Coriya Hot Pot City
852 Clement St
San Francisco, CA
(415) 387-7888
There was one restaurant I was really craving to have when I went home to see my parents. I wanted to go to Hot Pot City! My mom thought it would be a good place to eat on New Year’s Day.
On New Year’s Eve, we had plans to try the grand opening of this new buffet, Kome. While a lot of my family members have gotten sick of chinese buffets, this one advertised to be different. It was supposed to have different desserts, a Hong Kong noodle station, and some other interesting features not found at other buffets. For the grand opening, they have 20% for the month. Kome is pretty far from my house. About 40 minutes. But we decided to make the drive. However, once we got there, we realized everyone else had the same idea! The line was so ridiculously long, at first when we approached I thought people were lined up to see a movie premier. But no, they were lined up outside Kome! The wait was 2 hours!! We might have waited, except we were afraid there would be no food left by the time we got in. Afterwards, I found out that almost every day of the last few weeks the line has been out the door with 1.5 to 2 hours wait. I’ve never seen a buffet so popular..
Since we didn’t have a backup plan, we had to think fast. My mom remembered that there is Hot Pot City in San Francisco, and we were about 10 minutes away. So we went there.
The Coriya Hot Pot City used to be related the Hot Pot City in Milpitas that I had wanted to go to, but they are no longer affiliated. They both have a similar concept, except the Hot Pot City Milpitas has a much bigger selection of food items. So if you are to go to a Hot Pot City, i recommend the Milpitas one.
For a set price (around $15), you have a buffet set-up of raw food for hot pot or for a grill. Each table comes with a pot and grill surrounding the pot. 
They have a selection of marinated meat to put on the grill. The Hot Pot City in SF had the basics: marinated pork, chicken, lamb, beef, pork chops, and a few other items. They also had your standard hot pot items like beef, lamb, chicken, pork slices; fish balls, tofu, chinese cabbage, vermicelli, mussels. However the selection is very basic. Whereas in the Hot Pot City Milpitas has a lot of different kinds of fishballs, tofu, a big selection of vegetables, etc. For $15, the Hot Pot City Milpitas is a great deal because you have so much food to choose from to put in your pot. Hot Pot City Milpitas also has a sushi selection and some cold appetizers, which Hot Pot City SF does not.
The food at Hot Pot City SF tasted fine, I just wish they had more items like Hot Pot City Milpitas. SF is also a lot smaller location, though I think the staff was friendlier.
Here are some pictures of the food we got:
They also have a section of different things to make your own dipping sauce: garlic, soy sauce, sugar, satay sauce, onions, etc.
Both locations have a soda fountain of free drinks and milk tea with pearls. For dessert, there is also shaved ice and various toppings like red bean, green bean, peanuts, jellies, tapioca balls.
Now they need to open a buffet-style hot pot place in San Diego! I know several chinese restaurant in SD offer hot pot and all-you-can-eat, but the waiters bring you each plate of food as opposed to you getting your own. Service always seems to be so bad when you are asking them to bring you more food at these places.
Pingback: Cast Iron Pot tempering | Cast Iron Cookware Sets Reviews
Pingback: How to get a fast loan or cash online? | fast loans blog
Oh, you have to try hot pot! It tastes great, especially in the winter. There are quite a few of these buffet style ones in the Bay Area. You should check it out next time you are there!
dang this is awesome. i’ve never had hot pot before, and this is the first time i’ve heard about buffet. and you get milk tea w/ pearls? very very nice!
Sorry, the only place I’ve seen the sea salt coffee is 85c. If I ever find anywhere else, I’ll let you know!
Hi!! I love your blog! I have a question, do you know if there is any other Chinese or Taiwanese cafe that serves sea salt coffee, other than 85 cafe??? Please let me know! thank you!
Um, I didn’t see a Ranch 99. It was kinda just there on the street, not in any plaza. But I believe there are a few of these types of hotpot/grill buffet places in the Bay Area. (Now if only they could come to SD!)
The Kome one isn’t hot pot, it’s the japanese/chinese type buffet that is everywhere now. I’m thinking it must be worth it too, since so many people were waiting.
Kome Buffet is in Daly City, very close to SF!
1901 Junipero Serra Blvd #A
Daly City, CA 94014
(650) 992-8600
If you get a chance to try it, let me know how it is! I’m sad I didn’t get the chance. I’m thinking it must be good if people are willing to wait for so long..I think the lines should have died down since they don’t have the 20% off coupon anymore and the holidays are over.
OMG. OMG. OMG. Why can’t San Diego have a place like this? I went to SF once and I THINK my sis took me to something similar. Was this close to the 99 Ranch market in SF somewhere?
I can’t fathom waiting 2 hrs for hotpot but my goodness, it must be worth it if all those ppl are waiting!
Nice post!
Where is Kome located? I’ll be in SF next month, so I’d like to check out this place. Hopefully the lines will have died down – a two hour wait is crazy!
Coriya Hot Pot City sounds interesting, too (Milpitas won’t be convenient to visit this trip). And I agree with you – a buffet hot pot in SD would be great!