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Mala Tang

Mala Tang

Chinese Restaurant$$$$
Ballston - Virginia Square, Arlington
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7.6/10
121
ratings
  • Stars
    Ranked #2 for Chinese restaurants in Arlington
  • Tips
    Jacobo G.
    "Awesome hot pot Szechuan style restaurant in Arlington."(15 Tips)
    Now Owl
    "The mapo tofu is also the best I've had in the area."(3 Tips)
    Arnaldo J. L.
    "Dry Pot!"(3 Tips)
    Whitney G.
    "And they have sweet potato noodles or my gluten allergic tummy!!!"(2 Tips)
Tips and Reviews icon42 Tips and reviews
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  • hotpot
  • spicy food
  • dry pot
  • good for groups
  • pork buns
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  • Northern Virginia Magazine
    "One of the best parts of living in this current iteration of food obsession is moving past the 'dash-American'...With Mala Tang we learn more Chinese, beyond the Chinese-American beef and broccoli."
  • Ranini P.heart icon on user image
    Ranini PastelFebruary 4, 2017
    Both the dry pot and the hot pot are very authentic. I suggest the build your own dry pot with sweet potato noodles, wood ear mushroom, naps cabbage and beef.
  • Jacobo G.heart icon on user image
    Jacobo GómezMarch 20, 2015
    Awesome hot pot Szechuan style restaurant in Arlington. A little bit far from Clarendon metro but well worth the short walk.
  • Now Owl
    Now OwlJune 18, 2012
    Braised beef noodles on the lunch menu! For $8, you get a giant bowl of succulent chewy noodles in a flavorful hot pot broth flecked with cilantro. The mapo tofu is also the best I've had in the area.
  • Charo C.
    Charo Cortez-GrovesJanuary 31, 2013
    Been here 10+ times
    Fantastic place for vegetarian and meat eaters perfect hang out with friends and family. Try the enoki mushroom. The sauce bar is amazing selection and all grade of spices.
  • oren m.
    oren molovinskyJanuary 16, 2012
    If it's your first time try the Hot Pot Combinations. Once you are comfortable you should order a la carte Hot Pot. But remember...they are big portions! Ask for extra MaLa with your hot pot...
  • Washingtonian Magazine
    Washingtonian MagazineJanuary 9, 2012
    What to get: Hot pot with pork, prawns, green-bean leaves, and wood-ear mushrooms; wood-ear mushrooms with chili oil and cilantro; pork dumplings; dan-dan noodles; scallion pancake.
  • JH H.heart icon on user image
    JH H-DSeptember 19, 2019
    The personal hot pots are great! Get the Chinese option, so so deliciously spicy!
  • Hannah M.heart icon on user image
    Hannah MJuly 8, 2021
    Never been to Hot pot before, and I was really excited! Impressed. Sweet plum wine was great. Very fun experience
  • Arnaldo J. L.heart icon on user image
    Arnaldo J. LópezMay 21, 2017
    Dry Pot! Why cook for yourself when you've gone through the trouble of going out! Leave it to the pros, spicy and delicious!
  • Yasaman M.heart icon on user image
    Yasaman MahdianAugust 16, 2019
    We had the food delivered and it was nothing to remember. Just the meat was fresh you could taste that. Flavor wise very underwhelming.
  • JH H.heart icon on user image
    JH H-DSeptember 19, 2019
    They don’t hold back on the spices here. The mapo tofu was yum!
  • Northern Virginia Magazine
    "Order the hot pot with mala broth and sort through the long ingredient list for a pick-your-own-(slurping)-adventure." - November 2012 Issue
  • Laura K.
    Laura KailDecember 5, 2014
    Great place for single portions of hot pot
  • Montaign G.
    Montaign G.January 12, 2013
    Great hot pot spot! This place is off the chizz-ain!
  • Khoa C.heart icon on user image
    Khoa ChauMarch 9, 2016
    Good and authentic the 'dry' pot is damn good !
  • Catherine T.heart icon on user image
    Catherine TorelliApril 7, 2015
    Hot pot is not be missed. Cumin lamb good too
  • Brian T.
    Brian T.December 14, 2011
    The MaPs Tofu is the best i've ever had. Red wine beef is also awesome
  • Eric S.
    Eric SackettDecember 1, 2013
    Great food and fun. Parking is in the building garage.
  • Kate S.
    Kate SummersJune 12, 2011
    Been here 5+ times
    Love the pork buns and cold spicy shredded beef. Wish they had happy hour on the weekends.
  • Kat L.
    Kat LOctober 10, 2011
    Been here 25+ times
    Get wine marinated beef. Yum! Ask for extra spicy mala tang. Try lamb next.
  • Whitney G.
    Whitney GOctober 28, 2011
    So good! And they have sweet potato noodles or my gluten allergic tummy!!!
  • Ivan R.
    Ivan RacadagFebruary 23, 2013
    You might want to bring someone who knows what they're doing.
  • Hanny
    HannyMarch 16, 2013
    Make sure you mix the soup with lots of ingredients :-)
  • Margaret P.heart icon on user image
    Margaret PorterJanuary 20, 2015
    Very fun to cook it all yourself
  • David M.
    David MasonJanuary 26, 2012
    Get the enoki mushrooms, water chestnut, and the fishballs. Ohhh yeeaaa
  • Corey G.heart icon on user image
    Corey GibsonMarch 26, 2013
    Been here 5+ times
    Cumin chicken is worth the trip.
  • Dul D.
    Dul DulkulJune 9, 2014
    Spicy and have a lot of seasoning
  • Thomas S.
    Thomas StangaFebruary 20, 2012
    Try Taiwan beer. It's delicious.
  • Natalie E.
    Natalie EAugust 14, 2011
    One hot pot for two people is plenty of food.
  • Chito P.
    Chito PepplerFebruary 20, 2012
    Mapo Tofu is spicy with ground pork
  • OMAR M.heart icon on user image
    OMAR MukhareshNovember 13, 2014
    A place for Chinese plates
  • Reza Z.
    Reza ZenJune 18, 2012
    You cook your own food like melting pot. Food was fresh but I don't like the idea of cooking my own food at a restaurant.
  • Shabeeb
    ShabeebAugust 25, 2013
    Surf and turf hotpot..
  • Rajesh
    RajeshSeptember 21, 2013
    Spicy Cold Noodles
  • Ben B.
    Ben BregmanAugust 21, 2011
    Been here 5+ times
    Park on p1. 7-11 open now across the street.
  • Kat L.
    Kat LSeptember 3, 2011
    Been here 25+ times
    Make a reservation.
  • Emily M.
    Emily MMay 14, 2011
    Get the Zhong dumplings!
  • CS
    CSNovember 21, 2011
    Make a reservation
  • Jing Z.heart icon on user image
    Jing ZhuAugust 25, 2017
    Food was good. Service was terrible.
  • Matt L.
    Matt LundinMay 1, 2013
    Anyone used to authentic Asian food should not eat here.
  • Casey S.heart icon on user image
    Casey SMAugust 7, 2014
    Mung bean noodles
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