Tang Bar

Tang Bar is easily one of the best malatang spots we’ve been to. The ingredients are super fresh, and the broth is packed with flavor—especially the Spicy Sichuan one, which hits all the right notes. Service is friendly and quick, making the whole experience even better. Definitely a place we’ll be coming back to.

I’ve tried many hot pot places before, but this one was absolute heaven. From the setup and service to the calm, inviting atmosphere everything was perfect. And the food? My goodness. This was hands down the best hot pot I’ve ever had. The broth was rich and flavorful, and the meats were tender, fresh, and offered in so many varieties. The next time I land in Seattle, this will be my very first stop straight from the airport.

The food selection at this Ma La Tang is above average, and the restaurant feels clean and well-maintained. The customers need to wears gloves while picking up the food, which is a nice touch. The food is weighed and paid for at the end of raw food bar, just like other Ma La Tang restaurants. The cost of the food is $14.99 per pound, which is the same as other Ma La Tang restaurants. I’ve had reasonable $25ish meals at other Ma La Tang restaurants, but this time the cost was a bit shocking. Before tax and tips, it came to $34, and with tax and tips, it came to $43. I could have gone to a hotpot restaurant for a much better meal for the cost of almost $45. The staff at the counter was very nice, and with the long line behind me; I didn’t try to see how much weigh is my food and was the bowl got subtracted, it was a very heavy bowl. They also have options to select a more traditional, heavier soup base or a less salty soup base, which was nice. However, the “less salty” soup was so salty that I couldn’t have too much of it. I heard the same comment from the couple sitting next to us. I guess if it’s the original soup, it wouldn’t be edible. Overall, the environment and the service are good, but I’m not sure why the food was so much heavier than what I typically pay for at other Ma La Tang restaurants. I received a big bowl from the kitchen, but most of it was soup, which isn’t included in the weight. It was a bit pricey, so we won’t be having this too often.

They just had a grand opening around a week ago and they have several other branches throughout the US. The options were plentiful and the self serve aspect was so fun! They also provided a sauce bar and takeout containers so you can take your leftovers home. We ended up making a whole other meal with our leftovers. The price was pretty good, too, at $15 per pound. Oh and the restaurant was really pretty. They have a nice water feature with real fish in it. It was nice and bright.

We came around 8pm ish and there was a line to get in there. We know they close at 9pm. Luckily the line kept moving ever so slowly but we got in. They have the big metal bowl and tongs and plastic gloves for you to grab the ingredients you want for them to cook for you. You can have it with broth or savory mix (basically dry-ish with a wee bit of broth at the bottom.) Because of how busy it was, we waited about 15-20 minutes until we got our food. We did szechuan spicy in both broth and savory mix and it tasted wonderful. To us, it's not too spicy, it was just the right amount and yet still flavorful. They have a sauce bar too. The employee thought I spoke mandarin, but I just told her one of the few words that I know in mandarin which is "hàochī" means delicious. As you can see from the pictures, we stayed until their closing time. It was a great experience that I'm pretty sure won't be our last time being there. As a person who doesn't like waste, we loved the fact that they have to-go containers and plastic bags close to the sauce bar for you to bring home your leftovers. We know we're going to bring home some leftovers, so we appreciate that a lot. The employees were super friendly and patient, the atmosphere was inviting and open, the service was exceptional. Thank you, we will definitely come back!

Lovely atmosphere, pretty good food! I recommend the Szechuan spice as it is the most flavorful and the spice is numbing so it isn’t too severe. I was happy with my selection and experience. Also there are fish to watch. One complaint was a small fly/bug floating in my broth… but overall positive.

We were very impressed by this place. Employees were friendly the moment we walked in the door, offering instruction and options. Out of several malatang restaurants we've been to recently Tang Bar has the most well designed food bays with a clear layout and nice wooden structure that fits the modern design of the restaurant. Most importantly, the food tasted great; ingredients were very fresh during my visit. I chose the mushroom broth during my first visit and would only recommend it to vegetarians, but the spicy malatang is incredible. I'd go as far as to say that this is the best individual hot pot I've had in Bellevue.

My main issue is the broth. There’s no clear indication of a flagship broth on the menu. Basically the menu is set up from least spicy to most spicy. Not any real descriptions to know what else is in there. I got the “just a kick” broth which felt like it was lacking something. My friend got the mushroom broth and it was too light and bland. Even adding sauces in it didn’t help. The dry sweet and spicy my other friend got and it was the best out of the three. I think it’s a soy based broth a well. If they could fix the broth this place could go a long way. Staff was nice and the selection was vast. Meat selection was nice and big. Sauce bar was just okay. I was upset that they don’t have basic sesame oil. Maybe cause it’s too expensive? The ambiance is nice and welcoming. Unless the broth was better I’m not sure I would go back since I live in seattle. Also $3.5 for a can of Coca Cola without a cup of ice is highway robbery