The X Pot

The X Pot at Grand Canal Shoppes is what happens when hot pot decides to get dressed up and go to the club. This place is loud, theatrical, and completely over-the-top—and that's exactly why you go. Forget quiet dining; this is dinner as entertainment, plus they have happy hour deals that make the whole spectacle way more reasonable than it should be.

Hot Pot Happy Hour Hits Different

Happy hour runs at select times, typically 2pm-6pm on weekdays, but check ahead because this place is chaos and schedules shift. The deal structure is what matters: select appetizers drop to $8-12, and these aren't afterthoughts. The Crispy Wontons come with serious filling—pork, shrimp, actual flavor. Dan Dan Noodles will wreck your mouth in the best way with that Sichuan peppercorn numbness. Drink specials include $8 draft beers, $10 wine, and $12 cocktails, which, for Venetian real estate inside a tourist trap mall, is honestly impressive.

The Experience Is The Product

X Pot doesn't do subtle. There's a robot waiter that delivers food to your table like some fever dream of the future. There are LED walls showing underwater scenes while you cook your dinner in bubbling broth. The dry ice presentations make everything look like a chemistry experiment gone deliciously right. It's aggressively Instagrammable, and they know it. But here's the thing—the hot pot is actually good. The broths are legit, the ingredients are fresh, and if you know how to work a hot pot setup, you can build something genuinely delicious while your friends film everything for their stories.

Strategy For Not Going Broke

Hot pot pricing can spiral fast at full price, so happy hour is your window. Come during the discount window, load up on apps, split a broth, and don't go crazy on premium add-ons. The Spicy Mala Broth is the move if you can handle heat; the Mushroom Broth is surprisingly deep for vegetarians. Pair it with beef slices, shrimp, and whatever vegetables look fresh that day. Do the math on your proteins—sometimes the "premium" wagyu isn't worth the markup over solid standard cuts.

My Take

X Pot is a goddamn ride. It's not subtle, it's not for purists, and it's definitely not quiet first-date material unless you're both into chaos. But the food is real, the happy hour makes it approachable, and you'll leave with a story if nothing else. Just don't wear white—between the bubbling broth and the photo opportunities, something is getting on your outfit.