Qiao Lin Hotpot - Chicago Downtown

To start off, the food here is very good. They have a wide choice of selections and the also have different broths. You can have up to three different broths so it is really flexible. The meat is also very fresh. They also have lots of kinds of meat, fish, and other vegan options. They have a free bar where you can make your own sauce and get free sides like French fries and chips. Th egg also have lots of soups. The service was amazing but the waiter could be around more. However, he was very polite and pleasant to speak with. The atmosphere was also very clean and it is easy to talk with private rooms and also nice tables with comfy chairs. The music is also relaxing to listen to.

I had a fantastic experience at Qiao Lin in Chicago! The food was fresh, flavorful, and perfect for a cozy night out. They had a great variety of broth bases, meats, seafood, and veggies, everything was high quality and beautifully presented. What really made the night special, though, was our waitress Janette. She was soooo warm, attentive, and helpful, especially for those of us who weren’t too familiar with the hot pot process. She checked in often, made great recommendations, and always had a smile. Janette’s service turned an awesome meal into a wonderful memorable experience! Highly recommend this spot and if you’re lucky, you’ll get Janette as your server too!

All the items on the menu are generous, shareable portions that make it perfect for group dining. The prices are a little bit on the higher side in my opinion (still lower than Haidilao🌚). My favorite was the mushroom broth which stands out for its rich, earthy flavor and the homemade meatballs are a must try!! It's great to have this authentic hotpot spot conveniently located in the heart of the city. During our visit, Mitchell provided outstanding hospitality. She was very attentive, knowledgeably guided us through the menu. Thanks Mitchell! I Highly recommend this location!

First time ever going to a hotpot. The establishment was super clean, the food was very fresh and delicious. What made my experience even better was the service. My server Jonah was very friendly and entertaining. He made the entire experience wonderful. The manager was very engaging and made sure I enjoyed my meal. I highly recommend this establishment! They have vegetarian options as well! Mushroom broth with vegetables.

This place has such a fun vibe, great view and cool tables. The staff were nice but our waiter was overall slower than preferred at the end, not bad just wanted to leave. Definitely plan to be here and relax for a while, the food is incredible, the veggies are fresh and so good. The meat is also fresh looking, definitely use their cooking recommendations for how long to cook everything. We got the level 1 spicy broth (I am a spicy lover and could have made it to level 2 but if you’re not a spicy person stay at 1 it’s still got a lot of heat). We also got the mushroom and tripe broth. All delicious! We got almost all the veggies, tofu, garlic chicken, beef skewers, scallops, dumplings, and spring rolls. Our spring rolls were hot on the outside and very cold on the inside. For drinks I got an Ube Colada, it was very sweet, but good, and my partner got a whisky flight. This place is great for a date night. Definitely make a reservation, we made one a week prior for 6:30pm on a Friday.

I visited the Qiao Lin Downtown branch a few days ago with my mom who’s visiting me from abroad. I had been craving spicy hotpot for a while and wanted to treat her to something special. Unfortunately, the experience didn’t turn out the way we had hoped. Midway through our meal, we found a hair in our food—something that immediately turned our stomachs. We were both wearing long sleeves, my mom has grey hair mine’s long and it clearly wasn’t ours. It was deeply unsettling especially considering we had ordered a lot of food for just the two of us. We informed our waiter, who simply asked if we were okay. We didn’t want to cause a scene, so we said yes and tried to continue with our meal even tho the incident had already put us off. He asked if I needed a new plate but I had already grabbed one myself. Beyond that, there was no follow-up, no reassurance about how they handle hygiene—nothing. We ended up spending over $200 including 20% tip, which I wouldn’t mind paying if the dining experience felt clean and respectful. But with what happened, I walked away disappointed and concerned about the restaurant’s hygiene standards and customer care. This was supposed to be a special meal and sadly it turned out to be a very unpleasant one.

Tldr: Amazing chinese hotpot Has with a wide selection and variety of meats (lamb, frog, etc.), sweets, mountain vegetables, and tasty drinks. Also has a range of selection of self serving cold dishes and dipping sauces. Happy hour is 3:00-6:00 pm on Saturday w/ $5 drafts and $10 cocktails. Will come back again!

We had a fantastic dining experience at Qiaolin Hotpot today, visiting their downtown branch for the first time. Everything we ordered was super fresh and excellent. The service was top notch, despite the fact that the restaurant was so full.Kris was our server and he was fantastic. He was really attentive and came to check on us regularly. The entire crew was attentive and made sure we were well taken care of. Highly recommended.

Really solid and good quality hot pot soup base and hot pot items. ask for tim he is such a fun waiter and gave us great service!

Amazing overall, service and selections are great :) My favorite hot pot place in all of Chicago and our server Tim was amazing!

It was our first time having hot pot and at this restaurant and it was amazing! Our server, Jonah, did an amazing job helping us through the process. Would definitely recommend!

First time trying hot pot and I can't wait to go back ! My waiter was extremely helpful and nice, he gave us recommendations , how to prepare some of his favorite sauces , he explained the cooking time for each type of meat and even gave us ideas on what to order the next time we're there . We tried the tomato , chicken and mushroom soup , my favorite meats were the shrimp, fish and beef. I would probably skip the chicken & meatballs , however the mushrooms & noodles are a must . For $2.99 extra you can add the sauce bar , which has everything you can imagine to make all types of dipping sauces . We went during lunch and boba was buy one get one half off so we ended up trying a couple different ones , they were good but super sweet , I couldn't finish my drink . As far as ambience the restaurant looks really clean and modern , service was fast and it wasn't loud at all . I really liked that every table is separated from the rest , so it feels private & intimate . It's the perfect place to have a quiet lunch during a weekday or a nice date .

I love hot pot and this place did not disappoint! The ambiance, service, and quality of food was really nice! I was shocked when they said they'd only been open for about 9 months?? Our waiter was super sweet and informative in explaining the menu. Everyone who came by was so kind and helpful. The proteins and broths were really tasty. This place is clean as well which is something i always look for especially when it comes to the sauce bar. We got the mushroom & chicken broth and really enjoyed them. The smoothies were fresh and so good! Definitely will be back to try them out. Would recommend if you're in the mood for hot pot!

This is one of my favorite places for hot pot in the city! The servers are kind and accommodating. The interior of the restaurant is bright and spacious, making it a great place for large groups. I also like how they offer individual pots for solo diners. All of the ingredients are fresh, but I am always impressed the most by the thinly sliced meat options. The golden chicken collagen soup is also a must!

Beautiful dining experience thanks to incredible friendly professional waiter, Jonah, who explained thoroughly the abundant choices of sauces, proteins, vegetables, and more! Atmosphere is bright and cheerful with clean, abundant dining spaces. As a solo diner, I was seated at a very quaint bar like counter. Food was presented beautifully and an extraordinarily fresh variety. Plenty of leftovers for the next wonderful meal.

This was so much fun! I opted for the spicy broth since it's one of the more popular options, and you better like spicy foods if you're getting this one! It was a wonderful mix of chili spice and the numbing spice - I figured that was from those Szechuan peppercorns I saw in the broth. The garlic chicken was succulent, but the most outstanding hotpot items were the homemade pork meatballs and the mushrooms! The sauce bar has all of the things you could ever want. Plus, there were some cold salads like the wood-ear mushroom, seaweed, and tripe salads. I also enjoyed the little packaged snacks around the sauce bar. There's this gummy candy (Haocaitou Sour Gummy Candy) I got from one of the jars and I'm obsessed. I have no idea where to buy them, so I might go back just for those candies. The best part was all those shrimp chips you could get! The drinks menu is extensive. I opted for a Thai milk tea, which was a classic and came out quickly. The service was awesome. Jonah was my server today, and he was attentive, engaging, and knowledgeable! This is a sleek-looking restaurant, and I can imagine how great it would be for groups.

A little pricey but it's worth it!! You could probably cut down on costs by going with a big group since the broth price is the same regardless and you can split into three broths! The ambiance was very chill and nice. Service didn't come by too often but it was enough. Sauce bar at this location is amazing and takes up the whole center bar. You could fill yourself up just with the sides and desserts here. Quality of all the items is good and you get a good portion with each order so I'd recommend you just order one of anything and see how much comes out before getting multiple. We were struggling to finish everything we ordered by the end.

Such a unique experience! I have to give a huge shoutout to Jean, my boyfriend and I had never been to hotpot before and Jean made our experience wonderful and un intimidating. Really neat interior and location. Excellent presentation, service and experience. Can't wait to bring friends and family.

We came for lunch on a Friday and they had a lunch special for restaurant week. We ordered 2 lunch specials. There was no wait so we were seated at a bigger table. They have a sauce bar which also includes dessert and appetizers. We got three broths- chicken, mushroom and pork. All the broths were so flavorful and worked perfectly with the food. My favorite was the chicken broth. The set included chicken, waygu beef, mushrooms, fish, beef balls and various veggies. Everything was very good and we were stuffed at the end of our meal. Our server was also so attentive. He would check in on us and refills our broth without us asking. Absolutely amazing experience!

Absolutely phenomenal! I've had hot pot all over Asia and grew up eating hot pot on a weekly basis growing up in the Midwest. Qiao Lin is actually up there in terms of quality, variety, and taste. The location is a beautiful location and is always packed. There is a ton of options spanning from traditional meat to obscure Chinese delicacies and favorites. The golden broth is one of the most flavorful broths I've had and all meats are good - didn't have one we didn't like. It is a little more expensive than other places, but everything is fresh and worth it. The noodles are all freshly made noodles that are a great way to wrap up the meal. Highly recommend !

No better place to get authentic hotpot than at Qiao Lin! The downtown location is beautiful and spacious with two sauce/appetizer stations. We've dined in here twice so far and both times have been fantastic. I love their golden chicken broth, and their pepper pork and tomato based broths are all great to try. I personally prefer nonspicy broths but I do enjoy their classic spicy broth. Make sure to finish your meal with some of their knife cut noodles, it's the best way to finish off your meal. They also have options for the single diner and you can order a single person pot and sit with the other single diners. It's helpful to make a Yelp reservation if you're coming during prime dining hours, otherwise the wait can be quite long.

I went to this hotpot spot for Chicago's restaurant week, and it was a fun dining experience. Sunday lunch was busy but was able to get a seat with no wait time. The entrance was bright and cheery and was greeted immediately and seated promptly. The restaurant week menu features some of their favorite options. For $30, you were able to choose 3 different broths, a variety of veggies, and three proteins cook. There was also an unlimited dip station nearby to concoct your favorite sauce. At first, it was difficult to find somebody to explain the very expansive menu, so the restaurant week menu was perfect for a newbie. This is ideal for a group of people or family outing as they have small "rooms" to accommodate this as well as a main dining room. Of course if you are solo, there is a bar section which backs up to the kitchen where solos can sit, although not ideal for privacy or for people who do not like to be on display as it was a little exposed.

We had walked by this place several times and finally got to go on a whim tonight. The restaurant is ginormous with multiple tables appropriate for group gatherings. Towards the front of the restaurant when you enter, you will walk past a buffet style area, which has all your DIY sauces as well as some appetizers and soups. This section of the food is all you can eat for $5.95/person. Once you take a seat, you get to choose your hot pot broth base. There are seven choices and you can choose up to three different types of broth. Since this was our first time, we decided to try three. Everything else, including the meat are à la carte. My husband and I ended up liking the non-flavored meat. The marinated beef was pretty spicy on its own and was pretty heavy as well. We really enjoyed the pepper pork broth as it was similar to tonkotsu ramen broth. On the menu that you receive, it'll list how many minutes you need to cook each item which I thought was a nice touch. I really enjoyed the variety of noodles they had as well. This time we only tried the hand cut noodles and the sweet potato noodles which was recommended by our waitress. If you're someone who likes the texture of mochi, I think you'll really enjoy the sweet potato noodles. Our go-to meat for any sort of Asian barbecue is thinly sliced beef tongue. And this place did not disappoint either. Although this is my first time eating beef tongue in a hot pot style, wherever they're getting their cows, it was one of the best beef qualities I've had in a long time. Service did slow down after our first set of orders, but we ultimately got everything we wanted so nothing to complain here. There's also no time limit. If you need to refresh your pallet after the heaviness of all the meat you consume in the hot pot, I highly suggest getting one of the shaved ice. I felt so refreshed eating this after the mounds of meat we ate. Overall, the more the merrier, and I would go with a group of people who are adventurous and able to eat quite a bit so that you can try different types of dishes.

We've been a loyal Qiao Lin customer. We always go to the Chinatown location just because it's close to our home. We went to this location 4 times so far. And the only time that I've been disappointed was because they lost my reservation and I had to wait for another 40 minutes. One thing about this location that I love is that they have the premium seafood. For someone like me who is a pescatarian, this is like a dream come true. The downtown location is definitely fancier than the Chinatown location. Everything just looks nice and neat. We'll be back soon to this location.

Hands-down one of the best hotpot experiences I've had! We made reservations a few weeks in advance, and it was totally worth it. We got seated right away and dove into three delicious broths: golden collagen chicken, Tom yum, and medium spicy. All three were fantastic, but the golden collagen chicken is a must-try--so flavorful and rich! The portion sizes were just right for our group of four. We didn't need to order extra, and we finished everything. The restaurant was clean, and the waitstaff was attentive, making sure we had everything we needed throughout the meal. If you're in Chicago and craving hotpot, Qiao Lin is worth every bit of the wait!

Qiao Lin's latest location is a hot pot lover's dream! The space is sleek and modern, with a stylish bar that sets the tone for an upscale experience. The broths are fantastic - especially the creamy chicken collagen soup. I highly recommend if you're not a spicy person. Ingredients are fresh and high-quality (though the fruit was a bit old). The service is attentive, and the sauce stations were plentiful. Qiao Lin is a must-visit for those in search of authentic but modern hot pot. Worth every penny. -AT

If it's your first time here, ask for Tim! He's hilarious and will definitely go out of his way to make sure that you have the best experience. We walked in close to closing time and he still made sure to take care of us. The whole concept is really cool! It's not just a regular hotpot spot. You get free fruit, free desserts/appetizers, and free snacks. Plus you can make any combination of sauces/toppings you want. There's a HUGE sauce bar that truly makes this place worth it. You pay for the actual hotpot soup, which you can pick 3 flavors. And then you pay for the meats/noodles. We got the spicy one (get a level one - Tim was right, I'm Pakistani and LOVE spicy food, but this Level 1 had my nose dripping and my ears ringing). Then we got the Tom Yum one and the Garlic one. All 3 were great, but I think the only one I would repeat is the spicy one. Also the thinly sliced beef was great, but the chicken was a little rubbery and came out weird in the hotpot, would not recommend that. Overall, GREAT experience and we walked out with full bellies and plenty of fun snacks/candies to try later on. Can't wait to be back and try the other hotpot soup flavors and meats.

The quality of the meats and veggies at this place is really good! I love the different broths that they have- in particular, I highly recommend the golden chicken broth! The service is excellent! We had Jonah and he was really great, attentive, friendly, but not overbearing. They have a sauce/appetizer station that you can add onto your meal for an extra charge of $3.99 a person. It can get a little pricey as all of the different food items add up. The last few times I went it ended up being approximately $40 a person. But I think it's worth it, especially for special occasions!

I was really excited when one of my favorite hotpot spots opened a downtown location! The interior is spacious and nicely designed, but there were a few issues with our experience. First, there's no street parking, and we only found out about the validated parking at a nearby garage after our meal. There was no signage about this anywhere, which would've been helpful. As for the food, the hotpot ingredients were fresh, and the sauce bar was clean with a nice selection of appetizers, which we really enjoyed. However, we got the beef set, which was a bit disappointing. At $98, I expected higher-quality cuts. While the unmarinated beef cuts were good, the marinated ones were tough and just didn't taste right. The biggest issue was the service. We kept having items brought to our table that we hadn't ordered, and we received the wrong dishes at least three times. We also had to follow up multiple times for things we had ordered, and our Xiao Long Bao never made it to the table. On the positive side, one staff member quickly rectified the situation and offered us complimentary watermelon juice, though it was unfortunately flavorless. One important safety concern: at the end of the meal, while I was bending down to turn off the stove, a staff member carrying a pot of hot soup rushed by me without any warning. If I had stood up, it could have resulted in a serious accident. Overall, while the food and broth were good, and the restaurant was clean, the service needs improvement. Hopefully, with time and more training, this location will live up to the brand's usual standards.

A hot pot spot in the Michelin Guide? Mmk, I see you! Qiao Lin was very tasty. Tim, our server, was busy but super helpful. He helped to manage our order so we didn't order too much. He even helped to refrigerate a birthday cake and track down a knife for us. We did the yinyang pot with ma la (mild - was plenty!) and chicken herbal (really nice broth). In terms of the fixins: *The celtuce and sweet potato noodles were better than the ones I've usually had. *Spacious sauce and snack bar with lots of cold dishes (even chicken feet!). *For your birthday, they give you a free kobe beef! *Next time, I have to order the amazing looking cow display thing with all the cuts of meat! It must be the beef combo. I don't usually order dessert at hot pot places but their brown sugar rice cake thing is pretty delightful and unique, so get it! All in all, we were stuffed for about ~$70 per couple (for a 6 person/3 couple table!) Pretty reasonable for THAT amount of food & quality!

Truly a hot pot lover's dream. We came by for lunch on a Saturday afternoon, and we joined the waitlist on Yelp prior to our arrival. It gave us a notice of when to check in which was super helpful. Upon your arrival there are 2 parking lots that are complimentary, though on the weekend you may have to circle around a few times before you find a spot but it wasn't too bad. When we entered the restaurant we were greeted by the hostess that told us our table will be ready in a few minutes right around the waitlist quote time and gave us the menu to look over as we waited. When we got to the table, water pitchers were brought out and we were offered aprons to keep our clothes clean. We decided to try three different broths, their original, the mushroom and their new chicken broth. Along with a variety of meats. I love that the menu they provided gave us time on how long to cook things. The presentation was so much fun as well, we loved eating our way through different broths and were able to try all sorts of flavors. There was even a sauce bar for folks to BYO sauce. I made a soy/vinegar sauce and I barely used it becuase the flavors of the broth were so delish! I loved all the broths, though the mildest one was still too spicy for me. So we had tried a few different beverages- the watermelon one was a great balance and the lychee one was not too sweet with popping bubbles. An hour and a half later we were so full. But the best part is, because it's a la carte you can take your stuff home. Not like an AYCE place which gives you the ability to enough. It the next day as well. All in all, the staff was super attentive and checked on us often. We can't wait for our next hot pot excursion!

We have visited this restaurant several times with groups of more than five. It is always busy, but the staff is very friendly and accommodating. They offer a variety of protein and vegetarian options, including some that are considered exotic and not typical for everyday tastes. If you're feeling adventurous, you can try frog legs, pork brains, and intestines. This place is a must-visit. Please note that it is not an all-you-can-eat (AYCE) establishment.

Qiao Lin has a new location in Streeterville and it is such a great addition to the area! The wait can be long, but they do have a lot of tables for larger (5+ parties). We put our names down via the app so we could walk around and just enjoy the area before our table was ready. On a busy Saturday, it was about an hour wait for 3 people around 6pm. The food was delicious! The meat portions are very generous - we ordered 3 meat dishes for 3 people, but a plate of lamb and the one meter beef would have been enough for the 3 of us with all of the veggies/noodles we also got. The broths are great - the spicy one has a little too much oil for my preference, but the mushroom and chicken broths were perfect. I was pleasantly surprised that we could do 3 broths in one pot at no extra charge. Service is quick and they have buffet style apps/sauces with a generous variety. We definitely left very full and very satisfied with the friendliness and high quality of service as well. I would definitely come back to this spot anytime!

So so good! I've been to the Chinatown one multiple times and this one is also very very good. I loved the diversity and spectrum of side dishes and desserts this branch had compared to the Chinatown one. Service was great as well. There was a hair in the broth and they immediately replaced it and took it off our check! Getting to the restaurant was a bit more of a challenge than the Chinatown one (they validate parking so you only have to pay $5, but the parking structure is a bit of a walk away down a flight of stairs), but I called and someone gave me really good directions!

The downtown location is classy and there's a cool vibe. The food is delicious with good quality meats, vegetables and noodles. The broths are full flavored and the staff will refill when it depletes. You can bring wine in. And I like the sauce bar. Has plenty of what we want. Totally recommend

The service here was amazing, and the staff were super attentive and friendly. Compared to the Chinatown location, the ambiance is cleaner and more modern. The food tastes exactly the same, but when we went, they had more special items. Overall, it was a great experience, and I would definitely come back.

We made a reservation the week prior for Sunday at 5pm and it was pretty crowded by the time we left! We got a dual pot- the mild Chong Qing spicy and the herbal chicken broth. The herbal chicken broth was so good and the mild spicy broth was very spicy. I wished they had more vegetable options but overall everything was good. Everything was presented beautifully and the service was wonderful!

I knew I wanted to get hot pot while I was in Chicago and I'm glad that I chose this place. I have had hot pot before but this was my first time at this restaurant. My server, Calvin, was really nice and took the time to explain the menu to me. Would definitely recommend for those who are in the area and want some soup to warm up in the winter. Most likely to return before my trip ends because they don't have a location in my area

I dont really eat hotpot bc i dont like certain herbs or flavor in hot pot broths elsewhere but this place i liked it. There were 4 or 5 soup options and chicken w collagen and mushroom broth were the best. Meat portions were way too small. Very thin pieces and if you combine all those thin slices it wont even be enough for one person portion for regular meal. And imagine that small piece of meat they slice thin as paper and sell it for $20 something. And service was strange. We got 3 different servers all saying they were our server.

Amazing experience and such a great vibe! Our server Kenya went above and beyond and made my birthday dinner very memorable! Great service from everyone on the team :) Food was delicious!

火锅很地道，辣的选3辣和重庆的中低辣差不多，辣中带麻。饮品选择特别多，有各种奶茶。食材很地道：牛肉是雪花的，羊肉一米上来很震撼，胗子和腰片不腥，豆腐和包浆豆腐都很入味儿。免费小菜和小料特别多，饵丝切得很细，免费的冰粉和杨枝甘露很好喝。大概70%是中国人，30%是韩国人白人。周一晚上去的，大概坐满了一半，整个餐厅非常大。

This was such a fantastic time!!! :D I went with a group of friends, and some of us have dietary restrictions, so we were a little nervous about going in. But, our server, Tim, really made things easy, and it was so nice to have a server so well informed about not only the menu, but our food sensitivities and needs. One of my friends in our party has ARFID *and* allergies, and it makes eating out pretty difficult for them, and I'm autistic, so I have a few textural issues when it comes to food. Tim was one of the few servers we've ever interacted with who knows what ARFID is, and was super accommodating! He recommended the golden chicken to my friend and they really loved it. It was so great to have food my friend could safely enjoy. I'm a big fan of having a nice wine to pair with my meal, too. Tim made sure to recommend some great stuff. I had a great time. The accommodations made for my group were so thoughtful. Food was fantastic, service was great...Can't wait to come back!

Grateful to have a solid hotpot option in downtown Chi! As someone who isn't a big fan of AYCE I appreciate being able to pick and choose what we order, and overall it was decently priced. The sauce bar is very worth it because it comes with not only sauce but a huge variety of snacks, fruits, dessert, and appetizers like seaweed salad and tofu dishes! The interior was modern and clean and the food was wonderful- we got the Tom Yum broth and a level 1 spicy broth. The tom yum broth was my favorite! My one complaint is that we ordered two beef dishes (one meter sliced beef) and we waited so long for it to come out that we had finished eating all of our side ingredients, and even saw other tables that arrived after us get the dish first - it look around an hour for the beef to finally arrive. Our waiter was a little dismissive of the situation as well, and did not handle it well. Overall I would still be back because of the quality of the food, but felt it was an issue that we were missing a major part of our meal until the very end. Food: 5/5 Price: 4/5 Service: 3/5 Ambience: 5/5

Came here for a birthday dinner with friends and we all thoroughly enjoyed our experience! Our server, Jonah, was super friendly and attentive to our party! We will definitely be back! :)

This restaurant is a yes for me!! I had never dined at a Hot Pot restaurant. I went with friends who showed me the ropes. They were great teachers. Tucked away, just off of Michigan Avenue between The Magnificent Mile and Streeterville neighborhoods. The restaurant is large and gorgeous! It's modern, stylish and super clean and organized. All of the items were fresh and beautiful. We chose so many different things. The Yuzu martini paired perfectly with all of the veggies and meats. The owners, a husband and wife duo were so gracious and friendly. They were helpful and made sure we were taken care of. You can park below NBC Tower. The restaurant validates so parking is only $5!! In the heart of the city that is magic! Beautiful room, great service and delicious food is a winner. Run to this restaurant!

I was here two days ago and the food was so good I had to come back. It's my day off and all I could think about was Qiao Lin Hotpot I feel like I'm in a spirited away film when I walk in here! It's my heaven on earth hehe and Jonah is the best! He even put our clothes in laundry baskets so they don't absorb the smells. Amazing!

We've dined at hotpot restaurants in many cities in China and in the U.S., and Qiao Lin was undoubtedly one of the best. Since we didn't want to overeat, the three of us just ordered two servings of Freshly Cut Short Ribs and one serving of Stuffed Fish Balls, plus some vegetables and noodles. The meat was clearly of the highest quality, and the two types of broth (Chongqing Spicy Broth and Herbal Chicken Broth) in the half-and-half pot were both very tasty. There was a wide range of ingredients that diners can choose for their sauces to flavor the cooked food. The sauce that I mixed was very good, but I initially forgot to add vinegar. So, I wish that the restaurant would also provide a bowl of their recommended sauce mix for diners to try. We were pleasantly surprised at the total bill, which was only slightly above $100, partly because we didn't over-order or overeat as most diners do at hotpot restaurants.

Management is horrible. My time "eating" took just under THREE HOURS because our pot was malfunctioning and would not boil. Food was fine once I had been there for an hour waiting for it to start cooking (and as long as I didn't try to put in more than 2 pcs of meat). Want to make clear - our waiter was wonderful!! He was checking in on us, seeing if there was anything he could do. When after an hour (literally) of sitting there only being able to cook 4 pieces of meat we asked to switch tables, he was super helpful and advocated for us to move. Clarifying management is the issue because multiple times we could hear him advocate for us and management doing everything they could to avoid fixing our problem. Frustrating when we sat down at our table at 6:30 and left the restaurant at 9:15 - only because we could not get the broth hot enough to actually boil and cook our food. I regret not speaking further with management directly (only once when they agreed to move our table). A testament to managements terribleness - they sat a new couple at the malfunctioning table. When leaving we walked by - they were having the same exact issue. Their meat was sitting raw in liquid that's supposed to be boiling (you know...so you don't get food poisoning). Wouldn't go to this location again, only the Chinatown one. Had high hopes but management disappointed. I should mention - our waiter asked us if we'd like a second round of drinks or dessert comped. After drinking a bottle of soju on an empty stomach and being too full (but also not wanting this to be an over three hour dinner) we declined extra drinks and desserts, they didn't comp a single item. Guessing that was at managements request - because again, our waiter was wonderful. Another example of management doing everything to help the restaurant, not the guests. After sitting there for over two hours (and only ordering 2 plates of meat, 2 veggie plates, and one additional side dish) our $15 bottle of soju should have been comped, without asking. If you're seated in the 2 person booth next to the sauce bar further back - ask to be moved or be prepared to waste your time (and/or risk food poisoning!!).

Service was very nice and attentive, everyone that worked there was patient and fast with responses and bringing food, refilling broth, and taking plates. Ambiance was fun and lovely, the self serve sauce bar had lots of options and fresh fruit. It was super crowded on Friday night and we were on the waitlist for about 1.5 hours. However, after our meal we starting getting stomachaches and the rest of the night and next day was spent going back and forth to the restroom. This was particularly unfortunate as we were here on a weekend trip and had to stay close to restrooms the whole next day. I am not sure what we are that made us feel this way, but it makes me wary of coming back. We tried the meter long beef, pork belly, beef short rib, shrimp paste, mushroom assortment, bean curd, and baby bok choy. Everything tasted good and was delicious with the sauce we made. This would've been 5 stars if we had not gotten sick.

I came here for dinner with friends for some warm delicious food on a rainy cold night and it sure hit the spot! Our server was very helpful as it was our first time and recommended what we should try. We got 3 broths which were the level one spicy broth, mushroom broth, and pepper pork tripe broth which were very flavorful. The spice level is no joke, and even for all of us who enjoy a good level of spice, the level one was more than enough. We got the one meter sliced beef and pork belly and accompanied this with various veggies, tofu, and 2 types of noodle (knife-cut and fresh noodle) both of which were great. The meat was delicious and we really enjoyed being able to go to the side bar to get whatever fixings and salads and other side dishes as many times as we wanted. Overall, it was a really fun experience and we would definitely come back. The service was really friendly and attentive and super helpful as this was a new experience for us. It's really refreshing to have a hotpot place in this part of the city so if you're looking for an authentic culinary experience, this is definitely worth a try.

This place is pretty awesome! The staff is s attentive and courteous and they are very knowledgeable about allergens in the food etc! So many meat and vegetables choices I was a bit overwhelmed!! The single complaint I have is that their basic spicy broth is scalding and melt your face spicy! Not for the faint of heart!! I like spicy and this was inedible for me..... the sauce bar has all sorts of offerings and worth the extra money!! They have so many drink options for you that it's hard to decide!! Plan on spending about $50 a person without alcohol or bobas but I would definitely be back to the restaurant....posh and classy for a hot pot place!!!

Our server is Jonah. He is super amazing, his service is super kind. The food is also really good too with I can say Fried pork is tasty

We went there last night with our friends and although it wasn't our first time as we've tried hot pot in our city or Boston; it was there's and it certainly wasn't a let down. For starters we had Elle as our server and she was beyond amazing! Her warm attitude really made us feel comfortable, she knew the menu inside and out and gave us amazing recommendations! She went above and beyond and made sure our food and drinks came out on time and was kind enough to even help the busier when he had too much food! She checked on us and for us what we needed promptly! Although a busy night, the food was amazing, management was kind and friendly and the place was super clean. However our server Elle truly made our experience a 10/10! We will most certainly be back and hoping to have Elle as our server once again! Thanks Elle!

Wonderful experience. Delicious and fresh! Our amazing waiter Jonah was curious and attentive!

Fresh , healthy and extremely delicious. My first hot pot, but certainly not my last . We had the chicken broth and for our vegan we had the mushroom broth

Visiting from Austin, Texas stumbled upon this place while walking around I give it 10 stars. If I could it is amazing. The food is delicious. The staff was extremely friendly. If you've never had hot pot, this place would be a great first experience.

Let me just start by saying that I love the Chinatown location. This was how I found out that they opened a second location. I decided to have my birthday celebration here. I celebrated exactly one day after my birthday. I took 8 other guest with me and booked the biggest table. For Chicago, our weather is unpredictable. It was 90+ degree outside and I decided to celebrate with hotpot. In addition, we had a severe thunderstorm. This played an important part as we were soaked by running from the parking lot. We came in soaking wet and the hostess was lost for words. She quickly sat us at our table. It is a small three wall area with a large bench and six chairs surrounding the rest of the table. The space had no area for personal belongings (which is important to know for the winter months, good luck finding an area for your winter coat!). In addition to the small room for 9 people, when you cook your food.... The people sitting on the bench and the people sitting near the entrance of the room will suffer. The heat that blows out from the hot pot stove... IS UNBEARABLE. We brought it up to our server and many other staff members. "That's just how this room was built" was the response we got. For the rest of the restaurant, there was constant airflow and plenty of ventilation. If you get stuck in that little "private room" beware of the heat that comes under the stove. So in terms of space... 2/5 stars in my opinion. In terms of food, service was quick and food quality was wonderful. Everything was fresh for the most part. Everything was delicious (except the yogurt, keep in mind that it is Chinese style yogurt but for some reason, it was so slimy). The broth was constantly being refilled and honestly really good food. Also, I mentioned in the beginning that I came here for a birthday celebration but yet.. there was no special offer or treatment or cake for the birthday. For the Chinatown location, they have a special item for you but it was not offered last night. The only reason I felt celebrated was because of my friends and not by Qiao Lin. All in all, the summary of the reviews I see so far is that the restaurant is working out some kinks. Hopefully they take my review in consideration.