🔅Actual visit date: 2025/01/04
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Since I had a pretty good impression of this place after trying it once, I hadn’t eaten there for a while. Fortunately, this time I went out for a meal with friends, and we picked this restaurant. I read reviews saying the inside had a strong smell, but I thought it was just the smell of hot pot that day. It was a busy holiday evening, so reservations were also required.

First, let’s talk about the soup base. Looking at the menu, I noticed all the soup bases came with an extra charge. I asked the staff and found out that if you want the most basic soup base (kombu), you need to order that separately from the staff, while the others are ordered online. It was quite a hassle, but perhaps it’s a strategy for them to get you to pay extra for the soup base?

▪️Fresh Tender Chicken Thigh Hot Pot $420
·Choose clams or sea bream; I chose sea bream.
When it was served, I felt it was quite worth it! Besides unlimited vegetables, drinks, and desserts, they provided a generous portion of chicken and fish, and the quality was pretty good; overall, it was very delicious.

That day, my friend used points to exchange for a plate of pork, which was also very tasty (I forgot the type). The spicy hot pot my friend ordered was seriously spicy; friends who love spicy food can give it a try. For someone like me who only eats mildly spicy dishes, it really took me by surprise😂.

Overall, the quality of the meat and vegetables was good, but the floor was a bit slippery that day, which felt dangerous. This place felt relatively cramped, and the environment was just okay. If I want to eat here again, I might choose another branch next time.

(There is a 10% service fee)

The "Zhu Jian Happiness Hotpot" has been on my radar for a few years, but I never had the chance to try their hotpot. Finally, I managed to make a reservation in advance to taste the hotpot that claims to truly bring happiness before the Christmas holiday.

👉 This visit was to the Ximen branch. I had researched online beforehand and many people mentioned that the indoor area at Zhu Jian has a strong smell. I initially thought they were referring to... the smell of hotpot? It’s hard to grasp what they meant by "smell" just from reading.

However, upon entering the restaurant, I could completely understand how intense the “smell” the reviewers mentioned was...

It felt like the entire restaurant was filled with the smell of peppered pork bone broth combining with the aromas of various hotpots, creating a very mixed bag of smells. I can understand that hotpot restaurants often have a bit of the cooking smell; it’s normal for clothes to have a bit of grease after eating.

But!! This place was ridiculously smelly!!

At that moment, I had a feeling of dread: “Oh no, the outfit I’m wearing today is definitely going to smell terrible, I’ll need to wash it immediately when I get home.” True enough, the entire dining experience was spent in this intense atmosphere. I was a bit dumbfounded… If the restaurant had focused on improving ventilation or whatever to dissipate the odor, I believe the whole dining experience would be much more pleasant.

After complaining about the unpleasant smell, let’s move on to their staff service.

I could clearly feel that all the employees were under immense pressure that day. The restaurant was packed with customers coming in and out, the self-service area constantly needed replenishing, tables needed clearing, and dishes needed serving. I even overheard several employees muttering to themselves as they rushed around, saying things like “Wow, I’m really about to go crazy” and “Why is it so busy?”…

I understand that the service industry can be tough, especially during such busy holiday periods, but having complaints openly voiced for customers to hear really affects the overall impression.

——

Okay, now that I've addressed the negative aspects, let’s talk about the things that I think were quite good!

First up is the soup base; their broth is quite delicious. I ordered the "Cantonese Pepper Pork Bone Soup," which was very rich in pepper aroma. I suspect a big reason the restaurant smelled so strong was indeed because of this broth, haha.

Once it started boiling, the spicy pepper aroma hit my nose instantly, and the beef slices were incredibly enjoyable to dip! It had a bit of a spicy kick, but it was very tasty. I highly recommend this soup base.

The "Chicken with Skinless Chili Chicken Broth" that my friend ordered was also very sweet and tasty, good enough to finish an entire bowl on its own! 👍

Their "Chicken Thigh and Tilapia Fillet" combo was very generous in portion. You would definitely feel full afterward, especially with the self-service buffet style, you'd be satisfied to no end.

The self-service area had a large variety of options, with nearly 30 different colorful vegetables and hotpot items to choose from. I really loved their shrimp paste and squid paste; they were incredibly delicious. The shrimp paste was even tastier than the squid paste, as you could really taste the whole little shrimp inside, which was juicy and flavorful.

The options for ice cream and drinks were also quite plenty. For a hotpot restaurant with individual pots, the choices were really diverse; I personally give a high rating for this aspect of the meal.

If the environmental and service issues could be improved, I would be more willing to visit Zhu Jian again in the future. However, this dining experience overall isn't something that would make me want to return.