Walk down 8th Avenue in Brooklyn and you'll find plenty of noise. It's the heart of Sunset Park's Chinatown, a place where the air smells like roasted duck, diesel fumes, and ambition. Among the sea of neon signs and crowded storefronts, K & L 98 Hotpot sits as a bit of an enigma. It isn't the flashiest place on the block. It doesn't have a massive PR team or a viral TikTok campaign fueling its existence. Yet, if you walk in on a Tuesday night, the steam rising from the tables tells a different story.
Hotpot is communal. It's messy. Honestly, it’s one of those dining experiences that can go south quickly if the broth is bland or the meat is subpar. At K & L 98 Hotpot, located at 6015 8th Ave, the vibe is strictly "no-frills." You aren't paying for a DJ or mood lighting. You're there for the rolling boil.
What Actually Happens Inside K & L 98 Hotpot
The setup is familiar if you've done the "All You Can Eat" (AYCE) circuit in New York City. You get your individual pot or a shared one, depending on your mood and how much you trust your friends not to double-dip.
Most people go for the spicy Szechuan base. It’s a crimson lake of peppercorns and dried chilies. It will make your forehead sweat. It’s supposed to. If you’re not a fan of the heat, they’ve got the herbal tonics and bone broths that feel a bit more like a hug than a dare. The beauty of this specific spot is the price-to-quality ratio. While Manhattan spots are charging upwards of $50 for the privilege of cooking your own food, K & L 98 Hotpot stays grounded in the Brooklyn reality. It’s affordable. It’s filling.
The meat arrives in those thin, delicate curls. Ribeye, lamb, pork belly. You drop them in, wait exactly fifteen seconds—maybe twenty if you’re distracted—and then fish them out.
The Sauce Bar Situation
Listen, the sauce bar is where reputations are made or destroyed. K & L 98 Hotpot has the standard lineup: sesame paste, crushed garlic, scallions, cilantro, soy sauce, and that dangerously addictive chili oil.
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A pro tip? Mix the sesame paste with a little sugar and a lot of garlic. It creates this creamy, savory buffer that protects your taste buds from the spicy broth. Some people just dump everything into a bowl and hope for the best. Don't be that person. Be intentional. The sauce bar here is usually well-stocked, though it can get a bit chaotic during the 7:00 PM rush. That's just the nature of the beast in Sunset Park.
Why the "98" Matters
Numbers in restaurant names usually signify something—a street address, a lucky year, or in this case, a nod to the Fujianese community that defines this neighborhood. While the 8th Avenue strip was historically Cantonese, the influx of residents from the Fujian province over the last few decades changed the culinary landscape.
K & L 98 Hotpot fits into this newer wave of eateries. It’s efficient. It’s not trying to be a "fusion" experiment. It serves what the community wants. Fresh seafood is a huge part of the draw here. You’ll see shrimp still in the shell, fish balls with roe inside, and squid that actually tastes like the ocean rather than rubber.
The service is fast. Sometimes too fast? You might feel a little rushed if the line is out the door, but that’s the trade-off for a high-turnover AYCE spot. They want you fed, and they want the next group fed too. It’s a business, after all.
The Reality of the All You Can Eat Model
There’s a misconception that AYCE means "low quality." In the world of hotpot, that's not always true, but you have to know what to look for. At K & L 98 Hotpot, the vegetable selection is actually one of the highlights.
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- Watercress that’s crisp and vibrant.
- Napa cabbage that soaks up the broth like a sponge.
- Enoki mushrooms that add that weirdly satisfying crunch.
- Frozen tofu that develops these little pockets of soup.
If you stick to the frozen meats and processed fish balls, you're missing the point. The real value is in the variety. You can eat a week's worth of greens in one sitting while pretending you're only there for the beef.
Comparing K & L 98 Hotpot to the Giants
New York has seen a massive influx of global hotpot chains lately. Haidilao, Dolar Shop, Happy Lamb. Those places are great. They have robot servers and give you manicures while you wait. They also cost a fortune.
K & L 98 Hotpot represents the "old" New York way. It’s a local spot. You go there in your sweatpants. You go there because you’re hungry and you have $35 and you want to feel full for the next two days. It lacks the polish of the big chains, but it has more soul. The tables are a bit closer together. The floor might be a tiny bit slick. It’s authentic in a way that corporate dining can never replicate.
Navigating the Menu Without Getting Overwhelmed
If it’s your first time, the menu can feel like a lot. It’s a checklist. You mark what you want with a pencil.
- Pick your broth. Split the pot if you’re with someone who can’t handle heat.
- Order the staples. Fatty beef and lamb are non-negotiable.
- Get the weird stuff. Try the beef tripe or the duck blood. If you don't like it, you're at an AYCE place—it's okay. This is the place to experiment.
- Don't forget the noodles. The wide, hand-pulled style noodles are best saved for the end when the broth has reduced into a thick, salty concentrate.
The Logistics: Getting There and Staying Sane
Sunset Park isn't exactly a parking paradise. If you're driving to K & L 98 Hotpot, good luck. You’ll likely spend twenty minutes circling the blocks near the N train. Just take the subway. The 8th Ave station is right there.
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Wait times on weekends can be brutal. We’re talking an hour or more. Show up early or be prepared to wander the nearby bakeries while you wait for your table. It’s also worth noting that they usually have a time limit—often 90 to 120 minutes. It sounds like a lot, but time flies when you're busy not burning your tongue.
What Most People Get Wrong About Hotpot
People think it’s just boiling food. It’s not. It’s about timing. If you leave the shrimp in for ten minutes, it’s ruined. If you put too much stuff in the pot at once, the temperature drops and you’re just lukewarm-steaming things.
At K & L 98 Hotpot, the burners are powerful. They get to a boil fast. Use that power wisely. Cook in small batches. Eat, talk, cook again. That’s the rhythm.
Actionable Steps for Your Visit
To get the most out of K & L 98 Hotpot, follow this loose plan:
- Timing is everything: Go on a weekday afternoon or very late at night to avoid the crushing crowds.
- Dress for the occasion: Don't wear your favorite white silk shirt. You will get splashed with chili oil. It’s an inevitability.
- Check the specials: Sometimes they have seasonal seafood or specific cuts of meat that aren't on the main "all you can eat" list but are worth the extra couple of dollars.
- Hydrate: Order the plum juice. It’s sweet, tart, and it cuts through the grease and spice better than water ever could.
- Cash is king: While many places take cards now, having cash in Chinatown/Sunset Park often makes the checkout process smoother and sometimes even nets you a small discount depending on the current house policy.
Ultimately, K & L 98 Hotpot isn't trying to change the world. It’s trying to feed the neighborhood. It’s a place for families to gather on birthdays and for students to gorge themselves after a long day of classes. It’s loud, it’s hot, and it’s exactly what a Brooklyn hotpot spot should be. If you want a sanitized, quiet dinner, go elsewhere. If you want the real deal, find a seat, grab a ladle, and start boiling.