Dickson L.
Yelp
Low-key hot pot place on the corner of Harvard Ave. and Comm Ave. in Allston.
We've come several times, usually on a Friday after 5 or mid-day on a weekend. Depending on the time/day it can be pretty busy and you may need to wait.
The concept is indeed hotpot but not in the traditional sense where the boiling pot is in front of you. Instead, you pick out the raw ingredients you want in a big bowl, almost like a hot-bar style, and at the end of this "raw hot-bar" you pay by weight. You tell the guy the soup base you want and the level of spiciness (they have most of the standard flavors, nothing super unique or crazy) and they take your raw ingredients and do the hotpot-ing for you and maybe after 10-15 mins, they out to you the now-cooked ingredients in the broth you requested.
In my opinion I love this sort of casual hotpot. You pay upfront, probably get about ~1lb of raw ingredient food (or however much you want), enjoy your meal, then just get up and leave! It just seems way less... commitment - if that makes any sense - and you don't come out with your clothes and hair breathing hotpot-ness.
This doesn't replace your traditional hotpot experience, but if you're in the mood or craving for it but don't want to commit to a hotpot place, this is the perfect spot.
They have most of your standard ingredients, napa cabbage, lots of different choi, variety of mushrooms, fish cakes, seaweed, different meats - lamb, beef, there's even a wagyu that you can get (not sure how they pull that off... nor would I do wagyu for hotpot... I digress). On the side they have a generous sauce bar and free sweet tea in a giant dispenser filled with ice.
I usually get bone broth with medium spicy and about ~1lb of food. Comes out ~$20 which is fair, could be a little lower, but hey its 2025.
tldr; super causal hotpot place that's low key that's gaining quite a bit of popularity lately. Go here if you want hot pot but don't want to commit to a 'full hotpot' experience.