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Fatty Cow Seafood Hot Pot
Categories: Restaurants Chinese Restaurants Asian Fusion Food Do-It-Yourself Food Chinese, Asian Fusion, Do-It-Yourself Food [Edit]
5108 Victoria DriveVancouver, BC V5P 3V2
Neighbourhood: Kensington-Cedar Cottage
(604) 568-6630
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 5 pm - 1 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
22 reviews for Fatty Cow Seafood Hot Pot
Review Highlights
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"Try deep fried fish skin." In 2 reviews -
"These were the largest oysters I've ever seen." In 8 reviews -
"I will definitely come back for more." In 5 reviews
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22 reviews in English
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Review from Arnold P.
2/13/2012 1 photo
All You Can Eat.
A very nice place to eat on a cold day of the year or when you are just craving hot pot. They serve an excellent variety of meats, seafood and veggies.
Parking was problem during prime hours. Call first to reserve or you could be in line for an hour.
A must try! -
Review from Justin L.
Updated - 1/7/2012 5 photos
CLARIFICATION: This place has no relation to that other hot pot place in Richmond. If you pay attention to your animals, the one in Richmond is called Little Sheep Hot Pot. It's even more confusing in Chinese, because that one is called "Little Fat Lamb" while this one is "Little Fat Cow."
Well, it's been over a year since I was in the mood for Chinese hot pot, which gave rise to my first visit. Meanwhile, believe it or not, I have been here for NON hot pot food, which is reasonably priced and cleanly presented, but somewhat lacking in what the Cantonese call "wok hei" (that stir-fried flavor depth that I can best approximate in Burger King parlance as flame-broiled flavor).
The other night, however, perhaps dampened by the weather, I returned for my second all-you-can-eat endeavor. We phoned ahead to make a reservation (strongly advised) and had a booth waiting for us. It may have been that our table looked different from the others that we received particularly attentive service--for, instead of a group of boisterous, ravenous, and youthful Asians that is typical for this place, it was my parents, grandma, and myself. In fact, we got into quite a lengthy conversation with the owner, who also operates Jumbo Seafood down the street.
Speaking of seafood, this is why my second visit eradicated one Yelp star from my prior fandom: While I quite enjoyed the variety of delicious Cow cuts, the Seafood selections were not fresh. And seafood is, after all, half of the name. The oysters were a bit off (it wasn't the season, we were told) and the various fish-product balls were all a tad too fishy. My favorite items to re-order were slices of beef ribeye and sirloin, as well as the pork jowl/cheek.
I also wish they would be more generous with their selection of sauces, rather than raking in extra charges. I can understand if it's a waste of sauces if not everyone wants them, but maybe a system can be worked out whereby customers can choose up to three different kinds of sauces, or something like that. Without the sauces, it's just boiled meat, after all.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/30/2010
Fatty Cow is fantastic find to satisfy your hot pot craving, especially on a cold rainy night in… Read more »
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Review from Joanne C.
Burnaby, BC
12/28/2011
We came here as a party of 8 last night for my boyfriend's mom's birthday dinner.
We all love hot pot and heard that this was voted as best hot pot place in the 2012 Diners' Choice (http://www.insidevanco...).
We arrived just before our reservation time (6:30) and they only had a table of four available (understandable). 5 more in our party arrived by 6:30. There was an older couple still eating and we were happy to wait patiently for them to finish.
The pricing was pretty standard for a decent AYCE hot pot dinner and they had a good selection. We also appreciated that they take cash and debit instead of just cash.
We were all seated by 6:45 and things looked good!
We quickly placed our first orders as two tables of 4 and the food came out right away. Everything seemed pretty clean and the service was attentive (including tea, food arriving, orders, clearing empty dishes, topping up soup, checking the heat, etc.).
Our soup and all of our food was fresh and delicious. The restaurant had a high turnover of tables and everything was quick but calm.
However, as we were looking at our second and last order (since no one at our table is a very big eater and we don't like to waste food), they told us that it was last call and that we had to hurry. We thought that maybe our two-hour seating limit was close to being up so I checked the time to make sure we didn't wear out our stay.
This was at 7:23.
No harm, no foul. We placed our second order and the food came out quickly again. They proceeded to remind us that time was up - not just coming close to and end, but up - at 7:38, 7:45, 8:03 (when they delivered our bill without our asking), 8:15, 8:20, and 8:25 as we were finally leaving.
Yes, I checked the time each time they reminded us since I was getting pretty annoyed at that point.
We didn't place any more orders after they told us it was last call and they continued to refill our soup, so...?
We finished our food and they turned off our pot. The other half of our group still had the last of their food cooking at 8:10 and the servers wanted to turn their pot off and clear their dishes. They all decided to just stop eating, we shnarfed down our dessert, paid our bill and left.
As the manager(?) was starting to clear our dishes just before we left, she spoke to us kindly in Cantonese. She apologized for hurrying us and then she said that it was because there were people waiting after us and that we had been late.
There was an empty round table for eight available behind us and a party of four was waiting. We had also had to wait for our table but didn't mind at the start.
My boyfriend's mom and family are all very nice and patient (unlike me!), so they just said that it was okay and we all left to have birthday cake elsewhere.
That's unfortunate since we really enjoyed the food, the quick service, and the cleanliness.
This was bad enough to make all of us not want to go back again (and to leave this review on yelp, too). :( -
Review from Allen C.
I haven't had all you can eat in a while and as the cold winter months descend upon Vancouver, why not have all you can eat hot pot? It is the best of both worlds. Freezing cold outside, hot and steamy inside!
Fatty Cow is just the place to stay warm and keep full.
Not everyone is a fan of do it yourself cooking, but not me, I cook up a storm with all the rich selection of meats and seafood they have available. The unlimited orders I made for prawns pretty much paid for my entire night. The green choys and lettuce is a perfect balance of the gluttony of meat we ordered.
Not to miss out are the enormous sized raw oysters they carry. I hope that's the norm for Fatty Cow because it's a much larger than other hot pot places.
Too bad they only give us 2 hours to chow down all the food we ordered, otherwise I could have easily stayed for another hour.
In the end, they gave us a free 2012 Chinese calendar to boot! Neat bonus.
I would come again, next time with my bib on.Listed in: Casual Affair
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Review from Anne F.
Vancouver, BC
3/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great service (especially by chinese restaurant standards). Staff helped switch over to clean plates regularly and hot pot was always filled with fresh broth :)
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Review from Andrea L.
Vancouver, BC
11/12/2011
I dont mind hot pot every now and then, but I hate the loud chatters of people..it does not help when you are attempting to get a server's attention. Its not the best place, but its not the worst.
We had a reservation at 8:30, we got there a bit early and the manager asked if we had a reservation, he snottily replied "OH, you're too early, tables not ready yet". I can see that, I realize we were early, but its cold out! Douche.
I'd much rather do hot pot at home, comfort of my own home where I don't need to pay extra for the soup/soy sauce/hot sauce and things..why would I go to a place just to boil my own food basically?
We had a larger group of 15, one of the guests at the table asked the manager to get 6 bowls of soy sauce. He was like "6!?" We re-assured him that we needed that many more..hesitant/cheap-ing out on things like soy sauce now? Good grief..
Do it at home, you can buy better things and not have to deal with people being ridiculously thrifty with big tables and have better service. -
Review from Vincent N.
Vancouver, BC
I've been here three times before I decided to write a review. I was actually here last because my dad was actually craving hot pot. And the place was busy on Tuesday night.
We called in and made a reservation which is highly suggested on any day of the week.
Fatty Cow isn't the most cheapest place to eat for 2 people, because of the soup bases start at $7.
The selection is standard, but the good thing is that if you love oysters, they are unlimited. Their meat is fresh and doesn't look aged. Which is good because it always drives me crazy when you see meat that's aged and ironized.
Here's the thing, if you're not into cooking for yourself, then don't go to this place. This is for the active cooker, and is something that Asians are used too.
But definitely for a hot pot place then I would suggest going here. And what ever you do, be careful of doing the hot pot that is all spicy, you'll feel it the same day. -
Review from Summy L.
10/13/2011 3 photos
The name is a bit of an oxymoron. Perhaps it implies there are fatty meat and seafood to be served at this restaurant? Nevertheless, it sure got my attention. Let me mention that it's ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT for like around ~$20/person.
How can anyone resist the awesomeness of cooking your own food while you eat it at the same time? It's primitive and I like it. This place doesn't have too many small tables as hot potting is more of a communal experience to be shared by many in your group. However, if you have 2 in your party, you get to share a nice big table to spread all your selection of meat, seafood, noodles, and vegetables across. Coming here at dinner time will surely get you a wait since the hot potting experience is not exactly a high seating turnover type of place.
We ordered the fish and cilantro broth for our hotpot - I highly recommend this. Not too heavy, not very fishy, and full of flavor. (You'll have to pay an extra ~$7 for the soup, which I think is kinda a scam on the price b/c it really comes out to be ~$24/person)
DO try the the salmon skin appetizer. Its sooo good! I wish they have some of that goodness here in LA.
The portions that comes out are pretty small, which is good because you're not stuck with a dish that you don't really care for. -
Review from Odette C.
Vancouver, BC
6/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
AYCE on Victoria Drive. Best in this area. Parking can be a problem. Charge more on weekends.
Summer special: 4 people or more per table you get free dish free range chicken. 8 people or more per table you get free range chicken plus your choice of live Tilapia, Lobster, Crab or scallops (2)
Try deep fried fish skin. like potatoe chips but healthier, eat as is, no need to cook.
Everything else is normal AYCE hot pot stuff. -
Review from Johnson C.
Vancouver, BC
9/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Full disclosure: I don't like hot pot. Very few years or so, I get some hot pot and then remember why I don't go for it... at all. It's a like a reaffirmation of my anti-hot pot vow. I know - you're doubting how Chinese I am, but there it is...
Before I begin - here's why hot pot sucks:
1) I go out to eat because (a) I'm too lazy to make a meal, (b) I can't cook for shit or (c) a combination of (a) and (b). Cooking my own food like a chump? FUCK THAT.
2) Boiling flavourless meat. In a cesspool of other random shit. Think about that one for second... for the same reason why I don't go to public baths, hot springs, or Jacuzzis because I don't want to simmer in a bacteria bath of ass juice with strangers -- I don't want to eat something slightly tainted with everything else that was previously introduced to the broth.
3) I always end up as the garbage can. Yes, I eat a lot and am a strong anchor in any AYCE/'Hey-Johnson-I-can't-finish-my-____' situation - a task I usually take on with glee. But when you want me to finish some shitty overcooked beef balls that have absorbed all 'flavor' from the crap that came before... ya, I have some balls for you eat; and I can guarantee they are cleaner and more flavourful.
Having said that - yes, I've had mind-blowing 'hot pot' experiences before - but they were (prepared) Vietnamese lau or shabu-shabu. Chinese hot-pot... the shame of a nation.
[END GENERAL HOT POT RANT]
Things I didn't like:
- we tried to go for a 6:30 reservation, they told us to come at 8:30. I didn't want to go for AYCE that late but I hate waiting even more, so I was okay with the late time if it guaranteed us a table. We showed up on time and waited another 30 minutes. Why the hell would you tell us to come later just to wait anyways?
- some cuts of meat were crappy; beef cubes appeared to be end trimmings - and dumplings were not properly thawed out - but the rest was mostly passable
- ~$20 per person for all-you-can-eat is about standard - but it's +$8 or so if you want flavoured broth. Seriously - who would go hot pot with plain water? Of course you have to add that on. This bring price closer to ~$25/person (if you have a small party). The four of us spent ~$120 + tips with a few beers. Much better meals can be had at this price point and Posh is way cheaper (and you get free eggs).
- no credit cards - I understand why most places don't take credit card and I'm totally cool with cash-only (standard for a lot of Asian places) - but these are usually for cheap joints. But at over $20/head - come on, I have break open my brick?
- broth was under-flavoured; refills were with generic broth mix so it got even more diluted. Think we had satay and something else - I couldn't taste the difference no matter which side of the pot it was cooked in.
Things I liked:
- beer is ~$4 for domestic bottle - pretty standard Chinese joint pricing, but it's a plus
- they didn't flinch when I told them we overordered (the quickest way to sate me is to feed me meh food) and just took back some of the meat slices from our table.
- open until 1AM on the weekends
I was told that Fatty Cow is one of the better hot pot joints in town (especially since Posh has gone downhill) - that may be so, but I won't be returning anytime soon. But you know how much I *love* hot pot.Listed in: Shots Fired
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Review from Vincci L.
10/22/2010 3 photos
Mmm I love hot pot!!
Hot pot is the perfect cold weather food. We came to this place tonight, armed with empty stomachs. We made a reservation, so we were able to get a table quickly.
We got 2 kinds of soup-the satay soup, and the pepper and pork stomach soup. Both soups were tasty, and lasted about 2 rounds of additional soup added before it got more diluted.
There's lots of variety here, with lots of different meats, fish filets, shrimp,fish siu mai, all kinds of veggies,pumpkin, taro, homemade dumplings, deep fried fish skin (tastes awesome when cooked in the soup quickly), and different noodles. Oh, and my favourite item-oysters! These were the largest oysters I've ever seen!! They were also delicious and fresh!
I particularly noticed that everything was fresh, and not frozen. Many times these AYCE places give you half frozen items.
Plum juice is $1.50 a glass or $5.00 a jar. For $19.99, this place is a good deal. Soups, as always, is an extra $7.
Service was quick and efficient, and we got everything we asked for. Tea and the soup were always refilled.
Simple, clean decor, great food, and the great company made this night even better. A solid 4.5 stars. Can't wait to come back!! -
Review from Larry L.
The first thing I notice on my second trip to Fatty Cow Seafood Hot Pot was, plastic bags. Big clear plastic bags that covered coats that were hung on the back of a seat. Were these to protect it from Hot Pot smell and or spillage os soup as the waiters walked by with food and soup?
It was busy again as usual.
We ordered our stuff, but didn't really know how to order. They never give us what we really ask for. They decide how much of an item they think we can eat and then give us the portions.
So that night we got too much of one item and not enough of another. We weren't really satisfied because there were some items that others ate and others didn't. We were at the mercy of the staff to determine what we should have ordered. So, 5 star? nope. Not even a 4 star.
why? Well, besides the facts that we were presented with above issues we were confused when they brought out all the dishes The 2 hour limit clock was ticking and the manager kept hovering over out table. Servers kept looking at our table wondering why we were either not eating and most importantly why we didn't have our hot pot. HELLO?
We can't really eat without it, now can we?
Believe it or not, I was the most silent of the foursome at this table.
The food was about the same as last time, but they didn't come around with the soup to refill as often and they charged us extra for the extra sauces that we thought weren't extra, but are now.
We ordered mushrooms but they were all browned and scruffy looking with pieces of dirt still clinging to them. I took a pic. They didn't look very good. Why would they give us old mushrooms?
Then when the time was out, they manager wanted us out there pretty quickly. I understand, It's a busy place.
We got our desert, paid our bill and left. Hmmmmm I don't think I'll go back. It was quite different from the last time we were there.
As usual, I hate to admit to it, but they seem to be falling into the same trap as many other restaurants do. Service suffers and quality wanes abit when the details aren't paid enough attention. To be fair, this could have been an off night for them, but that meant it was also an off night for us.
I'll be going back to my regular Hot pot haunts from now on and now I gave it the second try, I wo'nt be needing to come back again unless someone tells me that it's improved.
The underdog restaurants, I cheer for. Places like Cafe De l'Orangerie. but for place like this with some bucks behind it, They've got to be more consistent. Or at least give us mushrooms that don't look like where it really grew from. ech.Listed in: HOT POTS!!!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/23/2010
Hmmmm It's been Hot Pot for what seemed like everyday for the past week.
I love Hot Pot and this one… Read more »
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Review from Kim L.
Vancouver, BC
4/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
3.5 star rating.
Kudos for Chinese AND English order sheets!
Make a reservation or be prepared to wait if you have a big party.
If they had individual hot pots for each person, I would give this place a 4.5 star. Sitting at the round table for 5 was difficult with respect to reach--reach from our seats to the pot to cook. SIGH. I'd give in those courtesy plastic cover splash guards for an extra long spider.
Good place to go to when it's cold outside, and you've come back from a snowboarding trip--which means everyone is ravenous! The quality of food is solid for what you are paying. -
Review from Maggie L.
Vancouver, BC
4/10/2011
I am a hot pot lover and although I do prefer to have it at home..the cleanup/prep for food and all that jazz can be a bit overwhelming at the end of a day especially if it's for a big party. Luckily my problems are solved when it comes to Fatty Cow!
I have a been a fan since their original location opening up in Richmond and have been coming to this location since it opened.
Service: Not bad considering they are always busy and dealing with so many customers in a small resto can be quite stressful. The managers are always running around and are relatively easy to get a hold of. I haven't had a bad service from here yet personally but wouldn't be surprised if some might have.
I like that they cover their patrons jackets and bags with the plastic covering in case of spillage and smell. I mean it's not the classiest looking thing but hey..I'm not complaining. Another thing I like is they are attentive! I had my plates changed, refill on soup is never an issue and whatever I ask for..I will get.
Also, if you go in a big group, I'd suggest reserving a table and asking for a round table!
Food: Good for AYCE hot pot! I like that they use fresh "meat" balls unlike some places with their frozen stuff. And I still can't get over how fresh their oysters are! BIG FAT CHUBASS JUICY OYSTERS!
Price: $21 +tax and tip for AYCE. Not complaining!
I have brought hot pot virgins here before and they love it! Definitely one of the better ayce hot pot places in the city. -
Review from Rick C.
10/15/2010 7 photos
There was a lot of variety in the choices of meat, seafood, veggies, and noodles. The soup choices were also good. The satay and spicy soups were particularly tasty. I thought the shrimps, beef, oysters, fish balls and plethora of variety in dishes to cook were quite tasty, fresh, and delectable.
The greatest part of a good hot pot dining experience is the smorgasbord of different things you get to eat and try. Fatty Cow offered a wide selection of this. Hot pot is always a fun way to interact and socialize over a meal. This was no exception as we talked about relationships, nuptials, social media, vacations, and all things interesting.
The service there was good too. Our soups were refilled often with hot water and the restaurant is a nicely sized, clean place with a lovely decor and atmosphere. -
Review from C E.
Port Moody, BC
1/6/2011
Good restaurant with a good selection.
Service was pretty good for how busy the restaurant. All ordered food was promptly delivered minutes after ordering.
Everything that we ordered was fresh and they were on top of refilling your broth if you were running low.
My only knock was the pairing of raw chicken with soft tofu on the same plate.
Will return for sure!! -
Review from Ernesto G.
5/23/2010
ALL YOU CAN EAT HOT POT; GOTTA LOVE IT!!!
For 22 bucks, this place rules! The veggies, beef and oysters are tasty and everything is fresh. The plum juice is good too.
This restaurant looks nice and clean. Trendy lighting and a few tv's all around to keep you up to speed with sports.
There's only street parking, so be prepared to park a block away during dinner time.
Can't wait to come back with friends and family on cold rainy nights.Listed in: I heart Hong Kong
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Review from Frank N.
Vancouver, BC
11/28/2010 5 Check-ins Here
Great and authentic. I was new to hotpot (wanted to try it for a long time) and the taste was great.
Quality and selection is good and the service staff helped us with some suggestions (we where the only not-asian in the joint).
I will definitely come back for more. -
Review from Ken N.
Vancouver, BC
12/2/2010
Hey yo, this place is awesome. 20 bux all you can eat hotpot with your choice of soup/broth base. 2nd time going in the last month or so and still amazingly surprised at the variety of foods they offer. Meat, seafood and veggies were all fresh, cut and nicely served. Not sure that I've tried everything yet. Smaller size restaurant so reso's are must but man people were lined up out the door to get in so you know this place rocks!! What can I say, its cold, so go there!!!
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Review from Adelina W.
Richmond, BC
7/4/2010
This All You Can Eat hot pot place is SUCH a great deal. On weekdays its $19 and weekend a dollar more plus tax. On top of that is the fee for the soup base which is around $7.
They have a great selection. Things you must order are their beef, oysters, and salmon. The oysters are MASSIVE. They shrink when cooking of course, but they're still of considerable size. Order a couple of these and you've definitely got your money's worth (they don't set a limit). On the English menu, the salmon is listed as salmon heads, but really its just pieces of salmon. Once cooked in the broth, it becomes ridiculous soft and melt in your mouth - delicious!
The only thing I wished they had were seperate dipping sauces for each person. We probably could have requested another set. Also, the sheet where you order doesn't specify how much comes with each order so you have to ask. However, I will definitely be back for more of their tasty hot pot. YUM. -
Review from Debbie P.
10/25/2010
Bill came out to $30 per person after tip and tax. It's a steal for all you get here. It's all you can eat hot pot without the gross buffet style bars. You order the food as you go and everything comes out plated and nicely presented. The variety is endless from seafood (shrimp, oysters), to meats (sirloin, pork, chicken) to veggies. Theres something for everyone with a variety of soups to choose from. They even accommodated a friends peanut allergy with a side soup for him. I highly recommended the satay soup.
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Review from Trish F.
Vancouver, BC
2/19/2010 1 photo
We were excited to see a new hot pot restaurant opening up in our neighborhood and we could not wait to try this place out.
We were lucky enough to get reservations on one of the busiest days of the year, Chinese New Year! The interior of the restaurant is clean and comfortable, it was obvious they did full renovations. The seating in the restaurant is a good size but it's not huge, be sure to call and make reservations if you plan on coming by on a weekend. This restaurant only accepts cash so be sure to have cash on hand. This is a all you can eat (but not really) hot pot. The price was moderate, adults priced at $22/person and the menu had some good choices for the all you can eat. Also available were other hot pot items but there was an extra fee and the soup based also costs extra. Customer service is limited as we had problems trying to grab their attention but somehow they manage to keep our hot pot from drying out. For the price you may and selections to choose from, I would def recommend it to my friends.
