Sad to write my review late but wanted to thank the owner and workers for always serving us. I've been here since they first opened and was there for their very last day on Monday. Thank you and good luck with everything!
Anh N.
So hard to say goodbye. My friend texted me on Sunday morning to the sad news that Little Dipper will be permanently closing their doors on Monday, January 9, 2024. Little Dipper has always been one of my favorite hotpot spots. I've been to all 3 of their locations Dublin, Cupertino as well as the original Fremont. I've been coming here for years with either friends and family and they have always treated us with the best service. Always top notch, friendly, patient and happy to help. My kids were younger then and they have never bothered to charge them even as they grew older. This restaurant was definitely about quality and service. With the news of their permanent closure I had to come in one last time. We came in at 7pm on their final day and put our name down. The restaurant was full and plenty of people were waiting to be seated. The server said he doesn't know how people knew but the past 2 weeks were 3x's busier. Word of mouth definitely spread and people had to come in to say their goodbyes. Items on the menu were already crossed out and have been out of stock for the past couple of days. We still decided to wait. We waited about 1.5 hours and were the last group of the night. We asked them to just bring out anything and everything they had left in the kitchen which were mainly veggies and a few seafood items like imitation crab and shrimp. I wished I was able to have a final full on fixings meal at Little Dipper but just being there one last time just made it bittersweet. Richard was giving out brand new Little Dipper plates and cups and people were taking them by the boxes. You can see the sense of happiness and relief him and his workers had as the night ended. He even gave us our meals on the house as well as the generous amount of sake bottles we had. I wish him and his staff the very best and hope to see them in the future! Possibly "Whatever Nom Nom" will open up (Little Dipper opened a ghost kitchen called Whatever Nom Nom - follow on insta: @whatever.nomnom), but whatever it'll be we'll be there to support!
Lloyd C.
I am sad to see this place closed. They were one of the better AYCE hotpot restaurants in the Bay Area. We have been here several times over the years. They consistently had fresh ingredients and provided great customer service. You will be missed!
Ellen C.
Just found out today that Little Dipper is closing and their last day is Monday!! I'm so sad that my favorite ayce hot pot place is closing! My family and I just had our last meal during lunch and we will miss this place so much. So many good memories here and I'll forever cherish them. Thank you for everything and best of luck to the Little Dipper team!! You guys will be missed!!
Sunny W.
RIP to one of the best AYCE hot pot places in the bay. If the owners want to sell instead of permanently closing, please let my friends and I cop it. Going here for one last time on Saturday and going to eat my heart out; thank you for all the delicious years and memories.
Jayden Q.
If you're a hot pot enthusiast, Little Dipper is a dream destination that demands your attention - and haste. This is a place that's perfected the art of all-you-can-eat (AYCE) hot pot, and with their doors closing on January 8, 2024, due to the well-earned retirement of the owner, the clock is ticking on the opportunity to indulge in their offerings. My experience at Little Dipper was nothing short of exceptional. The stars of the show are undoubtedly the Kobe and Angus beef slices. Not only are they the highest quality, but the freshness is also unparalleled - you can literally watch them being expertly sliced, ready to be swirled in your steaming pot of broth to the exact point of succulent tenderness. The variety doesn't stop there. Vegetables, seafood, noodles, and more come flying out of the kitchen at impressive speed, ensuring your pot is never without companions. It's a carousel of flavors and textures that never seems to end, and quite frankly, you wouldn't want it to. The employees at Little Dipper are a deft team - quick, helpful, and radiating friendliness. Their efficiency adds to the smoothness of the dining experience, where the only thing you need to worry about is which delicious ingredient to try next. As for the price, it's a reflection of what you're getting - unlimited access to high-end meats like Kobe and Angus beef, and a plethora of other fresh ingredients. It's a slice of luxury that's worth the splurge, especially given the fact that this experience comes with a time limit now. It's with a mix of joy for the owner and sadness for ourselves that we must soon bid farewell to Little Dipper Hot Pot. The retirement news makes every visit now a little bittersweet, but also an urgent call to all hot pot lovers to come and partake in this delightful dining experience while you still can. 10/10, would not just recommend - I urge, insist, and implore: gather your friends, book your spot, and dive into the warm, delightful world of Little Dipper Hot Pot before it's just a delicious memory.
Jessica N.
Little Dipper is shutting down on 1/8/2024! it's so sad to see yet another a good, comforting and delicious place go!
Dion V.
This is our go-to hot pot place. The meat is always tender and delicious, the veggies are always fresh, the broth and sauces are superb, and the staff is great. I'm sad that they're closing. Thank you to the staff over the years, especially Frank! We will be back as many times as possible before they permanently close!
Malia S.
As much as we wiuld like to believe that we are ready for a long term relationship, nothing could ever prepare you for this crazy dining experience at our local beloved Hot pot restaurant. The restaurant is a decent size with induction fans over each table in efforts to minimize the "delicious smells"as taiko would say. My party of five was swiftly seated, but as time passed this place was packed by the time we left. No surprise i ordered the SPICY MALA broth, and what i like most about this place is that everyone gets their own individual pot. Also, i actually really enjoyed the fact that this mala spicy broth came with no chillies, seeds, and peppercorns floating around in the broth. This Comes in clutch as my mom and sister are not dans of spicy things...except for me... for the most part.we enjoyed a variety of different cuts of beef and pork belly (my favorite). Unfortunately there's a pretty limited selection of veggies and seafood, and i dislike how there's no sauce bar and ingredients to make your own personalized sauces must be ordered. The meat quality is not the best as on some of the cold thinly sliced cuts you could see some sort of black discoloration on the edges.. needless to say overall we had a great family meal all together putting me at ease and happy.
Cheyenne N.
First time having hot pot, I really enjoyed it! Service was great. Would definitely visit again!
Let's start of this has been a favorite place for a while the food is good, many flavors to pick from and typically the service is good. This time around our waitress did not bother to check on our table like they have done in the past. Even in the most busiest setting the staff has been good. Today a while other story, it wasn't busy as experienced before. There where items that were missed from our order so when asked to the waitress if she could please bring out what was missing she would just hiss and walk away rudely and clearly upset that we bothered to ask for missing veggies & missing drinks. This is an AYCE place as you are paying a set price of $37.99 which it felt like a crime to ask for additional food nonetheless for the missing items. As we are still eating there is random Bus boys coming up and clearing our table of food that we still wanted to add to our pot. We asked for a menu so that we could replace what was taken from the table and got completely ignored . Didn't feel very AYCE to the point where we decided to just finish up and go. As it came time to pay the bill a staff member takes up the bill and expressed how unhappy with the amount of tip left and stated that they would no longer service due to lack of tip. The tip amount left was $15 which seemed reasonable for a party of two. We over heard this exact speech to the group prior to us. You would think with the lack of service provided, the staff member or waitress would be satisfied to even receive a tip. As in any unsatisfactory situation a tip could have been a straight zero. If you are looking for an AYCE place close to home with bad service this is the place.
Mitchell S.
Overall the food was great! The quality of the wagyu was better than expected and the vegetables were fairly fresh. The service was very attentive to each table. The only reason I didn't give this place five stars is we felt rushed out toward the end of our meal. Overall, great experience. Would come again
Sandy N.
I've been here a couple of times throughout the years & I have never had a bad experience. I love AYCE hot pot and they do it so well here, so it's probably become my go to spot! There was no wait on a Saturday night at 7pm surprisingly. The service was quick & we never had to wait for the items we ordered! In fact, things came out so fast, they had to place them on additional fold out tables next to us. Pros: Individual pots, Plenty of soup bases, Large variety of veggies & sides, Good quality meat Cons: Higher price point, No sauce bar (you have to request them)
Stella N.
The food is great!! It comes in pretty big portions The service is okay and the workers are nice . The place is clean,pretty and, lively.
Emeline T.
I've been coming to this place for years and am always satisfied. Prices have increased in recent years which is understandable, but also means I don't come as often anymore. Still, the restaurant is always clean and the service is great! You order with a menu and a dry erase pen, by just indicating how many of each item you want. You can order in rounds and ask for another menu at any time to refill on items. There is a wide selection of soup bases, sauces, meats, veggies, noodles, and other ingredients. Everyone gets their own individual pot with the stove built into the table, and you control the heat yourself using the dials under the table. The meat is always great quality and the veggie portions are very generous.
Sad to write my review late but wanted to thank the owner and workers for always serving us. I've been here since they first opened and was there for their very last day on Monday. Thank you and good luck with everything!
So hard to say goodbye. My friend texted me on Sunday morning to the sad news that Little Dipper will be permanently closing their doors on Monday, January 9, 2024. Little Dipper has always been one of my favorite hotpot spots. I've been to all 3 of their locations Dublin, Cupertino as well as the original Fremont. I've been coming here for years with either friends and family and they have always treated us with the best service. Always top notch, friendly, patient and happy to help. My kids were younger then and they have never bothered to charge them even as they grew older. This restaurant was definitely about quality and service. With the news of their permanent closure I had to come in one last time. We came in at 7pm on their final day and put our name down. The restaurant was full and plenty of people were waiting to be seated. The server said he doesn't know how people knew but the past 2 weeks were 3x's busier. Word of mouth definitely spread and people had to come in to say their goodbyes. Items on the menu were already crossed out and have been out of stock for the past couple of days. We still decided to wait. We waited about 1.5 hours and were the last group of the night. We asked them to just bring out anything and everything they had left in the kitchen which were mainly veggies and a few seafood items like imitation crab and shrimp. I wished I was able to have a final full on fixings meal at Little Dipper but just being there one last time just made it bittersweet. Richard was giving out brand new Little Dipper plates and cups and people were taking them by the boxes. You can see the sense of happiness and relief him and his workers had as the night ended. He even gave us our meals on the house as well as the generous amount of sake bottles we had. I wish him and his staff the very best and hope to see them in the future! Possibly "Whatever Nom Nom" will open up (Little Dipper opened a ghost kitchen called Whatever Nom Nom - follow on insta: @whatever.nomnom), but whatever it'll be we'll be there to support!
I am sad to see this place closed. They were one of the better AYCE hotpot restaurants in the Bay Area. We have been here several times over the years. They consistently had fresh ingredients and provided great customer service. You will be missed!
Just found out today that Little Dipper is closing and their last day is Monday!! I'm so sad that my favorite ayce hot pot place is closing! My family and I just had our last meal during lunch and we will miss this place so much. So many good memories here and I'll forever cherish them. Thank you for everything and best of luck to the Little Dipper team!! You guys will be missed!!
RIP to one of the best AYCE hot pot places in the bay. If the owners want to sell instead of permanently closing, please let my friends and I cop it. Going here for one last time on Saturday and going to eat my heart out; thank you for all the delicious years and memories.
If you're a hot pot enthusiast, Little Dipper is a dream destination that demands your attention - and haste. This is a place that's perfected the art of all-you-can-eat (AYCE) hot pot, and with their doors closing on January 8, 2024, due to the well-earned retirement of the owner, the clock is ticking on the opportunity to indulge in their offerings. My experience at Little Dipper was nothing short of exceptional. The stars of the show are undoubtedly the Kobe and Angus beef slices. Not only are they the highest quality, but the freshness is also unparalleled - you can literally watch them being expertly sliced, ready to be swirled in your steaming pot of broth to the exact point of succulent tenderness. The variety doesn't stop there. Vegetables, seafood, noodles, and more come flying out of the kitchen at impressive speed, ensuring your pot is never without companions. It's a carousel of flavors and textures that never seems to end, and quite frankly, you wouldn't want it to. The employees at Little Dipper are a deft team - quick, helpful, and radiating friendliness. Their efficiency adds to the smoothness of the dining experience, where the only thing you need to worry about is which delicious ingredient to try next. As for the price, it's a reflection of what you're getting - unlimited access to high-end meats like Kobe and Angus beef, and a plethora of other fresh ingredients. It's a slice of luxury that's worth the splurge, especially given the fact that this experience comes with a time limit now. It's with a mix of joy for the owner and sadness for ourselves that we must soon bid farewell to Little Dipper Hot Pot. The retirement news makes every visit now a little bittersweet, but also an urgent call to all hot pot lovers to come and partake in this delightful dining experience while you still can. 10/10, would not just recommend - I urge, insist, and implore: gather your friends, book your spot, and dive into the warm, delightful world of Little Dipper Hot Pot before it's just a delicious memory.
Little Dipper is shutting down on 1/8/2024! it's so sad to see yet another a good, comforting and delicious place go!
This is our go-to hot pot place. The meat is always tender and delicious, the veggies are always fresh, the broth and sauces are superb, and the staff is great. I'm sad that they're closing. Thank you to the staff over the years, especially Frank! We will be back as many times as possible before they permanently close!
As much as we wiuld like to believe that we are ready for a long term relationship, nothing could ever prepare you for this crazy dining experience at our local beloved Hot pot restaurant. The restaurant is a decent size with induction fans over each table in efforts to minimize the "delicious smells"as taiko would say. My party of five was swiftly seated, but as time passed this place was packed by the time we left. No surprise i ordered the SPICY MALA broth, and what i like most about this place is that everyone gets their own individual pot. Also, i actually really enjoyed the fact that this mala spicy broth came with no chillies, seeds, and peppercorns floating around in the broth. This Comes in clutch as my mom and sister are not dans of spicy things...except for me... for the most part.we enjoyed a variety of different cuts of beef and pork belly (my favorite). Unfortunately there's a pretty limited selection of veggies and seafood, and i dislike how there's no sauce bar and ingredients to make your own personalized sauces must be ordered. The meat quality is not the best as on some of the cold thinly sliced cuts you could see some sort of black discoloration on the edges.. needless to say overall we had a great family meal all together putting me at ease and happy.
First time having hot pot, I really enjoyed it! Service was great. Would definitely visit again!
Restaurantji Recommends
Let's start of this has been a favorite place for a while the food is good, many flavors to pick from and typically the service is good. This time around our waitress did not bother to check on our table like they have done in the past. Even in the most busiest setting the staff has been good. Today a while other story, it wasn't busy as experienced before. There where items that were missed from our order so when asked to the waitress if she could please bring out what was missing she would just hiss and walk away rudely and clearly upset that we bothered to ask for missing veggies & missing drinks. This is an AYCE place as you are paying a set price of $37.99 which it felt like a crime to ask for additional food nonetheless for the missing items. As we are still eating there is random Bus boys coming up and clearing our table of food that we still wanted to add to our pot. We asked for a menu so that we could replace what was taken from the table and got completely ignored . Didn't feel very AYCE to the point where we decided to just finish up and go. As it came time to pay the bill a staff member takes up the bill and expressed how unhappy with the amount of tip left and stated that they would no longer service due to lack of tip. The tip amount left was $15 which seemed reasonable for a party of two. We over heard this exact speech to the group prior to us. You would think with the lack of service provided, the staff member or waitress would be satisfied to even receive a tip. As in any unsatisfactory situation a tip could have been a straight zero. If you are looking for an AYCE place close to home with bad service this is the place.
Overall the food was great! The quality of the wagyu was better than expected and the vegetables were fairly fresh. The service was very attentive to each table. The only reason I didn't give this place five stars is we felt rushed out toward the end of our meal. Overall, great experience. Would come again
I've been here a couple of times throughout the years & I have never had a bad experience. I love AYCE hot pot and they do it so well here, so it's probably become my go to spot! There was no wait on a Saturday night at 7pm surprisingly. The service was quick & we never had to wait for the items we ordered! In fact, things came out so fast, they had to place them on additional fold out tables next to us. Pros: Individual pots, Plenty of soup bases, Large variety of veggies & sides, Good quality meat Cons: Higher price point, No sauce bar (you have to request them)
The food is great!! It comes in pretty big portions The service is okay and the workers are nice . The place is clean,pretty and, lively.
I've been coming to this place for years and am always satisfied. Prices have increased in recent years which is understandable, but also means I don't come as often anymore. Still, the restaurant is always clean and the service is great! You order with a menu and a dry erase pen, by just indicating how many of each item you want. You can order in rounds and ask for another menu at any time to refill on items. There is a wide selection of soup bases, sauces, meats, veggies, noodles, and other ingredients. Everyone gets their own individual pot with the stove built into the table, and you control the heat yourself using the dials under the table. The meat is always great quality and the veggie portions are very generous.