Mala Restaurant

Absolutely thrilled with my new favorite Mala and Sichuan food spot in the Boston area! I was not expecting all the dishes I ordered to be this fantastic. The standout for me was the dried stir-fried chicken with spicy Capsicum – it was so good that I couldn't resist ordering two servings that day. A must-try for any foodie in the area!

I first went to Mala around 4 years ago and I remember thinking it was good but too oily (classic dry pot). I went again more recently and tried some more of their offerings. I didn't love everything I tried -- I think the seasoning could have been more on-point for some of the dishes, and the dry pot was pretty greasy. I liked the noodles we got -- they had a nice cumin flavor. The skewers were pretty bland but crispy. I thought the cabbage dish was a bit too sour. The dry pot was okay but I've definitely had better. Overall I have places I would choose over Mala in this area, but it's a solid option for this type of food!

Came to the US to drop my brother off for college, out of our 4 day stay, we came here twice for dinner. You'll receive large portion sizes and a lively atmosphere, so I would say its absolutely worth checking out if you happen to be in the area. Though be wary of a lack of parking space.

5.0. This restaurant is amazing! The food is awesome. I would recommend the frog. It is fresh and delicious, which is hard to find anywhere else. In addition, the service is good, the atmosphere is lively, and the location is convenient.

Best Mala restaurant in Allston. Food is delicious, bursting with flavour, and portions are generous. Highly recommend getting the Mala Tofu, the dry Mala pot (and select your fillings), and the spicy peanut noodles. Very authentic food (and service). Come hungry!!!

June 2024: Party of 2 Enjoyed the meal. While it wasn't extraordinary, it was still splendid. This is definitely a place for meat lovers, as there's a lack of vegetarian dishes. They have an interesting system where you order everything on your phone, and then the meal is brought to you—my first time experiencing this. The string beans were perfectly seasoned, with a nice earthy flavor and slight char. The dish with lots of red peppers was good, though a bit drier than expected. The fried rice was a 3/5, and the dumplings were a 4/5, as I heard they were quite juicy.

Came in on a Sunday evening when every other hot pot spot in Allston had lines out the door. This was the only place where we could sit right away. Based on the name, I assumed it was strictly a hot pot joint, but the menu was much broader. Standard QR code ordering system, food came out fast. Most of my friends recommended the dry pots, so we went with pork and beef versions, plus a regular pork hot pot for comparison. All pots come with six toppings by default (vegetables and noodles), with proteins as add-ons. Even with extras, each pot was under $25, and the portions were huge. The regular hot pot was fine, but the dry pots had way more flavor and heat. Since I don’t have dry pots often, it’s difficult to say whether this was top tier, but most of the toppings were good quality. We also tried the stir-fried string beans and chili wontons, both solid. But knowing how big the pots were, we probably could’ve skipped the sides. Overall not as flashy as the big-name hot pot spots nearby, but way easier to get into and much cheaper. Might come back for the dry pots.