Amelia HallI failed at Hot Pot 101 the first time I had hotpot. I dumped all my ingredients into the pot at once, which actually wasn’t the smartest move. My prawns and veggies turned to mush, and my chicken floated somewhere between raw and overcooked. No cooking class could save me.
But today, I can laugh off the memory because I’m practically a hot pot connoisseur. Now I know my broths, I’ve mastered the art of cooking times, and I’ve got my dipping sauces down.
Having devoured my way through countless bowls, I’ve compiled a list of my top hot pot spots in Vancouver to make sure your experience starts off way smoother than mine did.
1. Liuyishou Hotpot
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Address: 1542 Robson St, Vancouver, BC V6G 1C2, Canada
Hours: +17783793977
Phone: Monday to Sunday – 11:30 AM to 12 PM
Price: $$
Liuyishou Hotpot is for anyone who loves a proper Chongqing-style hotpot. This type of hotpot is known for its intense, spicy, and sometimes numbing kick. So, if you’re into Sichuan flavours, you’ll be thrilled.
What I like about this place is that you’ll get premium cuts of beef and great seafood (like shrimp and cuttlefish). They also have more exotic meats like goose intestine and chicken gizzards.
They also have a great selection of broths. Among my favourites are the Liu’s House Special beef tallow broth, white pepper chicken, and Chinese herb mushroom soup.
| Pro Tip: Try their bamboo shoots and lotus roots for your vegetables. They add a nice crunch and freshness to balance out the rich flavours of the hotpot. |
2. HaiDiLao Hotpot
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Address: 3204 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6K 2H4, Canada
Hours:
- Monday to Thursday – 11 AM to 1 AM
- Friday to Saturday – 11 AM to 3 AM
- Sunday – 11 AM to 1 AM
Phone: +16043362588
Price: $$
Hai Di Lao has a seriously good bubbling spicy beef butter soup base. It’s rich, with a slight smokiness and just enough heat that sneaks up on you.
Their Tom Yum Goong is tangy, spicy, and totally refreshing. The sukiyaki soup, on the other hand, is the perfect blend of sweet and savoury.
For meat lovers, they’ve got lamb, Kobe beef, and other premium cuts. Feeling like something exotic? The cattle stomach is a bit chewy, but totally worth a go.
If you’re into seafood, you won’t be disappointed. Choices include boneless basa fish, shrimp balls, snakehead fillets, and more.
Don’t even think it stops there. They also have a ton of side dishes, like quail eggs, fortune gold bags stuffed with meat and veggies, and winter melon and taro slices.
| Pro Tip: Try their house plum juice. It’s slightly tart and sweet, but it’s the perfect drink to sip between all those rich, spicy flavours. |
3. The Corner Hotpot
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Address: 2893 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6K 2G6, Canada
Hours: Monday, Wednesday to Sunday – 10 AM to 2 PM & 4:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Phone:+16042453332
Price: $$
The Corner Hotpot is where you go for Beijing-style hotpot, served in those iconic golden copper pots.
Their lamb backbone and log bone broth is the kind of broth that makes you want to drink it straight up—rich and flavour-packed.
Meat-wise, their lamb collar is ridiculously tender and almost melts in your mouth. The lamb legs have a hearty flavour and a bit more bite, which I love. If you’re feeling adventurous, try the lamb with cartilage—it’s got this nice crunch.
Don’t even get me started on the AAA Angus beef, which is marbled just right and so juicy. And for a little luxury, the Wagyu beef is incredibly fatty and just bursts with flavour.
And if you’ve never tried goose intestines, this is the place to do it. They’re kind of crispy and absorb all the soup flavours.
| Pro Tip: . You’ve got to try the Snowgoose liquor—it’s got this light, crisp taste. Or if you’re up for something premium, Dassai 45 sake is super smooth. For something non-alcoholic, their traditional Chinese herbal tea is refreshing and helps digest all that good food. |
4. HOT POT Master
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Address: 5737 Battison St, Vancouver, BC V5R 4M7, Canada
Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 5 PM to 11 PM
- Saturday to Sunday – 12 PM to 11 PM
Phone: +16044233646
Price: $$
If you’re into Sichuan-style hot pot, this is where you need to be.
The first thing you’ve got to try is their half-and-half broth. You get this incredible contrast between a spicy, numbing broth that’ll make your lips tingle in the best way possible and a milder, soothing one to balance it all out.
They also have an unbeatable meat selection. The beef tongue is super tender, while the flat iron beef and rib eye bring this rich, marbled flavour. If you’re feeling adventurous, the frog legs are surprisingly tasty, kind of like a cross between chicken and fish.
On the side, you’ve got to order their soup dumplings and rice to keep everything balanced.
| Pro Tip: Save room for their fried Chinese doughnuts for dessert. They’re crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and have just the right amount of sweetness. |
5. Big Way Hot Pot (Robson)
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Address: 778 Robson St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1A1, Canada
Hours:
- Monday to Thursday,Sunday – 10:30 AM to 12 AM
- Friday to Saturday – 10:30 AM to 12:30 AM
Phone: +16045691888
Price: $$
Big Way Hot Pot is where you go for self-serve Chinese hot pot. You pretty much just pay for what you eat—it’s by the weight. Here, you’ve got over 100 fresh, top-tier ingredients and ten broths at your fingertips.
Honestly, the Ma La Tang broth is one of my favourites. It’s made with legit Szechuan chilli oil, which gives it this numbing kick. But if you’re in the mood for something a bit more nourishing, give their collagen bone broth a go.
They also have a pretty good sauce bar where you can mix and match to create your perfect dipping sauce. I like to go heavy on the garlic and sesame oil, with a splash of soy and a pinch of chilli. It’s just the perfect blend to complement all the meats and veggies.
Speaking of veggies, you can’t go wrong with the classics like garlic, cabbage, and winter melon.
| Pro Tip: If you swing by before 5 PM from Monday to Friday, you get free green tea. |
6. Landmark Hotpot House
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Address: 4023 Cambie St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 2X9, Canada
Hours: Monday to Sunday – 5 PM to 2 AM
Phone: +16048722868
Price: $$$
Landmark Hotpot House is where you go for good seafood hotpot.
You start off by choosing your soup base and trust me, that’s a tough decision on its own. I’ve tried the shark bone soup, and it was so rich and tasted almost buttery.
And the seafood? They’ve got tons to choose from. The fish stomach and sea cucumbers might sound a bit exotic, but they’re worth trying.
For meat, their hand-cut ox tongue is tender and slightly chewy. It practically melts in your mouth when cooked just right. Their pig kidney is firm but not rubbery, and it absorbs the broth’s flavours really well.
If you want something less exotic, the lamb slices are ideal for quick dips in the boiling soup since they’re thin and marbled. My personal favourite has to be the ribeye beef, though. It’s marbled to perfection, so each bite is full of flavour.
For sauces, you can’t go wrong with shacha and sesame. The shacha adds a savoury, slightly spicy kick, while the sesame sauce is nutty and smooth.
| Pro Tip: Get the steamed ginger milk for dessert. It’s light and refreshing enough to balance out any spicyness from the broth. |
7. Happy Lamb Hot Pot
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Address: 1788 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6J 1Y1, Canada
Hours:
- Monday to Thursday – 11:30 AM 10:30 PM
- Friday to Sunday – 11:30 AM to 11 PM
Phone: +16045634868
Price: $
Happy Lamb Hot Pot is where you go if you want genuine Mongolian hotpot. This is also the spot for the best prime lamb cuts. They offer all different cuts, from lamb shoulder and leg to tender skewers.
Broth-wise, I always get their signature broth. It’s made from top-notch hens and beef bones, stewed and simmered for over six hours. They chuck in ingredients like goji berries, jujubes, and ginseng to make it aromatic.
Side-wise, they’ve got it all—the fresh veggies, tofu, noodles, you name it.
| Pro Tip: If you go during lunch, get the bottomless plum juice for the best deal. |
8. Legendary Hot Pot
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Address: 796 Main St, West Vancouver, BC V7T 1A2, Canada
Hours:
- Monday to Thursday – 11:30 AM to 9:30 PM
- Friday to Sunday – 11:30 AM to 10 PM
Phone: +17782797888
Price: $$
Legendary Hot Pot is popular for its legendary broths. They have these eight different soup bases, but the absolute must-try is the Legendary House Special Spicy Soup Base. It has this perfect balance of heat and flavour that hits the spot every time.
If you’re not feeling the spice, go for their House Special Mushroom Soup Base. It’s earthy, rich, and healthy.
For protein, their premium Wagyu beef has an insane marbling. When you cook it in the spicy broth, it soaks up all those flavours while still keeping its buttery texture. If you’re a chicken fan, the Shaoxing free-range chicken has a mild, clean taste.
They also have tons of live seafood options. Think king crab, giant grouper, and lobster, all super fresh.
For veggies, the vegetable platter is the way to go. It’s fresh, crisp, and perfect for balancing out the richness of everything else.
| Pro Tip: Get their pumpkin pancakes or the glutinous rice cakes. The pumpkin pancakes are slightly crispy on the outside but soft and sweet inside, while the rice cakes are chewy and slightly sweet. |
9. Crab Hot Lau
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Address: 2141 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC V5N 2T4, Canada
Hours:
- Wednesday to Thursday – 10 AM to 12 AM
- Friday & Saturday – 10 AM to 2 AM
- Sunday – 10 AM to 1 AM
Phone: +16044233633
Price: $$
Crab Hot Lau is where you go for authentic Northern Vietnamese hotpot. You’ve got two options: the Lau Cua Dong (Vietnamese rice field crab hot pot) or the oxtail hotpot.
In the Lau Cua Dong, the crab broth is fresh and rich. They’ve nailed the taste, creating this deep and slightly sweet flavour that makes you want to keep sipping even after you’re full. It comes with these reddish-brown flat rice noodles called bánh đa đỏ.
Along with that, there are chunks of fish cakes and pork wrapped in piper leaf. They add bursts of umami and this peppery earthy note.
Then, there’s the oxtail hotpot that’s similar to pho but even richer. The oxtail pieces are meltingly tender. They also give you plenty of fresh veggies, mushrooms, and beef slices, both boiled and rare.
| Pro Tip: Get their lemongrass pork skewers on the side. The lemongrass gives the pork this zesty, aromatic kick, and they’re grilled to perfection. |
10. Lao Cai Chinese Cuisine 老蔡食府
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Address: 130-1425 Marine Dr, West Vancouver, BC V7T 1B5, Canada
Hours: Monday to Sunday – 11:30 AM to 8:30 PM
Phone: +16049259231
Price: $
Lao Cai Chinese Cuisine is the real deal for Northern Chinese hotpot.
One of my absolute favourite dishes here is the duck soup hotpot. The broth is rich, flavourful, and isn’t too greasy. When you dunk in the sliced beef short ribs, they absorb all that goodness while still retaining their tender and slightly chewy texture.
The dipping sauces at Lao Cai are also top-notch. The red chilli sauce is not overwhelmingly spicy. The sesame sauce, on the other hand, is creamy and nutty.
The veggie options are abundant too. I love loading up on Chinese yam and pumpkin. The yam becomes soft and slightly sweet, and the pumpkin gives a subtle, natural sweetness that balances out the broth. Kelp, bok choy, and Chinese cabbage are good choices too.
| Pro Tip: If you’re in the mood for something a bit more exotic, try the blood cakes. They’re surprisingly delicate and have a smooth texture that soaks up the broth well. |
