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Mala Tang Reviews List
Mala Tang
The inspiration behind Mala Tang is Sichuan Master Chef Liu Chaosheng’s hometown of Chengdu. Here you'll find the streets filled with diners sitting at tables gathering around bubbling hot pots, in which dozens of dried chilies bob up and down in an oily red broth.
The hot pot itself is a pan that sits on a portable burner, surrounded by an array of small plates piled high with fresh ingredients. Guests select pieces of food and drop them into the broth to cook, and then dip them into a delicious mixture of vegetable soy sauce, Chinese BBQ sauce, bean paste, and red chili peppers.
For the main hot pot course, Mala Tang serves a variety of proteins including chicken, lamb, all-natural beef, and fresh seafood; starches such as sweet potato noodles, and a plethora of vegetables ranging from bok choy to lotus roots. Those who are "afraid of the chili heat," as the Chengdu locals jokingly warn incoming travelers, can tone down the mala flavor with a mild version of the cooking broth
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84 Current Reviews
Summary of Diner Ratings & Reviews
Overall
(Outstanding)
4.1
/
5
Rating Breakdown 84 reviews
5 stars
(30)
4 stars
(38)
3 stars
(11)
2 stars
(5)
1 star
(0)
Food
(Outstanding)
4.2
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
3.8
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
3.6
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
Filter Reviews By:
Diners classify this restaurant as:
- good for groups(49)
- fit for foodies(38)
- neighborhood gem(28)
- special occasion(26)
- hot spot(9)
- kid-friendly(8)
Mala Tang Reviews List
Review 1 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Not just for hotpot
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"They are known for their hotpot, but their a la carte items are at least as good. We loved the twice-cooked chicken, which is as good as the more-common Sichuanese twice-cooked pork but a lot less fatty. Also had the “yuxiang rousi” (don’t remember the menu name in English but it’s fish-flavored pork shreds and it was delicious)"
Dined on 5/12/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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Review 2 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Superb Sichuan Hotpot
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"The only reason I think Mala Tang was not full on a Saturday night was people just don't know that it is there. Otherwise, there is no reason not to be there. The food is excellent, the service was warm and helpful, the ambiance is elegant but not pretentious, and the restaurant is really well-designed to make the ordering process very user-friendly for those not used to the cacophony that is normal Chinese hot pot dining. I lived near Sichuan province for a few years, so I'm used to the spicy flavors of that cuisine and the joyful group dining of hotpot that enlivens everyone. Mala Tang does a great job capturing that spirit + some innovations. True, the "spicy" broth is just "American" level spicy, but this is excellent Sichuan food!"
Dined on 5/04/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups
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Review 3 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Good for an entertaining evening.
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Good for an entertaining evening. Food was very good even though I had to cook it myself."
Dined on 04/28/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups
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Review 4 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Not as good as the real hotpot
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Not as good as the real hotpot in Chengdu, Sichuan, but can't ask for more int he DC area - so far the best hotpot in the DC area!"
Dined on 04/27/2013
2013
Special Features: hot spot
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Review 5 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Great for hot pot
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Very good Sichuan hot pot restaurant - i.e., you cook the food yourself at the table. The hot pots are quite spicy (you can ask for milder versions as well) and the flavors seem pretty authentic. Portions are generous. They provide small, individual hot pots for each diner, so different people in a group can have different levels of spice in their food."
Dined on 04/20/2013
2004
Special Features: good for groups
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Review 6 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
This is a good restaurant,
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Fair)
2
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"This is a good restaurant, but it might take practice to experience it fully if you're not used to hot pots. You get a steaming pot of your choice of broths to cook your choice of vegetables and meats and you go to a table to prepare your own bowl of sauce to dip your cook-your-own food. Fun way to eat. We had two meat eaters and two vegetarians and everyone was happy. The servings of veggies and meats were generous enough to share with other members of our dining party. All the ingredients were fresh and appealing. I would say, though, that as our first time ordering for hot pot, we found the menu a bit confusing. The server was very friendly and attentive. Atmosphere was lively (i.e. a bit noisy) as are most restaurants in this area"
Dined on 04/19/2013
2012
Special Features: good for groups
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Review 7 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Perfect for groups!
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Service was amazing. I had my birthday dinner here and it was an awesome venue for a group. We had so much for cooking food together and our server was so helpful in helping to pick out yummy selections. This is a perfect place for a birthday/celebratory dinner."
Dined on 04/05/2013
2008
Special Features: good for groups, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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Review 8 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Pretty authentic hot pot
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"I'm very happy I went to Mala Tang. The service was great and the food was both authentic and good. Would happily go again. My only complaint was that the meat servings, especially the lamb, were skimpy. They propped the meat up on a crispy vegetable so that it would look like a taller pile. The wine marinated beef, on the other hand, was a plentiful serving. As were most of the vegetables -- especially the leafy greens.
I'd happily go again. And since it's metro accessible, I probably will."
Dined on 03/30/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, kid-friendly, special occasion
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Review 9 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Food was very authentic Chinese
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Food was very authentic Chinese and tasted quite well. Bill was high for 3 meats and 4 veggies - 100 dollars. Felt like meal was worth cheaper but overall it was pretty,good."
Dined on 03/29/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, hot spot
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Review 10 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Food good, waiter MIA
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Poor)
1
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"The choices of fresh vegetables and various interesting noodle options, plus the ability to personalize in a group setting make Mala Tang a favorite. Unfortunately, our waiter disappeared during the meal, missing our interest in ordering additional items. He dropped the check off and disappeared again. We had to flag down another waiter to pay our bill, and while we were at it requested that our automatic tip of 20% for a group of six or more be reduced to a barely earned 15%."
Dined on 03/30/2013
2006
Special Features: good for groups, neighborhood gem
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Review 11 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
OpenTable Diner
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Why do I want to eat soggy wet food with no flavor?!"
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Review 12 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Our group of seven had a really
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Our group of seven had a really fun experience with the hot pot meal. Our server recommended that we order ala carte the meats and veggies, which turned out to be an excellent option. While we were waiting, we ordered a number of different appetizers, all of which were pretty tasty and would have been great if we were doing more of a happy hour & nosh. With a diversity of meats, seafood and veggies on the table, we shared everything and had our own personal hot pot with either mild or spicy broth. Mala Tang also had a sauce and spice table for adding dipping sauces and spices to our hot pots. A big bowl of rice topped off our meals, but paleo is possible. The food and service was very good. I will definitely go back."
Dined on 02/24/2013
2012
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for brunch, special occasion
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Review 13 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Decent food, not the best
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Decent food, not the best hot pot available. Food/hot pot can be bland but you can make your own dipping sauces. Service was good, we had a very enthusiastic server that was very helpful."
Dined on 02/15/2013
2009
Special Features: good for groups, kid-friendly, romantic, special occasion
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Review 14 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
If you want quick Chinese
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"If you want quick Chinese food, Mala Tang is not your place. If you want an experience, this is perfect. The waiters are so helpful in explaining how to prepare a delicious meal. It's really fun to create your meal and I recommend going a la carte rather than doing the combination entree. You get a lot more flexibility with that. Definitely will be coming back."
Dined on 02/23/2013
2007
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, special occasion
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Review 15 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Love it more each time we
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Love it more each time we go. A great option for folks looking for something different. The food is delicious and the experience is unique."
Dined on 02/22/2013
2012
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, romantic, special occasion
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Review 16 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Like to cook your own meal?
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Do you enjoy doing your own cooking? Is your idea of an enjoyable night out placing ingredients into a bubbling bowl of broth and then extracting them when ideally done? If your answer is yes to both questions, you are an ideal candidate for Mala Tang. It specializes in Sichuan hot pot, which means said bubbling broth is placed by your side and you insert uncooked ingredients of your choice therein and take them out when they are ready. In truth, the cooking process is not that hard and can yield a fairly tasty meal. Nevertheless, when I dine out, my own preference is to let others do the cooking; my meal at Mala Tang was satisfying, but certainly not relaxing."
Dined on 02/18/2013
2007
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Review 17 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Fun and Tasty
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"The choice of mild or hot broth allows everyone to enojoy the experience of cooking fresh food at the table. Our family perfers to go a la carte and load up on the tiny, tasty pork dumplings, watercress, and a few other vegetables. The sauce bar also allows us to customize our meals using condiments varying from soy sauce to the umami-rich, house-made green pepper sauce. Service can be a little slow on busy nights. Don't forget to have the parking ticket validated!"
Dined on 02/23/2013
2008
Special Features: good for groups
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Review 18 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
I love Mongolian hotpot and
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"I love Mongolian hotpot and this is very similar. Dining here took me back to the times I lived in China.
The food was very good albeit more expensive than I'd expect for this style of cuisine.
There is a sauce station where you make your own sauces; I would prefer to have them make sauces for me.
We had reservations but still had to wait 20 minutes or so to get seated.
Overall, we left feeling very full."
Dined on 01/26/2013
2010
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Review 19 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Our waiter was really busy
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Our waiter was really busy that night and had trouble visiting the table, refilling our drinks -- even taking our order took extremely long. I think we waited about 35 minutes before someone took our order after we were seated at the table. He made up for it by giving us free appetizers and apologized profusely.
Food is a little expensive for hotpot, but it's fun every once in a while and especially since they make it so easy for you. All the sauces are made, meats and vegetables are washed and chopped, and the soup is really great!
The decor of the restaurant is really well done. Smells amazing right as soon as I walk into the door."
Dined on 02/17/2013
2010
Special Features: good for groups, special occasion
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Review 20 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service was so bad. We waited
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Poor)
1
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Service was so bad. We waited for 20 minutes and had to flag a server to assist us. The place was not even full since it was on a Monday night. We did not feel welcome at all. I would rather try other hot pot places next time and nEver to return here. It wasn't cheap either.."
Dined on 02/18/2013
2009
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Review 21 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
We went with a group of six
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"We went with a group of six and everyone thouroughly enjoyed the food and the ability to have a conversation at a nice round table."
Dined on 02/15/2013
2008
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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Review 22 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Great Asian fare
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Great Asian food, delectable spicy and non spicy sauces to personalize your hot pot experience."
Dined on 02/13/2013
2007
Special Features: good for groups, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem
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Review 23 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Had Chinese New Year dinner
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Had Chinese New Year dinner here. Food was excellent and the service was impeccable."
Dined on 02/10/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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Review 24 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
This was the first hot-pot
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"This was the first hot-pot restaurant I've been to outside of China, so I came in uncertain how it would compare--and I have to say that I was impressed! We had both a number of the cold dishes as well as the hotpot itself, and everything was delicious! The mala flavor of the soup was spectacular, and they had the same variety of options that I saw in most of the hotpot places in China. Hot pot is spectacular when it's cold weather out, and Mala Tang hit the spot earlier this week."
Dined on 02/09/2013
2013
Special Features: good for groups
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Review 25 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Tasty spicy food, fun for groups
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"We were sichuan hot pot novices when we walked in but experts on the way out. Definitely a place to bring a group of 6-8 people. That way everyone can try more of the menu. We really enjoyed our selections: ribeye, chicken, bok choy, and watercress all in the traditional mala broth. Also had an appetizer of scallion pancakes that were excellent. Recommend selecting dinner items a la carte instead of combinations. Better options."
Dined on 02/01/2013
2010
Special Features: good for groups, kid-friendly
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Review 26 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
This was my second time there.
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"This was my second time there. Food is phenomenal, service is good. The downside to this was that they had a really large party - maybe 20 people. This really distracted the wait staff and everyone was running around like a chicken without a head. There were times where I felt we were forgotten about. The staff is very friendly though."
Dined on 01/26/2013
2012
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, special occasion
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Review 27 for Mala Tang
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
Very authentic & nice but pricier.
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"I think we were encouraged to order too much because we had too much left over and it made it more expensive than it needed to be. Pretty expensive for a Chinese restaurant. Lots of unusual, authentic and healthful choices like lotus root and bamboo shoots. Very fun and beautiful decor. Carved chairs and red brocade cushions."
Dined on 01/12/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups
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Ratings-Only Reviews for Mala Tang
Based on the average of (57) ratings-only reviews
Overall
(Outstanding)
4.2
/
5
Food
(Outstanding)
4.2
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
3.6
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic