Ate here 2x before writing this review. This is a skewer hot pot place and there is definitely a learning curve the first time. There were so many selections on skewers that it was difficult to choose. The fridge had several levels that I didn't get a chance to notice them all until my 2nd time around. It's definitely a scavenger hunt each visit.There are some rare finds here that are generally not offered at other shabu places. Like duck blood, duck feet, bamboo fungus (pith), giant prawns, crab meat, etc. Nice To Meet You have it all in one easy to access fridge. We noticed more selections on weekends than weekdays, especially the duck blood. It really fresh and runs out fast.For the non-spicy people, there are definitely choices here. The broth comes with 2 choices (or you can go with one, same price) and we loved the beef and tomato broth, both are non-spicy. For meat choices we order off the menu AND we get skewered meat. The kids prefer Flat Iron Steak. Ribeye is pretty good too.Eating with skewers is fun. Definitely an experience. The Brown Sugar Sticky Rice Cake also hits the spot for sweet tooth lovers. Reminds me of the sticky rice cake at Night Markets.The seats are spacious and can accommodate large parties.If everyone in your party can eat spicy, then this is definitely a worthy spot to visit. But this is an awesome place for non-spicy people too.See my pictures for more tips.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Steak, Beef
Rose H.
The beef skewers were disgusting! Any skewers that contained beef tasted rubbery and had a disgusting slimy film over it. It tasted like fake meat or something. The broths and plates of beef are okay, along with the veggies,noodles, and other protein items.
Ellen S.
It's good while you eat it but then when you leave, all your clothes smell terrrrrrrilbe. I ate here last time with my friend and it was good, but the car ended up smelling like the restaurant for a good while. Also, I docked another star because it gets really squishy where people get the skewers and all the little side dishes. I care a lot about ambiance, so that's why I'm giving it 3 stars. Food's decent!
S T
Good variety of food. Beef was great. Grab your own plates were fun.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Wen Huang
We came here with two adults and one kid. We ordered the Pork Bone and Spicy Beef Tallow soup base. Their service was amazing, always checking on us, they were so nice. The food was amazing and well priced. We would definitely come again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hot Pot, Spicy Beef Tallow
Jiaying mu
Please don’t cut corners on the base material! ! ! !Half a year ago I thought it was the most delicious hot pot in Irvine. I had it many times. Recently, the base is not as fragrant as before, and there is still a strong flavor of essence. After eating, it regurgitates from the stomach and penetrates into the glasses and cannot be washed away.The side dishes are as good as ever, the spicy beef is delicious, the sesame oil is fragrant, and the decoration is fresh
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spicy Beef
Sum Yung Gai
Really enjoyed our hot pot dinner here. The place is clean, modern and service was great. If you are a fan of spicy food then their spicy beef tallow is a must try, there are also other non spicy soup bases to choose from like the very good sour cabbage & pork. Theres a wide array of skewers, hot pot goodies, appetizers, ddrinks, desserts and sauces at the self serve area, caution this area can get crowded at times. We got a good variety of items and were stuffed at the end. About$35 per person which is not bad at all for Chengdu hot pot.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hot Pot, Beef Belly, Spicy Beef
KC W.
Recently had my birthday dinner here with a group of friends and we all had a great time. If you like spicy hot pot then this is your spot. There are so many choices of meats, skewers and specialty items that everyone can find something they like. The appetizer and sauce bar is a great deal at $3. Service is fast and friendly. one tip, start with mild spicy for the broth if you can't handle spicy food. it definitely helped as we ordered a pitcher of ice cold beer.overall, it's a just great place to enjoy hotspot with friends and family.
包子&布丁
We visited Nice to Meet You last Saturday for my boyfriend's birthday. The restaurant is located in a plaza with plenty of parking. Our party had 10 adults and 3 kids. We were greeted by the friendly staffs and got us seated right away. The restaurant was clean and the décor has a hint of traditional Chinese flare mixed with modern feel.After a quick glance on the menu, we ordered some meat entrees and two flavor soup , one pork and another their signature spicy soup with medium spiciness for the adult and pork soup for the kids. I think split pot options are wondering to have when you have kids.After ordering, all of us headed to grab some free appetizers and sauce. The selection on the appetizers were impressive. I think there were at least 15 different types of appetizers offered. My only complaints was to wish for a larger plate! Kids of course went straight into the drink stations (non alcoholic) to grab what they desired. Restaurant also provided their sauce combo recipe for the customers or you can do your own mixology to create that unique sauce for yourself! The salad bar and dessert bar was remarkable. We had to keep reminding the kids to hold their dessert desire till after dinner.All the meat entrees came right away. I personally love the way beef. But make sure you don't leave in the soup for too long. As soon as the color turned, pick up the wagu and eat it! The skewer selection in the fridge was massive. I was not able tried them all! The large fridge with plates of ingredients was superb! I honestly never had so many fresh hot pot ingredients offered at a restaurant. They even offered abalone, which I love! The shrimp ball is another one of my favorite.All 13 of us were stuffed with yummy food when we walked out. We are very satisfied with our dining experience. The ingredients were fresh and the service was great. I cannot wait to come back again!Parking: Restaurant located in a plaza with plenty of parking.Kid-friendliness: Great family restaurant to take kids to.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Steak, Hot Pot, Brown Sugar Sticky Rice Cake, Fried Chicken Cartilage, Spicy Beef Tallow, American Wagyu Skirt Steak, Crispy Fried Pork
Debbie T.
We visited Nice to Meet You last Saturday for my boyfriend's birthday. The restaurant is located in a plaza with plenty of parking. Our party had 10 adults and 3 kids. We were greeted by the friendly staffs and got us seated right away. The restaurant was clean and the décor has a hint of traditional Chinese flare mixed with modern feel.After a quick glance on the menu, we ordered some meat entrees and two flavor soup , one pork and another their signature spicy soup with medium spiciness for the adult and pork soup for the kids. I think split pot options are wondering to have when you have kids. After ordering, all of us headed to grab some free appetizers and sauce. The selection on the appetizers were impressive. I think there were at least 15 different types of appetizers offered. My only complaints was to wish for a larger plate! Kids of course went straight into the drink stations (non alcoholic) to grab what they desired. Restaurant also provided their sauce combo recipe for the customers or you can do your own mixology to create that unique sauce for yourself! The salad bar and dessert bar was remarkable. We had to keep reminding the kids to hold their dessert desire till after dinner.All the meat entrees came right away. I personally love the way beef. But make sure you don't leave in the soup for too long. As soon as the color turned, pick up the wagu and eat it! The skewer selection in the fridge was massive. I was not able tried them all! The large fridge with plates of ingredients was superb! I honestly never had so many fresh hot pot ingredients offered at a restaurant. They even offered abalone, which I love! The shrimp ball is another one of my favorite. All 13 of us were stuffed with yummy food when we walked out. We are very satisfied with our dining experience. The ingredients were fresh and the service was great. I cannot wait to come back again!
My family and I tried out this place on Black Friday, and we were sat immediately. The servers were attentive and brought out the soup right after we ordered it. We got the pork bone and mild spicy broth. Both were some of the best broths that we had. The self-service bar included appetizers, desserts, sauce, vegetables, and, most importantly, skewers. The skewers included a variety of meats and other vegetables/tofu. Don't be fooled, most of the meat has two skewers which is ~$1. Give this place a try if you're craving some spicy hot pot and are indecisive like me! Also, until 12/22/23, there's a voucher on their Facebook for $20 off $75!
Kathryn T.
Good hot pot spot in Irvine featuring pay by the skewer. My family and I went here for dinner and found ourselves enjoying some good quality hot pot while counting how many skewers we used. Here's what you need to know:1. Plenty of seating so good for larger groups. 2. The spicy is spicy so be aware of what you pick out from the beginning and how it transforms the pot over time. 3. Cost wasn't too bad. For four people, it came out to about $40/person and we were completely full. 4. Standard service and you can pick out your own skewers.
Sophia Hu
I am not a fan of all you can eat shabu shabu and prefer szechuan style hot pot. Nice to meet you hot pot is one of my favorites and always delivers great service, food and the authentic flavors I love. You must try their skewered mustard green with beef, pineapple beef and goose intestines. Their spicy beef soup base is legit and will make your mouth burn, in a good way. They also offer different kinds of alcohol, cold beer or cold soju go so well with spicy foods. Definitely put this place on your bookmarks to try.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
jerry chiang
This place is one of my favorite places to come for hot pot. You can go pick out your own food, and they have a great selection for sauce bar.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
J Z
Very nice staff, super clean dining room and self-serve bar area. There are so many options for skewers, meats, and vegetables, and soft drinks. The decor is very pleasant and the ambiance is relaxed. It came out to around $75 for two people; we got 2 drinks, 1 mushroom broth, 15 skewers, 2 steamed rice, 1 flat iron steak, 5 trays and bowls of veggies and noodles. Not quite sure if the mushroom base is 100% vegetarian, but there was plenty of tofu, mushrooms, and veggies.
Ate here 2x before writing this review. This is a skewer hot pot place and there is definitely a learning curve the first time. There were so many selections on skewers that it was difficult to choose. The fridge had several levels that I didn't get a chance to notice them all until my 2nd time around. It's definitely a scavenger hunt each visit.There are some rare finds here that are generally not offered at other shabu places. Like duck blood, duck feet, bamboo fungus (pith), giant prawns, crab meat, etc. Nice To Meet You have it all in one easy to access fridge. We noticed more selections on weekends than weekdays, especially the duck blood. It really fresh and runs out fast.For the non-spicy people, there are definitely choices here. The broth comes with 2 choices (or you can go with one, same price) and we loved the beef and tomato broth, both are non-spicy. For meat choices we order off the menu AND we get skewered meat. The kids prefer Flat Iron Steak. Ribeye is pretty good too.Eating with skewers is fun. Definitely an experience. The Brown Sugar Sticky Rice Cake also hits the spot for sweet tooth lovers. Reminds me of the sticky rice cake at Night Markets.The seats are spacious and can accommodate large parties.If everyone in your party can eat spicy, then this is definitely a worthy spot to visit. But this is an awesome place for non-spicy people too.See my pictures for more tips.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Steak, Beef
The beef skewers were disgusting! Any skewers that contained beef tasted rubbery and had a disgusting slimy film over it. It tasted like fake meat or something. The broths and plates of beef are okay, along with the veggies,noodles, and other protein items.
It's good while you eat it but then when you leave, all your clothes smell terrrrrrrilbe. I ate here last time with my friend and it was good, but the car ended up smelling like the restaurant for a good while. Also, I docked another star because it gets really squishy where people get the skewers and all the little side dishes. I care a lot about ambiance, so that's why I'm giving it 3 stars. Food's decent!
Good variety of food. Beef was great. Grab your own plates were fun.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
We came here with two adults and one kid. We ordered the Pork Bone and Spicy Beef Tallow soup base. Their service was amazing, always checking on us, they were so nice. The food was amazing and well priced. We would definitely come again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hot Pot, Spicy Beef Tallow
Please don’t cut corners on the base material! ! ! !Half a year ago I thought it was the most delicious hot pot in Irvine. I had it many times. Recently, the base is not as fragrant as before, and there is still a strong flavor of essence. After eating, it regurgitates from the stomach and penetrates into the glasses and cannot be washed away.The side dishes are as good as ever, the spicy beef is delicious, the sesame oil is fragrant, and the decoration is fresh
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spicy Beef
Really enjoyed our hot pot dinner here. The place is clean, modern and service was great. If you are a fan of spicy food then their spicy beef tallow is a must try, there are also other non spicy soup bases to choose from like the very good sour cabbage & pork. Theres a wide array of skewers, hot pot goodies, appetizers, ddrinks, desserts and sauces at the self serve area, caution this area can get crowded at times. We got a good variety of items and were stuffed at the end. About$35 per person which is not bad at all for Chengdu hot pot.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hot Pot, Beef Belly, Spicy Beef
Recently had my birthday dinner here with a group of friends and we all had a great time. If you like spicy hot pot then this is your spot. There are so many choices of meats, skewers and specialty items that everyone can find something they like. The appetizer and sauce bar is a great deal at $3. Service is fast and friendly. one tip, start with mild spicy for the broth if you can't handle spicy food. it definitely helped as we ordered a pitcher of ice cold beer.overall, it's a just great place to enjoy hotspot with friends and family.
We visited Nice to Meet You last Saturday for my boyfriend's birthday. The restaurant is located in a plaza with plenty of parking. Our party had 10 adults and 3 kids. We were greeted by the friendly staffs and got us seated right away. The restaurant was clean and the décor has a hint of traditional Chinese flare mixed with modern feel.After a quick glance on the menu, we ordered some meat entrees and two flavor soup , one pork and another their signature spicy soup with medium spiciness for the adult and pork soup for the kids. I think split pot options are wondering to have when you have kids.After ordering, all of us headed to grab some free appetizers and sauce. The selection on the appetizers were impressive. I think there were at least 15 different types of appetizers offered. My only complaints was to wish for a larger plate! Kids of course went straight into the drink stations (non alcoholic) to grab what they desired. Restaurant also provided their sauce combo recipe for the customers or you can do your own mixology to create that unique sauce for yourself! The salad bar and dessert bar was remarkable. We had to keep reminding the kids to hold their dessert desire till after dinner.All the meat entrees came right away. I personally love the way beef. But make sure you don't leave in the soup for too long. As soon as the color turned, pick up the wagu and eat it! The skewer selection in the fridge was massive. I was not able tried them all! The large fridge with plates of ingredients was superb! I honestly never had so many fresh hot pot ingredients offered at a restaurant. They even offered abalone, which I love! The shrimp ball is another one of my favorite.All 13 of us were stuffed with yummy food when we walked out. We are very satisfied with our dining experience. The ingredients were fresh and the service was great. I cannot wait to come back again!Parking: Restaurant located in a plaza with plenty of parking.Kid-friendliness: Great family restaurant to take kids to.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Steak, Hot Pot, Brown Sugar Sticky Rice Cake, Fried Chicken Cartilage, Spicy Beef Tallow, American Wagyu Skirt Steak, Crispy Fried Pork
We visited Nice to Meet You last Saturday for my boyfriend's birthday. The restaurant is located in a plaza with plenty of parking. Our party had 10 adults and 3 kids. We were greeted by the friendly staffs and got us seated right away. The restaurant was clean and the décor has a hint of traditional Chinese flare mixed with modern feel.After a quick glance on the menu, we ordered some meat entrees and two flavor soup , one pork and another their signature spicy soup with medium spiciness for the adult and pork soup for the kids. I think split pot options are wondering to have when you have kids. After ordering, all of us headed to grab some free appetizers and sauce. The selection on the appetizers were impressive. I think there were at least 15 different types of appetizers offered. My only complaints was to wish for a larger plate! Kids of course went straight into the drink stations (non alcoholic) to grab what they desired. Restaurant also provided their sauce combo recipe for the customers or you can do your own mixology to create that unique sauce for yourself! The salad bar and dessert bar was remarkable. We had to keep reminding the kids to hold their dessert desire till after dinner.All the meat entrees came right away. I personally love the way beef. But make sure you don't leave in the soup for too long. As soon as the color turned, pick up the wagu and eat it! The skewer selection in the fridge was massive. I was not able tried them all! The large fridge with plates of ingredients was superb! I honestly never had so many fresh hot pot ingredients offered at a restaurant. They even offered abalone, which I love! The shrimp ball is another one of my favorite. All 13 of us were stuffed with yummy food when we walked out. We are very satisfied with our dining experience. The ingredients were fresh and the service was great. I cannot wait to come back again!
Restaurantji Recommends
My family and I tried out this place on Black Friday, and we were sat immediately. The servers were attentive and brought out the soup right after we ordered it. We got the pork bone and mild spicy broth. Both were some of the best broths that we had. The self-service bar included appetizers, desserts, sauce, vegetables, and, most importantly, skewers. The skewers included a variety of meats and other vegetables/tofu. Don't be fooled, most of the meat has two skewers which is ~$1. Give this place a try if you're craving some spicy hot pot and are indecisive like me! Also, until 12/22/23, there's a voucher on their Facebook for $20 off $75!
Good hot pot spot in Irvine featuring pay by the skewer. My family and I went here for dinner and found ourselves enjoying some good quality hot pot while counting how many skewers we used. Here's what you need to know:1. Plenty of seating so good for larger groups. 2. The spicy is spicy so be aware of what you pick out from the beginning and how it transforms the pot over time. 3. Cost wasn't too bad. For four people, it came out to about $40/person and we were completely full. 4. Standard service and you can pick out your own skewers.
I am not a fan of all you can eat shabu shabu and prefer szechuan style hot pot. Nice to meet you hot pot is one of my favorites and always delivers great service, food and the authentic flavors I love. You must try their skewered mustard green with beef, pineapple beef and goose intestines. Their spicy beef soup base is legit and will make your mouth burn, in a good way. They also offer different kinds of alcohol, cold beer or cold soju go so well with spicy foods. Definitely put this place on your bookmarks to try.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This place is one of my favorite places to come for hot pot. You can go pick out your own food, and they have a great selection for sauce bar.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Very nice staff, super clean dining room and self-serve bar area. There are so many options for skewers, meats, and vegetables, and soft drinks. The decor is very pleasant and the ambiance is relaxed. It came out to around $75 for two people; we got 2 drinks, 1 mushroom broth, 15 skewers, 2 steamed rice, 1 flat iron steak, 5 trays and bowls of veggies and noodles. Not quite sure if the mushroom base is 100% vegetarian, but there was plenty of tofu, mushrooms, and veggies.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5