut gives a gentle sweet taste. A great option for people who doesn’t like spicy pots much.

I have visited this place several times and enjoyed it every time. The soup bases are excellent, with strong flavors and plenty of ingredients. The food quality is consistently stable and reliable, and there are many ingredients of hotpot to choose from. The service is always good, with some staff being exceptionally helpful; they even remind you to renew your parking. Once, they even picked up our dessert from downstairs for us.

I have been to China Cheng Du region and upon entry this place REMINDS me of it with the aromatic-ness! Memories of experiencing the best of hot pot came rushing back and the back of my mouth started to salivate, anticipating the barrage of flavors that I hope would come. The spice level here is "beware". We opted for half Max Spicy(EXTREME) and half, pork bone borth(not spicy at all). The quantity of red peppers and Sichuan pepppercorns were shocking. Shocking. The spicy half of the broth was RED beyond belief and the cauldron was overflowing with bubbling heat. Pork broth side was also savory but I only had a small bit of that side. Once the broth was plenty simmered we added our meats, mushrooms and veggies according to the rate of our ingestion. It is imperative that the meats do not cook for too long so as to avoid toughness. I would rather have it more raw than overcooked myself. The selections were difficult to decide as there was a large menu to choose from. What you see in the pic is less than half of what we ordered. Quality of everything was sublime. Flavor was supreme. Service was kind. If it were not so spicy I think I could have eaten more. I will chill a bit on the spice level next time even though I thoroughly enjoyed it. Part of the secret to enduring the insane spice level is to drink the cold herbal tea(red can in pic). Despite that rec I was sweating and tearing in the eyes the entire time. The saucing bar was also very good. Just go for it and dont second guess what you are choosing, I added almost everything. It will be good no matter. We met friends afterwards and the stinging aroma saturated us so much someone asked us what we ate that night lol. Will return again. This place is great.

Lao Ma Tou Hot Pot offers an exceptional Szechuan hot pot experience, especially at their Seattle location. The spicy broth was rich and authentic, the portions were generous, and the service was excellent. While there is another location in Rowland Heights, California, the Seattle branch stands out as the superior choice for authenticity and freshness. Ambiance: 5/5 The Seattle location captures the lively and vibrant atmosphere of a traditional hot pot restaurant. The bustling crowd, especially during peak hours, adds to the authentic dining experience. Authenticity: 5/5 The Szechuan-style hot pot in Seattle is unmatched. The broth was perfectly spiced, delivering bold and authentic flavors. Compared to the Rowland Heights location, the Seattle branch feels much more true to its roots in both flavor and presentation. Flavor: 5/5 The spicy Szechuan broth was phenomenal—rich, fragrant, and bursting with authentic flavors. The ingredients felt fresher and portions were more generous than the California location. The quality of the broth and overall taste are what make this spot a standout. Cost: 4.5/5 While prices are on the higher side, the quality and portion sizes at the Seattle location make it worth it. You truly get what you pay for, and the experience is worth every penny. Service: 5/5 The service in Seattle was excellent—attentive, polite, and efficient. The staff shared helpful tips about making reservations, which is highly recommended to avoid waiting during peak hours. Comparison with Rowland Heights CA Location: The Rowland Heights branch, while decent, doesn’t quite match up to the Seattle location. The broth at the California spot lacked the same depth of flavor, and the ingredients didn’t feel as fresh or as generously portioned. If you’re deciding between the two, the Seattle branch is hands-down the better choice for an authentic Szechuan hot pot experience. Final Thoughts: Lao Ma Tou Hot Pot in Seattle is a gem for anyone craving an authentic Szechuan hot pot experience. With its standout broth, fresh ingredients, and excellent service, it’s miles ahead of its California counterpart. Make a reservation and savor the best this restaurant has to offer—I’ll definitely be back!

Decent hot pot place but quite pricey. The meat combo was a bit of a gimmick and I wouldn’t recommend it. It also costs money to use the sauce bar, which we didn’t know

Lao Ma Tou is YUMMMMM. We have a Lao Ma Tou in LA and this was just as good! I do feel that they have more 'exotic' dishes here compared to the menu in LA. We were tempted to get the Barbie combo lol. The interior is nice and not so busy here, even during prime dinner time. Meat quality is great and vegetables are fresh. I do like how they offer vanilla ice cream cone at the end of the meal! Wish they had that in LA haha.

Wait for 2 hours for HaiDiLao or try something new? We opted for a new spot & were not too disappointed. Level of service is not exactly on par with HaiDiLao but it was still a new option for us. Their style was Chengdu hotpot- we opted for the tomato and mushroom base, wowwww the mushroom base was legit with tons of mushrooms. We also ordered lots of items, the sauce bar could... have been cleaner but you get all your sides and bingfen. The quality of meat and variety was also more diverse than HDL. We didn't get any aprons like HDL but it was still a good experience. Yum yum.

The servers here are very nice and do a great job keeping the place clean. While we were there, we found the space to be really unique (it's under Soma Towers in a curved glass arm of the building). The restrooms were closed for maintenance so we actually had to go up to the apartment building to wash our hands. There is a split pot broth deal that brought two broths to ~$20. However, I just wasn't a fan of the pork bone or spicy (mild) broths. While there was a lot of fat in both broths, there wasn't enough umami to make up for how fatty the broths were. (My thought is generally if you eat something unhealthy, it should taste pretty good.) We found the quality of the meats and seafood to be split. The tiger prawns were amazingly fresh and not frozen, scallops were a unique treat, fresh noodles were good, peanuts at sauce bar were good, and the marbled beef to be pretty much on par with Haidilao. But we didn't like the mussels very much, the beef short rib was greying and didn't taste too good, the marinated woodear and cucumber weren't very fresh, and the dimsum shrimp roll was soggy and possibly frozen. The fish fillet wasn't as soft as hotpot fillet typically is, but is a bigger portion. La Ma Tou is a little pricier than other hotpot places where I prefer the taste more. But look at all the other positive reviews, mine is just one opinion!

Lao Ma Tou Hotpot isn't just a meal - it's an experience. The moment you walk in, you're swept into a dreamy haze of lantern light and fragrant steam, like you've stepped into a Wong Kar Wai film but with better food and no existential crises. It's a playground for your taste buds, where you can create the perfect dipping sauce to complement your meal. Every bite is like discovering a new chapter in a delicious love story, and every visit to the sauce and snack bar is like a new love affair. And just when you think it can't get any better, they hit you with free ice cream at the end of the meal, and endless warm soy milk that feels like a cozy hug from the inside. Come for the hotpot, stay for the helpful staff, beautiful interior, and validated parking! Bathrooms are gender neutral private stalls, but located upstairs (not great for mobility).

Quick wait, good, fast service. Lots of choices at the sauce bar and both broths were pretty good!

we made a reservation so i cant tell how busy the place gets but this is a really good hotpot place! We got medium spicy broth and pork broth. Medium spicy is slightly too spicy for me but can definitely easily be balanced out by alternating with the pork broth we also got to tone it down By itself, the spicy broth is very tasty just would go down a level or ask for less numbing! 4/5 pork broth is probably the best pork broth we've had. i love the layers of flavors from all the ingredients they include which made it rich, salty, and super tasty. 4.5/5 All the meats we got were great quality and the mushroom variety was super tasty too! The fortune pouch was mostly egg with a little shrimp so i'd probably skip on that next time. 2.5/5 The noodles had a nice texture and cooked well in the broth 3.25/5 Lemon tea was pretty standard but paired well with the spiciness - 2.5/5

Hotpot restaurant in downtown Bellevue. On 2nd level of Soma Towers. Mid size space with high ceilings that's split into two wings at the entrance. Parking available at the building garage and you can keep signing up each hour on the parking validation website. Ordering is done via tablet which has English and Chinese menus. Has a choice of soup bases, hotpot ingredients, and also cooked dishes. Decent sized sauce bar with a few variety of appetizers and sweet dessert soups, which tasted fine. The hotpots go in the middle of each table. Pretty comparable to other modern Chinese hotpot places. We got the two soup bases, the bone broth and the tomato broth. Got pork, lamb, some veggies. Soup and meat tasted pretty good. Also got a wrapped fish stick which was pretty tasty. In addition to the hotpot, we also ordered the fried brown sugar rice cake dessert and that was delicious. Nice crisp on the outside, and the brown sugar adds just a bit of sweetness. The meal includes one small cup of ice cream per person. Got the vanilla and it was pretty good, not super sweet for the Asian tastebuds. Overall, food was good. No problem with service. Definitely on the pricey side though. $120+ for two people.

Another great hot pot spot. Although, I think I'm relatively easy to please when it comes to hot pot. As long as they have a sauce bar, and I get my sesame paste with cilantro and green onion, we are set. Lol. They've got the fatty beef. They've got the lamb. They've got the tung ho. And fried...things. Naturally, we got the half-and-half. Apparently, this place is super spicy, so we only got wei la (weak spicy). But the caveat is they have wei wei wei la. So some people may find that wei la here is already too much. Personally, I could've gone for zhong la. The other half was like a coconut milk broth and also good. I think I saw some other reviews about slow service, but it seemed fine to me. We had a noon reservation on a Sunday and got all our food quick after ordering off the tablet. The joint didn't seem super busy, but maybe that was due to more reservations. I'm not sure. Oh wait, actually now that I think about it. There was a small issue with our order for a second. Right when we were ordering, some items we didn't order suddenly appeared on our tablet list. We noticed immediately. But before we could even think about complaining, an employee also noticed immediately and came up to our table. He explained that our tablet and the tablet at a neighboring table had somehow ended up pushing to the same list. He took our tablet and fixed the settings on it real quick, then handed it back to us.

I do not like hot pot under normal circumstances but we inadvertently ended up at Lao Ma Tou one night due to an oversight with a Tendon Kohaku reservation and I can say that it turned out to be a very happy mistake! We were seated almost immediately even though it was a busy Friday night and service was very courteous and efficient. The interior was absolutely beautiful and pleasantly lively. The menu is a la carte and you can choose up to 2 bases. We ended up going with a tomato and a mild spicy soup base. Both were delicious and the quality of the meats and veggies that we ordered were good as well. There was an AYCE sauce bar with some small things like egg rolls and fruits. Overall we ended up paying about $50/person and this was after ordering a ton of meats and seafood. Overall I would definitely come back here especially with a large group of people as the atmosphere lends to a large group gathering and I think it's good quality for a reasonable price.

Made a reservation for a weekday dinner. We arrived about 15-20 minutes early and the staff kindly seated us. Overall, we really enjoyed the experience and felt the pricing was reasonable. We went for a birthday celebration and let the staff know - they added little "Happy Birthday" signs to the meat platters that came out. They also frequently checked in with us to refill the broth and ask if we needed anything else. The inside felt spacious and there was enough spacing between tables where we felt it was still private. Also, you get free ice cream at the end!! We went during the Mid-Autumn Festival so they also gave us moon cakes which was a nice touch :)

Unfortunately have to say my friend and I returned to this place and were extremely disappointed. They had a lunch special going on with set meals at a pretty good price (similar to dolar shop), on top of that you could get a free order of fried rice for each set you order, great deal right? Except we waited 1 hr and 15min just to only get one plate of meat. My friend and I rationed and picked at that small plate of meat for an hour before it ran out and we had no more food. Then finally the veggies came out and our second plate of meat The fried rice never came. We finished dining at around the 2 hr mark and were very disappointed in the service. The food tasted alright but not worth the time wasted. We had to cancel our other plans after due to the unexpected wait time for just VEGGIES. Other tables that ordered after us even got their food first which was even more irksome. So we will probably not be going back anytime soon.

Decent hot pot place but quite pricey. The meat combo was a bit of a gimmick and I wouldn't recommend it. It also costs money to use the sauce bar, which we didn't know

One of the best hot pot experiences I've had in Washington area. You order on an iPad and things just come to you so it's pretty fast. Food was v tasty I always recommend the tomato broth. But be aware the price is pretty high $120 for two people in my case

I made a reservation for an early dinner. It wasn't too busy when I arrived, but it quickly got packed with a large influx of customers. Ordering through the iPad was easy, though I was a bit surprised they didn't offer fish balls with roe. Overall, they have a good selection of meat and common hotpot ingredients. We ordered the ribeye, brisket, and pork. I don't order pork very often, but it was good. I preferred the brisket over the ribeye, as it had more fat and tasted better with the broth. The broths had good flavors, though the tomato broth tasted lighter as they added more broth over time. I liked the sauce bar, which offered various options and recommendations for newcomers who might be unsure about creating their own sauce mix. They also had appetizers near the sauce bar; the cucumbers were good, and the wood ear mushrooms were sweeter than I expected. At the end of the meal, they offered ice cream, which tasted similar to McDonald's ice cream cones--a nice touch that I enjoyed. I would come back with friends for a group dinner.

To save money, you can purchase their membership. I have been a regular here after purchasing the membership. I think they are not spicy enough but the broth tastes clean and good. They have great side dishes and enough choice of sauces. Free parking with mobile web inputs.

I love the broth at Lao Ma Tou! Highly recommend making a reservation as the space is limited. I think their sauce bar ($4) is decent but not as many options as other hot pot restaurants. Although the dessert and appetizers are plenty delicious. They also bring soft serve ice cream out at the end of the meal! We got the spicy broth and pork bone broth and I think it's one of the best! Some standout items include the aorta, which is cut differently than other places and makes for a much better texture. There are a ton of different meat options, so I recommend trying a few different ones. We also enjoyed the seafood combo and mushroom combo. There's also a sign for free one hour parking in the garage so definitely take advantage of that.

We had a wonderful time visiting this hot pot restaurant. They offer 1 hour free parking so you just have to keep renewing it every hour. We ordered the house spicy broth medium and the chicken fish maw broth. Meats and vegetables were fresh and came promptly. It was easy to make selections on the iPad. The dessert bar as well as the condiment bar was kept nice and clean. Will return!

I'm honestly so sad writing this review. Me and my partner last minute decided to get hot pot and decided to try something new as we usually go to Haidilao across the street. We were seated immediately and began browsing the menu. Literally the second our order was submitted, the server comes over and says that they close in 30 minutes and if we wanted to order anything else. Other servers had already started bringing out our dishes so we felt we couldn't ask for a refund. This whole money hungry/bad service interaction left a sour taste in my mouth. If I'm paying $100+ dollars for a meal I want to be able to enjoy the food. We had to eat really quickly and despite paying the full $4 for the sauce bar it closed within minutes from when we ordered our food. We should have checked online when they close before dining but a restaurant has a responsibility to not seat customers right before close if they can't provide the service to their costumers. Neither the server or host told use they would be closing in less then an hour when seating us. Also the cherry on top to this terrible experience was that our waiter brought us freezer burnt tubs of ice cream while everyone around us was still getting soft serve ice cream. Idk if it was because we tipped 10% and were obviously unhappy but what in the petty?? Food/ambiance was good ngl but for the same price point, food and service is x100 better at Haidilao.

4.5 Stars.. This place for hot pot is solid and is very comparable to other premium hot pot places in the area. The stand out part of Lao Ma Tou is it's brother and sauce bar. That sauce bar has good selection of sauces and condiments, appetizers, and desserts/fruits. The menu is a bit confusing as some are slightly translated incorrectly from the Chinese. There are quite a bit of options. So here comes why I knocked off a half star...the prices to it's portions are pretty pricey. The quality is their menu offerings are all very high quality, but the portions can be more. more. Really though, Lao Ma Tou, has one of the best soup bases around. Very flavorful and can tastes all the ingredients used. Not sure if it is that we went around 2pm - so there was not a lot of people and service was amazing! Very attentive and they were able to bring out stuff and take away plated without any request to. Overall, would love to come back!

Beautiful restaurant with validated parking in the garage below. Went on a Saturday night with a group of 6 and the service was quick and prompt , food was delicious , and the overall experience was good. They do give you a time limit on parties as we only had 2 hours. Sauce bar with some appetizers had a wide variety of options as well. Overall it's a great spot for the "shared/ communal" hot pot experience. Beware, the spicy options are quite spicy and have the mala style heat. Bill for 6 adults who were full at the end was just over $300.00 with tax and tip included.

Food was delicious! My mom and I came for the lunch special and left happily content! We came on a Friday afternoon around noon and by the time we left the restaurant was almost packed. We got the congee hot pot lunch set and it was plenty for two. I love how the lunch set offered a choice of dimsum and unlimited soy milk! We had tons of congee left over and made a nice meal at home with our left overs! Sauce bar options are quite large and is competitive with similar hot pot restaurants in the area but this seems to be the only one with unlimited soy milk to drink. We also loved the free ice cream at the end and left stuffed!

Had a reservation and got seated right away. It wasn't busy while we were there so our order came out fast. The sauce bar is decent and they have good egg rolls. Got the Beef slices and Pork slices and it was okay. It was very chewy so probably should have asked for scissors to cut them smaller. The quality of the meat was a little off to me. Even though we got the Beef slices it was mainly fatty so there wasn't good marbling on the meats. Since it's not all you can eat they do give lots of meat each plate. There wasn't as much meat selections so the menu is in the smaller side. There wasn't a lot of vegetable options either so didn't order any. I was still eating with lots of food in front of me and mid bite but they kept asking us if we were ready to pay so had to let them know we'll just call them over when we were done eating and actually ready to pay. . . Overall just okay!!

Here's another up and coming hot pot place - this time, in Bellevue, WA (surprise, surprise). Lao Ma Tou (LMT) has an amazing interior decor, but also some aspects that make it special: soup-y desserts with toppings at the sauce bar, their own canned sesame oil, and the infamous Barbie meat dress (it was like $79, so we passed this time; however, I might be convinced to get this next time). Be mindful of the spiciness because apparently the regular spicy level is quite hot, so if you aren't accustomed to spice, then choose something lower. The hotpot broth can also be taken home afterwards, and they give you complimentary vanilla ice cream for dessert. Similar to what I said about Qiao Lin in downtown Seattle, the timing of all these hot pot places blowing up everywhere just means that it will take more to impress me. Sounds cliche, but gotta go above and beyond (and outside the box)...! IG: @datglobetrotterlife (to see the IG reel I did for LMT)

Came here since the wait at HDL was too long, thankfully the wait here was not long at all. The interior was beautiful and had a sleek and modern look. We had a few questions while ordering but it was hard to flag someone over to come help us. We ordered half Tomato and half Mushroom broth. Our order arrived pretty quickly and everything tasted pretty fresh. The sauce bar was exciting since they had a lot of yummy side dishes and the warm dessert they offer was perfect to round out our meal. I also had some of the fresh fruit but it was not ripe or sweet. Solid hotpot, would love to come here again.

One of my favorite and hot pot spots! There's a parking garage available and limited street parking out front + a parking lot in the back. The restaurant is deceivingly big but fills up fast -- get your name on the waitlist. Super modern interior and I love the sauce bar! Tomato broth was super flavorful and slightly creamy, it added so much flavor to our meats and veggies. Love it here, I'll be back again

Upscale hotpot at its best. Felt pampered and stuffed after this experience because our server was so on top of it, the plates vanish right as you pick up the last piece of meat, it just makes you wanna order more to fill up the table. Their broth is flavorful and rich, and my main regret is not getting the sauce bar because I thought I wouldn't use it.... Mistake! I missed out!!!! There was deliciousness there I wished I had tried, and getting the sauce bar also validates your parking!!! Ordered quality cuts only for a celebratory feast, and each plate came out fresh and tasting delicious. The tofu skin was a large portion! And the veggies plate is a nice variety, will definitely be back to try another dinner with them soon. Came here on a whim because haidilao across the way was on an hour long wait, and got seated immediately somehow, so got very lucky here that night!

Yall they do NOT skimp on the spice! I even went with the "really not bad" but I'm WEAK and I eat chilli on everything! We came in at 9 pm on a weekday and I was so glad for it to be open. Our waiter was so attentive and helpful. My partner wanted to try the chicken broth, but it does take awhile. I'm not sure it was worth the wait (especially if you've already started eating!!). I loved the quality of the ingredients. The price is steep in comparison to other hot pot places, but it felt really upscale inside. I love the amount of food they gave you when you ordered too!

A couple friends and I (6 total people) came in on a Sunday night around 6pm and were seated right away. They use a tablet ordering system, which is sent immediately to the kitchen--really convenient! Standard hotpot broths--yummy. The bone broth was a favorite at the table, but the spicy bone broth was too spicy to enjoy. The sauce station was very clean and the interior was nice. Total came to ~$35/person INCLUDING 18% automatic tip and taxes--everyone was full so I think that's a really reasonable price. And FREE ice cream cone at the end of the meal. Tip: they offer validated parking so feel free to park in the garage and get your parking validated when finished with your meal.

Made a reservation for dinner at 8:30pm on a Friday. We were able to start ordering on the tablet while we were waiting for our table to get ready. I got a free rib eye by showing my student ID and posting a story on IG and tagging them. Each of us also got a free beverage (non alcoholic canned beverage only) by following them on IG -- awesome deals!! The food was what you could expect in a good hotpot restaurant. The interiors were nice with high ceilings. The staff was very friendly. They reminded us how much more food we still had. We ordered so much and got so full that we had to take the remaining ingredients home. They also served ice cream for free as dessert. Def will go back again!! They could validate the parking in the garage for you. Parking in the garage is also free for the first hour.

I really liked this place! Mostly because they give free ice cream at the end of the meal :) We got half tomato, half spicy broth. The spicy broth was the mildest one, but it was soo spicy! We took out a lot of the peppers and then asked to add more broth and it was much better. The sauce/appetizer bar is great, and pricing is similar to other hot pot restaurants. Parking in garage is 1 free hour.

Delicious hot pot in downtown Bellevue! For broths we had the house spicy and tomato. Big warning on the house spicy broth...even the "light spicy" is extremely spicy! It's very tasty but it will burn you twice if you know what I mean, especially vegetables that seem to soak up all the spicy oils. Our favorites were the beef short ribs and lamb shoulder. Fish filet was pretty good too, though I think we overcooked them. We also got Mexican shrimps that were huge but I wish they were de-veined, that was my only gripe of the meal. I really appreciated the wait staff, they were patient and explained how to order off their iPads, and gave recommendations that we enjoyed. The underground parking lot is kinda narrow and limited, so I bet it's a nightmare on busy weekends.

The food was good quality and portion sizes. The broth was also tasty. They do have a split pot option for 2 broths and they also have at least one vegetarian broth (mushroom). The server was great and kept the broth full and checked on us if we needed anything. Most of the food came out pretty quick too. The ambiance was fine. We were there on a Sunday afternoon and it was pretty dead but the booths were comfy and it was nicely decorated. Their sauce bar is also really nice. The only negatives for us were that they didn't have a lot of options for veggies and cost-wise we have felt we've had similar quality for better prices and more choices elsewhere. That said, we would come back if we were in the area. The parking can be a little weird, but just follow the signs for it in the elevator and make sure to scan the QR code for an hour of free parking.

Their free dessert (bing fen) is the best among several hotpot spots nearby. Sometimes I crave just for it to go to the hotpot.

Overall average: 4.05 Wanted to try a new place and stumbled upon this restaurant in the area. We didn't put in a reservation and just walked in. Luckily, we showed up about 15 minutes before the dinner rush and got a seat right away. We got super lucky because there was a huge line outside for those without reservations as soon as we started eating. Food: 3.85/5 The meat was quite fresh and they offered a variety of beef/lamb combos. However, options were lacking, especially in the seafood and meatball department. Menu was not spectacular, but I enjoyed the overall food quality. Their sauce bar had a variety of great options and it felt very upscale. Alongside their sauce bar was the dessert bar. They're in collaboration with HUI LIU SHAN so you get unlimited dessert!! I loved the abundance side options they have for creating your grass jelly bowl. I'd recommend NOT getting the Barbie beef tower though. It's all for the gimmick and you'd get much more beef if you ordered a regular plate. There was much less beef on here for $20 than you would if you ordered a regular plate. The Barbie also had her private parts hidden by what seemed to be a sharpie. I was not happy about eating ink (although I didn't ask what it was. It really seemed like it was sharpie though). It was so very creepy looking if I am going to be honest. They had options for a dual broth (like many restaurants offer) but I stuck to one this time. I got the chicken bone broth and I really liked it! It was not too salty and had a lot of ingredients inside that made it extra refreshing. Service: 3.95 Food came out super quickly and they checked on us multiple times. However, what dragged the rating down was that we had a few different waiters and not all of them were super friendly. Ambiance: 4.35/5 As soon as you step in, you'll know it's a fancy place. For the price, I'd say the food was pretty mid, but you're definitely paying for the restaurant atmosphere. From the high rise ceilings, to the carefully oriented gold/black themed decoration, it felt super high class and fancy. Verdict: I would come back for a birthday celebration, taking that they have back/upper rooms for that. I don't think I'll come back on a regular basis if I were craving hot pot just because I can get similar quality food at a cheaper rate. This meal came out to a total of $170 after tax and tips for just two people. We also paid $18 for parking because we weren't aware there was cheaper underground parking if you ate at the restaurant. I wish there was a sign earlier as we entered. Overall, it was a good first time experience, especially for wanting to try somewhere new.

I really enjoyed my experience here! It's located in Soma towers and they have validated parking in the garage for convenience. Lots of great options for broth- highly recommend their famous frog broth! Also their spicy ones are so good too. They have lots of great exotic proteins like frog feet, animal blood, etc!! The staff are all friendly and nice. There is a sauce bar area to make your own sauce and also grab fruits. Overall it was really delicious and I really enjoyed trying different proteins that aren't available at other hot pot places. Very authentic Chinese hot pot. Very clean and modern inside, just beware that you will smell like hot pot when you leave! I even enjoyed the free vanilla ice cream cone at the end :) I would definitely come back here again~

This place does not mess around with their spice. We got the spicy broth (you select mild, med, hot for this, we selected mild) and I had to stop eating it. It was HOT, like 4/5 stars hot. It was too much. I'm not sure if it got mixed up, or that's really the mild, but either way. Despite the spice, the broth had incredible flavor. I would've devoured if the spice didn't stop me. The second broth we tried was the pork bone broth. Very flavorful, with a neutral profile. I really loved the lamb in this. This place is somewhere I'd recommend if you're wanting to try some of the more authentic protein options, veggies, etc. They have some stunning platter options as well if you're looking for a little bit of everything. Overall service was fast, and just the right amount of attentive. Pretty quiet restaurant, though it also is pretty small in the lower level area. I wouldn't say it's my favorite hot pot, but if I went back and got a true mild spicy I might like it more. Some things that were incredible: the fried pork. Comes with tingly pepper spice and it's just delicious. Lamb, cooks up to perfection and was so incredible in the spicy broth. I could do without the spicy beef. It's too thick of cut that putting it in broth to cook just results in a tough chewy meat with odd texture. We barely touched that one.

This is the best hotpot I've tried so far. It could f been 5 stars if the waiter didn't rush us...

Service was slow. We were told one of the main hot pot bases was sold out after our 90min wait, which we asked to reserve previously but were told not necessary cuz they have enough. Did not have the ice cream cone anymore. I would rather go to HaidiLao next door.

Lots of food I definitely could have ordered less, the price was good for the large portion size I'm definitely coming back but will order less, I think it's cheaper than haidilao but really good, I love their soups

Very yummy but you need a reservation beef is good and you can get you soup split into two

I've been meaning to try Lao Ma Tou for a long time. I'm glad I was finally able to go. I'd argue it's one of the best hot pot restaurants in the Seattle area. The ingredients are fresh and the broths are on point. The sides bar is also great and even has Bing Fen (Ice Jelly). The restaurant is very elegant looking and quite large. The servers are also very attentive and there is garage parking. The price can be a bit high especially because it's not AYCE. Still, I'll definitely be back.

Another new hot pot place in PNW! We had a dinner reservation here around 8pm on a weekday and it was pretty busy. I would say Lao Ma Tou is pretty similar to Hai Di Lao in terms of service/ambiance. They are located in Soma Towers on the 2nd floor. We got half pork bone and half spicy broth. I only tried the pork bone because I don't handle spice well, and it was really flavorful, probably one of the best soup bases I've tried in the area so far. We ordered an assortment of meats, vegetables, and other sides, but the most memorable would have to be the lamb, which was really good. Would definitely recommend getting that, but everything was pretty solid overall. Service was good, everyone was super friendly. Price point is probably pretty similar to Hai Di Lao, maybe a bit cheaper. 1 hour free parking in the Soma Towers garage. Would love for there to be better ventilation in the restaurant though, because my clothes were reeking of hot pot when I left.

My wife and I just ate here and had a great meal! It's above average price, but the quality is top-notch and totally worth it. If you're a hot pot fan, you've got to give this place a try! PROS: * Innovative and Flavorful Ingredients: Lao Ma Tou Hotpot stands out for its unique ingredients like marinated tripe and fungus with shrimp paste, with outstanding flavor and texture. * Exceptional Broths: We had the tomato and mushroom broth and they were perfectly balanced, rich in flavor, and an ideal complement to the hotpot ingredients. We've tried these at other restaurants and they don't come close to La Ma Tou. * Sauce Bar: Obviously they've put a lot of effort into it offering a wide range of homemade sauces and ingredients that elevate the meal. * Appetizers, Fruit, and Dessert Options: Beyond the hotpot, we enjoyed the selection of appetizers, fresh fruit, and dessert options included with the sauce bar that rounded out the meal nicely. * Free Validated Parking: A huge plus--Lao Ma Tou offers free validated parking, making it convenient, especially in a busy area. CON: * No Small Portions: The only downside is that they don't offer smaller portion options, which would be great for couples or diners with smaller appetites. Hint to Lao Ma Tou: The formula is: Offer 1/2 the regular portion for 1/2 the price + $1 :) Overall, Lao Ma Tou Hotpot excels with its creative ingredients and flavors, highly recommended for hotpot lovers in the area!

The place has a nice contemporary atmosphere. The service was prompt and friendly and we loved the food. Can't ask for more right. It's no AYCE but you get what you pay for at those places. We loved the meat, the broth had a great taste without being too oily and we really liked the sauce bar.

I was skeptical about another hot pot place within a block or two of two other hot pot places that are both quite good, but this one is really good too! In fact it's definitely worth a try because of value alone. It seems to be slightly less expensive than the others, and there was great variety that also included appetizers and other items like pumpkin cakes. The combos for two or four people were great but a little hard to understand exactly what you could choose from. Also the combo for four is definitely enough for 5 people. Maybe supplement and 6 would be no problem too! Sauce bar had a lot of options, and different things too.

Amazing ambiance! Great Vegetarian Options..They have condiments section and many options for vegetarians to eat.

Came here for a Friday dinner and it was pretty busy. The parking you will most likely need to pay since street parking is so difficult. The interior was super fancy and well decorated but the tables were so small. We ordered the half pork stomach broth and tomato broth. The pork broth had a bit of a smell but we all liked the tomato broth. The unique dish here was a Barbie draped in a meat dress. The marinated special three meats were so tender we recommend it. Everything else was pretty standard including the sauce bar. Service was quick which was good. The price came out to about $40 a person for us four people which was standard, Overall, it was good but not memorable for the most part.

Loved my first time here! I got the pork bone broth as my main soup base. Our table got a variety of beef and lamb plates to share. The sauce bar was extra, but definitely worth it. The sesame oil comes in cans that you can bring back to the table. There was a special this month where a particular beef plate was only 1.99! Our table already had three plates of meat, but we couldn't pass up a great deal and so we ordered more. We also got complimentary ice cream which was super creamy and delicious. The service was great. The servers came back to refill our soup base. They were great at refilling the sauces at the station as well.

4.5 stars Stopped by for an early dinner with our little one, no reservation but it was before 5pm so pretty empty. In fact, the other few tables also had young kids! Definitely started to get full by the time we left around 6pm. On the slightly more pricy side for hot pot, but everything was really fresh and delicious. Broths are flavorful. Agree with the other reviews that said the spicy is REALLY SPICY. Knowing that we got the lightest spice and it was enough. The other side we got tomato which had a rich flavor. Wouldn't even necessarily need sauce for it! Sauce bar has lots of options and good cold dishes as well as shrimp chips. A bit more pricey for the sauce bar than some other places - $3.95 per person. But they also have ice jelly for dessert with your own add on toppings! Loved that! They also kept the sauce bar full and clean (saw people wiping it down) which is always nice. The selection of food for hotpot was pretty extensive and had many more traditional items like pork kidney, different tripes, duck blood. We also saw a private area on the top floor so perhaps could rent it out for a small party which is cool! Will be back for sure!