My first Sichuan hot pot experience and Chengdu is a-ok with the potential to get better quickly..
Service: As other reviews have mentioned, there is a language barrier with some of the servers but the friendliness makes up for it. Drinks were fresh and the soup broth was re-filled appropriately throughout the visit. The biggest service challenge was the English menu having less options than the Chinese menu. We had to use the pictures and contacted friends to work through it. I feel like I've missed out on other great dishes because of the menu limitations.
Hot Pot Food: We went with the half original and half spicy (mild) for the soup based. I enjoy the peppercorn spice and spicy foods in general and mild was perfect. The meats, cabbage, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, etc were all fresh and cut perfectly for the hot pot. My favorite was a purplish shrimp paste that was delicious. Two orders on the next visit. This was on the Chinese menu and I'm lucky my friend told us about it.
Ambiance: A very cool traditional Chinese vibe with dark wooden tables, benches that matches well with the red ceiling and lamps. The tables leave you plenty of room for many dishes. The dining area is attractive which enhances your experience.
This place can get pricey quickly if you come here really hungry. This is probably not the place to bring a bougie service dining friend. The food, ambiance, the language barrier with both the service and the menu really makes me like we're actually in Chengdu and I'm a-ok with that. =) They're at 3.5 stars for me currently. Once they fix the menu so that the English side is as inclusive as the Chinese side, we get to 4 stars quickly. Hopefully the menu is updated on my next visit, but that's another Yelp tale. Enjoy! =)