The best hot pot and steamboat restaurants in Singapore

What is it? Tong Xin Ru Yi is not your regular, run-of-the-mill hotpot joint – it's got plenty of interesting items on its menu, including lesser-seen ingredients like beef tongue and Hokkaido milk beef. 

Why we love it: Nothing beats the comfort of a steaming hotpot on a rainy day, and Tong Xin Ru Yi knows just how to hit the spot. Nestled in the heart of Boat Quay, the ambience here is equal parts cosy and classy, and definitely family-friendly. Its most popular broth is the golden chicken soup ($24), but the spicy rabbit broth ($68) is a surprising favourite among some customers. Beyond your regular meat cuts, there are also less common options like Hokkaido milk beef ($25), where beef slices are soaked in milk for a richer flavour. While your ingredients simmer to perfection, enjoy small bites like BBQ frog legs ($10), scallion pancakes ($5), or handmade dumplings complete with Sichuan sauce (from $6).

Time Out tip: Want to pop open a bottle? There's no corkage fee here, so it's the perfect spot for celebrations. 

Address: 6 Lor Telok, Singapore 049019
Opening hours: Daily 11.30am-10pm

What is it? Homegrown hotpot chain by Paradise Group known for its nourishing collagen and spicy broths.

Why we love it: Beauty In The Pot – affectionately known as BIAP or BITP by some – specialises in soup bases that are purportedly good for your skin. Whether that’s true, we can’t say for sure. But what we can say is that the signature Beauty Collagen and Spicy Nourishing broths certainly live up to their hype. Both are made with a mix of conpoy, chicken, and pork bones, and the spicy broth even has Chinese herbs like red dates and ginseng. Like Hai Di Lao, the ingredients here are a bar above your average steamboat joint. There’s US wagyu ribeye, Kurobuta pork, and even a selection of fresh seafood. The fish tofu and fried beancurd rolls are popular picks, but our go-tos are the fish paste, tripe, prawn roll dumplings, and assorted handmade meatballs. And one of the best parts about dining here is the ice-cold yuzu slushie dessert that’s served at the end of your meal. 

Time Out tip: If you want the Beauty in the Pot experience at a fraction of the cost, buffet-style, and with individual soup bases, check out its sister brand Paradise Hotpot instead.

Address: See locations and opening hours here.
Opening hours: See locations and opening hours here.

What is it? Xiao Long Kan throws it all the way back to ancient China. Not just with its food – which is done in the traditional Sichuan style – but with its decor as well, which sees dark wooden lattice panels, lanterns, and furniture that’ll make you feel like you’re royalty.

Why we love it: Some of its locations open till 3am or 6am, and others even run 'round the clock. Since Chengdu-style hot pot is the highlight here, you can expect the signature mala base to come with an intense spice and a thick layer of oil. Don’t worry, this isn’t so much meant for drinking as it is for trapping the heat underneath it so that the ingredients cook well. Choose from flavours like the rich beef butter, mala, tomato, mushroom, and pork bone for your soup base. The meats and ingredients here are as fresh as it gets, and in true Sichuan fashion, a small can of oil is provided as you customise your sauce. 

Time Out tip: We recommend ordering milder flavours for those who can’t take spice, as the mala broth truly packs a punch. 

Address: See locations and opening hours here.
Opening hours: See locations and opening hours here.

What is it? With multiple outlets in the CBD, City Hot Pot is a popular choice among the working crowd for its wallet-friendly prices and individual hot pots.

Why we love it: Everyone gets their own pot here so there’s no fussing over what flavour to pick for a sharing pot. Undisputed crowd favourites are the milky fish soup ($5.99) and fish maw fish soup ($8.99), but with 12 other options on the menu, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Diners can also opt for a set meal (from $22.99) or à la carte ingredients. All meats are freshly prepared and sliced, with highlights like the wagyu chuck eye roll, lamb leg, and minced pork paste. If you're looking to treat yourself, get the lobster set ($99.99) – good for two. 

Time Out tip: Even if you're not in the CBD, you can check out City Hot Pot's other heartland locations in Jurong Point and Sengkang Grand Mall.

Address: Guoco Tower, One Raffles Place, Jurong Point, Sengkang Grand Mall
Opening hours: See website for opening hours.

What is it? Arguably the brand that started it all, Hai Di Lao needs no introduction. It’s the hot pot chain that revolutionised exceptional service in restaurants with its impressive hand-pulled noodle performances, manicure booths, over-the-top birthday celebrations and much more.

Why we love it: Even queueing isn't as painful – you'll be kept pretty occupied with the free-flow snacks, wintermelon tea, and maybe even given a few origami stars to work on while you wait. Once you're in and seated, go big with the four-flavour pot. We recommend the spicy, tomato, chicken and mushroom soup bases for a good variety of flavours. Then it’s time to get creative at the sauce station. Make a fun competition out of it with your dining companions to see who’s made the best dip. The menu boasts an extensive selection of premium meats, seafood, vegetables and basically all your hotpot essentials.

Time Out tip: For first-timers, the kung fu noodles are a must. Whip your phones out as the skilled chefs personally come out to pull the noodles before your eyes in a theatrical flurry before serving them to you.

Address: See locations and opening hours here.
Opening hours: See locations and opening hours here.

What is it? A no-frills hotpot buffet with multiple outlets, where you can eat your own weight in meat, seafood and veggies, all cooked in your personal bubbling pot.

Why we love it: At Paradise Hotpot, there’s no sharing drama – everyone gets their own pot. Whether you’re lapping up the classic pork bone soup, spicy Sichuan broth, or the uniquely smoky satay soup, it’s all about dunking your favourite ingredients into hot, steamy goodness. The 80-minute buffet comes with the choice of more than 100 fresh ingredients – marbled beef slices, fresh prawns and premium pork collar included. There’s also handmade ebiko prawn paste that you scoop straight into the pot. The condiment station is where the magic happens. Pile on the garlic, throw in the chilli, and drown your sauce in sesame oil. And when you’ve had enough of the savoury stuff, there’s complimentary ice cream to cool things down too.  

Time Out tip: Make sure to book ahead – tables fill up fast.

Address: Westgate, CompassOne, Punggol Coast Mall
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11.30am-10pm; Sat-Sun 11am-10pm  

What is it? Imperial Treasure has been around long enough for its Peking duck to amass a cult-like following, but many still don’t know that its specialty steamboat restaurant is pretty impressive as well.

Why we love it: As with most hot pot restaurants, the Sichuan spicy soup ($35) and chicken soup ($28) are popular picks, but we recommend going for the Imperial drunken chicken soup ($45) for a richer and more flavourful broth. The chicken is cooked in Shaoxing rice wine and the broth sees traditional Chinese herbs like wild yam, wolfberries and red dates. Another must-order is the four treasure ball platter ($18) – a combination of prawn, cuttlefish, pork, and Canton Dace fish balls handmade daily.

Time Out tip: Don’t mind a bit of a splurge? Pick from a wide selection of live seafood, from marble goby ($13 per 100 grams) to Australian abalones ($30 per 100 grams).

Address: 111 Somerset Rd, 111 Somerset,#02-14, Singapore 238164
Opening hours: Daily 11am-3pm, 6pm-11pm

What is it? Pork bone broth and mala broth with fatty pork belly slices and hand-pulled noodles, all for $15? Sounds too good to be true, but it exists at Shi Li Fang.

Why we love it: The Taiwanese steamboat restaurant offers affordable set meals, a sauce station with a decent variety of condiments, plenty of drink options and even an ice cream station. Pick a soup base, from classic mala to refreshing tomato, a main protein, and your preferred carb – we recommend going for the hand-pulled noodles. These aren’t served in Hai Di Lao’s show-stopping manner, but we can’t deny that they’re satisfyingly chewy and great for soaking up all the flavours from the broth. On top of that, help yourself to a load of vegetables and sides, from cabbage and bok choy to tofu, black fungus, mushrooms, vermicelli and eggs. It’s more than enough to induce a post-lunch food coma, but at least it doesn't break the bank.

Time Out tip: Dine here often enough and you'll even receive stamps and points to redeem a soft toy of your choice.

Address: Over 15 locations in Singapore. See locations and opening hours here.
Opening hours: See locations and opening hours here.