The food is really authentic- it really was like the food I was craving from Chengdu when I visited a few years ago. It wasn't as spicy as I thought it would be (no peppercorn bombs), but there was definitely a kick, but not enough to totally numb your tongue, which is good.
The food is spicy and greasy- that's just how it is. I like the Flaming Pot dishes because I like eating my spicy food really hot as well, which makes me think that I like pain sometimes. The Chongqing chicken was a little disappointing- though the texture and flavors were there, the pieces of chicken itself was miniscule, and at some point, I felt like I was just eating battered fried bits. I loved the stir-fried Chinese watercress- great flavor without the veggies being overdone. The Dan Dan noodles were OK.
The biggest pros of this place is its authenticity, Yelp check-in discount and coupons in Clipper Magazine (also Groupons) and fast service.