The reasonably priced lunch specials and do-it-yourself sauce bar has made this Mongolian-style hot pot specialist a favorite among locals. Select the half-and-half pot for the most balanced experience, and choose from a plethora of proteins including prime rib, kurobuta pork, and New Zealand lamb.

Mouth-numbing, Sichuan-style broths are the specialty at this Old Pasadena spot. Heat levels range from mild to extra spicy, while mix-ins include beef tongue, pork intestines, and tofu.

Whichever set menu one settles on here, be it seafood-focused or squarely land-based, make sure to order the hand-pulled noodles to go with it. Skilled “noodle dancers” flit to each table, whipping and pulling stretchy balls of dough and plopping the finished product into the hot broth to cook.

This Muslim-Chinese hot pot specialist will suit those who appreciate the slightly musty flavor of lamb. In addition to a variety of mutton cuts including shoulder and chuck roll, are things like duck gizzards and beef tripe. Opt for one of the house-made dipping sauces.

This Beijing-founded restaurant chain serves up Chongqing-style hot pot, which is famous for its mouth-numbing soup. The half-and-half pot brings balance to the table, with spicy and numbing flavors on one side and rich bone broth on the other. The range of mix-ins runs the gamut from fish balls to pig brains.

It’s easy to get a carried away at this Monterey Park standby where hot pot mix-ins are checked off a list, a bit like ordering at dim sum, and arrive as soon as the broth is ready. Softly boiled quails eggs, handmade spinach noodles, and lamb-stuffed dumplings are just a few of the accoutrements available.