Mala Restaurant

Came in on a Sunday evening when every other hot pot spot in Allston had lines out the door. This was the only place where we could sit right away. Based on the name, I assumed it was strictly a hot pot joint, but the menu was much broader. Standard QR code ordering system, food came out fast. Most of my friends recommended the dry pots, so we went with pork and beef versions, plus a regular pork hot pot for comparison. All pots come with six toppings by default (vegetables and noodles), with proteins as add-ons. Even with extras, each pot was under $25, and the portions were huge. The regular hot pot was fine, but the dry pots had way more flavor and heat. Since I don’t have dry pots often, it’s difficult to say whether this was top tier, but most of the toppings were good quality. We also tried the stir-fried string beans and chili wontons, both solid. But knowing how big the pots were, we probably could’ve skipped the sides. Overall not as flashy as the big-name hot pot spots nearby, but way easier to get into and much cheaper. Might come back for the dry pots.

The crab we ordered this time was extremely sweet-so sweet that it was inedible. We’ve ordered this dish before, and it tasted normal. But the restaurant’s attitude this time was very poor. They denied any fault on their part and refused to apologize or issue a refund.

Best Mala restaurant in Allston. Food is delicious, bursting with flavour, and portions are generous. Highly recommend getting the Mala Tofu, the dry Mala pot (and select your fillings), and the spicy peanut noodles. Very authentic food (and service). Come hungry!!!

June 2024: Party of 2 Enjoyed the meal. While it wasn't extraordinary, it was still splendid. This is definitely a place for meat lovers, as there's a lack of vegetarian dishes. They have an interesting system where you order everything on your phone, and then the meal is brought to you—my first time experiencing this. The string beans were perfectly seasoned, with a nice earthy flavor and slight char. The dish with lots of red peppers was good, though a bit drier than expected. The fried rice was a 3/5, and the dumplings were a 4/5, as I heard they were quite juicy.

I first went to Mala around 4 years ago and I remember thinking it was good but too oily (classic dry pot). I went again more recently and tried some more of their offerings. I didn't love everything I tried -- I think the seasoning could have been more on-point for some of the dishes, and the dry pot was pretty greasy. I liked the noodles we got -- they had a nice cumin flavor. The skewers were pretty bland but crispy. I thought the cabbage dish was a bit too sour. The dry pot was okay but I've definitely had better. Overall I have places I would choose over Mala in this area, but it's a solid option for this type of food!

Absolutely thrilled with my new favorite Mala and Sichuan food spot in the Boston area! I was not expecting all the dishes I ordered to be this fantastic. The standout for me was the dried stir-fried chicken with spicy Capsicum – it was so good that I couldn't resist ordering two servings that day. A must-try for any foodie in the area!

5.0. This restaurant is amazing! The food is awesome. I would recommend the frog. It is fresh and delicious, which is hard to find anywhere else. In addition, the service is good, the atmosphere is lively, and the location is convenient.

we got the mala dry spice pot with lamb and large vegetable option, and also eggplant with minced meat and beef w/ tripe. My fav was the eggplant, very worth and delicious. The only reason I gave 4 stars is that you have to order on mobile, and you can’t even get a waiter to take your order if you ask! So sad traditional ordering isn’t available, espcially since the menu is hard to navigate. Otherwise this would be 5 stars. We loved the food.

This restaurants makes amazing Chinese food, but only if you stick to SzeChuan style dishes. We enjoyed the DanDan noodles and crispy chicken a lot, but we could tell the soup dumplings were not authentic. They were a bit sweet?? Service here was alright, they weren't attentive with us and they didn't serve ginger in the vinegar along with the soup dumplings even after Ive asked for it. Nonetheless, I think they make authentic Szechuan style dishes that is worth having!! Food: 8/10 Service: 6/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Value: 7/10

Mala is my go-to restaurant in Allston!! Their dry pot is really yummy and comes in a decent serving size for its price. Their wonton in spicy sauce is amazing and I would highly recommend it - we ALWAYS get it whenever we come. If you have at least 4 people, I recommend getting the big rice bowl instead of individual bowls because it's huge and less expensive. They also have a waitlist now, so if you come during crowded time with a bigger group, it's more convenient from before, where it's first come first serve. Bring cash for 10% discount :)

This place is a solid 3.5. We had an early weekday dinner around 5:45 and there was no wait. It was a warm spring day, so the door was open but it was quite stuffy inside the restaurant. You order via the QR code on the table. We tried the large dry pot with meat and veggies, Dan Dan noodles, and wontons in chili oil. The dry pot was decent. Portion size was huge but we found that some of the ingredients were overcooked. The taro and fish filet pieces were super dry. Seems like they deep fried them before stir frying with the mala. You choose up to 6 'veggies' that you want and instead of tofu puffs they gave me wide noodles. Not sure if they just didn't have the tofu puffs or they made a mistake. The Dan Dan noodles had kick and lots of flavor and the wontons in chili oil was on the sweeter side which was a pleasant surprise. Overall, affordable prices for a decent meal. Not sure I would wait in line for this place but would come back to try other dishes. Don't expect any service, just flag down waitstaff if you need anything!

Recent favorite spicy food - love the boiled whole fresh fish fillet, spicy cold noodle, and spicy pot. Great various bbq options. Reasonable price and amount of food. Highly recommed！

As someone who doesn't like spice- I still liked Mala Resturant. If you get one things here GET THE SPICY DUMPLINGS!!! I was so shocked by the taste as they are not spicy rather sweet??? A must try. Mala spice is different as it doesn't hit the back of your throat but rather your lips; it's a tingling spice that leaves you grasping for water but somehow wanting more. We also got the beef mala dry pot which was full of Sichuan peppercorn flavor. The spice at first was not too bad but then crept up to my mouth. Portions are good size and service is not too slow. didn't have to wait coming at 5:45 on Sunday. Wait built after...

Been to this place for countless times for mala. It never disappoints. The flavor hits every time; you can choose spice level and meat and veggies to put in your mala. There will definitely be a wait on weekday nights - you can get on a waitlist. The food comes out pretty fast considering the amount of orders (both dine in and takeout) they get and the service has been good so far. I've tried their other dishes and everything has been good so far.

We ordered the mala spicy pot, in which you can add your choice of meat and up to 6 veggies. Solid amount of food for the price - we ordered a large protein and still had leftovers for another meal. I think the shiitake mushroom, cauliflower, tofu, and napa cabbage were excellent veggie choices. Service was quick as well. Perhaps more of a personal preference, but I thought there were too many whole peppercorns - I like the numbing flavor but not actually biting into the peppercorn, and I had to pick some of them out. I would definitely come back to try some of their individual dishes!

My friend wanted to take me to one of her favorite restaurants in Allston, Mala restaurant and I finally got the chance to stop by. It was very chill and walk in and take a seat vibes. No frills, just good food.You can order your food via a QR code and the food comes out quick. Their menu was extensive, there were a lot of items to get specifically from their bbq category which were so cheap. The noodle dishes were between $10 to $14 and they were a good size where you'll have leftovers. I don't even like beans but the string beans were so tasty with whatever sauce/seasoning they put on them plus had a very nice crunchy texture to it. Nothing really spicy except for the Dan Dan noodles. I enjoyed everything except for the crab pork bun which tasted quite fishy for me. The staff were helpful when we were ready to check out and boxed everything nicely for us. Overall a great cheap spot that will leave you full and coming home with a second meal. Food Dan Dan Noodle Beef stir fried noodles Fried string beans Prices $ Food 8 Atmosphere 5 Service 7

Always serves good food. The wontons and mala pots are amazing. Cucumbers are nice and refreshing for the dry pot.

Mala in Allston is one of my favorite places for spicy food and for dry pot. I have been here and ordered it on ubereats many times and have never been disappointed with the flavor or the portions. I highly recommend their dry pot if you like spicy foods. At Mala you choose whether you want 3 or 6 vegetables and then you pay for whatever meat you want in it. I usually do 3 and do tofu puff, shiitake mushroom, and bok choy with beef. This is a big portion even if you order takeout. I usually split one and have my own side of rice and I am incredibly full. I also recommend rice because the dish is salty (but it's good). Another dish I love is the dry stir fried chicken with spicy capsicum. The only thing about this dish is it costs more than the dry pot and it is 50% chilis. I have also had the cold noodles, spicy wontons, and the xinjiang stir fried noodle with beef and they were all great. I think that the prices here are very reasonable and it is totally worth it to dine here for the flavors alone. The dry pot is one of my favorite foods ever and you have a decent amount of options to choose from to customize it.

Food (5/5): We got a custom large vegetable hotpot with beef. We got toppings like sweet potato noodle, cauliflower, broccoli, lotus root, and king oyster mushroom spicy. The food was quite good especially for the relatively decent price. Service (3/5): You order on your own through the app on a scannable QR code. Ambiance (4/5): Quite nicely decorated with wallpaper and hanging light lanterns. There is also plenty of seating. Some of the tables, couches and seats seem a bit worn out.

One of my favorite restaurants in Boston. The grilled Whole fish in special sauce is amazing! They also have great sides. Highly recommend!

With parents from China, this is one of our go to places. Gets quite busy and interior arrangement seating is quite crowded but good service and great food that tastes authentic.

Every single thing we had was sooo good. Old noodles was very fragrant and flavorful. Mala is just amazing. Dumping wrapper were just 10/10 and meat skewers were just perfectly cooked. 10/10. Service is extremely fast. There is gonna be a long wait time so make sure you check in and join the waitlist from Yelp before you head out.

4.5/5 This is a spicy favorite among me and my friends! If you're ever craving for some good Szechuan food in Allston, you should definitely come to Mala. It can get quite busy during peak hours--I had to wait 45 minutes for a table on a Friday night--but it's definitely worth it. Although I ordered a mapo tofu and the chilled roast beef this time around (both great options), I would also highly recommend the Fresh Whole Fish with Spicy Szechuan Hot and Spicy Sauce and the dry pot.

Great Mala restaurant! The portions are huge and always so delicious. You have a wide variety of vegetables and meats to choose from.

I first went to Mala around 4 years ago and I remember thinking it was good but too oily (classic dry pot). I went again more recently and tried some more of their offerings. I didn't love everything I tried -- I think the seasoning could have been more on-point for some of the dishes, and the dry pot was pretty greasy. I liked the noodles we got -- they had a nice cumin flavor. The skewers were pretty bland but crispy. I thought the cabbage dish was a bit too sour. The dry pot was okay but I've definitely had better. Overall I have places I would choose over Mala in this area, but it's a solid option for this type of food!

This is one of my top picks when dining out in Boston. The food here is not only incredibly affordable but also delicious. I always start with the cucumber with special sauce, cold and spicy noodles, spicy wontons, and a few skewers. For the main course, I never miss the dry hot pot, which I usually share with a friend. If you're not a fan of spice, I suggest opting for the mild version, as even I, someone who enjoys spice, find the mild to be quite hot. The service is consistently good, although expect a wait if you visit during weekend dinner hours.

We have been there several times. Every dish has been top notch -- no exceptions. My stepson says they are "authentic".

Definitely a hole in the wall you cannot miss! Housing Boston's best dry hot pot with the best quality to taste to cost ratio, you won't be disappointed with how flavorful the food tastes. Experience 4.5/5 This restaurant is a bit understaffed despite the restaurant being so busy at times. As a result, service is lacking a bit especially with refilling waters or having food arrive at the table more promptly. The waitlist is through a QR code at the front of the restaurant which tells you how many parties are already waiting ahead of you. The ordering system is through a QR code where you order food directly from your phone and your order is sent directly to the kitchen. Sometimes the wait is long but it's worth it. I like that they don't try to rush you out the door and that the restaurant has a homey feel. Food 5/5 We always order the same thing each time since it's so good--we're regulars at this point! Typically we order the dry hot pot, rice, and the skewers (pork belly, lamb, and squid tentacles) and occasionally the Dan Dan noodles and Dry Stir-fried Chicken with Spicy Capsicum. Everything is always so yummy, flavorful, and addicting. Best dry hot pot in Boston!

Third time coming here ... and always forget how good this place is. Definitely a place that is better to go with a group ... so you can try more items. The place is smallish and doesn't take reservations. You used to have to wait a bit, but it's slowed down a bit. They're good at turning over tables too. Food is yummy. Good variety and with amazing prices. ESP for the portion size. Wontons are amazing!!! Things are on the spicier side. Just a FYI. Service is a little lacking. They do their job to the extent of getting by but also kind of don't give a care. Borders on rude. Hence the 4/5 stars. Despite that ... this place is fire.

good food.,love spicy . Been eating there for twice actually. Nice and clean. And Hoping that more different recipes .

The food was amazing! The Dan Dan mian was recommended by lots of Yelpers and I 100% agree - that was by far some of the best noodles I've had in Boston. The food actually came out really quickly too. The restaurant has implemented an online order system, you order from the QR code on your specific table. If you're getting the Mala Dry pot, every meat is extra ($5.95 for each meat), so even if you get the "meat and vegetable dry pot", you have to choose the vegetables and the meat, which wasn't very clear to us so it originally only came out with a vegetable pot. Service was meh, they didn't really come around to check on us and we felt rushed to leave. But the food was worth it

I find myself coming back to this restaurant at least once a month to satisfy my cravings. Everything here is full of flavor and they give you so much food! It usually gets pretty busy here so make sure to come early to secure a table. My favorite dish was the spicy crispy fried chicken. It comes out so fresh and crispy I find myself reaching for and getting full off this one dish. With all of this fried food I had to get a side of veggies. The string beans were good - just regular stir fried. The fish fillet and sour cabbage soup was surprisingly good. I ordered it just to try something new and it hit the spot. I took half of it home and finished it the next day for lunch. And everyone knows, the skewers here are their specialty. I love love love the chicken gizzards. The flavoring on the skewers is delectable. (Not sure if I labeled the dishes correctly)

Not to be confused with the similarly-named restaurant a few doors down, Mala is one of many delicious Chinese restaurants in probably the most culinarily dense two blocks in Boston + surroundings. I finally came by with a friend for dinner last weekend - it was quite full but turnover was pretty quick and we moved up the waitlist quickly. I was recommended the dry pot (their speciality?), and my friend and I each ordered one; but honestly each order is so big we probably could have shared and been full! It was so yummy - lots of juicy meat and veggies that we customised and a wonderful amount of spice (both spicy spice and flavour spice). We also got the preserved egg (aka century egg) with tofu - it is a bit of an acquired taste, I'm told, but I adore it and it was really delicious. The spicy oil complemented the simpler flavours of the tofu well. As a side note for those of my fellow cilantro-haters, stuff comes with a lot of cilantro, so be warned to make a note of that when ordering if you don't want any :) Anyway, as noted portion sizes were really big and prices were really good for that, so a very tasty and economical meal overall Very excited to have finally tried it and I will definitely be back!

Good place for groups, as there is a lot of seating. The portion sizes are also decent for the price. The food definitely has a kick that creeps up on you, so be warned if you can't eat spicy well.

Great authentic Chinese food nestled in the heart of Allston village. Right next door to the famous Varlo's Cucina. We had the fish filet with sour picked vegetables. Was a great meal for 2. Very authentic Chinese sichuan cuisine.

This is my all time favorite Szechuan restaurants ever! This WILL be what i miss the most when I leave Boston 5/5 The food has the best flavors ever! My most favorite is their dry pot! The perfect amount of numbing spice & its byo so you get to choose what you want in it! (Beef & the fried fish are my go-to for the protein!) The fried chicken is honestly out of this world. Perfect mixture of spice, heat, & specks of sweetness! Quite unhealthy but I can also eat it up all day! You can't go wrong with the Dan Dan noodles tooo! It is spicy tooo! 5/5 The wait time for this restaurant can be a bit annoying so make sure to go when it opens. But the waiters/ host overall are friendly & fills up your water for you throughout! 4/5 The restaurants decor is very pretty with wallpapers of scenery & lots of red. But very casual area! Somewhat tight in space!

One of my favorite restaurants in boston. So affordable and a great place for college students to eat out. I would recommend the spicy wontons (i get this everytime) and the spicy mala pot. The beef stir fry is also amazing.

Great, non greasy Chinese food. It's nice and spicy too. My favorite dish is the Dandan noodles which are amazing.

This is my go to for mala dry pot and veggies! I always get the Large Mala Dry Pot and Garlic Green Beans (super good). The food comes out super fast so I'm always happy about that. The setting of the store feels comfortable and has a balance of group seats/pairs. The store gets super busy around dinner time so make sure you get there and be on the waitlist! I would come here every day if I could.

One of my favorite spots to eat in Boston to this day. The dry pot with the fish fillet is the best!

My favorite favorite favorite restaurant in Boston for anything spicy and numbing. The dry pot here is so freaking good, it's addicting. Super authentic flavors, but definitely not a place to go if you can't take tolerate spice. I've had a few of their appetizers including 凉粉，夫妻肺片, jellyfish and cold noodles. They were okay, the best time here is still the mala pot by far. A Large will fee 3-4 people, you get to choose 6 veggies and then various meats. The lamb and fried white fish fillet are my favorites.

location/parking: right in the center of allston. easily accessible by bus. I took the harvard bus in. price: between 2 people we got an appetizer, large spicy pot basket, and a couple of skewers for around $40. atmosphere: this is a spot that doesn't really cater towards westerners, as must customers are chinese-speaking or locals. Don't let that sway you from trying this place though, since you just need to scan the qr menu and talking to service staff is quite minimal. food: really good! we started off with the cold noodle mala delicacy (6.95$). We also ordered a few chives skewers which were around $2. The mala spicy dry pot was really yummy. The seasoning was so on point and you get to choice a max of 6 items for the large vegetable basket. We ordered mushrooms, noodles, boy choy, yuba, and cabbage. I think we got beef too for $4.25 more. The mala pot is the star of the show, but you definitely need to have a tolerance for spicy food to enjoy this place. last remarks: would def come back. The food is authentic and fresh, and prices are reasonable.

Really fun spot! Super busy so we had to wait and then got rushed to eat and get out. But the food was good, the service fast, and the servings huge. I love love loved the Mapo tofu. We also got a mala pot, which was less good; I generally like spicy food but found it too spicy and otherwise flavorless. But the Mapo tofu made up for it, and honestly could be a hearty meal for two all on its own. Would recommend!

Are recent favorite in the area. Food in good although the environment for dining isn't that great. But yes, so long as food is good. Recommended.

This place has some of the best food in all of Boston. Ordered the Mala Pot with Pork, beef, and fish tofu and more. Delicious Sichuan food with great prices and large portions. It can be oily and salty but that's what makes it great.

I've heard so many friends rave about this place and finally got to try it a few weeks ago! We went on a Sunday night and was seated pretty quickly. We got the dan dan noodles which were cooked very nicely and the flavor was delicious and the spicy ness was not too much. We also got the stir fried chicken which was definitely spicy but also very tasty and super juicy. Definitely a great dish for the table to share. Last but not least we got a beef mala pot with a bunch of veggies and some glass noodles. Loved all the flavors were and the spicy ness was perfect for me. This is a great place if you're craving mala!

I had an incredibly frustrating experience at this restaurant. After waiting for an hour to receive my food, enduring a 45-minute wait at the store, the cashier's rude and bad attitude added to my disappointment. The prolonged delay and poor service have left me extremely upset. I won't be returning to this restaurant.

i will say that the food is delicious and that is the one good thing i have to say. the staff is incredibly rude, do not expect good customer service here. my friend and I waited outside the restaurant due to the door being stuck, the staff watched us struggle to open it with no assistance. there were no pleasantries or hospitality. while i understand the importance of tipping, you do not get a tip for rude service. after not providing a tip to the waitress she turned around without a word and ran to her coworkers and started talking about my friend and I. Again, the food is great but don't expect hospitality.

best wontons i've ever had, it's a must order!! the crab was a little lacking in flavor but it was very decently priced for the amount but the waitress was very nice about changing flavoring of it even after ordering. mala pot was pretty good and even though we got mild it was still spicy ‍‍

Mala is one of my favorite spots in Allston when I'm craving something spicy! Most of the time there is always a wait to be seated, but the wait is worth it. The menu is huge and they also have lunch specials during the weekdays. The main star of this place is the dry pot. I always have to get this when I'm here! The menu can be a little hard to read, but the staff is helpful. I can always relive on leaving this place, happy and full.

Many mala restaurants are popping up in Allston and this is place is standing very high from the rest! It's our second time ordering the sauteed crab with salty egg yolks and let me tell you, don't skip out on the shells after prying the meat out cuz the salty egg yolk marries well with the delicious crab. You'll get plastic gloves and a cracker since part of the experience and fun is the satisfaction of extracting the meat yourself! The BBQ skewers (chicken hearts, gizzards and squid) were flavorful as well and cooked nicely with cumin and other spices. Don't forget to the order the mala spicy pot which contains a variety of delights, such as veggies, seafood and herbs. It's a no-brainer to come back.

I'm not too sure why mala restaurant has so many poor ratings, but my experience here was excellent. Parking is a bit difficult to find as there are many restaurants nearby and there is only street parking available. But after two minutes or so, I was able to find a spot a block into the neighborhood. Currently, this restaurant is using a completely electronic menu that allows for quick ordering. My girlfriend and I were feeling pretty hungry, so we ordered two appetizers: Dan Dan noodles and sliced beef and tendon assortment. We also opted for their most famous item, the dry pot. They have the option to choose from predetermined ingredients Or take your own ingredients from an assortment of meats and vegetables. They also gave you the option to choose spice level. We opted for mild and that was plenty of spice. We chose fatty beef, fish tofu, and quail eggs as our meat products and chose Lotus root, potato, tofu skin, and mushrooms. Food came out in about 10 minutes despite busy dinner service. The dry pot came in a pretty big bowl enough to share with up to 3 to 4 people. I highly recommend coming to mala restaurant if you're in the area.

Ordered this for the first time the other day and was very impressed! The spicy cold noodles are amazing but everything we got had great flavor! It was absolutely packed when we picked up our food and i understand why!

TL;DR: definitely come here if you like dry pot, it's worth the wait and a good price. This restaurant is a hidden gem not only in Allston, but in all of Boston. The food was phenomenal -- the dry pot is comparable with that of New York Flushing Chinatown and arguably better. Service: We waited for ~25 minutes for 2 people, but the food was well worth the wait. After we sat down and ordered, the food came extremely quickly. Food: I would not order the rice noodle pictured below; stick to some skewers for appetizers. The mala pot is what's worth, and for a large basket, you can get an excellent portion for 2-4 people. We got mild spice and thought that was plenty spicy (we are both Chinese and enjoy eating spicy food). We ordered lamb and beef in the mala basket -- the beef was better. The small was a hefty portion of meat. Price: Very solid pricing for delicious food. You could easily have a full meal for 2 just by ordering the mala pot, which would cost you ~$30, including the rice.

This place is a hole in the wall Sichuan spot! My girlfriend and I visit many sichuan restaurants and this place was one of our favorites. The food is tasty and price is reasonable considering their portion sizes. Everything also tasted fairly authentic. As a cherry on top, we enjoyed the cute decor and easy online menu purchasing design of the restaurant.

Hands down has the best Szechuan Spicy Ma-Po Tofu! It is perfectly spicy and numbing in all the right ways. Whenever I go to Mala, I always have to get a dry pot (pictured: not dry but it is a beef mala pot) and mapo tofu. Their portions are always big and can be shared amongst others.

I always come by here. The spice and flavor keeps me coming back. We ordered the dry pot (lotus, mushrooms, beef, fish fillet). We also got the chicken Szechuan and it was amazing. Would recommend pacing yourself because if you eat too fast you do get full. We were 3 people and this food was more than enough. We also get the fish tofu skewers, each have 4 pieces of 1.

This is my favorite cheap eats restaurant in Boston. I always get just dry pot here with a bowl of rice and it never misses!!! I'm a regular here and would highly recommend if you're looking for some spicy food. I have pretty good spice tolerance and "spicy" is perfect for me, rather than mild!