It looks like the highly competitive hot pot scene in the West End has claimed another victim.
Since early January, Noms Magazine community members noticed something was up at Grandjoy Hot Pot.
Initially, a sign was posted on the door stating the restaurant would be “temporarily closed” for store upgrades starting January 6th, promising to reopen once the work was done.
However, recent evidence suggests that the “upgrade” was actually a goodbye.
Several community members, and our own team, recently walked by the unit and noticed significant changes that point to a permanent closure.
First, the “temporary closure” notice has been removed. More importantly, the restaurant’s exterior signage has been taken down entirely.
Inside, the massive refrigerated shelf that used to hold the raw hot pot ingredients, the centerpiece of any malatang spot, has been ripped out and replaced with standard dining tables.
To seal the deal, a local realtor recently posted on Chinese social media that the business/unit has officially been sold.
Grandjoy had a brief run in the neighbourhood, having only opened on April 12, 2025.
The restaurant positioned itself just blocks away from Big Way, the city’s undisputed king of malatang, entering a market that was already becoming incredibly saturated.
From Richmond to Burnaby, similar self-serve hot pot spots have been popping up every other month, all fighting for the same crowd.
It seems the “Malatang Bubble” might be starting to burst for some.
Earlier this month, we reported that JoJo Pot in Burnaby (another self-serve spot) had also quietly shuttered.
While Big Way continues to expand with lineups out the door, smaller competitors are struggling to keep up.
While there has been no official farewell post on Grandjoy’s social media yet, the removal of the signage and the sale of the unit makes it pretty clear: Grandjoy is likely gone for good.
We will have to wait and see what new concept takes over the space next.
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Address: 1509 Robson St, Vancouver, BC V6G 1C3