IPOT

Overall, I was very satisfied. My only small suggestion is that during peak hours there may be a short wait, but once we were seated the experience was excellent: the food came out quickly, the service was attentive, and the ingredients were fresh. The broth tasted clean and comforting, and the meat was tender. We had a great meal and will definitely be back.

I’ve been eating at Sunset IPOT for over ten years, and I’ve shared my favorite parts of their menu with you. They have so many options, but I think it’s the most cost-effective Chinese hotpot and Korean BBQ buffet. Their $6 sake is such a great deal. My companion and I use our Amex Platinum cards every quarter and get a few free meals.

Parking can be difficult most of the time, especially so during peak meal times. The value is great for all-you-can-eat. The meat, veggie, and noodle options were tasty but the broth was fairly bland. Other people at my table really liked the soju too. Overall, a solid spot to check out if you're craving hot pot. While we didn't eat Korean BBQ, we hear nothing but good things.

I can't believe the chicken wings were burnt on the outside but still raw inside. The beef was even worse; the BBQ pieces were completely charred on the outside, but still frozen in the middle. There were five of us, and we placed our order, but the internet wasn't working, and our order wasn't sent to the kitchen. This is the second time we've been here, and both times have been the most disappointing dining experiences of my life. The first time I thought it was just an internet issue, but it happened again this time. I'm very disappointed with this place. I really didn't want to leave a bad review, and I've never given a bad review before in my life, this is the first time, because I'm so upset that I paid money but didn't receive fair treatment. The restaurant is truly unprofessional in this regard. I really don't understand why this happened, but it's unfair to me. I wanted to enjoy a meal with my friends and family, but both times I've been here have been disappointing, especially considering the amount of money we paid for five people, and both experiences were the same. I apologize to the restaurant for giving a bad review, but there was truly no fairness for me. I hope in the future the restaurant will fix these problems so that all future customers can enjoy a pleasant time with their friends and family at this restaurant. Our entire family experienced diarrhea and severe stomach discomfort after eating dinner at your restaurant 😢😢😢😢😢

iPot in San Francisco, a tabletop-cooking spot for hot pot and Korean barbecue, can be either an overpriced disappointment or a reasonably good value—depending on how firmly you steer the ordering process. The space is huge and warehouse-like, with very high ceilings that may help vent smoke but also make the dining room feel cold, both figuratively and literally. During our winter visit, we kept our jackets on throughout the meal. The décor is functional at best, with blinking lights still covering the walls well past the holiday season, giving the room an oddly festive but ultimately uninviting feel. Adding to that "unwelcoming" vibe, diners are greeted by a surprisingly thick rulebook of policies that reads more like a list of penalties than hospitality: warnings about charges for wasting food and for ordering more than you can finish, plus a discount system that appears to be based on height. We honestly assumed it was a joke, but there is a height meter mounted on the wall, implying guests are expected to measure themselves to qualify. Likewise, we were told that because someone in our group was celebrating a birthday, we could get the birthday song—yet to trigger that option we would need to present an ID to prove it. We skipped it. The menu is what you’d expect for cook-it-yourself hot pot and KBBQ, but the pricing is where customers need to be careful. Staff tend to push the all-you-can-eat option, which comes out to roughly $50 per person including tax and tip. We would only recommend that for diners with very large appetites. For most people, ordering à la carte makes far more sense, bringing the cost down to around $25 per person including tax and tip—but this option was not proactively offered and seemed to require explicitly asking for it. That lower price feels more appropriate given the overall experience. Service is minimal (which is normal for this format), but the bigger concern is upkeep: the restrooms, floors, and even the dining tables themselves appeared to need a deep cleaning and some basic maintenance. Our takeaway: keep expectations in check. If you’re willing to compromise on atmosphere and cleanliness, and you order wisely (à la carte), you can still walk away with a fairly authentic East Asian tabletop-cooking experience at a tolerable price. As ordinary consumers, we are not paid or compensated in any way for this review.

We went to IPOT for my fiancé’s early birthday dinner and this place did not disappoint! The place had a nice variety of appetizers; the vegetable tempura and chicken karaage came out fresh and had really great texture. The meat selection and quality were also great. Enjoyed our dining experience and will come back again! My new go-to hot pot place whenever I'm in the city.

Everything was amazing! The meat was fresh, high quality, and full of flavor. The service was friendly and fast, and the atmosphere was really nice. I especially loved the BBQ selection — definitely coming back again!