Huhot Mongolian Grill, Madison, Wisconsin, Asian Restaurant Details

Food:

Great food.... friendly atmosphere...I wish they'd flip the spatulas more...

Food:

I am not a fan of the food here. I don't consider this a good substitute for the recently-closed Flat Top Grill at Hilldale, so if you're looking for a similar experience for your make-your-own stir-fry fix, take note. Other people I know seem to love this place, but it's not for me.

The interior is well-kept and clean, the appetizers aren't bad, and the wait staff is OK, which keep me from rating this place 1*. However, drawbacks in those areas would make people avoid a place; they aren't a draw, the main course is. You grab a bowl, load it up from a salad bar-esque line of ingredients and sauces, and pass it off to the "grill masters" who cook it for you. The number of ingredients is okay, but Flat Top had more variety here, so those expecting a similar assortment will be disappointed.

This main sticking point, the one that keeps me from coming back, is the meats. Flat Top did this right. You get a separate, smaller bowl and load it with fresh meats to be mixed into your main bowl for cooking. Hu Hot provides what I can only describe as frozen "meat chips" to include in your bowl. The are about the size of a thick potato chip, and through the frost, you can tell that these are not the best or most appetizing cuts of meat. Quite fatty for the most part, and they don't taste well after being cooked, being frozen at such a small size. This is after a few visits, so I didn't just get them on a bad night.

If you have allergies, you'll be taken care of, but be prepared to wait an extra 5-10 minutes longer for your meal. Food is cooked by 3-4 people on a single large donut shaped grill while you wait. They don't have a separate place ready for vegetarian or allergy-conscious customers on this circle, so you have to wait for them to clean and sanitize one area just for you if necessary. This obviously slows down everyone else's meals as well... not the most efficient process.

Top this off with the price. It's definitely more than your mid-range restaurant entrée. It's all-you-can-eat, but you'll most likely either be too full or too put off to go for seconds.

If none of this bothers you (vegetarians or people that can skip the meat might be OK), Hu Hot isn't a bad choice. But for someone like me, the bad meat and price is enough to stay away.

Food:

Loved this place! A really sweet concept for a Mongolian BBQ, the only downside is it can sometimes take a while to have your food prepared. That line can get pretty long. But you can't fault a place for being busy! Always looking forward to stopping in at huhot.

Food:

If you're into Mongolian style fare, this is the place to go. Especially now that Flat Top is closed down. Pretty straight forward, pick your meats, your veg and your sauces (Go for the 5 and 7 star ones! Those will wake you up). A really nice variety of ingredients and sauces. The cooks will put on a little show as you watch your meal sizzle away.

Bonus Tips: The meat is sliced thin and frozen to keep it fresh, which makes it very hard to get much into a bowl. So if you want a nice meaty plate, get 1 bowl with meat and 1 with the rest and ask them to combine. Also, they ask if you want rice with your meal, but go for the unlisted tortilla instead. Mongolian burritos.

Food:

I love eating here! Great food, healthy choices and it's all-you-can-eat. I love the soup! The staff is friendly and courteous too!