I came here with a large group. Being the first time it was kind of confusing but the waiter had patience and help us every step of the way. The cheese is excellent, the salads are great. The entree is a great experience because you get to do it yourself The best cooking style is Mojo. The dessert is amazing and overall a great place. Even though with large groups they do well, but it a place better for a date night,
(5)
Mike M.
Food was small in portions & had weird seasonings. The cost was very pricey for the amount food.
(2)
Jerry S.
We've been going to the Melting Pot for probably 15 years (long before they moved to this place from Rockville, anyway), mainly for special events (my birthday this time). We've always had good food, but we've seen the prices increase and the portions decrease drastically over the years. I can understand their costs have gone up - but $10 for a martini with the house vodka? That's ridiculous! On to dinner - sat at the bar and ordered the steak lovers 4-course, as we're both beef lovers. We always get the traditional swiss cheese starter, which was as good as always. My wife isn't into a lot of bread, so she chowed down on the veggies. She asked for more, and while it took a bit and we had to remind the bartender once, she eventually got them. We both got the house salad; she got the sweet and tangy house dressing, which she claimed was good. I tried the peppercorn ranch - probably the second best peppercorn dressing I've ever had (sorry, I had a fantastic one a few years ago in New Orleans!). The entree was also good; coq a vin style is the only way to go in our experience. Unlike some others, we didn't find it to have too strong a wine taste; rather there was more of a hint of wine than anything. We needed a couple of more sauces, which once again we had to ask for a second time before getting them (it wasn't that busy, either!). And we also got some more veggies (no problem this time). But there were only about 12 bite-sized pieces of three different kinds of steak; maybe it all added up to 1/2 pound if we were lucky. Pretty skimpy for what they are charging. If it weren't for the extra veggies, we wouldn't have been filled up. And I wouldn't say we eat more than the average person. We love the chocolate dessert, but unfortunately neither of us can eat it any more (again, dietary reasons). The bartender tried to convince us to take it since it was part of the package, but finally agreed to have the manager subtract it from our bill (we've been this way before but never ran into the resistance we did this time). So everything seemed to be find, until we got the bill and found the $10 martinis. That and three glasses of a house red wine for my wife and the bar tab was almost more than the dinner - even though we got one of the more expensive entrees. The bottom line is - while food was OK, it was skimpy for what they are charging. Service was poor and drink prices out of this world. We used to love this place, but we won't be returning.
(2)
Rick R.
Service was excellent. Food was awesome. Shame you can't cook in oil any more.
(4)
Laura V.
My family and I have dined year tons of times over 10 years. It's a 2 hour, intimate meal with ambient lighting and private booth seating. Entrees and the "Big Night Out for Two" are way more than we would want to eat, so I usually split an entree or we get Big Night Out for Two and share it between 3 people. Helps with the cost too since it is pretty pricey. You can usually get a coupon for a free dessert by signing up for their Club Fondue email list on their website. They send you a coupon when you join and for birthdays and anniversaries. Service is always excellent! No complaints. Best to make a reservation ahead of time. We rarely wait more than 5 minutes with a reservation. The best part is definitely the chocolate fondue at the end!
(5)
L W.
I'll rate the experience 1 star only because the chocolate fondue was amazing. However, let me start at the top. Entering the restaurant was like a dark cave. What are they hiding? Ushered into the bar and service was slow and expensive happy hour prices! One beer and one house red wine. On to dinner. Waiter very patient and informative. However, I ordered fish, my husband filet mignon and caesar salad...we had to dip (cook) our food in the same citrus sauce. We didn't get to order separate sauce? Fish vs. Red Meat = needing different sauces, right?. The vegetables we were served (that, of course, get cooked in same sauce) - sparse amount and who can cook potatoes in slow simmering sauce and can't they come up w/anything but uncooked potatoes and 2 pieces of broccoli. Hello! Maybe mushrooms, asparagus, something edible (cookable). As mentioned, shrimp and filet: the filet was served in small slices, maybe not even 6 oz. of meat. Shrimp OK. Ordered another glass of house red wine ($11.00) and one non-alcoholic beer $6.00)! Finally, dessert, yummm. The dark chocolate was divine, but we shared (4 people) a small plate of not much to dip into the chocolate. So, two pots of chocolate between us and our friends.and one small plate of, what !? (one sliver of banana, 3 minute pieces of pound cake, one marshmallow, was that a piece of a cookie, not sure). Shared! Not cool! So, we ordered a dessert and our friends did, too. Got the picture? We were expected to share the same small plate of very little in the way of dippers. Each order should arrive w/its own bit of desserts to dip in chocolate. Ugh. That was the last straw! By the way, we didn't order a cheese fondue so the above 'dinner/dessert' bill including tip was $120.00, not including our happy hour drinks (for 2 people). Nah, don't think we'll be back. The night provided us w/a few laughs over the portions, the one burner that didn't work well, and then the bill! Ha, ha, the joke's on us.
(1)
Victoria S.
The best Melting Pot so far...much nicer than the old location in Rockville. The server was a bit questionable in knowledge and skillz but overall the experience was good. My parents really enjoyed it. It was not as crowded as it used to be. Maybe it's the new location or the economy but there wasn't a wait. Been to the one in Herndon and it's about the same but also located in an office complex which is a bit strange. My husband ordered the vegetarian and I ordered the seafood. We also had the beer cheese to start and the Ying/Yang dessert. We weren't too stuffed because we took our time and ate slow. I think that's the trick otherwise you feel sick afterwards.
(4)
Cynthia L.
Melting Pot is only good for dessert. I have tried their dinner here once and did not like the way they prepare their broths (although I should say I am used to Asian hot pot). I've tried the following dessert mixes: Flaming Turtle, Chocolate S'Mores, Yin & Yang Things to Expect: - You will smell like cheese when you leave, even if you are only there for dessert. - You should def. make reservations. - You should bring others because it will be pretty lonely by yourself. - Customer service is sparse. If you are really big on customer service, do not come here during special occasions like valentines day.
(4)
Margot B.
A very fun and different eating experience. My family is quite into fondue and have cheese fondue at home with our own fondue pot every couple months, but I have never eaten fondue in a restaurant. Reservations are a must. When we arrived people were being tut Ed away and told that if they did not have a reservation it would be at least a 45 minute wait. The decor is very dark and intimate with secluded booths. In the center of the table is a burner with a fondue pot sitting on it. We went with the big night out four course special because we were able to switch the cheese fondue and chocolate fondue, but we liked the salad and entree. We started with traditional Swiss cheese fondue. It was prepared table side with white wine, cheese, garlic, nutmeg and kirsch placed in the pot and stirred together to get a good consistency. We were then given three different kinds of bread, vegetables, and granny smith apples to dip. The fondue was tasty, but I thought it could have used slightly less nutmeg. I would definitely get it again, but I would ask for a minimal amount of nutmeg. The salad was a wedge salad with Gorgonzola, bacon and tomatoes. Tasty, but I could get it anywhere. The dressing was very good, some sort of peppercorn ranch. You have a choice for four entree cooking cooking methods. We chose Bourgogne which involved dipping the meats into canola oil to cook. We were also given two batters to dip the meats in if we wished. I found that these were not necessary because each of the entrees were enhanced with something and then we had many sauces to dip in. Our entree included lobster tail, encrusted sirloin, Memphis BBQ rubbed pork loin, buffalo chicken, old bay shrimp, and wild mushroom saccheti. We were also given broccoli, mushrooms, and potatoes on the side to cook as well. All our meat was raw and we were provided with cooking times. We had a wide variety of sauces including sweet and sour, teriyaki, curry, green goddess, gorgonzola and melted butter for the lobster. The sauces were good, but again I felt I did not need a lot because the meats already had good seasoning. All of the meat was tasty. The chicken was very juicy and tender. The shrimp were some of the most tender I've had in a long time and the lobster tail was very nice as well. You could get some serious mushroom flavor from the saccheti. I am not a big red meat eater, but my dining companion enjoyed the sirloin and pork. Dessert was delicious. We had the flaming turtle chocolate fondue. It had melted milk chocolate, caramel, and candied pecans set on fire at the table with a little bacardi 151. The accompaniments were pound cake, brownies, cheesecake, oreo covered marshmallows, graham cracker covered marshmallows, strawberries, bananas, and rice krispie treats. We couldn't eat all of it, but it was very good. The wine list was satisfactory and they had several interesting cocktails. I would return because it was tasty and a fun dining experience; however, because it is a two hour very involved dining experience and a tad pricey, I would not come here to often.
(4)
V P.
I have dined at the Melting Pot so many times and in so many different locations and have yet to feel the slightest pang of disappointment. The service has always been exceptional & professional; the food is fresh & phenomenal; the ambiance is simply beautiful. It is indeed a bit pricey, but because of the large portions, I highly recommend sharing the Big Night Out (for two) between three people. This way, you split the bill & leave full, but not overly stuffed.
(5)
Puja L.
I don't want to like this place. Only because it's so ridiculously expensive to order pots of cheese and chocolate and to COOK YOUR OWN FOOD. But, I still enjoy it :) Mostly because I love cheese and chocolate :) (not together, but I'm assuming you understood that) Their fondues are generally pretty yummy (the fiesta cheese is usually my pick, only because of the jalapenos and ALL the chocolate ones are good). The bread/veggies work alright for the cheese fondue but I do LOVE the variety of things with the chocolate fondue. My favorite are the marshmallows. I don't know what the do to them, but they are deeeelicious! My main reason for not loving this place is the salads and entrees are really quite sad. And how can I really give a place that has good appetizers and desserts more than 3 stars? The entrees are standard proteins cooked in stock. Mmmm? There's nothing particularly exciting about ordering these - so unless I go for RW, I don't even bother with the entrees normally. They simply aren't worth it.
(3)
Shannon H.
Join the Fondue club for coupons! This is my favorite location for The Melting Pot. We've always had great service and of course the food is amazing! We've found that Sunday nights are not as busy either!
(5)
Chaz C.
Nice staff, good atmosphere great food. They will work hard to make sure a event you want to plan there goes well. They are very disabled and allergy friendly as long as you let them know ahead of time. Fondue can be tricky but and this place shows why this experience can't be done properly at home without a proper knowledge of it, pricey but worth it for that perfect romantic meal or a intimate meal with loved ones. Just a side note, to newbies, every time I have come here I have had a great time. If it's in your price range and want something different (think Ethopian is completely different but I have seen many enjoy that), this is definitely it and fantastic.
(5)
John K.
Something about cheese added with too much other stuff that makes it taste weird. Cheese fondue is not my thing. But melted chocolate?! HELL YEA! Sign me up. I would just come here for desert. They do offer specials for couples, so check out their website.
(3)
Sarah O.
We went to the Gaithersbug location for a friends birthday one Saturday night. We were alittle disappointed when we first sat down because our table only had 1 burner and we were a party of 4; this meant that we would all have to agree on one cheese, chocolate, and cooking style. I ordered the Ying-Yang martini which was very good, but I liked the Chocolate Fantini better. We ordered the Cheddar Cheese fondue, which did have a bitter taste, but was still good. The salad course was good as well. We all ordered the Signature Selection and selected the Court Bouillon cooking stlye. For dessert, we topped it off with the "Original" chocolate fondue, but selected dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate. It was a pretty expensive night for the 4 of us (almost $250), but was very good. My only complaint is that there were screaming children in the restaurant and it was pretty noisey too overall. I don't think this is an ideal restaurant to bring a child under age 6 to since it is a pretty lengthy meal. Next time, we may opt to go for just cheese and chocolate.
(4)
Sung I.
Stopped by on a whim because the location was convenient. Didn't have all the time in the world, so maybe it wasn't a fair representation of the place. That said, based on what I ordered and the cost, I feel the place is overpriced. Ordered the salad and an entree. The salad was very small. Not really worth $6. As for the entrees, I was surprised it was just raw shrimp that you would boil in a pot. Pretty much I can do the same thing with a trip to Costco. The markup on the shrimp must be enormous because I could buy pounds of shrimp for $20 instead of the few tiny ones they brought out. My wife had the dumplings and that was even more ridiculous. 6 dumplings one can purchase for 4.99 for 14 bucks. I understand the point of the place is fondue, but that should only cost a certain amount. The place is guilty of price gouging and management should be ashamed of themselves.
(2)
H D.
First time at melting pot and the whole experience was very fun. From the service to atmosphere is quite nice. Its a place where you can sit down for hours and enjoy a nice meal.
(4)
Den F.
The Melting Pot is a unique dining experience. However, the food for the price is not all that. If it is your first time, I suggest getting their meal specials because it comes with a 4 course dinner and you get to experience a little bit of everything. Now when I go, I do not look forward to the main course, so usually end up ordering appetizer and dessert... or just dessert for my sweet tooth =) The main entree is just meats and veggies cooked in broth, and you can eat them with dipping sauces so it is nothing amazing.
(3)
Alan W.
Everything was pretty good except the cheese fondue. That was an artery bogging salt lick but the rest of the meal, assorted raw meat hot pot and chocolate fondue, was great. I actually couldn't eat it all which would be shocking to anyone who knows me. The atmosphere was a bit like an old Cheesecake factory with Shabu-Shabu.
(3)
Brittany L.
Melting Pot!!!!!! My favorite place to eat. I love going there with my boyfriend. The comfortable little booths are so cute. I have been there twice and both times we had awesome waiters. I am not sure what kind of cheese we got there the second time because it was the "Big night out" cheese but the first time we got some kind of Wisconsin cheese and it was to die for. I love their dark chocolate fondue. However our chocolate was cold the second time we went. :( I'm sure if we said something they would heat it up but I was pretty much full by the end of the night anyway. I just wish it wasn't so pricey! Love you anyway melting pot!
(5)
J E.
Ok. The food is great, if you can get a table. The last time I visited, it was 6pm. Lots of empty tables, no one in front of me, and the hostess has the audacity to tell me the first available table will be available at 9pm. Really?! What is that about? So needless to say, we didn't wait for 3 hrs and found a wonderful steak joint less than a block away.
(2)
Kelly G.
The service, food, decor, cleanliness, parking, etc. were on point at this Melting Pot. But thanks to my cousin's 40th Birthday Party and the ghetto-fabulous friends she invited, I had a miserable time. I was embarrassed the entire time. I was ashamed to be sitting with them. I was totally horrified at the payment process. As soon as the broth and the pacific platters arrived, the one other person at the table who I thought had some class said out loud "this is awful I don't want to cook my food. I want to just eat it." ("Geez. Seems you could keep that comment to yourself.") Then there was this one man, another one of my cousin's invited guests, who kept singing some line from some rap song, really loud repeatedly (like whenever there was a lull in decent mature conversation). He was singing the unedited version (complete with the word "$h!+). "Gee thanks rude dude." In the end, I (and another woman) wound up paying $125 (which did include our wine) because some of the ghetto people "just threw some cash on the table" and left. The payment process got SO bad that the manager came out of his office with one of those large screen calculators (the kind you buy your grandma at CVS) and loaned it to us. I have been to The Melting Pot before (the DupCir location) and there is the slimmest possibility I will eat at a Melting Pot again. But never ever with my cousin or her group of ghetto-fabulous friends ever again. So. For the food and the Melting Pot experience I give THREE stars. For the Cousin 40th Birthday Experience ONE-TENTH OF ONE STAR.
(3)
Lumin E.
A great experience if you haven't had even once. The place is very expensive, but the experience is great and the food is good too. A good place for very important occasions...chocolate and banana is out of the world!! its an excellent combination...
(4)
Brian H.
Yes, it is an experience that takes a few hours to enjoy and it is a little on the pricey side. But it is well worth it. There is a reason that Melting Pot has successful restaurants throughout the country. It is designed to be a celebration destination, and they always ask if you are celebrating something special because most people are. Despite some of the other reviews, there are plenty of tasty, well seasoned options. Just order the "big night out", expect to pay about $40-$50 a person without drinks, sit back, and enjoy the 4 courses that will leave you full and satisfied, if not stuffed.
(4)
Maria K.
I've been here a couple of times in the last year. Once for an all out 3 course meal, which I will not do again for a date because it takes 3 hours! And once for dessert. If it wasn't for the dessert, I would probably give this place 1 or 2 stars, but I am such a sucker for chocolate fondue. Cookies N Cream Marshmallow Dream... is dreamy.
(4)
Mauricio A.
Melting Pot is by far one of my favorite restaurants to go to. There really isn't anything to not like about the place. The cheese fondue is amazing. They're desert menu which comes with unlimited dipping items until your chocolate fondue is gone, is even better. The dipping items for desert include brownies, strawberries, cheesecake, and marshmallows. A full course meal will run you about $50 a person, but you will be extremely stuffed and fully satisfied when you're done. Make sure you make a reservation in advance as they are typically booked and getting a table by just walking in is usually impossible.
(5)
Lori P.
This is one of my all time most favorite places. How can you go wrong with cheese and chocolate?? But wait there is more! First, I must disclose a sentimental fondnest for this place, as this was the location where I "met" my husband on our first date. Ok technically it was at the old Rockville location of the Melting Pot when it was on Rawlins Ave, but since that is now a Qdoba, and the Melting Pot moved to Gaithersburg this is the version of the story that we are telling. It was a great place to meet for a first date, fantastic meal and plenty of time to talk and get to know one another. Did I mention the cheese and chocolate? They also have a full bar, beer and wines. The California salad is one of my favorites. I really like the special jar of seasoning that you can sprinkle on your salad. I usually order the CA salad. The mushroom salad is ALL mushrooms. My favorite cheese fondue is the Fiesta. You can decide how spicy you want it, and medium is usually fine. If you want, the waiter will leave a container of chopped jalapeno peppers and you can make it hotter. This entry is served with celery, carrots, cauliflower, apples, breads and corn chips. I usually keep any leftover apples on the table for the dessert chocolate. I usually go with the Coq au Vin cooking style. It has been years since we cooked in oil. The signature selection is a good variety. I also enjoy all the dips that come with that option. We usually have to request a second helping of "Green Goddess" which is divine on all vegetables. We have never had a bad chocolate fondue. We do tend to experiment with these. Recently I discovered a "ladies night out" portion size that is a little smaller and less expensive. We found that it was "just right" - not too much. The staff will go out of your way to make an evening more special - with balloons, polaroid photos, whatever you want. Also they participate in Open Table.
(5)
Brookelynn R.
I'm fine with just cheese and chocolate. Save your money and eat your meats at home - raw food on the dinner table (unless it's sushi, of course), is a little off-setting. The steak was phenomenal but if you accidentally overcook your seafood you'll be sad :/ Anyway, it's definitely worth the money! So. freaking. delicious. P.S. Their house salad dressing is a MUST
(4)
Kate D.
Service was decent (Chad). Food was excellent as always! But too much of course.. Next time we'll be getting just the cheese fondue and chocolate fondue..;) I wish it wasn't so expensive.. but all in all, a favorable experience
(4)
Gavin B.
This WAS my favorite restaurant until recently. The cheese and chocolate fondue were delicious but the but the main course was not very good at all.
(3)
Sam M.
A lot of fun to eat with the family and also very Tasty!!
(5)
Sarah Y.
I like The Melting Pot. It's a great destination restaurant and it's generally a "fun" place to go. To the reviewers that said they were stuffed... I'm not sure where they were eating, but I don't think that we were in the same building. That being said, you CAN order unlimited "dippers" (other than meats) and your waitperson may not remember to tell you. On our most recent trip, the waitress didn't remind us until our dessert course - cheesecake, brownies, strawberries, graham cracker and chocolate covered marshmallows, and pound cake all ready to dip in your choice of chocolate. Really really good, and we went through like three plates of the strawberries with no complaints from her. Anyway - I remember it being quiet and fun on our first trip, this time we went RIGHT at 5:00 and ended up in a booth next to someone that was conducting loud, annoying personal business from her cell phone. I thought it was distracting, my husband didn't notice her. It was still fun, just not as quiet. Our waitress was good, the drinks were SUPER good - he had a dragon fruit mojito (or something like that) and I had something that came from a glowing bottle at the waitress's recommendation. Go for "The Big Night Out" and look to spend about $50/head + drinks. It includes cheese, salad, entree and dessert. Entrees come with about 8 sauces to dip in and funky little plates to keep everything separated. It's going to take you some time to eat, so be prepared to stay. It's not inexpensive, so be ready. You're going to cook your own food, so keep that in mind. A friend of mine told me that he takes dates there for dessert to save some $$, and it's a good strategy. Overall? Yes, you're going to spend some money. They offer ladies night (2nd Tuesday of every month?) and some other specials. Atmosphere is cool - I would say a step above casual, but there are almost always people in jeans there. Waitstaff has always been good when I was there, but if you get a dud you could be in trouble. I would go back for sure - I would like to check out ladies night to save some $$ but still get the experience.
(4)
Grace T.
We had the "Big Night Out" 4 course meal which was fantastic. The flavors were incredible, everything was very fresh (especially the lobster!). It's normally too pricey for me but I will be coming back here for Ladies Night.
(4)
Pinkie J.
I love fondue but this was a great example of important it is to do it right, specially because this isn't the cheapest restaurant. I was quite disappointed with the food here and the atmosphere. It was too dark and the food was bad. They need to have more than one pot out and a lot more sauces for dipping.. and cheese for god sake! I did enjoy the appetizer and the dessert but the rest of the meal sucked. Boo! I want my money back..
(1)
Renee R.
Amazing service, amazing food, amazing music...made for one of the most fantastic birthdays ever.
(5)
D C.
The Melting Pot is a total waste of time and largely because of the price but in addition the food is uninspired. We did the cheese fondue and it was good but, wait, what, is that it? I have all this stuff left to dip but no more cheese. Sigh, okay well the main course is coming. Out comes a tray of raw stuff for us to dip into basically chicken broth to cook. How unoriginal. The steak was very a very average cut, the shrimp were not fresh and then there were some veggies. I promise you I could reproduce this whole plate of raw food for less than $10. There isn't even that much food on this plate. If you like a very bad cut of filet basically braised in liquid and mostly tasteless then you will love this place. We also did the "wine flight" because they were boasting about their great selection. First, they know nothing about wine. Second, their flights were all with less than $10 bottles which I would never buy on purpose. Third, they don't even pair them well with the different foods. Yes, there is the chocolate fondu with strawberries for dessert... bla bla bla. That's fine but, again, I could have reproduced that same experience at home for about $3. So why am I so mean and critical? Well, because the meal was close to $200 and I had to cook it myself.
(1)
Ina C.
This is the new Gaithersburg location of the Melting Pot, and is a complete "fondue experience." For those who aren't in the know about fondue, it's basically 1) bread, fruits & veggies dipped in your choice of melted cheese [appetizer], 2) a preparation of vegetables or meat that you cook at the table with oil or broth and dipped in a variety of sauces [entree] or 3) cakes, fruits and other sweet yummies that you dip in your choice of melted chocolate [dessert]. Now on to the specifics... The good: This is a great place to come if you're looking for a unique dining experience, though the novelty wears off pretty quickly. Having to share your cheese/oil/broth/chocolate with your group makes for a pleasant social meal. What's also great is that the "dippers" are unlimited (except for the meats). I once came here just for dessert with a friend and only paid $15 total for a pot of chocolate and like five plates of dippers! The bad: It's overpriced. If you come for the full course, it could end up being $40+ per person, and it could take up to two hours to finish your whole meal. The ugly: If you don't get the entree fondue (meats/veggies), it will NOT fill you up. I once came here with some pretty hefty guys and they were pissed that they had to eat so little at a time. Also, this location is in the middle of nowhere (sorry Gaithersburgians) and I have no idea why they moved from their previous Rockville location. So it's worth a try, but not much more.
(3)
max S.
Good place to eat if you know how to order. No one can do all 4 courses. We just get a salad, cheese fondu and dessert. Any more and they would have to roll me out without my wallet.
(4)
Dan W.
Great spot! Went here for a night out with my wife and it was a great night! We had the fondue feast and boy was it yummy! The inside has all booths which me and my wife loved :). Had the bananas foster for dessert and it was excellent! Would def recommend going here! Probably only reason I didn't give it a 5 stars was the entrees portion were a little small but we still left full so I'm being picky lol. Fiesta cheese fondue was awesome too!
(4)
Leah S.
Went there for my birthday dinner last night and it was great! They accommodated our party of 11 and the waiter was really helpful. It's still expensive (even during restaurant week) but ti's a good time!
(4)
Jay K.
I'm not a huge fan of this place. I came here for a friend's birthday and none of us really knew what was going on. The service was not too good either and I don't thing our waitress really knew how to explain what we were supposed to get. The cheese fondue was decent, but nothing really special. I actually enjoyed the Caesar Salad though and it was actually pretty good. I ordered the Seafood Trio dish and it was sub-standard. There was way too little food for the price and it was really nothing special at all. I guess you are paying for the experience, but I actually did not enjoy it too much. The one thing I do regret is not getting the dessert fondue because we were all eager to get out and do something else. Overall, the food and experience was not too great.
(2)
Jen B.
Solid 4 Star and the primary reason was our excellent waitress Patty! The food was the usual fresh and delicious "Melting Pot" but despite the busy dinner hour, we felt very well attended/serviced. I'm a healthy eater, but find the Mojo Style cooking with the fresh chicken breast doesn't leave me devoid of flavor! Bring on the "jerk".
(4)
Jackie P.
I went to the melting pot in shady grove md. I had the best anniversary dinner ever my husband made reservation Set-up with rose petals at the table and a chocolate box to end the night. Our waiter was Alex he knew the menu very well and most important he had a great personality. I had an awesome experience I will be visiting again."
(5)
Lina J.
I've been here several times with my family and with friends. I found that the three-course meal is honestly, only okay. It was awesome trying it the first time (who knew apples and cheese were even a combo?!) and I really liked that some of my raviolis had the same pattern as Electabuzz (yes, the Pokemon, I am easily amused :D). BUT, as a Chinese person, I think I prefer hot pot to this anyday. Like, where my fish balls and rice noodles at? Haha. Again, it was fun trying this place one or two times and it's a good place to entertain out of town guests who have never experienced this type of cuisine before. Though, I have to say, the third course, chocolate, is life-changing. For the past, I think, three times I've been here with friends, we had dinner elsewhere and informed the hostess here that we just wanted dessert. Last time I was here, you could have unlimited things to dip into the chocolate as long as you still had chocolate left in the pot, but I recently went to another Melting Pot that charged for extras, so I'm not sure if it's still gratis. Anyway! They give you cheesecakes, poundcakes, strawberries, marshmallows and more! If you have to choose one item to get extra of, I'd suggest the strawberries, it'll make you feel the least guilty. For dessert, it's not *as* expensive as the three-course (great for people on a budget). Sometimes, if the server is nice, they will drizzle extra chocolate on your extras if you're running low on chocolate in the pot :) I really like the Yin Yang and Flaming Turtle varieties! Also, if you're coming for the three-course meal, be prepared to wash/dryclean the clothes you're wearing (and maybe even air out the bag you're carrying). The odors/fondue vapors have a way of clinging onto you :/
(4)
Lorena B.
3.75 stars I used the recent Living Social deal for 4 courses for $40. Regularly this would have cost over $100 so be prepared to spend some dough. We started with the Wisconsin Trio cheese fondue, which was delicious, and served with fresh bread, veggies, and Granny Smith apples for dipping. The apples were a great combination! For the second course, I chose the California salad, which was mixed greens with tomatoes, Gorgonzola, and candied pecans. I ate every bite, so you know it was good if I polished off a stupid salad! The entrees are meh. The Fondue Delight is an assortment of fillet mignon, shrimp, chicken, veggies, mushroom pasta, and 2 lobster tails. It sounds good but it's kind of hard to cook everything evenly. For example, the server said it would take 2 minutes for the fillet to be well done. My friend set the alarm on his phone (because it's so very hard to just look at the clock). When we fished out the fillet, it was cooked on the outside but still rare inside. We tossed it back in the pot and naturally it got overcooked. For dessert, we went with the dark chocolate and marshmallow fondue. I'm not a huge chocolate fan but once in a while, it hits the spot. This was one of those times. I just wish they included more fruit or plain pound cake for dipping. The marshmallows, cheesecake, and brownies are sugar overkill for me. Lastly, don't come here if you have somewhere to be afterward. We arrived 10 minutes early for our 8:30 reservation and weren't seated until 8:50. I don't blame the restaurant- I'm sure people linger over their courses, require explanations for cooking, etc. We didn't leave until around 11 and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Definitely a cool place to visit once a year or so.
(4)
Lauren S.
My friend and I came to the melting pot for her birthday dinner last night. It was a special birthday, and I called ahead to speak to the manager to ask if the restaurant could do anything special. Upon our arrival, it was evident that the manager and the team went above and beyond to make the evening special. Our table had balloons and chocolate covered strawberries waiting for us! Our waiter was polite, knowledgable, and personable. Start to finish the meal, drinks, and timing of the courses was perfect. For dessert our treats came with a candle AND the hostess came to take our picture. Shortly after she returned with it printed in frames for each of us. Thank you for making such a wonderful evening! Start to finish the food and service was top notch. We will be back :)
(5)
Heather J.
I like the Melting Pot, and this location is convenient (right off the highway) with plenty of parking. Like most other Melting Pots, it has a nice atmosphere with very private booths - you can't see and can barely hear any other people. Our waiter was super nice and was good about bringing extra sauces, veggies, and dippers for the chocolate course. As for the food, everything was fresh and tasty. For our cheese course, we chose the Wisconsin trio, which was great. I love the tangy dressing on their house salad and enjoyed all the meats and the potstickers that came with the Pacific Rim entree. We also got the Classic entree, which was good, as well. For our cooking style, we chose the coq au vin, which added flavor to the meats and vegetables without overpowering their flavor. For the chocolate course, we got the s'mores, and we all really liked it. I'll be back to the Melting Pot!
(4)
Corey W.
The overall rating is mixed. The food and service, absolutely gets 4-stars. Nice variety of different "dips" and meats/veggies. Vinny was our waiter and was great. We had living social coupons and he explained the process and was great at what he did. Three-stars for the pricing. I realize why it is pricier than most places, but if it wasn't for the coupon we wouldn't have gone. If you don't drink, it's doable, but drink prices seemed high - although the selection of beer was good and the wives had mixed drinks that they really liked. Overall, I would go again with a coupon. It's more of an experience and is great to go with friends.
(4)
Supraja M.
Went for dessert & champagne to celebrate with a friends who just got engaged that day. Our reservation was 9:30, but with a delayed entrance by the guests of honor and the excitement when they did finally show up, we didn't end up ordering until about 10:30, at which point the rest of the restaurant was already empty. Our waitress was great! She was just the right level of attentive, keeping us in sugar & booze until well after they closed--we were there until about midnight. So: great service! Keep it up!
(5)
Melissa H.
I can always count on a wonderful dinner at The Melting Pot!
(5)
Elizabeth S.
I never been to the melting pot before, and I have always wanted to try. So when living social was having this deal I grabbed it. Anyways, we arrive at about 5:45 (late for reservation) but they were not busy so we got to sit down right away. Our server Joey (?) came all happy and ready to assist us. The living social deal had the classic fondue so we try that. Ordered the house and Cesar salad (meh), ordered the cheddar cheese fondue (Meh) also, and had the Coq Au Vin cooking style. I was NOT impressed. The wine taste was overpowering EVERYTHING. I don't know if it was supposed to taste like that or something got messed up. It was really hard to eat, which made the meat tasting meh because the wine just killed it. I was really not happy at this point. So then, the chocolate fondue came and omg it was amazing. We had the Ying & Yang version and the waiter was so nice not to mess up the design. It was really good, sweet, and amazing. However, I felt like the portion size was so tiny. You basically got two of everything, two mini cheese cake, two marshmallows, two Oreo covered marshmallows, two rice krispies treats. I felt for the price of 15$ was not worth it. Overall, I was not impressed. I did love the chocolate fondue, maybe that's what I'll get next time if I come back. I wouldn't really touch anything else...
(2)
Pilar M.
This place smelled so disgusting like steamed socks with old fish stuffed inside. We walked in and were so overcome with the smell that we immediately walked out. Somehow, the stench followed us into our brand new car and permeated our clothing and hair. We were only inside for 5 seconds!!!! The staff deserves hazard pay. I used to love cheese until tonight.
(1)
Amanda B.
If you've been to one melting pot, you've been to them all. I've never had a drastically different experience from place to place, but I think my perception of what's really good and what isn't has changed over the years. My boyfriend and I have been to this location twice now with Livingsocial/Groupon deals for the 4-courser, which includes cheese fondue, a salad, two entrees, and a chocolate fondue. The entrees included were the classic entree and the regular vegetable broth cooking liquid. You have to add $ for different cooking liquid styles or entrees. Now that I'm more of a "foodie", I don't find the food at melting pot to be that amazing. And by food, I mean the entree course in particular. If you try to portion out your meat, as most of us are doing these days, you'll find it's just way too much to eat at once. It's also just kind of, eh. Think semi-bland meat soaking in semi-bland stock and you get the idea. You also definitely DO NOT need a salad on top of the other 3 courses. My suggestion would be to skip the entree course all together, and just go for a bottle of wine, a cheese fondue (try the fiesta or cheddar), and a dessert fondue (love the chocolate turtle and yin & yang), with maybe a salad in between (California is my fav) if you need that to tide you over. That's plenty for a meal for two, much cheaper, and you still get to have the real fondue experience. Otherwise, the wait staff is always courteous and usually on top of things at this, and other melting pot establishments I've been to. My only complaint is you sometimes get the feeling they're trying to rush you along. I get it, because typical table-time during this experience is 1 1/2- 2 hours, but it's a lot of pressure if you want to be leisurely.
(3)
Amanda L.
My friend was craving for cheese fondue and yep, here we go. I am not crazy about cheese pot, as I always like spicy food, like real Chinese hot pot. But, I heard this is worth a try. We don't eat much, so we shared one meat combo entree and one vegetable entree. We thought the cheese fondue would be all along the dinner, but they actually changed the pot base 2 times: for appetizer, you have cheese fondue at your choice; for entree, you can choose a different broth; for dinner, it's chocolate fondue. The pot was very hot, even the handle, so be really careful when you want to hold the handle. I hope they could develop some pots where the handle wouldn't be super hot after heating, because, come on, every household has the pot where the handle keeps cold while cooking. I specially like their 6 kinds of sauce for dipping the meat, including mango, yogurt, cocktail and three other sauces. Each sauce tasted so good that you can just eat the sauce without dipping anything into it. lol
(4)
Mindy F.
Yummy yummy yummy!!! GREAT service! We made reservations - which was a very good idea.
(5)
Carmen S.
Had a living social deal that expired this month so I had to check it out. The waiter made the experience so much better than the food. Joey shined tonight. 1. Artichoke and spinach cheese was good, even though it looks like you can easily make it at home. 2. Caesar salad was okay. Not a fan of pine nuts. 3. Main dish. "Classic" was just bad. I rather go to a Korean restaurant instead of having to guess for overlooked or undercooked meat. Not for those who don't really cook at home! Unless you ask the waiter for specific time: shrimp 1min30, everything else 2 mins. But realized it was more like 5 for medium well meats. 4. The cookies and cream dessert. The highlight of the night. Strawberries, cheesecake, brownie thing, cake, rice crispies, bananas. Oh so good. Total price with a bottle of red moscato $101 and then plus tax! Too much for boiled meats with some broccoli, very little potatoes, and mushrooms. I guess people go for the fondue experience but I definitely think it's not worth $101. Not going back again.
(2)
Ashwin T.
3 courses, 3 ratings: -Cheese fondue to start: 4* -Savory broth fondue entree: 3* -Chocolate fondue dessert: 5* Melting pot stretches the fondue concept to encompass all courses. I'm not actually a fan of traditional swiss cheese fondues (not the melting pot's fault; i hated it in switzerland too), but the veggies dipped in spinach artichoke cheese dip totally hit the spot for me. The extension to dessert works great. That to entrees is.. meh. As someone who is a huge fan of asian style spicy hot pot, I just dont think this rendition measures up. The broth just doesnt have enough flavor to make the meat really tasty. My server deserves a shout out for being personable, professional and generally on top of things.
(4)
Janine G.
okay, so let me preface by saying i am not the pickiest eater despite what my girlfriends say! some may claim the terrible service was b/c i was asking for too much...a straw (in less than 20 minutes), some ice in my soda, a refill, the right order, take my check (in less than 30 minutes) and more...it was a hot mess. She explained the lobster add on ALL WRONG and we sent back 2 of the 4...we thought we were getting ONE roll for $15 for the whole table. smh - it was a hot hot mess...next time (if i go back) i will ask for my meal to be comp'd! the manager was apologetic and said the server had a family emergency to attend to...so why did NO ONE come help us...i could have walked away and not paid and they'd NEVER notice...geez. food? okay, it's all about the experience here, not top notch quality.
(2)
Tom A.
Always a good time at Melting Pot. Great wait staff. Any time you can spend time twirling bread in melted cheese can't be bad.
(4)
Steven W.
I've been sitting on this review for almost two months waiting for some type of inspiration. I've realized now it's just not going to happen. That kind of sums up "The Melting Pot" for me. I can't give it more than three stars because they don't cook anything. The cheese fondue appetizer, and the Chocolate/Turtle/Dark Chocolate/White Chocolate dipping sauces for dessert are fun and satisfying. The main courses; I will not eat again...just not into boiling meat in a broth that gets in your clothes and doesn't leave. I will say the service is very good here and my kids love it! We did a birthday party here and a bunch of girls had the time of their lives. It's not cheap, so I can see splurging for a birthday type event. I wouldn't recommend it for dinner, but it's fun to take the kids to for the previously mentioned cheese and dessert. 2 Stars for entrees 3 Stars for all other food 4 Stars for service
4-stars for service and desserts, and much less for everything else. The meal was complicated, not particularly tasty (except for the dessert), overly lengthy, and way too expensive for the quality of the overall product. I'm not sure I would go back again...
(3)
Jamie M.
My husband and I went for Valentine's Day. We had made reservations earlier in the week, and were surprised to be able to get in. We loved fondu places, since we had live in Colorado and went to the Mona Lisa. We ordered the special meal. The cheddar beer cheese dip was super, and we were excited to see if the rest would be as awesome. Unfortunately, when the main course came up, the meat was very little, and seasoned weird. Not everything we had was good. The broth even had a strange taste. The chocolate at the end of the meal was awesome. So for the future, we will only come here to order the cheese and chocolate meal choices, as apposed to a full meal. It was pricey for what we received, and we didn't enjoy the main course.
(2)
Chris G.
Food was great (4 stars) but did not care for waitress (3 stars to our specific waitress) which can be a big part of the dinning experience. I've been to the melting pot in DC a few times and always had good servers. Overall food was good but its a bit pricey. I would give it a 3.5 overall but yelp only allows for 3 or 4.
(3)
Orlangela A.
She said..."Went here because we found a good deal on living social. It was 38$ for a 4 course dinner for 2. So the cheese fondue is obviously good...who doesn't love to dip random foods into melted cheese? I do. We got the cheddar cheese and it was really yummy. The house salad is also pretty good...just small. The actual entree is not good at all. Its an assortment of meats to cook in broth...they usually turn up to be tough and just not good. If it weren't for the cheese and desert here, we would never go here. The actual entrees alone are not good at all. The desert is where its at!! The milk chocolate fondue is sooooo yummy! We dipped it in strawberries, cheesecake, rice krispy treats and bananas. They also give you more food if you run out and still have chocolate left. If we ever come back to place, it will be for the cheese and the desert only. And if you don't have a coupon from groupon or living social, your bill is going to be like 100$." He said..."
(3)
Jayne C.
Now my husband and I love Melting Pot, especially their "Military Monday" 20% off. That's the best military discount I've seen yet and it is so appreciated. We've dined as parties of two and three on Mondays at this and other locations without a problem until our last visit. I always call to confirm they're still offering the promotion, the hostess told me yes. This particular night we were taking my father-in-law to dinner here since he's never been. When the bill came only my and my husband's meals were discounted. When we questioned that the manager came over. He explained quite gruffly the discount is per couple. Since we were a party of 3 instead of 2 or 4, the discount doesn't apply to the odd man out. We explained we've never had this problem before, even at this location! He didn't care. It is what it is.. that was his attitude. What happened to the customer is always right? At the very least adjust this meal and say ok but next time. I was so angry I even emailed the district manager, who of course never responded. We will not be returning to this location, I expect better customer service than that.
(1)
Jamie E.
Overall a great experience!! The food, drinks and staff were fantastic!!
(5)
Stephanie S.
Love this place- great staff and great manager - don't remember the name but he was once a waiter and got promoted. Love the setting and the service is always great. Food and drinks are amazing!!! Should be 5 stars for sure!!!
(5)
Tu-van L.
Great concept, dated menu options. Still a good meal as whatever meal you end up getting you don't ever leave hungry. Especially if they're running a promotion for a free cheese fondue or whatever promotion they're offering.
(2)
Ca D.
I love this place. I went for my birthday. The drinks are good and it's fun to cook your own food. Def need the yin yang half white/milk chocolate dessert. We were also there past closing and were never rushed once. It is on the pricier side. The only reason I took away one star was because they messed up our cheese fondue and said we could get a round of free drinks. They ended up charging us for all drinks I later realized.
(4)
Ben C.
This continues to be one of our favorite restaurants in the area, and not just for chocolate fondue. If you are willing to shell out some extra bucks and devote more than an hour to your meal, you won't be disappointed. My wife and I are not wine drinkers but they have a wide selection of non-alcoholic options for beverages. My wife gets a bottle of specialty iced tea from Republic of Tea (for the tea snobs). I get a blackberry sage lemonade where you can really taste the blackberry and sage. For years we got the Fiesta cheese fondue as our first dish, a spicy mix of salsa, jalapenos and a thick cheddar. It's not on the menu anymore but they'll make it if you ask for it. We like at least half the jalapenos added to the mix so its really spicy! They give you chips, bread, apples and veggies to dip. Now, I'm not a salad person but I really enjoy the house salad with house dressing. Maybe it's the ham and egg that makes it more filling. For entrees, we usually go for the pick three fondue. You get to choose the flavor of the fondue pot and we always get mojo since the lime, orange juice and cilantro add great flavors to the meat that you cook in it and is a great complement to seafood. My wife gets Angus sirloin, sushi-grade tuna and a lobster tail. I usually get Angus sirloin, BBQ pork and duck a l'orange (though sometime fillet). The meats are always high quality cuts. Both the BBQ pork and the duck have a great marinade flavor to them that I never tire of. And with all the different sauces available! You can find the perfect flavor to complement anything you've cooked. I use Teriaki sauce on the sirloin, ginger plum sauce on the pork/duck, and yogurt curry on the mushroom caps (every entree pot comes with assorted veggies). There's so much variety of flavor in one meal. And since you cook the food yourself, you've got no one else to blame if it's not cooked right. For some people this might be a pain but I enjoy making sure my fillet is exactly the shade of medium that I like and I get exactly as much sauce on each piece as I want. For dessert, the chocolate can't be beat. My wife and I love dark chocolate and there are a lot of great flavored liquors you can add like butterscotch schnapps or creme de minthe. Our favorite lately is "dulce de leche" which mixes in caramel and sea salt with the dark chocolate, giving you a tasty salty and sweet flavor. Like with the cheese fondue, you get endless dippers and we usually ask for extras of the strawberries and rice krispy treats. Of course with four courses, you're likely to be completely stuffed when you're done and that's after two hours at the restaurant. We'll usually skip cheese and/or salad if we want a quicker meal but the entree always takes some time since you cook as you go along. Still this allows for great conversation time so it's not surprising that this restaurant is popular for dates. The food isn't cheap. Without alcohol, we usually spend around $100 for four courses for two people. Some people might think that's a lot to spend when you're cooking your own food. We think it's worth it. I've had very few meals that compare with this place in terms of variety of options and quality of ingredients. One last mention--the staff. They're always very friendly and helpful. After going here for a few years, we've gotten to know many of the staff by name. It's not uncommon for us to get a complimentary fillet with our entrees or to get one of the better booths tucked away in a corner (less noisy).
(5)
Aisha S.
I came here with two friends and we had some service problems but I still enjoyed it and would come back. It is a little pricey, which I didn't expect, but I think it was worth it because of the overall dining experience and atmosphere. The main problem was that the menu was complicated for us first-timers and the waitress did not explain it well. We ended up paying extra for the dessert when we thought dessert was included in the 4-course option we ordered. (And we all clearly remember her telling us it was included.) We would have told her it needs to be taken off because she gave us wrong information, but the price evened out because she forgot to include a salad on the bill. I enjoyed the food--even the meats which came raw and had to be cooked in the fondue pot. It didn't look great, but it tasted good and I didn't get food poisoning! The veggies and cheese were okay, but the best part was the dessert and drinks. I ordered the Yin-Yang cocktail which has chocolate shavings, Godiva liquer, vodka, ice cream, and some other stuff. The best way I can describe it is perfection. It is a chocoholic's wet dream. My friend got the non-alcoholic Blackberry Sage Lemonade which was also amazing. Overall, this is a great place for special occasions when you want a different and more social dining experience. I would come back here mainly for the experience and for the desserts and drinks.
(4)
Alyson W.
You really can't have a bad meal at the Melting Pot. Their cheese & chocolate is to die for, and it's awesome that they'll give you extra dippers if you ask for them. The reason for only giving them 4 stars is because it seemed as though they didn't give us as much cheese & chocolate as they have in the past - my husband and I killed the pot in less than 5 minutes, haha. I got a cosmo as well and it was delicious. If I could do it over, I would not get the drink, because it made me really full and I'd rather eat the cheese/chocolate than have the drink. All in all, Melting Pot is always a delicious choice. You really can't go wrong here!
(4)
Mariella B.
Been here once and I don't understand why it costs so much for dinner when I'm cooking it!?! Blah blah yeah yeah it's the experience that matters. Came here for ky sister's birthday and we got a couple bottles of wine, cheese, and meats. I was too freaked out to cook my meats without getting food poisoning so I definitely over cooked everything. Our steamed dumplings managed to dissapear is the pot. The dinner part was a complete failure but the dessert was delish with the yin and yang. Came with strawberries, bananas, pound cake, and other items I couldn't remember. Also when my sister made the reservation they asked if it was a special occasion and she said it was her birthday. Who ever booked our reservation thought she wanted their Birthday Package which included balloons and some kind of gift. The whole night we were wondering who brought the gift and balloons. We soon found out when we saw the extra $50 for the Birthday Package....way to try and rip us off. We won't be coming back for dinner but maybe dessert for one of their specials like Girls Night Out every second Thursday. BTW service here blows some serious Richard because they suck...if you're a stickler for great service...go look else where.
First time at MP - we had dinner here last night with a group of 6 for Teacher Appreciation Night ($29 per person plus tax - an unbelievable deal for the quality and quantity of food we received), which included: - Cheese fondue (choice of two) - we got the cheddar and spinach artichoke, and included veggie dippers, bread, and tortilla chips - Individual salad (I got the house salad with peppercorn dressing - excellent) - Meat/protein dippers - filet mignon, teryiaki beef, chicken, shrimp, and mushroom sachetti (think mushroom-filled ravioli) with two cooking styles - the broth and hot oil (for frying) - Chocolate fondue (s'mores and a dark chocolate/dulce de leche combo) - and 79 (maybe it was less) different types of accompanying sauces (my favorite was the horseradish-type one) Everything was extremely delicious and filling - our only troubles were figuring out how to control the heat for the oil so that our meat didn't come out crispy on the outside and undercooked on the inside (I may have accidentally eaten raw chicken on the first attempt - so far, I'm still alive!). Eventually, we got the hang of it. The booths were a bit cramped for 6 people - not sure if they have non-booth tables for larger groups but everyone was able to have access to each of the hot pots. Our server was excellent with a great sense of humor and very patient. We came in at 8:00pm and left at 11:00pm - this is certainly a meal to be enjoyed slowly and with good friends and family!
(5)
Katherine L.
Second visit here. Food was decent just as it was on my first visit. The biggest game changer and what got them 4 vs. 2 stars.... our server Alex. He was EXTREMELY polite, attentive, very accommodating and had great recommendations. He was not at all affected by the fact that we had a Living Social voucher. As a semi-frequent living social user, (as many of you might be able to relate) you get a certain vibe/look when you present a voucher than when you don't. Yes, the voucher is a deal however, if I want additional items not included I have no issues paying extra and do not restrict myself.
My wife and I have gone to this location several times and it has been consistently excellent. The food is delicious and impressively filling (while the main course can seem a little small the cheese appetizer compensates wonderfully). Also make sure to leave a little room for dessert since the melted chocolate is a great end to the evening.
(5)
Natasha S.
My first time here after hearing about it for several years. My partner and I found a Livingsocial deal and decided to try it out. I will say even with the deal, everything is really overpriced. The restaurant is dimmed lighted and quiet. Has a calming romantic type of feel. I could see this being a good date spot. The booths are kind of intimate and very private. We walked in to a not so warm and friendly hostess asking if we had a reservation. I let her know that we did not and she seated us immediately. Our server was nice but really all over the place. I couldn't tell if he was new or just overwhelmed. The side of the restaurant that we were sitting in wasn't busy for the majority of the time we were there so I don't know why he was so stressed. But he forgot our refills and didn't check in with us as much as he should. We were sitting for a good 30 minutes waiting to order our entree. Also overhearing him with the patrons next to us, he didn't describe the entrees like he did with the others and definitely checked on them much more than us which irked me. This is essentially the American version of Asian hot pot. For an appetizer you can select from their four cheese fondue options, and they bring you cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes and stale bread to dip. We picked the classic alpine cheese fondue, it had a bitter after taste and really just tasted of pure wine. We each got a salad, my partner got the house salad which is just iceberg and romaine lettuce with cheese, croutons and sliced egg drenched in ranch dressing. I ordered the spinach with portobello mushroom, bacon bits and red onion in a balsamic vinagrette. My salad did not have portobello mushrooms, it was raw sliced white cap mushrooms. The dressing was overly sweet. This was probably hands down the worst salad I have ever had in my life - and I LOVE salads. It's a favorite food of mine. For our entrees, we ordered the Pacific white shrimp and wild mushroom sacchetti and the complimentary stock which really was just a vegetable broth. I recognized the smell of the broth as a boullion broth that I have purchased in the store and made at home. They brought out different dipping sauces, all pretty heavy cream or sugar based. You cook the entree items in the broth for the time directed by your server and then dip it in the sauce for final eating. They then also bring out veggies to eat with your entree, broccoli, mushroom caps and diced potatoes. The food was good. But was it REALLY good? No. The ingredients are not high quality, and just for what we ordered, it would had been over $80 without the Livingsocial coupon which I think is horrendous. This place is extremely overpriced for the quality of ingredients they serve, and the boullion cubed broth. If everything was of higher quality I could understand why this restaurant is so popular but to me, it was everything you could do at home for much cheaper. I understand the whole concept being appealing and romantic or fun to do with a group, but when you are charging as much as they charge, you need to be able to use high quality or at least higher quality items then what they are using. The broth should be made in house, and the dressings and dips shouldn't be all sugar and from a bottle. We were turned off by this point that we didn't care to do dessert. And maybe that is the best part, but our experience was disappointing. I would never return and never suggest this place to someone. While the concept is great, I'd love to see a restaurant do the same thing but 100 times better.
(1)
Erin M.
The melting pots living social deal is amazing my mom and I teamed up and made our own surf and turf she had steak and I had old bay shrimp both were great! Also the fiesta cheese was awesome! Our server was very attentive and helped us make good choices!
(4)
Ledbetter A.
It's been a tradition for me to go with my family to The Melting Pot every Mothers' Day. We all enjoy the food prep and the fun that we have whilst doing it. Specially the chocolate fondue. This year we were a little disappointed by the tuna but part from that everything was delicious and fabulous and a great time was had by all. Our server Megan was a delight and really hustled to get things to us. Totally loved her.
(4)
Rosa S.
We came for our granddaughter's birthday party and it was faboulous. we enjoyed the food and waitress was very firendly
(4)
Brithany B.
The customer service was excellent, but the food was expensive for what you get (even with the deal). My friends and I went for the "Doll-Up event" deal where it was 4 course meal for $27. We came in and we were basically the only people who dressed up for the event in vintage, old hollywood style. We got seated at a corner booth which was nice and spacious for about 5-6 people even though we were a group of 4. We started out with some cheese fondue and salad. The salad was delicious. As for fondue, we decided to get the fiesta cheese and the spinach dip. The spinach dip was such a big hit with our group that it was gone in a matter of seconds. The entree was a little weird. The server came back with a plate that had some raw meat, shrimp, ravioli, and veggies. We basically had to plop in the raw food in some soup and pull it out after a couple minutes. Unfortunately the waitress didn't really mention that the co au vin wasn't part of the deal and we got charged $6 extra which we weren't too happy about. The dessert fondues were excellent and were the most memorable part of the whole experience. We got the s'mores dip and milk chocolate dip with fruits, cake, and brownies on the side for dipping. Since we were there for the event, someone came to take a picture of our group and later gave us the photo as a keepsake. Next time, I will just go back just for the dessert fondue.
(3)
Hannah D.
We purchased a living social deal for a three course dinner. As instructed on the deAl, we could not use it on a Saturday and needed to let our server know at the beginning of the meal. We made a reservation for Friday and requested a private booth for 2. We arrived for our reservation and were told it would be a few minutes for our table. I have no issue with this as I will grab a drink in the bar. The bartender was super friendly. We waited about 10 minutes for a table and we were sat at a booth for 6 people with two burners. It was a more private booth but it was huge. I really would have preferred a booth for just two since it was awkward sitting in a huge booth. Our waitress was very attentive and provided an amazing level of service. She was able to hold a conversation and I enjoyed talking with her. The only issue was a piece of cork in my wine glass from our bottle. (I get it, it happens). The manager offered us a discount on the wine- that's always nice! Our living social deal came with cheese, salad, and meat entrees. We decided to order two cheese fondues and skip the chocolate. The alpine cheese fondue is delicious! Overall, it was a very enjoyable evening.
(4)
Alex And Katya O.
Must have fondue experience When we arrived we dived straight into the "you pick 3" entrees. We chose the Jamaican jerk filet, premium filet, pacific white shrimp, honey orange duck breast, and teriyaki sirloin to be cooked in the vegetable bouillon. All the meats came accompanied by 6 different sauces each unique in flavor. All tasty aside from the duck which we did enjoy based on texture and taste (yes I've had duck many times before). The server, who was fun, attentive, and polite, replaced the duck with a meat of our choice at no extra cost. Dessert was awesome! One portion of dessert is enough for two people! Dont spend the money on 2. Overall the restaurant is pricey. Taste wise i'd give it four stars but due to the unique, memorable, and fun experience, 5 stars.
(5)
Kristen H.
One of the most unique restaurants in our area! I went here last night with some girlfriends for cheese and chocolate. I've always liked the relaxed and intimate feel of this place, every table seems like its own little nook. The cheese and chocolate blends are very inventive and combine all types of flavors. The chocolate we got was with marshmallow, graham cracker crumbs and milk chocolate to make a s'mores mixture, to die for! Luckily we also went during national cheese fondue week so the cheese was free! Our server Katrina was super friendly and talkative which made the experience that much better. Also a tip: Ladies night is every 2nd Thursday of the month and you'll get the whole 4 course meal for 27.99! I wouldn't come here often just because it is a tad pricey but deals like that make it more worthwhile!
(4)
Marivic L.
I hit up The Melting Pot with a couple of friends. Let's face it, you can't really go there alone, can you? Hmm. Maybe I'll do that one day. The first and last time I'd been to The Melting Pot was over 10 years ago, so it was almost new to me. We decided to do a three course meal. The cheese course was good. I'm not even that much of a cheese lover, but you pick a cheese and dunk away with chunks of bread, veggies, and fruit. I actually wanted to eat more cheese after that. I almost wished I had one less friend with me. J/K. OK, maybe I'm NOT kidding. The second course was the main course. We ended up ordering filet, shrimp, and chicken. Yup, had to cover all the bases. After asking the server which broth would be best, he recommended the mojo for all the different meats. He was right. All of the items tasted good and, since you have six sauces to choose from, you can make your own little concoction. The third course was dessert. Little cubes of yellow cake, red velvet, brownies, fruit, marshmallows, rice crispy treats, etc. If you like dessert at all, you'd find something you like on the plate. Oh yeah, they also give you a big ol' slice of cheesecake which I thought was odd. I guess you can't slice that into a cube? Maybe they'd melt and fall in. I dunno. All I know is, the turtle chocolate (chocolate, caramel, nuts that are flamed) was sweet and good. The food won't blow you away here, but it's good - and fun enough with a couple, or a group, of friends. It kinda beat a standard dinner cuz sometimes you just want something different when you're hanging with your homies.
(3)
Amy H.
What a waste of money! We made reservations for NYE, and were horribly disappointed. While we have enjoyed many other Melting Pot restaurants, this is not one we will be returning to. While we knew they had a fixed menu for NYE, we called ahead since we are vegetarians and were told there was a vegetarian option. It was the same price as the omnivorous option that included lobster and steak, while ours was mostly cut up veggies -- and a stingy amount, too. Our service was rushed, and we felt they were just trying to get us out as quickly as possible. I understand they were busy on NYE but we would have gone somewhere else where we could have taken our time. The worst part was that we were given a "champagne" toast that we didn't ask for -- and charged for it! I thought they were trying to make up for the disparity in price for our meal, but no, turns out it was just a mix-up. I didn't even discover it until I looked at the receipt upon returning home, so could not do anything about it. We have had wonderful, amazing experiences at other Melting Pot restaurants in other states and were really looking forward to this holiday meal. But even though we're recently moved to this area, we will be finding another MP to frequent and not give this one any more of our business.
(1)
Boris S.
Cheddar Cheese Fondue (5/5 NOMs) Its all about The Game of Cheese. Are you ready for cheesedventure? Our multi course meal starts off with your choice of cheese fondue. Its like an explosion of cheesy cheddar and swiss goodness. It was so fun to dip different veggies into cheesy goodness. You just have to try this and all the other FUNdoe goodies! Chocolate S'mores Fondue (6/5 NOMs) Set the chocolate world a flame! They start off by setting the marshmallow cream on fire right there. Now this is hot! Dam this is the most chocolaty dish I've ever had. Bring out the nomnom goodies like bananas, marshmallows, and cheesecake and dip them into the gooey chocolate fondue. You just have to try this and all the other FUNdoe goodies!
(5)
Saby M.
I absolutely love this place. I've been at least four times and every time I've had awesome service, even while doing the 5 course experience at the bar, and the food is always amazing. I've tried 3 of the cheese fondues and four of the dessert fondues and I can't wait to try more. If you've never been, I would recommend the 5 course experience definitely, but make sure you go in hungry... And don't feel obligated to finish each course!
(5)
Troy H.
Love melting pot when it's cooler outside, I have a special event, or.I'm.on an intimate date. It's a super fun and unique experience. Fondue. Most people have never fon-did it. You start with the cheddar cheese, move on ti the main course auth the coq au vin cooking style, and finish with the dark chocolate fondue. If you have never experienced this, you have to. Melting pot does it right. If Jeffery is still serving there, make sure you request him. He is awesome.
(4)
Karen S.
I like that they've started offering LivingSocial deals, though they do sell out fast! I've gone twice in the last six months because of two different deals :) I found the service to be very slow both times, though the servers were pleasant. I spent about 3 hours each time there, sitting around waiting when I was finished with each course. I guess they just expect that it should be a long, luxurious dinner? More recently, the lights in my section kept going bright, then dark, leaving us sometimes with extreme mood lighting and other times basically squinting. It was weird-- we told the waitress, who told her manager, but nobody ever solved the problem (for over three hours!). The food is always solid-- it's hard to mess up melty cheese and chocolate and meat you cook yourself! My boyfriend thinks their marinades are a little salty and lean garlicky, but I am a fan of both things, so I think their flavors are spot on. My favorite cheese is probably the fiesta one and my favorite chocolate is the yin and yang, which is very pretty. Last time, the main course was just "The Classic," but this time, they upgraded (in my opinion): instead of angus sirloin and pork medallion, we got filet mignon and wild mushroom sachetti. The filet was very tender and the sachetti was yummy. Both times, we got shrimp, herb-crusted chicken and teriyaki sirloin. The teriyaki sirloin was borderline inedible the first time I went (so crazy chewy, no matter how I cooked it), but was good this time. They always try to upsell you on the cooking style, but I think the complimentary vegetable broth is just fine. Everything is pretty well seasoned already, and if not, you can use one of the six sauces they give you. I recommend coming if you have a deal (look for others if LivingSocial isn't available) and if you have a lot of time to spend on dinner.
(4)
Minn L.
We had a lovely dinner here! It was a Friday night and it was pretty full but not too noisy. I recommend making reservations and getting a coupon beforehand though. Our server Isaac made the best recommendations and made sure we had everything we needed. We went with a LivingSocial deal (definitely recommend going with one as it can get pricey) and got the coq au vin broth (so flavorful and very well paired with red meats) with the filet mignon and duck breast as entrees. The duck breast was the most tender meat and was deliciously flavored. While the plum sauce went well with the duck, the six dipping sauces they give you were a bit lacking in general. We were worried that the meat would not be filling but they give you surprisingly well-portioned servings and the veggies (broccoli, potato, and mushroom) are unlimited so no worries on filling up. Remember to save room for chocolate at the end! You can order just 1 serving and share. Again, the fruits and desserts for dipping are unlimited, but you'll probably be really full by then :)
(4)
Eric K.
Great environment and enough good food to fill you up. I just wish I had more lobster! Get the "Big Night Out" three-course meal if you can. And the girlfriend WILL love the milk chocolate & strawberries! Trust me!
(5)
A A.
Great place for a date night. While the main course is nothing spectacular. Def worth the visit for the various cheese pot apetizers and especially Chocolate fondue. Service is friendly. Mixed drinks are a bit on the lighter side for their price. Overall a place that you either come for the entertainment of seeing your food cook or your a real chocolate fan.
(4)
Nikki V.
This place was okay. This is our first time at this location. It is located in a plaza. We had a reservation but it wasn't people waiting in line. So we could've walked in without a reservation. The dinner was delicious. The down side is we went during restaurant week and the portions of food were slim. We had went to other melting pots during restaurant week and they gave more food. Our waiter was not great. We've had better and faster service. There were times we were waiting on him to return and waiting for food to eat because he took so long to come back and check on us. We had to stop several other waiters and waitress to get him because we didn't know how long it would take him to return. Then he started forgetting to bring things we requested. Sooooo melting pot...you need to step it up at this location. Not sure if I will return!!! :(
(2)
David N.
Food was great but the service was terrible compared to the reston location. This melting pot is way better at reston location. The food is the same but the service is better. Everything was explained to us on the 4 course meal. There was more cheese added in the fondue, more chocolate added in the chocolate fondue. There was butter given to us where we did not have at the gaithersburg location. There was garlic and wine spices given to us too. All this added at the reston location where we did not get at the gaithersburg location and we ordered the same meal.
(3)
Roy S.
Grabbed the living social and was curious how it would play out. Friendly waitress who explained everything and was prompt with everything. Had the 4 course meal, started with the Swiss cheese (overpowered by the wine) which I liked but my gf didn't. Caesar salads were average, nothing to write home about. (I don't like sweet pine nuts, the gf did) The special came with a nice assortment of meats, mushroom ravioli, and shrimp. Not huge portions but plenty for two people. Shrimp and chicken were good and I probably cooked the beef a little too long, but otherwise solid. Good assortment of dipping sauces. Had the flambe chocolate which was quite tasty. Not a large amount of dippers but by this time you are pretty full. Rice crispy treats and marshmallows are overkill for me when dipped in chocolate. I prefer more fruit and cheesecake but that's personal. Overall a good meal, but I would not come back unless I had another living social because the normal prices are a tad high. I have come for just dessert which is fine because you can get more dippers.
(3)
Debora V.
I went there a few weeks ago and then again last weekend. Both times we had a great meal. Servers are very nice and informative. The food was excellent, and soooo much food! It is very expensive thou, and I would not recommend going with a large party, but it is just my perception.
(4)
Alexa S.
My boyfriend and I went for our anniversary. The service was outstanding, our server was friendly and the management even came to check on us. It was a great "do it yourself" meal. The cheese was okay, could use some more interesting dippers. The salad was so-so, nothing to rave about. But the entree was AWESOME!!! don't remember what it was called but it was veggies, steak and shrimp. It was cooked in the red wine marinade (also don't remember the name). We got the milk chocolate fondue and it was GREAT!! I loved all the dippers (brownies, cookies, marshmallows, Rice Krispies, strawberries, bananas).... Would definitely visit again soon. A bit pricey but definitely worth it in my opinion.
This place was fun and service was incredible! Kevin, our server, made the meal really enjoyable. Food was plentiful and tasty (particularly the cheese fondue and the chocolate - I could've skipped the entree). The drawbacks are that it was expensive and the entrees take a while to cook (not to be attempted in a hurry). My husband and I ate here tonight and the bill came to about $65 before tip. I would go back but only as a special treat
(4)
Amy W.
Hosted a birthday party at the Melting Pot in Gaithersburg, Maryland for my sixteen year old son. The service was great in the beginning; however, once the food was delivered our server was no where to be found. Given this dinner cost over $400. for six people and was a special occasion I would have thought that our server would check to see if we needed refills or extra vegetables...especially since we were only give two small bowls of vegetables for six people. I also question the cheese proportions...we had two pots on our table; however, the amount of cheese in each pot appeared to be the same amount as I would get for a party of two. We dine here frequently and have hosted other special occasions and typically with more people the pots are filled proportionate to the number of people dining. I would also have thought that since our birthday package included a photo that they would remember to take the photo. In sum, I spent the last half of our party trying to track down our waiter to refill our drinks, order dessert, request our bill and take a photo of the birthday boy and his friends. Our waiter was clearly given too many tables on the other side of the restaurant. I don't fault our waiter, I fault management for poor planning. We will not be hosting any other special occasions at the Gaithersburg Melting Pot.
(2)
Maariya B.
Came here last Friday with one of my friends using a livingsocial deal and had a great time. Because I never make reservations until the very last minute we were unable to get a table until 9pm, so my friend and I just decided to sit at the bar (no regrets!) Our server, the bartender was really nice and friendly, and because my friend is a vegetarian he was able to give us less meat and more pasta. Overall a great experience if you use a living social deal, but I don't know if I would ever pay full price for the meal.
(5)
Kirsten H.
We've visited The Melting Pot several times in the past few years, and always had good food and great service. The atmosphere is wonderful and while the prices are a bit high, we get not only a delicious meal for the price, but a really fun time, too. This last visit sent me *running* to Yelp because the manager (John) went absolutely above and beyond the call of duty to make sure that we were all happy - even though we had a lot of issues, including a child, a pseudo-vegetarian, and a birthday to celebrate. We got all that we wanted, and more - and enjoyed every moment of our long, relaxing dinner. We will be back for another special occasion!
(5)
Andrew W.
I love this place. I have probably came here over 5 times in the span on 1 year. The people here are nice and friendly. I always come here with one other person and we share 1 full course for about 35-40. We always end up being really fun. I highly recommend the French quarter with ANY soup base. Additionally, if you want to splurge a bit, I would order the blackberry sage mock drink as its sweet and acidic notes are usually well balanced and play with your tongue. Towards the end of your course the manager always comes up to make sure you were satisfied. Often times if you sign up to be on the mailing list, you get a lot of sweet deals for example 3 course for $30, holiday events, free dessert etc... The only thing I would not recommend about this place is the additional sides of meat, mainly the beef as its NOT worth an extra $20. Overall I would come back and would reccomend this place to anyone esp if you want to go on a date! Cheers.!
(4)
Taylor E.
This was my first experience at a Melting Pot. My husband bought an Amazon Local deal--$40 for the 4 course meal for two people. We went on a Wednesday night to avoid crowds and were promptly seated in a cozy booth. There was a deal going on for half price bottles of wine, which we obviously took advantage of. We had the traditional Swiss cheese fondue which was very tasty. I was a little disappointed in their choice of bread pieces...the bread just wasn't anything special. I've had cheese fondue lots of times at home--both homemade and from a box--and this was pretty close in taste to what I'm familiar with. We each chose a salad for the second course. I had the California salad which was very tasty--I actually finished the whole thing. We had to order the "classic" four course experience option which came with our deal. It came with a chicken, a pork, a shrimp, and two beef options. I liked that I could keep the beef in as along as I wanted---usually restaurants have a problem serving meat as rare as I like. I was already full by this point so my husband finished 80% of the dinner course. We had the dark chocolate fondue for dessert. It was delicious. It came with pound cake, cheesecake, fruit, marshmallows, and brownies. By this time, it was definitely food/sugar overkill and I was ready to crash. The service was attentive and we were never wanting for anything. We were there for an hour 45 total, which must be pretty typical of this place. Overall, I would come back here again with another coupon or on Ladies Night Thursdays ($27 4-course meal for ladies). It's really one of those novelty restaurants that's fun every once and again.
(3)
Erica A.
I went to celebrate my wedding anniversary with my husband and a close family friend who was celebrating his birthday. Our friend was almost a hour late and my 1 1/2 year old son was getting bored. The waitress checked on us continuously (it's kinda hard to start without everyone there with only one pot) and the manager gave my son a teddy bear which he loves and definitely kept him entertained( for free I might add)! The manager checked in with us during our meal to make sure everything was ok. I didn't pay for any of the celebration packages which include the balloons, teddy bears, or flowers but our waitress decorated some dessert plates for us! One for my husband and my anniversary and one for our friends birthday! The service was excellent throughout the entire night, they even took some pictures for us, but during our dessert course my son got sick! I warned the waitress when I used my napkin to catch some of it ( I didn't want her to pick it up and not know). While we were cleaning up the booth and booster seat, the waitress told us not to worry and they would clean it. I was not about to let anyone else clean it up so she brought extra napkins we could use and took everything away! I also had a coupon for free strawberries when I signed up for the fondue club. It's says to notify them in advance when you make your reservation but I made our reservation online and didn't have the space to add it in. I meant to call the restaurant before hand but forgot. The hostess saw the coupon when she seated us and told me to give it to the server and they would make some extras for us! The restaurant is a unique experience! It's fondue so the good is amazing! But this particular location is on top of their service too!
(5)
Cynthia A.
"This was our first time visiting the Melting Pot and we definitely plan to come again soon. Since the beginning, we had very pleasant service. The hostess had told us we would be seated with my husband at 8:30pm, yet by 8:15pm, we were being shown to a table. Our server introduced himself as Aaron and asked if it was our first time and welcomed us. He explained the process and all the menu items. He took our drinks and allowed us a few minutes to look around and to think of any questions we might have. He returned quickly with the drinks and we asked a few questions. He recommended and was very knowledgeable in the variety of items and what would go well with what. He served the cheese and talked to us for a while. Once it was done, he left us alone to eat and came back about 10 minutes later and brought us out our salad which were quite refreshing and light. He brought us another round of drinks which the bartender Kevin left perfect!!! Once we were done with the salads, he explained the process for the entrees and then left us to experiment by ourselves, although he would occasionally come by and ask if we needed anything. Once we were done, then he went over the chocolate dessert menu and asked us a few questions to get a better idea of which one we would like. He came back, talked some more while it was being made, left and everything was yummy!!!! Finally, we order after dinner drinks and finished up dessert very happy. My husband isn't a chocolate person, but he really enjoyed the experience. Aaron came by and asked us if anything else was needed and excused himself for the night. We thanked him for his service and really appreciate all the time he took with us asking questions and recommendations. My husband and I rarely go out to dinner now so it means a lot to have an amazing experience as this was both of our first time visiting the Melting Pot. We did let the hostess and manager know about the exceptional service and we will definitely be coming back with our family. Thank you so much for an unforgettable night Aaron, Kevin and the whole Melting Pot family!!"
(5)
John B.
I don't see what the attraction is. Yes, you get a private booth and tons of service, but the food itself just wasn't that impressive. Eating vegetarian, we got a small sample of tofu to dip in a reasonably tasty vegetable broth. When we asked for more, they made it out to be a big deal, which I can't imagine it is. We also got the cheese fondue to start and a chocolate fondue to finish. Of course, the desert was delectable, and the sampling of things to dip was the most impressive. Everything was palatable, none of it memorable. At the end of the day, all the portions were small and it just wasn't very filling. What's the point of an expensive indulgence if you can't indulge?
(3)
Apryl R.
Melting pot is the absolute best, everything is delicious. The staff is friendly and nice. Very pricey but we'll worth it. Highly recommended for a fancy date
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner, Dessert Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Kevin S.
I made reservations on a Saturday afternoon for a date night with my wife on Sunday. I used opentable.com which worked well and they followed up on Sunday morning to confirm everything. Sunday night is where it got bad. We arrived early at 6:30(reservation was at 6:45) and proceeded to enter. We waited a good 10 minutes before a hostess came back to the front of the restaurant. Once we finally got seated(another 10 min later) it was already 7pm. We ordered a glass of champagne and a sprite, which after 30 minutes of getting served our cheese fondue appetizer, never came. A assistant to our server had to get our drinks for us as our waiter was nowhere to be found. It didn't stop there. Once we both ordered our main entrée, the waiter seemed very rushed to throw our food on the table and leave as fast as possible. As he did this, the manager saw from across the area where we were sitting and proceeded to scream at the waiter and let him know he needed to explain how to cook everything and what to do. He ended up coming back and asking if we needed anything else in a half assed tone and then proceeded to leave again in a hurry. After about 30 min our main course came which was very disproportioned. I ordered the classic while my wife ordered the seafood one. When they came to the table mine was a plate full while hers was 2 rows of 3 bite size chunks of fish and 3 shrimp. It took her much less time to eat then sit as I finished the rest of mine. For the $30+ dollars it cost she should have gotten much more or at least an equal helping. After all this and about 2 hrs into our meal we finally got asked if we wanted desert. At first we just wanted to leave as soon as possible but we thought that maybe it would be different since its just desert. Oh boy were we wrong. Our waiter turned the stovetop off and when he delivered the "smores" fondue it never got hot. We waited another 25 minutes for him to come back only to find that our plate wasn't even on! He finally turned it on, got everything melted and then told us to wait another "few" minutes for it to get hot again. In all, I will not be going back into this establishment unless they go back to the old way of business. This put a terrible taste in my mouth and ruined the experience for us. I suggest if you want fondue to head south into one of the NOVA locations or make it at home. note: while we were sitting idle waiting for our dessert to come we overheard the manager ask the table next to us if everything was ok and how was the evening going. the gentleman complained about bad shrimp and a terrible tasting coffee which she took off the menu. my wife and I waited for her to come ask us which never came. we felt like she knew things were rushed and not right and did not want to ask us anything. we didn't want anything taken off, just to let them know that things didn't go as planned at all.
(2)Josh F.
I came here with a large group. Being the first time it was kind of confusing but the waiter had patience and help us every step of the way. The cheese is excellent, the salads are great. The entree is a great experience because you get to do it yourself The best cooking style is Mojo. The dessert is amazing and overall a great place. Even though with large groups they do well, but it a place better for a date night,
(5)Mike M.
Food was small in portions & had weird seasonings. The cost was very pricey for the amount food.
(2)Jerry S.
We've been going to the Melting Pot for probably 15 years (long before they moved to this place from Rockville, anyway), mainly for special events (my birthday this time). We've always had good food, but we've seen the prices increase and the portions decrease drastically over the years. I can understand their costs have gone up - but $10 for a martini with the house vodka? That's ridiculous! On to dinner - sat at the bar and ordered the steak lovers 4-course, as we're both beef lovers. We always get the traditional swiss cheese starter, which was as good as always. My wife isn't into a lot of bread, so she chowed down on the veggies. She asked for more, and while it took a bit and we had to remind the bartender once, she eventually got them. We both got the house salad; she got the sweet and tangy house dressing, which she claimed was good. I tried the peppercorn ranch - probably the second best peppercorn dressing I've ever had (sorry, I had a fantastic one a few years ago in New Orleans!). The entree was also good; coq a vin style is the only way to go in our experience. Unlike some others, we didn't find it to have too strong a wine taste; rather there was more of a hint of wine than anything. We needed a couple of more sauces, which once again we had to ask for a second time before getting them (it wasn't that busy, either!). And we also got some more veggies (no problem this time). But there were only about 12 bite-sized pieces of three different kinds of steak; maybe it all added up to 1/2 pound if we were lucky. Pretty skimpy for what they are charging. If it weren't for the extra veggies, we wouldn't have been filled up. And I wouldn't say we eat more than the average person. We love the chocolate dessert, but unfortunately neither of us can eat it any more (again, dietary reasons). The bartender tried to convince us to take it since it was part of the package, but finally agreed to have the manager subtract it from our bill (we've been this way before but never ran into the resistance we did this time). So everything seemed to be find, until we got the bill and found the $10 martinis. That and three glasses of a house red wine for my wife and the bar tab was almost more than the dinner - even though we got one of the more expensive entrees. The bottom line is - while food was OK, it was skimpy for what they are charging. Service was poor and drink prices out of this world. We used to love this place, but we won't be returning.
(2)Rick R.
Service was excellent. Food was awesome. Shame you can't cook in oil any more.
(4)Laura V.
My family and I have dined year tons of times over 10 years. It's a 2 hour, intimate meal with ambient lighting and private booth seating. Entrees and the "Big Night Out for Two" are way more than we would want to eat, so I usually split an entree or we get Big Night Out for Two and share it between 3 people. Helps with the cost too since it is pretty pricey. You can usually get a coupon for a free dessert by signing up for their Club Fondue email list on their website. They send you a coupon when you join and for birthdays and anniversaries. Service is always excellent! No complaints. Best to make a reservation ahead of time. We rarely wait more than 5 minutes with a reservation. The best part is definitely the chocolate fondue at the end!
(5)L W.
I'll rate the experience 1 star only because the chocolate fondue was amazing. However, let me start at the top. Entering the restaurant was like a dark cave. What are they hiding? Ushered into the bar and service was slow and expensive happy hour prices! One beer and one house red wine. On to dinner. Waiter very patient and informative. However, I ordered fish, my husband filet mignon and caesar salad...we had to dip (cook) our food in the same citrus sauce. We didn't get to order separate sauce? Fish vs. Red Meat = needing different sauces, right?. The vegetables we were served (that, of course, get cooked in same sauce) - sparse amount and who can cook potatoes in slow simmering sauce and can't they come up w/anything but uncooked potatoes and 2 pieces of broccoli. Hello! Maybe mushrooms, asparagus, something edible (cookable). As mentioned, shrimp and filet: the filet was served in small slices, maybe not even 6 oz. of meat. Shrimp OK. Ordered another glass of house red wine ($11.00) and one non-alcoholic beer $6.00)! Finally, dessert, yummm. The dark chocolate was divine, but we shared (4 people) a small plate of not much to dip into the chocolate. So, two pots of chocolate between us and our friends.and one small plate of, what !? (one sliver of banana, 3 minute pieces of pound cake, one marshmallow, was that a piece of a cookie, not sure). Shared! Not cool! So, we ordered a dessert and our friends did, too. Got the picture? We were expected to share the same small plate of very little in the way of dippers. Each order should arrive w/its own bit of desserts to dip in chocolate. Ugh. That was the last straw! By the way, we didn't order a cheese fondue so the above 'dinner/dessert' bill including tip was $120.00, not including our happy hour drinks (for 2 people). Nah, don't think we'll be back. The night provided us w/a few laughs over the portions, the one burner that didn't work well, and then the bill! Ha, ha, the joke's on us.
(1)Victoria S.
The best Melting Pot so far...much nicer than the old location in Rockville. The server was a bit questionable in knowledge and skillz but overall the experience was good. My parents really enjoyed it. It was not as crowded as it used to be. Maybe it's the new location or the economy but there wasn't a wait. Been to the one in Herndon and it's about the same but also located in an office complex which is a bit strange. My husband ordered the vegetarian and I ordered the seafood. We also had the beer cheese to start and the Ying/Yang dessert. We weren't too stuffed because we took our time and ate slow. I think that's the trick otherwise you feel sick afterwards.
(4)Cynthia L.
Melting Pot is only good for dessert. I have tried their dinner here once and did not like the way they prepare their broths (although I should say I am used to Asian hot pot). I've tried the following dessert mixes: Flaming Turtle, Chocolate S'Mores, Yin & Yang Things to Expect: - You will smell like cheese when you leave, even if you are only there for dessert. - You should def. make reservations. - You should bring others because it will be pretty lonely by yourself. - Customer service is sparse. If you are really big on customer service, do not come here during special occasions like valentines day.
(4)Margot B.
A very fun and different eating experience. My family is quite into fondue and have cheese fondue at home with our own fondue pot every couple months, but I have never eaten fondue in a restaurant. Reservations are a must. When we arrived people were being tut Ed away and told that if they did not have a reservation it would be at least a 45 minute wait. The decor is very dark and intimate with secluded booths. In the center of the table is a burner with a fondue pot sitting on it. We went with the big night out four course special because we were able to switch the cheese fondue and chocolate fondue, but we liked the salad and entree. We started with traditional Swiss cheese fondue. It was prepared table side with white wine, cheese, garlic, nutmeg and kirsch placed in the pot and stirred together to get a good consistency. We were then given three different kinds of bread, vegetables, and granny smith apples to dip. The fondue was tasty, but I thought it could have used slightly less nutmeg. I would definitely get it again, but I would ask for a minimal amount of nutmeg. The salad was a wedge salad with Gorgonzola, bacon and tomatoes. Tasty, but I could get it anywhere. The dressing was very good, some sort of peppercorn ranch. You have a choice for four entree cooking cooking methods. We chose Bourgogne which involved dipping the meats into canola oil to cook. We were also given two batters to dip the meats in if we wished. I found that these were not necessary because each of the entrees were enhanced with something and then we had many sauces to dip in. Our entree included lobster tail, encrusted sirloin, Memphis BBQ rubbed pork loin, buffalo chicken, old bay shrimp, and wild mushroom saccheti. We were also given broccoli, mushrooms, and potatoes on the side to cook as well. All our meat was raw and we were provided with cooking times. We had a wide variety of sauces including sweet and sour, teriyaki, curry, green goddess, gorgonzola and melted butter for the lobster. The sauces were good, but again I felt I did not need a lot because the meats already had good seasoning. All of the meat was tasty. The chicken was very juicy and tender. The shrimp were some of the most tender I've had in a long time and the lobster tail was very nice as well. You could get some serious mushroom flavor from the saccheti. I am not a big red meat eater, but my dining companion enjoyed the sirloin and pork. Dessert was delicious. We had the flaming turtle chocolate fondue. It had melted milk chocolate, caramel, and candied pecans set on fire at the table with a little bacardi 151. The accompaniments were pound cake, brownies, cheesecake, oreo covered marshmallows, graham cracker covered marshmallows, strawberries, bananas, and rice krispie treats. We couldn't eat all of it, but it was very good. The wine list was satisfactory and they had several interesting cocktails. I would return because it was tasty and a fun dining experience; however, because it is a two hour very involved dining experience and a tad pricey, I would not come here to often.
(4)V P.
I have dined at the Melting Pot so many times and in so many different locations and have yet to feel the slightest pang of disappointment. The service has always been exceptional & professional; the food is fresh & phenomenal; the ambiance is simply beautiful. It is indeed a bit pricey, but because of the large portions, I highly recommend sharing the Big Night Out (for two) between three people. This way, you split the bill & leave full, but not overly stuffed.
(5)Puja L.
I don't want to like this place. Only because it's so ridiculously expensive to order pots of cheese and chocolate and to COOK YOUR OWN FOOD. But, I still enjoy it :) Mostly because I love cheese and chocolate :) (not together, but I'm assuming you understood that) Their fondues are generally pretty yummy (the fiesta cheese is usually my pick, only because of the jalapenos and ALL the chocolate ones are good). The bread/veggies work alright for the cheese fondue but I do LOVE the variety of things with the chocolate fondue. My favorite are the marshmallows. I don't know what the do to them, but they are deeeelicious! My main reason for not loving this place is the salads and entrees are really quite sad. And how can I really give a place that has good appetizers and desserts more than 3 stars? The entrees are standard proteins cooked in stock. Mmmm? There's nothing particularly exciting about ordering these - so unless I go for RW, I don't even bother with the entrees normally. They simply aren't worth it.
(3)Shannon H.
Join the Fondue club for coupons! This is my favorite location for The Melting Pot. We've always had great service and of course the food is amazing! We've found that Sunday nights are not as busy either!
(5)Chaz C.
Nice staff, good atmosphere great food. They will work hard to make sure a event you want to plan there goes well. They are very disabled and allergy friendly as long as you let them know ahead of time. Fondue can be tricky but and this place shows why this experience can't be done properly at home without a proper knowledge of it, pricey but worth it for that perfect romantic meal or a intimate meal with loved ones. Just a side note, to newbies, every time I have come here I have had a great time. If it's in your price range and want something different (think Ethopian is completely different but I have seen many enjoy that), this is definitely it and fantastic.
(5)John K.
Something about cheese added with too much other stuff that makes it taste weird. Cheese fondue is not my thing. But melted chocolate?! HELL YEA! Sign me up. I would just come here for desert. They do offer specials for couples, so check out their website.
(3)Sarah O.
We went to the Gaithersbug location for a friends birthday one Saturday night. We were alittle disappointed when we first sat down because our table only had 1 burner and we were a party of 4; this meant that we would all have to agree on one cheese, chocolate, and cooking style. I ordered the Ying-Yang martini which was very good, but I liked the Chocolate Fantini better. We ordered the Cheddar Cheese fondue, which did have a bitter taste, but was still good. The salad course was good as well. We all ordered the Signature Selection and selected the Court Bouillon cooking stlye. For dessert, we topped it off with the "Original" chocolate fondue, but selected dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate. It was a pretty expensive night for the 4 of us (almost $250), but was very good. My only complaint is that there were screaming children in the restaurant and it was pretty noisey too overall. I don't think this is an ideal restaurant to bring a child under age 6 to since it is a pretty lengthy meal. Next time, we may opt to go for just cheese and chocolate.
(4)Sung I.
Stopped by on a whim because the location was convenient. Didn't have all the time in the world, so maybe it wasn't a fair representation of the place. That said, based on what I ordered and the cost, I feel the place is overpriced. Ordered the salad and an entree. The salad was very small. Not really worth $6. As for the entrees, I was surprised it was just raw shrimp that you would boil in a pot. Pretty much I can do the same thing with a trip to Costco. The markup on the shrimp must be enormous because I could buy pounds of shrimp for $20 instead of the few tiny ones they brought out. My wife had the dumplings and that was even more ridiculous. 6 dumplings one can purchase for 4.99 for 14 bucks. I understand the point of the place is fondue, but that should only cost a certain amount. The place is guilty of price gouging and management should be ashamed of themselves.
(2)H D.
First time at melting pot and the whole experience was very fun. From the service to atmosphere is quite nice. Its a place where you can sit down for hours and enjoy a nice meal.
(4)Den F.
The Melting Pot is a unique dining experience. However, the food for the price is not all that. If it is your first time, I suggest getting their meal specials because it comes with a 4 course dinner and you get to experience a little bit of everything. Now when I go, I do not look forward to the main course, so usually end up ordering appetizer and dessert... or just dessert for my sweet tooth =) The main entree is just meats and veggies cooked in broth, and you can eat them with dipping sauces so it is nothing amazing.
(3)Alan W.
Everything was pretty good except the cheese fondue. That was an artery bogging salt lick but the rest of the meal, assorted raw meat hot pot and chocolate fondue, was great. I actually couldn't eat it all which would be shocking to anyone who knows me. The atmosphere was a bit like an old Cheesecake factory with Shabu-Shabu.
(3)Brittany L.
Melting Pot!!!!!! My favorite place to eat. I love going there with my boyfriend. The comfortable little booths are so cute. I have been there twice and both times we had awesome waiters. I am not sure what kind of cheese we got there the second time because it was the "Big night out" cheese but the first time we got some kind of Wisconsin cheese and it was to die for. I love their dark chocolate fondue. However our chocolate was cold the second time we went. :( I'm sure if we said something they would heat it up but I was pretty much full by the end of the night anyway. I just wish it wasn't so pricey! Love you anyway melting pot!
(5)J E.
Ok. The food is great, if you can get a table. The last time I visited, it was 6pm. Lots of empty tables, no one in front of me, and the hostess has the audacity to tell me the first available table will be available at 9pm. Really?! What is that about? So needless to say, we didn't wait for 3 hrs and found a wonderful steak joint less than a block away.
(2)Kelly G.
The service, food, decor, cleanliness, parking, etc. were on point at this Melting Pot. But thanks to my cousin's 40th Birthday Party and the ghetto-fabulous friends she invited, I had a miserable time. I was embarrassed the entire time. I was ashamed to be sitting with them. I was totally horrified at the payment process. As soon as the broth and the pacific platters arrived, the one other person at the table who I thought had some class said out loud "this is awful I don't want to cook my food. I want to just eat it." ("Geez. Seems you could keep that comment to yourself.") Then there was this one man, another one of my cousin's invited guests, who kept singing some line from some rap song, really loud repeatedly (like whenever there was a lull in decent mature conversation). He was singing the unedited version (complete with the word "$h!+). "Gee thanks rude dude." In the end, I (and another woman) wound up paying $125 (which did include our wine) because some of the ghetto people "just threw some cash on the table" and left. The payment process got SO bad that the manager came out of his office with one of those large screen calculators (the kind you buy your grandma at CVS) and loaned it to us. I have been to The Melting Pot before (the DupCir location) and there is the slimmest possibility I will eat at a Melting Pot again. But never ever with my cousin or her group of ghetto-fabulous friends ever again. So. For the food and the Melting Pot experience I give THREE stars. For the Cousin 40th Birthday Experience ONE-TENTH OF ONE STAR.
(3)Lumin E.
A great experience if you haven't had even once. The place is very expensive, but the experience is great and the food is good too. A good place for very important occasions...chocolate and banana is out of the world!! its an excellent combination...
(4)Brian H.
Yes, it is an experience that takes a few hours to enjoy and it is a little on the pricey side. But it is well worth it. There is a reason that Melting Pot has successful restaurants throughout the country. It is designed to be a celebration destination, and they always ask if you are celebrating something special because most people are. Despite some of the other reviews, there are plenty of tasty, well seasoned options. Just order the "big night out", expect to pay about $40-$50 a person without drinks, sit back, and enjoy the 4 courses that will leave you full and satisfied, if not stuffed.
(4)Maria K.
I've been here a couple of times in the last year. Once for an all out 3 course meal, which I will not do again for a date because it takes 3 hours! And once for dessert. If it wasn't for the dessert, I would probably give this place 1 or 2 stars, but I am such a sucker for chocolate fondue. Cookies N Cream Marshmallow Dream... is dreamy.
(4)Mauricio A.
Melting Pot is by far one of my favorite restaurants to go to. There really isn't anything to not like about the place. The cheese fondue is amazing. They're desert menu which comes with unlimited dipping items until your chocolate fondue is gone, is even better. The dipping items for desert include brownies, strawberries, cheesecake, and marshmallows. A full course meal will run you about $50 a person, but you will be extremely stuffed and fully satisfied when you're done. Make sure you make a reservation in advance as they are typically booked and getting a table by just walking in is usually impossible.
(5)Lori P.
This is one of my all time most favorite places. How can you go wrong with cheese and chocolate?? But wait there is more! First, I must disclose a sentimental fondnest for this place, as this was the location where I "met" my husband on our first date. Ok technically it was at the old Rockville location of the Melting Pot when it was on Rawlins Ave, but since that is now a Qdoba, and the Melting Pot moved to Gaithersburg this is the version of the story that we are telling. It was a great place to meet for a first date, fantastic meal and plenty of time to talk and get to know one another. Did I mention the cheese and chocolate? They also have a full bar, beer and wines. The California salad is one of my favorites. I really like the special jar of seasoning that you can sprinkle on your salad. I usually order the CA salad. The mushroom salad is ALL mushrooms. My favorite cheese fondue is the Fiesta. You can decide how spicy you want it, and medium is usually fine. If you want, the waiter will leave a container of chopped jalapeno peppers and you can make it hotter. This entry is served with celery, carrots, cauliflower, apples, breads and corn chips. I usually keep any leftover apples on the table for the dessert chocolate. I usually go with the Coq au Vin cooking style. It has been years since we cooked in oil. The signature selection is a good variety. I also enjoy all the dips that come with that option. We usually have to request a second helping of "Green Goddess" which is divine on all vegetables. We have never had a bad chocolate fondue. We do tend to experiment with these. Recently I discovered a "ladies night out" portion size that is a little smaller and less expensive. We found that it was "just right" - not too much. The staff will go out of your way to make an evening more special - with balloons, polaroid photos, whatever you want. Also they participate in Open Table.
(5)Brookelynn R.
I'm fine with just cheese and chocolate. Save your money and eat your meats at home - raw food on the dinner table (unless it's sushi, of course), is a little off-setting. The steak was phenomenal but if you accidentally overcook your seafood you'll be sad :/ Anyway, it's definitely worth the money! So. freaking. delicious. P.S. Their house salad dressing is a MUST
(4)Kate D.
Service was decent (Chad). Food was excellent as always! But too much of course.. Next time we'll be getting just the cheese fondue and chocolate fondue..;) I wish it wasn't so expensive.. but all in all, a favorable experience
(4)Gavin B.
This WAS my favorite restaurant until recently. The cheese and chocolate fondue were delicious but the but the main course was not very good at all.
(3)Sam M.
A lot of fun to eat with the family and also very Tasty!!
(5)Sarah Y.
I like The Melting Pot. It's a great destination restaurant and it's generally a "fun" place to go. To the reviewers that said they were stuffed... I'm not sure where they were eating, but I don't think that we were in the same building. That being said, you CAN order unlimited "dippers" (other than meats) and your waitperson may not remember to tell you. On our most recent trip, the waitress didn't remind us until our dessert course - cheesecake, brownies, strawberries, graham cracker and chocolate covered marshmallows, and pound cake all ready to dip in your choice of chocolate. Really really good, and we went through like three plates of the strawberries with no complaints from her. Anyway - I remember it being quiet and fun on our first trip, this time we went RIGHT at 5:00 and ended up in a booth next to someone that was conducting loud, annoying personal business from her cell phone. I thought it was distracting, my husband didn't notice her. It was still fun, just not as quiet. Our waitress was good, the drinks were SUPER good - he had a dragon fruit mojito (or something like that) and I had something that came from a glowing bottle at the waitress's recommendation. Go for "The Big Night Out" and look to spend about $50/head + drinks. It includes cheese, salad, entree and dessert. Entrees come with about 8 sauces to dip in and funky little plates to keep everything separated. It's going to take you some time to eat, so be prepared to stay. It's not inexpensive, so be ready. You're going to cook your own food, so keep that in mind. A friend of mine told me that he takes dates there for dessert to save some $$, and it's a good strategy. Overall? Yes, you're going to spend some money. They offer ladies night (2nd Tuesday of every month?) and some other specials. Atmosphere is cool - I would say a step above casual, but there are almost always people in jeans there. Waitstaff has always been good when I was there, but if you get a dud you could be in trouble. I would go back for sure - I would like to check out ladies night to save some $$ but still get the experience.
(4)Grace T.
We had the "Big Night Out" 4 course meal which was fantastic. The flavors were incredible, everything was very fresh (especially the lobster!). It's normally too pricey for me but I will be coming back here for Ladies Night.
(4)Pinkie J.
I love fondue but this was a great example of important it is to do it right, specially because this isn't the cheapest restaurant. I was quite disappointed with the food here and the atmosphere. It was too dark and the food was bad. They need to have more than one pot out and a lot more sauces for dipping.. and cheese for god sake! I did enjoy the appetizer and the dessert but the rest of the meal sucked. Boo! I want my money back..
(1)Renee R.
Amazing service, amazing food, amazing music...made for one of the most fantastic birthdays ever.
(5)D C.
The Melting Pot is a total waste of time and largely because of the price but in addition the food is uninspired. We did the cheese fondue and it was good but, wait, what, is that it? I have all this stuff left to dip but no more cheese. Sigh, okay well the main course is coming. Out comes a tray of raw stuff for us to dip into basically chicken broth to cook. How unoriginal. The steak was very a very average cut, the shrimp were not fresh and then there were some veggies. I promise you I could reproduce this whole plate of raw food for less than $10. There isn't even that much food on this plate. If you like a very bad cut of filet basically braised in liquid and mostly tasteless then you will love this place. We also did the "wine flight" because they were boasting about their great selection. First, they know nothing about wine. Second, their flights were all with less than $10 bottles which I would never buy on purpose. Third, they don't even pair them well with the different foods. Yes, there is the chocolate fondu with strawberries for dessert... bla bla bla. That's fine but, again, I could have reproduced that same experience at home for about $3. So why am I so mean and critical? Well, because the meal was close to $200 and I had to cook it myself.
(1)Ina C.
This is the new Gaithersburg location of the Melting Pot, and is a complete "fondue experience." For those who aren't in the know about fondue, it's basically 1) bread, fruits & veggies dipped in your choice of melted cheese [appetizer], 2) a preparation of vegetables or meat that you cook at the table with oil or broth and dipped in a variety of sauces [entree] or 3) cakes, fruits and other sweet yummies that you dip in your choice of melted chocolate [dessert]. Now on to the specifics... The good: This is a great place to come if you're looking for a unique dining experience, though the novelty wears off pretty quickly. Having to share your cheese/oil/broth/chocolate with your group makes for a pleasant social meal. What's also great is that the "dippers" are unlimited (except for the meats). I once came here just for dessert with a friend and only paid $15 total for a pot of chocolate and like five plates of dippers! The bad: It's overpriced. If you come for the full course, it could end up being $40+ per person, and it could take up to two hours to finish your whole meal. The ugly: If you don't get the entree fondue (meats/veggies), it will NOT fill you up. I once came here with some pretty hefty guys and they were pissed that they had to eat so little at a time. Also, this location is in the middle of nowhere (sorry Gaithersburgians) and I have no idea why they moved from their previous Rockville location. So it's worth a try, but not much more.
(3)max S.
Good place to eat if you know how to order. No one can do all 4 courses. We just get a salad, cheese fondu and dessert. Any more and they would have to roll me out without my wallet.
(4)Dan W.
Great spot! Went here for a night out with my wife and it was a great night! We had the fondue feast and boy was it yummy! The inside has all booths which me and my wife loved :). Had the bananas foster for dessert and it was excellent! Would def recommend going here! Probably only reason I didn't give it a 5 stars was the entrees portion were a little small but we still left full so I'm being picky lol. Fiesta cheese fondue was awesome too!
(4)Leah S.
Went there for my birthday dinner last night and it was great! They accommodated our party of 11 and the waiter was really helpful. It's still expensive (even during restaurant week) but ti's a good time!
(4)Jay K.
I'm not a huge fan of this place. I came here for a friend's birthday and none of us really knew what was going on. The service was not too good either and I don't thing our waitress really knew how to explain what we were supposed to get. The cheese fondue was decent, but nothing really special. I actually enjoyed the Caesar Salad though and it was actually pretty good. I ordered the Seafood Trio dish and it was sub-standard. There was way too little food for the price and it was really nothing special at all. I guess you are paying for the experience, but I actually did not enjoy it too much. The one thing I do regret is not getting the dessert fondue because we were all eager to get out and do something else. Overall, the food and experience was not too great.
(2)Jen B.
Solid 4 Star and the primary reason was our excellent waitress Patty! The food was the usual fresh and delicious "Melting Pot" but despite the busy dinner hour, we felt very well attended/serviced. I'm a healthy eater, but find the Mojo Style cooking with the fresh chicken breast doesn't leave me devoid of flavor! Bring on the "jerk".
(4)Jackie P.
I went to the melting pot in shady grove md. I had the best anniversary dinner ever my husband made reservation Set-up with rose petals at the table and a chocolate box to end the night. Our waiter was Alex he knew the menu very well and most important he had a great personality. I had an awesome experience I will be visiting again."
(5)Lina J.
I've been here several times with my family and with friends. I found that the three-course meal is honestly, only okay. It was awesome trying it the first time (who knew apples and cheese were even a combo?!) and I really liked that some of my raviolis had the same pattern as Electabuzz (yes, the Pokemon, I am easily amused :D). BUT, as a Chinese person, I think I prefer hot pot to this anyday. Like, where my fish balls and rice noodles at? Haha. Again, it was fun trying this place one or two times and it's a good place to entertain out of town guests who have never experienced this type of cuisine before. Though, I have to say, the third course, chocolate, is life-changing. For the past, I think, three times I've been here with friends, we had dinner elsewhere and informed the hostess here that we just wanted dessert. Last time I was here, you could have unlimited things to dip into the chocolate as long as you still had chocolate left in the pot, but I recently went to another Melting Pot that charged for extras, so I'm not sure if it's still gratis. Anyway! They give you cheesecakes, poundcakes, strawberries, marshmallows and more! If you have to choose one item to get extra of, I'd suggest the strawberries, it'll make you feel the least guilty. For dessert, it's not *as* expensive as the three-course (great for people on a budget). Sometimes, if the server is nice, they will drizzle extra chocolate on your extras if you're running low on chocolate in the pot :) I really like the Yin Yang and Flaming Turtle varieties! Also, if you're coming for the three-course meal, be prepared to wash/dryclean the clothes you're wearing (and maybe even air out the bag you're carrying). The odors/fondue vapors have a way of clinging onto you :/
(4)Lorena B.
3.75 stars I used the recent Living Social deal for 4 courses for $40. Regularly this would have cost over $100 so be prepared to spend some dough. We started with the Wisconsin Trio cheese fondue, which was delicious, and served with fresh bread, veggies, and Granny Smith apples for dipping. The apples were a great combination! For the second course, I chose the California salad, which was mixed greens with tomatoes, Gorgonzola, and candied pecans. I ate every bite, so you know it was good if I polished off a stupid salad! The entrees are meh. The Fondue Delight is an assortment of fillet mignon, shrimp, chicken, veggies, mushroom pasta, and 2 lobster tails. It sounds good but it's kind of hard to cook everything evenly. For example, the server said it would take 2 minutes for the fillet to be well done. My friend set the alarm on his phone (because it's so very hard to just look at the clock). When we fished out the fillet, it was cooked on the outside but still rare inside. We tossed it back in the pot and naturally it got overcooked. For dessert, we went with the dark chocolate and marshmallow fondue. I'm not a huge chocolate fan but once in a while, it hits the spot. This was one of those times. I just wish they included more fruit or plain pound cake for dipping. The marshmallows, cheesecake, and brownies are sugar overkill for me. Lastly, don't come here if you have somewhere to be afterward. We arrived 10 minutes early for our 8:30 reservation and weren't seated until 8:50. I don't blame the restaurant- I'm sure people linger over their courses, require explanations for cooking, etc. We didn't leave until around 11 and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Definitely a cool place to visit once a year or so.
(4)Lauren S.
My friend and I came to the melting pot for her birthday dinner last night. It was a special birthday, and I called ahead to speak to the manager to ask if the restaurant could do anything special. Upon our arrival, it was evident that the manager and the team went above and beyond to make the evening special. Our table had balloons and chocolate covered strawberries waiting for us! Our waiter was polite, knowledgable, and personable. Start to finish the meal, drinks, and timing of the courses was perfect. For dessert our treats came with a candle AND the hostess came to take our picture. Shortly after she returned with it printed in frames for each of us. Thank you for making such a wonderful evening! Start to finish the food and service was top notch. We will be back :)
(5)Heather J.
I like the Melting Pot, and this location is convenient (right off the highway) with plenty of parking. Like most other Melting Pots, it has a nice atmosphere with very private booths - you can't see and can barely hear any other people. Our waiter was super nice and was good about bringing extra sauces, veggies, and dippers for the chocolate course. As for the food, everything was fresh and tasty. For our cheese course, we chose the Wisconsin trio, which was great. I love the tangy dressing on their house salad and enjoyed all the meats and the potstickers that came with the Pacific Rim entree. We also got the Classic entree, which was good, as well. For our cooking style, we chose the coq au vin, which added flavor to the meats and vegetables without overpowering their flavor. For the chocolate course, we got the s'mores, and we all really liked it. I'll be back to the Melting Pot!
(4)Corey W.
The overall rating is mixed. The food and service, absolutely gets 4-stars. Nice variety of different "dips" and meats/veggies. Vinny was our waiter and was great. We had living social coupons and he explained the process and was great at what he did. Three-stars for the pricing. I realize why it is pricier than most places, but if it wasn't for the coupon we wouldn't have gone. If you don't drink, it's doable, but drink prices seemed high - although the selection of beer was good and the wives had mixed drinks that they really liked. Overall, I would go again with a coupon. It's more of an experience and is great to go with friends.
(4)Supraja M.
Went for dessert & champagne to celebrate with a friends who just got engaged that day. Our reservation was 9:30, but with a delayed entrance by the guests of honor and the excitement when they did finally show up, we didn't end up ordering until about 10:30, at which point the rest of the restaurant was already empty. Our waitress was great! She was just the right level of attentive, keeping us in sugar & booze until well after they closed--we were there until about midnight. So: great service! Keep it up!
(5)Melissa H.
I can always count on a wonderful dinner at The Melting Pot!
(5)Elizabeth S.
I never been to the melting pot before, and I have always wanted to try. So when living social was having this deal I grabbed it. Anyways, we arrive at about 5:45 (late for reservation) but they were not busy so we got to sit down right away. Our server Joey (?) came all happy and ready to assist us. The living social deal had the classic fondue so we try that. Ordered the house and Cesar salad (meh), ordered the cheddar cheese fondue (Meh) also, and had the Coq Au Vin cooking style. I was NOT impressed. The wine taste was overpowering EVERYTHING. I don't know if it was supposed to taste like that or something got messed up. It was really hard to eat, which made the meat tasting meh because the wine just killed it. I was really not happy at this point. So then, the chocolate fondue came and omg it was amazing. We had the Ying & Yang version and the waiter was so nice not to mess up the design. It was really good, sweet, and amazing. However, I felt like the portion size was so tiny. You basically got two of everything, two mini cheese cake, two marshmallows, two Oreo covered marshmallows, two rice krispies treats. I felt for the price of 15$ was not worth it. Overall, I was not impressed. I did love the chocolate fondue, maybe that's what I'll get next time if I come back. I wouldn't really touch anything else...
(2)Pilar M.
This place smelled so disgusting like steamed socks with old fish stuffed inside. We walked in and were so overcome with the smell that we immediately walked out. Somehow, the stench followed us into our brand new car and permeated our clothing and hair. We were only inside for 5 seconds!!!! The staff deserves hazard pay. I used to love cheese until tonight.
(1)Amanda B.
If you've been to one melting pot, you've been to them all. I've never had a drastically different experience from place to place, but I think my perception of what's really good and what isn't has changed over the years. My boyfriend and I have been to this location twice now with Livingsocial/Groupon deals for the 4-courser, which includes cheese fondue, a salad, two entrees, and a chocolate fondue. The entrees included were the classic entree and the regular vegetable broth cooking liquid. You have to add $ for different cooking liquid styles or entrees. Now that I'm more of a "foodie", I don't find the food at melting pot to be that amazing. And by food, I mean the entree course in particular. If you try to portion out your meat, as most of us are doing these days, you'll find it's just way too much to eat at once. It's also just kind of, eh. Think semi-bland meat soaking in semi-bland stock and you get the idea. You also definitely DO NOT need a salad on top of the other 3 courses. My suggestion would be to skip the entree course all together, and just go for a bottle of wine, a cheese fondue (try the fiesta or cheddar), and a dessert fondue (love the chocolate turtle and yin & yang), with maybe a salad in between (California is my fav) if you need that to tide you over. That's plenty for a meal for two, much cheaper, and you still get to have the real fondue experience. Otherwise, the wait staff is always courteous and usually on top of things at this, and other melting pot establishments I've been to. My only complaint is you sometimes get the feeling they're trying to rush you along. I get it, because typical table-time during this experience is 1 1/2- 2 hours, but it's a lot of pressure if you want to be leisurely.
(3)Amanda L.
My friend was craving for cheese fondue and yep, here we go. I am not crazy about cheese pot, as I always like spicy food, like real Chinese hot pot. But, I heard this is worth a try. We don't eat much, so we shared one meat combo entree and one vegetable entree. We thought the cheese fondue would be all along the dinner, but they actually changed the pot base 2 times: for appetizer, you have cheese fondue at your choice; for entree, you can choose a different broth; for dinner, it's chocolate fondue. The pot was very hot, even the handle, so be really careful when you want to hold the handle. I hope they could develop some pots where the handle wouldn't be super hot after heating, because, come on, every household has the pot where the handle keeps cold while cooking. I specially like their 6 kinds of sauce for dipping the meat, including mango, yogurt, cocktail and three other sauces. Each sauce tasted so good that you can just eat the sauce without dipping anything into it. lol
(4)Mindy F.
Yummy yummy yummy!!! GREAT service! We made reservations - which was a very good idea.
(5)Carmen S.
Had a living social deal that expired this month so I had to check it out. The waiter made the experience so much better than the food. Joey shined tonight. 1. Artichoke and spinach cheese was good, even though it looks like you can easily make it at home. 2. Caesar salad was okay. Not a fan of pine nuts. 3. Main dish. "Classic" was just bad. I rather go to a Korean restaurant instead of having to guess for overlooked or undercooked meat. Not for those who don't really cook at home! Unless you ask the waiter for specific time: shrimp 1min30, everything else 2 mins. But realized it was more like 5 for medium well meats. 4. The cookies and cream dessert. The highlight of the night. Strawberries, cheesecake, brownie thing, cake, rice crispies, bananas. Oh so good. Total price with a bottle of red moscato $101 and then plus tax! Too much for boiled meats with some broccoli, very little potatoes, and mushrooms. I guess people go for the fondue experience but I definitely think it's not worth $101. Not going back again.
(2)Ashwin T.
3 courses, 3 ratings: -Cheese fondue to start: 4* -Savory broth fondue entree: 3* -Chocolate fondue dessert: 5* Melting pot stretches the fondue concept to encompass all courses. I'm not actually a fan of traditional swiss cheese fondues (not the melting pot's fault; i hated it in switzerland too), but the veggies dipped in spinach artichoke cheese dip totally hit the spot for me. The extension to dessert works great. That to entrees is.. meh. As someone who is a huge fan of asian style spicy hot pot, I just dont think this rendition measures up. The broth just doesnt have enough flavor to make the meat really tasty. My server deserves a shout out for being personable, professional and generally on top of things.
(4)Janine G.
okay, so let me preface by saying i am not the pickiest eater despite what my girlfriends say! some may claim the terrible service was b/c i was asking for too much...a straw (in less than 20 minutes), some ice in my soda, a refill, the right order, take my check (in less than 30 minutes) and more...it was a hot mess. She explained the lobster add on ALL WRONG and we sent back 2 of the 4...we thought we were getting ONE roll for $15 for the whole table. smh - it was a hot hot mess...next time (if i go back) i will ask for my meal to be comp'd! the manager was apologetic and said the server had a family emergency to attend to...so why did NO ONE come help us...i could have walked away and not paid and they'd NEVER notice...geez. food? okay, it's all about the experience here, not top notch quality.
(2)Tom A.
Always a good time at Melting Pot. Great wait staff. Any time you can spend time twirling bread in melted cheese can't be bad.
(4)Steven W.
I've been sitting on this review for almost two months waiting for some type of inspiration. I've realized now it's just not going to happen. That kind of sums up "The Melting Pot" for me. I can't give it more than three stars because they don't cook anything. The cheese fondue appetizer, and the Chocolate/Turtle/Dark Chocolate/White Chocolate dipping sauces for dessert are fun and satisfying. The main courses; I will not eat again...just not into boiling meat in a broth that gets in your clothes and doesn't leave. I will say the service is very good here and my kids love it! We did a birthday party here and a bunch of girls had the time of their lives. It's not cheap, so I can see splurging for a birthday type event. I wouldn't recommend it for dinner, but it's fun to take the kids to for the previously mentioned cheese and dessert. 2 Stars for entrees 3 Stars for all other food 4 Stars for service
(3)Séamus C.
4-stars for service and desserts, and much less for everything else. The meal was complicated, not particularly tasty (except for the dessert), overly lengthy, and way too expensive for the quality of the overall product. I'm not sure I would go back again...
(3)Jamie M.
My husband and I went for Valentine's Day. We had made reservations earlier in the week, and were surprised to be able to get in. We loved fondu places, since we had live in Colorado and went to the Mona Lisa. We ordered the special meal. The cheddar beer cheese dip was super, and we were excited to see if the rest would be as awesome. Unfortunately, when the main course came up, the meat was very little, and seasoned weird. Not everything we had was good. The broth even had a strange taste. The chocolate at the end of the meal was awesome. So for the future, we will only come here to order the cheese and chocolate meal choices, as apposed to a full meal. It was pricey for what we received, and we didn't enjoy the main course.
(2)Chris G.
Food was great (4 stars) but did not care for waitress (3 stars to our specific waitress) which can be a big part of the dinning experience. I've been to the melting pot in DC a few times and always had good servers. Overall food was good but its a bit pricey. I would give it a 3.5 overall but yelp only allows for 3 or 4.
(3)Orlangela A.
She said..."Went here because we found a good deal on living social. It was 38$ for a 4 course dinner for 2. So the cheese fondue is obviously good...who doesn't love to dip random foods into melted cheese? I do. We got the cheddar cheese and it was really yummy. The house salad is also pretty good...just small. The actual entree is not good at all. Its an assortment of meats to cook in broth...they usually turn up to be tough and just not good. If it weren't for the cheese and desert here, we would never go here. The actual entrees alone are not good at all. The desert is where its at!! The milk chocolate fondue is sooooo yummy! We dipped it in strawberries, cheesecake, rice krispy treats and bananas. They also give you more food if you run out and still have chocolate left. If we ever come back to place, it will be for the cheese and the desert only. And if you don't have a coupon from groupon or living social, your bill is going to be like 100$." He said..."
(3)Jayne C.
Now my husband and I love Melting Pot, especially their "Military Monday" 20% off. That's the best military discount I've seen yet and it is so appreciated. We've dined as parties of two and three on Mondays at this and other locations without a problem until our last visit. I always call to confirm they're still offering the promotion, the hostess told me yes. This particular night we were taking my father-in-law to dinner here since he's never been. When the bill came only my and my husband's meals were discounted. When we questioned that the manager came over. He explained quite gruffly the discount is per couple. Since we were a party of 3 instead of 2 or 4, the discount doesn't apply to the odd man out. We explained we've never had this problem before, even at this location! He didn't care. It is what it is.. that was his attitude. What happened to the customer is always right? At the very least adjust this meal and say ok but next time. I was so angry I even emailed the district manager, who of course never responded. We will not be returning to this location, I expect better customer service than that.
(1)Jamie E.
Overall a great experience!! The food, drinks and staff were fantastic!!
(5)Stephanie S.
Love this place- great staff and great manager - don't remember the name but he was once a waiter and got promoted. Love the setting and the service is always great. Food and drinks are amazing!!! Should be 5 stars for sure!!!
(5)Tu-van L.
Great concept, dated menu options. Still a good meal as whatever meal you end up getting you don't ever leave hungry. Especially if they're running a promotion for a free cheese fondue or whatever promotion they're offering.
(2)Ca D.
I love this place. I went for my birthday. The drinks are good and it's fun to cook your own food. Def need the yin yang half white/milk chocolate dessert. We were also there past closing and were never rushed once. It is on the pricier side. The only reason I took away one star was because they messed up our cheese fondue and said we could get a round of free drinks. They ended up charging us for all drinks I later realized.
(4)Ben C.
This continues to be one of our favorite restaurants in the area, and not just for chocolate fondue. If you are willing to shell out some extra bucks and devote more than an hour to your meal, you won't be disappointed. My wife and I are not wine drinkers but they have a wide selection of non-alcoholic options for beverages. My wife gets a bottle of specialty iced tea from Republic of Tea (for the tea snobs). I get a blackberry sage lemonade where you can really taste the blackberry and sage. For years we got the Fiesta cheese fondue as our first dish, a spicy mix of salsa, jalapenos and a thick cheddar. It's not on the menu anymore but they'll make it if you ask for it. We like at least half the jalapenos added to the mix so its really spicy! They give you chips, bread, apples and veggies to dip. Now, I'm not a salad person but I really enjoy the house salad with house dressing. Maybe it's the ham and egg that makes it more filling. For entrees, we usually go for the pick three fondue. You get to choose the flavor of the fondue pot and we always get mojo since the lime, orange juice and cilantro add great flavors to the meat that you cook in it and is a great complement to seafood. My wife gets Angus sirloin, sushi-grade tuna and a lobster tail. I usually get Angus sirloin, BBQ pork and duck a l'orange (though sometime fillet). The meats are always high quality cuts. Both the BBQ pork and the duck have a great marinade flavor to them that I never tire of. And with all the different sauces available! You can find the perfect flavor to complement anything you've cooked. I use Teriaki sauce on the sirloin, ginger plum sauce on the pork/duck, and yogurt curry on the mushroom caps (every entree pot comes with assorted veggies). There's so much variety of flavor in one meal. And since you cook the food yourself, you've got no one else to blame if it's not cooked right. For some people this might be a pain but I enjoy making sure my fillet is exactly the shade of medium that I like and I get exactly as much sauce on each piece as I want. For dessert, the chocolate can't be beat. My wife and I love dark chocolate and there are a lot of great flavored liquors you can add like butterscotch schnapps or creme de minthe. Our favorite lately is "dulce de leche" which mixes in caramel and sea salt with the dark chocolate, giving you a tasty salty and sweet flavor. Like with the cheese fondue, you get endless dippers and we usually ask for extras of the strawberries and rice krispy treats. Of course with four courses, you're likely to be completely stuffed when you're done and that's after two hours at the restaurant. We'll usually skip cheese and/or salad if we want a quicker meal but the entree always takes some time since you cook as you go along. Still this allows for great conversation time so it's not surprising that this restaurant is popular for dates. The food isn't cheap. Without alcohol, we usually spend around $100 for four courses for two people. Some people might think that's a lot to spend when you're cooking your own food. We think it's worth it. I've had very few meals that compare with this place in terms of variety of options and quality of ingredients. One last mention--the staff. They're always very friendly and helpful. After going here for a few years, we've gotten to know many of the staff by name. It's not uncommon for us to get a complimentary fillet with our entrees or to get one of the better booths tucked away in a corner (less noisy).
(5)Aisha S.
I came here with two friends and we had some service problems but I still enjoyed it and would come back. It is a little pricey, which I didn't expect, but I think it was worth it because of the overall dining experience and atmosphere. The main problem was that the menu was complicated for us first-timers and the waitress did not explain it well. We ended up paying extra for the dessert when we thought dessert was included in the 4-course option we ordered. (And we all clearly remember her telling us it was included.) We would have told her it needs to be taken off because she gave us wrong information, but the price evened out because she forgot to include a salad on the bill. I enjoyed the food--even the meats which came raw and had to be cooked in the fondue pot. It didn't look great, but it tasted good and I didn't get food poisoning! The veggies and cheese were okay, but the best part was the dessert and drinks. I ordered the Yin-Yang cocktail which has chocolate shavings, Godiva liquer, vodka, ice cream, and some other stuff. The best way I can describe it is perfection. It is a chocoholic's wet dream. My friend got the non-alcoholic Blackberry Sage Lemonade which was also amazing. Overall, this is a great place for special occasions when you want a different and more social dining experience. I would come back here mainly for the experience and for the desserts and drinks.
(4)Alyson W.
You really can't have a bad meal at the Melting Pot. Their cheese & chocolate is to die for, and it's awesome that they'll give you extra dippers if you ask for them. The reason for only giving them 4 stars is because it seemed as though they didn't give us as much cheese & chocolate as they have in the past - my husband and I killed the pot in less than 5 minutes, haha. I got a cosmo as well and it was delicious. If I could do it over, I would not get the drink, because it made me really full and I'd rather eat the cheese/chocolate than have the drink. All in all, Melting Pot is always a delicious choice. You really can't go wrong here!
(4)Mariella B.
Been here once and I don't understand why it costs so much for dinner when I'm cooking it!?! Blah blah yeah yeah it's the experience that matters. Came here for ky sister's birthday and we got a couple bottles of wine, cheese, and meats. I was too freaked out to cook my meats without getting food poisoning so I definitely over cooked everything. Our steamed dumplings managed to dissapear is the pot. The dinner part was a complete failure but the dessert was delish with the yin and yang. Came with strawberries, bananas, pound cake, and other items I couldn't remember. Also when my sister made the reservation they asked if it was a special occasion and she said it was her birthday. Who ever booked our reservation thought she wanted their Birthday Package which included balloons and some kind of gift. The whole night we were wondering who brought the gift and balloons. We soon found out when we saw the extra $50 for the Birthday Package....way to try and rip us off. We won't be coming back for dinner but maybe dessert for one of their specials like Girls Night Out every second Thursday. BTW service here blows some serious Richard because they suck...if you're a stickler for great service...go look else where.
(2)Torey B.
My fiancé and I got to experience TMP for the first time tonight. I was sent a living social voucher for $38 in my email so we decided since we've been wanting to try it now was the time! We just got engaged 4 days ago, so what better way to celebrate! I sent up our reservation over the phone and advised them that we did have a voucher. The receptionist just stated to talk to our waiter for more information. We arrived and were promptly seated at 6pm. Our waitresses name was Sam. She was patient and extremely kind with us never being there before. I was afraid since we had a voucher we may be treated differently, but that was not the case. She explained every step of the process, every sauce, and every option possible. We ended up getting "hot brown" cheese fondue, which was tomatoes, bacon, Black Forest ham, and garlic. It seemed to be lacking a little in flavor, but overall was not bad..could've used more garlic. For our entrees, we decided to get the mojo broth, which smelled amazing and tasted the same (although we did leave there smelling like it and was an extra $4.95 up charge). Our meat we choose were BBQ pork medallions, teriyaki sirloin, pacific shrimp, filet mignon, chicken breast, and something like a mushroom ravioli. Lastly, I decided we better go all out and get dessert. We choose the original, which is chocolate and peanut butter fondue. Also smelled delicious and was the perfect way to finish our meal. Definitely want to visit again! Great service and amazing food!
(5)Naeem M.
First time at MP - we had dinner here last night with a group of 6 for Teacher Appreciation Night ($29 per person plus tax - an unbelievable deal for the quality and quantity of food we received), which included: - Cheese fondue (choice of two) - we got the cheddar and spinach artichoke, and included veggie dippers, bread, and tortilla chips - Individual salad (I got the house salad with peppercorn dressing - excellent) - Meat/protein dippers - filet mignon, teryiaki beef, chicken, shrimp, and mushroom sachetti (think mushroom-filled ravioli) with two cooking styles - the broth and hot oil (for frying) - Chocolate fondue (s'mores and a dark chocolate/dulce de leche combo) - and 79 (maybe it was less) different types of accompanying sauces (my favorite was the horseradish-type one) Everything was extremely delicious and filling - our only troubles were figuring out how to control the heat for the oil so that our meat didn't come out crispy on the outside and undercooked on the inside (I may have accidentally eaten raw chicken on the first attempt - so far, I'm still alive!). Eventually, we got the hang of it. The booths were a bit cramped for 6 people - not sure if they have non-booth tables for larger groups but everyone was able to have access to each of the hot pots. Our server was excellent with a great sense of humor and very patient. We came in at 8:00pm and left at 11:00pm - this is certainly a meal to be enjoyed slowly and with good friends and family!
(5)Katherine L.
Second visit here. Food was decent just as it was on my first visit. The biggest game changer and what got them 4 vs. 2 stars.... our server Alex. He was EXTREMELY polite, attentive, very accommodating and had great recommendations. He was not at all affected by the fact that we had a Living Social voucher. As a semi-frequent living social user, (as many of you might be able to relate) you get a certain vibe/look when you present a voucher than when you don't. Yes, the voucher is a deal however, if I want additional items not included I have no issues paying extra and do not restrict myself.
(4)Mike R.
OMG. This is such a scam! We spent $200.00 + on a dinner for 5 people, we picked the 4 course all you can eat entrée for $35.95... 1st off the menu is confusing so they can charge you more without you knowing, the cheese fondue was 2 pots with about 1" of cheese in them and maybe 3 slices of bread cut up to dip with for 5 people! then the salad was maybe 4 bites big, the all you can eat entrée starts off with 4 quarter size pieces of steak 4 small shrimp, 4 quarter size pieces of chicken and 2 gross raviolis.. when we asked for more steak it took them 20 mins to bring out 4 more pieces for the 5 of us.. it took another 10 mins to get 5 more shrimp! After that we gave up since we had already been there 2 hrs and 45 mins. The waiter kept disappearing and seem to think it was funny when we complained, they finally gave us a new waiter who quickly brought out our dessert which ended up being the best part of the whole experience. I would say if your not hungry and you want to go to a expensive place to snack and waste a couple hours this is the right place. We valued the cost of all the food they gave all five of us at approximately $30.00 if that.. needless to say we grab a pizza on the way home
(1)Ana P.
Holy Mackerel, I LOVE THIS PLACE! Main take aways: 1) YES, it is worth any hype surrounding it 2) WEAR BLACK because you WILL spill something on your clothes! 3) If meat is ordered, it will come out raw! You'll cook it at your table 4) The bases of both the broth of the meat entree and the chocolate of the dessert entree contain a bit of alcohol. Remember to ask your waiter to skip these parts, if you cannot consume alcohol 5) If interested in saving a bit of money ($~7), ask for only one portion of the fondue (cheese or chocolate) to share On to the review: I bought a Living Social deal for a two course meal to celebrate my anniversary to BP. Unfortunately, we could not wait to use it so we ended up using it the same day it was purchased! The Melting Pot was the best dining experience I have had in a long time. We ended up actually paying extra to experience the cheese fondue as well as the chocolate fondue courses. If this deal is offered again on Living Social, purchase it! Just FYI, I paid $32 for the two course deal: This included getting $6 salads each (BP chose the house and I had the California) and choosing an entree (meat) each. The staff was well aware of the deal and other patrons around us also were using the deal. The Manager himself came to us to ask about our experience :) Our waiter, Jeff, was amazing. He was so kind, patient, and understanding of our dietary needs (no alcohol or pork products) I was pleseantly surprised by how well we were treated, just because I've never had such an amazing and relaxing (as well as exciting) dining experience before. So for the meat entree, Jeff said we could do a Fondue By You: Ordering a combination of three meats rather then just one. We went for the priciest items: Fillet Mignon, Beef Sirloin(2) Teriyaki, Salmon, chicken, and the Shrimp. In my opinion, BP's Teriyaki was the best! The entrées included vegetables (potatoes, broccoli and mushroom) and signature dipping sauces (Green Goddess for the potatoes was our fave and we also loved the Plum sauce so much we asked for refills). We asked Jeff for re-fills on just about everything we could: more veggies, more sauces, and more dippers for dessert; I would encourage you to do the same :) Just be sure to tip well! Although I am certain he could not give us more of the fondue (chocolate or cheese) or extra meat. This review is out of control, I keep forgetting things... Um... For the Cheese fondue we ordered the basic Cheddar. The dippers were veggies and green apples. This was the first fondue ordered so we asked for a portion each. I did not think we could have shared the portions, but we did end up sharing one when it came to the Chocolate course. The Chocolate course was so good! BP ordered the Chocolate Truffle one (it came with sweet pecans). The dippers were delectable brownies, blondies, fruits (pineapples, bananas and strawberries). We asked for extras of everything else since we could not eat the marshmallows. *Sigh* I cannot wait to go back!!!
(5)Adam G.
My wife and I have gone to this location several times and it has been consistently excellent. The food is delicious and impressively filling (while the main course can seem a little small the cheese appetizer compensates wonderfully). Also make sure to leave a little room for dessert since the melted chocolate is a great end to the evening.
(5)Natasha S.
My first time here after hearing about it for several years. My partner and I found a Livingsocial deal and decided to try it out. I will say even with the deal, everything is really overpriced. The restaurant is dimmed lighted and quiet. Has a calming romantic type of feel. I could see this being a good date spot. The booths are kind of intimate and very private. We walked in to a not so warm and friendly hostess asking if we had a reservation. I let her know that we did not and she seated us immediately. Our server was nice but really all over the place. I couldn't tell if he was new or just overwhelmed. The side of the restaurant that we were sitting in wasn't busy for the majority of the time we were there so I don't know why he was so stressed. But he forgot our refills and didn't check in with us as much as he should. We were sitting for a good 30 minutes waiting to order our entree. Also overhearing him with the patrons next to us, he didn't describe the entrees like he did with the others and definitely checked on them much more than us which irked me. This is essentially the American version of Asian hot pot. For an appetizer you can select from their four cheese fondue options, and they bring you cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes and stale bread to dip. We picked the classic alpine cheese fondue, it had a bitter after taste and really just tasted of pure wine. We each got a salad, my partner got the house salad which is just iceberg and romaine lettuce with cheese, croutons and sliced egg drenched in ranch dressing. I ordered the spinach with portobello mushroom, bacon bits and red onion in a balsamic vinagrette. My salad did not have portobello mushrooms, it was raw sliced white cap mushrooms. The dressing was overly sweet. This was probably hands down the worst salad I have ever had in my life - and I LOVE salads. It's a favorite food of mine. For our entrees, we ordered the Pacific white shrimp and wild mushroom sacchetti and the complimentary stock which really was just a vegetable broth. I recognized the smell of the broth as a boullion broth that I have purchased in the store and made at home. They brought out different dipping sauces, all pretty heavy cream or sugar based. You cook the entree items in the broth for the time directed by your server and then dip it in the sauce for final eating. They then also bring out veggies to eat with your entree, broccoli, mushroom caps and diced potatoes. The food was good. But was it REALLY good? No. The ingredients are not high quality, and just for what we ordered, it would had been over $80 without the Livingsocial coupon which I think is horrendous. This place is extremely overpriced for the quality of ingredients they serve, and the boullion cubed broth. If everything was of higher quality I could understand why this restaurant is so popular but to me, it was everything you could do at home for much cheaper. I understand the whole concept being appealing and romantic or fun to do with a group, but when you are charging as much as they charge, you need to be able to use high quality or at least higher quality items then what they are using. The broth should be made in house, and the dressings and dips shouldn't be all sugar and from a bottle. We were turned off by this point that we didn't care to do dessert. And maybe that is the best part, but our experience was disappointing. I would never return and never suggest this place to someone. While the concept is great, I'd love to see a restaurant do the same thing but 100 times better.
(1)Erin M.
The melting pots living social deal is amazing my mom and I teamed up and made our own surf and turf she had steak and I had old bay shrimp both were great! Also the fiesta cheese was awesome! Our server was very attentive and helped us make good choices!
(4)Ledbetter A.
It's been a tradition for me to go with my family to The Melting Pot every Mothers' Day. We all enjoy the food prep and the fun that we have whilst doing it. Specially the chocolate fondue. This year we were a little disappointed by the tuna but part from that everything was delicious and fabulous and a great time was had by all. Our server Megan was a delight and really hustled to get things to us. Totally loved her.
(4)Rosa S.
We came for our granddaughter's birthday party and it was faboulous. we enjoyed the food and waitress was very firendly
(4)Brithany B.
The customer service was excellent, but the food was expensive for what you get (even with the deal). My friends and I went for the "Doll-Up event" deal where it was 4 course meal for $27. We came in and we were basically the only people who dressed up for the event in vintage, old hollywood style. We got seated at a corner booth which was nice and spacious for about 5-6 people even though we were a group of 4. We started out with some cheese fondue and salad. The salad was delicious. As for fondue, we decided to get the fiesta cheese and the spinach dip. The spinach dip was such a big hit with our group that it was gone in a matter of seconds. The entree was a little weird. The server came back with a plate that had some raw meat, shrimp, ravioli, and veggies. We basically had to plop in the raw food in some soup and pull it out after a couple minutes. Unfortunately the waitress didn't really mention that the co au vin wasn't part of the deal and we got charged $6 extra which we weren't too happy about. The dessert fondues were excellent and were the most memorable part of the whole experience. We got the s'mores dip and milk chocolate dip with fruits, cake, and brownies on the side for dipping. Since we were there for the event, someone came to take a picture of our group and later gave us the photo as a keepsake. Next time, I will just go back just for the dessert fondue.
(3)Hannah D.
We purchased a living social deal for a three course dinner. As instructed on the deAl, we could not use it on a Saturday and needed to let our server know at the beginning of the meal. We made a reservation for Friday and requested a private booth for 2. We arrived for our reservation and were told it would be a few minutes for our table. I have no issue with this as I will grab a drink in the bar. The bartender was super friendly. We waited about 10 minutes for a table and we were sat at a booth for 6 people with two burners. It was a more private booth but it was huge. I really would have preferred a booth for just two since it was awkward sitting in a huge booth. Our waitress was very attentive and provided an amazing level of service. She was able to hold a conversation and I enjoyed talking with her. The only issue was a piece of cork in my wine glass from our bottle. (I get it, it happens). The manager offered us a discount on the wine- that's always nice! Our living social deal came with cheese, salad, and meat entrees. We decided to order two cheese fondues and skip the chocolate. The alpine cheese fondue is delicious! Overall, it was a very enjoyable evening.
(4)Alex And Katya O.
Must have fondue experience When we arrived we dived straight into the "you pick 3" entrees. We chose the Jamaican jerk filet, premium filet, pacific white shrimp, honey orange duck breast, and teriyaki sirloin to be cooked in the vegetable bouillon. All the meats came accompanied by 6 different sauces each unique in flavor. All tasty aside from the duck which we did enjoy based on texture and taste (yes I've had duck many times before). The server, who was fun, attentive, and polite, replaced the duck with a meat of our choice at no extra cost. Dessert was awesome! One portion of dessert is enough for two people! Dont spend the money on 2. Overall the restaurant is pricey. Taste wise i'd give it four stars but due to the unique, memorable, and fun experience, 5 stars.
(5)Kristen H.
One of the most unique restaurants in our area! I went here last night with some girlfriends for cheese and chocolate. I've always liked the relaxed and intimate feel of this place, every table seems like its own little nook. The cheese and chocolate blends are very inventive and combine all types of flavors. The chocolate we got was with marshmallow, graham cracker crumbs and milk chocolate to make a s'mores mixture, to die for! Luckily we also went during national cheese fondue week so the cheese was free! Our server Katrina was super friendly and talkative which made the experience that much better. Also a tip: Ladies night is every 2nd Thursday of the month and you'll get the whole 4 course meal for 27.99! I wouldn't come here often just because it is a tad pricey but deals like that make it more worthwhile!
(4)Marivic L.
I hit up The Melting Pot with a couple of friends. Let's face it, you can't really go there alone, can you? Hmm. Maybe I'll do that one day. The first and last time I'd been to The Melting Pot was over 10 years ago, so it was almost new to me. We decided to do a three course meal. The cheese course was good. I'm not even that much of a cheese lover, but you pick a cheese and dunk away with chunks of bread, veggies, and fruit. I actually wanted to eat more cheese after that. I almost wished I had one less friend with me. J/K. OK, maybe I'm NOT kidding. The second course was the main course. We ended up ordering filet, shrimp, and chicken. Yup, had to cover all the bases. After asking the server which broth would be best, he recommended the mojo for all the different meats. He was right. All of the items tasted good and, since you have six sauces to choose from, you can make your own little concoction. The third course was dessert. Little cubes of yellow cake, red velvet, brownies, fruit, marshmallows, rice crispy treats, etc. If you like dessert at all, you'd find something you like on the plate. Oh yeah, they also give you a big ol' slice of cheesecake which I thought was odd. I guess you can't slice that into a cube? Maybe they'd melt and fall in. I dunno. All I know is, the turtle chocolate (chocolate, caramel, nuts that are flamed) was sweet and good. The food won't blow you away here, but it's good - and fun enough with a couple, or a group, of friends. It kinda beat a standard dinner cuz sometimes you just want something different when you're hanging with your homies.
(3)Amy H.
What a waste of money! We made reservations for NYE, and were horribly disappointed. While we have enjoyed many other Melting Pot restaurants, this is not one we will be returning to. While we knew they had a fixed menu for NYE, we called ahead since we are vegetarians and were told there was a vegetarian option. It was the same price as the omnivorous option that included lobster and steak, while ours was mostly cut up veggies -- and a stingy amount, too. Our service was rushed, and we felt they were just trying to get us out as quickly as possible. I understand they were busy on NYE but we would have gone somewhere else where we could have taken our time. The worst part was that we were given a "champagne" toast that we didn't ask for -- and charged for it! I thought they were trying to make up for the disparity in price for our meal, but no, turns out it was just a mix-up. I didn't even discover it until I looked at the receipt upon returning home, so could not do anything about it. We have had wonderful, amazing experiences at other Melting Pot restaurants in other states and were really looking forward to this holiday meal. But even though we're recently moved to this area, we will be finding another MP to frequent and not give this one any more of our business.
(1)Boris S.
Cheddar Cheese Fondue (5/5 NOMs) Its all about The Game of Cheese. Are you ready for cheesedventure? Our multi course meal starts off with your choice of cheese fondue. Its like an explosion of cheesy cheddar and swiss goodness. It was so fun to dip different veggies into cheesy goodness. You just have to try this and all the other FUNdoe goodies! Chocolate S'mores Fondue (6/5 NOMs) Set the chocolate world a flame! They start off by setting the marshmallow cream on fire right there. Now this is hot! Dam this is the most chocolaty dish I've ever had. Bring out the nomnom goodies like bananas, marshmallows, and cheesecake and dip them into the gooey chocolate fondue. You just have to try this and all the other FUNdoe goodies!
(5)Saby M.
I absolutely love this place. I've been at least four times and every time I've had awesome service, even while doing the 5 course experience at the bar, and the food is always amazing. I've tried 3 of the cheese fondues and four of the dessert fondues and I can't wait to try more. If you've never been, I would recommend the 5 course experience definitely, but make sure you go in hungry... And don't feel obligated to finish each course!
(5)Troy H.
Love melting pot when it's cooler outside, I have a special event, or.I'm.on an intimate date. It's a super fun and unique experience. Fondue. Most people have never fon-did it. You start with the cheddar cheese, move on ti the main course auth the coq au vin cooking style, and finish with the dark chocolate fondue. If you have never experienced this, you have to. Melting pot does it right. If Jeffery is still serving there, make sure you request him. He is awesome.
(4)Karen S.
I like that they've started offering LivingSocial deals, though they do sell out fast! I've gone twice in the last six months because of two different deals :) I found the service to be very slow both times, though the servers were pleasant. I spent about 3 hours each time there, sitting around waiting when I was finished with each course. I guess they just expect that it should be a long, luxurious dinner? More recently, the lights in my section kept going bright, then dark, leaving us sometimes with extreme mood lighting and other times basically squinting. It was weird-- we told the waitress, who told her manager, but nobody ever solved the problem (for over three hours!). The food is always solid-- it's hard to mess up melty cheese and chocolate and meat you cook yourself! My boyfriend thinks their marinades are a little salty and lean garlicky, but I am a fan of both things, so I think their flavors are spot on. My favorite cheese is probably the fiesta one and my favorite chocolate is the yin and yang, which is very pretty. Last time, the main course was just "The Classic," but this time, they upgraded (in my opinion): instead of angus sirloin and pork medallion, we got filet mignon and wild mushroom sachetti. The filet was very tender and the sachetti was yummy. Both times, we got shrimp, herb-crusted chicken and teriyaki sirloin. The teriyaki sirloin was borderline inedible the first time I went (so crazy chewy, no matter how I cooked it), but was good this time. They always try to upsell you on the cooking style, but I think the complimentary vegetable broth is just fine. Everything is pretty well seasoned already, and if not, you can use one of the six sauces they give you. I recommend coming if you have a deal (look for others if LivingSocial isn't available) and if you have a lot of time to spend on dinner.
(4)Minn L.
We had a lovely dinner here! It was a Friday night and it was pretty full but not too noisy. I recommend making reservations and getting a coupon beforehand though. Our server Isaac made the best recommendations and made sure we had everything we needed. We went with a LivingSocial deal (definitely recommend going with one as it can get pricey) and got the coq au vin broth (so flavorful and very well paired with red meats) with the filet mignon and duck breast as entrees. The duck breast was the most tender meat and was deliciously flavored. While the plum sauce went well with the duck, the six dipping sauces they give you were a bit lacking in general. We were worried that the meat would not be filling but they give you surprisingly well-portioned servings and the veggies (broccoli, potato, and mushroom) are unlimited so no worries on filling up. Remember to save room for chocolate at the end! You can order just 1 serving and share. Again, the fruits and desserts for dipping are unlimited, but you'll probably be really full by then :)
(4)Eric K.
Great environment and enough good food to fill you up. I just wish I had more lobster! Get the "Big Night Out" three-course meal if you can. And the girlfriend WILL love the milk chocolate & strawberries! Trust me!
(5)A A.
Great place for a date night. While the main course is nothing spectacular. Def worth the visit for the various cheese pot apetizers and especially Chocolate fondue. Service is friendly. Mixed drinks are a bit on the lighter side for their price. Overall a place that you either come for the entertainment of seeing your food cook or your a real chocolate fan.
(4)Nikki V.
This place was okay. This is our first time at this location. It is located in a plaza. We had a reservation but it wasn't people waiting in line. So we could've walked in without a reservation. The dinner was delicious. The down side is we went during restaurant week and the portions of food were slim. We had went to other melting pots during restaurant week and they gave more food. Our waiter was not great. We've had better and faster service. There were times we were waiting on him to return and waiting for food to eat because he took so long to come back and check on us. We had to stop several other waiters and waitress to get him because we didn't know how long it would take him to return. Then he started forgetting to bring things we requested. Sooooo melting pot...you need to step it up at this location. Not sure if I will return!!! :(
(2)David N.
Food was great but the service was terrible compared to the reston location. This melting pot is way better at reston location. The food is the same but the service is better. Everything was explained to us on the 4 course meal. There was more cheese added in the fondue, more chocolate added in the chocolate fondue. There was butter given to us where we did not have at the gaithersburg location. There was garlic and wine spices given to us too. All this added at the reston location where we did not get at the gaithersburg location and we ordered the same meal.
(3)Roy S.
Grabbed the living social and was curious how it would play out. Friendly waitress who explained everything and was prompt with everything. Had the 4 course meal, started with the Swiss cheese (overpowered by the wine) which I liked but my gf didn't. Caesar salads were average, nothing to write home about. (I don't like sweet pine nuts, the gf did) The special came with a nice assortment of meats, mushroom ravioli, and shrimp. Not huge portions but plenty for two people. Shrimp and chicken were good and I probably cooked the beef a little too long, but otherwise solid. Good assortment of dipping sauces. Had the flambe chocolate which was quite tasty. Not a large amount of dippers but by this time you are pretty full. Rice crispy treats and marshmallows are overkill for me when dipped in chocolate. I prefer more fruit and cheesecake but that's personal. Overall a good meal, but I would not come back unless I had another living social because the normal prices are a tad high. I have come for just dessert which is fine because you can get more dippers.
(3)Debora V.
I went there a few weeks ago and then again last weekend. Both times we had a great meal. Servers are very nice and informative. The food was excellent, and soooo much food! It is very expensive thou, and I would not recommend going with a large party, but it is just my perception.
(4)Alexa S.
My boyfriend and I went for our anniversary. The service was outstanding, our server was friendly and the management even came to check on us. It was a great "do it yourself" meal. The cheese was okay, could use some more interesting dippers. The salad was so-so, nothing to rave about. But the entree was AWESOME!!! don't remember what it was called but it was veggies, steak and shrimp. It was cooked in the red wine marinade (also don't remember the name). We got the milk chocolate fondue and it was GREAT!! I loved all the dippers (brownies, cookies, marshmallows, Rice Krispies, strawberries, bananas).... Would definitely visit again soon. A bit pricey but definitely worth it in my opinion.
(5)Art T.
This place is definitely worth a visit for a quiet occasion, special event, or romantic night out. Or, maybe, for a slightly raucous affair with a few friends, either or! Couple of cons, but mostly all pros. CONS: * Parking can be a nightmare! Normally when we visit, the lot is exceptionally full, and I find myself having to drop off my party at the front, which is cramped and busy, and parking up past the 7-Eleven. Not ideal. * Salad Dressing: I had the summer seasonal salad on my last visit, which was a lemon-poppyseed vinaigrette. The flavor was there, but had WAY too much lemon, and the tartness overwhelmed everything else. I shouldn't be puckering with each bite of salad. PROS: * Cheese: What more can I say? I swear someday I'm going to go there for a four-course all-cheese fondue dinner. The Classic Alpine is listed as New, but it's the same old favorite from the previous menu. YUM! The seasonal special for the summer was a garlic-and-herb twist on the Alpine, and it was totally worth it. Very subtle but noticeable differences between the two. (Incidentally, I'm so glad our party of four was sat at a table with two burners!) * Entrées: You can't go wrong here. My mother-in-law ordered (and subsequently shared) the Fondue Delight, which came with lobster. Give this one minute in the Mojo cooking broth and you're in paradise. Simply divine! * Chocolate: I'm not going to insult you by discussing the benefits of a chocolate fondue pot. You know better. I will say that they have some great arrangements ready for your consumption, but if you like, you can always invent your own concoction from their list of ingredients. Overall, a great value for the cost, which isn't insignificant, of course. Be ready to spend some coin, but know that it's totally worth both the experience and the flavor. Again, half star off each for the parking nightmare and overly lemony dressing, but high marks everywhere else.
(4)Sarah L.
This place was fun and service was incredible! Kevin, our server, made the meal really enjoyable. Food was plentiful and tasty (particularly the cheese fondue and the chocolate - I could've skipped the entree). The drawbacks are that it was expensive and the entrees take a while to cook (not to be attempted in a hurry). My husband and I ate here tonight and the bill came to about $65 before tip. I would go back but only as a special treat
(4)Amy W.
Hosted a birthday party at the Melting Pot in Gaithersburg, Maryland for my sixteen year old son. The service was great in the beginning; however, once the food was delivered our server was no where to be found. Given this dinner cost over $400. for six people and was a special occasion I would have thought that our server would check to see if we needed refills or extra vegetables...especially since we were only give two small bowls of vegetables for six people. I also question the cheese proportions...we had two pots on our table; however, the amount of cheese in each pot appeared to be the same amount as I would get for a party of two. We dine here frequently and have hosted other special occasions and typically with more people the pots are filled proportionate to the number of people dining. I would also have thought that since our birthday package included a photo that they would remember to take the photo. In sum, I spent the last half of our party trying to track down our waiter to refill our drinks, order dessert, request our bill and take a photo of the birthday boy and his friends. Our waiter was clearly given too many tables on the other side of the restaurant. I don't fault our waiter, I fault management for poor planning. We will not be hosting any other special occasions at the Gaithersburg Melting Pot.
(2)Maariya B.
Came here last Friday with one of my friends using a livingsocial deal and had a great time. Because I never make reservations until the very last minute we were unable to get a table until 9pm, so my friend and I just decided to sit at the bar (no regrets!) Our server, the bartender was really nice and friendly, and because my friend is a vegetarian he was able to give us less meat and more pasta. Overall a great experience if you use a living social deal, but I don't know if I would ever pay full price for the meal.
(5)Kirsten H.
We've visited The Melting Pot several times in the past few years, and always had good food and great service. The atmosphere is wonderful and while the prices are a bit high, we get not only a delicious meal for the price, but a really fun time, too. This last visit sent me *running* to Yelp because the manager (John) went absolutely above and beyond the call of duty to make sure that we were all happy - even though we had a lot of issues, including a child, a pseudo-vegetarian, and a birthday to celebrate. We got all that we wanted, and more - and enjoyed every moment of our long, relaxing dinner. We will be back for another special occasion!
(5)Andrew W.
I love this place. I have probably came here over 5 times in the span on 1 year. The people here are nice and friendly. I always come here with one other person and we share 1 full course for about 35-40. We always end up being really fun. I highly recommend the French quarter with ANY soup base. Additionally, if you want to splurge a bit, I would order the blackberry sage mock drink as its sweet and acidic notes are usually well balanced and play with your tongue. Towards the end of your course the manager always comes up to make sure you were satisfied. Often times if you sign up to be on the mailing list, you get a lot of sweet deals for example 3 course for $30, holiday events, free dessert etc... The only thing I would not recommend about this place is the additional sides of meat, mainly the beef as its NOT worth an extra $20. Overall I would come back and would reccomend this place to anyone esp if you want to go on a date! Cheers.!
(4)Taylor E.
This was my first experience at a Melting Pot. My husband bought an Amazon Local deal--$40 for the 4 course meal for two people. We went on a Wednesday night to avoid crowds and were promptly seated in a cozy booth. There was a deal going on for half price bottles of wine, which we obviously took advantage of. We had the traditional Swiss cheese fondue which was very tasty. I was a little disappointed in their choice of bread pieces...the bread just wasn't anything special. I've had cheese fondue lots of times at home--both homemade and from a box--and this was pretty close in taste to what I'm familiar with. We each chose a salad for the second course. I had the California salad which was very tasty--I actually finished the whole thing. We had to order the "classic" four course experience option which came with our deal. It came with a chicken, a pork, a shrimp, and two beef options. I liked that I could keep the beef in as along as I wanted---usually restaurants have a problem serving meat as rare as I like. I was already full by this point so my husband finished 80% of the dinner course. We had the dark chocolate fondue for dessert. It was delicious. It came with pound cake, cheesecake, fruit, marshmallows, and brownies. By this time, it was definitely food/sugar overkill and I was ready to crash. The service was attentive and we were never wanting for anything. We were there for an hour 45 total, which must be pretty typical of this place. Overall, I would come back here again with another coupon or on Ladies Night Thursdays ($27 4-course meal for ladies). It's really one of those novelty restaurants that's fun every once and again.
(3)Erica A.
I went to celebrate my wedding anniversary with my husband and a close family friend who was celebrating his birthday. Our friend was almost a hour late and my 1 1/2 year old son was getting bored. The waitress checked on us continuously (it's kinda hard to start without everyone there with only one pot) and the manager gave my son a teddy bear which he loves and definitely kept him entertained( for free I might add)! The manager checked in with us during our meal to make sure everything was ok. I didn't pay for any of the celebration packages which include the balloons, teddy bears, or flowers but our waitress decorated some dessert plates for us! One for my husband and my anniversary and one for our friends birthday! The service was excellent throughout the entire night, they even took some pictures for us, but during our dessert course my son got sick! I warned the waitress when I used my napkin to catch some of it ( I didn't want her to pick it up and not know). While we were cleaning up the booth and booster seat, the waitress told us not to worry and they would clean it. I was not about to let anyone else clean it up so she brought extra napkins we could use and took everything away! I also had a coupon for free strawberries when I signed up for the fondue club. It's says to notify them in advance when you make your reservation but I made our reservation online and didn't have the space to add it in. I meant to call the restaurant before hand but forgot. The hostess saw the coupon when she seated us and told me to give it to the server and they would make some extras for us! The restaurant is a unique experience! It's fondue so the good is amazing! But this particular location is on top of their service too!
(5)Cynthia A.
"This was our first time visiting the Melting Pot and we definitely plan to come again soon. Since the beginning, we had very pleasant service. The hostess had told us we would be seated with my husband at 8:30pm, yet by 8:15pm, we were being shown to a table. Our server introduced himself as Aaron and asked if it was our first time and welcomed us. He explained the process and all the menu items. He took our drinks and allowed us a few minutes to look around and to think of any questions we might have. He returned quickly with the drinks and we asked a few questions. He recommended and was very knowledgeable in the variety of items and what would go well with what. He served the cheese and talked to us for a while. Once it was done, he left us alone to eat and came back about 10 minutes later and brought us out our salad which were quite refreshing and light. He brought us another round of drinks which the bartender Kevin left perfect!!! Once we were done with the salads, he explained the process for the entrees and then left us to experiment by ourselves, although he would occasionally come by and ask if we needed anything. Once we were done, then he went over the chocolate dessert menu and asked us a few questions to get a better idea of which one we would like. He came back, talked some more while it was being made, left and everything was yummy!!!! Finally, we order after dinner drinks and finished up dessert very happy. My husband isn't a chocolate person, but he really enjoyed the experience. Aaron came by and asked us if anything else was needed and excused himself for the night. We thanked him for his service and really appreciate all the time he took with us asking questions and recommendations. My husband and I rarely go out to dinner now so it means a lot to have an amazing experience as this was both of our first time visiting the Melting Pot. We did let the hostess and manager know about the exceptional service and we will definitely be coming back with our family. Thank you so much for an unforgettable night Aaron, Kevin and the whole Melting Pot family!!"
(5)John B.
I don't see what the attraction is. Yes, you get a private booth and tons of service, but the food itself just wasn't that impressive. Eating vegetarian, we got a small sample of tofu to dip in a reasonably tasty vegetable broth. When we asked for more, they made it out to be a big deal, which I can't imagine it is. We also got the cheese fondue to start and a chocolate fondue to finish. Of course, the desert was delectable, and the sampling of things to dip was the most impressive. Everything was palatable, none of it memorable. At the end of the day, all the portions were small and it just wasn't very filling. What's the point of an expensive indulgence if you can't indulge?
(3)Apryl R.
Melting pot is the absolute best, everything is delicious. The staff is friendly and nice. Very pricey but we'll worth it. Highly recommended for a fancy date
(5)