Mala Panda 麻辣熊猫

The service and atmosphere are pretty solid. I think they really excel taste wise cause I really loved the salty/spicy flavor with rice. I would give it a 8/10 for taste and price is decently is affordable if you get roughly 1 pound and mostly meat so 7/10 for price. Would probably come back here again.

We liked dry pot more than the Malatang, crispy pork was good. Pretty self service and didn’t have to wait too long. For dine in there’s unlimited rice if you wanted.

Review for Mala Panda Mala Panda is hands down one of the best mala spots I’ve tried in NYC! Not only is the food delicious and super affordable (especially for NYC standards), but the service is truly exceptional. As a Muslim, I really appreciated how thoughtful the staff was, they asked if I eat halal, helped me double-check the ingredients, and made sure nothing I picked contained pork. The variety of toppings is amazing, and everything was fresh and flavorful. Honestly, such a rare combo of great taste, generous options, and kind service. Definitely coming back!

I'm surprised that I haven't heard of this place before recently, considering how yummy it was! I was very impressed with the selection of ingredients available -- so many different types of fresh veggies, noodles, fish balls and the like, and a variety of cuts of meat. I did feel that the meats were just a tad lacking in terms of quality (just didn't taste the most tender), but also I didn't notice the frozen meats until I was nearly done assembling my ingredients (and I think they were better haha). You can choose if you want the type with broth (mala tang) or without (mala dry pot) and the price is based on the weight of your ingredients (I think $16/lb now). My order ended up being around 1.3lbs, which was super filling (and only around $20!) Other than the mala tang/dry pot, there's also a menu that you can order off of (hot pot, etc.). Prices are especially good, since there's also no tip (mostly self service) and no tax if you pay with cash. It also comes with unlimited rice for free (you just get it yourself as much as you want). Definitely super impressed at how tasty and affordable my meal here was -- will definitely be back :)

You can build your own Sichuan-style pot with 100+ fresh ingredients, pick your spice level, and let the chefs handle the rest. While you wait you can munch on some delicious apps like the crispy pork, flaming potatoes, and soup dumplings. Got the drypot with wide glass noodles and I absolutely love the texture of the noodles. I got a myriad of beef, pork, shrimp, tempura…so much. Awesome experience and would repeat over and over.

The atmosphere is casual and good for groups or family dinners. Service was quick and friendly, and everything came out fresh. Definitely recommend if you love authentic hot pot with generous portions and lots of choices!

This is a surprise find in a quiet corner of the city. The mala varieties include the soup, the dry pot and the mix. They all come with the rice which you can fill in the bar area. The rice is a little too soft but we were not here for the rice. The mala soup was thick and flavorful. Highly recommended if you enjoy mala stuff!

such a great spot for dry pot or mala tang! they offer over 100 ingredients to choose from at only $15.99 per pound. you can also choose your own broth and style of cooking. we chose to get both malatang and dry pot with our favorite ingredients including beef, octopus, spam, crown daisy, tofu, enoki mushrooms, corn and so many more. i love how spicy both dish were. for dessert, you MUST order their golden fried buns with condensed milk and brown sugar ice jelly! highly recommend this place