Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot
45 S. Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91105
Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Pasadena for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Pasadena for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Pasadena for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
45 S. Fair Oaks Ave
Pasadena, CA, 91105 - Phone (626) 229-0888
- Website https://www.littlesheephotpot.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 3:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Garage
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Chinese Cuisine
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
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James Z.
interesting? I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to my non-Asian friends, you know? Kind of got that a little too authentic? factor happening for it to be really mainstream. But overall decent quality and reasonable-ish price- I'd say maybe go there hungry and do the AYCE course- we paid a la carte and it was slightly pricey that way.
(4)Bo L.
I went for the All You Can Eat, which is after 8pm. It's a lot of food and it is definitely worth the ~$20. Here's how it works: 1) You write down what ever kind of meat & vegetables. 2) They bring it to you & then you have to COOK it yourself in the boiling pot in front of you. I didn't know that so when they brought out the raw chicken, beef and pork I starting eating it raw. I figured this is how the real Mongolians did it. Thankfully the waiter stopped me and showed me how to cook it first. However there are 2 problems with this place: 1) The staff has limited English, but they mean well. 2) It can get tiring because your constantly eating and cooking and while trying to make sure nothing gets over cooked. It's a real workout.
(4)Greg W.
Beautiful location. I think the service here is great in a non-pest but very helpful if needed sort of way. We got the very spicy and medium spicy in our hot pot. It's actually not too spicy just in the sense that it is a bit alarming if the chili hits your throat. A little unpleasant but they provide enough water that it is ok. Additions: The lamb/beef Combo will take good care of you. The thick noodles are very good, would highly recommend them. Cuddlefish balls are alright but wouldn't get again. Nothing against cuddling! They just didn't taste that good. Texture was on Fleek. Overall this place is chill, watch the Bruins and chill out.
(4)Rebecca H.
I bought a Groupon for $11 for $20 worth of dinner for 2. I took my gf to check it out in Pasadena and the veggie broth was actually flavorful and didn't have to add extra salt or other sauces. We decided to just get egg noodle and udon noodle and no rice. 2 different combos of veggie and tofu and a side of shiitake mushrooms and at the end of it all we were beyond stuff! Its amazing how full we got from mainly vegetables !!
(4)John Q.
Came right before last call on a Sunday night, and they were really patient with us and made sure we got all the food we wanted! it's all you can eat after 8:30pm. So eat to your hearts desire! Medium spicy here wasn't as spicy as I remember it being at other Little Sheep locations, but it was still super flavorful. All the meat and veggies were really fresh. I definitely recommend getting the beef and fried fish cakes. Those were very tasty and fresh! Lamb can be a bit too gaimey. But it is grass fed from new Zealand like Lorde... Also, the sauce bar here is actually fully stocked! I love the variety! Peanut sauce and the ponzu were my fav..The one in SGV seems to be perpetually low on the sha cha sauce, but not this one :D I got mad that they wouldn't let us take the left overs back cause it was all you can eat. What a waste!! They weren't gonna do anything with it anyway. They were spiteful against my greediness :( Tip: Wear gym clothes cause you and your clothes will smell like feet and herbs.
(4)Maruko X.
Ambiance: convenient location in Pasadena old town, garage parking or street meter around. Spacious inside with large tables available for groups Service: fast and attentive, our waiter is very nice and patient Food: in general great Hot Pot Soup Broth - *** very salty Beef Slice - **** fresh, recommend Lamb Slice - **** fresh, recommend Shrimp - *** decent size Shrimp Ball - ***average taste Lamb Ball - **** recommend Beef Ball - *** average taste Ham Slice - *** salty Beef Tripe - *** average taste Seaweed - *** average taste Tofu - *** average taste Beef Tendon - *** chewy Quill Eggs - *** average taste Fish Dumplings - ** so so Shrimp Dumplings - so so Vegetables - *** average taste Chicken - *** average taste Lamb Wonton - **** recommend Mushroom - ** so so Price: generous portions, expect $25~$30 each person
(4)Vivian Y.
Came here with a friend when we heard this place was ayce for just $23. What a steal! The restaurant was large and poorly ventilated because the whole place smelled like a hint of BO. Probably the combination of all the meats and herbal soups. I got used to the smell after 10 minutes. First round of orders- max 3 order per person Second round- max 2 order per person Third to unlimited rounds- 2 order per person. I thought the ordering rule was lame at first but it wasn't actually too bad. Once our food came out we threw everything into the boiling pot and ordered more right away. My friend and I had the lamb and beef for meats, beef ball and cuttlefish fish balls, quail eggs, spinach,napa,enoki mushrooms.....and other things and the quality was exceptional. Napa was sweet which I liked. We ordered the original house soup base which has a smorgasbord of herbs in it .....BUT it was really salty. Imagine drinking canned chicken broth.... delicious the first couple of hot steamy sips but it becomes overwhelming afterwards. Pros: own sauce bar Ayce Fast service Friendly service Great quality food Big spacious restaurant Across the street from ICE CREAM LAB! Cons: soup base too salty Sa-cha (satay) sauce mostly oil and no actual satay. I would definitely come back again as long as it's ayce and $23. My tummy and wallet was happy.
(4)Youri Y.
I'm still fairly new to the hot pot game but I think this was an A-OK experience. We came in a group of 8 to celebrate my sister's graduation from pharmacy school (YAAAAY) and we had booked reservations for dinner time. I was excited it was AYCE and hangry because I only had a banana and yogurt that morning :( Anyways, the restaurant and menu state it's AYCE but it's really order a small number of items in the first round and they increase the increments the next round. But you can't order veggies and meat at the same time for some reason. We had to order meat first, veggies another round, and more meat again the following. WHAAAACCCKK. The items I really enjoyed were the corn, shrimp, lamb slices, bok choy, beef slices and their sesame dipping sauce. Pretty tasty to have the half & half soup bases and their premium meat slices cooked nicely and melted right into your mouth. I wasn't hangry anymore after the servers brought plentiful plates of veggies and meats. Everything was alright :) but I probably would't come back unless I was really craving hot pot HARD.
(3)Elizabeth K.
Wow come here during ace All you can eat hot pot!! Definitely worth all the food here! Very very fresh! Get both the Half and half Ying yang! Both broth is definitely super delicious!! The price isn't that bad very good!!! I am definitely coming back here to eat here with all my loved ones!!
(5)Nicole L.
Can't get enough of hot pot - even in the summer! That's what the AC is for. ;) PARKING: 90 minutes free - access heading east on Green Street directly past Fair Oaks. SERVICE: They say they limit you to 5 selections per AYCE round, but they're super attentive when you want to order more! Self service sauce bar is a plus. FOOD: They ran out of egg dumpling when I went, but everything else tasted incredibly fresh. Stick to your own normal hot pot routine, but I highly recommend the tripe and the fish dumpling! Now if I can convince my boyfriend to love hotpot...
(5)spree l.
We got the ying/yang pot with the following ingredients in half-servings where possible: Enoki + shiitake mushrooms, beef tendon, veggie combo, pork belly, lamb shoulder, fish balls with roe, pig blood, sweet corn, egg noodles. (I just really wanted to try pig blood. Why? It was there.) The dinner total came out to about $60 between two people with some meat slices still left on the table and veggies boiling away in the broth. In hindsight, we should have perhaps gone the AYCE route (available after 8:30 pm) to keep the cost down. The spicy side of the broth wasn't too spicy, but it had a strange ability to tingle-numb your tongue. The ingredients were fresh and delicious. Favorites were the sweet corn and the squash they give you in the veggie combo, which broke down in the heat; I had to scoop-save the sweet, tender morsels of umami. The meat was succulent and full-flavor, practically melting in your mouth. As for the soup, I'm just personally not a fan of cumin, which is the first scent that hits you when you enter the restaurant. The broth was reminiscent of Chinese herbal medicine so I wasn't the hugest fan. However, the fun of swishing and eating quality meat and veggies with Frankendoctored sauces (bean curd, seasame, green onions, and chili ftw!) with good company made up for the questionable taste and we had a great meal. Just be warned: I got the brunt of the smoke and everything I wore smelled like the broth until I was able to de-clothe and take a shower. Service was friendly and helpful and parking right across the street from the restaurant was convenient. Overall, a good experience with my first time at a hot pot, though I'm going to search for a place with broth more pleasing to my tastebuds.
(3)Peggy V.
I personally do not like this location. I like the one in SGV better. The times that I have been here, were always waiting a long wait and its weird because they have a perfectly clean and open back side with many tables, which they never seemed to open up for people. Maybe because they're still working on some things? I'm not sure, but it made the wait more anxious when you saw perfectly open seats! The food here is good, but then again I prefer SGV better. The broth just isn't as great as the other location. As well as their customer service. They are not very nice here. I'm not sure if it's because of the many customers that they don't really pay attention because they're constantly busy, or because they're just ride. I'm not sure, but overall hot pot is hot pot. It's good, but not great. HOWEVER! I do like that this location serves happy hour!!!
(3)Eileen K.
I had the all you can eat for $22. The menu is a little confusing (the first round you can order 3, then the 2nd round you can order however many...etc. don't remember the exact #s) and a lot of the veggies we had no idea what we were ordering (we liked the surprise..) I guess I'm not used to this style of hot pot (grew up with Japanese style shabu shabu) so it was EXTREMELY strange for me to have the broth so HERBY and not able to drink it. I like milder broths that you can drink with your meat and veggies, so this probably isn't the place for me. I did like the little sauce bar, where you can customize your own sauces...
(3)Jaclyn T.
Little sheep is a good restaurant to go to with a group of friends to relax, indulge and socialize. You have the option of choosing a spicy or non-spicy broth. They do have the option of getting both in a yin-yang styled pot. However, I usually order the original broth (non-spicy) with a plate of supreme Angus beef, a half order of shitake mushrooms, and a bowl of rice. I let the broth boil with all the herbs to let all the flavors saturate in the soup (if you don't wait the soup might taste bland and won't be hot enough). There's also a sauce bar where you can create and customize your ideal sauce that you have unlimited access to. The sauce bar is also filled generously with other condiments like minced garlic, green onion and cilantro. These can be used in the sauces, however I prefer to add them to my soup to adjust the soups taste to my liking. Placing the meat in the boiling pot of soup, I let it cook for 10-15 seconds (or until I can visually tell the meat is cooked completely). The mushrooms I allow to sit in the broth longer so that they soften and absorb the flavor of the broth. Once fully cooked, I dip the meat or mushrooms in sauce and eat it with rice or drink the soup. The meat and mushrooms become infused with immense flavor from the broth. Little Sheep is perfect for rainy or cloudy days, however I get cravings for it in any type of weather.
(5)Kurtis C.
My girlfriend and I, along with our friends, have gone every Tuesday for the past 3 weeks and we live in Anaheim. That's roughly about an hour drive. There's one about 20 minutes from me, but we like the Pasadena one location the best. You can order 3 items per person when it comes to the AYCE. They don't skimp on the food and their sauce bar has all the usual Asian sauces you need to complete your meal. If you want their "premium" items, it's $3 dollars per person. It's mostly seafood and vegetables. The shrimp is great if you're a lazy pretty boy like me because it comes peeled already. The reason why we haven't tried the other locations is because this one happens to have a liquor license! You can get top shelf liquor for only $6 dollars a glass. In fact, the clientele doesn't seem to partake in alcohol as much as our group does so we finished about 3 bottles of liquor... pretty much a bottle per week. Due to the fact that we've been cleaning out their inventory, Seven, who happens to be the manager, had to order more liquor for us. Seven is a great manager and his customer service is what makes it worthwhile to come to the Pasadena location. Do as I do on Tuesdays: starve yourself all day long and binge on AYCE hotpot. You'll regret it but at least it'll be a regret worth feeling sorry over the next day.
(5)Abby S.
Came right before last call on a Monday night, and they were really patient with us and made sure we got all the food we wanted! Medium spicy here wasn't as spicy as I remember it being at other Little Sheep locations, but it was still super flavorful. All the meat and veggies were really fresh. Also, the sauce bar here is actually fully stocked! The one in SGV seems to be perpetually low on the sha cha sauce, but not this one :D No complaints - would definitely come back!
(5)Amy P.
After attending a Yelp Elite event at Little Sheep last year, I finally made my way back to try the lunch special with a friend when I had a day off. I parked at her work place and we walked about half a mile but there is a parking structure available 90 minutes free then a fee thereafter. We were seated immediately at 12:30pm on a Monday afternoon and ordered our lunch special combos right away. The $9.95 deal is a steal! Big plate full of meat and veggies. I also ordered the side of taro and soft drink for $1 each. Ordered the half spicy and half regular soup so we could get a mix of both. I would suggest taking out the chili once the soup comes or it gets spicier as you eat it!! Wish there were more soup options as these are more "herbal" soups than what i'm used to. LOVE shabu shabu places that have sauce bars. It's more convenient for customers to get whatever we want instead of ordering something we're unsure about. There are recommendations for sauces depending on meat which is really neat. Overall, service was great the entire time we were there. Definitely try out the weekday lunch specials!
(4)Juan F.
Came here for lunch one weekend and got stuffed - and we paid the price! Wow this place is NOT CHEAP but you are paying for the quality of the ingredients here. Everything from the soup base, to the veggies and the meats are top quality and fresh. I love their lamb and fish eggs. Veggies are always fresh as well. I like that they have a huge sauce bar and you can basically take as much and as many sauces as you'd like without getting stink eye from a waiter or getting judge! Pricey but good. I usually park on the structure across the street - free for 90min but it takes like 10min to find parking!!
(3)Yadan Z.
This place is definitely a must-try!! pros: 1) meats and veggies are very fresh 2) friendly servers 3) zero wait time ! Sunday afternoon is the perfect time to call cons: 1) lamb skewer wasn't very good 2) can get pricy. my bf and I paid $65 for our meal, BUT TOTALLY WORTH IT.
(5)Nader Y.
A twist from the normal shabu shabu I'm familiar with, the variety of veggie and meat selection, and their own unique sauce bar is what makes this place great. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. We went on a Sunday night and their wasn't any wait. Just a warning, I like spicy foods, and their medium spicy had the perfect amount of heat for me.
(4)Simon K.
When first opened there were way too many people here that wait time was always well over an hour. The Manager or a lady who greets the guest acted as too stressed out and cold back then. Months later, I finally got to visit again. Way less people this time. Hot pot was yummy for sure. Small portions compared to other hot pot places near by. Liked the self serving sauces, affordable beer choice and friendly wait staffs.
(4)Vic C.
(Review based on 3.5 stars) Came by here yesterday afternoon around 12:30 pm for lunch with my husband. When we first walked in (you could smell that strong cumin in the air immediately), no one was at the front to sit customers. So we just waited in the front for a little bit and eventually found someone to sit us. My husband and I both decided to take advantage of the lunch special, $9.99 with your choice of meat. I opted for chicken and my husband picked the pork belly. Portion size, you get plenty for lunch and at a pretty good price. In fact, I only ate half of my lunch and took the rest home (I cooked everything and asked for a to go container). Service was pretty much lacking (which lowered my rating to 3.5 stars). Our water glasses were rarely refilled and no one ever checked up on us. I guess because hot pot is a self serve type of meal and with the make shift sauce bar, I can see why servers may thing it is okay to rarely check up on their patrons.... but still doesn't make it right to ignore them. Anyways, we ordered the yin yang pot, one side with spicy and the other with the house special (non spicy). The house special had a really nice broth flavor. But the spicy hot pot was just one note, spicy. My husband said that the flavors in my broth were more prominent (because I am a non spicy eating person, I just had to believe my husband because I wouldn't dare try his broth). My husband didn't think his broth was really that spicy, even though there was a ton of dried chilies in his broth. Both of our hot pot entrees came with noodles, which was nice but I would have preferred rice. The noodles were good though, I liked the perfect thickness and chew. In the end, I probably wouldn't come back here because of the lack of service. And honestly, I do prefer shabu over hot pot (but the broth here was good though and better than another hot pot restaurant I had been to in the past). But the lunch special is an excellent portion and price. By the way, this place is located a few doors down from 85* Bakery and right across the street from a parking structure (90 minute free parking, $1 thereafter for every hour).
(3)Sting D.
I like the hotspot here and it is almost the same as the Little Sheep in China. You can find almost everything you can find in the chain restaurant in China. The environment is neat and they have TV and cocktail bar too. We ate to our throat for lunch.
(5)Jennifer P.
This was my first experience with shabu shabu. It was okay, nothing that spectacular. I prefer KBBQ. The service was decent, nothing memorable. The food itself was interesting - the flavors of the broth were mild, I expected something more robust and flavorful. Color me disappointed. In my opinion, if you're going to do AYCE proteins, KBBQ is a better bang for your buck. Oh, and I got sick after eating the scallops. What a joy. NOT. I can't say I'd come back.
(3)Andrijana J.
The food was fine, but the service was what earned this place 2 whole stars. I visited on a Monday night and there were no more than 6 tables being served at that time including the one I was sitting at. From the get go our waitress took forever just to come by and take our initial order. The food then took another eternity to be brought out to us. The waitress wouldn't come by to check on us unless we flagged her down. Once we were on our second round of items a simple order of broccoli never made it to our table even after two waiters placed the order! Our waitress found the time to sweep the floor while we waited for basic attention. All I could think was whether she washed her hands between sweeping the floor and handling plates of food. Ughhh! And lastly, once the bill finally came, instead of charging us for 3 all-you-can-eat meals, they charged us for 2. My friend, being the honest person that she is, told them and they went ahead and charged us for the third meal without any kind of thank you. Lame!!!!! Awful, awful, AWFUL service!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Couldn't wait to get the heck out of there!
(2)Veronica H.
Can't really beat good hot pot imo. It's a great option when you want something full of flavor but still healthy! Came here on a sunday night for late dinner. This location looks relatively new and I really liked that they had a sauce bar. Out of all the hot pot places I think this one has the best broth because of all the herbs and spices they add to the soup(you can see them floating around). I personally prefer the original broth vs the spicy because I find it less "stressful" to eat if that makes sense. The vegetables are all very fresh and the meat quality is good. Some unusual items that I personally like are the fish filets and the spongey tofu. I prefer the spongey texture since it really soaks up broth/sauce. Drinks are relatively cheap and even cheaper after happy hour(9:30-closing on sunday).
(4)lisa l.
The food was good, but the service was yet to be desired. They were over staffed yet no one would give us the time of day unless we flagged them down. They charged me for 2 people instead of 3, and even with being honest and telling them about the error, I got "sorry" instead of "thank you".
(2)Marisa D.
Just one of the many stores from the chain. We went during lunch so we got the lunch special which is INCREDIBLY AFFORDABLE!! Honestly this place is just a really good value. Just eat a bunch for lunch and it will tie you over for dinner. I just wish they would have the soft tofu as part of the lunch plate but that is a very minor complaint. My favorite thing to get is the potatoes and pork belly. Great place to go with friends and for sharing plates. They split the pot so you can have half spicy and half not which is wonderful when you have wimpy taste budded friends like me. There's also a sauce bar to change up the flavor to your liking. The sauce bar here was not as stocked as maybe some of the other locations but i got everything i needed. We took two people who have never eaten hot pot and there really is something for everyone to enjoy. We had very attentive staff and there was surpassingly no wait like there would be at other little sleep locations.
(4)Jash P.
The Bestie, "What will you tell someone who is new to hot pot?" Me: "It's more complicated than Korean BBQ!" Eats: Ying Yang (regular broth and medium spicy) with pork shoulder half portion, lamb half portion, lamb wontons, fish balls, baby bok choy half portion, tong ho half portion, daikon, quail eggs, king oyster mushroom, half portion of udon, full portion of house noodle, yam mochi, and a carafe of winter melon Takes: Granted yes, it was my first time, and boy am I glad I had her to help me in this endeavor. She walked me through on the cooking instructions (don't just simply dump all the ingredients at once) and pretty much the gist of hot pot. All the ingredients were fresh. The meat was all thinly sliced and indeed only took 10-15 seconds to cook. The winter melon drink was a great complement to cool down from the broths. Yam mochi cleansed the palate; only wished that they didn't serve it to us until near the end of the meal (it was served even before the veggies were brought to the table). I personally didn't try the sauces because I was content with the robust flavors of the broths, but the Bestie did try most of the sauces, a bit of minced garlic, and some scallions with her broth, and she loved it. Note: The above could easily feed a group of 4. We were only a party of 2. Needless to say, we ordered with our eyes, but the Bestie was the trooper and finished those last noodles that just seem to pop up in our broths! Service: We were pretty much on our own in terms of ordering; you basically fill out the paper menu they provide you. If someone had suggested that usually a party of 2 gets 1 meat, 2 veggies, etc, we may not have had the over ordering issue. However, they especially paid attention to our broths-even offering a refill when levels were getting low. Water refills were also covered. Price: Hot pot can get expensive really quickly, especially since the items are ala carte. The above cost us about $34 per person (including tax and tip); it definitely wasn't the cheapest Saturday lunch. Tip: Go during their M-F lunch special. This option is definitely more budget friendly. Location: Downtown Pasadena right next to Bachi Burger and near 85° Parking: There's a nearby parking garage that is within walking distance of the restaurant. First 90 mins is free over there. Bottom line: Taste wise, go here for your hot pot fix (just beware of the escalating cost of your meal when you order)! Highly recommended.
(4)Ryan C.
Really like the authenticity of this place and the sauce bar available for customers to use. First smell I smelt coming in was fuming, don't know what that's all about. They seem to have a great selection of entrees and combos and even a decently priced AYCE happy hour!
(4)Amy C.
Super excited to see this restaurant in Pasadena as it saves the extra 10-15 minute drive to the SGV. We drove out here because I was craving hot pot. Upon our arrival, there was no one at the front to greet us. After waiting a few minutes, this disgruntled older lady finally came up and motioned for us to sit down. The heck? A hello would be nice! We sat down and ordered an array of meats and veggies. I thought the prices were a bit higher than what I paid in SGV, but it's cool, Pasadena prices, yo. Apparently, there's a sauce bar towards the back of the restaurant where you can load up on sauces and garnishes. None of the staff informed us, as this was discovered by accident while walking to the restroom. And of course they were out of ponzu sauce! What hot pot place runs out of PONZU?!! We opted for the ying yang pot which offers one mild soup base and one super spicy base. It's divided in the middle so you can cook your food in whichever side you prefer. I loved the spicy broth as it cleared up my sinuses and had a good kick. If you're unsure, definitely go for the ying yang. We ordered two of the cheaper meat options, white fish, pumpkin, winter melon, chrysanthemum leaves and seaweed knots. This was plenty of food to feed 3 people. I also ordered a side of rice since I am the carb queen. Rice cost $1 more per order. Kinda lame since it should come with your meal. Overall, the bill was around $60 after tax and tip. I'd go back, but not for the stellar service.
(2)Samantha A.
If you love hot pot you'll love this place. I'm writing from a vegetarian perspective. Little Sheep has a mushroom vegetarian base soup and we added some spice to it (it gets pretty spicy so beware if you're a little spice sensitive). They have a wide array of vegetables, tofu, and meat (if you like that) and you can order half or whole side so each. There is also a sauce bar for all of your sauce needs. The servers are friendly and they even have cooking instructions on the table for hot pot rookies. The price was the real kicker for me. Dinner for 2 people with beers and too many veggies and tofu, our meal cost $41. You can't beat that prices... will run you about that high.
(5)Anthony C.
Stopped in to get some Hot pot on a rainy day. Service was great, place was clean, and the food is really good. Their meat quality is always high and the broth is always roaring with flavor. Always, ALWAYS go for the lamb (tastes so good, maybe it's why they call it little sheep--- cuz you're eating a whole ton of them!). Oh so good. Also, the shrimp meatballs are pretty tasty here. The tong ho (chrysanthemum leaves) are always super delicious in the broth. Protip (per Katie B.) - Ask to refill the broth before you finish your meal. Then, take the broth home. The next day you can make hot pot again with the broth! (Or porridge). YUMMMAAAY! WIll be back again on a cold day!
(5)Vivian L.
really tasty and fresh food. but the sauce bar was not nearly as extensive as i thought it would be. there are only maybe maybe 5 condiments to choose from, including soy, sambal, chili oil, scallions, bbq. no garlic and no cilantro.
(4)Eric C.
This is the worst place ever I bought the $22 groupon for this place thinking it was going to be really good damn I was wrong. My wife and I sat at the bar till our table was ready the last told us she's not sure if she can serve us after she had us wait 10 min. I walked away my wife was the one that got a drink only. Once we sat down took 20 min to even get a menu then when we did we never got our drinks that we ordered at the table. The waitress said order whatever you want groupon covers everything so we ordered what we wanted she came back told us we had to limit the order bitch you just said order anything. At that point I got up and left I couldn't take it I don't recommend this place to anyone. If your Mexican or any other race then Chinese trust me they won't serve you bunch of racist people there.
(1)Wan L.
Lunch Combo ($9.95): M-F before 3pm Includes your choice of meat (beef, lamb, pork, chicken, fish etc) and a platter filled with veggies, tofu, noodles, imitation crab, enoki & shiitake mushrooms, fish/pork/beef balls, potato and turnip slices + Broth (spicy or house). *Tip: get both! The beef (8 pcs) was thinly sliced and tender. Don't overcook it! Just swish it around for 5 secs or until it's no longer pink. The fish/pork/beef balls are slit so when they're ready, it opens up like a flower :) All the ingredients were tasty, fresh and presented beautifully. *Rice is an addtl $1/bowl Self-serve sauce & condiments station available (satay, sesame, garlic, bean paste, chili oil, cilantro, green onions). Create your own concoctions. Service: Good Parking: Schoolhouse Block parking structure on Green & Fair Oaks (90 mins FREE)
(4)Mavis T.
the one in pasadena is much better than san gabriel square store.
(4)Richard T.
Awesome broth and meat/veggie selection. NOT all you can eat. I've been to 3 locations in total (Bellevue, San Mateo, and Pasadena) and they are all great for hot pot. Different than szechuan hot pot.
(4)Ashley Z.
I honestly really enjoyed the experience and the food. It was all so pleasant! Though, I did run into a small problem, it was handled with a high level of integrity and and respect; for that I give 5 stars. Thank Romer for your fast respons and care of handling in this situation.
(5)elicia r.
It is a shame that the AWFUL service here totally eclipses the delightful food. Starting with the good: The broths are delicious, and the selection of meats, veggies and other items to add are really quite good. They also have a nice beverage menu. The bad: Once we were sat, and provided ice water - everything went to hell in a hand-basket. We came at around 2:00 on a Sunday - so it's not like it was rush hour - but the waitstaff was no where to be found. I had to get up from the table and find staff four times to: 1. Request that someone take our order (we'd filled out the checklist and sat waiting for 15 minutes) 2. Up again to request beverage refills 3. Again to request additions to our order (shocking since this is how you make money at a restaurant - by selling food). 4.and finally to get a to-go box and the check. I hate getting up from the table to get service. I used to wait tables, and it was always a total embarrassment to me if one of my customers felt so ignored that they had to get up to get my attention. The whole time we were having our meal, the staff never even looked in our direction, and no amount of polite hand-raising when they veered into our vicinity seemed to do the trick. I can't imagine going back to this restaurant, even though the food is very tasty.
(2)David T.
Why why did I eat so much!!! Ugh. Sooooo good!!!! We were invited to a elite tasting event and they did not disappoint. They gave us a 10 course meal!! I will add a picture to show you what they fed us!!! Soooo good !!! Pork, beef, chicken, sausage, fish, mushrooms, peanuts, kimchee and etc... Wait staff was awesome and very fast as well. And at the end hampster (which is the manager) gave us another free lunch combo lol for 2!!!! The broth was amazing and dessert was awesome which was a yam and red bean cake with ice cream!!
(5)Al T.
I have never written a yelp review before but after these last two experiences I felt compelled to. A note to whomever owns or manages this branch, it is SEVERELY UNDERSTAFFED. The food is great but service is awful because there's not enough help. People are waiting for tables while there are open tables in the back. People finish eating and have left tables and I have stated at this table remaining in cleaned for 20 minutes now while the work staff walks back and forth not turning it over. The sauce bar became empty and I was told they were unable to refill the garlic because they were out of it... At 730pm on a Sunday night. Please hire more help.
(1)Rinna T.
Bad service and bad attitude. If yelp allows to give 0 star I will do that. Slow and seems like they doesn't like to service you. I need to walk inside to find waitors or shout loud. I do not understand why they give that bad service but still wishing for tips.
(1)Gunya T.
We decided to try this place out and I must say, service sucks! We were waiting for the lady to open the door because they open at 11:30 but she was just standing around. I had to open the door and remind her that it's past 11:30.
(3)June L.
I'm already a fan for Little Sheep, so this review may be a little biased :) I frequented the Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot restaurant in Bellevue, WA with more regularity than I dare to admit. Comparisons in this review would be with the Bellevue location. I was absolutely thrilled to learn a new outlet opened up in Pasadena. Woohoo! It seemed to have happen under the radar (at least my radar) as I'd have been all over the news of a new Xiao Fei Yang opening in my neck of the woods. While the decor wasn't as fancy as Bellevue's, it was clean and modern. And they have a sauce bar, which Bellevue doesn't. The lovely Little Sheep signature soup smell hits you as soon as you enter the door. This is a communal pot type of hot pot place (as opposed to Hai Di Lao, where you get your own individual pot). We got the half-and-half broth option with medium spiciness. I think it could have been a bit more spicy for my taste. Drink of choice was the TsingTao Pure Draft. There's a helpful picture menu and you check off what you want on a paper menu. Most everything is available as half-orders, which is a good thing if there's just the two of you. We ordered two half orders of meat (lamb shoulder and pork belly), the combo meatball platter, a half order of tofu sticks, half order of brown beech mushrooms, half an order of napa cabbage and half an order of noodles. That was more than enough for two. While Little Sheep is a chain, there are some differences in their food. The shrimp balls weren't as fine, and the noodles were thinner, but chewier. They do a good job preparing their ingredients. You don't have to worry about your cooking skills here, as it's hard to overcook things like their house-made meatballs and house-made thick noodle. Service was great! Attentive with frequent soup refills. No problems getting someone's attention. Our server even cautioned us on the amount of food we initially ordered. We had said one combo mushroom platter and one combo veggie platter. The veggie combo platter was huge! Yeah, that would've been waaaay too much food. We ended up with just half orders of one veg and one mushroom. We had also asked for iced water (tea is served by default) and it didn't show up. When we asked a second time, the server was immediately apologetic and brought it right away. They don't take reservations for parties under 6, but you don't need one for a small party. There was no wait for a table at 6:30pm on a Saturday evening. I, obviously, can't wait to come back!
(5)Andy K.
The food itself was kinda bland. They serve you plates of vegetable, tofu, and meats that you cook in a pot of soup. It is kinda fun to cook the stuff yourself. They have a sauce bar where you can mix a bunch of things together but it all just ends up tasting the same after a couple mixes of different things. I'm giving this place 3 stars for the space since it is really nice. If anything, I've been here twice and there wasn't anything memorable enough for me to want to return again.
(3)Jenine L.
This place gets one star bc the lamb meatballs are good. The food overall was decent but the service was absolutely horrible and if u speak English only, you will barely understand the broken English the waiters speak.
(1)Allice Y.
The store manager is pretty nice. We wasn't too happy at the beginning because of one of the server due to miscommunication. However, the manager come to us and gave us an very detail explain. I think that's nice.
(4)Vivian L.
Horrible experience! This place does not even deserve ONE STAR for service. If you want to be treated like garbage this is the place to dine in. I have been here three times; first visit was an awesome experience, second visit was mediocre where the server never greeted and took the order sheet without even asking what I wanted to drink. However since the food was good, I decided to come back which is my third time and will be my last time. Long story short my friends and I have been waiting for a table over 30 minutes with a ticket and there were few empty tables where more customers could have been seated. So after waiting, i decided to go over and talk to the manager (female asian manager) to ask when our table will be ready. The manager said 30-40 more minutes when I asked to be seated at one of the empty tables she said "no working" and the other empty table was for reservation customers that were coming at 8PM! When the time I asked to be seated was only 7:20. Instead of accommodating us The manger was holding the empty table which had a gap for 40 minutes. When we were getting ready to leave without dining the manager did not care or apologize. Very disappointed and angry that someone like this is working in the restaurant industry.
(1)Amy C.
I am so thrilled that there is a Little Sheep in Pasadena! This one is by far the cleanest and most beautiful. I think I've pretty much eaten at most of the hot pot and shabu shabu restaurants in LA and this is one of my new favorites. The meat and vegetables are very fresh here and the service was also great.
(5)Jessica M.
Sauce bar was amazing. I love the options between half and full portions. I recommend the yin&yang soup base.
(4)Elizabeth B.
First time I've ever done Hot Pot and it's so much fun. Very clean and cute atmosphere. Also the best broth I've ever had. Will definitely be back.
(4)Molly Y.
I got abdomen painful after dinner. And it still painful for the whole dinner. After that, my boyfriend and I got diarrhea when I back home. Take care and prepare medicine before you go. I would not came back any more.
(1)Mozza C.
Went here for my first hot pot experience. Unfortunately, the servers didn't have the time or energy to explain things, so we had to wing it. I would give them 1 star for service. The broth is very delicious, hence the 4 stars. Fried tofu is great and tiger shrimp is tasty. Debating on whether we will go back due to service.
(4)Ccc D.
The waiters there always chase customers out for tips. In 3 days we spent almost or more than 200$ there. The pale look waiter Asian guy that always stands there as a cashier, with glasses. Chased us out for lots of tips and talked to us soo rude he got a nice tip then he turned back without saying a thank you. He is a shame of the human race. We are never going back to that place. And you are loosing customers because of him and employees like that!
(1)Alfred G.
We LOVE this place! Great food! Reasonable prices! Summer deals are the best here!
(5)Samantha F.
My husband and son particularly love hot pot and this place really hit the spot for them. Good service, good range of menu items and clean. Plus reasonable prices!
(4)Jen W.
In the past 12 years, I have been to many Little Sheep Restaurants in different countries and cities. They usually reside in the Chinese Communities, except this one. This one is conveniently located in Pasadena Old Town with a public parking structure right across the street. The decor is très moderne. We ordered the house original pot because we don't like spicy food. There are so many choices on the menu in full / half order. We love everything we ordered, my daughter specifically likes the supreme lamb shoulder, fish balls with roe, plum juice and sesame seeds yam ice-cream. The service was awesome. Jennifer, the store manager, was especially friendly and helpful. She told us the store was newly opened the day before our visit which was 4/10/2014. She also mentioned that they offer lunch special at $10 per plate. I definitely will try out the lunch special very soon.
(5)Joseph W.
Great place for hot pot I want Tuesday for the all you can eat 4 round or 11/2 hours great customer services and prices are good
(5)Ross W.
Food was good, but it's no better or worse than its counterparts in SGV. I do like ordering a la carte as opposed to a preset, but it's more expensive. Service was disappointing. I didn't expect much for a Chinese restaurant, but because of its location, I had higher hopes. It was understaffed. It took forever to get water, and it took forever to get broth. They only had 2 servers on the floor. Although more came to work, they didn't seat all the tables because the servers couldn't keep up. I was also disappointed that they ran out of corn (as a side dish) before 6pm. Service needs to step up.
(3)Lang T.
Came here the other night for the first time and became an immediate fan. We were seated pretty quickly, the atmosphere was upbeat, and the food was great. Dipping sauce bar offered a great variety of condiments. PS Tuesday nights are the night to come since it's AYCE!
(4)Jacklyn T.
Little sheep is by far one of my favorite hot pot places. Yes, other places have good broths but not quite like the one here. The staff was really attentive, but maybe that's because I speak Chinese. Anyway, there's a lot variety and if you check in, you get free ice cream!!! Black sesame ice cream to be exact. It's pretty good - probably because it's unique. Overall, I'd come back.
(5)HaikuReviU Z.
excellent hot pot brisk service and lamb for miles love it every time This has been a Haiku Review Yelp thinks it is too short Yelp is incorrect.
(5)David L.
This place has great service and delicous food. Love getting a pitcher of Stella here and drinking with friends.
(5)Katie O.
Love this place. Lots of food and that is very delicious and not that expensive. Very clean and nice inside. Staff is very attentive and sweet. Love the sauce bar which is always kept clean after someone visits it.
(5)Michelle Y.
Came here because San Gabriel one no longer offers all you can eat option. I love this place. Ayce selection is vast. All the items are fresh, including sauce bar, can't complain.
(5)Hajin K.
I love hot pot (my husband and I used to have "hot pot friday" -- yes, we had hot pot every friday. we are that cool). This place is clean, the food is pretty good (they do overdo the flavoring), and it's a beautiful space. But it's overpriced. A great place to go if you don't want to venture further south into SGV, but know that you'll pay for it. Very easy to get seats on a Friday night for dinner.
(4)Billy H.
What a great place! Everything is super fresh, the lamb is grass fed and both broths are very tasty. I will be back!
(4)TOXIC L. A.
Hurray! I don't have to drive to san Gabriel. Love the hotpot! First real Chinese restaurant in Pasadena. Please eat here so they stay in business.
(4)Sheena L.
Worst service! We came for the $10 lunch special that was advertised Mon-Fri before 3pm. We arrived by 2.30pm and was refused service - they claimed the kitchen is closed. When I asked what time I should arrive for the lunch special, they said 2.30pm and we are there at 2.30pm and we still got refused. Ridiculous!
(1)TJ V.
First time eating Hot Pot! This place was awesome and our waiter, "Seven" was very helpful with teaching us how to order. We highly recommend Little Sheep on Fair Oaks in Pasadena. We came again with our Chinese Exchange students and they said it was really good and obviously new exactly what and how to order. The things we had were the half and half spicy/regular broth with beef and lamp and thin mushrooms that were delish! Ask for Seven and he will show you about the dipping sauces. very fun experience to cook food at your table. One last thing get the fresh squeezed watermelon juice. It compliments the meal great.
(5)Kelly R.
Very enjoyable and different dining experience. Hot pot is a boiling pot of soup broth, either traditional or spicy (I recommend traditional, the spicy was REALLY spicy). You get a platter of meat and vegetables to put into the boiling broth at your table. Before you get started, visit the sauce bar, and pick up several different bowls of sauce to dip your meat into. This is not for the stuffy or very formal person... you are busy happily chatting and cooking your food.... but it is great fun and delicious. Going back next week for lunch.
(4)Nahla F.
Ate there yesterday. Nice place. Good food. Meats are nicely displayed & veggies so fresh. Broths were also really tasty. Will go again.
(5)Soph M.
Yum! Newly opened! Very very clean, food is fresh, meat quality is good. Get the US prime rib it's the best in my opinion (better than the kobe). The fried golden bun is also amazing. I will become a regular here!!
(5)Lannie L.
If I can I would give this place a 3.5. My husband has been wanting to try this place since they opened. We ordered the half and half soup base. Non spicy and mild spicy. The thing with hot pot is the soup base. If the soup base is good then the veggies and meats will be good. I'm not a big fan of the chinese herbal soups for the hot pots. They have a sauce bar with green onions, minced garlic, cilantro, chili oil, sweet garlic sauce, sa cha sauce, sesame sauce, soy sauce, chili peppers, and garlic chili sauce. You can make as many sauces you want. This place is very clean and service is just so so. I finished my glass of water and no waiter or waitress came by to refill my cup. My husband had order a beer so I took his glass of water. I also finished his cup of water and no waiter or waitress came by to give me a refill. By the time we finished eating a waitress came by to give us our check then she asked if I wanted a refill. By then I didnt see a point to even refill when I was about to leave. We were there for 80 mins.
(3)E M.
On my way there now. Ate there about a week ago and boy it was A M A Z I N G ! I asked the cute cashier if this kind of food is going to be served in heaven. I know we're going to taste new wine unlike anything on earth, but how about food? Will they be serving this fare? Been to China and many times to Japan; lived many years in Korea. But absolutely never tasted anything as wonderful as this. Ate lots of new spices that I never even have seen, heard, or tasted. Northern Chinese cuisine is now my favorite, even better than Szechuan, Hunan and Cantonese.
(5)Sophia B.
Delicious, fresh, fresh ,fresh!!!! Original broth is divine. The spicy, well... too spicy. Bit awkward at first not knowing what to do and not understanding the instructions UNTIL Seven came along and talked us through it! Excellent service which is something I rarely get to say these days. Highly recommend but know going in this is not fast food so plan on taking your time.
(5)Angel B.
My co-worker buddy and I hit it for lunch. This place is pretty confusing for a first timer. It took us having to flag down the server to explain the basics. We were directed to the sauce bar while we waited for the broth. We received no advice on what to pair with what. I sorta selected cilantro and random some sauces. When we received the broth bowl, we both muttered a expletives -we received a 3 gallon bowl. We proceeded to cook the selected ingredients (meat noodles & assorted vegetables) in the broth. There were instructions on a card placed on the table. We had selected the spicy broth, it in self was not overly spicy, though the amount of peppers in the broth was annoying, we sort of wish they had skimmed them off. The meal was very tasty, no complaints what so ever. We both furiously attacked the bowl, but in the end we only managed to barely dent the contents any bringing the level down only an inch. I did order a cucumber salad, which was delicious. The spicing was very different. The only detractors I would say is the service (the staff could be more attentive in helping you out if you are new) and the bowl size is just ridiculous. I could easily see 6 people at the bowl we were served. There should be a smaller size so 2 people eating don't have to let 3/4 of a bowl go to waste. I would only recommend this place for a group of people for now.
(4)Ray K.
You need to try this place! If you are familiar with hot pot, this is one of the nicer restaurants serving it up. If you have never tried it before, be adventurous and give it a go. There is a great variety of food (meats, noodles and vegetables in a broth.) Do not be intimidated - you will be glad you went in. The food quality is exceptional and the fun factor is high. Enjoy.
(5)Michael T.
A very upscale, clean, modern, Mongolian (really Chinese) hot pot restaurant in Old Town. Almost all Asian cultures have their version of hot pot. The nice thing here is they have a huge dipping sauce bar (think like a salsa bar) so you can really customize your hot pot experience for a Chinese, Mongolian, Japanese, Korean taste etc... Whether you like spicy chili, sesame, bean curd, soy, ponzu - it's all there. Also a 22 oz beer is $6 so you can work up a nice buzz for not a lot of coin either. Really my only complaint was that the udon was very low quality - but that doesn't surprise me. I've always noticed that Japanese are a bit fussier about the quality of ingredients. But shabu shabu or nabe is also typically much pricier in comparison. This is healthy good food that is fairly priced and very fun for a large group. It's also probably the ONLY genuinely authentic Asian restaurant in Old Town. It's my new go to spot when I'm stuck in that chain restaurant hell known as Old Town...
(4)Kelly E.
This place is awesome all u can eat on tuesday :) I loved all kind service even ordered small amount of dishes :)
(5)h p.
Clean and yummy! The meats were fresh and of good quality. Their fish was also very fresh. Full bar was also pretty awesome. Will come back again.
(5)Derek W.
Finally had a chance to come back since their initial opening and decided to head over for lunch with an old coworker. After arriving we found the restaurant to be roughly 40% full and ended up waiting up front for about 5 mins before being greeted. Sat down and browsed the menu for a few minutes before our drinks were brought over. We each opted for their lunch special which included a choice of protein, assortment of veggies, a few slices of tofu, and some noodles yelp.com/biz_photos/litt… . Portion wise this was definitely worth the $10 as we were completely stuffed. We ended up selecting the spicy and the non spicy broth since I'm not big on the spicy one yelp.com/biz_photos/litt… . We also ordered an appetizer which was the beef skewers yelp.com/biz_photos/litt… which tasted ok but came out cold. Would not recommend ordering this in the future. Minus the slow service and lack of waiters during lunch hour, I'd say I'll probably be back if I wasn't in a rush to go anywhere afterwards.
(3)Risa Y.
Yay little sheep hot pot is now in Pasadena! I love this place! I love hot pot and love the fact that it's now in Pasadena :) Came here on a Friday night with my husband and my baby. We waited about 15-20 minutes before we got seated but it was no problem because we hung out at the bar. First you order your meat and your vegetables by filling out the "order form". We got 3 plates of meat, couple of veggie plates, some dumplings, tofu and shrimp. There are two soups you can choose from, one spicy and one non spicy but you can get both and they bring you one of those half and half pots. While you wait you go to the sauce station and get your sauce. I make mine with BBQ sauce, sesame sauce, little bit if soy sauce, cilantro, scallions, and garlic. Hot pot is so perfect on a cold day. Warms me up inside out!
(4)Vincent T.
When I first saw that they had opened a Little Sheep in Pasadena, I was excited. I used to go to the one in Hacienda Heights or San Gabriel but they were always so packed and I usually don't like waiting more than 30 mins for a table. However, when I visited this location, the line was just as long! Usually I don't mind long waits but I felt like the management and service were below par at this location. We had came for the AYCE on Tuesdays, a promotion they only have during the summer season. When we finally sat down, the hostess mentioned that we were only allowed to order 4 items per round for a total of 3 rounds...In my mind, I was shocked because I was never limited to what I could order at any of the other locations. Despite the limitations on the food, the food itself was actually still of good quality and fresh. Maybe this location is new hence they're still trying to iron out the management/service wrinkles.
(3)Vicki L.
Great spot for a cold night! Good food, inexpensive, and most importantly.. tasty! Basically you are given a menu where you can check off the things you'd like to order. The staff is more than happy to help you order if you are confused. Basically you can choose a soup base first, my boyfriend and I got the half regular/half spicy so we'd have more options to cook our food in. Then we ordered a 12 oz platter of beef, some veggies, fish balls, beef balls, tripe, tofu and rice and chowed down! There's a sauce bar for you to grab all your sauces to your liking. My recommendations: If you're sharing between 2 people and you want to try a lot of things, just get several half orders of the various veggies/meats/etc instead of a full so you have more space in your tummy to try different things/ Sauce bar: Stick with the ponzu + garlic + sesame oil + chives... simple yet flavorful for all the food you cook! Will definitely come back again
(5)Matthew K.
There is no better hot pot in L.A. in my opinion. It's perfectly priced so you can eat a little and spend a little, or eat a TON and still not spend a fortune. They have the freshest produce I've ever gotten at any HP. The house made Fish balls and Shrimp Balls should not be missed. They have grass fed lamb and organic meats. Everything is AMAZING! Do not miss this if Hot Pot is your thing, or even if it isn't. Sunday afternoons are perfect cause it's not busy. Or if you work nearby, don't miss the happy hour. You'll be stuffed and out the door for 14 bucks including tip. The staff is super attentive and ready to help with everything. OH, and they have the self serve dipping sauce bar. So you never run out and you can mix and create a sauce to your liking. I love extra garlic. The interior is relaxing and spacious. They have plenty of tables and a TV for those that need sports or drama's. Thankfully theirs only 1 or 2 I think, so it's not an eye sore and doesn't detract from conversations or dominate the room. This place is more about people getting together around a hot pot and eating amazingly fresh and healthy food while enjoying conversation on a relaxed atmosphere.
(5)Raidis M.
This was recommended by the LA Times so I was very excited especially since there are very few Mongolian food places around. The food was delicious however I was very disappointed by the service. They seem to have been understaffed so it took awhile for anyone to even approach us. There was also no explanation of how the menu works which quite honestly was more complicated than most. The "all you can eat" deal is worth it, come in hungry!
(2)Shyann R.
Soooo I'm giving this place 3 stars because even though the food was actually really good, the customer service wasn't the greatest, because of the language barrier the people who worked there didn't know how to explain to us how to order the food, seeing as it was our first time, they never really checked on us to see how we were, we wanted our drinks refilled but because our waiter rarely came, we got like 1 refill, other than that, the food was great! And the atmosphere was nice
(3)Zachary P.
Overall experience was great. Beef was nice and tendor and a large variety of sides to choose from. Portions given are just great in my opinion. Parking is relatively easy. Its the building right across and the entrance is on greens. 90 minutes is free (: Prices will vary depending on what you order, so prepare so cash. Oh and careful with the spices, they'll destroy your appetite if you eat something you shouldn't.
(4)Happy P.
YES! Do you like delicious food? Do you like shabu-shabu? Do you like good prices? Then come here! That is all. Okay, edited to add a little more: the veggies and seafood are clean and fresh, the salsa bar is full of great extras, the soup options include a divided 2-part dish where one half is spicy and the other is regular. Basically, everything here is great.
(5)Stacy C.
Came here with a couple of friends and the boyfriend for dinner since we were around the corner to try Confexion Cupcakes. I've already been here and the other locations countless times, I was glad that I was able to introduce my friends to this establishment since they all loved it at the end. FOOD: Ordered the essentials of one plate of meat each person, mushroom herb and mala spicy soup split down the middle, and enoki, napa lettuce, tofu, spinach, and popping fishballs. Everything was so fresh and flavorful, friend loved the soup and ended up drinking it on its own. :D SERVICE: Service was quick and prompt, brought our soup in a timely manner so that we weren't starving waiting forever for food. They also kept our waters filled and made sure our soup was never below a certain point at all times. Although this place can definitely get pricey as you pay for everything little thing you order rather than one full meal like Jazz Cat. It's definitely not cheap.
(5)Erika M.
This was one of my favorite places to eat in China, so I may have already been biased toward it. However, I was also worried that it would not live up to the expectations I had of it. My boyfriend and I went here this past weekend while in town for a conference. It was his first hot pot experience and we got the dual soup bases because I love spicy and he cannot tolerate spicy at all. He very much enjoyed his broth, and I enjoyed mine. We ordered the usual things, lamb as well as beef. The enoki, shiitake, and king mushrooms are always a sure bet, and they did not disappoint. We had a few veggies and noodles, which always matches. We also did the seafood, but honestly, I prefer the land meat (even though I am a seafood lover). The shrimp, mussels, and imitation crab were good, but just not my favorite. My favorite sauce is the sesame, and my boyfriend liked one or two of the others. The wide selection almost ensures that someone will find something they like. Overall, this store met my expectations. It is true to its native form. We went on a Thursday at around 9:30 and the place still seemed pretty busy, so I am sure it is even worse on the weekends. I would definitely come back, but order less food, and less seafood. It can get pretty pricy if you order a lot, so it's best to get the half orders so you can try a lot of things.
(5)Linda T.
one of my favorite asian style hot pot places. did not except one to open in pasadena, but it definitely adds diversity and options. soup base is awesome..you can get the spicy chili soup loaded with chunks of chilies and spices and/or the flavorful herbal soup based loaded with dates, goji, and good stuff. their lunch special is a good deal, at around $10, you get a platter filled with napa cabbage, noodles, protein of your choice in their options, tofu, beef/fish balls, etc. its a fun and filling meal. sauces and condiments at the bar area with ponzu, soy sauce, chili sauces, etc. service is always so friendly and quick the times Ive eaten there. cold teas and drinks are good and they have a lot of options for hotpot that can satisfy anyone around the table! best part, you can bring the leftover soup base home! yum
(4)Kate R.
SO GOOD!! And so much fun! The only reason I did not give them 5 stars was because of the racism.
(4)Oliver M.
Food is not bad but they like to make you wait with tons of empty tables. We got here at 5:15pm on Saturday. The entire back half of the restaurant is empty, and 4 empty tables in the front, but they made us wait in the bar. Not very customer focused.
(3)Erika S.
Little Sheep has become one of my favorite restaurants for dinner! This particular location beats its San Gabriel sister in service for sure. Food: Broth is AMAZING. Beware, the spicy is actually spicy. I could barely handle the medium! I feel like a punk! I'll stick with the delicious and savory original. The quality of the meat is very good and all the vegetables are fresh. I've also tried the lamb skewers (delicious but pricey!) and the meat pie thing which was yummy but takes a long time since they're made to order. They have a pretty good beer selection and their flavored teas are delicious! Also available in carafes! Sauce bar is well-stocked and a nice addition to heighten your culinary experience. Service: Although I've mentioned previously that it's better than the SG location, I had to dock a star for the inconsistency. I would say that the majority of the time it's great! However one of my recent visits was for shame. Nobody came by to take drink orders. We had to flag someone down to order drinks after we had already ordered the food. Why didn't we order it with our food you ask? Well our server practically up and ran after taking the paper with our food order so... we had no chance to :/ Also no one table touched. REGARDLESS! This is a great place and I always leave with a happy tummy! Park in the structure across the street. Free for the first 90 minutes.
(4)Claire C.
Came here last night at 8:30 for $19.99 ayce hotpot. Received really good service! our server was very attentive and friendly! Everything was fresh and good! Will definitely come back next time.
(5)Melanie X.
I have been to Little Sheep hot pot with my boyfriend last week and had mixed feelings about it. The food is absolutely delicious and I love that they have All you can eat Hot pot. However, the service is absolutely horrible. We waited about 20 mins for our drinks (simple soda) and after the first round of ordering, my bf had no more plate. He asked three different waiters for a new plate but it never came. Service aside, it is an amazing hot pot place that would deserve 5 stars if they hired more employees
(3)GREG S.
It's OK for hot pot in Pasadena, and authentic enough. But a la carte choices can easily make this an expensive restaurant compared to other places in San Gabriel Valley. Especially true if you like a lot of meat in your hot pot. Vegetable items were fresh but wished the meat quantity was more, given the price. Broth was very good and make your own dipping sauce choices were good also.
(3)Sparky H.
A really enjoyable meal! I can't wait to go back. I'd had shabu shabu before, but I'd never had Mongolian hot pot. The main difference seems to be that hot pot uses flavored broth, where shabu shabu uses only hot water. Actually, this makes a big difference, because the broth was yummy! Everything was bright and clean and brand-new-looking. The food was beautifully presented. There were so many choices! And everything was delicious, even the less-familiar ingredients. (Starch balls, anyone? Would you like some kabocha?) Everything we stirred into the broth went well with everything else. Service was pleasant and efficient. I thought it was cool that they kept our order on a clipboard tucked under the table and checked off the items as they arrived. We definitely ordered too much food, but fortunately, it isn't very expensive -- our tab for a party of four was $120.
(5)Melissa R.
We had all you can eat. The food was good but there's limitations on how much you are allowed to order and there's about 20-30 mins in between each order. Our orders were incorrect or forgotten. After the third round, we left bc we were so annoyed with the wait time in between each order. Apparently, its always like that. One star and I will never go back.
(1)Ngoc V.
Lunch combo (M-F only) is amazing. So much food for $10! I find myself coming to Little Sheep once a week for the lunch. I usually get the beef or fish filet, both are good. You get to create your own dipping sauce. The broth is flavorful, I usually get half spicy and half non spicy. I will be back next week!
(5)Janet T.
Came here on a late Saturday evening after work at around 11pm so there was no wait which was pretty cool. However, no one greeted us when we walked in. FOOD: We ordered the Yin/Yang soup bowl which was a mix of original broth and the spicy broth-mild. We got the Kobe Angus Beef, and Angus Ribeye. Along with mushroom, corn, glass noodle, etc. Meat was very tasty with the broth. They go for about 7 dollars a plate depending if you want half or full. SERVICE: The service was a little below average in my opinion. I don't know if they do it by server or anyone just comes by to help. A lady asked us if we wanted something to drink, and right when we decided she kind of walked away and didn't come back for another 10 minutes or so. After we put our order in, it took a while to come I'm not sure why. They weren't really attentive at all, and when we needed something no one was there. They were only attentive when it came to the bill. What's new. Overall pretty good spot if you want some hot pot, and it's located right at the new plaza which is awesome because 85 degree bakery was there in the corner. This place was pretty busy when we got there so I'm sure there's a wait during dinner hours. It can get pricey since each little plate does add up.
(3)Martin F.
Better than i expected!! We now have a new favorite hot pot place in LA! Service could be a little better but it wasn't so bad.
(4)Cindy G.
two words: sauce. bar. I love sauce bars!!! never understood places that charge for sauce (i.e. ranch) but this place has a lot of different sauces and they were all yummy! garlic/ spicy soy sauce/ spicy oil/ green onions/ sesame oil I think they are fairly new to old town pasadena or I've just not visited in a while but this place looks brand new and very clean. we came here a couple of weeks ago for my BFF's birthday dinner. we had the half and half broth cause some people didn't eat spicy (silly people). the spicy broth was delicious! the other broth was ehhhh. the meats were good and the veggies were plentiful. I would have liked it better if it was AYCE because I'm a pig and that only makes sense but it wasn't so it was pricey! when you check in, you get free ice cream. the only thing is the staff kind of gives you an attitude for wanting the free ice cream. it's like why offer it if you don't want people to actually check in and get the ice cream. they even switched staff during the whole ice cream transaction so all 9 of us had to show the second person our check ins. the second staff didn't know how to look at the yelp app and was apprehensive in giving some of us the ice cream so I just literally said never mind. which is why I dock them on points, customer service or lack there. we sat at two separate tables with two separate order sheets and they still managed to give our food to the other table. I kept following up on some of the items that we ordered and they kept saying that it was served and not until the kids at the kids table told us that they got the scallops/ quail eggs/ fish fillets/ fish balls with roe did we know most of our long awaited items had been consumed by the kids and by kids I mean 10-20 not 5 year olds. kinda frustrating.
(3)Greg W.
UM This place is AWESOME!!! OMG why did I just now discovery you? A quick description is Shabu Shabu meets pot pot with the best of both. You pick your meat and cook it in the broth but the broth is more hotpot then plain water like shabu shabu. I recommend getting the fish options over beef. The shrimp balls are so good. I also like that you can get a 50/50 split of the broth between hot/spicy and normal The wait staff is super nice and very attentive. There are tons of super delicious sides. I really liked the sweet kimchi. They have an all you can eat option on Tuesday. COME HERE AND FEAST ON THE DELICIOUSNESS
(5)Philip C.
Probably one of the best all you can eat hot pot in SGV!! This location is cleaner and more comfortable than the one on valley. The waiter and waitress are warm and friendly. The meat is always fresh with high quality. The soup base is flavorful and tasty. I usually get the half and half pot, so we can try 2 flavors at once. The sauce station is also clean with various kind of sauce. The price is reasonable for all you can eat, great service, and excellent food. Definitely worth it, and will come back again!!
(5)Jess T.
This hit the spot on a colder day in Pasadena. The broth was spicy and the side dishes were fresh. The beer is very reasonably priced. They have an AYCE on Tuesdays, but it's a la carte all other days. Which is fine if you know your limits, but sometimes, our eyes are bigger than our stomaches. And win with the bachi burger next door!
(4)Brite D.
Took 30 minutes to get our side orders while watching tables that arrived after us get theirs. Told the manager and she didn't do anything about it. Horrible just horrible.
(1)Manny M.
Last night i was there wiith my friends and it was my first time trying mongolian hot pot !! It was really wonderful.. Food quality was was super ,clean , fresh and nicely presented !! And the service was good nice lady come to our table (sena) .. She was very nice polite .. ;) we enjoyed ..
(5)Jeff C.
Come here for lunch atleast once a week. Probably the healthiest eating option if you want to stay away from carbs and super tasty every time! Get the angus beef lunch special and make your own sauce. Great cheap lunch special for 10 bucks.
(5)D D.
Nice addition to Old town Pasadena, a few months open, very organized, clean, food came out fast. Had original and medium spicy broth, lots of flavor to not even need dipping sauces. But dipping sauces were quite tasty as well. Tried house recommended dipping recipes which were good. Med spicy could be considered spicy in other restaurants, especially after it's been cooking. Best part-lots of choices on veggies, meats, and tofu. We are definitely coming back.
(5)Scott D.
Great Mongolian hotpot, large portions and very good quality. Only complaint was service was slow and unresponsive.
(4)J T.
Came here on a Tuesday night and there was still a half hour wait! We had the yin yang soup (spicy on one side, milder on the other) and the hot pot was delicious! Liked the sauce bar and the selection of meats and veggies. All tasted fresh.
(4)M L.
I really like the flavor of the soups here and everything has always been very fresh and flavorful. I brought my friends from Yunnan and we have been back 4 times over the last 2 months - big hit with those in the know. Only thing that is hit and miss is the service. Other than that I crave this place on a regular basis
(4)Sandra F.
Came here with some friends about 2 weeks ago and we had their all you can eat menu for $23. We had a wide variety of food to choose from meats, seafood, vegetable and even noodles. They did run out of their dumplings which was disappointing but overall the sevice and food were great. It was also happy hour so we got to enjoy several bottles of their lychee sake. So goood!
(4)Noé S.
Deeeeeeeeeeeeelish. I saw this place a few weeks ago and was curious, since I've never had hot pot before. They give pretty big portions! Went with my boyfriend, and we had the lamb and beef combo, half portion of mushrooms, half quail eggs, half potato, full tomato, half tiger shrimp, half spinach, half soft tofu, sake, and double udon noodles in a medium spicy broth (boyfriend wanted extra spicy, but I told him not to test it on our first time). We should have gotten low sodium, but that's for next time. Anyway....If you have never eaten hot pot, please please PLEASE read the cooking instructions!!! The meat is sliced very thin, and definitely suited only for 20 sec or less! My boyfriend didn't heed my word or the instructions at the table and let his meat portion sit in the pot and needless to say...it basically melted in there. It was still a delicious gravy mess on his part, but please don't do it!!! The broth was very delicious, and that obviously makes the hot pot good since veggies are veggies, and the meat was outstanding. the sauce bar definitely added an extra kick on the meat! The sauces can be salty though, so don't douse your food in it. It's definitely more of an experience than a meal, and I'd definitely take friends with me. Our bill came to about $50 for two people, and it was a lot of food for us even with all those half-portions. Maybe next time I'll wait and go on an AYCE Tuesday, lol. I'm giving it 4 stars though because they have a tip area on the bill.....but, the customers are doing all the cooking. I don't see how that exactly constitutes a tip, especially since I'm not tipping the people who make the broth. I left a small one anyway, but still...
(4)Tiffany T.
I usually go to the SG location, but i think this is my new spot!! Went there with my boyfriend on Labor Day and it wasn't crowded at all. The waiters and waitresses were pretty friendly. They have a bar area and a pretty large drink menu. They have a variety of beers on tap! We ordered a pitcher and it went great with our meal. The flavor of the broth is soooo goooood!!! I love little sheep!!!
(5)Visakha J.
In comparison to the other Little Sheep, this one has the hardest parking I been to. The menu and everything is still the same so I can't complain about that. Service is good or it might be I went on a quiet time. Eating here is an adventure on its own. Try as much as possible. Some of my favorites on the menu is the handmade noodles, the tofu variety plate and the veggies. You can easily spend about $20 here on the meal.
(4)Topanga S.
3.6 stars My first hot pot experience. Better than expected. I loved the soup bases. They were great. We got original and medium spicy. They were so flavorful and tasteful that I didn't any sauce. Beef was the thinnest I have ever had and I probably had 3 plates and could have eaten more. They don't care to cut veges nicely. They all came with roots and stuff. We also tried Mongolian kimchi, pickled garlic and sesame bread. I cared none of them. I might come back when it's cold and want to have something warm.
(3)Stephen J.
My review is not about the quality of the food but the size of the portions. The food was delicious. Not enough of it. Meager portions. We ordered lamb meatballs and beef. Numerous vegetables and glass noodles. There were 4 tiny, measly meatballs and some thin beef slices. Can you maybe give me 6 meatballs? I doubt you will go out of business. I get it....the meatballs have to be small and the beef has to be thin in order to quickly cook in the broth. But....this is a restaurant....I come to eat....I want to leave feeling satisfied and full. Little amount of food but a big bill. I did not get any value for my money. I shall not return.
(2)Kevin B.
Enjoy this place before it gets super busy. I first went to little sheep in Beijing a few years ago and loved it. I didn't even realize this was the same place until I read their description on yelp. Quality and service are top notch and their source bar is off great. For those who like shabu shabu, you will not be disappointed (although it is a but different and more salty). I'm so happy this guys are in Pasandena, I will be back soon.
(5)Fan L.
This was our first time at a hot pot place and we were thoroughly impressed. Both the spicy and regular broths were amazing and the sauce bar was good too. We tried a variety of meats and seafood - I'll just list the favs: - lamb shoulder - tendon - fish ball with roe There is one extremely picky eater and even she said this would be her go-to. Pretty much seals the deal for me. My only complaint would be that the interior is a bit sterile, but I guess they're going for a more modern (read: football and beer) look. Final verdict: $150 for 6 happy and full tummies = will be back.
(5)Jenelyn R.
Very receptive staff. At first, I was unsatisfied with my service at this location because I felt neglected as a customer. However, when I gave my feedback to the staff; there was an immediate response. The staff seems to strive to constantly improve their service and I admire this. A staff member personally apologized for my experience and our table received attention. I appreciate this and hope that this restaurant will do well in this community.
(4)Mike C.
I can't morally eat at a restaurant with such a hideous logo. That cutesey Hello Kittyesque kind of stuff drives me CRAZY and makes me angry!!!! It's almost as annoying as people who don't know how to use the apostrophe correctly. That is all.
(1)sherrie y.
Delicious fresh shrimp balls! They have a special right now Mon-Thurs $22 something for all you can eat. Soup was a bit too salty, but other than that delish and a bargain! Don't think I would come when they charge for every single plate. I'll just use my own hot pot at home when that happens, I will need to try and find a recipe for that soup they have. Also, don't like that they allow you to only order like 6 plates per table the first time you put in your order and then all the other times after that like 4 plates per table. There's like a written rule on the menu of items and the server told us before we ordered our food.
(4)Zhi Y.
This is the best hotpot I had ever had.
(5)Justin G.
Fresh and delicious. The beef and lamb combo plate was a ton of food. The spicy broth had too many peppers and wasn't that spicy. I would definitely come back.
(4)Tiffany N.
I loved everything. Food was great place was clean and would definitely go back. My only problem was this: I did all you can eat and the service was SUPER slow... Almost like they do it on purpose to make you wait so you eat less. Because the table next to me didn't do all you can eat and there food came out FAST. So I knew something was up... Other than that, no complaints. Loved it.
(4)Evangeline J.
I love Little Sheep and the food is always stellar. Meat quality is always fresh and the cuts are perfect. Not to mention you get to customize your own sauces. This place is clean and big and the service is top notch. Best place to go for Mongolian Hot Pot hands down!
(5)Angie R.
I tried this place for lunch on Chinese New Years Day. The decor is casual modern which I appreciated. It's on par with the restaurants in Old Town. Parking garage is across the street with 1.5 hrs free. My friends and I got the lunch special for about $10+tax. It was super filling with plenty of your choice of meat and assortment of veggies. It also come with tofu, fish balls, and noodles. They even had a sauce bar where you can mix a variety of sauces to complement your dish. Since it was my first time being there I took note of the suggested mixture of sauces that's listed on top of the sauce bar. Service was adequate (to be honest I was too busy enjoying my time with my lunch buddies to notice the quality of service). You have a choice of two broths: one spicy with whole chili peppers and one original broth. We chose the half and half to get the best of both worlds. I also got to try the Mongolian meat pie and it was pretty delish. The best part of the meal aside from the food is the red envelope given to for us $10 off our next meal! Yay for going here on Chinese New Year! Can't wait for the next time! Side note: this a good place to take someone on a date if you don't want to just sit there staring at each other and be more interactive ;)
(4)mom w.
Good lunch special. At first it doesn't seem much, but it is filling. Got angus beef. Was yummy. I was a bit confused how they charged 2 lunch special prices with just one hotpot burner but oh well. Liked how they had a sauce bar with suggested sauce pairings according to which meat you were eating.
(3)May A.
Mongolian hot pot spot in beautiful old town Pasadena. This restaurant features a variety of protein choices (Pork, angus beef, rib eye meat, lamb, pork belly) and choices of broth (original flavor, mild to medium flavor, and a more spicier). Other choices range from appetizers, sauce bar, dumplings and many more. Reasonably priced and a definitely satisfying.
(4)Lisa G.
2stars for AMAZING food! Best broth I've had in a while, fresh veggies and great tasting beef and lamb. We came on a busy Monday night so we had to wait and the waiting was fine. however, the service was the worst I've ever had! Waiter came to check on us once and we had to wait 15-20 minutes between the next rounds of all you can eat, AFTER reminding them that our food was missing. McDonald's drive thru is more courteous than the assholes working here. The food is good but I'd rather go to jazz cat where the soups are just as good and the service is amazing.
(2)Annie C.
We were pleasantly surprised by this hot pot spot! We've heard about it for awhile, but didn't try it until recently - since we had time on a weekday to go and get the lunch special. Little Sheep's Lunch Special is soooo worth it! From the choice of meats and the good variety of addins, it is more than enough to fill you up. And I love the tasty broth. You may need to be able to take the slightly Chinese herbal essence, but it is delicious! The fresh noodles are delicious and such a nice add-on to the package. And the sauce bar is amazing! With all the main sauces we use at home. The lunch special makes it hard to go back and do hot pot at home, since there is no cleanup! The workers are slow to getting around to you, but it is definitely worth it.
(5)Zhiyun C.
It is first time I come to little sheet in US, I enjoy the food in China since little sheet just began their business in Beijing. At that time, they were famous of no additional sauce required ( soup in the pot is enough) and always tender meat ( no matter how long the cooked in the soup). But now the changed to normal like others. Anyway, they are still taste good.
(4)Melissa G.
I used to always go to the one in Monterey Park. For some time, I swear we must have gone a few times a week. Whenever I was feeling under the weather or when it was even slightly chilly out, we'd head to Little Fat Sheep. So we are super stoked this place opened up in Pasadena. The place is nice, clean, open, and modern. Great 'sauce bar' with recommendations to make some sauces, etc. The food is as good as the other locations I've been to so woo hoo for that! The service is slightly lackluster. Don't get me wrong.. I'm used to the not-so-attentive service of many Asian establishments, but this one is actually a bit more 'off' than even the one in Monterey Park and others. We kept having to ask for everything (vs them just coming to us - i.e., refilling up the broth once it cooked down, etc.). I don't need all smiles all the time..but when we've been out of broth and water for a while, it gets a bit old having to flag them down every second (and it wasn't busy). But, considering it's an Asian establishment, the service is only lacking slightly (ha!) so a solid 4 stars!
(4)Derrick W.
This is the Pasadena version of the Little sheep of Monterey park. It also has Pasadena prices and Pasadena parking. Same great broth and meat. Ambience is much better and you feel like you are still in Monterey Park with the waitress not completely understanding you.
(4)Gerard D.
When I use to go to Alhambra for hot pot, I always ask this after ordering food-"Can I please have some soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, cilantro, and a couple sauce bowls for these?" But not here! They have a little sauce bar with all the aforementioned items and I get to play alchemist. I order lamb, beef, tong-ho, pea-tips, lotsatofu, and steamed rice. Delicious and comforting. Park at the green street structure on the corner. Visit the bakery on the corner a few stores down while you wait for you number to be called (especially on a busy day).
(5)Stephanie H.
This is the BEST Little Sheep in SGV! It's super clean (compared to the other locations). It's new and the food is fresh. The quality of the food is even better than the other locations and the best part is that they have the fish balls with roe! They always run out of them at the other locations too. I'm so happy that they opened one in Pasadena within walking distance to my place. And they have the Tuesday All You Can Eat (which I think happens during the summertime only). We always get the combo pot (half non-spicy and half spicy). The spicy can be spicy so if you're not used to a lot of spice you might want to skip. It can give you tummy aches if you're not used to the amount of spice loaded in that soup. Their fresh noodles are a must-order! We get them every time! The service was really good. Everything else was great and this will now by my Little Sheep location from now on!
(5)Cal W.
Late review but a great place for hot pot and lots of selections to choose from to customize your hot pot order. Great for groups and for sharing.
(4)Roger H.
seriously this is my favorite hot pot restaurant of them all! this is the definitely the cleanest location and they have quite a variety of different selections. in comparison to all hot pot restaurants I've always felt the lack of taste when I drink the broth but Mongolian hot pot doesn't have this problem. also be sure to try the lamb skewers! good eats!
(5)Jenny L.
This is the Pasadena branch of the Little Sheep, off of Fair Oak in Old Town Pasadena. For some reason, I like the San gabriel branch better due to the easier access, and parking. The customer service service here is excellent, the staff is used to serving english speaking customers. Whereas the branch in San Gabriel is use to serving chinese speaking customers. They are both just as good, same addictive broth, same entrees, same sauce condiments. The ventilation in the Pasadena branch needs some work, because it felt very stuffy while we are having our meal. Overall it's great to have another branch of the little sheep.
(4)Peihong H.
Great food, great Service and very cheap! The lunch special is only 9 dollars, amazing! Also, cuz it is new here, some ppl dont know this place, so it is totally not crowded! The other little sheep open in chinatown always full of ppl!
(5)scarlett c.
Terrible serving. Definitely short at staffs, I'm waiting for my second order for so long that I can entertain myself with putting a review on yelp....
(1)Jen C.
I really hate to give a four star because I really love this place. The broth is fantastic but the service is kinda slow. Also, it's a little pricey. 22.95 for a buffet. Not that I'm cheap but if you're on a budget, it's not very practical to spend $22 for food.
(4)Giuliano A.
This place is amazing especially if you are going with a group of friends because the servings are extremely large and it's a lot of fun. The other reason why I like this place so much is because they have a mushroom vegetarian broth and since I am vegan it is perfect with a huge order of fresh vegetables with a bucket of cilantro and onions yummmmmm!!! Also the place does have a strong smell of curry and a mixture of a lot of things but I honestly don't mind I just know some people do.
(5)E W.
OMG Awesome!!! Quality of the foo was super clean, fresh, and nicely presented! Translations on the menu in English were spot on! They have Happy Hour everyday during certain hours, and their sauce bar is amazing! This place reminds me of. HaiDiLao in Arcadia, but definitely not as pricey and not a huge long wait. You get a mixed crowd here which I like better. Everything was great here, and service was fantastic! I will be back in a heartbeat!!! We ordered the house lamb meat balls and OmG I never had anything like that before. My fav so far!! I think you can't go wrong with anything that says House Made on the menu!
(5)Yushi H.
Best food , best serves,it s a good place for us live in pasadena, lunch have a good price,I love little sheep
(5)JC M.
If you are hungry and you know it come to AYCE Tuesdays! There is a little sauce bar load up with the condiments. Yum!
(5)Effie L.
needed to grab something to fulfil fussy child, veggie mum and carnivorous grandparents after a day at Kidspace - Little Sheep provided something for everyone and exceeded expectations. 6yr old tried practically everything, adults were able to order a decent selection. Everything but the pea shoots (which were slimey and disgusting) seemed fresh. The omnivores said the meatballs were tastier than the pure meat. Sauce bar is awesome, service exactly the right level of attentive. $83 for 3 adults, one hungry child, included tax, tip and one beer. Not too shabby considering we never really needed dinner after so much food (and a to-go box which made up lunch for the adults all over again the next day)
(4)Belen A.
First time here. Wonderful experience the staff is great. The food is great did half and half on soup and both are really great. Next time I'd suggest ordering more vegetables to add to the soup. I just had corn, potatoes and spinach and even though it tastes delicious more vegetables would sure make it perfect. Will be coming back soon.
(5)Cynthia W.
All you can eat Tuesday nights for $20. That is all.
(4)Liz H.
This place is amazing. It was the first time trying something different and I really like it. It is good to go with someone that tried it before. I will definitely come back again.
(5)Tracey T.
This is a chain restaurant scattered mostly around southern California, but also in a few other states as well. We'd intended to try their $9.99 lunch special, but upon arrival realized that it only applied on Mondays-Fridays. The freshness and quality of ingredients, meats, vegetables, sides, and sauces are unparalleled by most other hot pot restaurants I've tried in the SGV area. So although the price here is a bit higher than some other hot pot restaurants, it's for a good reason and worth the money. For the meat, my boyfriend and I ordered their lamb/beef mix platter for a little over $10 as well as another plate of lamb shoulders for about $7. This second order of meat was definitely not necessary, since the lamb/beef mixed platter was enough for both of us hungry eaters. Among the variety of vegetables and other sides we ordered, the most unique and commendable was the lamb dumplings. Their flavor reminded me of the grilled lamb skewers sold on the streets of China from where I grew up. Definitely try that if you love lamb. In terms of the soup base used, they specialize in one spicy and one non-spicy soup only. Since there isn't much variety in soup, they've really perfected these house special soups. The taste is very similar to that in China. Just watch out for the spiciness of the spicy soup because after being cooked for some time, the spiciness will creep up on you and linger in your mouth. It definitely burns, but in a good way. Also, we asked for the soups with low-sodium because the dipping sauces already have plenty of that. I also loved their dipping sauce bar at the back of the restaurant. It was kept clean and organized. And my favorite sauce was the sweet garlic. It reminds me a bit of Boiling Point's signature dipping sauce. There's a sign on the sauce bar that gives recommendations for which mix of sauces works well with which meats, but I'd mix and match myself if I were you. That's the fun part!
(4)Van C.
Little Sheep is my family's favorite hotpot restaurant. Their two-flavor soup base is delicious and the prime rib eye beef is to die for- they literally melt in your mouth! We love their supreme lamb slices, fresh shrimps, beef balls, tofu platter, the fresh noodles as well. besides quality food, the service is always excellent. The manager (chinese lady) is cheerful, professional, hands-on and knowledgeable. One time we asked her to pick a vegetable to add to our meal and we tasted the most delicious mushrooms ever! Last week we had Ray as our server and he was very helpful in checking with the chef for differences between the choice rib eye and the prime rib eye. When the weather is cold, there tends to be a wait (as nothing beats a great hotpot dinner on a chilly winter night). The receptionist gives out numbers and everybody waits accordingly. We have never experienced any waiting when there was a table available. We have brought various friends to Little Sheep and every time we leave feeling super full and satisfied.
(5)jill h.
I took my friend here from China. She is a USC student and hadn't had hot pot since she left China. I was a bit nervous as I am not a hot pot expert. However, she really liked it and said it was like home. She would have liked more "sauces" over by the self-serve place. She said usually there's additional additives for the sauces. But it was fine for me, and she liked it, too.
(4)Iris H.
Great alternative to shabu shabu. Basically the chinese version with different herbs and spices to flavor the broth. Great broth and nice selection of vegetables. They also have a "sauce bar" where you can create your own dipping sauces for the meat and veggies. We went a bit wild and ordered a little of everything; the mixed vegetable platter is enough for 5-6 people. The lamb was tasty, but a little gamey to have too much of- recommend a single order for a group (we got the double and did not finish). We all wished we had ordered more of the ribeye, which was the standout meat choice of the night. Extremely friendly service; very few glitches even though they just opened the restaurant recently.
(4)Tyler C.
convenient place for northern style hot pot. A little pricey for what you get but food is pretty decent. Good if you like lamb, cumin, sichuan peppercorns, etc. the only problem is that they are oversubscribed and understaffed. Service can be excruciatingly slow.
(3)steve c.
Winter is a cumin in, and you're going to need some hot pot...this is the place...right there in Old Town too, so you can walk it off when you're done...bring some friends, hot pot is better that way...enjoy!
(4)Mark D.
Food was very good. Easy directions on self cooking. Why only three stars? Because I'm still sitting here waiting for my check. It has been much longer than waiting for my menu. And that was not a short wait either. Step up on the staff and I would at least give this place 4 stars or more. It just opened so I wouldn't judge on first impressions but I hope they don't wait too long.
(3)Victor L.
Food was fresh. Service was prompt and friendly. The lamb has been so delicious I haven't tried anything else yet. The spicy broth is spicy so be forewarned.
(5)Mimi D.
I love hot pot, especially when they have enoki mushrooms abound! My first try here was for an elite event but I've obsessively come back several times since then and am getting pretty darn close to perfecting my sauce mix :P As a matter of fact, I'm eating it now. Perfect for our first chilly fall day. Mmmmm mmmm mm. Park in the garage across the street. Easy in and out for a scrumptious warm-ur-belly meal. 10$ for the lunch specials. Only downside is their English isn't that good so some menu pointing will be required.
(5)Cong W.
used hot pot stock and very bad waiter used hot pot stock and very bad waiterused hot pot stock and very bad waiter used hot pot stock and very bad waiter
(1)Fiona B.
The soup is bomb. The eastern spices give a different flavor to tickle the palate. It's a different twist to hot pot dining. Vegetable sides are gi-normous and reasonably priced. When you come in at a busy time, you got to wait though. Half the restaurant remains closed. Bummer. But it really is worth the wait. Hit it at less busy times before 6pm, you get a table right away. Second visit in a group of 9. Parking is $7 on Fridays and weekends. $5 weekdays.
(4)Ronald L.
Tuesdays currently is a good time to visit. $19.95 for all you can eat from an adequate though limited menu. A+ quality ingredients. The spicy soup to cook your ingredients in was more to my taste. If you like lamb, of course, it's good here. If you order a la carte, one can get a wider selection of ingredients. The cost will be $5 to $10 more per person. The sauce bar is extensive. Friends of mine in the know can blend up a fantastic dipping sauce I can't replicate. But anyone can still make up a decent concoction for dipping. Go early. This Pasadena venue fills up fast. There are two other locations in San Gabriel Valley.
(5)Yujun L.
This is a very insulting experience with Littlesheep, I came in after 8:30pm to get their All You Can Eat happy hour, and my waiter ( yes, his name is Hamster, it's already a bad sign when I saw this name) gave me full price menu and asked me to order. Then, 19.95 per person turned out to be a $100 bill. And they gave me a face like- if you can not afford it you should not come in to eat. Then, after a long talk, they offered to charge part of our food as AYCE, ok fine, we just want to leave.
(2)Jazairah L.
Love this place! Lunch special is only $9.95. We got the half and half broth but I prefer the original broth. It's yummy! They have many sauces to choose from. Sesame sauce goes well with veggies and meat. Will definitely come back here!!
(5)Sarah L.
AYCE hot pot...I'm in! For $22.95 (Monday - Thursday only), you get to choose from a variety of meats, veggies and noodles. Also, you have the option of soup bases, mild or spicy or both! The soup is super flavorful and filled with spices. I enjoyed the pork belly, lamb, beef and shrimp. You can't go wrong with any of the veggies or noodles. I wasn't a big fan of the dumplings but the Chinese fritters were delicious! The sauce bar is awesome and there is a cheat sheet that helps you put together the perfect concoction for whatever type of meat you are eating. They have a great happy hour which ends at 7:00 p.m. Stone IPA pitchers for $8. However, make sure to order way before 7:00 p.m. because they are strict on the time! I tried to order another pitcher at exactly 7:00 p.m. and I was denied! The service was not that great...pretty much had to flag someone down each time we needed more water, more food, napkins etc. Overall, great spot to enjoy fresh hot pot in a clean establishment!
(4)Darren K.
the worst services ever! Worst experience ever! Hate this place! The waitress Jennifer , she doesn't understand how to serve the customers! She doesn't smile at all! To all ppl who wanna try place, please please don't come!
(1)Stephanie P.
BACKGROUND: Hot pot, (also known as steamboat in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Brunei), refers to several East Asian varieties of stew, consisting of a simmering metal pot of stock at the center of the dining table. While the hot pot is kept simmering, ingredients are placed into the pot and are cooked at the table. Typical hot pot dishes include thinly sliced meat, leaf vegetables, mushrooms, wontons, egg dumplings, and seafood. Vegetables, fish and meat should be fresh. The cooked food is usually eaten with a dipping sauce. In many areas, hot pot meals are often eaten in the winter during supper time. Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot is a traditional Inner Mongolia dish served in a metal pot, hot post is the centerpiece of the Little sheep dining experience. A visual delight, each hot pot is filled with a steaming aromatic broth that's decorated with an assortment of fresh ingredients such as goji berries, jujubes, black cardamom pods, ginseng and herbs. STATS: Just south of Colorado Blvd. in Old Town Pasadena Metered street parking Adjacent to many parking structures Mon-Thur: 11:30am - 3pm, 5:30pm - 10pm Fri: 11:30am - 3pm, 5:30pm - 12am Sat: 11:30am -12am Sun: 11:30am -10pm ESSENTIALS: Lots of time on your hands A tummy in need of some eat as you cook food An imagination EXPERIENCE: Marvy S. and I met up for an evening on the town, Yelp style. We started out having a great conversation while cooking our own dinner made up of Supreme Angus Beef & Kurobuto Pork Shoulder (neglected to take pic of pork), GARLIC BULBLETS, added garlic to Sweet garlic soy, of course, Baby Bok Choy, and mushrooms. The step-by-step menu is a great concept, however, not every helpful. Both MarVy and I wanted everything, well, MarVy was good without anything green. since items are add-ons, thus there is a cost associated with it, we chose carefully. Once we decided our meat, we strolled over to the Sauce Bar where my eyes began to well....garlic everywhere!!! Mmmmmm!!!!! Yes, we were overwhelmed by their sauce selection so we referred to the cheat-sheet that hangs above the bar. Sauces in hand back to the table we went and the cooking began and the conversations continued. Although time with MarVy is always worth 5-stars, this particular hot pot is just ok. My heart belongs to another, Tokyo Shabu Shabu. There was nothing bad about Little Sheep, the meat was fresh, as well as the veggies and the sauces were good, and yes, garlic bulblets are a very nice touch, the over all flavor was just ok. I would come again, but I wouldn't go out of my way like I would for the one that stole my heart and satisfies me like no other. #FOOD #HOTPOT #GOODFORGROUPS #PASADENA #FOODPORN #GARLIC #FORGARLICLOVERS #FORTHELOVEOFGARLIC
(3)Jane L.
I really couldn't care for the service. It was pretty rush rush and when we didn't get the orders on the sheet right, the dude just kept saying it's too much. The broth was good and some of the items we ordered were really good. Some balls were kinda shades. I don't know... For $25+ tip, would I frequent this particular place? Probably twice a year max.
(3)Nitar L.
Thank goodness for AYCE hot pot! When Jennifer and I have hot pot, it's easy to over eat and spend too much. With the all you can eat menu at $22.95, it's now even easier to over eat but without hurting the wallet. We're spicy gals and love getting the spiciest broth possible. But there's also an option for a yin and yang pot where you can get two different broths. Must order dishes include: -Pork belly -Lamb -Angus beef rib -Head on shrimp -Fish ball with roe -Baby bok choy Service needs a little work, but you don't notice it too much unless you're waiting on items. Parking is super close in the structure across the street. The first 90 minutes are free and it's $1.00 per hour after.
(4)Katherine W.
A clean location of Little Sheep, or any hot pot, for that matter. Just come here, so we can keep this Pasadena location open. You'll be sorry when it's cold and they're not here. Lots of variety in every category - meats, veg, mushrooms, seafood, different tofus, etc. I especially liked the house made shrimp balls. Happy hour pricing for beer. $3 pint, $8 pitcher. The selections are good, including Stone IPA! You can't beat that. Great sauce bar. A very good selection of sauces, including bean, sa cha, sweet soy, sesame, and others. Also cilantro, chopped garlic, and more. Pay for the soup base, $3.75 pp, and order as much or as little as you want. Items come in full and half orders (except the meats). We got a number of half orders for more variety. Choose your level of spiciness for the spicy broth. Be careful to never inhale, that could start a coughing fit, from the chilis. Service is friendly and attentive.
(4)Jessica Y.
I like this place, but my god the MSG! I chugged 3 cups of water when I got home. Listen to Tara C.'s advice and go for the "low sodium" option. You have the option to go half and half with the broth here; we opted for spicy and original. yelp.com/biz_photos/litt… Then there is a sauce and condiment bar where you can adjust the hell out of your soup. IE, adding generous scoops of minced garlic. If it's your first time eating hot pot, the waitress did suggest to order a little first (basic meats and veggies), then add to your order as you finish the others. We ended up ordering basic beef, lamb shoulder, and choice rib eye. For veggies, shrooms & bokchoy, etc etc. OH, YOU HAVE TO get the fish balls with the roe, it was amazing/a weird surprise. My favorite part was also that there were random whole bulbs of garlic in the soup. It was so delicious and a nice surprise. There are just so many surprises in a hot pot. /viewpoint of a hanguo ren
(4)Elysse P.
$10 lunch special is fucking huge!!!!!!!! Comes with a massive amount of beef, lots of yummy veggies including squash, noodles, fish/beef balls... Yes. Lots of food and totally worth it. You can choose what type of broth and usually people get the half spicy and half regular. I always order fish balls on the side... happy they had fish balls with roe! MY FAVE!!!! And most importantly: their sauuuuuuuuuuuuce bar!!! Unlimited sauce you can customize. I love Little Sheep.
(5)Kelli K.
Rating break down: Food - 3.5 Stars Service - 1 Star I've gone to the original location in Monterey Park before and I enjoyed it so much I was excited that they opened a location right in Old Town Pasadena. Too bad the service was so bad that I'm willing to drive out of my way to MPK, that is if I go back at all. We ordered the Yin Yang broth, prime ribeye, tiger shrimp, baby bok choy, and other items that aren't important. Taste-wise everything was fine, but I felt I wasn't served $13.95 worth of prime ribeye. One of my main complaints was seeing dirt on the bok choy and also the napa (uh so what else isn't thoroughly washed). Now for my main gripe - The Service (or lack of) We got to the restaurant around 9pm and around 9:15 they had already moved all the sauces from the sauce bar (which I almost forgot existed because the waitress didn't inform us). So I had to try and figure out what sauces were which because there were no labels. In addition to that, no one even bothered to assist. Probably 15 minutes into our meal, the waitress (who wasn't even the one to bring us the food) told us it was last call (9:40 pm). We let her know we were fine but found it strange to do last call already since they close at 10pm. Right after this, she stops by to drop off the check, rude! I saw her doing this to the 2 other tables still dining. She continued her cycle of rudeness and asked us to pay because they were closing the register. At this point I couldn't believe the nerve of this waitress. To top it off she tried to take away our change from the table WHILE WE WERE STILL EATING as if it was her tip. UM she must be joking if she thought we were leaving her $33 on a $67 tab. Funny enough when asking for to-go boxes, she seemed annoyed and also returned with 2 measly containers and of course they don't have containers for the sauces. To sum it up, take your business elsewhere because they clearly don't appreciate it here.
(1)Clara L.
i love hot pot so after ballet class my girlfriend and i decided to stop by for a healthy (ish) dinner the prices are similar to other hot pot spots that i've been to they also have an AYCE option mon-thurs we got the half & half broth with less sodium (to prevent the dreaded puffy face!) both were super flavorful and tasty (and i didn't bloat!) the extra protein/veggie/seafood/noodle options we got were good minus this one clam thing the portion was SO tiny for how much it cost ridiculous i didn't use any of the sauces i got from the sauce bar the broth itself makes the add-ins salty and flavorful
(4)Jackie W.
Not appealing at all. STRONG curry/cumin smell. Also drink orders were taken and no return for our order. My husband had to go and look for a server to take our order only to be told it's last call in 20min... Translation: we don't want to serve you. We don't need your business. (Arrived at 900 but a good 15-20min passed before we flagged a server down) Anywho, two stars for the beer and soju we were able to chug down. Might be back... A slight might.
(2)Matt A.
I'm really mixed on this place. There's parking nearby but you're going to pay or you can go across the street where the first 60 or 90mins is free (recommended) in a city structure. Food, that was actually really good. I got the all you can eat option and overall I really liked the meal. I liked their sauce bar there were a lot of options. I also liked the variety of options on the menu to choose from. Service on the other hand is what docked stars from my review. I was seated right away which was nice. After that however, service tanked. The lady that seated us and the waitress didn't take time to explain the menu to us and had an attitude about it pointing to a small section at the bottom with directions and walking away... mean while a couple of the other tables were given explanations of what to do... what the heck? That really bothered me and then service through out the visit was lacking, entrees took to long, other tables seemed to get priority over ours. It took 15mins between being seated and anyone stopping by while people that came in after us were seated and had hot pots on their table. There was a lot of chaos. I didn't make a big deal of it there but I did short the tip and I'm a consistent tipper because of this rudeness. It was very unfortunate that the experience wasn't better. It was the week of the Chinese New Year but I still think they should have been better on this. Some waiters were better than others. I have hope though so I'll come back and give it another try and hopefully I'll have a better experience the second time around.
(3)Vanessa B.
FINALLY!!! I'm literally so happy that there is a hotpot place closer by than traveling all the way to East SGV! I like how they have a lot of options of dishes to choose from and the AYCE is only ~$22, which is more than reasonable. The quality of the food is pretty good too! I'll definitely be coming back here for more.
(5)Bo J.
Apparently the marketing manager called the restaurant to speak to my friend. He asked her to tell me to take down my review because I'm assuming it reflects bad on the rating and business. A waiter comes to the table and asks me to write my number down and the manager will contact me. Til this day I have not received a phone call explaining why the restaurant had a 30+ min wait when it was EMPTY and why the staff was so RUDE about it when I asked! Mentioned before, it's good that the food is good because the service is horrendous and the management can not follow thru!!!
(1)Joyce L.
Best hot pot in town! Their kobe beef is a must try. So tender and tasty. Love their fancy sauces too.
(4)Joshua C.
Great food! The lamb shoulder was really fresh along with other vegetables. The broth was a bit on the salty side but nothing that a bit of rice can't cover. Service was fantastic, and most importantly, the environment was great! As in the AC was in good condition~ (could use some more variety in sauces thou)
(4)Vencci H.
Nicely located in old town Pasadena! Good option for late eats! The facility is very clean. Good service also, waiters were attentive and prices were reasonable. The soup options cater to vegetarians also and range from mild to extra extra spicy. Meat portions have two size options, 6 oz or 12 oz which include the usual rib eye, lamb, pork, so on and so forth. Vegetables come individually or in a vegetable platter for 8.95$ Either way, food here is fairly fresh and clean, you can see the cleanliness of each raw platter regardless if it is meat or vegetable. Also, they have a sauce bar which is good for those who don't like the already prepared sauces at other hot pot restaurants.
(4)Anthony H.
Came here on a Thursday evening for the $22.99 ayce. The food is solid, however the service was terrible. First of all, ordering from the ayce menu can be quite confusing as they limit you person per round. Ordered the maximum amount of dishes for the first round, but they did not bring two of them. When I ordered the second time through, I was waiting 15 minutes before I received one order of meat. What happened to the rest?!? I kept having to tell them and they apologized that they were busy. But to be honest, I've been here when it was busier and the service was nothing like tonight. Not only was the service extremely slow, but they never checked in to see how everything was. Overall, I love the food, but I cannot tolerate bad customer service. Might be awhile before I come back here.
(3)Amy Y.
I'm soooo excited to have found out that I have a little sheep restaurant right around the corner from me!!!! The service here is really good, very attentive and always there to help if you need it. Pretty good spacing, there is a bar area in case you just want to just sit at the high top tables for a few drinks. One new thing i noted: the AYCE hot pot...it's no longer the main menu, it's now a very condensed version. It's absolutely great for the normal food (noodles, tofu, beef, chicken, etc) but unfortunately I like the weirder stuff (beef tendon, squid etc), so I was quite disappointed. They also have a great happy hour right now, a pitcher during happy hour is only $8 and that includes stone ipa which is usually on the pricier side itself. Either way, I'll definitely be back here quite often, looking forward to the lunch special these days!
(5)Jessica Y.
This is one of the best little sheep I have been to! It very spacious and clean , and the service are polite and thoughtful. Today was a very cold and rainy day, and the lady just immediately asked us if we want tea. It was no charge at all. ( usually restaurant charge for the tea ) I have been here for a few times during lunch already, and every experience never disappoint me. The soup base is very delicious , and I just loveeeeee the lunch special ! It's $9.99 with the whole set of meat, noodles , vegetables , and Chinese meat balls. So worth it !they were all very fresh too! I suggested to order the Ying yang hotpot so you can try different soup base. Furthermore, there's tons of sauces at the back of the restaurant that you can mix by yourself. Highly recommended for a cold day !!!!
(5)Erin H.
First review of the new year! Woohoo~ and I get to write about something I've been craving to eat! I first tried Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot when I was studying abroad in Shanghai, and it was awesome! I was very surprised to find out there were multiple locations in the 626! Marc C. and I came here for dinner a couple nights ago while we were house-sitting, and we definitely beat the dinner rush. We went around 5:45pm on a Wed night, explained it was our first time there, and got seated right away. We looked at the all you can eat menu ($22.95/person) and the a la carte menu, and decided that we were pretty hungry, so the AYCE is probably going to be worth it. We got the 50/50 with medium spicy broth ($3.75/person) & tried: - lamb shoulder: I love lamb, and this was delicious! We had 2 orders of this. Apparently it's one of the popular meats (a la carte $7.50) - Angus beer shoulder: this was also pretty good and a popular one. Had 3 orders of this one (a la carte $7.50) - Kurobuta pork shoulder: pretty yummy, but I think I liked the lamb and beef better. I think we had 1 order of this one (a la carte $7.95) - pork belly: this was ok, tasted the same as the pork shoulder.. 1 order (a la carte $6.95) - fish dumpling: they ran out of hot pot dumplings (which I wanted to try since I didn't know what they were); the fish dumplings were weird. I didn't like them at all. Ew. (a la carte $2.75) - veggies were good: spinach ($1.75), baby bok choy ($1.75), daikon ($1.75), enoki mushroom ($2.75), and shiitake mushroom ($2.75) Also, they have a nice sauce bar! You can mix and make your own concoctions OR if you're overwhelmed, there's a friendly little guide to advise on what to mix for different kinds of meats. Get creative! If we had eaten off the a la carte menu, dinner would've cost: ~$70 + tax + tip Good thing we didn't! The AYCE was definitely worth it if you're planning on eating a lot of meat. Our bill came out to ~$50 + tip. There's a public parking structure right in front. First 90 min are free, and $2 for an hour after. In case you miss the restaurant, it's right next to Bachi Burger, and you can go to 85 Degrees for dessert!
(5)Penn J.
My girlfriend took me here last weekend. We both love love Asian soup, from ramen to pho. This was one of the best thing I've ever had. I can eat this soup everyday!!! The great thing is I can choose any meat and veggies to put in my soup! It sits on a flat burner and keeps it hot all through out your meal. I drove closed to an hour to get to this restaurant and I don't mind the drive at all!! The interiors of the restaurant is contemporary and very clean! I can't wait to go back. Definitely one of my favorite soup restaurant!
(5)Henry Y.
This place was legit when it first opened up but everything has gone down hill ever since. The service sucks, price for AYCE went up, there is a time limit, and there are limitations now. You have to pay a few dollars more for premium items. It used to not be like that but they changed everything and now you have to pay extra. The servers are slow and rude as well. I used to come here every week but with the lack of service and changes, I only come once in a few months.
(2)Annie W.
Delicious hotpot in Old Town Pasadena - so great. For those not in the know, hotpot is like fondue, but with soup instead of cheese and with uncooked, thinly sliced meats and veggies that you cook directly in the pot. You get to choose your broth and ingredients as well as any sauces you want. You get one pot for less than or equal to 4 people that can be split into 2 sides for 2 different kinds of broth in one pot. Okay, just wanted to put that out there in case.. The soup is so flavorful - both original and spicy (and you can bump up the spicy to great heights). The sauce bar is on point with every kind of sauce you could want for hot pot. However, the difference in service between lunch and dinner is unfortunate. For lunch, I get the lunch special with fish fillet because #pescetarian. The items they give you in the set are more than enough to fill you up. Lunch service is great - the waitresses are on point and everything arrives in a timely manner. Dinner service, on the other hand, is horrendous - wait staff is often rude and very slow in bringing dishes, but very quick in bringing the check (and we're not even lingering!). From a service operations stand point - I can see where things break down as patron volume and the complexity of items brought out increases during dinner hours - and I get that some restaurants use the slow fulfillment time to decrease the amount of food patrons order from an AYCE menu, but the patron shouldnt notice this wait time this much because it decreases patron utility and causes reviewers to give bad reviews and not frequent as much. It shouldn't take that much time to put ingredients on a plate, the kitchen isn't even cooking the items! Summary: Go during lunch time - it's awesome. Only go during dinner time if you have time to wait around and don't mind being demanding with your requests. Wait time is also quite long during dinner, but pretty quick during lunch. Parking is metered on the street or there's 90 min free parking in the nearby garage.
(4)Joanna W.
The only thing I don't like: Even the "low sodium" was a bit salty... (also the mild spicy is barely spicy) but...OMG the quality of their lamb slices are so good. There aren't a lot of sauces (compare to Hai Di Lao) to choose from, however, those are the essential sauces that you need! Mushroom busket: plenty of variety and huge portion Napa cabbage: very sweet and OH so good Glass noodle: okay the large size is probably for 6 people...and I went there with only one friend Pork meatballs (Gong Wan): Crisp. Canton style approach to meatballs. Love it! Handmade fish meatball: you can taste the fish bones but no worries, it doesn't affect how fresh and soft it tasted. Hmm.. Tofu made something(Fu Pi/Zhi Zhu): I'm so glad they offer that! It's my must have for hot pot Service can get quite inattentive due to a busy crowd. The experience was great though :)
(4)Ashley S.
I heard a lot of hype about this place. I think I'm just not into the soup bases to be honest. The meat was good and selection was great for everything except the soup bases. There was just too much cumin in the spicy soup base and the original soup was overly salted. I almost would've preferred plain boiling water with all my delicious ingredients, but I think that's just a preference. What we didn't appreciate was the service, we were the first to arrive when it opened. They seated us right away but were otherwise laggy with our service until the end of the meal. It was a bit below average service.
(3)Sandy Y.
Dear Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot, Thank you for always making me feel good during the cold and rainy weather. You never seem to disappoint, with the exception of the check (whenever my party goes HAM on the food selections - so many fresh veggies (recommendation - Tong Ho), tofu, seafood (recommendation - fish balls with roe), quality meat to choose from! I love the half and whole plate options) The soup is always flavorful, particularly the Yin Yang base. You always keep your restaurant nice and clean, particularly the sauce bar. The service is good for a hot pot place, which is pretty much a do-it-yourself affair. I'll come back whenever I am craving for hot pot and something warm on a cold day! I am so happy that you decide to come and settle another location in Pasadena and although you may be smaller than your other locations, this is beyond my favorite location. Sincerely your fan Sandy Y.
(4)Jim E.
Great lunch. Fresh stylish delicious, and that's just the clientele! Highly recommended
(5)Barbara D.
I'm not a huge fan. 1. Yes, they do ask you to wait even when there are open tables. 2. The price isn't great if you come for a regular dinner. About $20-30 a person and not much food. Even little things like noodles or tiny potato dumplings will run you $5, so it adds up. Even the soup base is going to cost you, which is kind of lame. More worth it if you come for the $9.99 lunch special - otherwise, I can get a way better meal for 20 to 30 bucks a person. Like right next door. 3. Why are the tables so close to the booths? Be prepared to rest your upper chest on the table as you dine.
(3)Caroline L.
OMG, discovered this little gem randomly when back visiting Pasadena when I was visiting a couple of weeks ago. My boyfriend and I drove up from San Diego for the day to visit friends and family. Wasn't sure what to expect, given that this looked like a relatively new restaurant from when I was last back in Pasadena 3 years ago. But we were seated quickly (after wandering around searching), and were introduce to the menu. We decided on having and 50/50 (original and spicy broth) plus beef, chicken, and fish. We also ordered the meat pancake. OMG everything was delicious. The meats came with plenty veggies, rice noodles, and fish cakes. Everything was fresh and cooked very quickly. The broths were amazing! Full of flavor and for the spicy filled with red peppers to maximize the flavor. They also had a full sauce bar with everything you needed to make your sauces for dipping - if you're into that. I think we ate entirely too much food, but we couldn't help it the meat cooked wonderfully in the broth! Plus, meat pancake! You can never go wrong with a meat pancake!!! I only wish there was a place similar in KC - there probably is, but I haven't been able to find it. I guess I better start looking soon. If you are ever in Pasadena, CA and have a craving for hot pot I highly recommend!!
(5)Eric C.
I came here to Hot Pot with 2 of my friends after a longgggggg 8 mile hike in Altadena. We decided to come here to fill up our bellies, after we got 21 Choices first. I knew I was preparing myself to eat a lot so I only got a scoop of frozen yogurt at 21 Choices. Unlike me, my friends decided to get a fairly large entree of frozen yogurt & mix-ins. This ultimately led to their early defeat at this awesome Hot Pot place! Haha! We were here on a Sunday afternoon, probably around 3-330pm. There was hardly anyone inside the restaurant, probably because it was already late afternoon and everybody had eaten lunch by then (except us of course)! Thus, we got seated very promptly. You can also see their menu that's standing outside of the doors if you want to see what they offer first. But I will say that this place definitely met my standards. My friends and I decided to share the two-flavored Hot Pot dish. You basically can choose how spicy you want each broth (great for people who like spicy and who don't)! I wanted medium whereas my friends wanted either no spicy/mild. The medium had a great kick to it. Not super spicy where I was sweating (like Boiling Crab), but definitely rich enough to soothe all of my animal cravings. They put a lot of red chilies in the sauce so they kind of get in the way when you're drinking the soup or trying to eat some of the add-ons. But after awhile, you either find your rhythm or just start scooping it out like I did. We ordered a lot between the three of us where we were basically stuffed crabs at the end of it all. We ordered the recommended items on their menu which are marked with a little logo. We got the beef, the seafood platter, the sponge tofu (yes!), enoki mushrooms, baby bok choy, noodles, and 1 bowl of rice. Everything came out to about $22/person, including tax and tip. I kind of figured we'd have to spend that much. Like other Hot Pot places, this one has a side dipping sauce bar where you can make your own sauces and yummy concoctions. They have cilantro, ponzu sauce, soy sauce, garlic, and everything else you need to make the right sauces when dipping your meats or seafoods. They even have signs to help you figure out what the best sauces to mix are. Really neat and helpful! What I appreciated most about this place was their spot on service and the cleanliness of it. Granted, it is a fairly new business, but their sauce station was impeccable and everything felt orderly and well-maintained. Like I said, definitely a nice Hot Pot spot to come to if you're ever in the area and if there's no line/wait. I hope that helps my friends! Follow more of my reviews at ericgcarnaje.yelp.com . SYOY! ENJOY YOUR HOT POT :)
(4)Anthony H.
Way too slow. 3 servers for 18 tables. We ordered the all you can eat. Waited awhile in between orders. They were missing a few things we ordered. Last call came and I reordered things that they didn't give us in our first order and the girl had the nerve to tell me if I didn't finish it she will charge. There should be a minus charge for really slow service. The waiters were really nice though. Just not enough of them. And to the waitress, all that smiling doesn't mean much when all that comes out of it is (....)rudeness.
(2)Bella L.
Best hot pot ever! All - you - can - eat + many choices of sauces + fun!!! We've tried many other hot pot restaurants before, but this one is the best!
(5)Zixuan G.
My favorite hotpot restaurant! Taste, quality and service were quite good. Highly recommend!
(5)San Q.
At last, a real hotpot place in Old Town Pasadena with free 90 minutes parking across the street. Nothing beats dinner and a little shopping afterwards to walk off the calories! I tried this place last night and I really enjoyed it. It's new and the restaurant is nicely decorated. The staff was very friendly and prompt with out food. The sauce bar was nice and clean. We ordered the yin yang pot with a lot of sides. Please refer to my pictures for everything we ordered. It was definitely too much food for 3 people and our bill came out to $106 including alcohol. I will definitely come back to this place again!
(4)Patrick M.
New Hot Pot Place opened in Pasadena!? Yes please. The quality of food was good, and the location is an A+. Be prepared that you may have to wait a while to get seated, depending on the time you go. We went with 6 people, and it cost about $30 per person out the door. This is by no means a great deal, and slightly on the expensive side for Hot Pot. I have been there a couple times, and I do enjoy Hot Pot. Especially on a cold day! Oh, and I suggest you get the Pork Blood. It was a Taiwanese style Pork Blood, and had some rice on the outside. It was really good!
(4)Jody C.
I came here for lunch on a Sunday. It's located in Old Town Pasadena, so parking is a headache. There's street metered parking or you can park at a parking structure. I noticed that this hot pot place does NOT have the option to do "All You Can Eat" so everything is a la carte. What I liked about this restaurant is that it's really clean, and very modern looking. The menu has photos of all the items so it's very easy to understand. They also give you quite a bit of food for each order. You have the option to order Half Size or Full Size on most of the items. I ended up ordering full size for most of the food, and ended up over ordering. The half size is actually a perfect portion for one person. The meat is sliced really thin here, which I love. The quality of the meat is also quite good. I ordered the rib eye beef and it was delicious. There is a self serve bar for condiments and various type of sauces to go with your food. Must Get the Grilled corn spicy! it was the best grilled corn I ever had, reminded me of the grilled corn street vendors in Taiwan..The honey green tea was also surprisingly delicious! The service was great, considering most hot pot places .. err Chinese places aren't known for great service. I was really impressed with this establishment. Lunch for two came out to about $70. Since it was my first time here, I over ordered since I didn't know how the portions were like. Realistically, about $20-30 pp will get you full. I know I will be frequenting this place! Tip: They have lunch specials on M-F for $9.99 but not on weekends.
(5)Cathy Z.
I am a huge fan of hot pot. HUGE FAN! I can eat it any time of the year. And I'm a fan of Little Sheep hot pot. So imagine my happiness when I saw that it's opened in Pasadena as my friend and I were walking by on our way to lunch. I promised I'd try this new location and this week, I finally did. Their meat is really fresh and they also offer the $9.95 lunch special which includes meat of your choice, a variety of vegetables, slices of tofu, imitation crab, mushrooms, fish and beef balls, potato slices, turnip slices, and noodles. The 2 types of broth is the original and spicy. You can choose level of spiciness and there is also a low sodium option. I usually get the 50/50 option so you can have both. The broth is $3.75/person. Don't forget to venture out to the sauce bar. I usually will also order the lamb skewers. This location make it better than the one in Hacienda Heights. Yummy. The service is somewhat like your typical Asian restaurant but is efficient enough.
(4)Susie J.
I always crave this place when the weather is gloomy or when it's raining. I bet the soup is all MSG with a bunch of herbs (and chili peppers if you get the spicy soup base) but whatever, it tastes AMAZING. The first time I tried Little Sheep was in San Diego but I was ecstatic to find out this location has a sauce bar... More selection of sauces to choose from other than the plain old soy sauce, vinegar & sa-cha sauce! Please be aware that it can get a little pricey...
(5)Lauren L.
Does anyone else think it smells like an Indian restaurant when you walk through the door? It definitely is a SHARP and STRONG smell but I got used to it. I probably smelled like that when I left too haha...oops Anyways, $10 for their lunch special is amazing. So much food for this low of a price literally blows my mind! I kind of feel like I'm getting a Groupon deal, but I'm actually not. Definitely opt for lunch versus dinner to get this great price!
(4)Randy I.
This place was pretty enjoyable. The ingredients were pretty fresh and there was a wide selection to choose from. My gf and I opted for brisket and some lamb slices along with udon noodles, some veggies, and mushroom. We also chose the spicy broth which was delicious! The price at the end of the night was about $40 total for the two of us. I felt it was a fair cost. You basically pay for each dish they bring out and it adds up quick. Opt for the half order if its just two people, otherwise, you'll have an abundance of food that you can't finish.
(4)Monica L.
Came here for the second time (previous being for Yelps' event). I was sad that their all you can eat was over, but very glad to see that the quality of their meats and veggies were still up to par! The soup was overly salty (even the half sodium version) and there was a little bug on one of the veggies so I still had to take down a star, but this is one of the better and higher quality shabu locations in the area. This place is like day and night compared to Hai Di Lao...both can be pricey, but at least you get what you pay for here!
(4)Luke R.
Hot pot perfected! Came here for my wife's birthday, and was treated to a fabulous meal. Great selection of meats, veggies, noodles, and prepared foods. A little on the pricey side ($20-30 per person), but well worth it.
(5)Chris M.
I was eager to try Mongolian Hot Pot since I have no experience with either Hot Pots (well I have done shabu-shabu) or Mongolian cuisine. We were seated quickly and after deciding on the A.Y.C.E option (is there any other) we started to peruse the ample menu choices. After drink orders we handed off our sheet for the first round of what was to become many. While we waited for our goodies to show we took in the sauce bar, nice choices of different things, some great some not so much. When we got back to our table there was still no food or pot? after a few more minutes our pot showed up but it was lukewarm at best and took another 10 minutes to come up to temperature before we could safely cook and eat the chicken and dumplings. Once we finally got our rhythm we hit them for 4 more different rounds of meats and veggies. Some were great like the Chinese sausages and shrimp balls and some were not so good like the lamb meatballs (should have called it mutton balls) Noodles were great but messy when working the hot pot and our broth was lacking flavor though it had a myriad of unusual aromatics swimming in the broth. The refills on our meats did take a while between rounds and I suspect that is their game plan for those who choose the A.Y.C.E option, overall it was just OK, it was a lot of messy work for little rewards. For the effort and price I will stick to Korean BBQ, Aloha
(2)Peter C.
Came back to take my wife and our friend for her birthday. The food was still good but the service was slow and disorganized. Took almost thirty minutes for them to bring the broth to our table and we came at 5:15. The sauce bar looked like a hurricane just came through the bathrooms was disgusting. Took another 15 for them to bring our food. As we were waiting for our check which also took a long time, a lot of people were arriving and the staff didn't appear to handle it well. A lot of people standing around waiting to get seated. Hope they can realize they need to staff up for the weekends.
(3)Phong D.
Came here on Tuesday for AYCE $22.95. I believe ayce available Monday-Thursday only. Ordered ying yang broth (half regular and half spicy). I love the soup base here. It was flavorful. Beef was thinly sliced. Good for cooking. Veggies was fresh. They also have sauce bar for you to mix and create your own sauce. The restaurant was clean and spacious. Service was a bit slow but it's all good.
(4)K. S.
Wow? Wow!! Actually delicious... We came here for dinner at Halloween - and have been surprised by the quality, originality, diversity and healthiness of the food. Even though being out with a vegetarian party as a carnivore, I was fully satisfied by the taste of the broth, the fresh ingredients and all little appetizers we had that night. Just go there and order until you get crazy - it's worth it.
(5)Carl G.
I had an excellent time here. For like $23 we got all you can eat hot pot. Most of the items are very good. The lamb dumplings are amazing. All the beef and lamb is good. The crab legs are meh. I would definitely go again.
(5)Ed T.
If you never had hot pot, this would be a nice place for your first time. This lunch special m-f @9.99 is awesome! Came here today for the first time with my son and we both enjoyed very much. The ambience is also very nice and clean. The young yang combination is a great choice. At first. I thought it may not be enough b/c the meat seems like it is not enough but the noodles really fills you up so we end up very full. We added the soft tofu but really it is not necessary. Will be back!
(4)Candice N.
OMG THE SAUCES. THE SAUCESSSSSSSS. Let's take a moment to appreciate the sauce bar a little first. ... Okay. I'm over it. Came here on a double date a few months ago after it had recently opened. The decor was nice, and the food was good! The menu had so many different kinds of meat on it. I also love the location, because it's close to the (!!) 800 Degrees that will be opening here soon (maybe it already opened?!) and it's in the middle of downtown Pasadena with all the shops and fun stuff. Yay! Can I talk about the sauces again?
(5)Josephine H.
Disclaimer: I came here for an Elite event and loved everything about it, I came back on a weekend for dinner. The location is large and gets confusing with two doors, but do not turn away! You'll be missing out on some amazing hot pot. Things to consider ordering: -Half and half soup base: you get the best of both worlds. I'd suggest taking out a few spoonfuls of chili peppers after a while because it will steep for too long and become pretty spicy. As for the original pot, there are amazing herbs in there that will give you this fragrant bowl of soup to eat everything from. -Fish balls with roe: careful when biting into it, you'll get a burst of piping hot roe! It's a mixture of fish ball paste and roe on the inside. -Beef and lamb combo: can't go wrong with a combo honestly. Meats are not frozen like other hot pot places and are fresh! -Mixed mushroom platter: enoki mushrooms are the best for hot pot but why not mix it up a bit! It'll give the soup base more flavor as well! -Veggie platter: how could you not want napa cabbage in your hot pot?! That'd be a sin! You'll also get corn, tomatoes, pumpkin, and other leafy greens. Every veggie complemented the soup well. -Fresh thick noodles: they have the perfect texture when cooked accordingly. Don't over cook them in your pot because then you'll have mush. But honestly, these were the best noodles I've had in my hot pot. -Sauce: Sesame. There's a sauce bar in the middle of the restaurant (somewhat hidden) but honestly you don't need any other sauce except sesame, mixed with green onions, a little chili oil, and BAM! Although parking is your typical Old Town parking, it's worth it. The service is amazing and the food is delicious! Tip: Lunch specials on weekdays for less than $10!
(4)Barbara D.
Love that you have the option to order half or full size portions of all the a la carte items -- really gives you a chance to get a variety of things without having too eat too much of the same thing. All the meats and veggies were fresh and presently nicely. The sauce bar is also clutch since you can make it exactly how you want it without having to constantly ask for extras of anything. If you don't know what you're doing, they even have a little guide of how to build sauces depending on what you're eating. Since the restaurant is fairly new, everything was modern and clean. Customer service was excellent. Parking is either street or in the public lot on green.
(4)Genesis J.
This place is better to go for their Lunch Specials ( $9.99 Mon-Fri before 3pm). On my first visit, I was surprised to find such a herb-ful shabu-shabu place in Old Town Pasadena. It was a weekday during lunch hours, and the $10 dollar was a steal for the quality of the soup and the meat, along with the veggies, and tofus included. The fish cod-roe ball thing is so good too ! And you can ask for different soup base, including half-spicy and half-original. My first time I came, no one told me that there are sauces and spices in the back (somewhat look like a salad bar). We just sort of figured it out since we saw other tables have bowls of sauces... and the table next to me followed me too because she was also wondering on the same thing. Tsk, waiters should have had informed us! It's okay, we're independent and we can do this.. The second time I came I was on a Saturday afternoon and was disppointed because I was expecting to have similar price and quality I found before. The soup was much more salty, and since the restaurant was a little busy on weekend, the waiters were having trouble moving quickly and serving tables. I wish they can add more servers. Also, servers are okay for service-- no friendly faces or helpful suggestions or conversations. I waited for so long to get my check because no waiter was in sight, and even if there was, they looked so busy. Clean place to eat, casual ambience and bright interior. Parking is easy to find in the 90 minute free parking structure on Green St. Will comeback only on weekday for lunch special, because I am not paying almost another $7-10 more than the lunch special price for a busier ambience that does not give me opportunity to eat well and get the attention I deserve.
(3)Flora D.
if there is negative star! I will give to this restaurant. The waitress Jennifer, her attitude is horrible. The cashier not even look at me during the whole conversation. They made some mistakes and not even apology. Never ever come this location. Don't even try this location!
(1)Jenn T.
I've seen this chain in san diego and immediately wanted to come here. This is a new location, just off colorado and green in old town. It was fairly empty when I came, thus we got seated immediately. We ordered the 2 broths, which are very tasty. The rest of the menu is ala carte. All of the items are large portions, thus we ended up having a TON of left overs, even some uncooked! They give you like a whole basket of veggies for one order! They were nice enough to give us boxes and even take home the uncooked stuff to cook later! Overall service was decent. Parking is in the structures nearby. Only thing is that when I ate the leftovers at home, we found a beetle in the soup!! GROSS! Not sure when I will be back...
(1)Judith C.
When I first visited this location, I was surprised to see that the hot pot had herbal ingredients in it. It was surprising because Little Sheep seems to be a hip hot pot place for young people (my parents don't enjoy Little Sheep), but I've grown up associating Asian herbal things with stuffy herbal medicine shops with funky smells. But don't be fooled -- Little Sheep is very popular, so come early particularly if you have a large group or there will be a wait! Protip: you can make reservations! The coolest part of Little Sheep, IMO, is the sauce bar. There are so many options to mix and match from, and there's suggested sauce mixtures for different meats. I love getting the sesame, ponzu, chili oil, scallion, minced garlic, peanut sauce. Uh... mixed separate appropriately, of course, not all together! Service is great, friendly and attentive. Parking can sometimes be annoying, but there's a parking structure nearby with the first 90 min free.
(4)Robert C.
One of the metrics I use in determining how good an Asian restaurant is how many Asians are patronizing the place. I knew this place was going to be the bomb diggity when I walked in and saw that it was completely packed with my peeps! Without a doubt, best hot pot that I've had in LA. They have a little bit of a wait sometimes, but it's totally worth it! Can't remember what night they have the all you can eat but jump on that deal! You'll get to try so much and won't be disappointed. They're very attentive so they'll keep the food coming until you can't get up and walk. Did I mention they have an amazing sauce bar??? I mean AMAZING. Thanks Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot for the delicious meal!
(5)Garadi F.
I really love Chinese/Taiwanese hot pots I've been to many one of them but little sheep is the one I like the most ! The service here is much better than boiling points and the meat quality is much better too! Yes, it's twice expensive but it's more than twice is good!
(5)Macha T.
The food quality was really good. I would give this review 4 star if it wasn't for the dirty business. They do not offer you the all you can eat deal if you order over the cost amount. What they do not tell you about is the soup cost per person. What they can do better: let people know the cost or convert their bill to the $22 per person (for all you can eat deal) instead of overcharging them. Sorry but I won't be back.
(2)Willie G.
Little sheep got the best lamb for its price it is very tender and the staffs are very nice definitely coming back!!
(5)Sungmin P.
We go there 8:30pm but could not go in. they said not enough tables to get customers... Wtf??????
(1)Minh-An C.
I have always wanted to try Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot and I stumbled upon this place while exploring Old Town Pasadena after a hiking excursion with my two friends. We wanted hot pot and were going to drive to 626 but decided to give this place a try since it was new and there was absolutely no wait. We got seated right away on a Sunday at around 3 PM. It was pretty empty (probably because it recently opened). My party decided on the yin and yang hot pot with one side mild spicy and one side medium spicy. The mild is tolerable and the medium has a bit more of a kick but it doesnt kill your taste buds. While we were waiting for the food to be brought out, we went to the sauce bar (an island with about 8 different type of sauces: ponzi, seasame, seafood soy, etc..and toppings like onions, garlic, cilantro, and chili) It was a fantastic range of sauces and they have a sign to guide you on what sauce is best for you depending on the meat you ordered. Between 3 people, we shared a full order of beef, a combo plate of seafood, full order of boy choy, full order of enoji (sp?) mushroom, and spongy tofu. And it was super filling. We got a side of noodles and 1 bowl of rice too. The flavor of the broth was perfect, but the red chilis in the broth was annoying because there was so much of it and it was hard to dig for the good stuff in the broth. I was satisfied with everything and the service was spectacular. I'm sure this place will be booming in no time! The total after tax and tip came out to about $22/person. I'm not sure how I feel about them charging the extra $3.75/person fee on top of all the food we order. Free 90 minute parking across the street, $2 an hour after that.
(4)Shuya Z.
We just had bad experiences with the service here. We were here for a co-workers' farewell party and because it's party of 9 people, we already made the reservation two days before. By the time that we arrived, the host told us there is no table available at this moment, so that we have to wait a little bit. No apologies or nothing, nor a smile on her face. 40 mins past, there is still no table available. She still tell us to wait for another table,We ask the host, what is the point to make reservations if u don't save tables for us. Especially when we have a big party. No response from her. We couldn't wait no more, so we all left to walk in to another restaurant near by. If u cannot save table for anyone, don't take the reservation plz!!! The reservation policy is a joke!!!!!
(1)Monique S.
Delicious and nutritious!!! A bit on the pricey side but definitely worth it for the high quality. They strive for great customer service too.
(5)Rishi P.
2nd time here. Either they are understaffed or just too slow. 5 tables open and 2 groups waiting 30 minutes doesn't make sense. Smh. Service needs some improvement.
(3)Sarah K.
What a very fun, tasty place to eat. I really like the 50/50 split so a group of friends of mixed spicy and non spicy can all enjoy their food. The meat and vegetable selection is broad. LOVE the shrimp balls. Will definitely go back!
(5)Laila R.
I find myself questioning my rating cause I really want to give it 2 stars but I see so many great reviews with 4 and 5 stars this is a hard one, but this is my experience. My first first time having hot pot I arrived kind of confused I asked the lady who I assume was the owner how it all worked letting her know it was my first time, she said "oh ok, gave me a sort of smile and started walking towards my table I assumed she was going to fill me in on the process when she sat us but she left the menus on the table and walked away. "uhm, Ok!?!?" Anyway so she knows it's my first time and she knows I'm trying to figure out what to order and she keeps circling like a hawk almost immediately after seating us, kind of annoyed that I don't know already what I'm going to order. I ask is there an all you can eat she says no just Tuesdays, "well that sucks!" so now on to order a soup that's going to cost me about $20.00+ Per Person and not even have everything I want in it. You have to ordered it all separately and it ads up quick but whatever! I really want to try this thing. So the broth arrives and slowly not even all at once the meat and veggies I ordered a la carte are slowly trickling in from the kitchen. I put together my soup and try it and I just don't see what all the fuss is about?!?! The broth itself comes loaded with spices, chillies, whole garlic cloves roasted ones & fresh ones, Jujubees, star anise I mean anything you can think of it's all in there. First of all it doesn't make it easy to scoop up broth or drink the broth. and then the flavor I just didn't feel the flavors came together. I mean what is it tea, soup, cider? It's a mix of it all!!! and that is not a good thing it's like bland thai soup with medicinal flavors mixed in. We all got stomach pains and we have some tough stomachs on ourselves we are people who love to eat and we eat it all. Another thing that really annoyed me about the whole experience was the size of the bowls they give you to drink your soup out of. They're so tiny you have to cram your veggies, noodles and meat into it and barely have room (they're about the size of the bowls they give you miso soup in at a Japanese restaurant )What the hell I think this is what bugged me the most! so I'm just so confused But I have to stick with my 2 star rating. Not only did the flavors not come together for me but The service was ackward.
(2)Lorri E.
First I must admit that I have a love for traditional shabu shabu so even though I don't want to compare this experience to the Shabu Shabu that my mother in law makes I end up failing... And wanting my mommy... Or in this case, my husband's mommy. Anyway I digress. We had the yin/yang soup base with lamb and beef, beef meatballs, enoki, Napa cabbage, yuba (they called it bean curd stick or something like that), and the amaze-balls, AKA fish balls w/roe. Good, fun meal, good quality. My daughter would like it so I am sure we will be back.
(4)Mark David Y.
I haven't come here since last rainy/cold day back in December. Came here last month for the lunch during the weekday and was really craving for the hot pot on another day. I know that they used to have AYCE hotpot only every Tuesday from Month of May through around Mid October (Couple weeks before Trick or Treat) about 19.99 bucks per person. Now is little bit different than my first visit back in last year summer, meaning that they have AYCE option all season around from Monday through Thursday, not in Friday, Sat and sun about 22.95 bucks for each person. Friendly waitress named Cena told me that they added more options such as handmade fish balls, broccoli, mussels (more seafood and mushroom options than last year AYCE choices), they started this new AYCE $22.95 per person since last January or so. Did I mention that they have various types of sauces in the sauce bar? Yes, they do.... Did I also mention that they make great soup base? yes, they do. It's unique flavor because they put tons of herbs that I don't even know at all besides some MSG. Everytime I come there for hot pot cravings, I always order AYCE because I love to try various things than the lunch special which only costs about 10 bucks. Next time, I will bring my friends for my friends birthday later in July for letting my friends to try random stuffs there.......
(4)Kimmy Y.
I really had nothing to complain about for Little Sheep. The only thing that MIGHT be an issue is the parking. It's located in Old Town so there's usually parking garages you can park in. The restaurant itself looks so big and clean and the service was great despite there only being one server when we went. There's also a Little Sheep in San Diego but the best part about this one is their sauce bar. You don't have to ask for it and you can pick out your own (BBQ, garlic, cilantro, etc). I feel like I ate more of the sauce than the actual food. :p The soup is amazing, we usually get half and half so one side is spicy and the other is more traditional. Their menu here is also a bit more descriptive as it comes with pictures so you know what you're ordering. If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend it. I'll probably see you there!
(5)Emily H.
Love this place! Came here at dinner time waited 20 mins. But it was all worth it! The lamb was the best! Goes really well with veggies and rice. Their udon and house thick noodles are really good as well! My favorite is their spicy soup base. Goes well with almost everything! Oh and they have shacha sauce which not a lot of hotspot place has! Overall the dinning experience was excellent!
(5)Paul V.
My wife and I love this place! Their soup base is really good. We prefer the split one and then just kind of mix the soup together. That really gives the soup a nice taste while not being too spicy. They have several different types of meat here. You really can't go wrong with any of them. They also have a sauce bar so you can make your own dipping sauces for the meat. The service is really good here. They're fast and nice. We will defnitely be back!
(5)Judy K.
I absolutely love this place. I have been here at least five times since this restaurant opened. Even went twice just last week - and to be here again. Being the selfish person I am, I wanted to keep this hidden gem my secret. But despite my usual incognito status on yelp, I believe this place deserves a review: 1) They have THE BEST happy hour prices I've seen thus far. Cheap pitcher prices - where else can you find $8 stone IPA pitchers? Even during regular business hours, the pint beers are only $3+. Their selection is not extensive, most likely due to the fact that it isn't a bar, but Samuel Adams or stone IPA for $3+ is pretty awesome. 2) Their lamb is grass fed; a huge pro to the health conscious eaters. They also provide the option of a low-sodium soup, which I am trying right now - the jury is still out on this one. 3) There is a parking structure which is free for 90 mins & there is never a dearth of parking space. Unfortunately, I've never been able to eat within that time limit. 4) intestines! I love their intestines. 5) On Tuesdays, they have AYCE. You are allowed to order six items per round, for three rounds. (To the skeptic, this is more than enough to fill you up) All in all, the great price, quality, and atmosphere here compels me to give this place a four star review!
(4)Chi Y.
We love this place so much, we were used to be the regulars for the Tuesday all you can eat for $20 each, and we drove all the way from Marina del Rey, its $22 now, still it's well worth it. The hotpot is the tradition Chinese food especially papular during winter. Little sheep has being around for many good years and has a very good reputations. The foods are always fresh and delicious. I love the secret recipe/herbal broth! Even my East coast/white hubby loves The Little Sheep so much. The think slice of beef and lamb is the best. The veggies are great too. Fried bread stick is a must try item. Taste the freshness of Taiwan beers. I took many of my friends here who never had hotpot before and almost everyone of them all loved it! My experience with taking people eating something they've never had it before, it takes open mind and the adventurous attitude, it's like what's their personality, what's their experience of life- eating is a form of art. I saw one person qfrowned without even trying and acted grossed out with an ugly face and I see she is often small minded in almost everything she does, complaints about everything. You can see a personality through how their attitude toward food, amazing. It's always good time when eating hotpot with your good friends, my friends love the part that you cook it for yourself too. The doing and eating - the brilliance of the Asian style - it makes eating so much more fun!! Come experience for yourself! Yummy! This place is really nice decorated- modern, cozy, comfortable.
(5)Elizabeth M.
Came in with a group of four last night for celebratory dinner and was reasonably impressed with Little Sheep. THE GOOD: Expansive menu. If you can envision it roiling away in your hotpot, it's going to be on the menu. I was especially impressed with the range of noodle options (YAM NOODLES are available for fellow low-carbers), as well as the deliciousness of the fish balls with roe. The price is reasonable--I'd say each member of your party will end up paying around $20--and the service is earnest and polite. I love the clean, industrial chic decor. The service is earnest, polite, and speedy. DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE SAUCE BAR IN BACK, and put that sesame sauce on EVERYTHING. THE BAD: I wasn't super impressed with the overall quality of food. You can tell ingredient integrity has been sacrificed for the sake of variety, which is fine but it definitely lowers the overall caliber of the restaurant. Also, the spicy broth is flavored largely through chili oil, which provides for an unpleasantly greasy broth texture. Ye be warned. THE BOTTOM LINE: Love it, would definitely revisit with a big group.
(3)Pamela B.
We love going to this place!! Especially on two occasions: during cold weather or down with a flu. The broths are awesome! It has lots of spices on it. We always get the regular and spicy one. There's also a sauce bar with different sauce & condiments for you to choose from! I highly recommend going on weekdays for their lunch combo special for $9.95 only! It includes 2 kinds of meat (of your choice), tofu, vegetables, etc! They're all fresh and more than enough for me! I also like how clean & modern the place is. The service is also good.
(5)Jeanine S.
This was a amazing experience ! We happened to be going through Pasadena. We wanted something culturally different . We wound up here. Yelped of course to see what was around. It was great!!! Many Chinese people in this restaurant! We watched the guest around us. Our server helped us order, explained how. It was a wonderful experience our taste buds and stomach were very happy. We will come back here again!!
(5)Barclay W.
We came here the first time for yelp elite event. As we left they gave us a coupon so we decided to come back on Tuesday because it was all you can eat. The food here is good and you can get a lot for buck. I have to say this isn't for the beginner in hot pot though. Go with someone who has done this type of food before or watch everyone else around you. Like for the all you can eat you don't get more food until you finish what is on your plate. We were being polite (foolish?) by only putting in food as needed. The table next to us (clearly more experienced) just kept dumping the entire plate of food in and ordering more. I think the biggest issue we had was a language barrier. All the servers on our second time out didn't seem to have a firm grasp of the English language/were extremely busy. We would ask a question only to get a confused look or a vague non answer before they hurried off. This left us without a dish and then too many dishes that we didn't want (not a problem as we weren't paying by the dish). If you go in smart this place can provide you with a great meal. 86/100
(4)Ji T.
*******22.95 for AYCE only during Mon-Thur not on the weekend******* service was perplexing bipolar to say the least, when we first sit down, we got 3 different ppl asking us if we are ready to order yet within 2mins...however, after the first round of order, i had to try 20mins before we flag down someone else...sometimes they just dont even want to look your way When you first sit down, you can order 3 items for each person, every round subsequent to that, you can only order 2 items per person. My table got the spicy broth pot with extra spicy. When it's extra spicy, i guess they just lather on the spice oil and more peppercorns cuz the oil was so thick. Once the broth is brought to you, it takes another 10mins for it to start boiling. Order the lamb, beef, mushrooms, tofu and everything else essential for a good pot of hotpot. The food tasted surprisingly above average? I was expecting low grade meats but everything tasted better than expected. Good job little sheep! Nothing else to write home about here, also, don't be dumb like me and walk in and put your name down, they actually take reservations, so call ahead or wait for an hour like me =/
(4)Tara C.
Bring an appetite, and definitely consider the "low sodium" version of the broth. Little Sheep is a tasty and delicious new option in Old Town. First of all, it is very clean and modern. There is a small bar near the front, and fairly ample seating. A friend and I tried Little Sheep for lunch yesterday. We each had the lunch special platter ($9.99), one lamb shoulder and one Angus beef, and we ordered the half and half broth (medium for the spicy side). I love the sauce bar! I'm a big fan of having lots of condiments and options with my food, so it was fun to mix and match the different sauces and toppings. My favorite was the Sweet Garlic Soy for just about everything. The sesame and bean curd sauces together also make a tasty combination. I was excited when we received our giant "yin yang pot" with the two soup broths. They were both flavorful and delicious. The meats were good quality, and I also like the meatballs and various mushrooms you get on the platter. Those were not daikon slices, as I initially thought, but big potato slices. The noodles were starchy goodness and they soaked up the broths' flavors well. HOWEVER. We both noticed after we had been eating for a while (and there was a lot of food) that we were feeling a little off and were starting to get headaches. I usually scoff at the "low-sodium" or MSG-free" versions of things, but... I think all that salt/MSG might have been the problem. I'm pretty sure I saw that they offer a low sodium broth as our menus were taken, so that would definitely be my choice next time. Overall, the meal was satisfying, flavorful, and a good value, and I will probably return. I'm glad we didn't order any sides or apps, since we definitely didn't need any extra food!
(4)Izzy P.
Little Sheep is a typical hot pot place, meaning it's good but relatively expensive. Both soups in the yin and yang hot pot were good. Try getting their homemade fish balls! Also, good sauce bar. Might be back on a cold day if I'm craving hot pot.
(4)Anchor H.
If I could give a rating of zero star I would totally do so. My friend, knowing that I'm a big fan in shabu shabu, introduced me to try their cheap and valuable 22.95 auce! So I came here a couple days ago for dinner. It was not very busy, however they seem very very SLOW... We saw waiters there chatting around and cannot see our hand waving. It took us forever to find a waiter to take our orders. They seems to hate their job because they all kept a straight face while talking to you! The food arrived to the table before the drinks. We asked twice for our drinks and they end up reaching us when we almost finish our meal! I don't know how long it takes to bring just a cup of ice water and coke! But apparently the food was faster and easier to prepare than drinks. The meal was actually very delicious, they had great selections for their auce. It's definately worth it for the price! We had to hunt those waiters down to order for us every time, luckily we were too full to eat after the 3rd round. They placed our bill on the table before we even asked for it which make me very angry about! I don't recomend this restaurant because you don't receive any "service" here. I saw they have many other locations on yelp, go to the other locations. THIS IS NOT THE ONE!
(1)Tom W.
Ahh, Little Sheep, what's not to like about this place that serves up some good'ol fashioned Chinese comfort food either in the middle of a sweltering heat wave that Pasadena seem to be perpetually stuck in or some occasional chilly spell that would dip somewhere below 60 degrees. It's a place for lunch where if you don't mind smelling of "exotic herbs" in a non-Chinese work environment after a steam treatment and for just under 10 bucks. With that, you get more than enough to last you a conversation over objectives or whatever gossip is around the office. I was there for Chinese New Year's Eve where they had the AYCE special for $23. Despite being slammed, the service was somewhat attentive and I felt it was a good value with so-so service. Here are some suggestions that would make this a 4-star to even a 5-star review in my opinion: 1. The menu looks a bit old. Invest in menus that have the appearance of new. 2. The decoration is reminiscence of the last failed attempt at the location. While I understand that hot pots are utilitarian, a bit more on the ambiance couldn't hurt. 3. Better ventilation system. While I can appreciate the smell of Chinese herbs, not everyone is a fan of it. 4. While I am at it, perhaps hire a wait staff that has a better command of the English language. It's difficult for me to hear the waiter struggle through descriptions of the style of broth or the cooking instructions. After all, this is Old Town Pasadena where diversity is key. The likelihood of management actually reading this review and responding, I think I have a better chance of winning the Lotto without even playing. Just saying.
(3)Daniel T.
Waited two hours here got really bad service slowest i ever had. The meat was spoiled when i recieved it. My drink tasted watered down. This is the first time in disappointed
(1)Michelle Y.
Hands down, the best Hot Pot ever. This location's wait time is waaay better than the one in San Gabriel. Food is amazing and fresh and service is very attentive and welcoming.
(5)Jen S.
Lately I've been on a Little Sheep kick. Been here 3 times in 2 weeks. The place really grew on me cause the first time I went I did not like it at all. I was able to visit for the first time during lunch to take advantage of the $9.95 lunch special. You can add items for $1 (soda, corn on the cob, soft tofu etc), $2 (4 beef balls, enoki mushrooms etc) or $3 (4 oz free range chicken, seafood combo sampler, mixed veggie sampler, shrimp with head on etc). It's a great deal and we left stuffed and packed up the leftovers enough for another person to eat. I was surprised how full we got considering it didn't seem like a lot of meat. For angus beef or ribeye (+$1) you'll get 8 slices. I like the sauce bar more at the San Gabriel location cause they have chopped garlic and fresh chili. Try to take advantage of the lunch deal available M-F until 3:00 pm.
(4)T Y H C.
there is a good chance that in addition to the goji berries, cumin, sichuan peppercorns, cloves, ginger, garlic, and soybeans that little sheep compiles in its bubbling red broth... C R A C K may also play a part in this explosively flavorful, addicting punch of a soup base. so tasty. so MSG. i heart it just the same.
(4)Barbie B.
Definitely a good place for soups. You can be meat lover or a vegetarian or even a vegan! To top it all, it's next door to 85 Degrees
(5)Jessie Y.
OMG I LOVE LITTLE SHEEEPPPPP. I wish they didn't charge for sauces but the broth is so yummy that I'm willing to overlook it. Definitely get the meat and veggie platters. It's such a good deal for the amount you're paying!
(5)Vana D.
Not sure what all the hype is about. I walked into this place without having read their yelp reviews. First off, the entire place smells like a giant cloud of cumin when you walk in! Although I DESPISE cumin, I figured I'd give the place the benefit of the doubt and at least try out the food. Ugh. This was my first time at a "hot pot" restaurant, so some cooking directions would have been nice for the less experienced. And no, it's not like shabu shabu. Anyway, at first bite, all I tasted was some bland kobe beef with an entire spoonful of what tasted like cumin soup. The spices were just so overpowering that I wasn't able to eat anything other than the cucumber salad that was ordered as a side dish. The more you let your food hang in the hot pot, the more it just seems unbearable to eat. Stay away, unless you're accustomed to this type of cuisine and seasoning. Probably won't go back, unless I'm craving some yummy cucumber salad and kimchi.
(2)Karen C.
The day has finally arrived! A real Chinese restaurant in the heart of Old Town Pasadena. 8 years ago, all they had around here was Panda Express. I came here last friday and loved it. The restaurant is clean, bright, well ventilated, and service is fast and friendly. The soup bases were delicious, we had half original and half mild numbing spicy. Request for low sodium on the original soup base. I didn't really use my sauce mix because the soup bases had enough flavor. The pork belly was great, usda prime was tender, veggies are super fresh, pork intestines were my favorite, and lamb wontons were interesting. You have the option of ordering half or full for most of their ingredients. Between the two of us, we ordered enough food for 4 people but we somehow managed to finish all of it because it was delicious!
(4)Cassie B.
I really liked the hot pot here. We came as a group of 8, and it was nice that they could seat us all at a large table with two burners. We opted not to get the AYCE, but in the end, the price probably added up to be about the same. A little expensive. I liked everything we got except for the chicken.
(4)David C.
A good standard for hotpot. Delicious broths, variety of assorted meats (all high quality), variety of vegetables. Everything is really fresh. Broth is a little salty and very flavorful, so definitely a changeup if you're expecting a shabu like experience. PROTIP: You can do half-and-half broths with two styles.
(4)James H.
I've been to almost all Little Sheep locations and I have to say this one is simply head and shoulder above the rest. The service and food is as good as you can get. I highly recommend the New Zealand grass fed lamb as a must try or high end ribeye before any seafood items (even if you're not a big fan of lamb). It's not gamey at all and I just felt it's a better cut than the other locations here. The parking is always tricky, but that's the case with all of old Pasadena.
(5)Kate T.
Food was fresh and good quality. Price was not bad. Service was good and attentive. Love the soup and the sauce bar.
(5)Qingye J.
Very typical Chinese hot pot. The service is very good and the waiters are extremely friendly and thoughtful. The meat is not that frozen, which beats a lot of Shabu Shabu restaurants. Ther are various vegetables and other materials to order. My favorite is their shrimp ball and Bamboo shoot. Of course, like all the hot pot restaurant, you clothes will have a strange smell after enjoying the meat
(4)Abby S.
I went to the restaurant 2 days ago and I must say it was AMAZING. I am totally addicted and I can't wait to go back. It's a good thing this restaurant is so close to my work. I got the spicy pot and the soup was delicious....creamy, flavorful and hot! I highly recommend it.
(5)Jeff J.
I love Chinese hotpot and have had it in several different countries in Asia, going back to my childhood years. Growing up eating hotpot gives you a particular fondness for it that doesn't go away. This Little Sheep location is the best hotpot I've had in the US. We had the all-you-can-eat option recently, after going with the normal menu on previous visits. The AYCE option is a great deal. I had plate after plate of lamb, ribeye beef, pork shoulder. Just high-quality meat. We had the black tiger shrimp, filleted fish, scallops. Shrimp meatballs, lamb meatballs, tofu, brown mushrooms, vegetables, lamb dumplings. I loved being able to have nearly anything from the menu. The soup broth is classic. Yin-Yang split every time. The uncooked items are super fresh and high quality. LOVE this hotpot location.
(5)Sally M.
Horrible hostess/cashier to begin with. Arrived at 4:45p, the place was 90% EMPTY & without a proper welcome nor greeting the hostess (see pic) asks us if we think we would be done by 7:30 because they have a reservation at that time. We were only a party of 5 so my hubby says, "Why are ALL these EMPTY tables reserved at 7:30?" Why a hostess would think we would need more than 2 1/2hrs to eat a simple meal is idiotic. On top of that she was more concerned about a reservation for customers that MIGHT show up 3hrs later over customers that are actually standing in front of her is clearly delusional and blind (time for new glasses honey, and while you're at it go get some common sense).Yes, she is as dumb as she looks. Why any business owner would put her at the front to interact with customers is baffling. Once seated, she didnt do her job with letting the waiters know so no one evèr came by to take our order. After patiently waiting 10 mins I had to shout out to her if we were going to be serviced. The waiter nearby heard and came by to take our order. The straw I received had a white hardened thing caked on it (pictured). The waiter quickly brought me a new straw. Waiters provided decent service and food was just ok, nothing to rave about. Final icing on the cake was when I took my daughter to the ladies room, the hostess was also headed to the restroom ahead of us. When she was done, she did NOT wash her hands! DISGUSTING!!!!
(1)Phuong H.
Soup base/broth was good. Vegetables and meat are quite fresh. Definitely a great spot to dine on a crisp, cold night. Would I come back? Not quite sure! Only because I'm way too spoiled with great asian food from San Gabriel Valley.
(4)Tracy M.
Nice environment and great food! Had buffet dinner with friends last night, this is definitely a great place to hangout with friends if you are into Hot Pot :)
(5)Nereyda P.
Hello yelp! A friend of mine mentioned that Little Sheep was one of the places she liked to eat hot pot near her house, that it was "good" so we had lunch there. Compared to where I've had Hot Pot I'm giving this place 3 stars. Because the quality of their produce was good, but the potential that Hot Pot can offer was not fully there. Now- Hot Pot is one of the many types of favorite foods I like to enjoy. One thing I'm certain about is that not only it takes skills to prepare it, but skills to check mark the right items for the waiter, and of course skills to eat it the right way / traditional way. The waiters were nice, though they lacked listening skills and attentiveness. One would think a great waiter for a Hot Pot spot would encourage the customer to order the right ingredients base on their individual pallets. How! maybe by braking the ice, have you ever eaten hot pot before? who knows. My friend has eaten there many times, but she was not aware of many things, like the sauce for example. Later I noticed she was fallowing a table sign with steps. a-okay! But even so, her smile could have been a little wider. Is it to much to ask! come on waiters, excite your customers a little. Light the fire as soon as the broth hits the table. Remember what each tables request are, allergies hello! Learn the basics: vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, fruitarian, eggetarian, carnibor, etc. Don't put fish on my plate if I specifically requested vegetarian, come on. My point is, care a little more about each customer. Constructive Criticism, NP
(3)Nicole T.
We enjoyed our experience at Little Sheep. I am always immediately sold by any establishment that has a sauce bar and Tsing Tau. We had pork belly and lamb with some veggies and half and half medium spicy hot pot. We also had kimchi, which my husband liked. I thought it was too sweet to really be what I expected. I suppose if they just called it pickled vegetables I would not expect it to have the delicious pungent sour fermented flavor of Korean kimchi. But why would kimchi be on the menu to begin with? It was called Mongolian kimchi, I suppose to provide cultural shorthand. So that's the only thing wrong with this place. I could order edamame and kimchi and sake because the restaurant offers all these options. Part of meeting the masses where they are, and there is nothing wrong with that as long as the masses are aware of cultural mashup. We will definitely be back!
(4)Scott T.
Little Sheep moving up (literally) from the SGV into Old Town. This new location is pretty huge and super clean; I couldn't believe I was in a Chinese hotpot place. Here's how it works: you choose what broth you want - original or spicy (and what spiciness level), or you can opt for the "yin and yang" style of having the pot split in half with one on each side - then choose what you want in your hotpot: meats, vegetables, noodles, side orders, etc. Then, if you're like me and my friends, you raid the sauce bar like there was just a natural disaster. I love the sesame, the ponzu and the chili oil. A piece of lamb coming straight from the spicy broth and being dipped into one of those three sauces: it's a thing of beauty. Things can get pricey fast, but if you're in the mood for hotpot, check this place out.
(4)Bourbon D.
think no more just go here for the best hot pot. Decor was as modern, clean, and just nice as hai di lo in arcadia at half the price. Food quality is as comparable if not better as well. all the dishes are nicely presented. the house made lamb ball and fish ball were bomb. Menu selection is huge. Portion which can also be ordered in half portions. They also have lunch combo specials for $9.95 Broth is perfect with your level of spiceness if you get half and half. you can also choose low sodium which we did. no flavor was lost. HUGE Sauce bar was most impressive with labels clearly written and tips on using the sauce. Clean sauce station as well. Service was fast, friendly and very efficient with a smile. they also all speak english. Happy hour drinks are the best i've seen for hot pot spot. $8 for a huge pitcher of shock top. that just cant be beat. they also have several other beers on tap at the bar.
(5)Jenn S.
Just came here for dinner tonight!! First time having this style hot pot I love trying new foods and it was new and close to home so we decided to tried it out. Everything was good they had great selections! What was really cool was the make your own side sauce bar. HOWEVER.. 1. It was a Sunday night and the place wasn't packed or anything and service was kinda slow.(ok this I could understand because they are fairly new and probably don't have their proper staffing yet) 2. While we were eating we found the tip of a latex glove in the soup!?!?!? 3. The ventilation hood over us seemed to be off and the smoke from the spicy soup base was in my face the whole meal making me feel sick. I do like the location because there are many nice dessert places around all in walking distance. Would I eat here again? Yeah I'll probably give it another try if I'm in Old Town Craving hot pot which I do occasionally on rainy days like these .. Hopefully next time I won't find anything latex in my soup lol.
(3)Jon W.
soup is do flavorful yet not overpowering! Stuffed myself with the mushrooms, angus beef and baby bok choy. the pickled garlic was a ringer. Definitely a jewel in old town Pasadena.
(5)Tanya H.
We went there on Friday so it was not AYCE. The services was not too bad but we just not impressed with the lady (not sure she is the manager or owner or what..) that looks a little grumpy when she came to take order lol. Anyway, I love their sauce bar. It's soooo good to mix my own one. For the soup, it's a little bit too much spices in it so the smell is kind of strong when we walk in and its taste stayed in my mount for a while. If you like shabu shabu, you may like this one too. We come up $80 (not including tip) for 2 which is not cheap.
(3)Jervey T.
My wife is from Northern China and hot pot is in her blood. I enjoyed dinner with family though it's a little pricy. 138.00 for five and can't remember if I had a beer, but no one else drank anything but water.
(4)Susan X.
Average quality of ingredients in general. A lot of choices. Very pricey. Two-flavor hot pot-both very salty. Meats-above average. Chicken, mutton, pork and beef. Quail eggs-good. The yolk melts in your mouth. Vegetables-average. Fresh greens, but the mushrooms are not as fresh. Seafood-below average. Mussel, shrimp and fish cake. The quality is not as good.
(3)Ellen S.
Last night we gave Little Sheep a try. Boy were we impressed. We got the half and half stock, medium spicy, then we took another reviewers suggestion and ordered half size orders of meats, seafood, and vegetables. Some we'll order full size next time. There's a burner on the table to keep the stock bubbling hot the whole time. Everything was awesome the food was fresh and nicely presented. They have a sauce bar that's great, the best was the sweet garlic sauce, I added extra minced garlic to mine. It was great on everything. We had plenty to eat and even brought some home. It can be pricy but you can also do it pretty reasonably too. Nice clean decor, and our waitress Cena was very friendly. Check out Little Sheep you won't be sorry. Oh, and by the way they refill the stock as much as you want!
(5)Esther C.
So yummy, a bit rushed but nice staff, and a great hot pot choice for AYCE! Defnly worth the wait. My fave sauce: ponzu, tons of garlic, and scallions! The broths are a bit salty, even with the low sodium option but still yummy. The ordering can bit confusing for your first time but just remember the first round is 3 orders/person and 2 orders thereafter. Defnly returning!
(4)Tiffany E.
Sure, it's not the best hotpot in the world but food was fresh and I think that's all that matters in LA. Pretty cheap for hotpot - I usually spend $20-$60 on hotpot in Asia. Warning: long wait during dinner time so make sure you get there early, get a ticket and kill some time around old town pasadena.
(4)Ivy L.
Great place for hotpot. Their shrimp ball is waves one. Service is quick and friendly
(5)Vivian L.
If you only focus on the food, you'd be happy but everything else...not so much. Let's start with the restrooms. The men's bathroom had pee all over the floors. The hostess kept giving us the wrong wait times. What was supposed to be a 40 min wait turned out to be an hour and a half. We returned 3-4 times as she gave incorrect times. Finally, when it was closing time, they literally turned off the lights and flipped them back on without telling any of the diners it was time to go as a courtesy.
(2)Tony C.
Came here after waiting 30 minutes at dim sum house and not getting seated. Even though the restaurant was packed they seated us immediately in the only open table. Definitely my goto place for a chilly night in Pasadena. Food is authentic and reasonably priced. Some things to try if you're feeling adventurous : Pork blood cake Intestine Kidney
(5)Kathy T.
I love little sheep! Especially today! RAIN! This is smaller than their other location but still very large. Located right next to 85 degrees on the corner of Fair Oaks and Green. kurobuta pork shoulder lunch special $9.95 Way less meat than the Angus beef. So if you're looking for more meat...beef is the way to go. I'll stick with PORK! So yummy! I don't really eat much off of the lunch special plate though. But if you're sharing with friends, someone in your party will surely eat what you don't want! Overall Clean, Service is okay. I would come back again!
(5)Ash C.
Best hot pot place in Pasadena!! Great location in old town. The meat and vegetables are all very fresh. Great selection of items to put in your hotpot. You can order a full or half portion. We usually order a full serving each of the lamb, beef and kurobuta pork. As for the vegetable its better to order the vege combo so you can get a little of everything. I also like the seafood combo platter, you get a large serving of fish, 4 shrimps, 4 mussels, 4 clams, and 4 slices of squid. There's a sauce bar in the back of the restaurant where you can mix your own concoctions. I usually mix one for the meat, one for seafood and one for vegetable. We always have a great experience coming here.
(5)Xxxx W.
1. They ask you to wait when they are plenty of seats in the back of the restaurant. 2. They serve you overnight rice and hope you're ok with it. 3. Poor quality meat.
(2)