Chengdu Laozao Hotpot - Irvine

Lots of choices of soup base, lots of choices of food. Clean environment, allows waitlist online. All positives for me. The beef with egg thing was cool and popular but the meat itself was too salty for me. I prefer beef belly and prime angus. The spicy soup base does give you a kick. We only went with mild that day but it was very enough. However, we accidentally went with non-spicy base in the small pot... it would've been better the other way around. Contactless ordering but it would've been nice to let me know when you noticed that I forgot to order soup base ya know... Instead of having me wondering why there's no soup and pot for like 5 minutes... I know it was part my fault but it doesn't hurt to be a little more proactive? Anyway, will be back, highly recommended.

Dirty, poor service, food made us ill, overall disappointing. We were super excited about lunching here on a Saturday afternoon in May 2022 because we have been looking for a good hot pot place, but when we arrived, we walked into the building which smelled like Lysol and some other solvent or cleaner. After about five minutes of being seated in the indoor dining area, we had to move outside because the odor was too overpowering. Once seated outside, an employee began mopping the floors, which introduced more Lysol smell into the air. However, we were extremely curious about this mopping for three reasons: 1 the area where the employee was mopping was ostensibly already clean 2 the real troublesome spots were/are underneath the chairs and tables, so in order to do that properly, you have the move the furniture around 3 why wasn't this done during off hours so that the customers do not have the lingering mop smell in the air while they dine? See the below photos, there are/were dust bunnies, food particles, and other dirt lodged in areas near the base of tables and along the power cord that led from the table to the perimeter (why isn't this vaccumed regularly? . Also the vents for the hotpot tables are covered in decaying food (see photos , which was disgusting and may have contributed to the smell. Anyone that has ever worked in the restaurant business knows you have to clean everything at least once a day. Disgusting.Cleanliness aside, the service was a bit confusing. We tried communicating in Chinese and in English, but were not offered clear guidance as to how to navigate the menu or what the buffet style bar of snacks/spices/oils work. Also they didn't offer any tea or any other beverages, we were given a pitcher of water and that was it for our entire meal. The food was OK in flavor (spicy , but we ended up feeling ill for the rest of the day.It were these things that made other parts of the experience just seem worse (maybe it's natural to pile on at this point, but buyer beware the hostess never made eye contact with us just dropped off napkins and bolted. It felt like we didn't belong there or weren't welcome.This is a shame because hot pots can be a fun way to dine Chinese style, and you theoretically can cook many things in a hot pot (other meats, vegetables . Chengdu is an area of China known for its flavorful meals, so we wish this was different.

If I could give this place 6 stars I would... From the service to the food to the cleanliness, everything was perfect! Our server Leon was very attentive and checked up on us often. We ordered the Zao's House Spicy Soup medium and fell in love! The broth is so spicy and flavorful you technically don't need to pay to use their sauce bar, but do so anyway because they have good snacks and appetizers. Definitely will be coming back!

Good quality food and decently large portions for the cost. We were pleased by our experience here as a party of four. I like their outdoor space.

This is an excellent hotpot restaurant around the area, and is my primary place to go for a decent meal. Joe is my favorite staff, he is efficient and friendly, always has a smile on his face making me and my friends feel very welcomed. The hotpot would taste different if he wasn't there. Overall highly recommended place for anyone who loves hotpot and wonderful customer experience.