Eating seafood till you get gout—3 super-sized hot pot spots in Taipei that are all the rage

▲ The astonishingly huge prawn boat. (Photo provided by netizen jelingk. Please do not reproduce without permission to avoid copyright infringement.)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Taiwanese people are famously obsessed with hot pot, eating it year-round regardless of season—even in short sleeves, they can’t resist it!= Nowadays, besides having an appealing broth and quality meat, to satisfy the cravings of “meat lovers,” hot pot restaurants are pulling out all the stops with gimmicks like “face-sized slices of meat” and “huge platters piled high with meat.” There’s even a monstrous seafood hot pot called the “Sweet Gout Pot” that’s so over-the-top you’ll want to take it all on.

Shangguan Wooden Barrel Hot Pot
Located near Zhongshan Junior High School in Taipei’s Zhongzheng District, Shangguan Wooden Barrel Hot Pot is the sister store of Luzhou’s Zhengguan Wooden Barrel Hot Pot. Though the decor is pretty basic, the food that comes to your table will blow you away. Shangguan has specially prepared a gluttonous feast set for big eaters, which includes 100 ounces of meat, 25 regular prawns, 2 large prawns, 1 lobster, and a ton of clams—definitely enough to stuff you silly. They also offer a Sweet Gout Pot designed for seafood lovers, packed with nearly 40 prawns and 1 lobster. Anyone who’s tried it says it’s worth getting gout over.

No. 51, Lane 244, Dunhua North Road, Taipei City
(02) 2545-5030

▲ Huge cod crabs and large plates of wagyu beef. (Photo fromShangguan Wooden Barrel Hot Pot – Originally from Luzhou ZhengguanFan Page)

▲ Full wagyu beef meal. (Photo fromShangguan Wooden Barrel Hot Pot – Originally from Luzhou ZhengguanFan Page)

Gou Gou Meat
Opened just last year, Gou Gou Meat makes its focus on meat obvious right from the name. The shop’s design concept is quite innovative and has quickly become a hotspot for young people to take photos. Gou Gou Meat is perfect for solo diners—it’s a small hot pot served in a stone pot, offering dozens of different types of meat including beef, pork, lamb, and chicken. If you’re up for more meat, you can opt for the larger XL or XXL sizes and choose the portion that suits you.

No. 231, Section 1, Da’an Road, Taipei City (02) 2706-5085

Rou Duoduo
With a name that says it all, Rou Duoduo (which roughly translates to “Lots of Meat”) is all about “T. rex-sized” portions of meat, creating a paradise for carnivores. In addition to its original-flavor broth, Rou Duoduo also offers spicy, medicinal, and milk-flavored broths. As a specialty meat shop, the quality and quantity of the meat are top-notch—the XXL Big Meat Platter weighs in at 11 ounces, perfectly satisfying meat lovers’ cravings. Seafood fans aren’t left out either, with options like breaded crab and Boston lobster.

1F, No. 7-1, Jiankang Road, Songshan District, Taipei City (02) 87123030