Nice To Meet You Skewer Hot Pot

“ Nice to meet you food review: My best friend and I went to try this AYCE hot pot/skewer place for dinner - and oh my god, we were blown away! We've had this restaurant on our bucket list before, but did not know it was AYCE. Upon arrival, we were greeted instantly from the host and got sat immediately. The waiter explained the menu to us in great detail - from how it's AYCE, to the kinds of meats they had, and extra add ons for a premium price. For the hot pot broths, they had a good variety, and your table gets to select 3 broths in total. We chose spicy miso, tom yum, and sukiyaki. All the broths were very flavorful! For our meats, we went with the beef tongue, beef belly, wagyu beef top sirloin, and beef belly. We also decided to go with all the premium items as well. The sauce bar had pretty much everything you need - and they also had some hot food items as well for you to select. As for vegetables / skewers, there were tons of options with no shortage. They also had a huge drink section, from Korean banana milk to sparkling water! Overall, everything we got was so good, and we thought it was worth the price. However, the manager Charles took such great care of us the entire time. He checked in on us and was attentive to every single table. That really just made our entire experience. We will definitely be coming back! ”

“ If you're looking for an unforgettable dining experience, Nice to Meet You is the place to be. My best friend and I had an amazing time here, and I can't stop raving about how delicious everything was. The skewer selection is massive--whether you're in the mood for perfectly seasoned meats or fresh, flavorful seafood, you'll find something you love. Each bite was incredibly tasty, and the variety of sauces took everything to the next level. What made our visit even more special was the outstanding service. The manager, Charles, was beyond helpful and made sure we had everything we needed. It's rare to find a place where both the food and hospitality are this exceptional, but this place delivers both. If I could give more than five stars, I would. Highly recommend this restaurant for anyone who appreciates quality food, great service, and an all-around fantastic dining experience. We'll definitely be back. ”

“ We came to Nice To Meet You in Irvine for an unplanned family dinner (party of 7, including 3 kids) and were pleasantly surprised by the quality. There was already a 25-minute wait when we arrived around 5:30 PM on a Sunday, and when we left near 7:30, people were still waiting -- so definitely a popular spot. The food was great: good variety at the food bar, and meats had to be ordered off the menu, which helped control the pace. A few cuts were labeled as wagyu, and everything we tried tasted fresh and well-prepped. All 7 of us enjoyed it -- even my frugal parents who usually stick to cheaper AYCE places in SGV. The high chair and kids items made it family friendly. My kids munched on waffle fries, chicken nuggets, and some wagyu slices. They really enjoyed the restaurant and they rarely like hotpot / shabu restaurants, which they find boring (environment) and bland (grown up food). Not to mention, there was a small selection of dessert. Hit with the kids is always a win in my books! It's $38 per person for adults, which is on the higher side, but honestly felt fair given the quality and selection. The sauce bar also had lots of options for different tastes. The 100-minute time limit added a bit of pressure, especially since the food bar got congested and wasn't restocked during our visit -- trays sat empty the whole time. Service was minimal, likely due to how busy it was. Not rude, just stretched thin, which is common in busy Asian restaurants. The restaurant was loud and bustling, which made it hard to talk to someone sitting a few seats away. Parking is in a large lot but don't expect front row parking due to the crowd - expect to circle or walk a bit. Still, despite the crowd and service, we had a good experience and will be back. Just know it's busy, loud, and better for eating than chatting. ”

“ It was my first time here with a group of girlfriends. I've tried other skewer hot pot places before, but Nice To Meet You definitely topped them. Starting with the ambiance, I was super impressed with the interior decor. It's was absolutely stunning! It was a super busy Saturday night so be prepared to wait. They did also run out of trays because it was so busy. We ended up just going back and forth with a few bowls at a time. I loved that you can choose 3 different broths and each one came with herbs and spices (not that powdered soup base). Absolutely recommend the Tom yum if you like it spicy! The pork broth is super rich as well. We didn't even really need a dipping sauce as the broths had plenty of flavor. There were ample skewer options, sliced meat, veggies, appetizers, and even desserts/fruits. (OMG, the pineapple slices were fantastic! I will salt all my fruit from my now on!). I also tried the plum drink, which normally I wouldn't be a fan, but ended up really loving it!! You should give it a try as it works as a really good palette cleanser ! Overall, really enjoyed my experience and we will definitely be back! ”

“ Met up with my girlfriends and it was our first time here. We arrived at a decent time for dinner on a Saturday evening and we were seated right away. The service was very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed the variety of skewers and impressed with all the types of proteins available. We like the option that we can get three different broths. We decided on the pork bone broth, Thai Tom yum, and Spicy Sichuan beef tallow. Next time, we won't get the Sichuan spicy since it was too spicy for all of us and it was the lowest level. Initially, we were able to get our foods from the refrigerated section, no problem but later on it got very busy with many customers in the same area at the same time and it felt very claustrophobic. On one side you'll find the cold and hot foods and dessert. While on the other side is the refrigerator section and when both sides are filled with bodies, it was chaotic. Next time, I'll try to come on a weeknight, hopefully there's less people. ”

“ $38/pp? We didn't have a wait because our family member had arrived at 5pm on the dot, but it definitely got busy. You get the menu, order your soup bases and meat, grab your drinks (not included), sauces and side dishes. The service was incredibly quick and fast paced. The servers are all so hard working and kind. Staff all checks in on you, which was nice bc you didn't have to wait for your waitress to come back to bombard her with your order, while she collects so many plates. The line got long and every seat was filled, then everything started to feel crammed. The selection of sauces were plenty! They could work on adding more cooked foods to the area, but that's the only thing I'd say could use improvement. The soup desserts were Sooooo so good. No need for boba after AYCE! Based on how many people were dining + how compact everything was jammed together, I felt like everyone was shoved side by side. I got bumped on accident and then I accidentally bumped someone by the sauce/hot foods/fridge for veggies, noodles, fishballs, etc. The plates somehow were weird too because they didn't all stack nicely together for servers to carry away so there were a lot of plates on our compact table since the side dishes/veggies were in different size bowls/plates. My favorite meat was the lamb! It 10/10 for me. ”

“ Craving Authentic Sichuan Skewers & Hot Pot in the U.S.? If you're looking for authentic Sichuan-style skewers and hot pot, "That Year Met Skewers" in Irvine is an absolute must-visit hidden gem! They offer a self-serve skewer & hot pot experience with fresh ingredients and rich, flavorful broth--a true paradise for spice lovers! Dining Experience Spacious and bright environment with attentive service (they refill your broth anytime!). Self-serve style--grab as many skewers as you want, eat at your own pace, and fully satisfy your hot pot cravings! Why You MUST Try This Place? All-you-can-eat skewers & hot pot--endless combinations, endless satisfaction! Authentic Sichuan broth & fresh ingredients--real Chengdu flavors! Great value for money--perfect for group dining! If you love Sichuan-style skewers and hot pot, this spot is a must-try! [ Learn from Chengdu Locals: The "Proper" Way to Eat! ] Grab a LOT of skewers at once--yes, really A LOT! (See Image 10) 1 Put all your skewers into the pot at once. 2 Cover them with an upside-down cup. 3 Wait for everything to cook together--then enjoy the perfect bite! Tip: Go for the spicy broth! If you can handle mild spice, it's absolutely delicious! ”

“ This place is my new jam!!! There are so many hot pot places in town and the experience here is hands down the most fun and the food is so delicious! For the AYCE price, it is a great deal and at a high quality! Let's start with the broth/food. One of the things I like is that as part of the AYCE, you can pick 3 broth choices. Only one of the choices - spicy beef tallow has a slight upcharge. We did pick the spicy beef tallow (100% worth it), the sour cabbage & pork, and definitely got to go with the simple pork bone broth soup base. This was such a well rounded choice for our table and satisfied all the different cravings I had! However, the sour cabbage & pork was the sexy star of the meal. It was loaded with lots of the cabbage and all the items that I put in this broth soaked up the delicious flavor. Our table had a preference for the fatty meats so we had multiple servings of the beef belly as our table favorite. One of my personal favorite was the Angus beef tongue. As part of the AYCE, you can pick one of the premium items per person. We went with abalone and scallops. Both of these surprised us at how big the size of them were. For small bites, I tried the crispy pork bites and spicy sesame cold noodles. I did regret not saving room for some of the other small bites, especially the dessert brown sugar sticky rice! But don't worry, I'll 100% be back so I'll have another chance to try it :) At the self-service stations, there was everything you can think of. Even some of the rare items like tripe and egg dumplings. Most restaurants don't include these. Other noteworthy items to try are the quail eggs, various bamboos, and the spicy sour cabbage beef wrap. I think this part was the most fun. So many different choices to mix my sauces. I tend to go with the original satay sauce + sesame and then randomly mix a second one for funsies! One thing to note is that for a busy dinner night, it was still very well organized, clean, and stocked. Last the service. The servers were great at explaining the menu and how the experience goes. They were great at taking empty plates off our table without interrupting our conversation at the table. Very stealth and friendly, the most ideal server in my book. Eating is such a social thing for me and I love catching up with friends over a meal. So this was perfect for me. So I will for sure be back and biggest word is advice, don't skip on the plum drink. It's sooooooooo good! ”

“ The best hot pot in Irvine! I stopped by tonight with my friends for a small Galentine's Day celebration and this place exceeded my expectations. I loved everything about this place including the amazing friendly servers here. The food was high quality and the soup bases were fantastic! I highly recommend the sour cabbage and pork soup base- so delicious! The most important thing about self serve hot pot places are cleanliness and I loved that this place was super clean! I highly recommend! ”

“ I've always been going to all that shabu in the same plaza but I am so happy I found this place! This might be our new go to hot pot place You can choose up to 3 broths and they are so flavorful where the flavor sticks to the meat. They have tons of meat options, and more in the fridge. I do wish there were a little bit more veggie options, and sometimes it's hard to see what you're grabbing since all the dishes are stacked. Service at times were a little slow, it would be great if they have self serving water stations. Dessert is plentiful with both guilty pleasures and healthier options like fruit. It's $38.99 per person for dinner and we waited about an hour on a Saturday night ”