Reader Top 5: Best Hot Pots on O‘ahu

 

If my sweaters and hoodies held an exhibit for soup splash/splatter art, Hot Pot Picasso would be so proud.

 

Soup season is all year long for me. It could be blazing hot and humid all day, but given the choice, I would still choose soup. I swear it was love at first sip. Hot pot has always been and will always be my first true love … my food soulmate, if you will.

 

So here, in no particular order, are my Top 5 hot pot spots on O‘ahu when I need my soup fix.

 

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Chong Qing Hot Pot

 

 

I never feel like I eat my money’s worth when it comes to AYCE, even though I usually overcommit to the point I’m unbuttoning my pants, just so this girl can breathe. Chong Qing (no relation), a spicy Chinese hot pot in the former Little Sheep spot in Ward Centre, offers good-quality cuts of meat and veggies that got me boiled over with zero regrets.

 

For $33.99 at lunch and $38.99 at dinner, I always opt for the Spicy Marrow broth—it escalates in heat throughout the meal—and the beef short plate with the right amount of marbling in each slice. Servings are portioned for three rounds, and you can specify how many servings you want when you order. Roll me out, but this is probably the only AYCE place where I know I’m eating my money’s worth.

 

1200 Ala Moana Blvd Bldg 4, Second Floor, (808) 593-8818, chong-qing-hot-pot.business.site, @chongqinghotpot8818

 

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SEE ALSO: AYCE Nights: My Favorite All-You-Can-Eat Hot Pot Spots in Honolulu

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Ichiriki

 

 

Looking for soup that also soothes your wallet? Ichiriki offers a killer $18 lunch or late night special nabe set for budget-conscious slurpers (dinner sets start at $29). Each set comes with your choice of beef, pork or chicken, plus assorted veggies, kuzukiri noodles and rice. This Japanese nabe specialist has broths like shoyu, tomato, curry and miso, but my go-to is spicy Pirikara.

 

Before adding anything into the pot, I always take comfort in that first soup sip as is. It’s like a broth blanket of comfort for my taste buds. Towards the end, if I still haven’t cooked all my sides, I add on zosui for a small charge. Think rice porridge, but with more flavor from the zosui’s whipped egg and the tasty sides hidden within. Honestly, though, I never finish, so this always becomes a bonus extra meal.

 

Multiple locations, ichirikiinabe.com, @ichirikinabe

 

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Aunty’s Hotpot House

 

 

I was sad when Aunty closed up shop in McCully, but I knew she couldn’t stay away for too long. Since moving to Ka Makana Ali‘i, Aunty’s Hotpot House has brought diverse broth options not commonly found on the west side. Spicy, curry, veggie or just plain beef broth: Any hot pot lover is sure to find their soup soulmate. I appreciate the grab-to-cook chill cases with pre-portioned servings of everything from seafood to noodles to mushrooms and veg on color-coded plates and vast sauce options that let me mix and match my own. Lately, I’ve been hooked on the spicy and sour soup and ginger garlic sauce.

 

Note: If not everyone in your group is in a soupy mood (which is blasphemy), Aunty’s does offer delicious appetizer plates—just ask for side rice. My must-have apps are always the cheese gau gee, rolling beef and fried pork chop.

 

91-5431 Kapolei Pkwy Ste. 426, (808) 670-2813, @auntyshotpothouse

 

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SEE ALSO: Aunty’s Hotpot House Brings a Familiar Name and Face to Kapolei

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Honolulu Hotpot Hale

 

 

Street parking along Kapi‘olani or Makaloa can be hit or miss, but Honolulu Hotpot Hale is well worth the hunt. The Chinese hotpot specialist is known for a la carte meat selections that come by the yard or half-yard (here’s where your dollars add up), plus choices like beef throat and duck blood cakes, but this place delivers a broth that triggers my feels in a way I didn’t know was possible. They call it Chinese Sauerkraut Soup, and I’m addicted to every sip and slurp. If you could imagine a savory stir-fry of pickled Chinese mustard cabbage, but in soup form, then you understand my mad cravings. (I know your mouth watered while reading this because mine just did.) They have seafood and vegetable assortment sets, but my favorite is the V3 set that includes dried bean curd strips, dried tofu sticks and fried tofu.

 

Friendly foodie note: Scallion pancake here should never be an option—it should always be a must-order.

 

1440 Kapi‘olani Blvd Ste 102, (808) 888-8869, @hnlhotpothale

 

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SEE ALSO: Honolulu Hotpot Hale Is a Souper Sleeper Hit on Ke‘eaumoku

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Asuka Nabe + Shabu Shabu

 

 

Parking can be a challenge at this Kaimukī spot, but I never let that deter me. Shabu shabu sets come with assorted veggies, udon, tofu, gyoza and your choice of rice (mixed grain rice is the only way to go). They start at $23 for pork or chicken sets and go up to $42 if you want American wagyu.

 

Spicy Asuka, a premium broth with a $4 upcharge, is my go-to every visit. Its hearty and rich flavor deepens when you add the butter and cracked pepper that come with. I have commitment issues with just one choice, so I always end up getting the kalbi and pork set and ordering an extra side of watercress. Don’t feel guilty if you over-order—you can pack up your leftovers to take home. I highly recommend making reservations because Asuka usually does get busy.

 

Open daily from 5 to 10 p.m., 3620 Wai‘alae Ave., (808) 735-6666

 

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RIP: IchiFuji

 

 

This hidden gem at the top of the stairs above Tori Ton wasn’t only physically elevated. IchiFuji was my “treat yourself and celebrate me” soup spot. It specialized in meaty wagyu nabe kaiseki, with an oxtail dashi broth that delivered a clean eye appeal with a rich taste sneak attack you didn’t know was coming. Although the seven-course meals had me boiling over, I especially loved getting the beef tongue katsu to share and the house draft yuzu beer … to not share.

 

Sadly, IchiFuji closed at the end of 2023 with a promise of exciting changes coming in 2024.

 

2334 S. King St., @ichifujihawaii