The food was pretty good. We dined here for restaurant week so although it was a bit pricy it would have been waaaaaaayy overpriced if we had ordered off of the regular menu. The best part was the dessert. The yin and yang was to die for. The queso from the cheese course was not great, neither I nor my dining partner particularly enjoyed it, but it wasn't terrible. The atmosphere was fairly dark, but not uncomfortable while seated. This would be a fantastic and perfect date spot. The method with which you dine would keep the conversation going and give you plenty of time to get to know one another. I would never. Go here for a quick bite due to the time involved in cooking the food, but for an interesting and new experience it can't hurt to try it. Overall I gave it 3 stars because it would normally be too pricy and it was not really my cup of tea. If you have a great love of fondue or you enjoy alternative dining experiences this is a great place to go, but for normal, everyday, inexpensive or traditional meals steer clear.
(3)
Carolyn K.
I mean... who doesn't love melted cheese & chocolate?! The Melting Pot is a favorite of mine just because of the cheese and chocolate. (I must confess that the notion of sharing a pot of boiling beef with my dining partners isn't exactly appealing to me, but cheese and chocolate seem to be acceptable) The servers are always very helpful - especially if this is your first visit. They explain exactly how the process works, how to cook your food to the right temperature and how to select your menu based on your table's taste preferences. Aside from the share-able beef bath, my sole complaint is the absurd length of time it takes to dine here. I rarely have 2.5-3 hours to devote to eating, so this is definitely a one-a-year type of place.
(3)
Mike D.
Given the balance of experience vs cost, A-OK nails it on the head for The Melting Pot. It's not cheap. Given the full course experience, you'll top out at over $100 for two more than likely. Even given that, we've come here every year for our anniversary for the past several years. It's a fun time and you can't beat the cheese and dessert courses. I've found the entree courses to be hit and miss, which is kind of hilarious given that I'm the one cooking the food. As a defense mechanism and because frequently the times we're given for cooking are way off, we've taken to the habit of just leaving everything in the broth for a really long time. It gets it cooked, obviously, but can have an adverse effect on flavor. I guess that's why one usually pays for someone else to cook one's food. The environment is intimate and lovely, dark wood and low lighting, lots of varities of seating from larger parties to tables for two. Maybe next year we'll just come for cheese and dessert -- we always leave stuffed full anyway, maybe that entree course isn't needed.
(3)
Jeremy A.
First of all the staff is great. Very friendly and helpful during the meal experience. It is an experience. You cook your own food at your table. We only go for special occasions because it is hard to get into this restaurant. The tables for two are mind numbingly claustrophobic fit causing crowded. The ambiance is romantic and it isn't too loud to hear your partner. Drinks, however, are not very appetizing. They sound really good on the menu, but they are not very well made. I got a foo foo drink and it tasted like turpentine. Overall it is a great date night but go somewhere else for drinks. Do not come here if you are claustrophobic.
(3)
Max T.
The Melting Pot is, according to their tagline, "A Fondue Restaurant". This is their Easton location, the second to open in Columbus, though sadly the previous location on North High closed this past year. This location is interesting because it's actually underground. The entrance is a nice glass storefront (with a valet stand available out front on busy nights), but right inside the door you're immediately faced with a staircase, which winds (slightly) down into the restaurant itself. It lends a very interesting & secluded feel to the place, and fits well with the dark & intimate atmosphere of the restaurant itself. The dark lighting is accented with lit glass bottles in various colors on walls & corners. For the most part, the booths are high-backed and small, meant for 2-4, though there are some larger booths available for bigger groups. Each table has 1-2 burners depending on the seating available. For foods, being a fondue restaurant, the main focus is on cheese fondue appetizers, broth or oil-based entree fondue, and chocolate fondue desserts. The entrees are also served with a salad - four options are usually available (my preference is the Chef, basic, but goes very well with their "Garlic & Wine Seasoning" salt, pepper & spice mixture they offer. Most entree ordering tends to be from either the "Big Night Out" dinner for two main special they're running (choice of salad, cheese, one of three entree platters, and chocolate) or the standard "Dinner for Two" options (which include salad, cheese and entree platter, but NOT chocolate - though you can always add it). It IS possible to add an extra portion on either of those options as well, for the third/fifth wheels. The cheese fondue is prepared by your server at the table, allowing you to throttle-up or -down ingredients as desired (don't like garlic? Have them skip it or go VERY light, etc.) The traditional swiss (emmentaler & gruyere) is the best, IMO, finished with a shot of Kirschwasser brandy to give it an added kick. They also have your basic Wisconsin cheddar, a "fiesta" salsa-dip/queso inspired cheese fondue, and others. The entrees can be intimidating for some folks - they essentially bring you a platter of (pre-cut) raw meats (and/or seafood) and a bowl of veggies, which you can then cook in whichever "cooking style" you selected. A wide variety of dipping sauces are also brought to finish off your morsels. Make sure to get an entree with the teriyaki sirloin - it's excellent, and the house teriyaki sauce is excellent. As for cooking styles, my personal favorite is the wine & mushroom infused "coq au vin", though the standard court bullion is excellent as well. As for the oil - even the servers (almost every one I've had) recommend AGAINST that -- stick to one of the broths. While cooking, make sure you double-up pieces of meat on a skewer, and have both your skewers going at once. I've seen people doing one skewer, one piece of meat at a time in the pot and that could take YEARS... Dessert is, of course, chocolate fondue, your choice of many different flavors (try milk or dark chocolate with a shot of creme de menthe!). Served with strawberries, pineapples, bananas, marshmallows, a small slice of cheesecake, brownies...all stuff to dip in or pour chocolate over - it's almost too much. The best part of the Melting Pot is that it's not just going out to eat - it's an experience. A great way to socialize with friends, loved ones or spend some quality time getting to know your date. Instead of "Eat It & Beat It", the setting actually lends well to long, relaxed meals in a good environment....
(5)
Alexandra S.
The only issues preventing this from being a five-star review are that if one in your party is a vegetarian either everyone has to get a vegetarian dinner or the veggie has to cook their entire dinner before the others, which detracts from the leisurely piecemeal experience; and that families with noisy children were abundant during prime dinner time on Friday night! Luckily, my husband doesn't mind getting the Good Earth Vegetarian meal, and we were moved to a table a bit further away from the most egregiously noisy family, which was nice. The whole experience was romantic and actually quite affordable considering we got salads, cheese fondue course, a vegetarian entree course with literally 15 different types of veggies, filled pastas, mushrooms, etc, and a chocolate fondue course for only $32.99 each (plus we upgraded to the coq au vin broth for $4.95; ALL the broth upgrades are actually vegetarian even if the descriptions don't sound veg!). All in all a great restaurant for Date Night!
(4)
Ted R.
The bread was stale, we requested some fresh bread. No fresh bread, so the hid some more hard bread under the chips. Very sad. Then the plate was dirty. Sadder. Salad was small and barely dressed. Not the best example of Melting Pot fare.
(2)
Kendy T.
This is an amazing place to enjoy an evening! The service was exceptional (Lena was GREAT), and the food was fantastic! A fun experience, with a quiet atmosphere - enables you to enjoy the conversation with your group! The staff takes time to explain how to cook the meal, and check on you during the course of the evening. Not sure I would go with a big group, but it is great for two to four.
(5)
Tim S.
Interesting and unique concept. Environment was good, and was a nice date place. However, there is really nothing special about the food, since it is you, at the table cooking the food with basic ingredients. Also, it is EXTREMELY overpriced in my opinion. Especially for being such basic ingredients. The desserts where good, better than the entrees. Try it once - take a date there that has never heard of it. It's unique. But you will need to take a home equity line of credit to do so.
(3)
Mike T.
This is a great experience. Their fondu is outstanding and they have added some new choices since the last time I went here well over a year ago. We had the spinach and artichoke cheese for our cheese course. That tasted fantastic! I could have eaten that all night. The main course was really good as they've done a bit more with their meats than what they used to do the last time. They actually seasoned their meats with spices or marinades not to mention the sushi-grade tuna they brought out as well. That stuff was good cooked or un-cooked. To finish it all off we had their cookies and cream chocolate dip which seemed to be chocolate and marshmallow stirred together. Awesome! The service here is always going to be good as it should be for the price that you pay for dinner. We had to wait on the other couple we were eating with since they were running a bit late. It's the restaurant's policy that they won't seat you until you are all there so we waited at the bar and had some wine since we had some time to kill. The bartender is worth the trip to the Melting Pot. She is a mega beer geek like me and really knows her beer and wine. We all sat around talking beer for 10 or 15 minutes before our friends showed up but it didn't seem like any time had passed. It's awesome running into beer people when you're out and about.
(5)
Victoria L.
If I could give -5 stars then that is what I would rate this place. Service was awful, food even worse. I had my tonsils removed without anesthesia when I was 10, this was worse than that. People who rate this a 5 star "restaurant" know nothing about food.
(1)
Destiny M.
I went here for a girl's night out last week. Oh my goodness, I think I'm in love. I'll break it down. Time- We made reservations for 8:00pm. We got there around 7:50 and sat in bar until the table was ready. They were running a bit behind and we got seated around 8:10pm. That's not bad, seeing as how it was a Friday night. Staff- Our waiter was very knowledgable and he had a news anchor voice. Very nice, prompt on drink refills and had an answer for my friends' confused questions. The manager stopped by and had a quick little conversation with us. He brought out some chocolate fondue that was not on the menu for us to try. It was white chocolate and very very sweet. I forget the name of it, but it is not on the menu and if you're into white chocolate, I suggest you ask for it. I thought that was nice. Food- We got the fiesta cheese. It was fabulous. I like the bread dippers the most. It was spicy and cheesy and just plain awesome. Next we had our salads. I felt myself getting full so I only took a few bites but their house dressing was decent. Next was the meat. We got chicken and steak with mojo cooking style. Yum yum yum! They say leave the meat in for 2 mins, but I left it in for 5 just to make sure I wasn't consuming anything raw. The sauces were great. Green Goddess and the teriyaki were my fave.Then came the chocolate. We got the oreo made with milk chocolate. My my my, I felt sooooooo guilty that night. Our waiter kept bringing us more and more dippers (brownies, red velvet cake, rice crispies, strawberries, cheesecake, etc). I was so full but I could not put my fondue fork down. The bill came to $111 for three people and we left a $25 tip. It's expensive but it was not as expensive as I thought it would be. I'll tell ya it's a BATTLE to walk up those stairs to leave the building. Ughh they're so steep and long and I'm so full and tired. Anyway, we had a great time. We will be back for our next event, whatever that may be.
(5)
Allie L.
Okay, to preface this review I must say that I didn't give The Melting Pot 5 stars because I have to cook my meat myself. I don't like doing that but I understand it is a fondue restaurant. Melted cheese? I will pay anything for melted cheese. My husband and I just came here for my birthday and we had a great time. We ordered a la carte and got the Swiss cheese and some meat dish (came with shrimp, duck, pork, chicken, pot stickers, and steak). The meat came with a salad and veggies to cook. We were too full for dessert. I know. We didn't get chocolate fondue at a fondue restaurant. But seriously you become so full. For those two a la carte orders, one glass of wine and two beers...it came to $105 with tip. Preeeettty pricey. Oh well, they gave me a birthday card and the booths are so private that you feel like it's just the two of you on a date. It's nice!
(4)
Billy L.
Really good food, wonderful atmosphere and great staff. My wife and I went there for our 5 year anniversary and the staff had an anniversary card for us along with every staff member helping us wishing us a happy anniversary. That is great customer service. Our server was excellent and very knowledgable of the menu. He was also patient with us as this was our first time at The Melting Pot. It is on the expensive side but overall it was very much worth the money.
(5)
Patrick C.
Too much, too much.... OK , well maybe just a little bit more. nom nom nom. This was my first time at the Melting Pot, I am a fan of fondue, so my girlfriend a mutual friend and myself all decided to stop here and check the place out last night. The place is in a basement so there are a lot of stairs to get to the main waiting room. So needless to say it doesn't seem all that handicapped friendly. At least not from what I saw. We had a short wait and then we were sat at our booth. We were then greeted by our wonderful waitress Jessica. Who was quite friendly, and was able to engage us in conversation about the meals we were about to dive into. (I don't know why some people are complaining about the service here, we had no troubles, booshie much?) The presentation of how the foods were presented to us also was a nice treat. We had a bit of everything, we had the Wisconsin Trio Cheese Fondue, a delicious California salad, main entree Land & Sea (which was outstanding) that came with a whole ship ton of sauces, and how could I forget about the chocolate fondue for the sweet treat after the meal to seal the deal. I had to pop open my button down shit. My gut was full. Next stage is sleep mode. Now, with such a review your thinking, "but captain pat, why just 4 stars" its simple my dear yelper... just like the chocolate fondue, the price is a little rich for my blood. But I suppose with such a nice night we had it was worth the price. I think I will find myself back here, but maybe on just special occasions.
(4)
Amruta D.
Since I'm a vegetarian, my opinion is a bit biased and I'm also decently picky with the quality of tofu I get. That being said, I think their vegetarian option was really bad. I went there with a few friends and I did not like it that they don't give you an extra pot for cooking vegetarian food and since I'm allergic to sea food, I pretty much had to cook my food before my friends could cook theirs, so I was done eating the main course by the time my friends had their meat and sea food cooked. Also, their vegetarian options were abysmal, tofu was extremely salty and so were most of the vegetables. I also think their dessert quality is not all that great, they just give you some cut up fruits and Rice Krispies, some brownies and cakes to dip in melted chocolate. I have had much better fondue which was a lot more authentic than what this place serves. I don't mind paying the price but this food is way over priced for the quality.
(1)
Mark K.
Okay, I must be old: I grew up with fondue in the '70s. My family had it often, and we loved it. I've done it once at home since; it was messy and kind of a pain, but still good. I went to the Melting Pot near Graceland years ago with a big group, including some kids, and it was fun. But seemed expensive... Stumbled on this walking around Easton with my girlfriend, and decided to go in. The place is downstairs and very cool- dark, intimate, awesome music. The staff were great all around. We had Wisconsin cheese fondue to start; came with bread, apples, and veggies. It's healthy if it has fruit and vegetables in it, right? Right? We were almost full by the end of this. Then had the French Quarter meat combo. Highly seasoned beef and chicken, and andouille slices. Plus more veggies. Cooked in broth, not the oil I remember from way back. It was all very good- everything was fresh, broth and veggies were replenished when needed. Just a very nice, relaxing, romantic dinner. Pricewise, yeah, a little high, but really for the quality, the amount we got, and the overall experience, it's worth it.I'd go back in a heartbeat.
(4)
Teri D.
Used to go to the one back in my old city a lot and finally got around to going to this one the other day. It's a bit strange entering the building as it is all pretty much underground. And that is a slight problem I have with them. As it is underground there are no windows it creeped me out a bit. But other than that and also knowing this place is not a cheap fast food joint, we had a good time. A nice long leisurely meal of bits of meat and veggies and bread with the occasional losing a chunk of something in the pot that needed to be fished out. Service from the greeter at the door to our server to some manager coming by was all top notch and the food was good too. Don't come here if you want big chunks of anything, this is fondue food which means little chunks. Frankly I can forgo the cheese fondue and just go right for the meat and veggies. The steak teriyaki is yummy and you can never go wrong with shrimp. The pork and chicken bits are good as well but I wasn't too keen on the duck and potstickers. They do make very good salads as well. We decided next time we go we will skip the cheese and maybe just order another round of meat to dip or at least extra mushrooms. Try putting the cheese in them before you dip them into the batter. Makes a darn good mushroom that way!
(4)
Vaibhav H.
It was really one of the best dinning experience!! Ambiance - Perfect! Services - Perfect! Server - Very Polite and helpful! Food - Awesome!! We went for a get together. Our bill was above $200+ for 4 people which is descent for the kind of service and food. I wish to go again to have the cheese Fondue!! it was awesome!!
(5)
Alan L.
Excellent food and service as always. The Melting Pot is one if those places that people only seem to go to when they are celebrating something because of it's price. I have never had a bad meal or service here. They seem to have switched how they do things, so less of the big night out kind of deals and more of everyone chooses their own. Which I like better, if you are there, you already know you are spending some money, so just enjoy yourself. Everyone should try the blackberry sage lemonade and be sure the add the shot of Bacardi Limón to it.
(5)
L C.
My partner and I went to The Melting Pot last night for my birthday. It was absolutely fantastic! I haven't been in several years, other than to walk down the stairs and buy their amazing wine and garlic seasoning, but was so excited that this was where my surprise birthday dinner was going to be. It felt like the whole staff was working in tandem to make sure our dinner was perfect. Our amazing server, Gareth, helped us make the right decisions and have a great time! On another note, I feel like I should write a separate review for the Garlic and Wine seasoning. It's the most amazing spice I have ever used. You can put it on anything savory and it makes everything taste delicious! Thanks, The Melting Pot, for helping make my birthday memorable and amazing! From a personalized birthday card to a personalized birthday dessert, everything was spectacular. And it's true, Blondes do have Better Birthdays!!
(5)
Nicole B.
This place used to be a 5-star place and after a menu change, it's never been the same. I totally suggest the spinach artichoke fondue though, that has not changed and it remains my favorite menu item. The dessert fondue is solid as well - the S'mores is our favorite. But the dinner part is what it lackluster. It's as if they raised prices but the quality of their meat has gone down. Disappointing because I used to adore this place.
(3)
Michael B.
I will say that this restaurant is not the place to go if you want to be impressed with flavor and quality of food. You pay for the experience at this restaurant, nothing more. The food was good but nothing to get excited about. Excellent business model at this restaurant though......small portion, served to your table raw at high prices, haha! Yeah, I'll go back but only for the experience :)
(2)
Ashley P.
My husband recently took me here for the first time for our anniversary. I was very impressed by the whole experience. Our server was super knowledgable and helpful for a newbie like me. There were so many options to choose from, but we decided on a special menu that they had where proceeds were being donated to a charity (for that month it was puppies...I couldn't resist). Each course was incredibly delicious and it was actually kind of fun cooking it on our own. By the time the chocolate course came out we were so full, but managed to stuff it down as well. We were so stuffed when we left, but it was totally worth it! Our server even came out at the end with a plate custom decorated for our anniversary! It was such a nice touch. The Melting Pot is on the expensive side, but I'd love to come back for other special occasions!
(5)
Sinran L.
It's awasome! I dislike the cheese Fondue because that is too greasy and I really recommed the red wine melting pot and Coq Au Vin cooking style. My friends and I tried Memphis-Style BBQ Pork Medallion, Chicken Potstickers, Teriyaki-Marinated Sirloin and thoes quiet good. The most one I love is Chocolate Fondue of dessert.
(4)
Ilo A.
Worst service ever not to mention nothing was explained in detail and the quality of the food could be compared to Applebee's.
(1)
Melanie G.
I have been a regular at the Melting Pot but tonight i was very disappointed. The menu has changed & everything is priced separately. You also have to pay for the types of cooking styles unless you want the vegetable broth. We opted for the classic entree & the beef came covered in pepper. Even after scrapping off as much as we could there was still way too much. They when you cooked it in the broth the pepper stayed in the pot & everything cooked after that was full of pepper. I couldn't stopped sneezing from all the pepper & I also heard others sneezing. Our waitress was Nicole. She was terrible. Even after we told her that we knew how to do the fondue and had been here several times she continued through the entire speech as if we were new to the place. Then when she made the cheese fondue we told her we do not like a lot of garlic and she started to still put in a heaping spoonful and we literally yelled at her to STOP! We nicely repeated that we do not like a lot of garlic and that was way too much so she put the spoon back into the garlic like she was going to get rid of some of it and then quickly dumped the entire spoonful into the pot and stirred it in. It tasted terrible. Then once she started to add the beer to it she stopped adding it before it was to the right consistency. We asked her to add more and she did but not nearly enough. She walked away. When my husband and I tried to dip into it, nothing would stick to the vegetables because it was so thick. We never saw Nicole and we asked another waitress to have her come. After 5 minutes she finally showed up and it took her another 5 to get more beer to thin the cheese fondue. She was like this the entire evening. If I was the manager there, I would get rid of her. She was not personable at all. The main entree was not great. As I mentioned the steak was covered with pepper but the pork was covered in some type of BBQ seasoning, which we didn't like. The pieces of chicken were very small. The shrimp was fine. The vegetables were good but we ran out and of course, Nicole was no way to be found. The chocolate fondue was great as usual. We usually go to the Melting Pot every year for our anniversary but we are not going this year. In fact, we got the email offering us the chocolate covered strawberries (which are disgusting) as our free gift for our anniversary and it was deleted. We are not planning to return any time soon. Too bad, it was a great place to go and have a nice quiet dinner.
(3)
Cathy C.
I'm not a big fan of cheese but the chocolate fondue is delicious, and, of course, a little too sweet. Services are good, and the atmosphere really sets the mood for my date. I give it a 3 star because it's just not my type of food and I think it has been overpriced.
(3)
Jessica U.
I LOVE this place! From the time we walked in the door, till the time we walked out. The atmosphere is very inviting and comfortable. Although it was just me and my husband, our table with the high backs seemed to be very private. Our waitress was very informative, nice and easy to talk to. She also was very aware of refills and more sauces, but not to the point of bothering us, which was nice. I would definitely recommend this place to a party of two or a large group!
(5)
Anna S.
This is not cutting edge cuisine, but if you want a romantic dinner date or a long dinner with girlfriends because you have some serious catching up to do, The Melting Pot fits the bill. I usually only get wine, a cheese course, a salad, and a dessert course as I refuse to cook my own food on nights off from cooking. Of the cheese fondues, my favorites include the spinach artichoke and traditional swiss. On my last visit, I had the California salad (add egg) and it was quite delicious. I think I've tried all the salads and they're all pretty decent. Lastly, you really can't go wrong with ANY of the choclate fondues--come on, it's chocloate! Service is usually good, albeit slow because of the type of restaurant. If possible, try to sit at a table with two burners if you're trying two different cheeses/chocolates. That way you won't have to wait to finish one before the server can bring out the next one.
(4)
Amy F.
Go for the appetizer and desert. The Melting Pot is way overpriced for the entire meal. Boiling is not my preferred method for cooking meat.
(2)
Diane D.
I hadn't been to the Melting Pot in years - and even then I'd only ever been to the Graceland location - but we went last night for my 35th birthday and I was able to rekindle my connection to this fine establishment. I love everything about this restaurant except for two things: one, the insanely small and cramped booths for two and secondly, THE PRICE. This place is insanely expensive. When my partner said she'd allocated "enough" funds for the meal, I sorta thought she was talking $65 or so. I had no clue we'd walk out of there spending $124 for a meal with desert and two drinks, plus tip. The upside - the location is easy to get to in the traditionally nightmare parking situation that is Easton. Even in the midst of Black Friday weekend shopping we parked easily in the lot across from the restaurant. They also take reservations, which I always enjoy so that I'm assured a table at the time I prefer. The dining space is intimate but not cloying or smothering - well appointed without being ostentatious. Service was friendly, prompt, yet not invasive. I liked the fact that our server was very well versed in his job and could offer knowledgeable recommendations on which selection to get with each course as well as the ingredients in each fondue. The food was fabulously good - and the only time in my life I'ver ever enjoyed eating duck of any kind. The meat is clearly top quality as is the dessert chocolate. I left feeling as if I'd had a real, full, gluttonous, top shelf meal - which is exactly how one should feel if they are dropping $50 per person to eat. As much as I enjoyed my dining experience here I can definitely say this will be a once or twice a year splurge only - anniversary and birthday. The only reason this is getting a 3-star and not a four or five is the price.
(3)
Dennis L.
I generally do not like restaurants that make you do the cooking, but the Melting Pot is so good, I can overlook it. Unfortunately, it's so expensive that this is a "special occasion only" type of place, but it really does feel special. My wife and I ate here for the second time last weekend, and at first we thought we were in for a miserable night. Our waiter came off as strange and rude at first; when he approached the table, instead of asking, "Are you ready to order?" or "How are things going over here?" he would just say, "What's up?" We weren't even sure how to answer that. If there's any place you don't want to get stuck with an annoying waiter, it's the Melting Pot, since they end up spending quite a bit of time at your table. After a few minutes, though, we got used to this guy's quirks (either that, or the alcohol started taking effect), and he was fine. The food. You definitely want to go with the four-course meal here, so you get three different fondues (cheese, broth and chocolate). We got a three-cheese fondue that was served with apples, bread and veggies; a coq au vin broth served with raw steak, chicken, shrimp, salmon and scallops; and dark chocolate served with a ridiculous array of sweets: cheesecake, brownies, pound cake, Rice Krispie treats, strawberries, bananas, coated marshmallows... of course you only get a couple bites of each one, but we were too stuffed to finish our dessert plate. I'm guessing the salad course doesn't get many kudos here, but the house salad is pretty darn great. The peppercorn ranch dressing tasted amazing. My wife loved her nicoise salad as well. I like the rathskeller-type location of this restaurant, too... unique, at least at Easton. Again, a reminder: A meal for two is going to be close to $100. Be prepared. And remember, you're paying for the experience.
(4)
Judy C.
I haven't had the cheese fondue and would rather stick to Asian style hotpot for cooking my own entree but the chocolate fondue is SO good! Decadent and such a guilty pleasure. I've had the original (chocolate with peanut butter) and the flaming turtle (milk chocolate, caramel, pecans). Both are to die for and I'm sure the other varieties are delicious as well. All chocolate fondue comes with fruit, rice krispie treats, cheesecake, brownies, marshmallows, and other sweet dipping treats. Our waitress recommended dipping rice krispies into the original chocolate fondue - tastes just like a Snickers bar! Side note: I always smell TERRIBLE after eating here so prepare for that. :P
(4)
Robby S.
My wife and I ate here this past Saturday. Our server, Renee, was very efficient, and took the time to explain all the menu options to us. Not only did she refill our water glasses throughout the meal, but many other servers did as well. Renee also did a great job explaining how long we should cook the food. We decided to have the 'Big Night Out.' We went with the Coq au Vin for our Entree Cooking Style, and this worked out perfect. The Fondue a la France was excellent, and tasted great on the three different types of bread, veggies, and apple. The second course, the salade nicoise was very good, and a decent size dinner salad. Third course - Lobster Indulgence. We opted to take out the duck and replace it with the filet. Excellent choice. All the choices, from the chicken to the lobster, had great seasoning and flavor. We finished the meal off with the White Chocolate Creme Brulee - chocolate covered strawberries, marshmallows, pound cake, and cheescake - a fantastic choice. We had the perfect meal!
(5)
Sabrina L.
Holy crap is this place expensive. The three stars are deceptive because I'm absolutely enamored with the food, but once again, let me say it, this stuff is EXPENSIVE. Especially the drinks. They don't put the prices on the menu and I doubt there's anything-- even the plainest beer you can order-- that's under 7 dollars. And that's on top of a meal that is most likely going to run you about 40 dollars a person. Still, it's good. It's so good that this is what I ask for every year for my birthday. When it's birthday good that means something, you know? We always start with the Cheddar Cheese Fondue, and as odd as cheese and beer sound for apple dipping, it's the green apples that get measured out one by one between me and my husband. Of course, they'll give you more if you ask, but we try not to overdo it on the appetizer since the meat is so darn yummy! We tend to ask for replacements on the seafood elements in exchange for the Cajun spiced chicken and that makes it all the better. More than anything though we love the mushrooms that we fill will green goddess dressing and gorge on. For dessert you really can't go wrong with any chocolate choice. We do the flaming turtle but I don't know how it would be possible to mess up high quality melted chocolate and fruit/brownies. All in all I would give The Melting Pot a five for taste, and a two for value, so I'm evening that out to a three!
(3)
Jason Y.
First time here. Did the four course thing. Cheese wasn't very good. Salad was average. Main course the meat was delicious. Dessert was good ( not that I'm an expert or anything) had the ting yang. For the price didn't think it was worth it. The main course says it feeds two but I could of eaten all of that meat and not even be full. Service our waiter was very helpful Would of been 4 stars except the portion for the main course was too small
(3)
Jeff T.
Went here with some friends for a birthday. Fun experience and great server but the food is definitely not worth what we paid. The next morning I woke up with a bad case of FOOD POISONING! It lasted 6 days. I couldn't keep anything down. I called the general manager of the restaurant to inform him of what happened and I was treated very poorly. He said he was going to call me back to follow up the complaint and he never did. I felt as though he was just trying to get me out of his hair. Anyway, I know there is a lot hype about this place but I will definitely not be going back!
(1)
Jack S.
Took my daughter here for a night out of dinner and shopping. First of all, the service was amazing! Since it was our first time we went with our waiters recommendations and enjoyed it all. Going to try to make the blackberry/sage lemonade at home. Will be back soon with my wife!
(5)
Jennifer T.
My husband and I go here for special occasions. The food is always good and we have never had bad service. I also enjoy going for their theme nights. I love the Wisconsin Cheese Trio and any of the chocolate desserts are sure to please.
(4)
Roy H.
Having been born in Switzerland and grown up eating authentic Swiss fondue, I think that I know what the "real deal" is and I can tell you honestly that The Melting Pot is the "real deal". Unfortunately, the original Columbus location on High Street near Worthington closed down a couple of years ago. I don't know why, but it was sure was nice and roomy. We had some good memories there. Fortunately, we still have the Easton location to enjoy. I would recommend the entree special for two if you're not eating alone, of course. It's the best deal for your money. It includes both cheese and oil fondues. You'll have a selection of bread and fruit with the cheese fondue. With the oil fondue, you'll have several choices among poultry, beef and seafood to imbibe. Finally, if you have room, I highly recommend the chocolate fondue! Yum-Yum! You'll have all kinds of fruit and pastries to dunk to your heart's desire. Man is that good stuff! If you don't prefer the "fondue" experience, do not fear. Your waiter will be glad to recommend a traditional American entree to choose from. The bar area is very hip and trendy and includes fondue burners right at the bar so that you can enjoy their wonderful food no matter where you're sitting. Finally, I would have given The Melting Pot 5 stars if their prices weren't so high. Being the only true and authentic fondue restaurant in Columbus has its advantages, I guess. The killer for me was when we got our bill. My delicious microbrewed ale cost $15...wow! No wonder they don't show the prices on the beverage menu. I should have known better. Go ahead and treat yourself to one of the most flavorful and unique dining experiences in town. It is worth the price tag. (But next time, I'm going to bring my own beer...sshhh, don't tell anyone!)
(4)
Tim D.
Enjoyed dinner here at stop in Columbus while traveling. Was interested to check it out as there is not a store in my area. On the expensive side, but the food was very very good. Great place for a special occasion. Great service. The menu is a bit unusual, so you rely on your server for help.
(4)
Randy S.
I'm not sure what the freakin' big deal about this place is. First off, you come out of the joint reeking of grease. Ah, romance! I think I'm still trying to get the stench out of a sweater from the last time I visited. Also, I guess the novelty of paying for an expensive dinner and having to do the cooking yourself is lost on me. Here's the thing: I get paranoid enough at home that I'm under cooking meat or cross-contaminating. I don't need the same feeling in a restaurant. While I did dig the cheese fondue course, the rest of the "experience" was a bit of a let down for me. I have heard from several people that the dessert fondue is the real find here. Maybe sometime I'll head back and try it.
(2)
Heather A.
I don't think I can top the previous reviewers write-up so I'll just throw in my 2 cents... :) I LOVE this place. I love it so much and just asked myself why I don't go more often. I love everything- the ambiance, the service, the food, the dessert. The only thing I don't like is how miserably full I feel afterwards. Rolling out of the booth and waddling out is the only thing that works. A happy belly is a happy Heather! I will point out that the white chocolate dream dessert (not the exact name) is THE BEST!! I always force myself to order the dessert simply for the experience even though I can barely lift my fork. They are seriously doing something right. This is a great, romantic date spot, too! :)
(5)
Dawn L.
A group of my girlfriends and I went to The Melting Pot for drinks and dessert on a Saturday night (with a reservation) and at first I was very impressed. The menu looked great and the atmosphere was nice. We were seated at a table large enough for the 6 of us where we weren't squished all together, which was great. The waiter was fast at getting to our table to take our drink orders, and that's where the good review stops. The waiter (named Jason) took 3 of our drink orders (the other 2 in our party hadn't arrived yet) and I asked him to come back because I wasn't surre what I wanted to drink just then. We also told him up front that we were only there for dessert & drinks so all we needed was dessert & drink menus. When he finally came back with the drinks, he never asked the other 2 girls who arrived what they wanted and when I ordered a night cap he acknowledged my order and left very quickly. After he brought us the desserts we ordered he never came back to check on us or ever brought me the drink I ordered. It seemed like the good customer service that he started out with ended when we told him that all we wanted was dessert and drinks. The only good things were that he didn't charge me for the drink I ordered and never got and he offered to split the bill for us evenly, but the he took forever to bring the bills and still longer to charge our cards and bring us back the reciepts to sign. I would still like to try The Melting Pot again for dinner, but the server made it obvious that just drinks and dessert isn't worth their time. Parking was also horrible to find and their reservation system is crazy, if you're even 5 minutes late then they give away your reservation.
(2)
Amy S.
Fun experience but not worth it for me at the price at which it is offered. I came here with a friend and we were both extremely shocked at the price but didn't want to walk out. It also took a lot longer than we had been anticipating and felt a bit rushed at the end. I heard great things about the original location but now am not hearing these at the new one.
(2)
Samara C.
The melting pot was an amazing experience!!! The server was amazing very attentive!!!! My dessert was to die for my favorite is the banana fosters and they didn't have it on the menu the server said no problem and made it for me!!!!
(5)
Elisabeth M.
Fondue - Excellent. Staff - TOO helpful. See more below. My mother visited me and she loves fondue so I took her here. It is hard to find parking. When I walked in I saw it was in a basement and there were many many stairs down, and my mother (parking the car) has bad knees and inquired about an elevator. They said yes, and showed me too it, when my mother came in there was a waiter by the elevator who escorted us down. We were greeted and told we are in for a treat, and asked if we were celebrating anything. Nope. He left, the managed I think comes and tries to weasel another special occasion out of us again. As did our waiter once he showed up. I asked if he We decided on the four course experience. We picked Alpine Classic for the cheese, it was very good, and the bread, apple, and vegetable dippers were delicious. The salads were also excellent and petit - good so as not to fill up to much before the heavy entree course. We chose fondue our way with filet mignon, chicken breast, and the ravioli, cooked in the oil instead of the broth. Get the oil! They tried to talk us out of it ("this is usually for our more eXPERienced fonduers, we recommend one of our broth and wine mixtures) but it sounds like from other reviews, and my own opinion, the oil is much better. It took a lot time to heat, it came out cold and not warm, and it should at least be warmed before going on the cooktop, I feel. They kept turning our dial down and then stuff wouldn't cook so we kept having to turn it up once he left so the meat would cook. I did not use batters but tasted them, seemed good. They had excellent sauces, especially the Green Goddess was delicious. I assume they don't want the possibility of a vat of oil with clumsy or inexperienced diners, but I feel strict instructions and checking in should be sufficient to be vigilant if they so desire. The meat fried deliciously, Since I was without batter I used their wine and garlic seasoning and sauces, and it was very good. Dessert, of course, was awesome. I wanted just a plain tub of chocolate with no bells and whistles, and the extra dippers. Delicious, smooth, yum. Not cheap - 88 for two, and more if any drinks, alcohol, extra dippers, or merchandise. Still I think it is worth it for when you want that experience or crave fondue, or a romantic or group night out.
(4)
Erin R.
The Melting Pot is my go-to for special occasions. I love it, but it is not affordable enough for regular patronage. The ambiance is romantic - dark and cozy (although I liked their old location better!). I've always had excellent service. The servers are friendly and knowledgeable. The fondue is AWESOME!!! I have never had something I didn't like! We usually do the full-course experience when we go for a special occasion. I love watching them make the cheese right there in front of us! The meat course is fun - cooking your own meat and picking the sauces to use makes the meal more fun. And dessert?? You can't go wrong! It's all delicious! Bonus yum: dip your after-dinner mint (comes with your bill) in your chocolate! That is, if you have any left! We eat it with a spoon if we run out of dippers! Take a container of their garlic & wine seasoning home with you - I use it to season just about anything I make at home!
(5)
Darren D.
I can honestly say I have never experienced something like this in my life. I used yelp to book a reservation and noted It was my wife and I anniversary. Just hoping it will be pleasant. It was beyond pleasant. We came earlier than the time and it was ready for us. We were given a private booth and upon arriving to the booth we saw something magical. Rose petals all over our table and a congratulations card. Made my wife happy beyond happy. Apart from that amazing moment our waiter made the exp even better. James was amazing. He gave us the rundown on EVERYTHING. I work in retail and I know what it means to give customer service with a smile all day long and James dev displayed that with flying colors. It was truly the best experience I've ever had at any restaurant. I recommend this place to anyone for any occasion.
(5)
Andrea F.
Always great food! We come here for every special occasion and it never disappoints. The servers are always knowledgeable and helpful. Can be very pricy but well worth it.
(5)
Bruce M.
Very nice experiience good food good service. The fondue and the dessert fondue ours was dark chocolate were really good
(5)
Jill G.
When I told a co-worker that my husband and I were going here, she said "oh, your hair and clothes will smell bad when you leave!" I thought, really? Come to find out, the restaurant is in a deep, dark basement, and it smells like feet and old fryer. They really need a better ventilation system. Staff was friendly and attentive. The cheese fondue (traditional French) was good. So were the salads, although mine had too much dressing, and my husband's too little. The French Quarter meat/chicken/andouille/shrimp fondue, however, was awful. They first brought out a salty bland broth (they called it court-bouillon, but it tasted more like Lipton's instant soup to me) which we sent back in favor of oil to cook the meat in. They brought the oil out cold, so it took about 15 min to get up to temp. Then we got busy cooking, and took our first tastes of the meat and shrimp. Inedible! It was SO salty! Every piece was wet seasoned with about 1/4 inch coating of spicy salt. Neither of us eat low sodium diets, but one bite had me chugging water and putting my fork down. My husband kept dutifully choking it down. I complained and they brought out a complimentary small plate of unseasoned meats (which was nice). But big chunks of salty seasoning were falling off and burning in the oil as my husband continued to cook the salt-coated nightmares, so eventually it all tasted bad. The "S'mores" chocolate fondue was very tasty, so we ended on a good note! But definitely not worth $125 including tip. And yes, hair and clothes smelled afterwards. Icky.
(2)
Richard J.
Summary: A decent GROUP experience and a decent DATE experience. Probably wont repeat otherwise, very pricey. I have been to Melting Pot 3 times. Once with a group and twice on dates. Each time I have enjoyed myself and my guest had fun too. Why two stars? There is really nothing about this that makes it fun... in other words, you are simply paying for the food and the quality of it. Which was good but way overpriced. The entertainment of "dining out" though isn't really there and the same fun could be had anywhere with a much cheaper tab. I could recommend (and will) a dozen other restaurants that could provide a similar atmosphere or experience with equal or better quality of food and service and with a much lower price tag. Service: Nothing spectacular. Engaging but slow. Food: Meh... Cheese and Chocolate are good but Steak and Meat fans will be disappointed. Atmosphere: Left me wanting. Too intimate maybe?
(2)
Kile C.
Too complicated. Who wants to work when u are not at work. Way to expensive and u are cooking the food. Go to a 5 star steak or seafood restaurant instead of the melting pot and have someone else prepare the food. There is a reason the Melting Pot spends thousands of dollars on advertising per month. Sorry- we won't be back.
(1)
Kaoru M.
In general, I don't like to order something at a restaurant when it's something I can make on my own at home. I have a fondue set at home, and I've been able to recreate fairly accurately their cheddar cheese fondue and mojo fondue broth. (Just try googling the recipes.) So why do I continue to go to this rather pricy restaurant once or twice a year? It's for the ambiance of the restaurant and for the excellent level of service. The interior is a very comfortable place to be, and the service here has consistently been excellent. It's a pretty romantic setting for any guy looking to take their significant other out on a date. Yes, I could go and cook the food that they serve here on my own, for much less money. But I would also be spending an extra hour prepping and an hour afterwards doing the dishes for a 4 course meal. For a special occasion, it's nice to come to the Melting Pot and feel a little bit pampered.
(4)
Brandi B.
We always have excellent service and great food at The Melting Pot at Easton. It's on the pricey side, but it's something we plan for on birthdays or our anniversary. We always get the 4 course dinner and leave stuffed with cheese and chocolate goodness. My personal favorite are the mushrooms stuffed with Green Goddess dip!
(5)
Tiffany C.
The Melting Pot was really a unique experience, namely because the experience involves you cooking a variety of different foods at your table. Be forewarned, the experience is going to be 2+ hours because you're cooking your own entrees, so avoid planning movies, etc afterwards. Coming in, the servers will try and sell you on the 4 course meal...we would recommend that you skip this and order individual menu items. This is in large part due to the large portion sizes that come with each and every dish (LARGE). The 4 course meals are ~$40 each (include cheese, salad, entree, and dessert). Our waitress also somehow finagled the check using one of the 4 course meal items so our bill was cheaper by ordering individual items. We ordered 2 cheeses, one entree and one dessert and left stuffed! Cheeses - lots of options here, but we would recommend the spinach and artichoke. They warm the pot and make it right before your eyes. That being said, they use a TON of cheese. If we were to do it again, we would ask that they use less cheese as there is plenty of cheese to go around. After the cheese is warmed, you have the opportunity to dip veggies (broccoli, carrots), bread, apples, chips, etc into its melty goodness. Entree - we did the you pick 3 (pick 3 different meats to share). We chose herb chicken, filet mignon, teriyaki-marinated sirloin. The secret here is to ask for more veggies (broccoli, potatoes, mushrooms). The meat is good, but the veggies are unlimited (we got 3 refills!) and taste great in the seasoned broth they provide. They also provide different sauces for meat and veggies that were fun to try - the green goddess (on broccoli) was our favorite! Finally, we ordered the flaming turtle chocolate fondue (which literally was flaming before our eyes) and out came a full plate of marshmallows, cheesecake, and other delicious treats to dip into our melted chocolate. Why only three stars? Each of the servers have this weird script that they go through, which seemed a bit staged. The salad we shared was very sour and seemed doused in dressing. We were forced into a booth that had very little light (although it was still on the romantic side). We also found the drink service to be slow (and expensive!) - 1 domestic draft beer = $6.00.
(3)
Jonathan B.
Attended recently to celebrate New Years Eve Eve. This is a great place for apps, drinks or dessert. However, They should not put stuff on the menu then say you can't have it unless your a "seasoned" customer. (As table next to us ordered it and we are pretty confident it was their first time). My favorite is the waiter leaving the dessert menu on the table and left for twenty min for us to figure out the menu was empty and covered in old chocolate. Nasty. This was out most expensive meal during our visit and our least favorite for the surrounding choices of dining.
(2)
Lisa S.
The Melting Pot has always been one of my favorite restaurants. Can you really go wrong when taking a lady out for some cheese, wine, and chocolate? I've been to this location maybe five or six times and have never been disappointed. The staff are always fun, friendly, and polite. The lighting and ambiance set the perfect mood for intimate date nights and the cooking/sharing food together just make the date that much more pleasurable. The Four Course Experience is my favorite selection off of the menu. Then again, I've never tried anything else because this is the absolute best! With the Four Course Experience, you get to enjoy a cheese fondue, a salad, an entree, and chocolate fondue. My favorite entree selections are: The Classic: Seasoned choice Angus sirloin, Memphis-style BBQ pork medallion, Pacific white shrimp, herb-crusted all-natural breast of chicken, and teriyaki-marinated sirloin. Fondue Delight: Premium filet mignon and a succulent cold water lobster tail paired with all-natural breast of chicken, Pacific white shrimp, and wild mushroom sacchetti. And as I've mentioned in previous reviews, I'm a dipper...they have some pretty amazing entree sauces to dip your meats and veggies in after they've been cooked. The green goddess and gorgonzola port are my favorites. I use the green goddess for the veggies and the port for the meats. Don't worry, you get to try all of the entree sauces with any entree your order. :) My favorite cheese fondue is the Cheddar Cheese Fondue. I think the lager and sharp cheddar help make this one of my favorites. :) The fondue is served with breads, fruits, and veggies for dipping. And of course...the best for last, the chocolate fondue! My favorite is the Flaming Turtle! I'll eat turtle anything...turtle cheesecake, turtle sundaes, and turtle fondue! It is simply amazing! The chocolate fondue is served with all of your favorite desserts for dipping - rice krispies treats, fruits, cheesecake, pound cake, marshmallows, and brownies! It's like you've won a ticket to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory or something! You will not be disappointed! If you've never been to the Melting Pot, I highly encourage you to try it...it's a great foodie and fondue experience...and one you're surely never to forget! :)
(5)
Eric S.
As an infrequent fondooer, I didn't expect much to begin with. The melting pot delivers just that. From the 25-30$ per person 3 course menu options, I expect my appetizer salad to be larger than 5 bites. The cheeses we ordered (cheddar and classic alpine), both were incredibly gritty, qualities in an expensive meal I would expect to be slightly greater. I recommend this place for a bar crawl, so you don't realize what you pay until you wake up. As an aspiring chef, I know now that I can start a Fondue restaurant and make a success of myself just my making my cheeses smooth. Keep your eyes peeled!
(1)
Curt E.
The service here is awful. The hosts are rude and you WILL wait even with reservation.
(1)
Jamie B.
We only go here for special occasions because it is really expensive and have enjoyed it in the past; however we didn't enjoy our last experience that well. Most of the lettuce in the salad was pink so I sent it back and then the second was almost just as bad. We don't feel like you get enough quantity of food for as much as you spend. The service was great.
(3)
Kile C.
Too complicated. Who wants to work when u are not at work. Way to expensive and u are cooking the food. Go to a 5 star steak or seafood restaurant instead of the melting pot and have someone else prepare the food. There is a reason the Melting Pot spends thousands of dollars on advertising per month. Sorry- we won't be back.
(1)
Samara C.
The melting pot was an amazing experience!!! The server was amazing very attentive!!!! My dessert was to die for my favorite is the banana fosters and they didn't have it on the menu the server said no problem and made it for me!!!!
(5)
Mike T.
This is a great experience. Their fondu is outstanding and they have added some new choices since the last time I went here well over a year ago. We had the spinach and artichoke cheese for our cheese course. That tasted fantastic! I could have eaten that all night. The main course was really good as they've done a bit more with their meats than what they used to do the last time. They actually seasoned their meats with spices or marinades not to mention the sushi-grade tuna they brought out as well. That stuff was good cooked or un-cooked. To finish it all off we had their cookies and cream chocolate dip which seemed to be chocolate and marshmallow stirred together. Awesome! The service here is always going to be good as it should be for the price that you pay for dinner. We had to wait on the other couple we were eating with since they were running a bit late. It's the restaurant's policy that they won't seat you until you are all there so we waited at the bar and had some wine since we had some time to kill. The bartender is worth the trip to the Melting Pot. She is a mega beer geek like me and really knows her beer and wine. We all sat around talking beer for 10 or 15 minutes before our friends showed up but it didn't seem like any time had passed. It's awesome running into beer people when you're out and about.
(5)
Victoria L.
If I could give -5 stars then that is what I would rate this place. Service was awful, food even worse. I had my tonsils removed without anesthesia when I was 10, this was worse than that. People who rate this a 5 star "restaurant" know nothing about food.
(1)
Judy C.
I haven't had the cheese fondue and would rather stick to Asian style hotpot for cooking my own entree but the chocolate fondue is SO good! Decadent and such a guilty pleasure. I've had the original (chocolate with peanut butter) and the flaming turtle (milk chocolate, caramel, pecans). Both are to die for and I'm sure the other varieties are delicious as well. All chocolate fondue comes with fruit, rice krispie treats, cheesecake, brownies, marshmallows, and other sweet dipping treats. Our waitress recommended dipping rice krispies into the original chocolate fondue - tastes just like a Snickers bar! Side note: I always smell TERRIBLE after eating here so prepare for that. :P
(4)
Jack S.
Took my daughter here for a night out of dinner and shopping. First of all, the service was amazing! Since it was our first time we went with our waiters recommendations and enjoyed it all. Going to try to make the blackberry/sage lemonade at home. Will be back soon with my wife!
(5)
Jennifer T.
My husband and I go here for special occasions. The food is always good and we have never had bad service. I also enjoy going for their theme nights. I love the Wisconsin Cheese Trio and any of the chocolate desserts are sure to please.
(4)
Destiny M.
I went here for a girl's night out last week. Oh my goodness, I think I'm in love. I'll break it down. Time- We made reservations for 8:00pm. We got there around 7:50 and sat in bar until the table was ready. They were running a bit behind and we got seated around 8:10pm. That's not bad, seeing as how it was a Friday night. Staff- Our waiter was very knowledgable and he had a news anchor voice. Very nice, prompt on drink refills and had an answer for my friends' confused questions. The manager stopped by and had a quick little conversation with us. He brought out some chocolate fondue that was not on the menu for us to try. It was white chocolate and very very sweet. I forget the name of it, but it is not on the menu and if you're into white chocolate, I suggest you ask for it. I thought that was nice. Food- We got the fiesta cheese. It was fabulous. I like the bread dippers the most. It was spicy and cheesy and just plain awesome. Next we had our salads. I felt myself getting full so I only took a few bites but their house dressing was decent. Next was the meat. We got chicken and steak with mojo cooking style. Yum yum yum! They say leave the meat in for 2 mins, but I left it in for 5 just to make sure I wasn't consuming anything raw. The sauces were great. Green Goddess and the teriyaki were my fave.Then came the chocolate. We got the oreo made with milk chocolate. My my my, I felt sooooooo guilty that night. Our waiter kept bringing us more and more dippers (brownies, red velvet cake, rice crispies, strawberries, cheesecake, etc). I was so full but I could not put my fondue fork down. The bill came to $111 for three people and we left a $25 tip. It's expensive but it was not as expensive as I thought it would be. I'll tell ya it's a BATTLE to walk up those stairs to leave the building. Ughh they're so steep and long and I'm so full and tired. Anyway, we had a great time. We will be back for our next event, whatever that may be.
(5)
Allie L.
Okay, to preface this review I must say that I didn't give The Melting Pot 5 stars because I have to cook my meat myself. I don't like doing that but I understand it is a fondue restaurant. Melted cheese? I will pay anything for melted cheese. My husband and I just came here for my birthday and we had a great time. We ordered a la carte and got the Swiss cheese and some meat dish (came with shrimp, duck, pork, chicken, pot stickers, and steak). The meat came with a salad and veggies to cook. We were too full for dessert. I know. We didn't get chocolate fondue at a fondue restaurant. But seriously you become so full. For those two a la carte orders, one glass of wine and two beers...it came to $105 with tip. Preeeettty pricey. Oh well, they gave me a birthday card and the booths are so private that you feel like it's just the two of you on a date. It's nice!
(4)
Billy L.
Really good food, wonderful atmosphere and great staff. My wife and I went there for our 5 year anniversary and the staff had an anniversary card for us along with every staff member helping us wishing us a happy anniversary. That is great customer service. Our server was excellent and very knowledgable of the menu. He was also patient with us as this was our first time at The Melting Pot. It is on the expensive side but overall it was very much worth the money.
(5)
Diane D.
I hadn't been to the Melting Pot in years - and even then I'd only ever been to the Graceland location - but we went last night for my 35th birthday and I was able to rekindle my connection to this fine establishment. I love everything about this restaurant except for two things: one, the insanely small and cramped booths for two and secondly, THE PRICE. This place is insanely expensive. When my partner said she'd allocated "enough" funds for the meal, I sorta thought she was talking $65 or so. I had no clue we'd walk out of there spending $124 for a meal with desert and two drinks, plus tip. The upside - the location is easy to get to in the traditionally nightmare parking situation that is Easton. Even in the midst of Black Friday weekend shopping we parked easily in the lot across from the restaurant. They also take reservations, which I always enjoy so that I'm assured a table at the time I prefer. The dining space is intimate but not cloying or smothering - well appointed without being ostentatious. Service was friendly, prompt, yet not invasive. I liked the fact that our server was very well versed in his job and could offer knowledgeable recommendations on which selection to get with each course as well as the ingredients in each fondue. The food was fabulously good - and the only time in my life I'ver ever enjoyed eating duck of any kind. The meat is clearly top quality as is the dessert chocolate. I left feeling as if I'd had a real, full, gluttonous, top shelf meal - which is exactly how one should feel if they are dropping $50 per person to eat. As much as I enjoyed my dining experience here I can definitely say this will be a once or twice a year splurge only - anniversary and birthday. The only reason this is getting a 3-star and not a four or five is the price.
(3)
Dennis L.
I generally do not like restaurants that make you do the cooking, but the Melting Pot is so good, I can overlook it. Unfortunately, it's so expensive that this is a "special occasion only" type of place, but it really does feel special. My wife and I ate here for the second time last weekend, and at first we thought we were in for a miserable night. Our waiter came off as strange and rude at first; when he approached the table, instead of asking, "Are you ready to order?" or "How are things going over here?" he would just say, "What's up?" We weren't even sure how to answer that. If there's any place you don't want to get stuck with an annoying waiter, it's the Melting Pot, since they end up spending quite a bit of time at your table. After a few minutes, though, we got used to this guy's quirks (either that, or the alcohol started taking effect), and he was fine. The food. You definitely want to go with the four-course meal here, so you get three different fondues (cheese, broth and chocolate). We got a three-cheese fondue that was served with apples, bread and veggies; a coq au vin broth served with raw steak, chicken, shrimp, salmon and scallops; and dark chocolate served with a ridiculous array of sweets: cheesecake, brownies, pound cake, Rice Krispie treats, strawberries, bananas, coated marshmallows... of course you only get a couple bites of each one, but we were too stuffed to finish our dessert plate. I'm guessing the salad course doesn't get many kudos here, but the house salad is pretty darn great. The peppercorn ranch dressing tasted amazing. My wife loved her nicoise salad as well. I like the rathskeller-type location of this restaurant, too... unique, at least at Easton. Again, a reminder: A meal for two is going to be close to $100. Be prepared. And remember, you're paying for the experience.
(4)
Robby S.
My wife and I ate here this past Saturday. Our server, Renee, was very efficient, and took the time to explain all the menu options to us. Not only did she refill our water glasses throughout the meal, but many other servers did as well. Renee also did a great job explaining how long we should cook the food. We decided to have the 'Big Night Out.' We went with the Coq au Vin for our Entree Cooking Style, and this worked out perfect. The Fondue a la France was excellent, and tasted great on the three different types of bread, veggies, and apple. The second course, the salade nicoise was very good, and a decent size dinner salad. Third course - Lobster Indulgence. We opted to take out the duck and replace it with the filet. Excellent choice. All the choices, from the chicken to the lobster, had great seasoning and flavor. We finished the meal off with the White Chocolate Creme Brulee - chocolate covered strawberries, marshmallows, pound cake, and cheescake - a fantastic choice. We had the perfect meal!
(5)
Sabrina L.
Holy crap is this place expensive. The three stars are deceptive because I'm absolutely enamored with the food, but once again, let me say it, this stuff is EXPENSIVE. Especially the drinks. They don't put the prices on the menu and I doubt there's anything-- even the plainest beer you can order-- that's under 7 dollars. And that's on top of a meal that is most likely going to run you about 40 dollars a person. Still, it's good. It's so good that this is what I ask for every year for my birthday. When it's birthday good that means something, you know? We always start with the Cheddar Cheese Fondue, and as odd as cheese and beer sound for apple dipping, it's the green apples that get measured out one by one between me and my husband. Of course, they'll give you more if you ask, but we try not to overdo it on the appetizer since the meat is so darn yummy! We tend to ask for replacements on the seafood elements in exchange for the Cajun spiced chicken and that makes it all the better. More than anything though we love the mushrooms that we fill will green goddess dressing and gorge on. For dessert you really can't go wrong with any chocolate choice. We do the flaming turtle but I don't know how it would be possible to mess up high quality melted chocolate and fruit/brownies. All in all I would give The Melting Pot a five for taste, and a two for value, so I'm evening that out to a three!
(3)
Jason Y.
First time here. Did the four course thing. Cheese wasn't very good. Salad was average. Main course the meat was delicious. Dessert was good ( not that I'm an expert or anything) had the ting yang. For the price didn't think it was worth it. The main course says it feeds two but I could of eaten all of that meat and not even be full. Service our waiter was very helpful Would of been 4 stars except the portion for the main course was too small
(3)
Jeff T.
Went here with some friends for a birthday. Fun experience and great server but the food is definitely not worth what we paid. The next morning I woke up with a bad case of FOOD POISONING! It lasted 6 days. I couldn't keep anything down. I called the general manager of the restaurant to inform him of what happened and I was treated very poorly. He said he was going to call me back to follow up the complaint and he never did. I felt as though he was just trying to get me out of his hair. Anyway, I know there is a lot hype about this place but I will definitely not be going back!
(1)
Roy H.
Having been born in Switzerland and grown up eating authentic Swiss fondue, I think that I know what the "real deal" is and I can tell you honestly that The Melting Pot is the "real deal". Unfortunately, the original Columbus location on High Street near Worthington closed down a couple of years ago. I don't know why, but it was sure was nice and roomy. We had some good memories there. Fortunately, we still have the Easton location to enjoy. I would recommend the entree special for two if you're not eating alone, of course. It's the best deal for your money. It includes both cheese and oil fondues. You'll have a selection of bread and fruit with the cheese fondue. With the oil fondue, you'll have several choices among poultry, beef and seafood to imbibe. Finally, if you have room, I highly recommend the chocolate fondue! Yum-Yum! You'll have all kinds of fruit and pastries to dunk to your heart's desire. Man is that good stuff! If you don't prefer the "fondue" experience, do not fear. Your waiter will be glad to recommend a traditional American entree to choose from. The bar area is very hip and trendy and includes fondue burners right at the bar so that you can enjoy their wonderful food no matter where you're sitting. Finally, I would have given The Melting Pot 5 stars if their prices weren't so high. Being the only true and authentic fondue restaurant in Columbus has its advantages, I guess. The killer for me was when we got our bill. My delicious microbrewed ale cost $15...wow! No wonder they don't show the prices on the beverage menu. I should have known better. Go ahead and treat yourself to one of the most flavorful and unique dining experiences in town. It is worth the price tag. (But next time, I'm going to bring my own beer...sshhh, don't tell anyone!)
(4)
Tim D.
Enjoyed dinner here at stop in Columbus while traveling. Was interested to check it out as there is not a store in my area. On the expensive side, but the food was very very good. Great place for a special occasion. Great service. The menu is a bit unusual, so you rely on your server for help.
(4)
Randy S.
I'm not sure what the freakin' big deal about this place is. First off, you come out of the joint reeking of grease. Ah, romance! I think I'm still trying to get the stench out of a sweater from the last time I visited. Also, I guess the novelty of paying for an expensive dinner and having to do the cooking yourself is lost on me. Here's the thing: I get paranoid enough at home that I'm under cooking meat or cross-contaminating. I don't need the same feeling in a restaurant. While I did dig the cheese fondue course, the rest of the "experience" was a bit of a let down for me. I have heard from several people that the dessert fondue is the real find here. Maybe sometime I'll head back and try it.
(2)
Heather A.
I don't think I can top the previous reviewers write-up so I'll just throw in my 2 cents... :) I LOVE this place. I love it so much and just asked myself why I don't go more often. I love everything- the ambiance, the service, the food, the dessert. The only thing I don't like is how miserably full I feel afterwards. Rolling out of the booth and waddling out is the only thing that works. A happy belly is a happy Heather! I will point out that the white chocolate dream dessert (not the exact name) is THE BEST!! I always force myself to order the dessert simply for the experience even though I can barely lift my fork. They are seriously doing something right. This is a great, romantic date spot, too! :)
(5)
Dawn L.
A group of my girlfriends and I went to The Melting Pot for drinks and dessert on a Saturday night (with a reservation) and at first I was very impressed. The menu looked great and the atmosphere was nice. We were seated at a table large enough for the 6 of us where we weren't squished all together, which was great. The waiter was fast at getting to our table to take our drink orders, and that's where the good review stops. The waiter (named Jason) took 3 of our drink orders (the other 2 in our party hadn't arrived yet) and I asked him to come back because I wasn't surre what I wanted to drink just then. We also told him up front that we were only there for dessert & drinks so all we needed was dessert & drink menus. When he finally came back with the drinks, he never asked the other 2 girls who arrived what they wanted and when I ordered a night cap he acknowledged my order and left very quickly. After he brought us the desserts we ordered he never came back to check on us or ever brought me the drink I ordered. It seemed like the good customer service that he started out with ended when we told him that all we wanted was dessert and drinks. The only good things were that he didn't charge me for the drink I ordered and never got and he offered to split the bill for us evenly, but the he took forever to bring the bills and still longer to charge our cards and bring us back the reciepts to sign. I would still like to try The Melting Pot again for dinner, but the server made it obvious that just drinks and dessert isn't worth their time. Parking was also horrible to find and their reservation system is crazy, if you're even 5 minutes late then they give away your reservation.
(2)
Amy S.
Fun experience but not worth it for me at the price at which it is offered. I came here with a friend and we were both extremely shocked at the price but didn't want to walk out. It also took a lot longer than we had been anticipating and felt a bit rushed at the end. I heard great things about the original location but now am not hearing these at the new one.
(2)
Max T.
The Melting Pot is, according to their tagline, "A Fondue Restaurant". This is their Easton location, the second to open in Columbus, though sadly the previous location on North High closed this past year. This location is interesting because it's actually underground. The entrance is a nice glass storefront (with a valet stand available out front on busy nights), but right inside the door you're immediately faced with a staircase, which winds (slightly) down into the restaurant itself. It lends a very interesting & secluded feel to the place, and fits well with the dark & intimate atmosphere of the restaurant itself. The dark lighting is accented with lit glass bottles in various colors on walls & corners. For the most part, the booths are high-backed and small, meant for 2-4, though there are some larger booths available for bigger groups. Each table has 1-2 burners depending on the seating available. For foods, being a fondue restaurant, the main focus is on cheese fondue appetizers, broth or oil-based entree fondue, and chocolate fondue desserts. The entrees are also served with a salad - four options are usually available (my preference is the Chef, basic, but goes very well with their "Garlic & Wine Seasoning" salt, pepper & spice mixture they offer. Most entree ordering tends to be from either the "Big Night Out" dinner for two main special they're running (choice of salad, cheese, one of three entree platters, and chocolate) or the standard "Dinner for Two" options (which include salad, cheese and entree platter, but NOT chocolate - though you can always add it). It IS possible to add an extra portion on either of those options as well, for the third/fifth wheels. The cheese fondue is prepared by your server at the table, allowing you to throttle-up or -down ingredients as desired (don't like garlic? Have them skip it or go VERY light, etc.) The traditional swiss (emmentaler & gruyere) is the best, IMO, finished with a shot of Kirschwasser brandy to give it an added kick. They also have your basic Wisconsin cheddar, a "fiesta" salsa-dip/queso inspired cheese fondue, and others. The entrees can be intimidating for some folks - they essentially bring you a platter of (pre-cut) raw meats (and/or seafood) and a bowl of veggies, which you can then cook in whichever "cooking style" you selected. A wide variety of dipping sauces are also brought to finish off your morsels. Make sure to get an entree with the teriyaki sirloin - it's excellent, and the house teriyaki sauce is excellent. As for cooking styles, my personal favorite is the wine & mushroom infused "coq au vin", though the standard court bullion is excellent as well. As for the oil - even the servers (almost every one I've had) recommend AGAINST that -- stick to one of the broths. While cooking, make sure you double-up pieces of meat on a skewer, and have both your skewers going at once. I've seen people doing one skewer, one piece of meat at a time in the pot and that could take YEARS... Dessert is, of course, chocolate fondue, your choice of many different flavors (try milk or dark chocolate with a shot of creme de menthe!). Served with strawberries, pineapples, bananas, marshmallows, a small slice of cheesecake, brownies...all stuff to dip in or pour chocolate over - it's almost too much. The best part of the Melting Pot is that it's not just going out to eat - it's an experience. A great way to socialize with friends, loved ones or spend some quality time getting to know your date. Instead of "Eat It & Beat It", the setting actually lends well to long, relaxed meals in a good environment....
(5)
Emily D.
The food was pretty good. We dined here for restaurant week so although it was a bit pricy it would have been waaaaaaayy overpriced if we had ordered off of the regular menu. The best part was the dessert. The yin and yang was to die for. The queso from the cheese course was not great, neither I nor my dining partner particularly enjoyed it, but it wasn't terrible. The atmosphere was fairly dark, but not uncomfortable while seated. This would be a fantastic and perfect date spot. The method with which you dine would keep the conversation going and give you plenty of time to get to know one another. I would never. Go here for a quick bite due to the time involved in cooking the food, but for an interesting and new experience it can't hurt to try it. Overall I gave it 3 stars because it would normally be too pricy and it was not really my cup of tea. If you have a great love of fondue or you enjoy alternative dining experiences this is a great place to go, but for normal, everyday, inexpensive or traditional meals steer clear.
(3)
Lisa S.
The Melting Pot has always been one of my favorite restaurants. Can you really go wrong when taking a lady out for some cheese, wine, and chocolate? I've been to this location maybe five or six times and have never been disappointed. The staff are always fun, friendly, and polite. The lighting and ambiance set the perfect mood for intimate date nights and the cooking/sharing food together just make the date that much more pleasurable. The Four Course Experience is my favorite selection off of the menu. Then again, I've never tried anything else because this is the absolute best! With the Four Course Experience, you get to enjoy a cheese fondue, a salad, an entree, and chocolate fondue. My favorite entree selections are: The Classic: Seasoned choice Angus sirloin, Memphis-style BBQ pork medallion, Pacific white shrimp, herb-crusted all-natural breast of chicken, and teriyaki-marinated sirloin. Fondue Delight: Premium filet mignon and a succulent cold water lobster tail paired with all-natural breast of chicken, Pacific white shrimp, and wild mushroom sacchetti. And as I've mentioned in previous reviews, I'm a dipper...they have some pretty amazing entree sauces to dip your meats and veggies in after they've been cooked. The green goddess and gorgonzola port are my favorites. I use the green goddess for the veggies and the port for the meats. Don't worry, you get to try all of the entree sauces with any entree your order. :) My favorite cheese fondue is the Cheddar Cheese Fondue. I think the lager and sharp cheddar help make this one of my favorites. :) The fondue is served with breads, fruits, and veggies for dipping. And of course...the best for last, the chocolate fondue! My favorite is the Flaming Turtle! I'll eat turtle anything...turtle cheesecake, turtle sundaes, and turtle fondue! It is simply amazing! The chocolate fondue is served with all of your favorite desserts for dipping - rice krispies treats, fruits, cheesecake, pound cake, marshmallows, and brownies! It's like you've won a ticket to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory or something! You will not be disappointed! If you've never been to the Melting Pot, I highly encourage you to try it...it's a great foodie and fondue experience...and one you're surely never to forget! :)
(5)
Kaoru M.
In general, I don't like to order something at a restaurant when it's something I can make on my own at home. I have a fondue set at home, and I've been able to recreate fairly accurately their cheddar cheese fondue and mojo fondue broth. (Just try googling the recipes.) So why do I continue to go to this rather pricy restaurant once or twice a year? It's for the ambiance of the restaurant and for the excellent level of service. The interior is a very comfortable place to be, and the service here has consistently been excellent. It's a pretty romantic setting for any guy looking to take their significant other out on a date. Yes, I could go and cook the food that they serve here on my own, for much less money. But I would also be spending an extra hour prepping and an hour afterwards doing the dishes for a 4 course meal. For a special occasion, it's nice to come to the Melting Pot and feel a little bit pampered.
(4)
Carolyn K.
I mean... who doesn't love melted cheese & chocolate?! The Melting Pot is a favorite of mine just because of the cheese and chocolate. (I must confess that the notion of sharing a pot of boiling beef with my dining partners isn't exactly appealing to me, but cheese and chocolate seem to be acceptable) The servers are always very helpful - especially if this is your first visit. They explain exactly how the process works, how to cook your food to the right temperature and how to select your menu based on your table's taste preferences. Aside from the share-able beef bath, my sole complaint is the absurd length of time it takes to dine here. I rarely have 2.5-3 hours to devote to eating, so this is definitely a one-a-year type of place.
(3)
Mike D.
Given the balance of experience vs cost, A-OK nails it on the head for The Melting Pot. It's not cheap. Given the full course experience, you'll top out at over $100 for two more than likely. Even given that, we've come here every year for our anniversary for the past several years. It's a fun time and you can't beat the cheese and dessert courses. I've found the entree courses to be hit and miss, which is kind of hilarious given that I'm the one cooking the food. As a defense mechanism and because frequently the times we're given for cooking are way off, we've taken to the habit of just leaving everything in the broth for a really long time. It gets it cooked, obviously, but can have an adverse effect on flavor. I guess that's why one usually pays for someone else to cook one's food. The environment is intimate and lovely, dark wood and low lighting, lots of varities of seating from larger parties to tables for two. Maybe next year we'll just come for cheese and dessert -- we always leave stuffed full anyway, maybe that entree course isn't needed.
(3)
Darren D.
I can honestly say I have never experienced something like this in my life. I used yelp to book a reservation and noted It was my wife and I anniversary. Just hoping it will be pleasant. It was beyond pleasant. We came earlier than the time and it was ready for us. We were given a private booth and upon arriving to the booth we saw something magical. Rose petals all over our table and a congratulations card. Made my wife happy beyond happy. Apart from that amazing moment our waiter made the exp even better. James was amazing. He gave us the rundown on EVERYTHING. I work in retail and I know what it means to give customer service with a smile all day long and James dev displayed that with flying colors. It was truly the best experience I've ever had at any restaurant. I recommend this place to anyone for any occasion.
(5)
Jonathan B.
Attended recently to celebrate New Years Eve Eve. This is a great place for apps, drinks or dessert. However, They should not put stuff on the menu then say you can't have it unless your a "seasoned" customer. (As table next to us ordered it and we are pretty confident it was their first time). My favorite is the waiter leaving the dessert menu on the table and left for twenty min for us to figure out the menu was empty and covered in old chocolate. Nasty. This was out most expensive meal during our visit and our least favorite for the surrounding choices of dining.
(2)
Naiying C.
I think coming to melting pot is a fun overall experience but I can't say the food is especially memorable though.
(3)
Bridgette R.
Expensive ($150 + tip), but positively lovely. Got the 'Dinner for a cause' for two. Highly recommend. Delicious. Service was phenomenal. Quite literally, the best service I've ever had at a restaurant - EVER. Arrived about and hour and a half before closing - quiet atmosphere - which i like and could easily carry a conversation. Owner visited our table several times - he was very friendly and humorous. Can't wait to drum up a reason for husband to take me back :)
(5)
Jt P.
Overpriced. Overhyped. The service was good, but the food is sub-par and for the price is definently not worth it.
(2)
Jason K.
I have been to The Melting Pot twice and both times I left full and satisfied. The 4 course meal is the way to go as it includes a cheese course (with veggies and carbs for dipping), a salad, a main course, and a dessert course. For the main course we had meat choices that included shrimp, chicken, and steak - my wife also had sausage in hers. All of the food is good, but it definitely takes more than the recommended 2 minutes in the broth to cook the chicken...so double check that before you dig in. The dessert course is great and there are various items for dipping including cheesecake, which is by far the standout on the plate. If you are looking for a place to grab some drinks before your reservation, I also recommend the Fado pub next door.
(4)
Dianna W.
This is one of my favorite places for a Girls Night Out! I know there are other people dining, but somehow, I feel like my table is the only one in the restaurant. Simple favorites - cheese and chocolate. And, I love the Caesar salad! I've been here several times over the year, and the servers are always nice and efficient, and they explain the menu well. The prices are expensive, so I only dine here on a special occasion.
(4)
Elisabeth M.
Fondue - Excellent. Staff - TOO helpful. See more below. My mother visited me and she loves fondue so I took her here. It is hard to find parking. When I walked in I saw it was in a basement and there were many many stairs down, and my mother (parking the car) has bad knees and inquired about an elevator. They said yes, and showed me too it, when my mother came in there was a waiter by the elevator who escorted us down. We were greeted and told we are in for a treat, and asked if we were celebrating anything. Nope. He left, the managed I think comes and tries to weasel another special occasion out of us again. As did our waiter once he showed up. I asked if he We decided on the four course experience. We picked Alpine Classic for the cheese, it was very good, and the bread, apple, and vegetable dippers were delicious. The salads were also excellent and petit - good so as not to fill up to much before the heavy entree course. We chose fondue our way with filet mignon, chicken breast, and the ravioli, cooked in the oil instead of the broth. Get the oil! They tried to talk us out of it ("this is usually for our more eXPERienced fonduers, we recommend one of our broth and wine mixtures) but it sounds like from other reviews, and my own opinion, the oil is much better. It took a lot time to heat, it came out cold and not warm, and it should at least be warmed before going on the cooktop, I feel. They kept turning our dial down and then stuff wouldn't cook so we kept having to turn it up once he left so the meat would cook. I did not use batters but tasted them, seemed good. They had excellent sauces, especially the Green Goddess was delicious. I assume they don't want the possibility of a vat of oil with clumsy or inexperienced diners, but I feel strict instructions and checking in should be sufficient to be vigilant if they so desire. The meat fried deliciously, Since I was without batter I used their wine and garlic seasoning and sauces, and it was very good. Dessert, of course, was awesome. I wanted just a plain tub of chocolate with no bells and whistles, and the extra dippers. Delicious, smooth, yum. Not cheap - 88 for two, and more if any drinks, alcohol, extra dippers, or merchandise. Still I think it is worth it for when you want that experience or crave fondue, or a romantic or group night out.
(4)
Erin R.
The Melting Pot is my go-to for special occasions. I love it, but it is not affordable enough for regular patronage. The ambiance is romantic - dark and cozy (although I liked their old location better!). I've always had excellent service. The servers are friendly and knowledgeable. The fondue is AWESOME!!! I have never had something I didn't like! We usually do the full-course experience when we go for a special occasion. I love watching them make the cheese right there in front of us! The meat course is fun - cooking your own meat and picking the sauces to use makes the meal more fun. And dessert?? You can't go wrong! It's all delicious! Bonus yum: dip your after-dinner mint (comes with your bill) in your chocolate! That is, if you have any left! We eat it with a spoon if we run out of dippers! Take a container of their garlic & wine seasoning home with you - I use it to season just about anything I make at home!
(5)
Tiffany C.
The Melting Pot was really a unique experience, namely because the experience involves you cooking a variety of different foods at your table. Be forewarned, the experience is going to be 2+ hours because you're cooking your own entrees, so avoid planning movies, etc afterwards. Coming in, the servers will try and sell you on the 4 course meal...we would recommend that you skip this and order individual menu items. This is in large part due to the large portion sizes that come with each and every dish (LARGE). The 4 course meals are ~$40 each (include cheese, salad, entree, and dessert). Our waitress also somehow finagled the check using one of the 4 course meal items so our bill was cheaper by ordering individual items. We ordered 2 cheeses, one entree and one dessert and left stuffed! Cheeses - lots of options here, but we would recommend the spinach and artichoke. They warm the pot and make it right before your eyes. That being said, they use a TON of cheese. If we were to do it again, we would ask that they use less cheese as there is plenty of cheese to go around. After the cheese is warmed, you have the opportunity to dip veggies (broccoli, carrots), bread, apples, chips, etc into its melty goodness. Entree - we did the you pick 3 (pick 3 different meats to share). We chose herb chicken, filet mignon, teriyaki-marinated sirloin. The secret here is to ask for more veggies (broccoli, potatoes, mushrooms). The meat is good, but the veggies are unlimited (we got 3 refills!) and taste great in the seasoned broth they provide. They also provide different sauces for meat and veggies that were fun to try - the green goddess (on broccoli) was our favorite! Finally, we ordered the flaming turtle chocolate fondue (which literally was flaming before our eyes) and out came a full plate of marshmallows, cheesecake, and other delicious treats to dip into our melted chocolate. Why only three stars? Each of the servers have this weird script that they go through, which seemed a bit staged. The salad we shared was very sour and seemed doused in dressing. We were forced into a booth that had very little light (although it was still on the romantic side). We also found the drink service to be slow (and expensive!) - 1 domestic draft beer = $6.00.
(3)
Jeremy A.
First of all the staff is great. Very friendly and helpful during the meal experience. It is an experience. You cook your own food at your table. We only go for special occasions because it is hard to get into this restaurant. The tables for two are mind numbingly claustrophobic fit causing crowded. The ambiance is romantic and it isn't too loud to hear your partner. Drinks, however, are not very appetizing. They sound really good on the menu, but they are not very well made. I got a foo foo drink and it tasted like turpentine. Overall it is a great date night but go somewhere else for drinks. Do not come here if you are claustrophobic.
(3)
Eric S.
As an infrequent fondooer, I didn't expect much to begin with. The melting pot delivers just that. From the 25-30$ per person 3 course menu options, I expect my appetizer salad to be larger than 5 bites. The cheeses we ordered (cheddar and classic alpine), both were incredibly gritty, qualities in an expensive meal I would expect to be slightly greater. I recommend this place for a bar crawl, so you don't realize what you pay until you wake up. As an aspiring chef, I know now that I can start a Fondue restaurant and make a success of myself just my making my cheeses smooth. Keep your eyes peeled!
(1)
Alexandra S.
The only issues preventing this from being a five-star review are that if one in your party is a vegetarian either everyone has to get a vegetarian dinner or the veggie has to cook their entire dinner before the others, which detracts from the leisurely piecemeal experience; and that families with noisy children were abundant during prime dinner time on Friday night! Luckily, my husband doesn't mind getting the Good Earth Vegetarian meal, and we were moved to a table a bit further away from the most egregiously noisy family, which was nice. The whole experience was romantic and actually quite affordable considering we got salads, cheese fondue course, a vegetarian entree course with literally 15 different types of veggies, filled pastas, mushrooms, etc, and a chocolate fondue course for only $32.99 each (plus we upgraded to the coq au vin broth for $4.95; ALL the broth upgrades are actually vegetarian even if the descriptions don't sound veg!). All in all a great restaurant for Date Night!
(4)
Ted R.
The bread was stale, we requested some fresh bread. No fresh bread, so the hid some more hard bread under the chips. Very sad. Then the plate was dirty. Sadder. Salad was small and barely dressed. Not the best example of Melting Pot fare.
(2)
Kendy T.
This is an amazing place to enjoy an evening! The service was exceptional (Lena was GREAT), and the food was fantastic! A fun experience, with a quiet atmosphere - enables you to enjoy the conversation with your group! The staff takes time to explain how to cook the meal, and check on you during the course of the evening. Not sure I would go with a big group, but it is great for two to four.
(5)
Tim S.
Interesting and unique concept. Environment was good, and was a nice date place. However, there is really nothing special about the food, since it is you, at the table cooking the food with basic ingredients. Also, it is EXTREMELY overpriced in my opinion. Especially for being such basic ingredients. The desserts where good, better than the entrees. Try it once - take a date there that has never heard of it. It's unique. But you will need to take a home equity line of credit to do so.
(3)
Curt E.
The service here is awful. The hosts are rude and you WILL wait even with reservation.
(1)
Jamie B.
We only go here for special occasions because it is really expensive and have enjoyed it in the past; however we didn't enjoy our last experience that well. Most of the lettuce in the salad was pink so I sent it back and then the second was almost just as bad. We don't feel like you get enough quantity of food for as much as you spend. The service was great.
(3)
Brandi B.
We always have excellent service and great food at The Melting Pot at Easton. It's on the pricey side, but it's something we plan for on birthdays or our anniversary. We always get the 4 course dinner and leave stuffed with cheese and chocolate goodness. My personal favorite are the mushrooms stuffed with Green Goddess dip!
(5)
Patrick C.
Too much, too much.... OK , well maybe just a little bit more. nom nom nom. This was my first time at the Melting Pot, I am a fan of fondue, so my girlfriend a mutual friend and myself all decided to stop here and check the place out last night. The place is in a basement so there are a lot of stairs to get to the main waiting room. So needless to say it doesn't seem all that handicapped friendly. At least not from what I saw. We had a short wait and then we were sat at our booth. We were then greeted by our wonderful waitress Jessica. Who was quite friendly, and was able to engage us in conversation about the meals we were about to dive into. (I don't know why some people are complaining about the service here, we had no troubles, booshie much?) The presentation of how the foods were presented to us also was a nice treat. We had a bit of everything, we had the Wisconsin Trio Cheese Fondue, a delicious California salad, main entree Land & Sea (which was outstanding) that came with a whole ship ton of sauces, and how could I forget about the chocolate fondue for the sweet treat after the meal to seal the deal. I had to pop open my button down shit. My gut was full. Next stage is sleep mode. Now, with such a review your thinking, "but captain pat, why just 4 stars" its simple my dear yelper... just like the chocolate fondue, the price is a little rich for my blood. But I suppose with such a nice night we had it was worth the price. I think I will find myself back here, but maybe on just special occasions.
(4)
Amruta D.
Since I'm a vegetarian, my opinion is a bit biased and I'm also decently picky with the quality of tofu I get. That being said, I think their vegetarian option was really bad. I went there with a few friends and I did not like it that they don't give you an extra pot for cooking vegetarian food and since I'm allergic to sea food, I pretty much had to cook my food before my friends could cook theirs, so I was done eating the main course by the time my friends had their meat and sea food cooked. Also, their vegetarian options were abysmal, tofu was extremely salty and so were most of the vegetables. I also think their dessert quality is not all that great, they just give you some cut up fruits and Rice Krispies, some brownies and cakes to dip in melted chocolate. I have had much better fondue which was a lot more authentic than what this place serves. I don't mind paying the price but this food is way over priced for the quality.
(1)
Mark K.
Okay, I must be old: I grew up with fondue in the '70s. My family had it often, and we loved it. I've done it once at home since; it was messy and kind of a pain, but still good. I went to the Melting Pot near Graceland years ago with a big group, including some kids, and it was fun. But seemed expensive... Stumbled on this walking around Easton with my girlfriend, and decided to go in. The place is downstairs and very cool- dark, intimate, awesome music. The staff were great all around. We had Wisconsin cheese fondue to start; came with bread, apples, and veggies. It's healthy if it has fruit and vegetables in it, right? Right? We were almost full by the end of this. Then had the French Quarter meat combo. Highly seasoned beef and chicken, and andouille slices. Plus more veggies. Cooked in broth, not the oil I remember from way back. It was all very good- everything was fresh, broth and veggies were replenished when needed. Just a very nice, relaxing, romantic dinner. Pricewise, yeah, a little high, but really for the quality, the amount we got, and the overall experience, it's worth it.I'd go back in a heartbeat.
(4)
Teri D.
Used to go to the one back in my old city a lot and finally got around to going to this one the other day. It's a bit strange entering the building as it is all pretty much underground. And that is a slight problem I have with them. As it is underground there are no windows it creeped me out a bit. But other than that and also knowing this place is not a cheap fast food joint, we had a good time. A nice long leisurely meal of bits of meat and veggies and bread with the occasional losing a chunk of something in the pot that needed to be fished out. Service from the greeter at the door to our server to some manager coming by was all top notch and the food was good too. Don't come here if you want big chunks of anything, this is fondue food which means little chunks. Frankly I can forgo the cheese fondue and just go right for the meat and veggies. The steak teriyaki is yummy and you can never go wrong with shrimp. The pork and chicken bits are good as well but I wasn't too keen on the duck and potstickers. They do make very good salads as well. We decided next time we go we will skip the cheese and maybe just order another round of meat to dip or at least extra mushrooms. Try putting the cheese in them before you dip them into the batter. Makes a darn good mushroom that way!
(4)
Vaibhav H.
It was really one of the best dinning experience!! Ambiance - Perfect! Services - Perfect! Server - Very Polite and helpful! Food - Awesome!! We went for a get together. Our bill was above $200+ for 4 people which is descent for the kind of service and food. I wish to go again to have the cheese Fondue!! it was awesome!!
(5)
Alan L.
Excellent food and service as always. The Melting Pot is one if those places that people only seem to go to when they are celebrating something because of it's price. I have never had a bad meal or service here. They seem to have switched how they do things, so less of the big night out kind of deals and more of everyone chooses their own. Which I like better, if you are there, you already know you are spending some money, so just enjoy yourself. Everyone should try the blackberry sage lemonade and be sure the add the shot of Bacardi Limón to it.
(5)
Anna S.
This is not cutting edge cuisine, but if you want a romantic dinner date or a long dinner with girlfriends because you have some serious catching up to do, The Melting Pot fits the bill. I usually only get wine, a cheese course, a salad, and a dessert course as I refuse to cook my own food on nights off from cooking. Of the cheese fondues, my favorites include the spinach artichoke and traditional swiss. On my last visit, I had the California salad (add egg) and it was quite delicious. I think I've tried all the salads and they're all pretty decent. Lastly, you really can't go wrong with ANY of the choclate fondues--come on, it's chocloate! Service is usually good, albeit slow because of the type of restaurant. If possible, try to sit at a table with two burners if you're trying two different cheeses/chocolates. That way you won't have to wait to finish one before the server can bring out the next one.
(4)
Amy F.
Go for the appetizer and desert. The Melting Pot is way overpriced for the entire meal. Boiling is not my preferred method for cooking meat.
(2)
L C.
My partner and I went to The Melting Pot last night for my birthday. It was absolutely fantastic! I haven't been in several years, other than to walk down the stairs and buy their amazing wine and garlic seasoning, but was so excited that this was where my surprise birthday dinner was going to be. It felt like the whole staff was working in tandem to make sure our dinner was perfect. Our amazing server, Gareth, helped us make the right decisions and have a great time! On another note, I feel like I should write a separate review for the Garlic and Wine seasoning. It's the most amazing spice I have ever used. You can put it on anything savory and it makes everything taste delicious! Thanks, The Melting Pot, for helping make my birthday memorable and amazing! From a personalized birthday card to a personalized birthday dessert, everything was spectacular. And it's true, Blondes do have Better Birthdays!!
(5)
Nicole B.
This place used to be a 5-star place and after a menu change, it's never been the same. I totally suggest the spinach artichoke fondue though, that has not changed and it remains my favorite menu item. The dessert fondue is solid as well - the S'mores is our favorite. But the dinner part is what it lackluster. It's as if they raised prices but the quality of their meat has gone down. Disappointing because I used to adore this place.
(3)
Michael B.
I will say that this restaurant is not the place to go if you want to be impressed with flavor and quality of food. You pay for the experience at this restaurant, nothing more. The food was good but nothing to get excited about. Excellent business model at this restaurant though......small portion, served to your table raw at high prices, haha! Yeah, I'll go back but only for the experience :)
(2)
Ashley P.
My husband recently took me here for the first time for our anniversary. I was very impressed by the whole experience. Our server was super knowledgable and helpful for a newbie like me. There were so many options to choose from, but we decided on a special menu that they had where proceeds were being donated to a charity (for that month it was puppies...I couldn't resist). Each course was incredibly delicious and it was actually kind of fun cooking it on our own. By the time the chocolate course came out we were so full, but managed to stuff it down as well. We were so stuffed when we left, but it was totally worth it! Our server even came out at the end with a plate custom decorated for our anniversary! It was such a nice touch. The Melting Pot is on the expensive side, but I'd love to come back for other special occasions!
(5)
Sinran L.
It's awasome! I dislike the cheese Fondue because that is too greasy and I really recommed the red wine melting pot and Coq Au Vin cooking style. My friends and I tried Memphis-Style BBQ Pork Medallion, Chicken Potstickers, Teriyaki-Marinated Sirloin and thoes quiet good. The most one I love is Chocolate Fondue of dessert.
(4)
Ilo A.
Worst service ever not to mention nothing was explained in detail and the quality of the food could be compared to Applebee's.
(1)
Melanie G.
I have been a regular at the Melting Pot but tonight i was very disappointed. The menu has changed & everything is priced separately. You also have to pay for the types of cooking styles unless you want the vegetable broth. We opted for the classic entree & the beef came covered in pepper. Even after scrapping off as much as we could there was still way too much. They when you cooked it in the broth the pepper stayed in the pot & everything cooked after that was full of pepper. I couldn't stopped sneezing from all the pepper & I also heard others sneezing. Our waitress was Nicole. She was terrible. Even after we told her that we knew how to do the fondue and had been here several times she continued through the entire speech as if we were new to the place. Then when she made the cheese fondue we told her we do not like a lot of garlic and she started to still put in a heaping spoonful and we literally yelled at her to STOP! We nicely repeated that we do not like a lot of garlic and that was way too much so she put the spoon back into the garlic like she was going to get rid of some of it and then quickly dumped the entire spoonful into the pot and stirred it in. It tasted terrible. Then once she started to add the beer to it she stopped adding it before it was to the right consistency. We asked her to add more and she did but not nearly enough. She walked away. When my husband and I tried to dip into it, nothing would stick to the vegetables because it was so thick. We never saw Nicole and we asked another waitress to have her come. After 5 minutes she finally showed up and it took her another 5 to get more beer to thin the cheese fondue. She was like this the entire evening. If I was the manager there, I would get rid of her. She was not personable at all. The main entree was not great. As I mentioned the steak was covered with pepper but the pork was covered in some type of BBQ seasoning, which we didn't like. The pieces of chicken were very small. The shrimp was fine. The vegetables were good but we ran out and of course, Nicole was no way to be found. The chocolate fondue was great as usual. We usually go to the Melting Pot every year for our anniversary but we are not going this year. In fact, we got the email offering us the chocolate covered strawberries (which are disgusting) as our free gift for our anniversary and it was deleted. We are not planning to return any time soon. Too bad, it was a great place to go and have a nice quiet dinner.
(3)
Jill G.
When I told a co-worker that my husband and I were going here, she said "oh, your hair and clothes will smell bad when you leave!" I thought, really? Come to find out, the restaurant is in a deep, dark basement, and it smells like feet and old fryer. They really need a better ventilation system. Staff was friendly and attentive. The cheese fondue (traditional French) was good. So were the salads, although mine had too much dressing, and my husband's too little. The French Quarter meat/chicken/andouille/shrimp fondue, however, was awful. They first brought out a salty bland broth (they called it court-bouillon, but it tasted more like Lipton's instant soup to me) which we sent back in favor of oil to cook the meat in. They brought the oil out cold, so it took about 15 min to get up to temp. Then we got busy cooking, and took our first tastes of the meat and shrimp. Inedible! It was SO salty! Every piece was wet seasoned with about 1/4 inch coating of spicy salt. Neither of us eat low sodium diets, but one bite had me chugging water and putting my fork down. My husband kept dutifully choking it down. I complained and they brought out a complimentary small plate of unseasoned meats (which was nice). But big chunks of salty seasoning were falling off and burning in the oil as my husband continued to cook the salt-coated nightmares, so eventually it all tasted bad. The "S'mores" chocolate fondue was very tasty, so we ended on a good note! But definitely not worth $125 including tip. And yes, hair and clothes smelled afterwards. Icky.
(2)
Andrea F.
Always great food! We come here for every special occasion and it never disappoints. The servers are always knowledgeable and helpful. Can be very pricy but well worth it.
(5)
Richard J.
Summary: A decent GROUP experience and a decent DATE experience. Probably wont repeat otherwise, very pricey. I have been to Melting Pot 3 times. Once with a group and twice on dates. Each time I have enjoyed myself and my guest had fun too. Why two stars? There is really nothing about this that makes it fun... in other words, you are simply paying for the food and the quality of it. Which was good but way overpriced. The entertainment of "dining out" though isn't really there and the same fun could be had anywhere with a much cheaper tab. I could recommend (and will) a dozen other restaurants that could provide a similar atmosphere or experience with equal or better quality of food and service and with a much lower price tag. Service: Nothing spectacular. Engaging but slow. Food: Meh... Cheese and Chocolate are good but Steak and Meat fans will be disappointed. Atmosphere: Left me wanting. Too intimate maybe?
(2)
Bill M.
"Been there done that" Now that I can say it, I won't be back. A lot of people have told me about this place and I'm glad I tried it. I went with a group of 7, so the waiter taked on a mandatory $38 tip and gave us the opportunity to give him more :) We took someone for a special birthday dinner and we did get that. For me, if I am going to pay this much for steak, I'm going to Ruth's Chris and let them cook it for me. Steak boiled in an oil isn't great steak. The desserts are great, but again, its a do it yourself thing. Fun once, try it, you may like it, too trendy for me. This will be a special occasion only place. 4 people, 2 drinks $214 with tip.
(3)
Tiffany W.
This restaurant itself is located downstairs, and they keep the lighting fairly dark. However, a lot of the tables are semi-closed off, so that provides a cozy feeling and it doesn't seem like you are dining with so many people around. The service is pretty good here. The menu choices can be confusing at first, but the waiters took time and explained it really well for us. They don't check back in on you as often as in some other restaurants, but I thought that was really okay because it made the meal seem more homey and personal. The waiters will explain how they are preparing the fondue or the broth, which is nice to watch. The food itself it decent. I loved our cheese fondue (we got the Alpine which has a heavy white wine taste). The actual appetizers themselves to dip into the cheese were just your normal bread, veggies, apples, etc so nothing too over the top. For the entree, we had the classic platter and cooked it ourselves -- you also get your choice of broth here. The dessert fondue was amazing and I would come here again just for that. Lots of choices for types of chocolate/toppings, and their basic dessert platter also had lots of delicious treats for you to enjoy with chocolate. Everything tastes better with chocolate :) Be prepared to spend at least 2 hours here. Also be prepared to spend lots (too much) money. It's definitely pricey, and I feel like you pay more for the experience and time than the food itself. So in summary, I would recommend coming here for the experience or the dessert fondue.
(4)
Jay P.
We booked a table for 8 this last weekend at the Melting Pot and the reviews from all involved were mixed. First the staff and management were very nice to us, from the moment we walked in at 6:15pm, until we left, at 10:00pm. After seating us and explaining how the process worked, we all placed orders and sipped our drinks waiting for the first course, (the cheese fondue) to begin. It took a good 20 minutes for them to set up the fondue pots, get them warmed up and to bring out the needed ingredients and supplies. Once they got the mixture in place and melted, they then dished out some veggies, fruit and breads to dip. This was all well and good except for the amount of dipping cheese they gave us, as it was not quite what was needed for the amount of veggies, fruit and breads we had. Our salads arrived soon after the cheese was gone. They were nice but I heard a couple of people complain about the size (too small) and the dressing (too much). The salads went quickly and the wait time for our next course was long. After a while they cleared the table of both the cheese fondue and salad dishes and brought out the simmer pots for the main course, the meats and vegetables, which we were going to be cooking for ourselves. My wife and I had ordered the "Pacific Rim" option, which had steak, duck, shrimp and some dumplings. The simmer pot we had in front of us was shared by another couple who ordered the "Cajin" option (not sure of the actual name) but it also had steak & shrimp, but with sausages and some other meat thrown in. As our simmer pot was not large, getting all of those color coordinated forks set up and cooking, all at the same time, soon became a game of who lost what and why is my fork suddenly empty? We were able to cook and eat nearly all of the meats and veggies provided but most of us agreed that the steak pieces were far too salty. Right after they cleared away the main course dishes, I checked the time and found it was just before 9:00pm, we were going on 3 hours! WOOF! The dessert fondue showed up soon after and this time they did provide us with almost enough chocolate dip for the mound of fruit and assorted goodies to our plates. Got to say this was everyone's favorite part of the whole meal. The only bummer was that after watching our waiter prepare the flaming turtle for one side of our party, he did not even attempt to fully prepare ours, (we ordered the same)...he just stirred it together and started out of the room. We stopped him saying, "aren't you going to light up this one like the first one?" He reluctantly agreed, mumbled something we couldn't hear and proceeded to set our chocolate on fire. Cost for my wife and I was just over $100.00, as we did each have one drink with our meal. Total time spent, 3 hours and 45 minutes. As we were leaving, we saw a few other couples we had noticed when checking in, who were also just getting up to leave, so the table turn over ratio for this place must be very low. I asked everybody in our party how they liked the dinner (and the restaurant) and 4 people gave everything a good review, with a few small reservations. One couple said it was just ok and they probably would not go back. As for my wife and I, we might come back to dinner for just the 2 of us, someday.. just not anytime soon.
(3)
Sandra G.
Random Thursday and met my sister at Easton. We decided on The Melting Pot. This was my second time here, but haven't been here in several years . The place was pretty empty which I thought was nice. We decided to get The Good Earth option as a four course meal. We shared the Classic Alpine cheese fondue. The apples were a good compliment to the cheese. The cheese fondue also came with an assortment of bread and veggies. The second course was a salad. We both got the California salad. The salad came with candied pecans that were really good. The rasberry black walnut vinergerette dressing was really good! Would go back just for the salad. The entree came with two different kinds of ravoli that were really good. Our vegetables consisted of red potatoes, broccoli, carrots, asparagus, tofu, artichoke and different dipping sauces. I enjoyed my veggies without the sauces. For the dessert we got chocolate mixed with raspberry and blackberry and peanut butter. Basically it was pb&j. By this time we were pretty full. It was a fun experience! Our waitress was really nice. It is a bit pricey even without buying alcohol and just getting the veggie option. I would probably go back just for the dessert since that was the whole reason we went in the first place.
(3)
Bethany K.
This was such a great experience.... my husband and I hadn't been here for a bit, so this was a nice, refreshing evening. We decided on the four course vegetarian meal which starts with salads, followed by cheese, your meal, followed by chocolate. If there's anything in your main meal that you do not like, you can substitute it for something else, for no extra charge! This can be made casual, but can also be very romantic... but be prepared to take a block of time... due to the nature of the meal, it does take some time. I have always had excellent service. The servers always informative and interactive. Defintely worth a try!
(5)
Carmen P.
I love going to the melting pot! It is a great experience every time I go. The food is fresh, easy to mixed and make and the servers are really nice.
(5)
Jen W.
I ADORE this location. My boyfriend and I have shared so many dates and memories here. We always do cheese and chocolate, perfect amount of food for us. Apples and cheese might sound intimidating but it's my weakness. The staff is so polite and the manager even helped my boyfriend ask me to prom with chocolate covered strawberries as a surprise!
(5)
Dianna W.
This is one of my favorite places for a Girls Night Out! I know there are other people dining, but somehow, I feel like my table is the only one in the restaurant. Simple favorites - cheese and chocolate. And, I love the Caesar salad! I've been here several times over the year, and the servers are always nice and efficient, and they explain the menu well. The prices are expensive, so I only dine here on a special occasion.
(4)
Arps L.
I am a BIG FAN of the cheese and chocolate at Melting Pot. It is definitely something that everyone who can should experience at least once. Have had these at their Lyndhurst, OH location several times and loved the experience. This was my first time at this location and I was introducing some friends to the cheese and chocolate fondue concept. Must say I was less than impressed. The ambience was not the best with the temperatures inside the place leaving us all too warm. We ordered our fondues (two cheese and two chocolate between three people) and it wasn't very filling. Pretty sure that I had more generous portions on my previous experiences. (Could I be mistaken? Perhaps the heat in the room played with my memories? Who knows!) The bread did not taste very fresh.. Which was not up to The Melting Pot standards. Sad to say this, but overall it was a sub par experience. Hopefully I'll be able to get these friends to go to the Lyndhurst location when they come visit!
(3)
Naiying C.
I think coming to melting pot is a fun overall experience but I can't say the food is especially memorable though.
(3)
Bridgette R.
Expensive ($150 + tip), but positively lovely. Got the 'Dinner for a cause' for two. Highly recommend. Delicious. Service was phenomenal. Quite literally, the best service I've ever had at a restaurant - EVER. Arrived about and hour and a half before closing - quiet atmosphere - which i like and could easily carry a conversation. Owner visited our table several times - he was very friendly and humorous. Can't wait to drum up a reason for husband to take me back :)
(5)
Jt P.
Overpriced. Overhyped. The service was good, but the food is sub-par and for the price is definently not worth it.
(2)
Jason K.
I have been to The Melting Pot twice and both times I left full and satisfied. The 4 course meal is the way to go as it includes a cheese course (with veggies and carbs for dipping), a salad, a main course, and a dessert course. For the main course we had meat choices that included shrimp, chicken, and steak - my wife also had sausage in hers. All of the food is good, but it definitely takes more than the recommended 2 minutes in the broth to cook the chicken...so double check that before you dig in. The dessert course is great and there are various items for dipping including cheesecake, which is by far the standout on the plate. If you are looking for a place to grab some drinks before your reservation, I also recommend the Fado pub next door.
(4)
Cathy C.
I'm not a big fan of cheese but the chocolate fondue is delicious, and, of course, a little too sweet. Services are good, and the atmosphere really sets the mood for my date. I give it a 3 star because it's just not my type of food and I think it has been overpriced.
(3)
Jessica U.
I LOVE this place! From the time we walked in the door, till the time we walked out. The atmosphere is very inviting and comfortable. Although it was just me and my husband, our table with the high backs seemed to be very private. Our waitress was very informative, nice and easy to talk to. She also was very aware of refills and more sauces, but not to the point of bothering us, which was nice. I would definitely recommend this place to a party of two or a large group!
(5)
Carmen P.
I love going to the melting pot! It is a great experience every time I go. The food is fresh, easy to mixed and make and the servers are really nice.
(5)
Jen W.
I ADORE this location. My boyfriend and I have shared so many dates and memories here. We always do cheese and chocolate, perfect amount of food for us. Apples and cheese might sound intimidating but it's my weakness. The staff is so polite and the manager even helped my boyfriend ask me to prom with chocolate covered strawberries as a surprise!
(5)
Bruce M.
Very nice experiience good food good service. The fondue and the dessert fondue ours was dark chocolate were really good
(5)
Bill M.
"Been there done that" Now that I can say it, I won't be back. A lot of people have told me about this place and I'm glad I tried it. I went with a group of 7, so the waiter taked on a mandatory $38 tip and gave us the opportunity to give him more :) We took someone for a special birthday dinner and we did get that. For me, if I am going to pay this much for steak, I'm going to Ruth's Chris and let them cook it for me. Steak boiled in an oil isn't great steak. The desserts are great, but again, its a do it yourself thing. Fun once, try it, you may like it, too trendy for me. This will be a special occasion only place. 4 people, 2 drinks $214 with tip.
(3)
Tiffany W.
This restaurant itself is located downstairs, and they keep the lighting fairly dark. However, a lot of the tables are semi-closed off, so that provides a cozy feeling and it doesn't seem like you are dining with so many people around. The service is pretty good here. The menu choices can be confusing at first, but the waiters took time and explained it really well for us. They don't check back in on you as often as in some other restaurants, but I thought that was really okay because it made the meal seem more homey and personal. The waiters will explain how they are preparing the fondue or the broth, which is nice to watch. The food itself it decent. I loved our cheese fondue (we got the Alpine which has a heavy white wine taste). The actual appetizers themselves to dip into the cheese were just your normal bread, veggies, apples, etc so nothing too over the top. For the entree, we had the classic platter and cooked it ourselves -- you also get your choice of broth here. The dessert fondue was amazing and I would come here again just for that. Lots of choices for types of chocolate/toppings, and their basic dessert platter also had lots of delicious treats for you to enjoy with chocolate. Everything tastes better with chocolate :) Be prepared to spend at least 2 hours here. Also be prepared to spend lots (too much) money. It's definitely pricey, and I feel like you pay more for the experience and time than the food itself. So in summary, I would recommend coming here for the experience or the dessert fondue.
(4)
Sandra G.
Random Thursday and met my sister at Easton. We decided on The Melting Pot. This was my second time here, but haven't been here in several years . The place was pretty empty which I thought was nice. We decided to get The Good Earth option as a four course meal. We shared the Classic Alpine cheese fondue. The apples were a good compliment to the cheese. The cheese fondue also came with an assortment of bread and veggies. The second course was a salad. We both got the California salad. The salad came with candied pecans that were really good. The rasberry black walnut vinergerette dressing was really good! Would go back just for the salad. The entree came with two different kinds of ravoli that were really good. Our vegetables consisted of red potatoes, broccoli, carrots, asparagus, tofu, artichoke and different dipping sauces. I enjoyed my veggies without the sauces. For the dessert we got chocolate mixed with raspberry and blackberry and peanut butter. Basically it was pb&j. By this time we were pretty full. It was a fun experience! Our waitress was really nice. It is a bit pricey even without buying alcohol and just getting the veggie option. I would probably go back just for the dessert since that was the whole reason we went in the first place.
(3)
Bethany K.
This was such a great experience.... my husband and I hadn't been here for a bit, so this was a nice, refreshing evening. We decided on the four course vegetarian meal which starts with salads, followed by cheese, your meal, followed by chocolate. If there's anything in your main meal that you do not like, you can substitute it for something else, for no extra charge! This can be made casual, but can also be very romantic... but be prepared to take a block of time... due to the nature of the meal, it does take some time. I have always had excellent service. The servers always informative and interactive. Defintely worth a try!
(5)
Jay P.
We booked a table for 8 this last weekend at the Melting Pot and the reviews from all involved were mixed. First the staff and management were very nice to us, from the moment we walked in at 6:15pm, until we left, at 10:00pm. After seating us and explaining how the process worked, we all placed orders and sipped our drinks waiting for the first course, (the cheese fondue) to begin. It took a good 20 minutes for them to set up the fondue pots, get them warmed up and to bring out the needed ingredients and supplies. Once they got the mixture in place and melted, they then dished out some veggies, fruit and breads to dip. This was all well and good except for the amount of dipping cheese they gave us, as it was not quite what was needed for the amount of veggies, fruit and breads we had. Our salads arrived soon after the cheese was gone. They were nice but I heard a couple of people complain about the size (too small) and the dressing (too much). The salads went quickly and the wait time for our next course was long. After a while they cleared the table of both the cheese fondue and salad dishes and brought out the simmer pots for the main course, the meats and vegetables, which we were going to be cooking for ourselves. My wife and I had ordered the "Pacific Rim" option, which had steak, duck, shrimp and some dumplings. The simmer pot we had in front of us was shared by another couple who ordered the "Cajin" option (not sure of the actual name) but it also had steak & shrimp, but with sausages and some other meat thrown in. As our simmer pot was not large, getting all of those color coordinated forks set up and cooking, all at the same time, soon became a game of who lost what and why is my fork suddenly empty? We were able to cook and eat nearly all of the meats and veggies provided but most of us agreed that the steak pieces were far too salty. Right after they cleared away the main course dishes, I checked the time and found it was just before 9:00pm, we were going on 3 hours! WOOF! The dessert fondue showed up soon after and this time they did provide us with almost enough chocolate dip for the mound of fruit and assorted goodies to our plates. Got to say this was everyone's favorite part of the whole meal. The only bummer was that after watching our waiter prepare the flaming turtle for one side of our party, he did not even attempt to fully prepare ours, (we ordered the same)...he just stirred it together and started out of the room. We stopped him saying, "aren't you going to light up this one like the first one?" He reluctantly agreed, mumbled something we couldn't hear and proceeded to set our chocolate on fire. Cost for my wife and I was just over $100.00, as we did each have one drink with our meal. Total time spent, 3 hours and 45 minutes. As we were leaving, we saw a few other couples we had noticed when checking in, who were also just getting up to leave, so the table turn over ratio for this place must be very low. I asked everybody in our party how they liked the dinner (and the restaurant) and 4 people gave everything a good review, with a few small reservations. One couple said it was just ok and they probably would not go back. As for my wife and I, we might come back to dinner for just the 2 of us, someday.. just not anytime soon.
(3)
Arps L.
I am a BIG FAN of the cheese and chocolate at Melting Pot. It is definitely something that everyone who can should experience at least once. Have had these at their Lyndhurst, OH location several times and loved the experience. This was my first time at this location and I was introducing some friends to the cheese and chocolate fondue concept. Must say I was less than impressed. The ambience was not the best with the temperatures inside the place leaving us all too warm. We ordered our fondues (two cheese and two chocolate between three people) and it wasn't very filling. Pretty sure that I had more generous portions on my previous experiences. (Could I be mistaken? Perhaps the heat in the room played with my memories? Who knows!) The bread did not taste very fresh.. Which was not up to The Melting Pot standards. Sad to say this, but overall it was a sub par experience. Hopefully I'll be able to get these friends to go to the Lyndhurst location when they come visit!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner, Dessert Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Emily D.
The food was pretty good. We dined here for restaurant week so although it was a bit pricy it would have been waaaaaaayy overpriced if we had ordered off of the regular menu. The best part was the dessert. The yin and yang was to die for. The queso from the cheese course was not great, neither I nor my dining partner particularly enjoyed it, but it wasn't terrible. The atmosphere was fairly dark, but not uncomfortable while seated. This would be a fantastic and perfect date spot. The method with which you dine would keep the conversation going and give you plenty of time to get to know one another. I would never. Go here for a quick bite due to the time involved in cooking the food, but for an interesting and new experience it can't hurt to try it. Overall I gave it 3 stars because it would normally be too pricy and it was not really my cup of tea. If you have a great love of fondue or you enjoy alternative dining experiences this is a great place to go, but for normal, everyday, inexpensive or traditional meals steer clear.
(3)Carolyn K.
I mean... who doesn't love melted cheese & chocolate?! The Melting Pot is a favorite of mine just because of the cheese and chocolate. (I must confess that the notion of sharing a pot of boiling beef with my dining partners isn't exactly appealing to me, but cheese and chocolate seem to be acceptable) The servers are always very helpful - especially if this is your first visit. They explain exactly how the process works, how to cook your food to the right temperature and how to select your menu based on your table's taste preferences. Aside from the share-able beef bath, my sole complaint is the absurd length of time it takes to dine here. I rarely have 2.5-3 hours to devote to eating, so this is definitely a one-a-year type of place.
(3)Mike D.
Given the balance of experience vs cost, A-OK nails it on the head for The Melting Pot. It's not cheap. Given the full course experience, you'll top out at over $100 for two more than likely. Even given that, we've come here every year for our anniversary for the past several years. It's a fun time and you can't beat the cheese and dessert courses. I've found the entree courses to be hit and miss, which is kind of hilarious given that I'm the one cooking the food. As a defense mechanism and because frequently the times we're given for cooking are way off, we've taken to the habit of just leaving everything in the broth for a really long time. It gets it cooked, obviously, but can have an adverse effect on flavor. I guess that's why one usually pays for someone else to cook one's food. The environment is intimate and lovely, dark wood and low lighting, lots of varities of seating from larger parties to tables for two. Maybe next year we'll just come for cheese and dessert -- we always leave stuffed full anyway, maybe that entree course isn't needed.
(3)Jeremy A.
First of all the staff is great. Very friendly and helpful during the meal experience. It is an experience. You cook your own food at your table. We only go for special occasions because it is hard to get into this restaurant. The tables for two are mind numbingly claustrophobic fit causing crowded. The ambiance is romantic and it isn't too loud to hear your partner. Drinks, however, are not very appetizing. They sound really good on the menu, but they are not very well made. I got a foo foo drink and it tasted like turpentine. Overall it is a great date night but go somewhere else for drinks. Do not come here if you are claustrophobic.
(3)Max T.
The Melting Pot is, according to their tagline, "A Fondue Restaurant". This is their Easton location, the second to open in Columbus, though sadly the previous location on North High closed this past year. This location is interesting because it's actually underground. The entrance is a nice glass storefront (with a valet stand available out front on busy nights), but right inside the door you're immediately faced with a staircase, which winds (slightly) down into the restaurant itself. It lends a very interesting & secluded feel to the place, and fits well with the dark & intimate atmosphere of the restaurant itself. The dark lighting is accented with lit glass bottles in various colors on walls & corners. For the most part, the booths are high-backed and small, meant for 2-4, though there are some larger booths available for bigger groups. Each table has 1-2 burners depending on the seating available. For foods, being a fondue restaurant, the main focus is on cheese fondue appetizers, broth or oil-based entree fondue, and chocolate fondue desserts. The entrees are also served with a salad - four options are usually available (my preference is the Chef, basic, but goes very well with their "Garlic & Wine Seasoning" salt, pepper & spice mixture they offer. Most entree ordering tends to be from either the "Big Night Out" dinner for two main special they're running (choice of salad, cheese, one of three entree platters, and chocolate) or the standard "Dinner for Two" options (which include salad, cheese and entree platter, but NOT chocolate - though you can always add it). It IS possible to add an extra portion on either of those options as well, for the third/fifth wheels. The cheese fondue is prepared by your server at the table, allowing you to throttle-up or -down ingredients as desired (don't like garlic? Have them skip it or go VERY light, etc.) The traditional swiss (emmentaler & gruyere) is the best, IMO, finished with a shot of Kirschwasser brandy to give it an added kick. They also have your basic Wisconsin cheddar, a "fiesta" salsa-dip/queso inspired cheese fondue, and others. The entrees can be intimidating for some folks - they essentially bring you a platter of (pre-cut) raw meats (and/or seafood) and a bowl of veggies, which you can then cook in whichever "cooking style" you selected. A wide variety of dipping sauces are also brought to finish off your morsels. Make sure to get an entree with the teriyaki sirloin - it's excellent, and the house teriyaki sauce is excellent. As for cooking styles, my personal favorite is the wine & mushroom infused "coq au vin", though the standard court bullion is excellent as well. As for the oil - even the servers (almost every one I've had) recommend AGAINST that -- stick to one of the broths. While cooking, make sure you double-up pieces of meat on a skewer, and have both your skewers going at once. I've seen people doing one skewer, one piece of meat at a time in the pot and that could take YEARS... Dessert is, of course, chocolate fondue, your choice of many different flavors (try milk or dark chocolate with a shot of creme de menthe!). Served with strawberries, pineapples, bananas, marshmallows, a small slice of cheesecake, brownies...all stuff to dip in or pour chocolate over - it's almost too much. The best part of the Melting Pot is that it's not just going out to eat - it's an experience. A great way to socialize with friends, loved ones or spend some quality time getting to know your date. Instead of "Eat It & Beat It", the setting actually lends well to long, relaxed meals in a good environment....
(5)Alexandra S.
The only issues preventing this from being a five-star review are that if one in your party is a vegetarian either everyone has to get a vegetarian dinner or the veggie has to cook their entire dinner before the others, which detracts from the leisurely piecemeal experience; and that families with noisy children were abundant during prime dinner time on Friday night! Luckily, my husband doesn't mind getting the Good Earth Vegetarian meal, and we were moved to a table a bit further away from the most egregiously noisy family, which was nice. The whole experience was romantic and actually quite affordable considering we got salads, cheese fondue course, a vegetarian entree course with literally 15 different types of veggies, filled pastas, mushrooms, etc, and a chocolate fondue course for only $32.99 each (plus we upgraded to the coq au vin broth for $4.95; ALL the broth upgrades are actually vegetarian even if the descriptions don't sound veg!). All in all a great restaurant for Date Night!
(4)Ted R.
The bread was stale, we requested some fresh bread. No fresh bread, so the hid some more hard bread under the chips. Very sad. Then the plate was dirty. Sadder. Salad was small and barely dressed. Not the best example of Melting Pot fare.
(2)Kendy T.
This is an amazing place to enjoy an evening! The service was exceptional (Lena was GREAT), and the food was fantastic! A fun experience, with a quiet atmosphere - enables you to enjoy the conversation with your group! The staff takes time to explain how to cook the meal, and check on you during the course of the evening. Not sure I would go with a big group, but it is great for two to four.
(5)Tim S.
Interesting and unique concept. Environment was good, and was a nice date place. However, there is really nothing special about the food, since it is you, at the table cooking the food with basic ingredients. Also, it is EXTREMELY overpriced in my opinion. Especially for being such basic ingredients. The desserts where good, better than the entrees. Try it once - take a date there that has never heard of it. It's unique. But you will need to take a home equity line of credit to do so.
(3)Mike T.
This is a great experience. Their fondu is outstanding and they have added some new choices since the last time I went here well over a year ago. We had the spinach and artichoke cheese for our cheese course. That tasted fantastic! I could have eaten that all night. The main course was really good as they've done a bit more with their meats than what they used to do the last time. They actually seasoned their meats with spices or marinades not to mention the sushi-grade tuna they brought out as well. That stuff was good cooked or un-cooked. To finish it all off we had their cookies and cream chocolate dip which seemed to be chocolate and marshmallow stirred together. Awesome! The service here is always going to be good as it should be for the price that you pay for dinner. We had to wait on the other couple we were eating with since they were running a bit late. It's the restaurant's policy that they won't seat you until you are all there so we waited at the bar and had some wine since we had some time to kill. The bartender is worth the trip to the Melting Pot. She is a mega beer geek like me and really knows her beer and wine. We all sat around talking beer for 10 or 15 minutes before our friends showed up but it didn't seem like any time had passed. It's awesome running into beer people when you're out and about.
(5)Victoria L.
If I could give -5 stars then that is what I would rate this place. Service was awful, food even worse. I had my tonsils removed without anesthesia when I was 10, this was worse than that. People who rate this a 5 star "restaurant" know nothing about food.
(1)Destiny M.
I went here for a girl's night out last week. Oh my goodness, I think I'm in love. I'll break it down. Time- We made reservations for 8:00pm. We got there around 7:50 and sat in bar until the table was ready. They were running a bit behind and we got seated around 8:10pm. That's not bad, seeing as how it was a Friday night. Staff- Our waiter was very knowledgable and he had a news anchor voice. Very nice, prompt on drink refills and had an answer for my friends' confused questions. The manager stopped by and had a quick little conversation with us. He brought out some chocolate fondue that was not on the menu for us to try. It was white chocolate and very very sweet. I forget the name of it, but it is not on the menu and if you're into white chocolate, I suggest you ask for it. I thought that was nice. Food- We got the fiesta cheese. It was fabulous. I like the bread dippers the most. It was spicy and cheesy and just plain awesome. Next we had our salads. I felt myself getting full so I only took a few bites but their house dressing was decent. Next was the meat. We got chicken and steak with mojo cooking style. Yum yum yum! They say leave the meat in for 2 mins, but I left it in for 5 just to make sure I wasn't consuming anything raw. The sauces were great. Green Goddess and the teriyaki were my fave.Then came the chocolate. We got the oreo made with milk chocolate. My my my, I felt sooooooo guilty that night. Our waiter kept bringing us more and more dippers (brownies, red velvet cake, rice crispies, strawberries, cheesecake, etc). I was so full but I could not put my fondue fork down. The bill came to $111 for three people and we left a $25 tip. It's expensive but it was not as expensive as I thought it would be. I'll tell ya it's a BATTLE to walk up those stairs to leave the building. Ughh they're so steep and long and I'm so full and tired. Anyway, we had a great time. We will be back for our next event, whatever that may be.
(5)Allie L.
Okay, to preface this review I must say that I didn't give The Melting Pot 5 stars because I have to cook my meat myself. I don't like doing that but I understand it is a fondue restaurant. Melted cheese? I will pay anything for melted cheese. My husband and I just came here for my birthday and we had a great time. We ordered a la carte and got the Swiss cheese and some meat dish (came with shrimp, duck, pork, chicken, pot stickers, and steak). The meat came with a salad and veggies to cook. We were too full for dessert. I know. We didn't get chocolate fondue at a fondue restaurant. But seriously you become so full. For those two a la carte orders, one glass of wine and two beers...it came to $105 with tip. Preeeettty pricey. Oh well, they gave me a birthday card and the booths are so private that you feel like it's just the two of you on a date. It's nice!
(4)Billy L.
Really good food, wonderful atmosphere and great staff. My wife and I went there for our 5 year anniversary and the staff had an anniversary card for us along with every staff member helping us wishing us a happy anniversary. That is great customer service. Our server was excellent and very knowledgable of the menu. He was also patient with us as this was our first time at The Melting Pot. It is on the expensive side but overall it was very much worth the money.
(5)Patrick C.
Too much, too much.... OK , well maybe just a little bit more. nom nom nom. This was my first time at the Melting Pot, I am a fan of fondue, so my girlfriend a mutual friend and myself all decided to stop here and check the place out last night. The place is in a basement so there are a lot of stairs to get to the main waiting room. So needless to say it doesn't seem all that handicapped friendly. At least not from what I saw. We had a short wait and then we were sat at our booth. We were then greeted by our wonderful waitress Jessica. Who was quite friendly, and was able to engage us in conversation about the meals we were about to dive into. (I don't know why some people are complaining about the service here, we had no troubles, booshie much?) The presentation of how the foods were presented to us also was a nice treat. We had a bit of everything, we had the Wisconsin Trio Cheese Fondue, a delicious California salad, main entree Land & Sea (which was outstanding) that came with a whole ship ton of sauces, and how could I forget about the chocolate fondue for the sweet treat after the meal to seal the deal. I had to pop open my button down shit. My gut was full. Next stage is sleep mode. Now, with such a review your thinking, "but captain pat, why just 4 stars" its simple my dear yelper... just like the chocolate fondue, the price is a little rich for my blood. But I suppose with such a nice night we had it was worth the price. I think I will find myself back here, but maybe on just special occasions.
(4)Amruta D.
Since I'm a vegetarian, my opinion is a bit biased and I'm also decently picky with the quality of tofu I get. That being said, I think their vegetarian option was really bad. I went there with a few friends and I did not like it that they don't give you an extra pot for cooking vegetarian food and since I'm allergic to sea food, I pretty much had to cook my food before my friends could cook theirs, so I was done eating the main course by the time my friends had their meat and sea food cooked. Also, their vegetarian options were abysmal, tofu was extremely salty and so were most of the vegetables. I also think their dessert quality is not all that great, they just give you some cut up fruits and Rice Krispies, some brownies and cakes to dip in melted chocolate. I have had much better fondue which was a lot more authentic than what this place serves. I don't mind paying the price but this food is way over priced for the quality.
(1)Mark K.
Okay, I must be old: I grew up with fondue in the '70s. My family had it often, and we loved it. I've done it once at home since; it was messy and kind of a pain, but still good. I went to the Melting Pot near Graceland years ago with a big group, including some kids, and it was fun. But seemed expensive... Stumbled on this walking around Easton with my girlfriend, and decided to go in. The place is downstairs and very cool- dark, intimate, awesome music. The staff were great all around. We had Wisconsin cheese fondue to start; came with bread, apples, and veggies. It's healthy if it has fruit and vegetables in it, right? Right? We were almost full by the end of this. Then had the French Quarter meat combo. Highly seasoned beef and chicken, and andouille slices. Plus more veggies. Cooked in broth, not the oil I remember from way back. It was all very good- everything was fresh, broth and veggies were replenished when needed. Just a very nice, relaxing, romantic dinner. Pricewise, yeah, a little high, but really for the quality, the amount we got, and the overall experience, it's worth it.I'd go back in a heartbeat.
(4)Teri D.
Used to go to the one back in my old city a lot and finally got around to going to this one the other day. It's a bit strange entering the building as it is all pretty much underground. And that is a slight problem I have with them. As it is underground there are no windows it creeped me out a bit. But other than that and also knowing this place is not a cheap fast food joint, we had a good time. A nice long leisurely meal of bits of meat and veggies and bread with the occasional losing a chunk of something in the pot that needed to be fished out. Service from the greeter at the door to our server to some manager coming by was all top notch and the food was good too. Don't come here if you want big chunks of anything, this is fondue food which means little chunks. Frankly I can forgo the cheese fondue and just go right for the meat and veggies. The steak teriyaki is yummy and you can never go wrong with shrimp. The pork and chicken bits are good as well but I wasn't too keen on the duck and potstickers. They do make very good salads as well. We decided next time we go we will skip the cheese and maybe just order another round of meat to dip or at least extra mushrooms. Try putting the cheese in them before you dip them into the batter. Makes a darn good mushroom that way!
(4)Vaibhav H.
It was really one of the best dinning experience!! Ambiance - Perfect! Services - Perfect! Server - Very Polite and helpful! Food - Awesome!! We went for a get together. Our bill was above $200+ for 4 people which is descent for the kind of service and food. I wish to go again to have the cheese Fondue!! it was awesome!!
(5)Alan L.
Excellent food and service as always. The Melting Pot is one if those places that people only seem to go to when they are celebrating something because of it's price. I have never had a bad meal or service here. They seem to have switched how they do things, so less of the big night out kind of deals and more of everyone chooses their own. Which I like better, if you are there, you already know you are spending some money, so just enjoy yourself. Everyone should try the blackberry sage lemonade and be sure the add the shot of Bacardi Limón to it.
(5)L C.
My partner and I went to The Melting Pot last night for my birthday. It was absolutely fantastic! I haven't been in several years, other than to walk down the stairs and buy their amazing wine and garlic seasoning, but was so excited that this was where my surprise birthday dinner was going to be. It felt like the whole staff was working in tandem to make sure our dinner was perfect. Our amazing server, Gareth, helped us make the right decisions and have a great time! On another note, I feel like I should write a separate review for the Garlic and Wine seasoning. It's the most amazing spice I have ever used. You can put it on anything savory and it makes everything taste delicious! Thanks, The Melting Pot, for helping make my birthday memorable and amazing! From a personalized birthday card to a personalized birthday dessert, everything was spectacular. And it's true, Blondes do have Better Birthdays!!
(5)Nicole B.
This place used to be a 5-star place and after a menu change, it's never been the same. I totally suggest the spinach artichoke fondue though, that has not changed and it remains my favorite menu item. The dessert fondue is solid as well - the S'mores is our favorite. But the dinner part is what it lackluster. It's as if they raised prices but the quality of their meat has gone down. Disappointing because I used to adore this place.
(3)Michael B.
I will say that this restaurant is not the place to go if you want to be impressed with flavor and quality of food. You pay for the experience at this restaurant, nothing more. The food was good but nothing to get excited about. Excellent business model at this restaurant though......small portion, served to your table raw at high prices, haha! Yeah, I'll go back but only for the experience :)
(2)Ashley P.
My husband recently took me here for the first time for our anniversary. I was very impressed by the whole experience. Our server was super knowledgable and helpful for a newbie like me. There were so many options to choose from, but we decided on a special menu that they had where proceeds were being donated to a charity (for that month it was puppies...I couldn't resist). Each course was incredibly delicious and it was actually kind of fun cooking it on our own. By the time the chocolate course came out we were so full, but managed to stuff it down as well. We were so stuffed when we left, but it was totally worth it! Our server even came out at the end with a plate custom decorated for our anniversary! It was such a nice touch. The Melting Pot is on the expensive side, but I'd love to come back for other special occasions!
(5)Sinran L.
It's awasome! I dislike the cheese Fondue because that is too greasy and I really recommed the red wine melting pot and Coq Au Vin cooking style. My friends and I tried Memphis-Style BBQ Pork Medallion, Chicken Potstickers, Teriyaki-Marinated Sirloin and thoes quiet good. The most one I love is Chocolate Fondue of dessert.
(4)Ilo A.
Worst service ever not to mention nothing was explained in detail and the quality of the food could be compared to Applebee's.
(1)Melanie G.
I have been a regular at the Melting Pot but tonight i was very disappointed. The menu has changed & everything is priced separately. You also have to pay for the types of cooking styles unless you want the vegetable broth. We opted for the classic entree & the beef came covered in pepper. Even after scrapping off as much as we could there was still way too much. They when you cooked it in the broth the pepper stayed in the pot & everything cooked after that was full of pepper. I couldn't stopped sneezing from all the pepper & I also heard others sneezing. Our waitress was Nicole. She was terrible. Even after we told her that we knew how to do the fondue and had been here several times she continued through the entire speech as if we were new to the place. Then when she made the cheese fondue we told her we do not like a lot of garlic and she started to still put in a heaping spoonful and we literally yelled at her to STOP! We nicely repeated that we do not like a lot of garlic and that was way too much so she put the spoon back into the garlic like she was going to get rid of some of it and then quickly dumped the entire spoonful into the pot and stirred it in. It tasted terrible. Then once she started to add the beer to it she stopped adding it before it was to the right consistency. We asked her to add more and she did but not nearly enough. She walked away. When my husband and I tried to dip into it, nothing would stick to the vegetables because it was so thick. We never saw Nicole and we asked another waitress to have her come. After 5 minutes she finally showed up and it took her another 5 to get more beer to thin the cheese fondue. She was like this the entire evening. If I was the manager there, I would get rid of her. She was not personable at all. The main entree was not great. As I mentioned the steak was covered with pepper but the pork was covered in some type of BBQ seasoning, which we didn't like. The pieces of chicken were very small. The shrimp was fine. The vegetables were good but we ran out and of course, Nicole was no way to be found. The chocolate fondue was great as usual. We usually go to the Melting Pot every year for our anniversary but we are not going this year. In fact, we got the email offering us the chocolate covered strawberries (which are disgusting) as our free gift for our anniversary and it was deleted. We are not planning to return any time soon. Too bad, it was a great place to go and have a nice quiet dinner.
(3)Cathy C.
I'm not a big fan of cheese but the chocolate fondue is delicious, and, of course, a little too sweet. Services are good, and the atmosphere really sets the mood for my date. I give it a 3 star because it's just not my type of food and I think it has been overpriced.
(3)Jessica U.
I LOVE this place! From the time we walked in the door, till the time we walked out. The atmosphere is very inviting and comfortable. Although it was just me and my husband, our table with the high backs seemed to be very private. Our waitress was very informative, nice and easy to talk to. She also was very aware of refills and more sauces, but not to the point of bothering us, which was nice. I would definitely recommend this place to a party of two or a large group!
(5)Anna S.
This is not cutting edge cuisine, but if you want a romantic dinner date or a long dinner with girlfriends because you have some serious catching up to do, The Melting Pot fits the bill. I usually only get wine, a cheese course, a salad, and a dessert course as I refuse to cook my own food on nights off from cooking. Of the cheese fondues, my favorites include the spinach artichoke and traditional swiss. On my last visit, I had the California salad (add egg) and it was quite delicious. I think I've tried all the salads and they're all pretty decent. Lastly, you really can't go wrong with ANY of the choclate fondues--come on, it's chocloate! Service is usually good, albeit slow because of the type of restaurant. If possible, try to sit at a table with two burners if you're trying two different cheeses/chocolates. That way you won't have to wait to finish one before the server can bring out the next one.
(4)Amy F.
Go for the appetizer and desert. The Melting Pot is way overpriced for the entire meal. Boiling is not my preferred method for cooking meat.
(2)Diane D.
I hadn't been to the Melting Pot in years - and even then I'd only ever been to the Graceland location - but we went last night for my 35th birthday and I was able to rekindle my connection to this fine establishment. I love everything about this restaurant except for two things: one, the insanely small and cramped booths for two and secondly, THE PRICE. This place is insanely expensive. When my partner said she'd allocated "enough" funds for the meal, I sorta thought she was talking $65 or so. I had no clue we'd walk out of there spending $124 for a meal with desert and two drinks, plus tip. The upside - the location is easy to get to in the traditionally nightmare parking situation that is Easton. Even in the midst of Black Friday weekend shopping we parked easily in the lot across from the restaurant. They also take reservations, which I always enjoy so that I'm assured a table at the time I prefer. The dining space is intimate but not cloying or smothering - well appointed without being ostentatious. Service was friendly, prompt, yet not invasive. I liked the fact that our server was very well versed in his job and could offer knowledgeable recommendations on which selection to get with each course as well as the ingredients in each fondue. The food was fabulously good - and the only time in my life I'ver ever enjoyed eating duck of any kind. The meat is clearly top quality as is the dessert chocolate. I left feeling as if I'd had a real, full, gluttonous, top shelf meal - which is exactly how one should feel if they are dropping $50 per person to eat. As much as I enjoyed my dining experience here I can definitely say this will be a once or twice a year splurge only - anniversary and birthday. The only reason this is getting a 3-star and not a four or five is the price.
(3)Dennis L.
I generally do not like restaurants that make you do the cooking, but the Melting Pot is so good, I can overlook it. Unfortunately, it's so expensive that this is a "special occasion only" type of place, but it really does feel special. My wife and I ate here for the second time last weekend, and at first we thought we were in for a miserable night. Our waiter came off as strange and rude at first; when he approached the table, instead of asking, "Are you ready to order?" or "How are things going over here?" he would just say, "What's up?" We weren't even sure how to answer that. If there's any place you don't want to get stuck with an annoying waiter, it's the Melting Pot, since they end up spending quite a bit of time at your table. After a few minutes, though, we got used to this guy's quirks (either that, or the alcohol started taking effect), and he was fine. The food. You definitely want to go with the four-course meal here, so you get three different fondues (cheese, broth and chocolate). We got a three-cheese fondue that was served with apples, bread and veggies; a coq au vin broth served with raw steak, chicken, shrimp, salmon and scallops; and dark chocolate served with a ridiculous array of sweets: cheesecake, brownies, pound cake, Rice Krispie treats, strawberries, bananas, coated marshmallows... of course you only get a couple bites of each one, but we were too stuffed to finish our dessert plate. I'm guessing the salad course doesn't get many kudos here, but the house salad is pretty darn great. The peppercorn ranch dressing tasted amazing. My wife loved her nicoise salad as well. I like the rathskeller-type location of this restaurant, too... unique, at least at Easton. Again, a reminder: A meal for two is going to be close to $100. Be prepared. And remember, you're paying for the experience.
(4)Judy C.
I haven't had the cheese fondue and would rather stick to Asian style hotpot for cooking my own entree but the chocolate fondue is SO good! Decadent and such a guilty pleasure. I've had the original (chocolate with peanut butter) and the flaming turtle (milk chocolate, caramel, pecans). Both are to die for and I'm sure the other varieties are delicious as well. All chocolate fondue comes with fruit, rice krispie treats, cheesecake, brownies, marshmallows, and other sweet dipping treats. Our waitress recommended dipping rice krispies into the original chocolate fondue - tastes just like a Snickers bar! Side note: I always smell TERRIBLE after eating here so prepare for that. :P
(4)Robby S.
My wife and I ate here this past Saturday. Our server, Renee, was very efficient, and took the time to explain all the menu options to us. Not only did she refill our water glasses throughout the meal, but many other servers did as well. Renee also did a great job explaining how long we should cook the food. We decided to have the 'Big Night Out.' We went with the Coq au Vin for our Entree Cooking Style, and this worked out perfect. The Fondue a la France was excellent, and tasted great on the three different types of bread, veggies, and apple. The second course, the salade nicoise was very good, and a decent size dinner salad. Third course - Lobster Indulgence. We opted to take out the duck and replace it with the filet. Excellent choice. All the choices, from the chicken to the lobster, had great seasoning and flavor. We finished the meal off with the White Chocolate Creme Brulee - chocolate covered strawberries, marshmallows, pound cake, and cheescake - a fantastic choice. We had the perfect meal!
(5)Sabrina L.
Holy crap is this place expensive. The three stars are deceptive because I'm absolutely enamored with the food, but once again, let me say it, this stuff is EXPENSIVE. Especially the drinks. They don't put the prices on the menu and I doubt there's anything-- even the plainest beer you can order-- that's under 7 dollars. And that's on top of a meal that is most likely going to run you about 40 dollars a person. Still, it's good. It's so good that this is what I ask for every year for my birthday. When it's birthday good that means something, you know? We always start with the Cheddar Cheese Fondue, and as odd as cheese and beer sound for apple dipping, it's the green apples that get measured out one by one between me and my husband. Of course, they'll give you more if you ask, but we try not to overdo it on the appetizer since the meat is so darn yummy! We tend to ask for replacements on the seafood elements in exchange for the Cajun spiced chicken and that makes it all the better. More than anything though we love the mushrooms that we fill will green goddess dressing and gorge on. For dessert you really can't go wrong with any chocolate choice. We do the flaming turtle but I don't know how it would be possible to mess up high quality melted chocolate and fruit/brownies. All in all I would give The Melting Pot a five for taste, and a two for value, so I'm evening that out to a three!
(3)Jason Y.
First time here. Did the four course thing. Cheese wasn't very good. Salad was average. Main course the meat was delicious. Dessert was good ( not that I'm an expert or anything) had the ting yang. For the price didn't think it was worth it. The main course says it feeds two but I could of eaten all of that meat and not even be full. Service our waiter was very helpful Would of been 4 stars except the portion for the main course was too small
(3)Jeff T.
Went here with some friends for a birthday. Fun experience and great server but the food is definitely not worth what we paid. The next morning I woke up with a bad case of FOOD POISONING! It lasted 6 days. I couldn't keep anything down. I called the general manager of the restaurant to inform him of what happened and I was treated very poorly. He said he was going to call me back to follow up the complaint and he never did. I felt as though he was just trying to get me out of his hair. Anyway, I know there is a lot hype about this place but I will definitely not be going back!
(1)Jack S.
Took my daughter here for a night out of dinner and shopping. First of all, the service was amazing! Since it was our first time we went with our waiters recommendations and enjoyed it all. Going to try to make the blackberry/sage lemonade at home. Will be back soon with my wife!
(5)Jennifer T.
My husband and I go here for special occasions. The food is always good and we have never had bad service. I also enjoy going for their theme nights. I love the Wisconsin Cheese Trio and any of the chocolate desserts are sure to please.
(4)Roy H.
Having been born in Switzerland and grown up eating authentic Swiss fondue, I think that I know what the "real deal" is and I can tell you honestly that The Melting Pot is the "real deal". Unfortunately, the original Columbus location on High Street near Worthington closed down a couple of years ago. I don't know why, but it was sure was nice and roomy. We had some good memories there. Fortunately, we still have the Easton location to enjoy. I would recommend the entree special for two if you're not eating alone, of course. It's the best deal for your money. It includes both cheese and oil fondues. You'll have a selection of bread and fruit with the cheese fondue. With the oil fondue, you'll have several choices among poultry, beef and seafood to imbibe. Finally, if you have room, I highly recommend the chocolate fondue! Yum-Yum! You'll have all kinds of fruit and pastries to dunk to your heart's desire. Man is that good stuff! If you don't prefer the "fondue" experience, do not fear. Your waiter will be glad to recommend a traditional American entree to choose from. The bar area is very hip and trendy and includes fondue burners right at the bar so that you can enjoy their wonderful food no matter where you're sitting. Finally, I would have given The Melting Pot 5 stars if their prices weren't so high. Being the only true and authentic fondue restaurant in Columbus has its advantages, I guess. The killer for me was when we got our bill. My delicious microbrewed ale cost $15...wow! No wonder they don't show the prices on the beverage menu. I should have known better. Go ahead and treat yourself to one of the most flavorful and unique dining experiences in town. It is worth the price tag. (But next time, I'm going to bring my own beer...sshhh, don't tell anyone!)
(4)Tim D.
Enjoyed dinner here at stop in Columbus while traveling. Was interested to check it out as there is not a store in my area. On the expensive side, but the food was very very good. Great place for a special occasion. Great service. The menu is a bit unusual, so you rely on your server for help.
(4)Randy S.
I'm not sure what the freakin' big deal about this place is. First off, you come out of the joint reeking of grease. Ah, romance! I think I'm still trying to get the stench out of a sweater from the last time I visited. Also, I guess the novelty of paying for an expensive dinner and having to do the cooking yourself is lost on me. Here's the thing: I get paranoid enough at home that I'm under cooking meat or cross-contaminating. I don't need the same feeling in a restaurant. While I did dig the cheese fondue course, the rest of the "experience" was a bit of a let down for me. I have heard from several people that the dessert fondue is the real find here. Maybe sometime I'll head back and try it.
(2)Heather A.
I don't think I can top the previous reviewers write-up so I'll just throw in my 2 cents... :) I LOVE this place. I love it so much and just asked myself why I don't go more often. I love everything- the ambiance, the service, the food, the dessert. The only thing I don't like is how miserably full I feel afterwards. Rolling out of the booth and waddling out is the only thing that works. A happy belly is a happy Heather! I will point out that the white chocolate dream dessert (not the exact name) is THE BEST!! I always force myself to order the dessert simply for the experience even though I can barely lift my fork. They are seriously doing something right. This is a great, romantic date spot, too! :)
(5)Dawn L.
A group of my girlfriends and I went to The Melting Pot for drinks and dessert on a Saturday night (with a reservation) and at first I was very impressed. The menu looked great and the atmosphere was nice. We were seated at a table large enough for the 6 of us where we weren't squished all together, which was great. The waiter was fast at getting to our table to take our drink orders, and that's where the good review stops. The waiter (named Jason) took 3 of our drink orders (the other 2 in our party hadn't arrived yet) and I asked him to come back because I wasn't surre what I wanted to drink just then. We also told him up front that we were only there for dessert & drinks so all we needed was dessert & drink menus. When he finally came back with the drinks, he never asked the other 2 girls who arrived what they wanted and when I ordered a night cap he acknowledged my order and left very quickly. After he brought us the desserts we ordered he never came back to check on us or ever brought me the drink I ordered. It seemed like the good customer service that he started out with ended when we told him that all we wanted was dessert and drinks. The only good things were that he didn't charge me for the drink I ordered and never got and he offered to split the bill for us evenly, but the he took forever to bring the bills and still longer to charge our cards and bring us back the reciepts to sign. I would still like to try The Melting Pot again for dinner, but the server made it obvious that just drinks and dessert isn't worth their time. Parking was also horrible to find and their reservation system is crazy, if you're even 5 minutes late then they give away your reservation.
(2)Amy S.
Fun experience but not worth it for me at the price at which it is offered. I came here with a friend and we were both extremely shocked at the price but didn't want to walk out. It also took a lot longer than we had been anticipating and felt a bit rushed at the end. I heard great things about the original location but now am not hearing these at the new one.
(2)Samara C.
The melting pot was an amazing experience!!! The server was amazing very attentive!!!! My dessert was to die for my favorite is the banana fosters and they didn't have it on the menu the server said no problem and made it for me!!!!
(5)Elisabeth M.
Fondue - Excellent. Staff - TOO helpful. See more below. My mother visited me and she loves fondue so I took her here. It is hard to find parking. When I walked in I saw it was in a basement and there were many many stairs down, and my mother (parking the car) has bad knees and inquired about an elevator. They said yes, and showed me too it, when my mother came in there was a waiter by the elevator who escorted us down. We were greeted and told we are in for a treat, and asked if we were celebrating anything. Nope. He left, the managed I think comes and tries to weasel another special occasion out of us again. As did our waiter once he showed up. I asked if he We decided on the four course experience. We picked Alpine Classic for the cheese, it was very good, and the bread, apple, and vegetable dippers were delicious. The salads were also excellent and petit - good so as not to fill up to much before the heavy entree course. We chose fondue our way with filet mignon, chicken breast, and the ravioli, cooked in the oil instead of the broth. Get the oil! They tried to talk us out of it ("this is usually for our more eXPERienced fonduers, we recommend one of our broth and wine mixtures) but it sounds like from other reviews, and my own opinion, the oil is much better. It took a lot time to heat, it came out cold and not warm, and it should at least be warmed before going on the cooktop, I feel. They kept turning our dial down and then stuff wouldn't cook so we kept having to turn it up once he left so the meat would cook. I did not use batters but tasted them, seemed good. They had excellent sauces, especially the Green Goddess was delicious. I assume they don't want the possibility of a vat of oil with clumsy or inexperienced diners, but I feel strict instructions and checking in should be sufficient to be vigilant if they so desire. The meat fried deliciously, Since I was without batter I used their wine and garlic seasoning and sauces, and it was very good. Dessert, of course, was awesome. I wanted just a plain tub of chocolate with no bells and whistles, and the extra dippers. Delicious, smooth, yum. Not cheap - 88 for two, and more if any drinks, alcohol, extra dippers, or merchandise. Still I think it is worth it for when you want that experience or crave fondue, or a romantic or group night out.
(4)Erin R.
The Melting Pot is my go-to for special occasions. I love it, but it is not affordable enough for regular patronage. The ambiance is romantic - dark and cozy (although I liked their old location better!). I've always had excellent service. The servers are friendly and knowledgeable. The fondue is AWESOME!!! I have never had something I didn't like! We usually do the full-course experience when we go for a special occasion. I love watching them make the cheese right there in front of us! The meat course is fun - cooking your own meat and picking the sauces to use makes the meal more fun. And dessert?? You can't go wrong! It's all delicious! Bonus yum: dip your after-dinner mint (comes with your bill) in your chocolate! That is, if you have any left! We eat it with a spoon if we run out of dippers! Take a container of their garlic & wine seasoning home with you - I use it to season just about anything I make at home!
(5)Darren D.
I can honestly say I have never experienced something like this in my life. I used yelp to book a reservation and noted It was my wife and I anniversary. Just hoping it will be pleasant. It was beyond pleasant. We came earlier than the time and it was ready for us. We were given a private booth and upon arriving to the booth we saw something magical. Rose petals all over our table and a congratulations card. Made my wife happy beyond happy. Apart from that amazing moment our waiter made the exp even better. James was amazing. He gave us the rundown on EVERYTHING. I work in retail and I know what it means to give customer service with a smile all day long and James dev displayed that with flying colors. It was truly the best experience I've ever had at any restaurant. I recommend this place to anyone for any occasion.
(5)Andrea F.
Always great food! We come here for every special occasion and it never disappoints. The servers are always knowledgeable and helpful. Can be very pricy but well worth it.
(5)Bruce M.
Very nice experiience good food good service. The fondue and the dessert fondue ours was dark chocolate were really good
(5)Jill G.
When I told a co-worker that my husband and I were going here, she said "oh, your hair and clothes will smell bad when you leave!" I thought, really? Come to find out, the restaurant is in a deep, dark basement, and it smells like feet and old fryer. They really need a better ventilation system. Staff was friendly and attentive. The cheese fondue (traditional French) was good. So were the salads, although mine had too much dressing, and my husband's too little. The French Quarter meat/chicken/andouille/shrimp fondue, however, was awful. They first brought out a salty bland broth (they called it court-bouillon, but it tasted more like Lipton's instant soup to me) which we sent back in favor of oil to cook the meat in. They brought the oil out cold, so it took about 15 min to get up to temp. Then we got busy cooking, and took our first tastes of the meat and shrimp. Inedible! It was SO salty! Every piece was wet seasoned with about 1/4 inch coating of spicy salt. Neither of us eat low sodium diets, but one bite had me chugging water and putting my fork down. My husband kept dutifully choking it down. I complained and they brought out a complimentary small plate of unseasoned meats (which was nice). But big chunks of salty seasoning were falling off and burning in the oil as my husband continued to cook the salt-coated nightmares, so eventually it all tasted bad. The "S'mores" chocolate fondue was very tasty, so we ended on a good note! But definitely not worth $125 including tip. And yes, hair and clothes smelled afterwards. Icky.
(2)Richard J.
Summary: A decent GROUP experience and a decent DATE experience. Probably wont repeat otherwise, very pricey. I have been to Melting Pot 3 times. Once with a group and twice on dates. Each time I have enjoyed myself and my guest had fun too. Why two stars? There is really nothing about this that makes it fun... in other words, you are simply paying for the food and the quality of it. Which was good but way overpriced. The entertainment of "dining out" though isn't really there and the same fun could be had anywhere with a much cheaper tab. I could recommend (and will) a dozen other restaurants that could provide a similar atmosphere or experience with equal or better quality of food and service and with a much lower price tag. Service: Nothing spectacular. Engaging but slow. Food: Meh... Cheese and Chocolate are good but Steak and Meat fans will be disappointed. Atmosphere: Left me wanting. Too intimate maybe?
(2)Kile C.
Too complicated. Who wants to work when u are not at work. Way to expensive and u are cooking the food. Go to a 5 star steak or seafood restaurant instead of the melting pot and have someone else prepare the food. There is a reason the Melting Pot spends thousands of dollars on advertising per month. Sorry- we won't be back.
(1)Kaoru M.
In general, I don't like to order something at a restaurant when it's something I can make on my own at home. I have a fondue set at home, and I've been able to recreate fairly accurately their cheddar cheese fondue and mojo fondue broth. (Just try googling the recipes.) So why do I continue to go to this rather pricy restaurant once or twice a year? It's for the ambiance of the restaurant and for the excellent level of service. The interior is a very comfortable place to be, and the service here has consistently been excellent. It's a pretty romantic setting for any guy looking to take their significant other out on a date. Yes, I could go and cook the food that they serve here on my own, for much less money. But I would also be spending an extra hour prepping and an hour afterwards doing the dishes for a 4 course meal. For a special occasion, it's nice to come to the Melting Pot and feel a little bit pampered.
(4)Brandi B.
We always have excellent service and great food at The Melting Pot at Easton. It's on the pricey side, but it's something we plan for on birthdays or our anniversary. We always get the 4 course dinner and leave stuffed with cheese and chocolate goodness. My personal favorite are the mushrooms stuffed with Green Goddess dip!
(5)Tiffany C.
The Melting Pot was really a unique experience, namely because the experience involves you cooking a variety of different foods at your table. Be forewarned, the experience is going to be 2+ hours because you're cooking your own entrees, so avoid planning movies, etc afterwards. Coming in, the servers will try and sell you on the 4 course meal...we would recommend that you skip this and order individual menu items. This is in large part due to the large portion sizes that come with each and every dish (LARGE). The 4 course meals are ~$40 each (include cheese, salad, entree, and dessert). Our waitress also somehow finagled the check using one of the 4 course meal items so our bill was cheaper by ordering individual items. We ordered 2 cheeses, one entree and one dessert and left stuffed! Cheeses - lots of options here, but we would recommend the spinach and artichoke. They warm the pot and make it right before your eyes. That being said, they use a TON of cheese. If we were to do it again, we would ask that they use less cheese as there is plenty of cheese to go around. After the cheese is warmed, you have the opportunity to dip veggies (broccoli, carrots), bread, apples, chips, etc into its melty goodness. Entree - we did the you pick 3 (pick 3 different meats to share). We chose herb chicken, filet mignon, teriyaki-marinated sirloin. The secret here is to ask for more veggies (broccoli, potatoes, mushrooms). The meat is good, but the veggies are unlimited (we got 3 refills!) and taste great in the seasoned broth they provide. They also provide different sauces for meat and veggies that were fun to try - the green goddess (on broccoli) was our favorite! Finally, we ordered the flaming turtle chocolate fondue (which literally was flaming before our eyes) and out came a full plate of marshmallows, cheesecake, and other delicious treats to dip into our melted chocolate. Why only three stars? Each of the servers have this weird script that they go through, which seemed a bit staged. The salad we shared was very sour and seemed doused in dressing. We were forced into a booth that had very little light (although it was still on the romantic side). We also found the drink service to be slow (and expensive!) - 1 domestic draft beer = $6.00.
(3)Jonathan B.
Attended recently to celebrate New Years Eve Eve. This is a great place for apps, drinks or dessert. However, They should not put stuff on the menu then say you can't have it unless your a "seasoned" customer. (As table next to us ordered it and we are pretty confident it was their first time). My favorite is the waiter leaving the dessert menu on the table and left for twenty min for us to figure out the menu was empty and covered in old chocolate. Nasty. This was out most expensive meal during our visit and our least favorite for the surrounding choices of dining.
(2)Lisa S.
The Melting Pot has always been one of my favorite restaurants. Can you really go wrong when taking a lady out for some cheese, wine, and chocolate? I've been to this location maybe five or six times and have never been disappointed. The staff are always fun, friendly, and polite. The lighting and ambiance set the perfect mood for intimate date nights and the cooking/sharing food together just make the date that much more pleasurable. The Four Course Experience is my favorite selection off of the menu. Then again, I've never tried anything else because this is the absolute best! With the Four Course Experience, you get to enjoy a cheese fondue, a salad, an entree, and chocolate fondue. My favorite entree selections are: The Classic: Seasoned choice Angus sirloin, Memphis-style BBQ pork medallion, Pacific white shrimp, herb-crusted all-natural breast of chicken, and teriyaki-marinated sirloin. Fondue Delight: Premium filet mignon and a succulent cold water lobster tail paired with all-natural breast of chicken, Pacific white shrimp, and wild mushroom sacchetti. And as I've mentioned in previous reviews, I'm a dipper...they have some pretty amazing entree sauces to dip your meats and veggies in after they've been cooked. The green goddess and gorgonzola port are my favorites. I use the green goddess for the veggies and the port for the meats. Don't worry, you get to try all of the entree sauces with any entree your order. :) My favorite cheese fondue is the Cheddar Cheese Fondue. I think the lager and sharp cheddar help make this one of my favorites. :) The fondue is served with breads, fruits, and veggies for dipping. And of course...the best for last, the chocolate fondue! My favorite is the Flaming Turtle! I'll eat turtle anything...turtle cheesecake, turtle sundaes, and turtle fondue! It is simply amazing! The chocolate fondue is served with all of your favorite desserts for dipping - rice krispies treats, fruits, cheesecake, pound cake, marshmallows, and brownies! It's like you've won a ticket to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory or something! You will not be disappointed! If you've never been to the Melting Pot, I highly encourage you to try it...it's a great foodie and fondue experience...and one you're surely never to forget! :)
(5)Eric S.
As an infrequent fondooer, I didn't expect much to begin with. The melting pot delivers just that. From the 25-30$ per person 3 course menu options, I expect my appetizer salad to be larger than 5 bites. The cheeses we ordered (cheddar and classic alpine), both were incredibly gritty, qualities in an expensive meal I would expect to be slightly greater. I recommend this place for a bar crawl, so you don't realize what you pay until you wake up. As an aspiring chef, I know now that I can start a Fondue restaurant and make a success of myself just my making my cheeses smooth. Keep your eyes peeled!
(1)Curt E.
The service here is awful. The hosts are rude and you WILL wait even with reservation.
(1)Jamie B.
We only go here for special occasions because it is really expensive and have enjoyed it in the past; however we didn't enjoy our last experience that well. Most of the lettuce in the salad was pink so I sent it back and then the second was almost just as bad. We don't feel like you get enough quantity of food for as much as you spend. The service was great.
(3)Kile C.
Too complicated. Who wants to work when u are not at work. Way to expensive and u are cooking the food. Go to a 5 star steak or seafood restaurant instead of the melting pot and have someone else prepare the food. There is a reason the Melting Pot spends thousands of dollars on advertising per month. Sorry- we won't be back.
(1)Samara C.
The melting pot was an amazing experience!!! The server was amazing very attentive!!!! My dessert was to die for my favorite is the banana fosters and they didn't have it on the menu the server said no problem and made it for me!!!!
(5)Mike T.
This is a great experience. Their fondu is outstanding and they have added some new choices since the last time I went here well over a year ago. We had the spinach and artichoke cheese for our cheese course. That tasted fantastic! I could have eaten that all night. The main course was really good as they've done a bit more with their meats than what they used to do the last time. They actually seasoned their meats with spices or marinades not to mention the sushi-grade tuna they brought out as well. That stuff was good cooked or un-cooked. To finish it all off we had their cookies and cream chocolate dip which seemed to be chocolate and marshmallow stirred together. Awesome! The service here is always going to be good as it should be for the price that you pay for dinner. We had to wait on the other couple we were eating with since they were running a bit late. It's the restaurant's policy that they won't seat you until you are all there so we waited at the bar and had some wine since we had some time to kill. The bartender is worth the trip to the Melting Pot. She is a mega beer geek like me and really knows her beer and wine. We all sat around talking beer for 10 or 15 minutes before our friends showed up but it didn't seem like any time had passed. It's awesome running into beer people when you're out and about.
(5)Victoria L.
If I could give -5 stars then that is what I would rate this place. Service was awful, food even worse. I had my tonsils removed without anesthesia when I was 10, this was worse than that. People who rate this a 5 star "restaurant" know nothing about food.
(1)Judy C.
I haven't had the cheese fondue and would rather stick to Asian style hotpot for cooking my own entree but the chocolate fondue is SO good! Decadent and such a guilty pleasure. I've had the original (chocolate with peanut butter) and the flaming turtle (milk chocolate, caramel, pecans). Both are to die for and I'm sure the other varieties are delicious as well. All chocolate fondue comes with fruit, rice krispie treats, cheesecake, brownies, marshmallows, and other sweet dipping treats. Our waitress recommended dipping rice krispies into the original chocolate fondue - tastes just like a Snickers bar! Side note: I always smell TERRIBLE after eating here so prepare for that. :P
(4)Jack S.
Took my daughter here for a night out of dinner and shopping. First of all, the service was amazing! Since it was our first time we went with our waiters recommendations and enjoyed it all. Going to try to make the blackberry/sage lemonade at home. Will be back soon with my wife!
(5)Jennifer T.
My husband and I go here for special occasions. The food is always good and we have never had bad service. I also enjoy going for their theme nights. I love the Wisconsin Cheese Trio and any of the chocolate desserts are sure to please.
(4)Destiny M.
I went here for a girl's night out last week. Oh my goodness, I think I'm in love. I'll break it down. Time- We made reservations for 8:00pm. We got there around 7:50 and sat in bar until the table was ready. They were running a bit behind and we got seated around 8:10pm. That's not bad, seeing as how it was a Friday night. Staff- Our waiter was very knowledgable and he had a news anchor voice. Very nice, prompt on drink refills and had an answer for my friends' confused questions. The manager stopped by and had a quick little conversation with us. He brought out some chocolate fondue that was not on the menu for us to try. It was white chocolate and very very sweet. I forget the name of it, but it is not on the menu and if you're into white chocolate, I suggest you ask for it. I thought that was nice. Food- We got the fiesta cheese. It was fabulous. I like the bread dippers the most. It was spicy and cheesy and just plain awesome. Next we had our salads. I felt myself getting full so I only took a few bites but their house dressing was decent. Next was the meat. We got chicken and steak with mojo cooking style. Yum yum yum! They say leave the meat in for 2 mins, but I left it in for 5 just to make sure I wasn't consuming anything raw. The sauces were great. Green Goddess and the teriyaki were my fave.Then came the chocolate. We got the oreo made with milk chocolate. My my my, I felt sooooooo guilty that night. Our waiter kept bringing us more and more dippers (brownies, red velvet cake, rice crispies, strawberries, cheesecake, etc). I was so full but I could not put my fondue fork down. The bill came to $111 for three people and we left a $25 tip. It's expensive but it was not as expensive as I thought it would be. I'll tell ya it's a BATTLE to walk up those stairs to leave the building. Ughh they're so steep and long and I'm so full and tired. Anyway, we had a great time. We will be back for our next event, whatever that may be.
(5)Allie L.
Okay, to preface this review I must say that I didn't give The Melting Pot 5 stars because I have to cook my meat myself. I don't like doing that but I understand it is a fondue restaurant. Melted cheese? I will pay anything for melted cheese. My husband and I just came here for my birthday and we had a great time. We ordered a la carte and got the Swiss cheese and some meat dish (came with shrimp, duck, pork, chicken, pot stickers, and steak). The meat came with a salad and veggies to cook. We were too full for dessert. I know. We didn't get chocolate fondue at a fondue restaurant. But seriously you become so full. For those two a la carte orders, one glass of wine and two beers...it came to $105 with tip. Preeeettty pricey. Oh well, they gave me a birthday card and the booths are so private that you feel like it's just the two of you on a date. It's nice!
(4)Billy L.
Really good food, wonderful atmosphere and great staff. My wife and I went there for our 5 year anniversary and the staff had an anniversary card for us along with every staff member helping us wishing us a happy anniversary. That is great customer service. Our server was excellent and very knowledgable of the menu. He was also patient with us as this was our first time at The Melting Pot. It is on the expensive side but overall it was very much worth the money.
(5)Diane D.
I hadn't been to the Melting Pot in years - and even then I'd only ever been to the Graceland location - but we went last night for my 35th birthday and I was able to rekindle my connection to this fine establishment. I love everything about this restaurant except for two things: one, the insanely small and cramped booths for two and secondly, THE PRICE. This place is insanely expensive. When my partner said she'd allocated "enough" funds for the meal, I sorta thought she was talking $65 or so. I had no clue we'd walk out of there spending $124 for a meal with desert and two drinks, plus tip. The upside - the location is easy to get to in the traditionally nightmare parking situation that is Easton. Even in the midst of Black Friday weekend shopping we parked easily in the lot across from the restaurant. They also take reservations, which I always enjoy so that I'm assured a table at the time I prefer. The dining space is intimate but not cloying or smothering - well appointed without being ostentatious. Service was friendly, prompt, yet not invasive. I liked the fact that our server was very well versed in his job and could offer knowledgeable recommendations on which selection to get with each course as well as the ingredients in each fondue. The food was fabulously good - and the only time in my life I'ver ever enjoyed eating duck of any kind. The meat is clearly top quality as is the dessert chocolate. I left feeling as if I'd had a real, full, gluttonous, top shelf meal - which is exactly how one should feel if they are dropping $50 per person to eat. As much as I enjoyed my dining experience here I can definitely say this will be a once or twice a year splurge only - anniversary and birthday. The only reason this is getting a 3-star and not a four or five is the price.
(3)Dennis L.
I generally do not like restaurants that make you do the cooking, but the Melting Pot is so good, I can overlook it. Unfortunately, it's so expensive that this is a "special occasion only" type of place, but it really does feel special. My wife and I ate here for the second time last weekend, and at first we thought we were in for a miserable night. Our waiter came off as strange and rude at first; when he approached the table, instead of asking, "Are you ready to order?" or "How are things going over here?" he would just say, "What's up?" We weren't even sure how to answer that. If there's any place you don't want to get stuck with an annoying waiter, it's the Melting Pot, since they end up spending quite a bit of time at your table. After a few minutes, though, we got used to this guy's quirks (either that, or the alcohol started taking effect), and he was fine. The food. You definitely want to go with the four-course meal here, so you get three different fondues (cheese, broth and chocolate). We got a three-cheese fondue that was served with apples, bread and veggies; a coq au vin broth served with raw steak, chicken, shrimp, salmon and scallops; and dark chocolate served with a ridiculous array of sweets: cheesecake, brownies, pound cake, Rice Krispie treats, strawberries, bananas, coated marshmallows... of course you only get a couple bites of each one, but we were too stuffed to finish our dessert plate. I'm guessing the salad course doesn't get many kudos here, but the house salad is pretty darn great. The peppercorn ranch dressing tasted amazing. My wife loved her nicoise salad as well. I like the rathskeller-type location of this restaurant, too... unique, at least at Easton. Again, a reminder: A meal for two is going to be close to $100. Be prepared. And remember, you're paying for the experience.
(4)Robby S.
My wife and I ate here this past Saturday. Our server, Renee, was very efficient, and took the time to explain all the menu options to us. Not only did she refill our water glasses throughout the meal, but many other servers did as well. Renee also did a great job explaining how long we should cook the food. We decided to have the 'Big Night Out.' We went with the Coq au Vin for our Entree Cooking Style, and this worked out perfect. The Fondue a la France was excellent, and tasted great on the three different types of bread, veggies, and apple. The second course, the salade nicoise was very good, and a decent size dinner salad. Third course - Lobster Indulgence. We opted to take out the duck and replace it with the filet. Excellent choice. All the choices, from the chicken to the lobster, had great seasoning and flavor. We finished the meal off with the White Chocolate Creme Brulee - chocolate covered strawberries, marshmallows, pound cake, and cheescake - a fantastic choice. We had the perfect meal!
(5)Sabrina L.
Holy crap is this place expensive. The three stars are deceptive because I'm absolutely enamored with the food, but once again, let me say it, this stuff is EXPENSIVE. Especially the drinks. They don't put the prices on the menu and I doubt there's anything-- even the plainest beer you can order-- that's under 7 dollars. And that's on top of a meal that is most likely going to run you about 40 dollars a person. Still, it's good. It's so good that this is what I ask for every year for my birthday. When it's birthday good that means something, you know? We always start with the Cheddar Cheese Fondue, and as odd as cheese and beer sound for apple dipping, it's the green apples that get measured out one by one between me and my husband. Of course, they'll give you more if you ask, but we try not to overdo it on the appetizer since the meat is so darn yummy! We tend to ask for replacements on the seafood elements in exchange for the Cajun spiced chicken and that makes it all the better. More than anything though we love the mushrooms that we fill will green goddess dressing and gorge on. For dessert you really can't go wrong with any chocolate choice. We do the flaming turtle but I don't know how it would be possible to mess up high quality melted chocolate and fruit/brownies. All in all I would give The Melting Pot a five for taste, and a two for value, so I'm evening that out to a three!
(3)Jason Y.
First time here. Did the four course thing. Cheese wasn't very good. Salad was average. Main course the meat was delicious. Dessert was good ( not that I'm an expert or anything) had the ting yang. For the price didn't think it was worth it. The main course says it feeds two but I could of eaten all of that meat and not even be full. Service our waiter was very helpful Would of been 4 stars except the portion for the main course was too small
(3)Jeff T.
Went here with some friends for a birthday. Fun experience and great server but the food is definitely not worth what we paid. The next morning I woke up with a bad case of FOOD POISONING! It lasted 6 days. I couldn't keep anything down. I called the general manager of the restaurant to inform him of what happened and I was treated very poorly. He said he was going to call me back to follow up the complaint and he never did. I felt as though he was just trying to get me out of his hair. Anyway, I know there is a lot hype about this place but I will definitely not be going back!
(1)Roy H.
Having been born in Switzerland and grown up eating authentic Swiss fondue, I think that I know what the "real deal" is and I can tell you honestly that The Melting Pot is the "real deal". Unfortunately, the original Columbus location on High Street near Worthington closed down a couple of years ago. I don't know why, but it was sure was nice and roomy. We had some good memories there. Fortunately, we still have the Easton location to enjoy. I would recommend the entree special for two if you're not eating alone, of course. It's the best deal for your money. It includes both cheese and oil fondues. You'll have a selection of bread and fruit with the cheese fondue. With the oil fondue, you'll have several choices among poultry, beef and seafood to imbibe. Finally, if you have room, I highly recommend the chocolate fondue! Yum-Yum! You'll have all kinds of fruit and pastries to dunk to your heart's desire. Man is that good stuff! If you don't prefer the "fondue" experience, do not fear. Your waiter will be glad to recommend a traditional American entree to choose from. The bar area is very hip and trendy and includes fondue burners right at the bar so that you can enjoy their wonderful food no matter where you're sitting. Finally, I would have given The Melting Pot 5 stars if their prices weren't so high. Being the only true and authentic fondue restaurant in Columbus has its advantages, I guess. The killer for me was when we got our bill. My delicious microbrewed ale cost $15...wow! No wonder they don't show the prices on the beverage menu. I should have known better. Go ahead and treat yourself to one of the most flavorful and unique dining experiences in town. It is worth the price tag. (But next time, I'm going to bring my own beer...sshhh, don't tell anyone!)
(4)Tim D.
Enjoyed dinner here at stop in Columbus while traveling. Was interested to check it out as there is not a store in my area. On the expensive side, but the food was very very good. Great place for a special occasion. Great service. The menu is a bit unusual, so you rely on your server for help.
(4)Randy S.
I'm not sure what the freakin' big deal about this place is. First off, you come out of the joint reeking of grease. Ah, romance! I think I'm still trying to get the stench out of a sweater from the last time I visited. Also, I guess the novelty of paying for an expensive dinner and having to do the cooking yourself is lost on me. Here's the thing: I get paranoid enough at home that I'm under cooking meat or cross-contaminating. I don't need the same feeling in a restaurant. While I did dig the cheese fondue course, the rest of the "experience" was a bit of a let down for me. I have heard from several people that the dessert fondue is the real find here. Maybe sometime I'll head back and try it.
(2)Heather A.
I don't think I can top the previous reviewers write-up so I'll just throw in my 2 cents... :) I LOVE this place. I love it so much and just asked myself why I don't go more often. I love everything- the ambiance, the service, the food, the dessert. The only thing I don't like is how miserably full I feel afterwards. Rolling out of the booth and waddling out is the only thing that works. A happy belly is a happy Heather! I will point out that the white chocolate dream dessert (not the exact name) is THE BEST!! I always force myself to order the dessert simply for the experience even though I can barely lift my fork. They are seriously doing something right. This is a great, romantic date spot, too! :)
(5)Dawn L.
A group of my girlfriends and I went to The Melting Pot for drinks and dessert on a Saturday night (with a reservation) and at first I was very impressed. The menu looked great and the atmosphere was nice. We were seated at a table large enough for the 6 of us where we weren't squished all together, which was great. The waiter was fast at getting to our table to take our drink orders, and that's where the good review stops. The waiter (named Jason) took 3 of our drink orders (the other 2 in our party hadn't arrived yet) and I asked him to come back because I wasn't surre what I wanted to drink just then. We also told him up front that we were only there for dessert & drinks so all we needed was dessert & drink menus. When he finally came back with the drinks, he never asked the other 2 girls who arrived what they wanted and when I ordered a night cap he acknowledged my order and left very quickly. After he brought us the desserts we ordered he never came back to check on us or ever brought me the drink I ordered. It seemed like the good customer service that he started out with ended when we told him that all we wanted was dessert and drinks. The only good things were that he didn't charge me for the drink I ordered and never got and he offered to split the bill for us evenly, but the he took forever to bring the bills and still longer to charge our cards and bring us back the reciepts to sign. I would still like to try The Melting Pot again for dinner, but the server made it obvious that just drinks and dessert isn't worth their time. Parking was also horrible to find and their reservation system is crazy, if you're even 5 minutes late then they give away your reservation.
(2)Amy S.
Fun experience but not worth it for me at the price at which it is offered. I came here with a friend and we were both extremely shocked at the price but didn't want to walk out. It also took a lot longer than we had been anticipating and felt a bit rushed at the end. I heard great things about the original location but now am not hearing these at the new one.
(2)Max T.
The Melting Pot is, according to their tagline, "A Fondue Restaurant". This is their Easton location, the second to open in Columbus, though sadly the previous location on North High closed this past year. This location is interesting because it's actually underground. The entrance is a nice glass storefront (with a valet stand available out front on busy nights), but right inside the door you're immediately faced with a staircase, which winds (slightly) down into the restaurant itself. It lends a very interesting & secluded feel to the place, and fits well with the dark & intimate atmosphere of the restaurant itself. The dark lighting is accented with lit glass bottles in various colors on walls & corners. For the most part, the booths are high-backed and small, meant for 2-4, though there are some larger booths available for bigger groups. Each table has 1-2 burners depending on the seating available. For foods, being a fondue restaurant, the main focus is on cheese fondue appetizers, broth or oil-based entree fondue, and chocolate fondue desserts. The entrees are also served with a salad - four options are usually available (my preference is the Chef, basic, but goes very well with their "Garlic & Wine Seasoning" salt, pepper & spice mixture they offer. Most entree ordering tends to be from either the "Big Night Out" dinner for two main special they're running (choice of salad, cheese, one of three entree platters, and chocolate) or the standard "Dinner for Two" options (which include salad, cheese and entree platter, but NOT chocolate - though you can always add it). It IS possible to add an extra portion on either of those options as well, for the third/fifth wheels. The cheese fondue is prepared by your server at the table, allowing you to throttle-up or -down ingredients as desired (don't like garlic? Have them skip it or go VERY light, etc.) The traditional swiss (emmentaler & gruyere) is the best, IMO, finished with a shot of Kirschwasser brandy to give it an added kick. They also have your basic Wisconsin cheddar, a "fiesta" salsa-dip/queso inspired cheese fondue, and others. The entrees can be intimidating for some folks - they essentially bring you a platter of (pre-cut) raw meats (and/or seafood) and a bowl of veggies, which you can then cook in whichever "cooking style" you selected. A wide variety of dipping sauces are also brought to finish off your morsels. Make sure to get an entree with the teriyaki sirloin - it's excellent, and the house teriyaki sauce is excellent. As for cooking styles, my personal favorite is the wine & mushroom infused "coq au vin", though the standard court bullion is excellent as well. As for the oil - even the servers (almost every one I've had) recommend AGAINST that -- stick to one of the broths. While cooking, make sure you double-up pieces of meat on a skewer, and have both your skewers going at once. I've seen people doing one skewer, one piece of meat at a time in the pot and that could take YEARS... Dessert is, of course, chocolate fondue, your choice of many different flavors (try milk or dark chocolate with a shot of creme de menthe!). Served with strawberries, pineapples, bananas, marshmallows, a small slice of cheesecake, brownies...all stuff to dip in or pour chocolate over - it's almost too much. The best part of the Melting Pot is that it's not just going out to eat - it's an experience. A great way to socialize with friends, loved ones or spend some quality time getting to know your date. Instead of "Eat It & Beat It", the setting actually lends well to long, relaxed meals in a good environment....
(5)Emily D.
The food was pretty good. We dined here for restaurant week so although it was a bit pricy it would have been waaaaaaayy overpriced if we had ordered off of the regular menu. The best part was the dessert. The yin and yang was to die for. The queso from the cheese course was not great, neither I nor my dining partner particularly enjoyed it, but it wasn't terrible. The atmosphere was fairly dark, but not uncomfortable while seated. This would be a fantastic and perfect date spot. The method with which you dine would keep the conversation going and give you plenty of time to get to know one another. I would never. Go here for a quick bite due to the time involved in cooking the food, but for an interesting and new experience it can't hurt to try it. Overall I gave it 3 stars because it would normally be too pricy and it was not really my cup of tea. If you have a great love of fondue or you enjoy alternative dining experiences this is a great place to go, but for normal, everyday, inexpensive or traditional meals steer clear.
(3)Lisa S.
The Melting Pot has always been one of my favorite restaurants. Can you really go wrong when taking a lady out for some cheese, wine, and chocolate? I've been to this location maybe five or six times and have never been disappointed. The staff are always fun, friendly, and polite. The lighting and ambiance set the perfect mood for intimate date nights and the cooking/sharing food together just make the date that much more pleasurable. The Four Course Experience is my favorite selection off of the menu. Then again, I've never tried anything else because this is the absolute best! With the Four Course Experience, you get to enjoy a cheese fondue, a salad, an entree, and chocolate fondue. My favorite entree selections are: The Classic: Seasoned choice Angus sirloin, Memphis-style BBQ pork medallion, Pacific white shrimp, herb-crusted all-natural breast of chicken, and teriyaki-marinated sirloin. Fondue Delight: Premium filet mignon and a succulent cold water lobster tail paired with all-natural breast of chicken, Pacific white shrimp, and wild mushroom sacchetti. And as I've mentioned in previous reviews, I'm a dipper...they have some pretty amazing entree sauces to dip your meats and veggies in after they've been cooked. The green goddess and gorgonzola port are my favorites. I use the green goddess for the veggies and the port for the meats. Don't worry, you get to try all of the entree sauces with any entree your order. :) My favorite cheese fondue is the Cheddar Cheese Fondue. I think the lager and sharp cheddar help make this one of my favorites. :) The fondue is served with breads, fruits, and veggies for dipping. And of course...the best for last, the chocolate fondue! My favorite is the Flaming Turtle! I'll eat turtle anything...turtle cheesecake, turtle sundaes, and turtle fondue! It is simply amazing! The chocolate fondue is served with all of your favorite desserts for dipping - rice krispies treats, fruits, cheesecake, pound cake, marshmallows, and brownies! It's like you've won a ticket to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory or something! You will not be disappointed! If you've never been to the Melting Pot, I highly encourage you to try it...it's a great foodie and fondue experience...and one you're surely never to forget! :)
(5)Kaoru M.
In general, I don't like to order something at a restaurant when it's something I can make on my own at home. I have a fondue set at home, and I've been able to recreate fairly accurately their cheddar cheese fondue and mojo fondue broth. (Just try googling the recipes.) So why do I continue to go to this rather pricy restaurant once or twice a year? It's for the ambiance of the restaurant and for the excellent level of service. The interior is a very comfortable place to be, and the service here has consistently been excellent. It's a pretty romantic setting for any guy looking to take their significant other out on a date. Yes, I could go and cook the food that they serve here on my own, for much less money. But I would also be spending an extra hour prepping and an hour afterwards doing the dishes for a 4 course meal. For a special occasion, it's nice to come to the Melting Pot and feel a little bit pampered.
(4)Carolyn K.
I mean... who doesn't love melted cheese & chocolate?! The Melting Pot is a favorite of mine just because of the cheese and chocolate. (I must confess that the notion of sharing a pot of boiling beef with my dining partners isn't exactly appealing to me, but cheese and chocolate seem to be acceptable) The servers are always very helpful - especially if this is your first visit. They explain exactly how the process works, how to cook your food to the right temperature and how to select your menu based on your table's taste preferences. Aside from the share-able beef bath, my sole complaint is the absurd length of time it takes to dine here. I rarely have 2.5-3 hours to devote to eating, so this is definitely a one-a-year type of place.
(3)Mike D.
Given the balance of experience vs cost, A-OK nails it on the head for The Melting Pot. It's not cheap. Given the full course experience, you'll top out at over $100 for two more than likely. Even given that, we've come here every year for our anniversary for the past several years. It's a fun time and you can't beat the cheese and dessert courses. I've found the entree courses to be hit and miss, which is kind of hilarious given that I'm the one cooking the food. As a defense mechanism and because frequently the times we're given for cooking are way off, we've taken to the habit of just leaving everything in the broth for a really long time. It gets it cooked, obviously, but can have an adverse effect on flavor. I guess that's why one usually pays for someone else to cook one's food. The environment is intimate and lovely, dark wood and low lighting, lots of varities of seating from larger parties to tables for two. Maybe next year we'll just come for cheese and dessert -- we always leave stuffed full anyway, maybe that entree course isn't needed.
(3)Darren D.
I can honestly say I have never experienced something like this in my life. I used yelp to book a reservation and noted It was my wife and I anniversary. Just hoping it will be pleasant. It was beyond pleasant. We came earlier than the time and it was ready for us. We were given a private booth and upon arriving to the booth we saw something magical. Rose petals all over our table and a congratulations card. Made my wife happy beyond happy. Apart from that amazing moment our waiter made the exp even better. James was amazing. He gave us the rundown on EVERYTHING. I work in retail and I know what it means to give customer service with a smile all day long and James dev displayed that with flying colors. It was truly the best experience I've ever had at any restaurant. I recommend this place to anyone for any occasion.
(5)Jonathan B.
Attended recently to celebrate New Years Eve Eve. This is a great place for apps, drinks or dessert. However, They should not put stuff on the menu then say you can't have it unless your a "seasoned" customer. (As table next to us ordered it and we are pretty confident it was their first time). My favorite is the waiter leaving the dessert menu on the table and left for twenty min for us to figure out the menu was empty and covered in old chocolate. Nasty. This was out most expensive meal during our visit and our least favorite for the surrounding choices of dining.
(2)Naiying C.
I think coming to melting pot is a fun overall experience but I can't say the food is especially memorable though.
(3)Bridgette R.
Expensive ($150 + tip), but positively lovely. Got the 'Dinner for a cause' for two. Highly recommend. Delicious. Service was phenomenal. Quite literally, the best service I've ever had at a restaurant - EVER. Arrived about and hour and a half before closing - quiet atmosphere - which i like and could easily carry a conversation. Owner visited our table several times - he was very friendly and humorous. Can't wait to drum up a reason for husband to take me back :)
(5)Jt P.
Overpriced. Overhyped. The service was good, but the food is sub-par and for the price is definently not worth it.
(2)Jason K.
I have been to The Melting Pot twice and both times I left full and satisfied. The 4 course meal is the way to go as it includes a cheese course (with veggies and carbs for dipping), a salad, a main course, and a dessert course. For the main course we had meat choices that included shrimp, chicken, and steak - my wife also had sausage in hers. All of the food is good, but it definitely takes more than the recommended 2 minutes in the broth to cook the chicken...so double check that before you dig in. The dessert course is great and there are various items for dipping including cheesecake, which is by far the standout on the plate. If you are looking for a place to grab some drinks before your reservation, I also recommend the Fado pub next door.
(4)Dianna W.
This is one of my favorite places for a Girls Night Out! I know there are other people dining, but somehow, I feel like my table is the only one in the restaurant. Simple favorites - cheese and chocolate. And, I love the Caesar salad! I've been here several times over the year, and the servers are always nice and efficient, and they explain the menu well. The prices are expensive, so I only dine here on a special occasion.
(4)Elisabeth M.
Fondue - Excellent. Staff - TOO helpful. See more below. My mother visited me and she loves fondue so I took her here. It is hard to find parking. When I walked in I saw it was in a basement and there were many many stairs down, and my mother (parking the car) has bad knees and inquired about an elevator. They said yes, and showed me too it, when my mother came in there was a waiter by the elevator who escorted us down. We were greeted and told we are in for a treat, and asked if we were celebrating anything. Nope. He left, the managed I think comes and tries to weasel another special occasion out of us again. As did our waiter once he showed up. I asked if he We decided on the four course experience. We picked Alpine Classic for the cheese, it was very good, and the bread, apple, and vegetable dippers were delicious. The salads were also excellent and petit - good so as not to fill up to much before the heavy entree course. We chose fondue our way with filet mignon, chicken breast, and the ravioli, cooked in the oil instead of the broth. Get the oil! They tried to talk us out of it ("this is usually for our more eXPERienced fonduers, we recommend one of our broth and wine mixtures) but it sounds like from other reviews, and my own opinion, the oil is much better. It took a lot time to heat, it came out cold and not warm, and it should at least be warmed before going on the cooktop, I feel. They kept turning our dial down and then stuff wouldn't cook so we kept having to turn it up once he left so the meat would cook. I did not use batters but tasted them, seemed good. They had excellent sauces, especially the Green Goddess was delicious. I assume they don't want the possibility of a vat of oil with clumsy or inexperienced diners, but I feel strict instructions and checking in should be sufficient to be vigilant if they so desire. The meat fried deliciously, Since I was without batter I used their wine and garlic seasoning and sauces, and it was very good. Dessert, of course, was awesome. I wanted just a plain tub of chocolate with no bells and whistles, and the extra dippers. Delicious, smooth, yum. Not cheap - 88 for two, and more if any drinks, alcohol, extra dippers, or merchandise. Still I think it is worth it for when you want that experience or crave fondue, or a romantic or group night out.
(4)Erin R.
The Melting Pot is my go-to for special occasions. I love it, but it is not affordable enough for regular patronage. The ambiance is romantic - dark and cozy (although I liked their old location better!). I've always had excellent service. The servers are friendly and knowledgeable. The fondue is AWESOME!!! I have never had something I didn't like! We usually do the full-course experience when we go for a special occasion. I love watching them make the cheese right there in front of us! The meat course is fun - cooking your own meat and picking the sauces to use makes the meal more fun. And dessert?? You can't go wrong! It's all delicious! Bonus yum: dip your after-dinner mint (comes with your bill) in your chocolate! That is, if you have any left! We eat it with a spoon if we run out of dippers! Take a container of their garlic & wine seasoning home with you - I use it to season just about anything I make at home!
(5)Tiffany C.
The Melting Pot was really a unique experience, namely because the experience involves you cooking a variety of different foods at your table. Be forewarned, the experience is going to be 2+ hours because you're cooking your own entrees, so avoid planning movies, etc afterwards. Coming in, the servers will try and sell you on the 4 course meal...we would recommend that you skip this and order individual menu items. This is in large part due to the large portion sizes that come with each and every dish (LARGE). The 4 course meals are ~$40 each (include cheese, salad, entree, and dessert). Our waitress also somehow finagled the check using one of the 4 course meal items so our bill was cheaper by ordering individual items. We ordered 2 cheeses, one entree and one dessert and left stuffed! Cheeses - lots of options here, but we would recommend the spinach and artichoke. They warm the pot and make it right before your eyes. That being said, they use a TON of cheese. If we were to do it again, we would ask that they use less cheese as there is plenty of cheese to go around. After the cheese is warmed, you have the opportunity to dip veggies (broccoli, carrots), bread, apples, chips, etc into its melty goodness. Entree - we did the you pick 3 (pick 3 different meats to share). We chose herb chicken, filet mignon, teriyaki-marinated sirloin. The secret here is to ask for more veggies (broccoli, potatoes, mushrooms). The meat is good, but the veggies are unlimited (we got 3 refills!) and taste great in the seasoned broth they provide. They also provide different sauces for meat and veggies that were fun to try - the green goddess (on broccoli) was our favorite! Finally, we ordered the flaming turtle chocolate fondue (which literally was flaming before our eyes) and out came a full plate of marshmallows, cheesecake, and other delicious treats to dip into our melted chocolate. Why only three stars? Each of the servers have this weird script that they go through, which seemed a bit staged. The salad we shared was very sour and seemed doused in dressing. We were forced into a booth that had very little light (although it was still on the romantic side). We also found the drink service to be slow (and expensive!) - 1 domestic draft beer = $6.00.
(3)Jeremy A.
First of all the staff is great. Very friendly and helpful during the meal experience. It is an experience. You cook your own food at your table. We only go for special occasions because it is hard to get into this restaurant. The tables for two are mind numbingly claustrophobic fit causing crowded. The ambiance is romantic and it isn't too loud to hear your partner. Drinks, however, are not very appetizing. They sound really good on the menu, but they are not very well made. I got a foo foo drink and it tasted like turpentine. Overall it is a great date night but go somewhere else for drinks. Do not come here if you are claustrophobic.
(3)Eric S.
As an infrequent fondooer, I didn't expect much to begin with. The melting pot delivers just that. From the 25-30$ per person 3 course menu options, I expect my appetizer salad to be larger than 5 bites. The cheeses we ordered (cheddar and classic alpine), both were incredibly gritty, qualities in an expensive meal I would expect to be slightly greater. I recommend this place for a bar crawl, so you don't realize what you pay until you wake up. As an aspiring chef, I know now that I can start a Fondue restaurant and make a success of myself just my making my cheeses smooth. Keep your eyes peeled!
(1)Alexandra S.
The only issues preventing this from being a five-star review are that if one in your party is a vegetarian either everyone has to get a vegetarian dinner or the veggie has to cook their entire dinner before the others, which detracts from the leisurely piecemeal experience; and that families with noisy children were abundant during prime dinner time on Friday night! Luckily, my husband doesn't mind getting the Good Earth Vegetarian meal, and we were moved to a table a bit further away from the most egregiously noisy family, which was nice. The whole experience was romantic and actually quite affordable considering we got salads, cheese fondue course, a vegetarian entree course with literally 15 different types of veggies, filled pastas, mushrooms, etc, and a chocolate fondue course for only $32.99 each (plus we upgraded to the coq au vin broth for $4.95; ALL the broth upgrades are actually vegetarian even if the descriptions don't sound veg!). All in all a great restaurant for Date Night!
(4)Ted R.
The bread was stale, we requested some fresh bread. No fresh bread, so the hid some more hard bread under the chips. Very sad. Then the plate was dirty. Sadder. Salad was small and barely dressed. Not the best example of Melting Pot fare.
(2)Kendy T.
This is an amazing place to enjoy an evening! The service was exceptional (Lena was GREAT), and the food was fantastic! A fun experience, with a quiet atmosphere - enables you to enjoy the conversation with your group! The staff takes time to explain how to cook the meal, and check on you during the course of the evening. Not sure I would go with a big group, but it is great for two to four.
(5)Tim S.
Interesting and unique concept. Environment was good, and was a nice date place. However, there is really nothing special about the food, since it is you, at the table cooking the food with basic ingredients. Also, it is EXTREMELY overpriced in my opinion. Especially for being such basic ingredients. The desserts where good, better than the entrees. Try it once - take a date there that has never heard of it. It's unique. But you will need to take a home equity line of credit to do so.
(3)Curt E.
The service here is awful. The hosts are rude and you WILL wait even with reservation.
(1)Jamie B.
We only go here for special occasions because it is really expensive and have enjoyed it in the past; however we didn't enjoy our last experience that well. Most of the lettuce in the salad was pink so I sent it back and then the second was almost just as bad. We don't feel like you get enough quantity of food for as much as you spend. The service was great.
(3)Brandi B.
We always have excellent service and great food at The Melting Pot at Easton. It's on the pricey side, but it's something we plan for on birthdays or our anniversary. We always get the 4 course dinner and leave stuffed with cheese and chocolate goodness. My personal favorite are the mushrooms stuffed with Green Goddess dip!
(5)Patrick C.
Too much, too much.... OK , well maybe just a little bit more. nom nom nom. This was my first time at the Melting Pot, I am a fan of fondue, so my girlfriend a mutual friend and myself all decided to stop here and check the place out last night. The place is in a basement so there are a lot of stairs to get to the main waiting room. So needless to say it doesn't seem all that handicapped friendly. At least not from what I saw. We had a short wait and then we were sat at our booth. We were then greeted by our wonderful waitress Jessica. Who was quite friendly, and was able to engage us in conversation about the meals we were about to dive into. (I don't know why some people are complaining about the service here, we had no troubles, booshie much?) The presentation of how the foods were presented to us also was a nice treat. We had a bit of everything, we had the Wisconsin Trio Cheese Fondue, a delicious California salad, main entree Land & Sea (which was outstanding) that came with a whole ship ton of sauces, and how could I forget about the chocolate fondue for the sweet treat after the meal to seal the deal. I had to pop open my button down shit. My gut was full. Next stage is sleep mode. Now, with such a review your thinking, "but captain pat, why just 4 stars" its simple my dear yelper... just like the chocolate fondue, the price is a little rich for my blood. But I suppose with such a nice night we had it was worth the price. I think I will find myself back here, but maybe on just special occasions.
(4)Amruta D.
Since I'm a vegetarian, my opinion is a bit biased and I'm also decently picky with the quality of tofu I get. That being said, I think their vegetarian option was really bad. I went there with a few friends and I did not like it that they don't give you an extra pot for cooking vegetarian food and since I'm allergic to sea food, I pretty much had to cook my food before my friends could cook theirs, so I was done eating the main course by the time my friends had their meat and sea food cooked. Also, their vegetarian options were abysmal, tofu was extremely salty and so were most of the vegetables. I also think their dessert quality is not all that great, they just give you some cut up fruits and Rice Krispies, some brownies and cakes to dip in melted chocolate. I have had much better fondue which was a lot more authentic than what this place serves. I don't mind paying the price but this food is way over priced for the quality.
(1)Mark K.
Okay, I must be old: I grew up with fondue in the '70s. My family had it often, and we loved it. I've done it once at home since; it was messy and kind of a pain, but still good. I went to the Melting Pot near Graceland years ago with a big group, including some kids, and it was fun. But seemed expensive... Stumbled on this walking around Easton with my girlfriend, and decided to go in. The place is downstairs and very cool- dark, intimate, awesome music. The staff were great all around. We had Wisconsin cheese fondue to start; came with bread, apples, and veggies. It's healthy if it has fruit and vegetables in it, right? Right? We were almost full by the end of this. Then had the French Quarter meat combo. Highly seasoned beef and chicken, and andouille slices. Plus more veggies. Cooked in broth, not the oil I remember from way back. It was all very good- everything was fresh, broth and veggies were replenished when needed. Just a very nice, relaxing, romantic dinner. Pricewise, yeah, a little high, but really for the quality, the amount we got, and the overall experience, it's worth it.I'd go back in a heartbeat.
(4)Teri D.
Used to go to the one back in my old city a lot and finally got around to going to this one the other day. It's a bit strange entering the building as it is all pretty much underground. And that is a slight problem I have with them. As it is underground there are no windows it creeped me out a bit. But other than that and also knowing this place is not a cheap fast food joint, we had a good time. A nice long leisurely meal of bits of meat and veggies and bread with the occasional losing a chunk of something in the pot that needed to be fished out. Service from the greeter at the door to our server to some manager coming by was all top notch and the food was good too. Don't come here if you want big chunks of anything, this is fondue food which means little chunks. Frankly I can forgo the cheese fondue and just go right for the meat and veggies. The steak teriyaki is yummy and you can never go wrong with shrimp. The pork and chicken bits are good as well but I wasn't too keen on the duck and potstickers. They do make very good salads as well. We decided next time we go we will skip the cheese and maybe just order another round of meat to dip or at least extra mushrooms. Try putting the cheese in them before you dip them into the batter. Makes a darn good mushroom that way!
(4)Vaibhav H.
It was really one of the best dinning experience!! Ambiance - Perfect! Services - Perfect! Server - Very Polite and helpful! Food - Awesome!! We went for a get together. Our bill was above $200+ for 4 people which is descent for the kind of service and food. I wish to go again to have the cheese Fondue!! it was awesome!!
(5)Alan L.
Excellent food and service as always. The Melting Pot is one if those places that people only seem to go to when they are celebrating something because of it's price. I have never had a bad meal or service here. They seem to have switched how they do things, so less of the big night out kind of deals and more of everyone chooses their own. Which I like better, if you are there, you already know you are spending some money, so just enjoy yourself. Everyone should try the blackberry sage lemonade and be sure the add the shot of Bacardi Limón to it.
(5)Anna S.
This is not cutting edge cuisine, but if you want a romantic dinner date or a long dinner with girlfriends because you have some serious catching up to do, The Melting Pot fits the bill. I usually only get wine, a cheese course, a salad, and a dessert course as I refuse to cook my own food on nights off from cooking. Of the cheese fondues, my favorites include the spinach artichoke and traditional swiss. On my last visit, I had the California salad (add egg) and it was quite delicious. I think I've tried all the salads and they're all pretty decent. Lastly, you really can't go wrong with ANY of the choclate fondues--come on, it's chocloate! Service is usually good, albeit slow because of the type of restaurant. If possible, try to sit at a table with two burners if you're trying two different cheeses/chocolates. That way you won't have to wait to finish one before the server can bring out the next one.
(4)Amy F.
Go for the appetizer and desert. The Melting Pot is way overpriced for the entire meal. Boiling is not my preferred method for cooking meat.
(2)L C.
My partner and I went to The Melting Pot last night for my birthday. It was absolutely fantastic! I haven't been in several years, other than to walk down the stairs and buy their amazing wine and garlic seasoning, but was so excited that this was where my surprise birthday dinner was going to be. It felt like the whole staff was working in tandem to make sure our dinner was perfect. Our amazing server, Gareth, helped us make the right decisions and have a great time! On another note, I feel like I should write a separate review for the Garlic and Wine seasoning. It's the most amazing spice I have ever used. You can put it on anything savory and it makes everything taste delicious! Thanks, The Melting Pot, for helping make my birthday memorable and amazing! From a personalized birthday card to a personalized birthday dessert, everything was spectacular. And it's true, Blondes do have Better Birthdays!!
(5)Nicole B.
This place used to be a 5-star place and after a menu change, it's never been the same. I totally suggest the spinach artichoke fondue though, that has not changed and it remains my favorite menu item. The dessert fondue is solid as well - the S'mores is our favorite. But the dinner part is what it lackluster. It's as if they raised prices but the quality of their meat has gone down. Disappointing because I used to adore this place.
(3)Michael B.
I will say that this restaurant is not the place to go if you want to be impressed with flavor and quality of food. You pay for the experience at this restaurant, nothing more. The food was good but nothing to get excited about. Excellent business model at this restaurant though......small portion, served to your table raw at high prices, haha! Yeah, I'll go back but only for the experience :)
(2)Ashley P.
My husband recently took me here for the first time for our anniversary. I was very impressed by the whole experience. Our server was super knowledgable and helpful for a newbie like me. There were so many options to choose from, but we decided on a special menu that they had where proceeds were being donated to a charity (for that month it was puppies...I couldn't resist). Each course was incredibly delicious and it was actually kind of fun cooking it on our own. By the time the chocolate course came out we were so full, but managed to stuff it down as well. We were so stuffed when we left, but it was totally worth it! Our server even came out at the end with a plate custom decorated for our anniversary! It was such a nice touch. The Melting Pot is on the expensive side, but I'd love to come back for other special occasions!
(5)Sinran L.
It's awasome! I dislike the cheese Fondue because that is too greasy and I really recommed the red wine melting pot and Coq Au Vin cooking style. My friends and I tried Memphis-Style BBQ Pork Medallion, Chicken Potstickers, Teriyaki-Marinated Sirloin and thoes quiet good. The most one I love is Chocolate Fondue of dessert.
(4)Ilo A.
Worst service ever not to mention nothing was explained in detail and the quality of the food could be compared to Applebee's.
(1)Melanie G.
I have been a regular at the Melting Pot but tonight i was very disappointed. The menu has changed & everything is priced separately. You also have to pay for the types of cooking styles unless you want the vegetable broth. We opted for the classic entree & the beef came covered in pepper. Even after scrapping off as much as we could there was still way too much. They when you cooked it in the broth the pepper stayed in the pot & everything cooked after that was full of pepper. I couldn't stopped sneezing from all the pepper & I also heard others sneezing. Our waitress was Nicole. She was terrible. Even after we told her that we knew how to do the fondue and had been here several times she continued through the entire speech as if we were new to the place. Then when she made the cheese fondue we told her we do not like a lot of garlic and she started to still put in a heaping spoonful and we literally yelled at her to STOP! We nicely repeated that we do not like a lot of garlic and that was way too much so she put the spoon back into the garlic like she was going to get rid of some of it and then quickly dumped the entire spoonful into the pot and stirred it in. It tasted terrible. Then once she started to add the beer to it she stopped adding it before it was to the right consistency. We asked her to add more and she did but not nearly enough. She walked away. When my husband and I tried to dip into it, nothing would stick to the vegetables because it was so thick. We never saw Nicole and we asked another waitress to have her come. After 5 minutes she finally showed up and it took her another 5 to get more beer to thin the cheese fondue. She was like this the entire evening. If I was the manager there, I would get rid of her. She was not personable at all. The main entree was not great. As I mentioned the steak was covered with pepper but the pork was covered in some type of BBQ seasoning, which we didn't like. The pieces of chicken were very small. The shrimp was fine. The vegetables were good but we ran out and of course, Nicole was no way to be found. The chocolate fondue was great as usual. We usually go to the Melting Pot every year for our anniversary but we are not going this year. In fact, we got the email offering us the chocolate covered strawberries (which are disgusting) as our free gift for our anniversary and it was deleted. We are not planning to return any time soon. Too bad, it was a great place to go and have a nice quiet dinner.
(3)Jill G.
When I told a co-worker that my husband and I were going here, she said "oh, your hair and clothes will smell bad when you leave!" I thought, really? Come to find out, the restaurant is in a deep, dark basement, and it smells like feet and old fryer. They really need a better ventilation system. Staff was friendly and attentive. The cheese fondue (traditional French) was good. So were the salads, although mine had too much dressing, and my husband's too little. The French Quarter meat/chicken/andouille/shrimp fondue, however, was awful. They first brought out a salty bland broth (they called it court-bouillon, but it tasted more like Lipton's instant soup to me) which we sent back in favor of oil to cook the meat in. They brought the oil out cold, so it took about 15 min to get up to temp. Then we got busy cooking, and took our first tastes of the meat and shrimp. Inedible! It was SO salty! Every piece was wet seasoned with about 1/4 inch coating of spicy salt. Neither of us eat low sodium diets, but one bite had me chugging water and putting my fork down. My husband kept dutifully choking it down. I complained and they brought out a complimentary small plate of unseasoned meats (which was nice). But big chunks of salty seasoning were falling off and burning in the oil as my husband continued to cook the salt-coated nightmares, so eventually it all tasted bad. The "S'mores" chocolate fondue was very tasty, so we ended on a good note! But definitely not worth $125 including tip. And yes, hair and clothes smelled afterwards. Icky.
(2)Andrea F.
Always great food! We come here for every special occasion and it never disappoints. The servers are always knowledgeable and helpful. Can be very pricy but well worth it.
(5)Richard J.
Summary: A decent GROUP experience and a decent DATE experience. Probably wont repeat otherwise, very pricey. I have been to Melting Pot 3 times. Once with a group and twice on dates. Each time I have enjoyed myself and my guest had fun too. Why two stars? There is really nothing about this that makes it fun... in other words, you are simply paying for the food and the quality of it. Which was good but way overpriced. The entertainment of "dining out" though isn't really there and the same fun could be had anywhere with a much cheaper tab. I could recommend (and will) a dozen other restaurants that could provide a similar atmosphere or experience with equal or better quality of food and service and with a much lower price tag. Service: Nothing spectacular. Engaging but slow. Food: Meh... Cheese and Chocolate are good but Steak and Meat fans will be disappointed. Atmosphere: Left me wanting. Too intimate maybe?
(2)Bill M.
"Been there done that" Now that I can say it, I won't be back. A lot of people have told me about this place and I'm glad I tried it. I went with a group of 7, so the waiter taked on a mandatory $38 tip and gave us the opportunity to give him more :) We took someone for a special birthday dinner and we did get that. For me, if I am going to pay this much for steak, I'm going to Ruth's Chris and let them cook it for me. Steak boiled in an oil isn't great steak. The desserts are great, but again, its a do it yourself thing. Fun once, try it, you may like it, too trendy for me. This will be a special occasion only place. 4 people, 2 drinks $214 with tip.
(3)Tiffany W.
This restaurant itself is located downstairs, and they keep the lighting fairly dark. However, a lot of the tables are semi-closed off, so that provides a cozy feeling and it doesn't seem like you are dining with so many people around. The service is pretty good here. The menu choices can be confusing at first, but the waiters took time and explained it really well for us. They don't check back in on you as often as in some other restaurants, but I thought that was really okay because it made the meal seem more homey and personal. The waiters will explain how they are preparing the fondue or the broth, which is nice to watch. The food itself it decent. I loved our cheese fondue (we got the Alpine which has a heavy white wine taste). The actual appetizers themselves to dip into the cheese were just your normal bread, veggies, apples, etc so nothing too over the top. For the entree, we had the classic platter and cooked it ourselves -- you also get your choice of broth here. The dessert fondue was amazing and I would come here again just for that. Lots of choices for types of chocolate/toppings, and their basic dessert platter also had lots of delicious treats for you to enjoy with chocolate. Everything tastes better with chocolate :) Be prepared to spend at least 2 hours here. Also be prepared to spend lots (too much) money. It's definitely pricey, and I feel like you pay more for the experience and time than the food itself. So in summary, I would recommend coming here for the experience or the dessert fondue.
(4)Jay P.
We booked a table for 8 this last weekend at the Melting Pot and the reviews from all involved were mixed. First the staff and management were very nice to us, from the moment we walked in at 6:15pm, until we left, at 10:00pm. After seating us and explaining how the process worked, we all placed orders and sipped our drinks waiting for the first course, (the cheese fondue) to begin. It took a good 20 minutes for them to set up the fondue pots, get them warmed up and to bring out the needed ingredients and supplies. Once they got the mixture in place and melted, they then dished out some veggies, fruit and breads to dip. This was all well and good except for the amount of dipping cheese they gave us, as it was not quite what was needed for the amount of veggies, fruit and breads we had. Our salads arrived soon after the cheese was gone. They were nice but I heard a couple of people complain about the size (too small) and the dressing (too much). The salads went quickly and the wait time for our next course was long. After a while they cleared the table of both the cheese fondue and salad dishes and brought out the simmer pots for the main course, the meats and vegetables, which we were going to be cooking for ourselves. My wife and I had ordered the "Pacific Rim" option, which had steak, duck, shrimp and some dumplings. The simmer pot we had in front of us was shared by another couple who ordered the "Cajin" option (not sure of the actual name) but it also had steak & shrimp, but with sausages and some other meat thrown in. As our simmer pot was not large, getting all of those color coordinated forks set up and cooking, all at the same time, soon became a game of who lost what and why is my fork suddenly empty? We were able to cook and eat nearly all of the meats and veggies provided but most of us agreed that the steak pieces were far too salty. Right after they cleared away the main course dishes, I checked the time and found it was just before 9:00pm, we were going on 3 hours! WOOF! The dessert fondue showed up soon after and this time they did provide us with almost enough chocolate dip for the mound of fruit and assorted goodies to our plates. Got to say this was everyone's favorite part of the whole meal. The only bummer was that after watching our waiter prepare the flaming turtle for one side of our party, he did not even attempt to fully prepare ours, (we ordered the same)...he just stirred it together and started out of the room. We stopped him saying, "aren't you going to light up this one like the first one?" He reluctantly agreed, mumbled something we couldn't hear and proceeded to set our chocolate on fire. Cost for my wife and I was just over $100.00, as we did each have one drink with our meal. Total time spent, 3 hours and 45 minutes. As we were leaving, we saw a few other couples we had noticed when checking in, who were also just getting up to leave, so the table turn over ratio for this place must be very low. I asked everybody in our party how they liked the dinner (and the restaurant) and 4 people gave everything a good review, with a few small reservations. One couple said it was just ok and they probably would not go back. As for my wife and I, we might come back to dinner for just the 2 of us, someday.. just not anytime soon.
(3)Sandra G.
Random Thursday and met my sister at Easton. We decided on The Melting Pot. This was my second time here, but haven't been here in several years . The place was pretty empty which I thought was nice. We decided to get The Good Earth option as a four course meal. We shared the Classic Alpine cheese fondue. The apples were a good compliment to the cheese. The cheese fondue also came with an assortment of bread and veggies. The second course was a salad. We both got the California salad. The salad came with candied pecans that were really good. The rasberry black walnut vinergerette dressing was really good! Would go back just for the salad. The entree came with two different kinds of ravoli that were really good. Our vegetables consisted of red potatoes, broccoli, carrots, asparagus, tofu, artichoke and different dipping sauces. I enjoyed my veggies without the sauces. For the dessert we got chocolate mixed with raspberry and blackberry and peanut butter. Basically it was pb&j. By this time we were pretty full. It was a fun experience! Our waitress was really nice. It is a bit pricey even without buying alcohol and just getting the veggie option. I would probably go back just for the dessert since that was the whole reason we went in the first place.
(3)Bethany K.
This was such a great experience.... my husband and I hadn't been here for a bit, so this was a nice, refreshing evening. We decided on the four course vegetarian meal which starts with salads, followed by cheese, your meal, followed by chocolate. If there's anything in your main meal that you do not like, you can substitute it for something else, for no extra charge! This can be made casual, but can also be very romantic... but be prepared to take a block of time... due to the nature of the meal, it does take some time. I have always had excellent service. The servers always informative and interactive. Defintely worth a try!
(5)Carmen P.
I love going to the melting pot! It is a great experience every time I go. The food is fresh, easy to mixed and make and the servers are really nice.
(5)Jen W.
I ADORE this location. My boyfriend and I have shared so many dates and memories here. We always do cheese and chocolate, perfect amount of food for us. Apples and cheese might sound intimidating but it's my weakness. The staff is so polite and the manager even helped my boyfriend ask me to prom with chocolate covered strawberries as a surprise!
(5)Dianna W.
This is one of my favorite places for a Girls Night Out! I know there are other people dining, but somehow, I feel like my table is the only one in the restaurant. Simple favorites - cheese and chocolate. And, I love the Caesar salad! I've been here several times over the year, and the servers are always nice and efficient, and they explain the menu well. The prices are expensive, so I only dine here on a special occasion.
(4)Arps L.
I am a BIG FAN of the cheese and chocolate at Melting Pot. It is definitely something that everyone who can should experience at least once. Have had these at their Lyndhurst, OH location several times and loved the experience. This was my first time at this location and I was introducing some friends to the cheese and chocolate fondue concept. Must say I was less than impressed. The ambience was not the best with the temperatures inside the place leaving us all too warm. We ordered our fondues (two cheese and two chocolate between three people) and it wasn't very filling. Pretty sure that I had more generous portions on my previous experiences. (Could I be mistaken? Perhaps the heat in the room played with my memories? Who knows!) The bread did not taste very fresh.. Which was not up to The Melting Pot standards. Sad to say this, but overall it was a sub par experience. Hopefully I'll be able to get these friends to go to the Lyndhurst location when they come visit!
(3)Naiying C.
I think coming to melting pot is a fun overall experience but I can't say the food is especially memorable though.
(3)Bridgette R.
Expensive ($150 + tip), but positively lovely. Got the 'Dinner for a cause' for two. Highly recommend. Delicious. Service was phenomenal. Quite literally, the best service I've ever had at a restaurant - EVER. Arrived about and hour and a half before closing - quiet atmosphere - which i like and could easily carry a conversation. Owner visited our table several times - he was very friendly and humorous. Can't wait to drum up a reason for husband to take me back :)
(5)Jt P.
Overpriced. Overhyped. The service was good, but the food is sub-par and for the price is definently not worth it.
(2)Jason K.
I have been to The Melting Pot twice and both times I left full and satisfied. The 4 course meal is the way to go as it includes a cheese course (with veggies and carbs for dipping), a salad, a main course, and a dessert course. For the main course we had meat choices that included shrimp, chicken, and steak - my wife also had sausage in hers. All of the food is good, but it definitely takes more than the recommended 2 minutes in the broth to cook the chicken...so double check that before you dig in. The dessert course is great and there are various items for dipping including cheesecake, which is by far the standout on the plate. If you are looking for a place to grab some drinks before your reservation, I also recommend the Fado pub next door.
(4)Cathy C.
I'm not a big fan of cheese but the chocolate fondue is delicious, and, of course, a little too sweet. Services are good, and the atmosphere really sets the mood for my date. I give it a 3 star because it's just not my type of food and I think it has been overpriced.
(3)Jessica U.
I LOVE this place! From the time we walked in the door, till the time we walked out. The atmosphere is very inviting and comfortable. Although it was just me and my husband, our table with the high backs seemed to be very private. Our waitress was very informative, nice and easy to talk to. She also was very aware of refills and more sauces, but not to the point of bothering us, which was nice. I would definitely recommend this place to a party of two or a large group!
(5)Carmen P.
I love going to the melting pot! It is a great experience every time I go. The food is fresh, easy to mixed and make and the servers are really nice.
(5)Jen W.
I ADORE this location. My boyfriend and I have shared so many dates and memories here. We always do cheese and chocolate, perfect amount of food for us. Apples and cheese might sound intimidating but it's my weakness. The staff is so polite and the manager even helped my boyfriend ask me to prom with chocolate covered strawberries as a surprise!
(5)Bruce M.
Very nice experiience good food good service. The fondue and the dessert fondue ours was dark chocolate were really good
(5)Bill M.
"Been there done that" Now that I can say it, I won't be back. A lot of people have told me about this place and I'm glad I tried it. I went with a group of 7, so the waiter taked on a mandatory $38 tip and gave us the opportunity to give him more :) We took someone for a special birthday dinner and we did get that. For me, if I am going to pay this much for steak, I'm going to Ruth's Chris and let them cook it for me. Steak boiled in an oil isn't great steak. The desserts are great, but again, its a do it yourself thing. Fun once, try it, you may like it, too trendy for me. This will be a special occasion only place. 4 people, 2 drinks $214 with tip.
(3)Tiffany W.
This restaurant itself is located downstairs, and they keep the lighting fairly dark. However, a lot of the tables are semi-closed off, so that provides a cozy feeling and it doesn't seem like you are dining with so many people around. The service is pretty good here. The menu choices can be confusing at first, but the waiters took time and explained it really well for us. They don't check back in on you as often as in some other restaurants, but I thought that was really okay because it made the meal seem more homey and personal. The waiters will explain how they are preparing the fondue or the broth, which is nice to watch. The food itself it decent. I loved our cheese fondue (we got the Alpine which has a heavy white wine taste). The actual appetizers themselves to dip into the cheese were just your normal bread, veggies, apples, etc so nothing too over the top. For the entree, we had the classic platter and cooked it ourselves -- you also get your choice of broth here. The dessert fondue was amazing and I would come here again just for that. Lots of choices for types of chocolate/toppings, and their basic dessert platter also had lots of delicious treats for you to enjoy with chocolate. Everything tastes better with chocolate :) Be prepared to spend at least 2 hours here. Also be prepared to spend lots (too much) money. It's definitely pricey, and I feel like you pay more for the experience and time than the food itself. So in summary, I would recommend coming here for the experience or the dessert fondue.
(4)Sandra G.
Random Thursday and met my sister at Easton. We decided on The Melting Pot. This was my second time here, but haven't been here in several years . The place was pretty empty which I thought was nice. We decided to get The Good Earth option as a four course meal. We shared the Classic Alpine cheese fondue. The apples were a good compliment to the cheese. The cheese fondue also came with an assortment of bread and veggies. The second course was a salad. We both got the California salad. The salad came with candied pecans that were really good. The rasberry black walnut vinergerette dressing was really good! Would go back just for the salad. The entree came with two different kinds of ravoli that were really good. Our vegetables consisted of red potatoes, broccoli, carrots, asparagus, tofu, artichoke and different dipping sauces. I enjoyed my veggies without the sauces. For the dessert we got chocolate mixed with raspberry and blackberry and peanut butter. Basically it was pb&j. By this time we were pretty full. It was a fun experience! Our waitress was really nice. It is a bit pricey even without buying alcohol and just getting the veggie option. I would probably go back just for the dessert since that was the whole reason we went in the first place.
(3)Bethany K.
This was such a great experience.... my husband and I hadn't been here for a bit, so this was a nice, refreshing evening. We decided on the four course vegetarian meal which starts with salads, followed by cheese, your meal, followed by chocolate. If there's anything in your main meal that you do not like, you can substitute it for something else, for no extra charge! This can be made casual, but can also be very romantic... but be prepared to take a block of time... due to the nature of the meal, it does take some time. I have always had excellent service. The servers always informative and interactive. Defintely worth a try!
(5)Jay P.
We booked a table for 8 this last weekend at the Melting Pot and the reviews from all involved were mixed. First the staff and management were very nice to us, from the moment we walked in at 6:15pm, until we left, at 10:00pm. After seating us and explaining how the process worked, we all placed orders and sipped our drinks waiting for the first course, (the cheese fondue) to begin. It took a good 20 minutes for them to set up the fondue pots, get them warmed up and to bring out the needed ingredients and supplies. Once they got the mixture in place and melted, they then dished out some veggies, fruit and breads to dip. This was all well and good except for the amount of dipping cheese they gave us, as it was not quite what was needed for the amount of veggies, fruit and breads we had. Our salads arrived soon after the cheese was gone. They were nice but I heard a couple of people complain about the size (too small) and the dressing (too much). The salads went quickly and the wait time for our next course was long. After a while they cleared the table of both the cheese fondue and salad dishes and brought out the simmer pots for the main course, the meats and vegetables, which we were going to be cooking for ourselves. My wife and I had ordered the "Pacific Rim" option, which had steak, duck, shrimp and some dumplings. The simmer pot we had in front of us was shared by another couple who ordered the "Cajin" option (not sure of the actual name) but it also had steak & shrimp, but with sausages and some other meat thrown in. As our simmer pot was not large, getting all of those color coordinated forks set up and cooking, all at the same time, soon became a game of who lost what and why is my fork suddenly empty? We were able to cook and eat nearly all of the meats and veggies provided but most of us agreed that the steak pieces were far too salty. Right after they cleared away the main course dishes, I checked the time and found it was just before 9:00pm, we were going on 3 hours! WOOF! The dessert fondue showed up soon after and this time they did provide us with almost enough chocolate dip for the mound of fruit and assorted goodies to our plates. Got to say this was everyone's favorite part of the whole meal. The only bummer was that after watching our waiter prepare the flaming turtle for one side of our party, he did not even attempt to fully prepare ours, (we ordered the same)...he just stirred it together and started out of the room. We stopped him saying, "aren't you going to light up this one like the first one?" He reluctantly agreed, mumbled something we couldn't hear and proceeded to set our chocolate on fire. Cost for my wife and I was just over $100.00, as we did each have one drink with our meal. Total time spent, 3 hours and 45 minutes. As we were leaving, we saw a few other couples we had noticed when checking in, who were also just getting up to leave, so the table turn over ratio for this place must be very low. I asked everybody in our party how they liked the dinner (and the restaurant) and 4 people gave everything a good review, with a few small reservations. One couple said it was just ok and they probably would not go back. As for my wife and I, we might come back to dinner for just the 2 of us, someday.. just not anytime soon.
(3)Arps L.
I am a BIG FAN of the cheese and chocolate at Melting Pot. It is definitely something that everyone who can should experience at least once. Have had these at their Lyndhurst, OH location several times and loved the experience. This was my first time at this location and I was introducing some friends to the cheese and chocolate fondue concept. Must say I was less than impressed. The ambience was not the best with the temperatures inside the place leaving us all too warm. We ordered our fondues (two cheese and two chocolate between three people) and it wasn't very filling. Pretty sure that I had more generous portions on my previous experiences. (Could I be mistaken? Perhaps the heat in the room played with my memories? Who knows!) The bread did not taste very fresh.. Which was not up to The Melting Pot standards. Sad to say this, but overall it was a sub par experience. Hopefully I'll be able to get these friends to go to the Lyndhurst location when they come visit!
(3)