Pixiu Mala Hongtang PDX - Experience Hot Pot with a Twist in Portland, OR

I went for lunch here for the first time and got the soup option. I got a stainless steel mixing bowl and added fresh cabbage, bok choy, sprouts, mushrooms, chives, shrimp, surimi/crab, dumplings, beef, and corn flour noodles. The hostess asked me whether I wanted a soup or stir fry. I opted for soup. I felt like my soup bowl came pretty quickly and everything was cooked in the most delicious vegetarian based broth. The broth had so much flavor and complemented all of my veggies, seafood, and meat so well. I loved it. I got a one star spice level and it was perfect for me. If you can’t handle spicy food, let your server know after you’ve put your bowl together so that they know to not add too much red pepper. Say that you want “zero stars” and add that you don’t want pepper. I definitely coming back here. It was a generous amount of food and it felt healthy.

This place is such a hidden gem! It’s like a build-your-own hotpot, and every bite is packed with incredible flavor. Tucked away in the Northwest neighborhood, it definitely deserves way more recognition. It may be counter service, but the care and attention they give you feels like full table service. And trust me—this praise is coming from an Asian foodie. Game on.

Our favorite place to eat! We’ve been here so many times, love the food, but I have some notes 1. Please have a proper spoon for the soup. Their main food is a soup and they only provide tiny small tea spoons. Doesn’t make sense!! 2. Spicy level is not consistent. We always order 3 spicy level, but they are always different. Sometimes not spicy at all, sometimes super spicy. 3. Tastes different depends on who cooks. I always put same ingredients, but I feel like depends on who is cooking that day, tastes different. I always wish the older asian man would be there (I think he is the owner and he makes it the best!) 4. Bring the yellow radish pickle backkk!! Pleaseee!!

Food was delicious! Rich and full of flavor. Love the option to make your own bowl

Full disclosure: I am a very picky foodie and I shy away from anything that looks like a buffet. I reluctantly tried Pixiu Mala Hontang over a year ago and it is now one of my top 3 favorite restaurants in Portland. I’ve brought many friends from different walks of life, and everyone loves it. It’s fabulous to have control over the ingredients. I always get soup and although I spend $40 (which includes a generous well deserved tip), I take home leftovers and get two extra meals out of it. The flavors are still amazing two days later. My husband always gets the stir fry and he swears by it. If you want fancy linens, this is not the place. If you want scrumptious, fresh, nutritious food (but you can also indulge in bacon and other meats)— I highly recommend Pixiu Mala Hongtang.

Pixu and I had a long story. I didn’t like it when they started opening so I never go back. One of my friends wants to dine there so I came back here starting last year. They improved a lot in the taste-wise. Now, I come here often and I love their stir-fry with spicy level 3. Sometimes I made special request to make it more spicy to be my liking. I love this place overall, the taste, freshness of ingredients, parking, and cleanliness. The only I wish they could improve is the choice of meat options.

This was one of the best meals I’ve had in recent memory. We arrived right after opening so no one was there yet. The owner was super friendly and warm. I loved the option to completely customize my bowl with all the delicious ingredients. We both went for the soup version rather than the stir fry. I had spice level 3, which was perfect for me as I love spicy. My husband had level 1 and it was spicy for him but not too much. We both added beef, which is a few dollars extra but worth it. You can make a delicious dipping sauce at the sauce bar. You pay by the ounce and ours were each about $23. The broth is rich, flavorful, spicy, and deeply satisfying. We’re planning to go back soon. I could easily eat this every day and not get sick of it.

The food and service was fantastic. You assemble your food in a bowl, adding whatever veggies, noodles, and toppings you would like. They have some meats on the self-serve line such as bacon, shrimp, spam, fish balls, squid, etc. Your bowl is then weighed, and you choose if you want soup or stir fry. You pick a spicy level. I got a 3, and found it to be perfect (I enjoy spicy!) You can also add brisket at this time. The food is prepared, with larger pieces being cut up into manageable sizes. It is cooked, seasoned, and brought to the table. It was delicious, we will be back!