Tang Bar

Donna Kim

I visited Tang Bar after hearing it’s a popular Mala Tang brand in China, and it didn’t disappoint. The restaurant is located inside a mall, so make sure to check their hours — they close at 7 p.m. on Sundays. I arrived at 6:30 p.m., and it was still quite busy with a long line of customers. At $15.99 per pound, it’s a bit pricey, but the ingredients, from vegetables to meats, were all very fresh, which made it worth it. The process involves lining up to pick your ingredients, so be prepared for some wait time. I spent around $30 and chose the Sichuan spice level, the spiciest option, which was incredibly flavorful and made me sweat — just as I expected! One thing I found interesting was how many non-Asian customers were dining here. Most of them chose very mild spice levels (0 or 1), resulting in a lighter broth. The overall experience was great, with bold flavors and the perfect amount of spice. If I’m ever in the area again, I’d definitely return!

Simon Tan

Really exceeds expectations. You can pick any meats and veggies you want, and it will probably always turn out great because the broths are super flavorful. The decor in the dining area is also quite impressive.

Dustin Lee

This place is great as you can choose your own food and spice level for the broth (or dry), but the seating arrangement is horrible. It is hard to find seats for two people, let alone three. Also, remember to buy a drink before you go here, but the free water is decent. It can get some getting used to if you haven't gone to look for chopsticks, papers, water, and anything else you need. Also remember to ask for take out containers if you are not going to finish!

Dan Quine

Make your own bowl of noodles at the tang bar. You choose from a wide range of meats, fish, vegetables and, of course, noodles, then they are cooked fresh for you either in broth or sauce. Beware, the spicy szchuan broth is extremely spicy, but also deeply delicious! The ingredients are fresh and the choices are abundant. The seating area is delightful, though always packed. Prices are reasonable for what you get. Overall, excellent, definitely a stop we'll be returning to.

myra wong

A very unique approach in the U.S with the concept of Chinese Malatang idea, and incorporating it into mostly a self serve area. With tons of options of meats, veggies, seafood, fishballs, eggs and noodles, customers and transform their meal to fit their ideal tastes and preferences with countless combinations and soup/sauce bases. It is quite busy and PRICES ARE DETERMINED BY WEIGHT currently $14.99 a pound. It is very fun, and especially good if you like spicy! It is often difficult to find a seat, and may take a long time to prepare during rush times.

Da Fran

The whole bowl is weighed at the end; don't get greedy and your price will differ than others. Mine was 3.5 ish pounds and was 40 some odd dollars But there's to go containers so it was definitely worth it There's an assortment of meats, veggies, met substitutes, noodles, noodle species and noodle substitutes Plenty of stuff for gluten free and vegie people. The just a kick of spice or whichever was decently spicy for myself. Was quick to be cooked and worth it.

One of my favorite hot pot spots in sf! Hands down! A bit pricey but I def recommend at least trying it when you can. Almost always busy but waiting in line goes by fast. There’s a bit of a wait for your selected broth after choosing your ingredients so you may have to check up on your order every now and then because it does it get really busy.

Julio Avalos

One of my favorite hot pot spots in sf! Hands down! A bit pricey but I def recommend at least trying it when you can. Almost always busy but waiting in line goes by fast. There’s a bit of a wait for your selected broth after choosing your ingredients so you may have to check up on your order every now and then because it does it get really busy.

I got my food but I got kelp and a vegetable when I know I didn’t get them? I hate kelp and I don’t eat vegetables.. tasted good tho. They gave me an option to start over but cooking time would take too long because the line was too long.

Came here with my brother and my boyfriend and I shared with my boyfriend. Good: - Lots of variety, you can get noodles and meat and veggies and all kinds of them - The price ended up being reasonable since I shared with my boyfriend - I liked the laksa soup a lot - Great ingredients, loved the sweet potato noodles and the tofu Bad: - If you aren't careful, you can rack up a lot of expensive stuff that is cheap material - They ran out of the tomyum soup at 3 pm - Self service so you get your own stuff Overall this was a nice stop while shopping and we even found a cozy nook to eat at and it felt secluded and nice to sit around and catch up with friends at.

Personal size noodle bar. A wide variety of Ingradients to select from. If you are not careful, it is very easy to pack up too much food than you can eat. Luckily, you can always get Togo containers. Food is charged by weights. From personal experience, it ranges from $13 to $35 per person, depending how much you picked up. The place is almost always busy. The wait can be quite long. I have once waited for near an hour. You will be able to find seating before your food is ready. Somehow, it just works out that way. So we just find seating, hang out or get drinks and hangout.

Tang bar is a grab in a bowl to add to your dish kind of food establishment. You grab ingredients, and they charge by the pound prior to adding it to a soup base or stir fry. I've only ever gotten the soup base, though, and have tried a few different flavors from their spicest to their most mild, and I've enjoyed them all. The ingredients all feel fresh, and every broth is extremely flavorful. I would give this place close to 5 stars every time. However, on my last visit with a few friends and my significant other, Tang bar somehow mixed our two ingredients bowls up. I got the spicest flavor broth, and my friends got the pickled mild spice. The only remedy Tang Bar did was to drain the soup and place the ingredients in the original soup base. This caused my friends ingredients to be too spicy for them to eat, and my veggies were wilted and meat too chewy because of the double boiling of the ingredients. This also caused us to have to wait even longer for our food, up to about another 20 to 25 minutes. Other than that mess up, it would be 5 stars all around the board, but because of this slip up, I would give Tang bar closer to 4.5 stars rounded down due to Google rating system.

This place is amazing. I really love the quality of the broths they have. The selection of proteins and veg to add to your soup is extensive. This place is usually insanely busy so it can be hard to find a place to sit. Also when it is busy, expect to wait 20+ minutes for them to prepare your food. I have found if you get there right when they open or just before they close this is the best time to avoid the crowds. Also the weekends are just crazy. My only concern is that if you have a food allergy you should probably not eat here. While they do ask if you have allergies before taking your bowl into the kitchen, the self service ingredients bar is just that, self service so people use the same tongs to grab fish and shrimp to then grab mushrooms or tofu. Each customer uses their own tongs to pick up ingredients so there is zero ability that your food did not cross with something you're allergic to.

Tang Bar is a restuarant that specializes in paying how much your bowl weighs. You grab all the items that you want in your dish, weight it, choose a flavor, and then they’ll make the dish for you. They have broth flavors and non-broth flavors along with a few vegetarian options, as well. It can get really busy even on weekdays, which can cause the meals to take around 30 to 45 minutes to be ready. I recommend going shopping, grabbing boba, or even getting groceries while you wait LOL. There were times where I would visit a few stores, grab boba, and my dish still would not be done yet. Seating can also be limited. There are communal seats, but it can be limited when they are busy. There are a lot of options to choose from, and I have only tried the soup-based ones. I have tried the chicken broth, pickled veggies, just a kick, laksa, and hot and sour. My favorite soup bases are the pickled veggies and the laksa. The laksa is coconuty and not as spicy as the just a kick flavor. The pickled veggies is not spicy at all and like its name, has a pickle taste kind of like Asian pickled sour mustard vegetable taste. The chicken broth was milder and not as flavorful as the others but was good for days I felt a bit sick. I think the hot and sour was spicer than the just a kick and was like a spicy version of hot and sour soup with a thicker broth than the others. Usually, my bowls are around $20 or so, and it fulls me up pretty well. They also have a scale in the middle where you can preweigh your bowl to gauge your weight before reaching the checkout line. Overall, the broths are very flavorful, and I really enjoy the different options they have or the broths and non-broth flavors. I also like that there is a lot of variety and options of toppings for your bowl. However, it can take quite some time for the food to be done, but it means they’re making it fresh!

Food: 3.5/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 4/5 Overall: A good noodle option in the mall that offers variety and personalization albeit a little on the pricey side since it's pay by weight. The extended review... Food: 3.5/5 - The selection of meats, noodles, and veggies is good. Of course the price can be easily high if you go for the heavier stuff (of course this is noodles). The broth is tasty and definitely compliments all of the chosen toppings. Service: 4/5 - Not a lot of service other than the cashier but they are all very friendly. Ambiance: 4/5 - The seating isn't too tight and the interior is pretty well decorated.

This is a complicated Resteraunt to review. This is my third visit and My comments are consistent with all three visits. The selection is excellent and the freshness and variety is the best I have seen. The flavor is super addictive and the meal excellent. The spice level is what makes this restaurant a challenge I want to be clear I’m not struggling with the spice level. I’m challenged by the inconsistency in the spice level between dishes and between visits. One day it’s spicy and awesome and another day it’s too spicy to eat. My next visit I’ll ask for the spice on the side so I can control the heat. Be attentive that this is a buffet so you can order but find no tables when they are crowded. They seem to be getting more popular each time I go.

Cyrus Karr

I got my food but I got kelp and a vegetable when I know I didn’t get them? I hate kelp and I don’t eat vegetables.. tasted good tho. They gave me an option to start over but cooking time would take too long because the line was too long.

Jenny Xu

Came here with my brother and my boyfriend and I shared with my boyfriend. Good: - Lots of variety, you can get noodles and meat and veggies and all kinds of them - The price ended up being reasonable since I shared with my boyfriend - I liked the laksa soup a lot - Great ingredients, loved the sweet potato noodles and the tofu Bad: - If you aren't careful, you can rack up a lot of expensive stuff that is cheap material - They ran out of the tomyum soup at 3 pm - Self service so you get your own stuff Overall this was a nice stop while shopping and we even found a cozy nook to eat at and it felt secluded and nice to sit around and catch up with friends at.

Cz juarez

Personal size noodle bar. A wide variety of Ingradients to select from. If you are not careful, it is very easy to pack up too much food than you can eat. Luckily, you can always get Togo containers. Food is charged by weights. From personal experience, it ranges from $13 to $35 per person, depending how much you picked up. The place is almost always busy. The wait can be quite long. I have once waited for near an hour. You will be able to find seating before your food is ready. Somehow, it just works out that way. So we just find seating, hang out or get drinks and hangout.

David Nguyen

Tang bar is a grab in a bowl to add to your dish kind of food establishment. You grab ingredients, and they charge by the pound prior to adding it to a soup base or stir fry. I've only ever gotten the soup base, though, and have tried a few different flavors from their spicest to their most mild, and I've enjoyed them all. The ingredients all feel fresh, and every broth is extremely flavorful. I would give this place close to 5 stars every time. However, on my last visit with a few friends and my significant other, Tang bar somehow mixed our two ingredients bowls up. I got the spicest flavor broth, and my friends got the pickled mild spice. The only remedy Tang Bar did was to drain the soup and place the ingredients in the original soup base. This caused my friends ingredients to be too spicy for them to eat, and my veggies were wilted and meat too chewy because of the double boiling of the ingredients. This also caused us to have to wait even longer for our food, up to about another 20 to 25 minutes. Other than that mess up, it would be 5 stars all around the board, but because of this slip up, I would give Tang bar closer to 4.5 stars rounded down due to Google rating system.

Emjae

This place is amazing. I really love the quality of the broths they have. The selection of proteins and veg to add to your soup is extensive. This place is usually insanely busy so it can be hard to find a place to sit. Also when it is busy, expect to wait 20+ minutes for them to prepare your food. I have found if you get there right when they open or just before they close this is the best time to avoid the crowds. Also the weekends are just crazy. My only concern is that if you have a food allergy you should probably not eat here. While they do ask if you have allergies before taking your bowl into the kitchen, the self service ingredients bar is just that, self service so people use the same tongs to grab fish and shrimp to then grab mushrooms or tofu. Each customer uses their own tongs to pick up ingredients so there is zero ability that your food did not cross with something you're allergic to.

Krystal Le

Tang Bar is a restuarant that specializes in paying how much your bowl weighs. You grab all the items that you want in your dish, weight it, choose a flavor, and then they’ll make the dish for you. They have broth flavors and non-broth flavors along with a few vegetarian options, as well. It can get really busy even on weekdays, which can cause the meals to take around 30 to 45 minutes to be ready. I recommend going shopping, grabbing boba, or even getting groceries while you wait LOL. There were times where I would visit a few stores, grab boba, and my dish still would not be done yet. Seating can also be limited. There are communal seats, but it can be limited when they are busy. There are a lot of options to choose from, and I have only tried the soup-based ones. I have tried the chicken broth, pickled veggies, just a kick, laksa, and hot and sour. My favorite soup bases are the pickled veggies and the laksa. The laksa is coconuty and not as spicy as the just a kick flavor. The pickled veggies is not spicy at all and like its name, has a pickle taste kind of like Asian pickled sour mustard vegetable taste. The chicken broth was milder and not as flavorful as the others but was good for days I felt a bit sick. I think the hot and sour was spicer than the just a kick and was like a spicy version of hot and sour soup with a thicker broth than the others. Usually, my bowls are around $20 or so, and it fulls me up pretty well. They also have a scale in the middle where you can preweigh your bowl to gauge your weight before reaching the checkout line. Overall, the broths are very flavorful, and I really enjoy the different options they have or the broths and non-broth flavors. I also like that there is a lot of variety and options of toppings for your bowl. However, it can take quite some time for the food to be done, but it means they’re making it fresh!

The food and service is great. Why the missing one star the metal bowls were dripping soaked wet. Which didn't look sanitary. But great price on what you get of course since it's by the pound. The soup was amazing.

Bijoux

These are my comfort food. Ive been here tons of time. All the food is good and I always order the mild spicy soup. I always receive good service over there.

Ethel Chua

The food and service is great. Why the missing one star the metal bowls were dripping soaked wet. Which didn't look sanitary. But great price on what you get of course since it's by the pound. The soup was amazing.

The taste of “just a kick” was perfect but the sichuan had so much oil in its soup. Mala tang should usually come with deadens sauce but they provide none, which I find it annoying. Overall, I would recommend “just a kick” to everyone. Side note: it only cost me $17 for my bowl.

Alex Khant

The taste of “just a kick” was perfect but the sichuan had so much oil in its soup. Mala tang should usually come with deadens sauce but they provide none, which I find it annoying. Overall, I would recommend “just a kick” to everyone. Side note: it only cost me $17 for my bowl.

Stephanie Lau

Generally good for my first malatang experience in the US. $15.99/lb for toppings, which brings most totals to around $20 for each meal. I went close to closing on a Sunday and there was still a 20-30 minute wait before we got our food. The meat area was pretty messy and picked over by the time we arrived. My 2 star deduction comes from the messy environment and overcooking of the meat, I understand that it’s because everything is cooked at the same time but it was really hard. The tomato broth was delicious and comforting.

I went in yesterday, and ordered what’s in picture 1,2,3, for to go and received the food in picture four. I’m sure they gave me someone else’s food. Which is completely different from what I ordered. Which is inedible, and I had to make myself a ramen.

YM David

Terrible living conditions for this goldfish. There used to be more, but I assume they had passed already. No cover on the “river table” whatsoever and it looks pretty neglected. These are live animals, not decoration.