818 Mala Hot Pot (Sai Phai Restaurant)

In a first-person report published in November 2024, 818 Mala Hot Pot was documented with ingredients circulating on a conveyor belt and each diner cooking selected portions in an individual pot. Current map listings establish the South Pattaya identity, address and telephone, but not that the service format is unchanged. They show spelling variants in the longer Thai name, so the Soi Chalermphrakiat 35 pin and phone are safer identifiers than translating the listing name.

This page separates what is still visible in a current map listing from what was observed during a dated visit. That distinction matters because no operator-controlled website or current itemised menu surfaced in the August 2026 review.

How the conveyor-belt format works

A first-person visit report describes small plates of meat, seafood, vegetables and other hot-pot ingredients moving past the seats. Diners take what they want and cook it at their own pace rather than placing a full table order at once.

The same dated report documents one pot per person. That setup would let a group choose different broths or spice levels without agreeing on one shared soup. It does not establish the current layout or inclusions, so confirm the service format and look at the displayed rules before starting.

The report observed beef, vegetables, prawns and mussels, plus sauces and dessert. Ingredient availability and the service format can change. If the conveyor setup is still operating, inspect the belt as that service’s working selection and confirm the terms before starting.

The published price is a dated reference

On 22 November 2024, the diner recorded ฿199 for the buffet and ฿49 for the soup base, a subtotal of ฿248 before any other purchase. Those numbers are specific, useful and old. They should not be presented as a July or August 2026 tariff simply because the source was accessed again.

Before sitting down, confirm four things: the current buffet price, whether broth is still separate, which drinks or desserts are included, and whether any leftover-food charge applies. A clear answer is more dependable than showing staff a screenshot from an older article.

If price is the main reason for choosing the restaurant, call 098 666 9856 on the day. For another sourced buffet format nearby, compare I’m Shabu & Grill Buffet without assuming that either restaurant uses the other’s price or inclusions.

Overnight hours are listed, but the edges conflict

Waze currently lists 10:00–08:00 every day. The first-person report later added an 11:00–07:00 schedule. Both sources describe a restaurant operating through the night, but they disagree on the opening hour and the final hour.

That conflict is unlikely to matter for an ordinary dinner. It matters a great deal for breakfast-time or very-late arrival. Call first if the plan depends on service before 11:00 or after 07:00, and do not treat an “open now” map flag as a guarantee that the buffet is fully stocked.

Choose the broth before choosing ingredients

Mala can combine chilli heat with the numbing effect of Sichuan pepper. The dated visitor report describes accidentally choosing a broth that was much hotter than expected and later identified a pale broth as the lower-risk option for that visit.

Broth colours and recipes can change, so do not rely on the old photograph alone. Point to the current options and ask which one is least spicy before filling the pot. Starting mild is reversible; discovering that the broth is too hot after cooking a full tray is not.

Location and arrival

The current Waze record gives 313/49 Soi Chalermphrakiat 35, Pattaya City, with the direct phone above. This is inland in South Pattaya, not on the Walking Street frontage. Use the exact pin and the Thai name when showing the destination to a driver.

Open the mapped point on OpenStreetMap. Location data is provided by OpenStreetMap contributors under the ODbL.

Do not merge it with the other 818 listing

A separate current search result uses the names 818 Mala or 818 SUKI at a different central-Pattaya address. Its street, telephone, coordinates and Google CID/listing identifier do not match the Soi Chalermphrakiat 35 record covered here.

No operator source established a branch, move or ownership relationship between them. This page therefore does not borrow the newer listing’s hours, reviews or price observations. When searching maps, match 313/49 Soi Chalermphrakiat 35 and 098 666 9856 before travelling.

What the evidence does not establish

No first-party page found in this review confirmed a current price, complete menu, service format, reservation system or final overnight schedule. Current Waze evidence establishes the venue identity, location, telephone and one listed schedule; the dated diary establishes the format and price observed in November 2024.

That is enough to plan a flexible meal. It is not enough to promise the same bill or every ingredient in 2026. Confirm the total at the door, choose the broth deliberately and use the late hours only after a same-day check.