General Pot

One of my favorite places that serves authentic Chinese dry pots. My go to choices are either the bullfrog ($MP) in which they use fresh meat, not the frozen thigh only kind, or the large pigs intestine ($25) that is cooked to a Chinese style spicy skewers type of texture which I love. The dish is large enough to be shared between 2 or 3 people and contains a lot of cabbage, bean sprouts and some wood ear mushrooms and cauliflower. My favorite add-ons are the "potato noodles" ($4) which are clear/glass noodles made with potato starch, lotus root ($4) to provide that crunch, and potato chips/slices ($3) that soak up all the excess sauce and flavors. Great with a bowl of white rice or by itself but my PRO TIP is to go next door to Shang Cafe and get the Rose Ice Jelly ($6) to enjoy with your meal! It's the perfect sweet cooling deliciousness to pair with your spicy meal.

All time favorite for spicy mixed veggies and protein in a dry pot. Try their fish gluten (starched fish paste in a deep fried tofu texture), beyond yummy.

Food is always good. Servers are nice.

Always the to-go-place when you are hungry.

BEST dry pot in the Bay Area!! I’ve been coming to this place at least every month for like 3 years. The food is so good and you’ll never get wrong.

Very good taste and reasonable price. One big pot can serve 2 people. Strongly recommend this place to people who like spicy food.

Very great food. Go to this place quite often and always satisfied.

The food is always good and their service people are very friendly. I truly recommend everyone to give it a try , the food on their menu is so good . Lin

Love their shredded duck dry pot! The dry pots are super delicious! I would also recommend their squash and fish tofu dish!

My favorite place for dry pot

Amazing food, great price. The owner is very friendly too

Huge menu but I'm here to rave about their spicy dry pot. It's a huge portion to be shared family style. The combination of flavor and ingredient is incredible, haven't had anything as good for quite awhile. Personally I highly recommend the spicy dry pot with intestine. You can select spicy level. Plenty of parking in the lot. 5% off if you pay cash. Typical chinese restaurant, zero ambiance and mediocre service, but that's how you know it's authentic. Expect to pay 25-30 per person.

Food: 5/5 DELICIOUS! Got the medium spicy grilled fish, definitely SPICYYY. Super tasty, fish super fish. The catfish is killed right before we eat so you know it’s quality fish! Also got the salt pepper fried tofu, yummy as well! Wish the onion was more cooked thoroughly. Overall definitely recommend! Service: 5/5 fast on ordering, bringing tea to table, providing additional napkins/utensils when needed Ambiance: 4/5 on the dim side. The seats are bit narrow and small. Nice fish tank when first walk in though! Small cozy restaurant.

It has just opened the indoor seating last week. If you love spicy, this is a must go restaurant. I love spicy and order mild but too much for me, so so hot, be careful. We ordered a pot of deep fried cat fish, it said “market price” and we paid $43.5, but it’s a large portion for at least 3 adults. Because the pot is bedding with veggies, mushrooms and clear chewy noodles. Yang Chao fried rice is absolutely amazing as well.

General Pot’s authentic Chongqing flavor, generous portions, and very stylish decors win me over. (Bewarned that Chongqing is the hotter one among the two most popular Sichuan cuisines.) The place comes recommended by Chihuo San Francisco Bay Area. For appetizers we ordered bean jelly with chili sauce and mixed beef & tripe with chili sauce. Both local favorites, the former from Chongqing, the latter from Chengdu with its own legend. (Its Chinese name, 夫妻肺片, translates into husband-wife lung slices. By the way, lung is not a main ingredient in this dish if used at all.) Both are quite on the mark. For the main course, we ordered spicy pig’s large intestine in dry pot. This was the first time I had dry pot. (I tend to believe that it was a relatively recent development.) It has some characteristics of a hotpot, but comes fully cooked. It also has some characteristics of a stew, but the flavor is closer to sir fry and braise. Given the restaurant is called General Pots, I highly recommend that you get one. Here is a new cooking technique that I don’t want to do at home. Of course, pork intestine is always a great ingredient for this type of cooking. General Pots is in a less densely populated open mall. We entered at peak dinner time, and get seated quickly. The service was also relatively quick. (Dry pot takes a while.) I cannot leave without a praise of its Northern Sichuan themed decor. I have seen quite a number of new Chinese restaurants in the SF Bay Area open with decors that I call all show, no-substance. Some of them also try to create a “high cuisine” environment to jack up price (without a taste to match). Not General Pots. Its decor and lighting is very stylish without being in your face. Seating is very comfortable. Definitely a place I’d like to visit again.

This place makes the best fish glutens!!! Also my favorite spicy pot place! I usually order a fish gluten spicy pot adds two other main dishes such as beef tongue and fried fish! It’s amazing and such satisfying flavors! I come back here almost every month

I’ve eaten here several times in the past year and it’s just the most flavorful restaurant in the area. The spicy beef and fish gluten plates are amazing. The flavors in the broth to the vegetables is amazing.

Actually good tasting Chinese restaurant. Portion is large, most dishes I ordered taste great and authentic, lots of non-spicy options and the spicy ones are not overly spicy. Overall a bit on the pricy side tho. However Lunch special is affordable and just a bit smaller than a regular portion.

Great dry pot, wish some extras were included. I got the chicken wing drypot and had to add sliced beef, potatoes, and rice cakes. $150 for the two dishes pictured.

Got the fish and chips and curry rice rolls. The rice rolls were pretty good, but the fish and chips weren't that great; it was not seasoned at all. The dishes came with Hong Kong style milk tea and the lemon tea that they are known for. Both were good drinks.

EDIT: I have since returned here several times. This is my new go-to lunch spot! I like this place based on my single visit. There are many very good restaurants in Fremont but I want to come here again. Restaurant itself is boring but the food is great and presentation is fun. My only question - What’s the difference between a dry pot and and a stir fry? Anyway, I got the pork rib dry pot and it was very very good. Portion was so big, I took it home and mixed some noodles into it and got a second meal next day and that oil and sauce just tastes so so good after sitting. I suppose if you come here with a group they’ll turn a burner on and you can have the food pipping hot 🥵 😋

Great food and prompt service. If you love that spicy, mouth numbing sichuan then this is your place. Very traditional and large menu options. Very helpful and friendly staff, will be back!

Best Chinese food I have a ever had. If you love spicy food and would like to try authentic Chinese in the US there is no better place in my opinion. After going to that restaurant Chinese food is my favorite!

Aj Lopes

I’ve eaten here several times in the past year and it’s just the most flavorful restaurant in the area. The spicy beef and fish gluten plates are amazing. The flavors in the broth to the vegetables is amazing.

Andrew

Actually good tasting Chinese restaurant. Portion is large, most dishes I ordered taste great and authentic, lots of non-spicy options and the spicy ones are not overly spicy. Overall a bit on the pricy side tho. However Lunch special is affordable and just a bit smaller than a regular portion.

Taylor Siemen

Great food and prompt service. If you love that spicy, mouth numbing sichuan then this is your place. Very traditional and large menu options. Very helpful and friendly staff, will be back!

Mark Kraman

Great dry pot, wish some extras were included. I got the chicken wing drypot and had to add sliced beef, potatoes, and rice cakes. $150 for the two dishes pictured.

Tomas Choi

Got the fish and chips and curry rice rolls. The rice rolls were pretty good, but the fish and chips weren't that great; it was not seasoned at all. The dishes came with Hong Kong style milk tea and the lemon tea that they are known for. Both were good drinks.

Elliot Kamper

EDIT: I have since returned here several times. This is my new go-to lunch spot! I like this place based on my single visit. There are many very good restaurants in Fremont but I want to come here again. Restaurant itself is boring but the food is great and presentation is fun. My only question - What’s the difference between a dry pot and and a stir fry? Anyway, I got the pork rib dry pot and it was very very good. Portion was so big, I took it home and mixed some noodles into it and got a second meal next day and that oil and sauce just tastes so so good after sitting. I suppose if you come here with a group they’ll turn a burner on and you can have the food pipping hot 🥵 😋

Roger Casado

Best Chinese food I have a ever had. If you love spicy food and would like to try authentic Chinese in the US there is no better place in my opinion. After going to that restaurant Chinese food is my favorite!

CH

Huge menu but I'm here to rave about their spicy dry pot. It's a huge portion to be shared family style. The combination of flavor and ingredient is incredible, haven't had anything as good for quite awhile. Personally I highly recommend the spicy dry pot with intestine. You can select spicy level. Plenty of parking in the lot. 5% off if you pay cash. Typical chinese restaurant, zero ambiance and mediocre service, but that's how you know it's authentic. Expect to pay 25-30 per person.

L C

Food: 5/5 DELICIOUS! Got the medium spicy grilled fish, definitely SPICYYY. Super tasty, fish super fish. The catfish is killed right before we eat so you know it’s quality fish! Also got the salt pepper fried tofu, yummy as well! Wish the onion was more cooked thoroughly. Overall definitely recommend! Service: 5/5 fast on ordering, bringing tea to table, providing additional napkins/utensils when needed Ambiance: 4/5 on the dim side. The seats are bit narrow and small. Nice fish tank when first walk in though! Small cozy restaurant.

Yuan LIU

General Pot’s authentic Chongqing flavor, generous portions, and very stylish decors win me over. (Bewarned that Chongqing is the hotter one among the two most popular Sichuan cuisines.) The place comes recommended by Chihuo San Francisco Bay Area. For appetizers we ordered bean jelly with chili sauce and mixed beef & tripe with chili sauce. Both local favorites, the former from Chongqing, the latter from Chengdu with its own legend. (Its Chinese name, 夫妻肺片, translates into husband-wife lung slices. By the way, lung is not a main ingredient in this dish if used at all.) Both are quite on the mark. For the main course, we ordered spicy pig’s large intestine in dry pot. This was the first time I had dry pot. (I tend to believe that it was a relatively recent development.) It has some characteristics of a hotpot, but comes fully cooked. It also has some characteristics of a stew, but the flavor is closer to sir fry and braise. Given the restaurant is called General Pots, I highly recommend that you get one. Here is a new cooking technique that I don’t want to do at home. Of course, pork intestine is always a great ingredient for this type of cooking. General Pots is in a less densely populated open mall. We entered at peak dinner time, and get seated quickly. The service was also relatively quick. (Dry pot takes a while.) I cannot leave without a praise of its Northern Sichuan themed decor. I have seen quite a number of new Chinese restaurants in the SF Bay Area open with decors that I call all show, no-substance. Some of them also try to create a “high cuisine” environment to jack up price (without a taste to match). Not General Pots. Its decor and lighting is very stylish without being in your face. Seating is very comfortable. Definitely a place I’d like to visit again.

Kim Phung

It has just opened the indoor seating last week. If you love spicy, this is a must go restaurant. I love spicy and order mild but too much for me, so so hot, be careful. We ordered a pot of deep fried cat fish, it said “market price” and we paid $43.5, but it’s a large portion for at least 3 adults. Because the pot is bedding with veggies, mushrooms and clear chewy noodles. Yang Chao fried rice is absolutely amazing as well.

Tatum Tsu

This place makes the best fish glutens!!! Also my favorite spicy pot place! I usually order a fish gluten spicy pot adds two other main dishes such as beef tongue and fried fish! It’s amazing and such satisfying flavors! I come back here almost every month

The service is very attentive. The food is great. You must have that dried pot spare ribs.

Stopped in on Saturday for dinner little before 6pm but it filled up pretty quick. We decided on ordering a beef dry hot pot and added potato chips, noodles, and lotus roots. Price is reasonable and portion size is huge. Three of us couldn't finish it and we still had about half for leftovers. Let me say that this is probably the best dry hot pot I've had from any restaurant, and I've been to three other restaurants. Watch out this place doesn't shy away from spicyness, level 3 was pretty hot. Service was good and quick. If this place was closer I would be visiting pretty often.

Food is always amazing everytime I visit and can't leave without filling my stomach to the brim.

Easily one of my favorite authentic Chinese places in the bay area. Try their dry pot. It's Chongqing style so fairly spicy but you can control spice level.

Muser Mal

The service is very attentive. The food is great. You must have that dried pot spare ribs.

Isaac Madera

Easily one of my favorite authentic Chinese places in the bay area. Try their dry pot. It's Chongqing style so fairly spicy but you can control spice level.

Ron Lui

Stopped in on Saturday for dinner little before 6pm but it filled up pretty quick. We decided on ordering a beef dry hot pot and added potato chips, noodles, and lotus roots. Price is reasonable and portion size is huge. Three of us couldn't finish it and we still had about half for leftovers. Let me say that this is probably the best dry hot pot I've had from any restaurant, and I've been to three other restaurants. Watch out this place doesn't shy away from spicyness, level 3 was pretty hot. Service was good and quick. If this place was closer I would be visiting pretty often.

The boss is pretty nice! $40 for a crab!! Good price! And the taste is good.

Quite decent place for Chinese dry pot, flavored seasoning is authentic enough for me. If you don’t like dry pot, there are multiple Sichuan dishes that you may like on menu. The price is reasonable and the guy who served us, I assume he is the owner, gave us such hospitality vibe. By the way, I will try the Chinese grilled fish next time.

Very flavorful food. They take care of your preferences. The food is a little on the oiler side. I ordered green onion pancakes, they were translucent with oil. The chicken fried rice and the mapo tofu, were also on the oilier side. Will try the dry pots next time.

One dry hot pot with some add-ons is good for two.

Very nice dry pots - meat and vegetables without a soup base served in a wok-like pan over flame. We also had a chao mian/chow mein which was richly flavored and excellent as well. The downside - we went about 25 minutes before closing and the waitress twitched impatiently at the table waiting for us to order. Don't go near closing time.

Yummy food, nice waiters, cleanliness is just ok, usually need to wait for at least 15 minutes for a Dry Pot dish per my experience.

It was my first time and I had a good hype for this place from my Asian friends. This place was packed on a weekend and I heard they are busy most weekends. The place is cozy and we had to wait 15 mins to get a table. Their service is friendly and quick. We got the bbq fish which is this location famous for. I have to say I was surprised by the size and quantity. It was a big fish and good for 3 to 4 people. Though the fish was big it was mostly bones and their broth was spicy and sour with ample of veggies. We got Jasmine rice to go with it and it was good. The fish was fresh and the broth was soothing. We also got complimentary Ube dessert. Overall had a nice time and will definitely come back to try out their other dishes.

The Lamb Rib dry pot and the BBQ whole catfish were delicious. However both had a similar taste (using the mala tongue numbing Chinese peppercorn as a base with chili peppers). Service was brusque but quick. We got decent service as my friend spoke Mandarin to the server. I would come back but would order these two dishes separately next time. Too similar in flavoring.

Julia Lee

The Lamb Rib dry pot and the BBQ whole catfish were delicious. However both had a similar taste (using the mala tongue numbing Chinese peppercorn as a base with chili peppers). Service was brusque but quick. We got decent service as my friend spoke Mandarin to the server. I would come back but would order these two dishes separately next time. Too similar in flavoring.

Zhijian Jiang

The boss is pretty nice! $40 for a crab!! Good price! And the taste is good.

Jagadeesh Rahul

It was my first time and I had a good hype for this place from my Asian friends. This place was packed on a weekend and I heard they are busy most weekends. The place is cozy and we had to wait 15 mins to get a table. Their service is friendly and quick. We got the bbq fish which is this location famous for. I have to say I was surprised by the size and quantity. It was a big fish and good for 3 to 4 people. Though the fish was big it was mostly bones and their broth was spicy and sour with ample of veggies. We got Jasmine rice to go with it and it was good. The fish was fresh and the broth was soothing. We also got complimentary Ube dessert. Overall had a nice time and will definitely come back to try out their other dishes.

Food is ok, a bit oily to me!

While food is tasty. The service is so slow.if you need water, you have to wait for 10 minutes. They don't even hire enough servers. Only two were working that night and one of them is on lunch break. Eating in the dinning room table while all customers are waiting fo r help.😏

The dry pot was honestly pretty average. The beef was extremely tough — really hard to chew and not flavorful at all 😂. The vegetables even came with century egg pieces that looked a bit odd… not sure if they were fresh 😂.

NilaTheCat Y

The dry pot was honestly pretty average. The beef was extremely tough — really hard to chew and not flavorful at all 😂. The vegetables even came with century egg pieces that looked a bit odd… not sure if they were fresh 😂.

We decided to give this place a try since we’ve enjoyed several great Sichuan restaurants nearby. We ordered the grilled fish, fried towel gourd, and pig ears in chili oil. The pig ears were decent, but the towel gourd tasted undercooked and lacked flavor. Our biggest disappointment was the grilled fish — the waiter said it was fresh catfish, but at a hefty price of $55.99, it turned out tough and tasteless. It also came with very few side dishes as you can see from the photos. One can definitely find much better options at nearby restaurants, where similar dishes usually cost between $32.99 and $42.99. With this experience, we’ve decided to cross this place off our future dining list.

H. J.

We decided to give this place a try since we’ve enjoyed several great Sichuan restaurants nearby. We ordered the grilled fish, fried towel gourd, and pig ears in chili oil. The pig ears were decent, but the towel gourd tasted undercooked and lacked flavor. Our biggest disappointment was the grilled fish — the waiter said it was fresh catfish, but at a hefty price of $55.99, it turned out tough and tasteless. It also came with very few side dishes as you can see from the photos. One can definitely find much better options at nearby restaurants, where similar dishes usually cost between $32.99 and $42.99. With this experience, we’ve decided to cross this place off our future dining list.

Reasons for 1 star: 1, Bad customer service. When I called in to order, the waiter was really impatient and told me he was busy. Hello? Am I your customer? 2, Bad environment. Place was really crowded and dirty. No social distance what’s so ever. 3, Unreasonable price. The BBQ fish cost 50$, fine. The add-ons: lotus root, 4$ for 4 slices?! Asparagus lettuce: 4$ for 4 slices?! Are you joking me?! Overall, bad experience. Don’t recommended