Best Hot Pot Restaurants in Ottawa

Ottawa's hot pot scene is small but solid. Two traditional table hot pot restaurants anchor the city — one Sichuan, one Mongolian — both on Merivale Road. Downtown has a quicker option: a pre-cooked Sichuan maocai bowl that skips the table setup entirely.

Here's where to go for hot pot in Ottawa.

Traditional Table Hot Pot (Merivale Road)

Liuyishou Hot Pot

Liuyishou is a Chongqing-based chain with over 22 locations across North America. The Ottawa branch on Merivale Road serves classic Sichuan-style hot pot with a heavy hand on the Sichuan peppercorn. The menu is à la carte — you order what you want, not all-you-can-eat.

The split pot options (1, 2, or 3 sections) let you run spicy and mild side-by-side, and the sauce bar lets you build your own dip. Expect premium cuts of lamb, short rib, tripe, hand-made beef balls, and a full range of vegetables and noodles.

Style: À la carte Sichuan | Price: ~$30–40/person | Hours: Daily 11:30am, closes 10:30pm (Fri–Sat 11:30pm)

Happy Lamb Hot Pot

Happy Lamb (formerly Little Sheep) is Ottawa's only all-you-can-eat hot pot restaurant. The signature lamb bone broth is simmered for 8 hours with 36 ingredients — a Mongolian-style base rather than Sichuan spice. Other broths include Sichuan mala, tomato, and a split pot option.

The AYCE format makes it the better choice for groups and big appetites. Individual pots are also available if you don't want to share. Located in City View Plaza on Merivale Road.

Style: AYCE Mongolian | Price: ~$30–40/person | Hours: Daily 11:30am–10:30pm

Downtown: Pre-Cooked Hot Pot

Mr. Maocai

Mr. Maocai on Bank Street is a different concept. Instead of cooking at the table, you pick ingredients and a broth, and the kitchen cooks it all together in one big bowl. This is maocai — Sichuan's "instant hot pot." It's faster, cheaper, and doesn't require a group.

This is the first international location of a Chinese chain. The signature bowl is $8.99, and a single-serving set runs about $25 (enough for two to share). Spice level is fully customizable.

Style: Maocai (pre-cooked) | Price: ~$15–25/person | Hours: Daily 11am–10pm

Hot Pot Style Comparison

What to Know Before You Go

• Traditional hot pot is a 2+ hour meal — plan for the time commitment
• Split pots are standard — you can always get half spicy, half mild
• Sauce bars are common — expect to build your own dipping sauce from sesame paste, garlic, cilantro, chili oil, etc.
• Mr. Maocai is the fast option — no table cooking, good for solo lunches
• Reserve on weekends — both Merivale spots fill up Friday and Saturday nights
• Tip on the full bill — hot pot totals add up fast with premium cuts

Other Places Serving Hot Pot

A few Ottawa restaurants offer hot pot-style dishes without being dedicated hot pot spots:

• Perfect Meat Bowl (462 Bronson Ave) — build-your-own hot pot bowl priced by weight, plus skewers
• Papa Spicy (366 Dalhousie St) — Hunan/Sichuan restaurant with specialty hot pots (fish, bullfrog)
• Yunshang Rice Noodle (275 Bank St) — crossing-the-bridge rice noodles in hot broth

These aren't the same experience as traditional table hot pot, but they're worth knowing about.