Xiaolongkan Hotpot (Guanyinqiao)

Xiaolongkan is among the most recognizable Chongqing hotpot chains to have expanded across China, and its Guanyinqiao branch sits in the middle of Jiangbei District's busy commercial center, one of the city's major shopping and nightlife hubs. The chain's signature is its butterfly-shaped beef tallow base, a solid block of tallow molded into a distinctive butterfly form that melts into the pot at the table, a presentation detail that has become part of Xiaolongkan's brand identity nationwide. Alongside the classic beef-tallow mala broth, the kitchen serves beef slices and potato noodles, the latter a hearty, starchy addition popular for soaking up the broth toward the end of a meal. The dining room is modern, brightly branded and built to handle high turnover, with late-night hours extending to 3AM reflecting Guanyinqiao's reputation as one of Chongqing's liveliest after-dark districts. The crowd mixes shoppers from the surrounding malls, young locals out for a late dinner, and visitors drawn by the chain's national reputation. Reservations are recommended, especially for late-night sittings when Guanyinqiao's nightlife crowd fills the tables well past midnight; earlier evening slots are comparatively easier to book or walk into.