In my opinion, I've never been to a better date night restaurant. Perfect for birthdays and anniversaries but also very accommodating to families and groups. I have no disappointment with this place other than I wish I could eat there every day. Not only is the food so fresh and perfect, the sauces they bring out are absolutely wonderful. I recommend getting extra green goddess dip to stuff your mushrooms with. The house salad dressing is soooo good and you must buy their Garlic and Wine seasoning to take home with you. It goes on everything at home from chicken to steaks and we have even put it on popcorn! :-)
(5)
Ronnie L.
My wife and I had never been here, and she surprised me on my birthday. First thing I noticed is the overall not-so-clean vibe about the place. Like how if they brought the lights up the hard crusted cheese on the built in table - stove, the dingy carpet, the smudged paneling, etc would really stand out. Second thing was the hostesses. Dressed more for a night of clubbing than a night of working in a supposedly moderately upscale restaurant. The two girls at the front had attitude to match their attire as they seated us and rather rudely informed us about how we'd have to choose the same cheese, cooking style, and desert. Not that we had an issue with having to share, the issue was with her delivery. Third, the manager's attire matched the worn down feeling of the restaurant. In a place where a check for two can break $100 without much effort, I don't expect wrinkled shirt and tie on the manager, nor matching wrinkled uniforms on the staff, but there they were. When our cheese course came out the waiter put the wrong cheese in so he had to get a new bowl. A bowl that hadn't had time to heat up. Cheese took 15 minutes to get to what you'd call fondue. The waiter also said they'd had problems with the burner at our table. If that's the case, then why the hell are we sitting there when the restaurant was 80-90% empty? Also, the "fresh" fruit and vegetables contained brown cauliflower, which was as good as you'd expect. Salad course was ok. Again, questionably fresh vegetables used. Entree was ok. I typically expect more out f a $50 plate in terms of flavor, but it was decent. The filet was on part with what you'd get at a hibachi restaurant for 1/5 the price. Desert was pretty good. We got the Dark & Dolce. Kinda tasted like Ghirardelli chocolates that had been melted. Again, fruit wasn't very appealing in appearance and lacked any kind of notable flavor. We spent $122 (we had 2 drinks and 1 beer) and felt like we've easily had better for half the price. Neither of us really get what the hype is with this place. Would've given another star if their staff didn't consist of a bunch of people that belong in a Steak N Shake instead of a "fancy" restaurant.
(2)
S B.
Very nice restaurant for date nights with my wife! Cozy atmosphere with staff that is attentive without being intrusive.
(4)
Janet V.
First time coming here with my boyfriend for dinner (he made reservations to celebrate my birthday) and it was a fun experience, but it was noisy. When we entered the restaurant, the hostess made us wait a bit as if they were filled, and we were seated at a table next to three booths and a table that were all full. I was upset that the environment was more awkward than romantic. It wasn't until I got up to use the restroom that I saw that there was a huge section of the restaurant that had empty seating! $100+ for dinner for the two of us, and it was not what I expected. Tip: Get the cheese fondu and chocolate fondu, skip the main course. Unless you like to see raw food and cook it yourself one at a time which takes a while and isn't even good.
(3)
Alex G.
It took 30 minutes to get our order in. After waiting 15 minutes for the first salad course that hadn't arrived, we opted to go elsewhere. I've visited the melting pot before and understand that it's a slower pace, but staring at a burning empty pot for 45 minutes while seeing your server twice gets old pretty fast.
(2)
Russell J.
I go to this melting pot quite often. I had a really bad experience with the managers a few weeks ago. However I filled out what happened on their website and the big manager gave me a call to say he was sorry and to turn a right into a wrong. We were invited back for a free meal this time and given a few extras. Before this I was really done with the place as I was that offended. I'm not the person to complain so you have to do something wrong to make me feel that way. The manager invited us back in for a free meal and a few extras. I was really impressed. I applaud them for listening to my bad experience and turning it into a great one.
We went there for a birthday celebration and left disappointed. Service was slow. Less than satisfied with the quality of food for the price.
(2)
Meredith S.
Hmm... Melting Pot... Bought a Living Social voucher so my boyfriend and I thought we'd give it a try. I'd been, but not for several years and he'd never been before, so it was like a new experience for both of us. I probably would have given Melting Pot three stars if I was just basing my experience on the food, but unfortunately I just can't excuse poor service.. ESPECIALLY at a place where I'm paying big bucks and just know they're making a profit based on the amount of food we're given. But.. back to the bad customer service in a minute. We opted for the four courses because we're rabid pigs. We got the Wisconsin cheese fondue first and I'd say it was the best course. Very good cheese and who doesn't like bread dipped in cheese? Seriously.. everyone likes carbs and cheese. After the cheese fondue, we got salads. Blech. This tasted like a salad from McDonald's or something. I mean, would it kill you to not use iceburg lettuce? Blech! For the main course, boyfriend got chicken/steak/shrimp and I got the vegetarian. Neither of us were impressed. I thought it had minimal taste-thank god for all the dipping sauces they give us which are obviously there to disguise the lack of taste in the food. Ended the meal on a high note with dessert ... because just like cheese and bread, who doesn't like a giant pot of melted chocolate with rice krispies, fruit and brownies? The answer: everyone likes this. So, the food. I'd give it 3/5. Two good courses, two meh courses. Customer service though: BOO! As I said, we bought a Living Social voucher. We weren't aware that you weren't able to split the bill after using the voucher and waitress didn't tell us either (benefit of the doubt.. maybe she didn't know). Anyway, brought back our bills and were shocked at what we were paying without the Living Social voucher. Waited forever for the manager to show up and when she finally did we explained what happened. She was very rude about us trying to split the bill and seemed to be unable to come up with any solutions. Finally, she said she'd TRY to fix it for us and walked away in a huff. I'm sorry, but EVEN if we were the ones who made a huge mistake, we're still the paying customer. You should be gracious and apologize for the inconvenience.. not make us feel bad and then proceed to make us wait for an additional 35 minutes while you "try to correct our mistake". Blah. If the mediocre food wasn't enough, the ridiculous customer service is. Won't be back. Ever.
(1)
Brittany Y.
My husband and I came here for my birthday and left FULL and satisfied! It was a really fun/unique experience and the food was delicious. We did the four course meal experience and got the Classic cheddar cheese, the California and Melting Pot salads, a few different meats to try, and the original chocolate (milk chocolate and crunchy peanut butter) fondue. WOW. YUM. I heard mixed reviews about this place, but we really enjoyed it and will definitely be back--even if it's just for the dessert.
(4)
J. K.
My husband and I tried The Melting Pot for the first time recently on my birthday, and LOVED it. It was a wonderful dining experience, even better than I had imagined or hoped for. Our server was very personable, timed everything right, and encouraged us to take our time and just enjoy our evening. Perfect. We had the Classic Cheese Fondue, it came with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, granny smith apples, and assorted wedges of bread. Uh...yum! We scraped the bowl clean. We decided on two entrees that covered nearly the entire spectrum of proteins they offer so we could share a lil' bit of everything. We had: duck breast, sirloin steak, filet mignon, chicken, shrimp, and chicken potstickers. We also decided on the pot of oil to cook our entrees in and it came with two different batters to dip stuff in. Oh was this fun! We tried different combinations of everything, battered or "naked", you can even make your own cream cheese stuffed mushrooms, which is a big nom-nom for both of us. Oh, there's also a salad in between there, which is nice 'cause I like me a salad, especially if I'm gonna be dipping stuff in cheese and deep frying my food. You know, lettuce somehow magically cancels out some of those calories, right? Right?! Then there was dessert. I was really looking forward to this, but we were pretty full by then. We had the Turtle Chocolate fondue, it was crazy delicious, and came with brownies, blondies, marshmallows, pound cake, rice crispie treats, strawberries, and pineapple. I was in heaven, but also really full, and the chocolate was so rich we could only eat a couple bites and ended up taking the rest home. Overall, this place exceeded my expectations, and my husband and I left very happy and satisfied. I read the reviews before going and I did not experience any problems or negatives at all. We were very full, so they give you more than enough food. The price was great if you get the four course meal, I mean c'mon, appetizer, salad, entree, and dessert for $35 a person? And good quality food as well, we had duck, shrimp, and filet mignon for this price. It was fun, it was a intimate setting, we enjoyed our 2 1/2 hour meal together very much, and we really are excited to go back again soon.
(5)
Debra C.
Nicki went above and beyond to explain everything and make this experience amazing. She made sure we were always taken care of, always had a smile on her face and always made sure we had as mile on our faces ! We will be returning because of her !
(5)
El F.
We have been coming to this Melting Pot for many years now and I would say that this visit didn't disappoint. Tim, our server was great. Probably one of the best we've had. And although one doesn't go to the MP for a quick meal, there wasn't any kind of lag between courses as we've previously experienced. You know, when you juuuust get to the point where you think you've been forgotten and your server shows up? None of that this time. Also, he made me some kick**s cocktail sauce for my shrimp. My only objection to the meal is this: the prices have noticeably increased over the last couple years, to the point that you might start to question if two hours of "entertainment" of/with dinner is worth it for the rate you pay. And--the DIVINE chocolate course was NOTICEABLY smaller. Please don't shortchange the chocoholic!!!
(4)
C D.
Went there for the first time tonight to celebrate our 20th anniversary. There were several disappointing parts. I agree with the reviewers who mentioned the hostess - it seems like she really hates her job. Not even a single smile or warm hello! For our anniversary, we were supposed to receive a scroll with 'this day in history' facts. It seems they forgot about it. When we were seated (they don't seat you a minute before your reservation time), we were taken to the couples area. Unfortunately we were seated next to the doorway to the main dining area. Lots of traffic by our table, and noise from the other area made this a less than desirable location. Since there were other tables available, they should have seated us elsewhere and only used that table when filled to capacity. We ordered the 4-course dinner, with cheddar fondue, house salad, Cajun spiced combination - French quarter and Land and Sea combination, with flaming turtle dessert fondue. It was interesting that each server gave different instructions and cooking times to the tables around us. I would have thought that they would have this exact. Our items took almost 50% more cooking time than some of the servers were saying - not good when you are dealing with raw meat! The cheese fondue was good, although the bread was a little tough. The salad was nothing special. I wouldn't bother ordering it a la carte. The French quarter meats were nicely spiced. It isn't an enormous amount of food, so we weren't stuffed. The only sauces we really liked were the green goddess (sour cream) and plum. The dessert fondue was a big mess. It was very runny and ended up all over. We had a club coupon for free strawberries. Good thing they were free because they were rotten. :( Overall, it was okay, but I doubt that we will be back.
(2)
Sarah H.
Walked in on a Wednesday night at 6:20 pm. The hostess said she wouldn't seat us until 7:00 since we didn't have reservation. It didn't say on the door that reservations were required, nor that they are "strongly recommended." The manager tried to help us but I'm not feeling the love. My hubby always tells me to call, but I always say that's not necessary during the week. Did I mention that the place is nearly empty? I understand the concept well of not having staffed for unforseen customers, but not the attitude. Depending on the meal I may change my rating, but it's sub par at the moment.
(2)
Sal W.
Good food, cool idea. Usually about $80 a person. It's tasty but not sure it's quite worth it. Great service. Not a huge issue but your clothes and hair end up smelling like cooking oil.
(3)
Torrey R.
If it wasn't for the price, this place would be five stars. However most of those stars come from the ambiance and the efforts made by staff to make the evening wonderfully. They really do try to meet every request made while making a reservation all the way down to the booth preference. They excel at special events such as birthdays and anniversary's. It is hard to give stars on food that we cook ourselves and since we have always ordered the fondue, I can't comment on how the food is prepared. I can say that if you order fondue for two people the way they have it set up, you will never eat it all. We ordered only one plate for the entree and dessert but ordered two servings of the cheese and salads and we were stuffed. Certainly give this place a try but come with a full wallet.
I took my boyfriend here for his birthday. I had let the place know it was a special occasion. When we were seated there was a birthday card for him! It only got better from there! We ended up doing the four course deal and started with the cheddar cheese fondue. It was AMAZING. They mix up the fondue right in front of you! They had breads and pears and vegetables to dip in the cheese and all were great. Next was the salad course and we both had the Caesar. It had the most delicious Parmesan crusted pine nuts on it. For the main course I got a mix of teriyaki sirloin, orange duck breast, citrus pork, and chicken potstickers. They were all fab. My boyfriend got chicken, filet, shrimp and lobster. Everything was delicious cooked in a hot oil and then dipped in one of the delicious sauces. Finally we had our chocolate fondue for dessert and it was phenomenal! Above all, the service was outstanding. Our waitress was above and beyond anything I would expect.
(5)
Ben B.
Your paying a lot for the fondu experience...so if you like dipping your food in fondu its worth it, but the price does not match the quality of food. I would rather spent a little more at a finer restaurant then eat here...i bet you wouldn't have to spend a little more. If my friends see this review, I'm sorry...they love this place, but more so for the memories than the food.
(3)
Amanda S.
Wonderful, fun dining experience. Great service.
(4)
Haley B.
If you want a girls night out, date night, or birthday celebration... This is the right place to be. They have delicious fondues, but I would personally only come here for 1 meal. Either do dessert only, or do the dinner fondue. The dessert fondue is chocolate fondue served with a variety of fruits and candies. So far a positive review, but the real reason I am taking off two stars is because of pricing. Ridiculously overpriced if you asked me. For just a little platter of items, it can be 20+ dollars. Other than cost, if this item was somehow given to me for free I would say that their food is spot on. Delicious taste, but not delicious pricing. Only go here if you really want to do something special with your friends or family at a gathering. Come on your birthday and hey, they give you free cheesecake! Who can beat free cheesecake? Anyway, I would say that you should go here. Very nice employees and very clean. So all and all, way to go melting pot! But PLEASE bring down your pricing.
(3)
Patricia N.
This is a "once in a blue moon kind of place," especially for the price. I recently enjoyed a surprise anniversary dinner at The Melting Pot. We had late reservations for 9:00pm. We got there at 8:45, but weren't seated until 9:15, even behind people that had reservations at 8:30 but came after us. We had the "Big Night Out America" : Boston Lager Cheddar Cheese Fondue, Wisconsin Wedge Salad, Caesar Salad, "Lobster Indulgence" w/ Old Bay Shrimp, Buffalo Chicken, Memphis BBQ Pork Tenderloin, and wild mushrooms Coq au Vain style, Chocolate Wildberry Crunch Fondue, and a bottle of bubbly Moscato. The ambiance was nice, but the decor was a bit outdated. We were seated in a romantic booth, which I wasn't expecting. The service was terrific! Late in the evening, the manager, stopped by to check on us and even offered us a complimentary champagne toast with dessert. Sadly, there must've been a miscommunication because we never received it. Although it was delicious, I'm not sure it was exactly worth the price: $94 for four courses, and a $30 bottle of wine. Add tip onto that it's a whopping $160 for a nice dinner date.
(4)
Mike H.
WOW, had heard alot about The Melting Pot. Some good, some bad. I have to say that the people that can't enjoy this place are looking for something that can't be found. We went for our 22nd anniversary, and surprised the wife as she had wanted to go for a long time. Well its well worth the cost. I can't believe I gut stuffed on the food as it seemed the portions were soo small, but with several courses and drinks you get filled up quick. The explosion of individual flavors was worth it and was an excellent experience. Would recommend to anyone.
(4)
John H.
Go with a few cheese fondues, and then a dessert. The big night out and other main course meals are overpriced for what you get, are a pain in the ass to cook, and just not that good. Expensive, and you could do it at home cheaper, but if it's date night, it's romantic.
(3)
Allie M.
I loved dining at the melting pot, it is the perfect restaurant for celebrating an occasion with someone special. They offer special booths for couples and it is very romantic. I've had reservations each time I've dined at the melting pot. My ex boyfriend took me here for the first time for prom and it was fun to try something completely different. I had never had fondue before and I was very impressed. I have also gone to the melting pot for dessert with some girlfriends and it was fun because they were able to accommodate for a large party and the desert menu is fabulous.
(4)
Elli V.
To tell you the truth, the value for the money is not worth it. There was 4 of us last night, each had the 4-course dinning experience the total (without alcohol was $190). The cheese was good, but compare to last time when my husband and i went by ourselves, they gave us the same amount which seemed unfair, but their pot is one size so its limited. The salad was good, also very small. The dinner also very small. I had three 1-inch squares of mahi, 3 squares of filet, 3 shrimp and lobster. Its just very sad looking when you see it, like, thats it? Sigh...ok. They switched their menu and for some reason, and last time I remember thinking: wow, thats a lot of food, after getting the Big Night Out. I was still a bit hungry until we got the dessert which was very good Flaming Turtle chocolate. Overall: we probably won't go back, not often people have a few hundred buck to waste, if you do, be my guest, its fun, slow (for some reason there was ALOT of waiting between courses, at least 10 to 15 min, which feels like an eternity when you're hungry) but its an experience. And our waitress did not keep my water filled, I finished my class, then my husbands and another 20 min later she offered water for the first time. So $200 and 2 hours later we wished we would have went to Ruth's Chris or Benihana.
(3)
Balaguruprasad N.
My wife and my birthday are pretty close and so we decided to go midway between the two days. We made a reservation about 4 days prior and arrived a few minutes early. We were seated on time, and were served by very courteous waitress. We went for the four course meal for 2 and started off with the Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue and we then had the California salad and the house salad. For the entree, we had the good earth vegetarian, both of being vegetarian. I had it as offered, but my wife substituted the Thai peanut marinated tofu for more artichokes. We had it Bourguignonne style where we fried our entree at the table. The entree was served with 2 batters and 5 sauces. The mushroom sachetti was particularly good. We did not eat all the entree as we were starting to get satiated and wanted to save space for dessert. We had the traditional pure milk chocolate fondue with strawberries, bananas, pound cakes, brownies and marshmallows. Overall the ambiance and the experience were great. There was one guest seated next to us who was particularly inebriated when he entered, but the management was very polite, prompt and decisive in making sure that the guest was not a nuisance for others. The food, ambiance and service were all great.
(5)
Nikki B.
Yes we were celebrating a special occasion. Me & my ex went here last month. I decided to write a review about it. So we dressed up of course I ordered the "Love Martini" I'm not a drinker so it had me a little happy after one sip. I ended up giving him the rest & ordered the "Blackberry Sage Lemonade." this stuff was totally delicious. You can get is spiked or non-spiked. After the first drink I decided to keep it non alcoholic. This was a bitter sweet because this was technically our first and last date because he moved out of town the next day. We ordered the four course meal for two priced at $89 bucks. This place is not fit for a recession budget, so I would only recommend it for a special occasion or anniversary. Maybe also if you're just into impressing that special someone. I ordered chicken with some type of fiesta cheese fondue sauce. The "Wisconsin Wedge salad was pretty good as well. The dessert was delicious, I selected the bananas, strawberries with pound cake with chocolate fondue. I have to be honest although it was good the serving portions for everything was rather small. Besides this, I still think that it was a bit over priced. Overall, I tested it out, I liked it, I would do it again however I will be moving in a couple of months. so this may be my last review for Indianapolis.:) So glad that I will have a place to come back to, that I like when I visit home.
(4)
Katie C.
After constantly hearing how awesome The Melting Pot was, I was excited that we actually live near one now. We planned a date night and went on the Sunday after Valentine's Day. We spent some time in the bar while we waited (Not their fault, we were crazy early for the reservation in our excitement to be on a date and without the kids), I had some martini with espresso in it and it was so good. The bar tender was adorable. She looked exhausted, but she was friendly and efficient and had full tables when we walked in. She was great at getting our orders and helping the couple next to us with their fondue. When we were seated, our server could not have been more charming. I suppose you have to be a people person to be a server there since you spend so much time at one table. He was so sweet and very helpful since it was our first time there. We had whatever the Big Night Out has been changed to. Our booth was so nice and quiet. The atmosphere was perfect for date night. We had the spicy queso, I had the house salad and my husband had what I think was the California Salad or something similar. We both loved our salads. I don't remember what my entree was called but it had peppered steak and that was amazing. For dessert, we had their special White Chocolate Creme Brulee- SO delicious. I loved everything about my experience there and can't wait to go again.
(5)
Morgan J.
I really enjoy this place! The whole setting is very intimate. The servers are friendly and helpful. The food is yummy and plentiful. This is more than just dinner-- it's a complete fondue experience! My only complaint is that cocktails are kind of pricey for their quality, but the rest that The Melting Pot has to offer far outweighs that. I'm looking forward to my next visit and recommend this place to anyone looking for a neat, romantic dinner.
(5)
Julie D.
The first chain restaurant I've been to in many many months. And I like it! And I helped! Lol Seriously, I actually left here feeling full but didn't need to roll myself out to the car afterwards. I wasn't even doing the post-Melting Pot waddle! As expected, everything tasted exactly as it should and was satisfying. The new Beer Cheese Fondue is a must for anyone who hasn't been in awhile. Great flavor, you could really taste the beer and the seasonings but not so much as to overpower the main ingredient CHEESE! Mushroom salad could use more mushrooms but that's a purely personal opinion. We opted for 2 orders of the Surf and Turf in the red wine bouillon. (I've had the Pacific Rim before and it's not up to par for food quality). The Bouillon is the key to avoiding the post-dinner waddle, btw! I didn't care for them trying to sell me their brand of a spice blend I can get myself at Penzey's Spices. The Chocolate Cookies 'n Cream desert again just as yummy as the last time. I loved that they added rice crispies to the desert plate! Like pretty much all chain restaurants I got consistency and decent service. Although the food quality may not be of the highest caliber it's certainly good enough. Yes, it's a romantic atomsphere....for the general public. But don't take a Foodie here for romance. There are far better options. But if you just want some Fondue (damn it!) there's no better place to go.
(3)
Tim G.
It's a nice place to eat still. You cook yourself so there is no-one to blame. My wife, son (4yrs), mother and father-in-law ate here recently. We were seated in a separate area for families with small children. This area is the same as the rest of the restaurant. Our waitress was nice but the service was a little slow. It was a Thursday night and was not very busy, only about 30% occupied from the time we arrived and left. The only thing I have to say is it is a little expensive for what you get. Our server didn't remove empty drinks and plates in a timely way, in fact we had to put them on the table next to us because our table was way to cluttered!! I think they need to hire extra staff for the amount they are charging. She acted very busy, and she may have been, but I just didn't see much business to warrant this. I think it was a little inattentiveness,... and may have been much for "her" particularly. I had to ask her 3 times to dim the light because it was so bright reflecting off of our plates we couldn't look down. Finally another waiter dimmed them. It was my wife's favorite place to eat, but not really anymore. Service is slow, menu can be confusing, when the food arrives some of the meat types should be pointed out on the plate, when it arrives. Yes,... We can tell the difference! But some of the different seasonings make it hard to tell. ( I know turn up the lights!) it use to be really fun to go here the first few years they opened, but it seems now they have slacked off on trying to do a terrific job, now you barely get a good job. I spent $350 + $65 tip. The tip made me angry because I want to tip,.. but we received $5 service. I can't knock the food or portions but the service has gone down hill. Oh ya, the little maitre'd "chick" thinks she's really fabulous, ..she's not. Last thing thing we want to deal with when we relax and open up our wallet is a more deserving adolescent.
(3)
Jill W.
Met two friends there and while I had been there before, we did not make reservations - so after moving us around a bit, we were seated at the bar. Our server (bartender) was terrific, but it was a bit difficult to share the fondue the way we were seated. Seeing empty tables in the restaurant, we wondered if it was a shortage of staff and not tables that meant we were at the bar. It can be pricey but you might as well go for the whole experience and get the four courses. And relax, the nice thing about having courses that our served more leisurely - is that you do not get full too fast, and you have time to relax and enjoy your company. We had the traditional Cheese fondue which was mostly Swiss, a selection of sirloin, shrimp, tuna, and chicken and ended with the cookies&creme chocolate fondue.
(4)
Wendy L.
I was disappointed with the Melting Pot. The food was ok. The bread was stale with no flavor. I think for what it cost the 2 of us ($95 tip included)and that's without ordering alcohol , it should've been better. The only reason I gave it 2 stars, was because the waiter was excellent! That's it!
(2)
Double-Dash C.
I like it. We come with the whole family and always have a great time. It is pricey, and I recommend getting fewer courses. Cheese and dessert is win. Cheese and salad and meats and dessert is overkill sometimes.
(4)
E B.
Anyone who doesn't like probably didn't try the drinks!! Black and white is my favorite.
(4)
Fi H.
I recently visited this location for a business dinner. I wouldn't recommend it for this type of event, as it took about 4 hours for 6 of us to eat and we all agreed we smelled so badly we all needed to shower upon leaving (since very fragrant food is cooked at the tables). I unfortunately had an entire glass of wine spilled in my lap at the beginning of our meal by a server. I was soaked completely through all my clothes and was only given a new glass of wine as compensation. I definitely won't be returning. I may have considered if they had tried luring me back with a complementary gift certificate or special offer as compensation for my evening I spent in wet clothes. For those of you who are brave enough to take the adventure to this restaurant, I would recommend not ordering a "package menu" with all courses included, most everyone in our group agreed the mix of food and variety of strong spices and flavors proved to be too much for our stomachs.
(2)
Mike T.
This is a fondue restaurant. Your table has a burner in the middle, and this is where your meal will be cooked, by you. The pace of the meal will be leisurely. Your experience begins with an appetizer, such as a cheese mixture prepared at your table by the server - ours included Budweiser, cheddar, worchester, Parmesan, and ground pepper. You're give skewers with colored handles - each person gets their own color. You're served a bowl of bread chunks, veggies, and apple slices to dip in the melted cheese. You move on to a tasty salad, followed by an entree. Your entree is a selection of raw meat that you skewer and cook in a pot of boiling broth. The server also brings a bowl of veggies, and several sauces - terryaki, Ginger plum, curry, ranch, etc. I highly recommend ordering a desert. A pot of melted chocolate and bananas, strawberries, cheesecake, and more to dip in it! The price is on the high side - about $50 per person for entree, appetizer, desert, and soft drinks. They have a huge selection of wines, so if you order drinks, plan to pay more.
(5)
Jenny K.
This fondue thing is just not my cup of tea. I was really excited to try it since I've never had fondue before, but I realize that it's just not for me. The 2 rating is not indicative of anything the restaurant really did, but more of a personal preference. The service was actually pretty good. We ordered a big night out special with the lobster. I am just not good at cooking my own food hence why I go out to eat. The lobster was either always undercooked or overcooked. The same went with all the other food we put in the fondue. I just wasn't that great at doing it and at the end of the night, I just did not feel that it was worth the money spent on the meal. I could have spent $125 at a nice restaurant where the food was prepared perfectly. I will most likely not give it a try again unless it was for the dessert fondue, which is not that bad. Also, I do agree with the other reviewers, the portions are small, but one thing I have to say is that you will get full from the meal.
(2)
Jarrett V.
This place is definitely great at what it does, but I'm just not a big fan of the whole fondue thing. It takes a very long time, is very messy, and it isn't all that filling for the price. The items that I "fondued" were very tasty, as was the cheese and chocolate fondues, so as far as this genre of food, this place is top notch.
(3)
Maggie B.
I went here with some friends and really enjoyed myself. Its very interesting to watch them make the fondue and how to cook in the broth (so Ive seen how to do it and can do it at home with friends for obviously a lot cheaper.) It was last month, but our (i split it with a friend) cheese foudue started with sauteed garlic (probably in oil and with some other stuff), then the shredded cheese (half swiss and chedder?) and they added about a cup of Sam Addams Boston Lager. I had no idea it was that easy. Cooking my food in the broth (i got the vegetarian - veggies and tofu) was fun to do too. (But if your a veggie you could be sharing broth with the meats.) The dessert was a chocolate fondue that we dipped various cubes of sweets into. My friends ordered cocktails ($10), and I meant to try it, but there was this one that had muddled basil! Why didnt i try it!? It might have been some sort of mojito. It looked really good. So without cocktails or wine, I spent $45 after spliting the 3 course meal with a friend. I enjoyed the atmosphere, learning how the pros make fondue, and hanging with a big group of friends. Totally worth it.
(3)
Jamison R.
We went to the Melting Pot last night to celebrate a friend's birthday. It was fine. Not great, not bad. The reason for the two stars is that I think it's expensive for what you get. I agree with Kasey about money melting from pockets. There were 4 of us and we ordered two of the 3 course fondue experiences for 2. It was $60 a couple and included cheese fondue, a salad and then an assortment of fish, beef, chicken & veggies to cook in broth (by the way the broth we picked -- coq au vin -- cost us an extra $6 per couple). I have no idea why. Maybe because there was wine inthe broth? Anyway, the food was fine. In addition, we'd done a little research prior to getting there & found out from their website that Wednesdays were 1/2 price bottles of wine for those under $50/bottle. When we got our bill, I noticed the discount wasn't taken off. I asked the waiter & he said "I don't think we're doing that anymore but I'll check with the manager". Lo & behold they actually were still offering the deal. So we did get our wine at a discount. Overall I wasn't impressed. The food was so so and the atmosphere kind of blah (& the place was quite empty). Over $200 for the 4 of us with our wine discount as well as a $25 off coupon.
(2)
Barry M.
Good service but you need to plan on 2 hours plus for the meal. One of the more expensive places but is neat for a special occasion. Food is very good. Plan on 50 dollars a person if you want to have plenty to eat.
(3)
Todd R.
Just to let Cody know. My previous review was not fake, I did go to the restaurant and I was absolutely insulted that I had to cook tiny portions of my own food. I was hungry and was not about to cook with inferior equipment to that of my fully equipped kitchen/grill at home. Boo to you for defending a useless chain. If you want to pay $80 to starve, that's your option, but state your opinion, and don't attack mine, jerk (or jerkette if that's they case with such a androgynous name!)
(1)
Steve W.
Historically I have only come to the melting pot for a date night, romantic experience. My wife loves it, so I planned a surprise birthday dinner for her with family on Easter. I made a reservation for a party of 11, including 3 children. To my surprise, they had a children's menu. It is only a scaled down version of normal, but it is lower cost. They also allowed the parents to just share their food with the children. We were seated in the large party room which was nice. We didn't need to be quiet or worry about disturbing other guests that were there for the intimate setting. The manager even made my wife a surprise plate with happy birthday written in chocolate and a candle in one of the deserts. My only issue with the place is that they don't have any beer on draft. Not local, not domestic. Nothing. I did enjoy a fountain square preachers daughter, but I would have preferred a local beer on tap. Overall, the melting pot is a great location for any special occasion. Just make sure you have a reservation.
(4)
Jennifer V.
Went to try to enjoy an impromptu dessert with my family. Despite being able to count 6 empty tables from walking past the windows upon entry and standing in the lobby, we were denied a table as the hostess said they were full. We won't be returning.
(1)
Ron R.
My first time to the Melting Pot. I was taken here for my B-day since we both love Fondue so much. Honestly, I've avoided this place for a while because I've heard it was really expensive for fondue. We decided to get a cheese fondue as well as entree fondue. We started off with the Alpine Classic cheese Fondue for 2 and it was great. Just like a traditional Fondue should taste. They provide you with french bread, honey wheat bread, apples and vegetables. I can firmly say, we loved this portion of our meal. Next we had our oil fondue for entrees. I had a mixed plate which was Ahi Tuna, Duck Breast and Pork Medallions. She had the "Summer catch" which was scallops, crab claw, shrimp and Ahi Tuna. The entree comes with mushrooms and broccoli as well as sauces on the side to mix and match different flavors. Everything here was very good in my opinion, but there were 2 stand-outs. The Ahi Tuna was phenomenal and the Pork Medallions were also amazing. The only thing that holds me back from giving this place the full 5 star is the fact that you do not get a large portion of meat in your entree for the price. This is the reason I think people call this place expensive. An entree is roughly $25 and you get about 6-7oz of meat roughly. That is basically $50-55 a pound which is brutal for a non-steakhouse. We both agreed that we would come back, but just for the cheese fondue next time as it really was our favorite part of the night.
(4)
Shane D.
I was taken here for a date night surprise. Having my doubts I would enjoy a fondue restaurant and doubting the exterior appearance of the building I began my meal doubtful I would enjoy the experience. As being seated I noticed each booth to be a private and romantic setting so I opened my mind to the experience. While being greeted by a very kind wait service it was explained to me for the first time that I would be cooking my own meal which turned me off on the venue once again. Keeping an open mind, I watched as the servers prepared a fondue pot for us to cook each of our courses. The prep work and instruction made it very simple and intimate to cook and/or enjoy each course. Every menu item I tasted was delicious! I would definitely recommend doing the four course experience to minimize cost and maximize the experience. As a one time guest I would recommend you allow 2-3 hours for this, but you won't regret it!
(5)
Shelly R.
Romantic private setting. A little confusing for our first time as there are 4 ways to prepare your food. It was a little pricey. We got a 3 course dinner for two with one beer and 1 mixed drink and it was $80. The dessert was the best part. The other entrees were average. It Completely filled us up. We finished eating at 4 pm and didn't need to eat again until lunch the next day. Would consider going back with a groupon or promotion.
(3)
Sabrina S.
I'll start out by saying I LOVED the cheese fondue appetizer. That gets 5 stars. However, I feel like boiling a filet and lobster tail is a culinary injustice. It just ruins it! I will probably go back and just sit in the bar and enjoy the cheese fondue at some point. I wish they offered a better craft beer selection. It was almost nonexistent. Side note: My hair, skin and clothing absolutely reeked like their mojo broth. Continuing to smell that scent throughout the night and into the morning just made this place unappetizing for the future. I guess that is just part of the "experience."
(3)
T Q.
Fondue and entree were great,salad was average, dessert was below average(too much sugar and too little chocolate). Without groupon,it's a little bit overpriced, if possible, try to get a deal from Groupon (50 for 30).
(4)
Leann P.
The Melting Pot is one of my favorite places to eat when I want to just take time for good food and good friends! I love the peaceful ambiance that is conducive to a nice, long meal. The waiters and waitresses are helpful and never make you feel rushed. If you make reservations ahead of time and tell them about a special event you'll be in for, they write you a card. It's personal touches like this that make me willing to pay the extra money for a special, incredibly delicious meal!
(5)
Natalie M.
I loved this place was the best meal I've tried in years.. Don't leave without having desert ! Loved the YING YANG chocolate..great service very different than any other placed I've been too! Defiantly coming back with my son!
(5)
Tommy M.
Has a habit of turning guests away under the guise of no tables when clearly they were not close to being full. Former long term patron.
(1)
Andrew M.
The ambiance and lighting make for a romantic dinner. If you go with a larger group, there are big tables too. For the amount of money this place costs, I expected a more professional server. Ours forgot ingredients and brought us the wrong food a couple of times. He was friendly enough, but took a long time to serve each course correctly.
(4)
Nic J.
I really wanted to love this place. I really did. But it just wasn't that great. It was good, but for the price it should be so much better. I mean, come on, for over $100 for 2 I would like more than some measly little pieces of meat and raw veggies. Oh boy, I get to cook it myself- whoop-tee-doo! However, our service was great and I liked the dessert. But it just wasn't worth the cost.
(2)
Tom W.
It has been several years since the last visit to the Melting Pot. I always remember is being a pleasant and tasty experience, and this was not different. First of all, the venue is much lighter and more appealling since the move and remodel. The service was spot on. We had the four course dinner starting with an outstanding lager and cheese fondue. I am a sucker for any restaurant that prepared a dish at the table. The main course was more than enough food and we shared the classic meat platter with well seasoned meats and seafood, as well as the vegetarian platter. Dessert was a chocolate fondue again prepared at the table. Every bite delicious.
(5)
Kara F.
Do you want to pay an arm and a leg to cook small portions of your own food in a bland atmosphere with lackluster service? Then Melting Pot is for you! I went there last night with friends - my 2nd ever visit - and have decided I won't be back. Seriously, this place is a rip-off. Sure, cooking food yourself is the point of a fondue restaurant, and it's kind of fun, but what they charge you for raw food is ridiculous. Though tasty, portions for salads, cheese, and meats are tiny. When ordering, we were struggling to understand how much food we would get with the different options, and our waiter was very unhelpful with that. He was nice overall, but didn't have a manner that matched the expense of the restaurant. Also, he blazed ahead with putting mustard powder in the cheese fondue - barely giving our mustard-loathing friend a chance to stop him, so we had to ask him to start over. That turned out fine, but was a little awkward, and waiters should ask before doing this because not everyone likes mustard! Also, service was supremely slow. We picked a bad restaurant to go to when we were very hungry and thirsty. We waited probably 15 minutes just to get waters after asking for them. One of our friends was about to eat the menu when our tiny salads finally arrived. When the meats arrived, only one set of vegetables arrived too, and the waiter said the kitchen had to "make more." ... They are RAW vegetables - no "making" is involved! Then, the whole payment process at the end took about 20 minutes. One thing I have to give props for is that the woman who bussed the table turned out to be a manager. Ending the experience with someone who can actually address any issues you might have had is a smart move. Finally, I'm surprised people think of this restaurant as romantic. It is embarrassing for Indianapolis that this was voted as the most romantic restaurant in city. The decor is uninspired at best. Save your money for somewhere with more character.
(3)
Crystal M.
I made a reservation for Melting Pot the night I was proposing to my girlfriend, when we arrived for a celebratory dinner the restaurant had no record of our reservation. Luckily for me, I had taken a screen shot of my confirmation and was able to prove the reservation had been made for that night. We ended up waiting a short time for a table, instead of seating us in a private booth-as requested in the confirmation, we were stuck at a table in the middle of a large dinning room. Not exactly the atmosphere I was hoping for the night of my engagement. We ordered the yin yang desert and as always the desert and chocolate was phenomenal, our server took very good care of us and even provided complimentary beverages for us to celebrate with. Over all, the food and table service was exceptional but I was very disappointed with their accommodations. Two stars for table service and complementary beverages.
(2)
Libby B.
The Melting Pot is probably best as a special occasion visit. However, the more you go, the better it is! You get more familiar with the cooking times on the main course, and you can experience more of their varieties! If you sign up for their email list, you get some great coupons and notification of special events and pricing! The atmosphere is great, and the service is excellent. Every server I've had has been friendly and very nice to talk to while making our cheese fondues. The green goddess spread for the meat is my favorite sauce they have! I think anyone could find something they like here. The drink selection is excellent as I'm a big martini drinker.
My wife and I decided it would be a good idea to take our two preschoolers to fondue. (As I type this, I am calling myself nuts!). We called for a reservation and the only one available was 3:30 - we took it. First off - a tip for dining here with young children- if you are going to do it, this is a good time. The restaurant is not crowded. It takes a couple hours, so we were leaving at 5:30. We got cheese, dinner, and Chocolate. They offer kids portions of everything, but for us, there was enough food by only ordering for the two of us and letting them share. Cheese: we loved it. It was fun. The kids could do the cheese on their own. They mostly just ate the items without dipping in the cheese though. Main dish: we ordered a trio for each of us. This let each of us order three smaller portions. We ordered: chicken, shrimp, tuna, spinach ravioli, chicken pasta, and something else (I can't remember because the kids are it all :)). Since we ordered two, we got one with oil and one with broth for cooking. Then we could cook any with either style. We liked the broth better. The kids liked everything- except the tuna - fine with me! Chocolate: we got one dark and one milk with peanut butter. Of course we all liked this! It really is better to wait a while for it to melt, but that's difficult. On this I don't care for all the sweets that come with it to dip in chocolate. I would prefer to only have fruit. That may be an option- I didn't think about it until just now... Drat All in all it was a fun trip. Two hours in a restaurant with preschoolers- it wasn't all fun. But, the staff helped and was great. The gave them paper and pens to color. The gave us to-go boxes (my wife asked: good idea sweetie!). The boxes were good so we could pack up extras as we needed it and didn't have to wait. The bill - $150 with tip. We only had water to drink. Seems a bit steep for a lunch. We knew what we were getting into, but I didn't think it'd be that much. I think there is probably a way to have made that cheaper and still had enough food. Que' sera. No regrets, I'd do it over, but probably won't do it again for a while.
Everything I ordered from my salad to my beer was pretty much suggested by my server drew. He was by far the most fantastic server I've ever had.
(5)
Hannah S.
Our waitress changed our minds from confused to excited when we came to the melting pot for not only our first time but our anniversary, a young blonde woman named Tierra helped us. The food was awesome and the service was impeccable! Thank you for a wonderful dinner, it means the world!
(5)
Matt K.
I love the idea. Fondue is fun and I would love to see a real competitor arise in Indy (though fondue can be had elsewhere...see the end of this review). I know this can be done better. The hostesses and the seating procedure at this Melting Pot consistently disappoint. This was our third visit and they are not friendly and, as others have mentioned, they have a weird policy about seating where they won't seat you a minute before you reservation no matter how empty the place is and when we came in without a reservation she actually rolled her eyes and said it would be a 45 minute wait despite the restaurant being less than half full. Here's the most recent scenario: There are three girls behind the desk and lots of people standing just inside the door, away from the cold wanting their attention. We approached. We have a reservation this time. Barely eye contact, unfriendly tone and told me we would have to wait until all of my party got here. Not a big deal, maybe she's having a rough night. Instead of jostling for space in the crowded lobby, we made my way over to the empty bar for a drink. We start to pull the stool back and the bartender is already rushing me to take my order. She has me my receipt before I even have my jacket off and then ran off to chat with one of the servers in the corner. It's not the worst service in Indy, it's just not great either. The fondue is tasty, but far too expensive for a strip mall chain restaurant. There are so many restaurants in Indy that the standards are set high. In my opinion, a restaurant really has to, at the very least, have good food for reasonable prices with good service to be worthwhile for a visit, because, if not, there are a dozen other places already doing just that. If you're OK with indifferent to unpleasant service for higher than reasonable prices, then you'll probably enjoy yourself here. If not, Broad Ripple Brewpub, Corner Wine Bar, Northside Social, Ocean Prime and Trader's Point Creamery are all options where you can satisfy your fondue craving.
(2)
Joe L.
I think this place is not worth the money, the desert was the only reason I gave it 3 stars. The staff was very helpful, but for 3 of us to eat there, $136.00 is not worth it. Could have went somewhere else and got a lot better dinner for half the price.
(3)
John H.
I went to the Melting Pot for the first time yesterday with my girlfriend to celebrate our anniversary. I went, not really knowing what to expect. I realized shortly after I arrived, that it was going to be an experience! The friendly staff there really made my first time at this establishment an experience, rather that a traditional sit down and just order something. They made sure to recognize that we were there for an event by giving us a hand written note and even candles on our desert! We will definitely being going back!
(5)
Heath M.
I went to the Melting Pot on a date with my girlfriend for the "North Side Nights" festival that is going on currently (which I highly recommend checking out). First off, I have to give kudos to their reservations; I originally had reservations for 5:45 but I ended up getting called into work and they were able to bump them back to 7:45 and totally saving our date night. We showed up and were curious about the dress code (we were dressed business) and we saw people dressed in gym shorts and sweatshirts to suits and dresses, so I am not sure what the actual dress code is here. We were seated quickly and the initial staff members were very nice. We were seated in the back corner, quite romantically (that was pretty cool). Our server Nicki was phenomenal throughout the entire meal. We started off with a bottle of wine and the Cheddar Cheese fondue with bread, apples, and veggies. Nicki said there was garlic mixed in with the fresh cheddar and it was absolutely delicious. We then ordered the Land and Sea (chicken, shrimp, steak) and the French Quarter (same except with Andouille Sausage and spicier) with a type of wine based broth (sorry, I cannot remember what it was exactly). It came out and had mixed veggies in it and was very good. This is the first time I had been at a restaurant like this and I really enjoyed cooking my own meal. Nicki was very informative in how to cook and spice and sauce everything correctly, along with giving her own personal descriptions of what she likes to mix and match, which is always appreciated. For desert we had the original chocolate and peanut butter melt with Rice Krispies (I was sold right there), cake, cookie, and brownies. It was seriously delicious and so sweet that Wilford Brimley could make a commercial just off of this meal The manager, Keith came out checked on us and asked how our visit was. He was very polite and genuinely courteous. I would definitely recommend checking out the Melting Pot for a date night. It also seemed that they handled large groups as well! I will definitely be back! Overall, on the price it was around $90, which I thought was maybe a little high, but not enough to deter me from going back.
(4)
Jennifer S.
Service was great, food was really good! Our server Devyn was very on top of it. Explained everything very well and was very friendly and pleasant. Great little place to celebrate any occasion.
(5)
Naser A.
My family loves this place. It was the first to go there. We got the chocolate pot, and the spinach artichoke pot too. All I can tell you that its so delicious!!! Make sure, each one gets a serving, or two because its amazing. The dips are refills, so as long your pot is filled you can ask more for dips. I'd say this place would be amaIng for a special celebration, graduation or anniversary. The waitress, and staff are really friendly.
(5)
Tran T.
Went here the other night with my boyfriend and two friends. It was a spontaneous trip therefore we did not make a reservation. We were there on a Sunday at 6pm. The restaurant didn't seem busy at all. The hostess asked if we had a reservation and I said no. We had no idea it we had to make a reservation. The hostess tells us we can either sit in the bar area or wait until 730 for dinner. She made it sound like they were filled with reservations for the night and that we HAVE to make a reservation. Since it was a spontaneous trip, the bar area worked for us. We weren't picky, just happy to try it out since none of us have ever been there. Food was good. It was a fun way to do dinner. My boyfriend and I split the four course meal. It filled us up. My friend and her boyfriend did the same and they said they were full at the end too. Our total at the end was around $55 with tip. The bartender, Dean, was also our server, he was very helpful and nice. Dinner lasted about 2 hours and it was a fun experience. Just be prepared to sit and enjoy the process. Throughout dinner, I noticed the restaurant was not busy at all. On my way to the bathroom, I noticed that the majority of the restaurant had empty tables. I'm still confused as to why the hostess made it seem like they did us a favor by letting us sit in the bar area for dinner like they were over booked. After she told us about the bar, she had us wait about 10 minutes... Not sure why. But she did. I would totally understand if they were understaffed but that was not mentioned. It's easier to tell customers that they are understaffed rather them making them feel stupid about not making reservations on a Sunday night. The reason I'm giving the restaurant three stars is because the hostess had an attitude and made us feel stupid for not making a reservation. What a terrible way to treat new customers. The food and bartender made our experience a lot better.
(3)
Kasey J.
Want to go to THE MOST OVERRATED RESTAURANT IN INDY? Then head to The Melting Pot, where you'll practically starve to death while waiting to cook tiny pieces of meat that don't even seem all-that-fresh. Best fondue ever? Maybe to some, but I'm not sure I'm that into this fondue craze--if there is a fondue craze. Maybe I'm being harsh, but I felt like the only thing melting here was the money from my pockets. Way overpriced for what we got--which was supposed to be a deal for large groups. I'm not sure about spending $80 per couple to eat tiny pieces of hard bread and cheese. The drinks were $10 each, and I got a Screwdriver when I ordered a Fuzzy Navel. NOT THE SAME THING. I truly WANTED to like this place. It seems like everyone else does for some reason. Or does everyone simply like it because they think they're supposed to? I'm not sure. But if you want to spend 2-3 hours to cook your own chunks of meat in hot water, by all means, head to The Melting Pot. I admit the chocolate was good ... but the marshmallow chunks we were given to dip in the chocolate were stale. Do yourself a favor and buy a bag of baking chocolate and stay home. Melt it over your own stove. Way cheaper and way more romantic.
(1)
Jared S.
Excellent fondue and great service. The 4 course dinner is the way to go.
(5)
Stacy Q.
My husband and I celebrated our one year anniversary at this restaurant. Very romantic! The food was delicious and it was fun to cook it ourselves, with ample directions from the servers -of course. Plenty of food! We were even given a little bottle of champagne in celebration of our little event. The booths make the atmosphere very personal and romantic, the lightening is dim and candles are lit! Very nice!
(5)
Amy D.
Go hungry if you come here! Thirsty too! Wonderful food and drinks. If you get to pick, have Chris as your waiter. He made our dining experience that much better with his wonderful attitude.
(5)
E P.
If you wanna fondue. Fondue here. Excellent food. Romantic type atmosphere. Doesn't have to be but it can be. If you don't have a lot of money to spend just go there for dessert. $100 for 2. Must Eat!!!!!!!!!
(5)
Kyle H.
This is a place you have to visit. I enjoyed the atmosphere, the staff was awesome. The fondue is the best i've ever had. My visit for Valentine's was special. If your visiting Indy, check this place out. I can't wait until my next visit.
(5)
Ben B.
Your paying a lot for the fondu experience...so if you like dipping your food in fondu its worth it, but the price does not match the quality of food. I would rather spent a little more at a finer restaurant then eat here...i bet you wouldn't have to spend a little more. If my friends see this review, I'm sorry...they love this place, but more so for the memories than the food.
We went there for a birthday celebration and left disappointed. Service was slow. Less than satisfied with the quality of food for the price.
(2)
Haley B.
If you want a girls night out, date night, or birthday celebration... This is the right place to be. They have delicious fondues, but I would personally only come here for 1 meal. Either do dessert only, or do the dinner fondue. The dessert fondue is chocolate fondue served with a variety of fruits and candies. So far a positive review, but the real reason I am taking off two stars is because of pricing. Ridiculously overpriced if you asked me. For just a little platter of items, it can be 20+ dollars. Other than cost, if this item was somehow given to me for free I would say that their food is spot on. Delicious taste, but not delicious pricing. Only go here if you really want to do something special with your friends or family at a gathering. Come on your birthday and hey, they give you free cheesecake! Who can beat free cheesecake? Anyway, I would say that you should go here. Very nice employees and very clean. So all and all, way to go melting pot! But PLEASE bring down your pricing.
(3)
Maggie B.
I went here with some friends and really enjoyed myself. Its very interesting to watch them make the fondue and how to cook in the broth (so Ive seen how to do it and can do it at home with friends for obviously a lot cheaper.) It was last month, but our (i split it with a friend) cheese foudue started with sauteed garlic (probably in oil and with some other stuff), then the shredded cheese (half swiss and chedder?) and they added about a cup of Sam Addams Boston Lager. I had no idea it was that easy. Cooking my food in the broth (i got the vegetarian - veggies and tofu) was fun to do too. (But if your a veggie you could be sharing broth with the meats.) The dessert was a chocolate fondue that we dipped various cubes of sweets into. My friends ordered cocktails ($10), and I meant to try it, but there was this one that had muddled basil! Why didnt i try it!? It might have been some sort of mojito. It looked really good. So without cocktails or wine, I spent $45 after spliting the 3 course meal with a friend. I enjoyed the atmosphere, learning how the pros make fondue, and hanging with a big group of friends. Totally worth it.
Everything I ordered from my salad to my beer was pretty much suggested by my server drew. He was by far the most fantastic server I've ever had.
(5)
Hannah S.
Our waitress changed our minds from confused to excited when we came to the melting pot for not only our first time but our anniversary, a young blonde woman named Tierra helped us. The food was awesome and the service was impeccable! Thank you for a wonderful dinner, it means the world!
(5)
Matt K.
I love the idea. Fondue is fun and I would love to see a real competitor arise in Indy (though fondue can be had elsewhere...see the end of this review). I know this can be done better. The hostesses and the seating procedure at this Melting Pot consistently disappoint. This was our third visit and they are not friendly and, as others have mentioned, they have a weird policy about seating where they won't seat you a minute before you reservation no matter how empty the place is and when we came in without a reservation she actually rolled her eyes and said it would be a 45 minute wait despite the restaurant being less than half full. Here's the most recent scenario: There are three girls behind the desk and lots of people standing just inside the door, away from the cold wanting their attention. We approached. We have a reservation this time. Barely eye contact, unfriendly tone and told me we would have to wait until all of my party got here. Not a big deal, maybe she's having a rough night. Instead of jostling for space in the crowded lobby, we made my way over to the empty bar for a drink. We start to pull the stool back and the bartender is already rushing me to take my order. She has me my receipt before I even have my jacket off and then ran off to chat with one of the servers in the corner. It's not the worst service in Indy, it's just not great either. The fondue is tasty, but far too expensive for a strip mall chain restaurant. There are so many restaurants in Indy that the standards are set high. In my opinion, a restaurant really has to, at the very least, have good food for reasonable prices with good service to be worthwhile for a visit, because, if not, there are a dozen other places already doing just that. If you're OK with indifferent to unpleasant service for higher than reasonable prices, then you'll probably enjoy yourself here. If not, Broad Ripple Brewpub, Corner Wine Bar, Northside Social, Ocean Prime and Trader's Point Creamery are all options where you can satisfy your fondue craving.
(2)
Joe L.
I think this place is not worth the money, the desert was the only reason I gave it 3 stars. The staff was very helpful, but for 3 of us to eat there, $136.00 is not worth it. Could have went somewhere else and got a lot better dinner for half the price.
(3)
John H.
I went to the Melting Pot for the first time yesterday with my girlfriend to celebrate our anniversary. I went, not really knowing what to expect. I realized shortly after I arrived, that it was going to be an experience! The friendly staff there really made my first time at this establishment an experience, rather that a traditional sit down and just order something. They made sure to recognize that we were there for an event by giving us a hand written note and even candles on our desert! We will definitely being going back!
(5)
Ron R.
My first time to the Melting Pot. I was taken here for my B-day since we both love Fondue so much. Honestly, I've avoided this place for a while because I've heard it was really expensive for fondue. We decided to get a cheese fondue as well as entree fondue. We started off with the Alpine Classic cheese Fondue for 2 and it was great. Just like a traditional Fondue should taste. They provide you with french bread, honey wheat bread, apples and vegetables. I can firmly say, we loved this portion of our meal. Next we had our oil fondue for entrees. I had a mixed plate which was Ahi Tuna, Duck Breast and Pork Medallions. She had the "Summer catch" which was scallops, crab claw, shrimp and Ahi Tuna. The entree comes with mushrooms and broccoli as well as sauces on the side to mix and match different flavors. Everything here was very good in my opinion, but there were 2 stand-outs. The Ahi Tuna was phenomenal and the Pork Medallions were also amazing. The only thing that holds me back from giving this place the full 5 star is the fact that you do not get a large portion of meat in your entree for the price. This is the reason I think people call this place expensive. An entree is roughly $25 and you get about 6-7oz of meat roughly. That is basically $50-55 a pound which is brutal for a non-steakhouse. We both agreed that we would come back, but just for the cheese fondue next time as it really was our favorite part of the night.
(4)
Jennifer V.
Went to try to enjoy an impromptu dessert with my family. Despite being able to count 6 empty tables from walking past the windows upon entry and standing in the lobby, we were denied a table as the hostess said they were full. We won't be returning.
(1)
Jennifer S.
Service was great, food was really good! Our server Devyn was very on top of it. Explained everything very well and was very friendly and pleasant. Great little place to celebrate any occasion.
(5)
Naser A.
My family loves this place. It was the first to go there. We got the chocolate pot, and the spinach artichoke pot too. All I can tell you that its so delicious!!! Make sure, each one gets a serving, or two because its amazing. The dips are refills, so as long your pot is filled you can ask more for dips. I'd say this place would be amaIng for a special celebration, graduation or anniversary. The waitress, and staff are really friendly.
I really wanted to love this place. I really did. But it just wasn't that great. It was good, but for the price it should be so much better. I mean, come on, for over $100 for 2 I would like more than some measly little pieces of meat and raw veggies. Oh boy, I get to cook it myself- whoop-tee-doo! However, our service was great and I liked the dessert. But it just wasn't worth the cost.
(2)
Russell J.
I go to this melting pot quite often. I had a really bad experience with the managers a few weeks ago. However I filled out what happened on their website and the big manager gave me a call to say he was sorry and to turn a right into a wrong. We were invited back for a free meal this time and given a few extras. Before this I was really done with the place as I was that offended. I'm not the person to complain so you have to do something wrong to make me feel that way. The manager invited us back in for a free meal and a few extras. I was really impressed. I applaud them for listening to my bad experience and turning it into a great one.
(4)
Brian M.
My wife and I decided it would be a good idea to take our two preschoolers to fondue. (As I type this, I am calling myself nuts!). We called for a reservation and the only one available was 3:30 - we took it. First off - a tip for dining here with young children- if you are going to do it, this is a good time. The restaurant is not crowded. It takes a couple hours, so we were leaving at 5:30. We got cheese, dinner, and Chocolate. They offer kids portions of everything, but for us, there was enough food by only ordering for the two of us and letting them share. Cheese: we loved it. It was fun. The kids could do the cheese on their own. They mostly just ate the items without dipping in the cheese though. Main dish: we ordered a trio for each of us. This let each of us order three smaller portions. We ordered: chicken, shrimp, tuna, spinach ravioli, chicken pasta, and something else (I can't remember because the kids are it all :)). Since we ordered two, we got one with oil and one with broth for cooking. Then we could cook any with either style. We liked the broth better. The kids liked everything- except the tuna - fine with me! Chocolate: we got one dark and one milk with peanut butter. Of course we all liked this! It really is better to wait a while for it to melt, but that's difficult. On this I don't care for all the sweets that come with it to dip in chocolate. I would prefer to only have fruit. That may be an option- I didn't think about it until just now... Drat All in all it was a fun trip. Two hours in a restaurant with preschoolers- it wasn't all fun. But, the staff helped and was great. The gave them paper and pens to color. The gave us to-go boxes (my wife asked: good idea sweetie!). The boxes were good so we could pack up extras as we needed it and didn't have to wait. The bill - $150 with tip. We only had water to drink. Seems a bit steep for a lunch. We knew what we were getting into, but I didn't think it'd be that much. I think there is probably a way to have made that cheaper and still had enough food. Que' sera. No regrets, I'd do it over, but probably won't do it again for a while.
(4)
Andrew M.
The ambiance and lighting make for a romantic dinner. If you go with a larger group, there are big tables too. For the amount of money this place costs, I expected a more professional server. Ours forgot ingredients and brought us the wrong food a couple of times. He was friendly enough, but took a long time to serve each course correctly.
(4)
Shane D.
I was taken here for a date night surprise. Having my doubts I would enjoy a fondue restaurant and doubting the exterior appearance of the building I began my meal doubtful I would enjoy the experience. As being seated I noticed each booth to be a private and romantic setting so I opened my mind to the experience. While being greeted by a very kind wait service it was explained to me for the first time that I would be cooking my own meal which turned me off on the venue once again. Keeping an open mind, I watched as the servers prepared a fondue pot for us to cook each of our courses. The prep work and instruction made it very simple and intimate to cook and/or enjoy each course. Every menu item I tasted was delicious! I would definitely recommend doing the four course experience to minimize cost and maximize the experience. As a one time guest I would recommend you allow 2-3 hours for this, but you won't regret it!
(5)
Shelly R.
Romantic private setting. A little confusing for our first time as there are 4 ways to prepare your food. It was a little pricey. We got a 3 course dinner for two with one beer and 1 mixed drink and it was $80. The dessert was the best part. The other entrees were average. It Completely filled us up. We finished eating at 4 pm and didn't need to eat again until lunch the next day. Would consider going back with a groupon or promotion.
(3)
Heath M.
I went to the Melting Pot on a date with my girlfriend for the "North Side Nights" festival that is going on currently (which I highly recommend checking out). First off, I have to give kudos to their reservations; I originally had reservations for 5:45 but I ended up getting called into work and they were able to bump them back to 7:45 and totally saving our date night. We showed up and were curious about the dress code (we were dressed business) and we saw people dressed in gym shorts and sweatshirts to suits and dresses, so I am not sure what the actual dress code is here. We were seated quickly and the initial staff members were very nice. We were seated in the back corner, quite romantically (that was pretty cool). Our server Nicki was phenomenal throughout the entire meal. We started off with a bottle of wine and the Cheddar Cheese fondue with bread, apples, and veggies. Nicki said there was garlic mixed in with the fresh cheddar and it was absolutely delicious. We then ordered the Land and Sea (chicken, shrimp, steak) and the French Quarter (same except with Andouille Sausage and spicier) with a type of wine based broth (sorry, I cannot remember what it was exactly). It came out and had mixed veggies in it and was very good. This is the first time I had been at a restaurant like this and I really enjoyed cooking my own meal. Nicki was very informative in how to cook and spice and sauce everything correctly, along with giving her own personal descriptions of what she likes to mix and match, which is always appreciated. For desert we had the original chocolate and peanut butter melt with Rice Krispies (I was sold right there), cake, cookie, and brownies. It was seriously delicious and so sweet that Wilford Brimley could make a commercial just off of this meal The manager, Keith came out checked on us and asked how our visit was. He was very polite and genuinely courteous. I would definitely recommend checking out the Melting Pot for a date night. It also seemed that they handled large groups as well! I will definitely be back! Overall, on the price it was around $90, which I thought was maybe a little high, but not enough to deter me from going back.
(4)
Steve W.
Historically I have only come to the melting pot for a date night, romantic experience. My wife loves it, so I planned a surprise birthday dinner for her with family on Easter. I made a reservation for a party of 11, including 3 children. To my surprise, they had a children's menu. It is only a scaled down version of normal, but it is lower cost. They also allowed the parents to just share their food with the children. We were seated in the large party room which was nice. We didn't need to be quiet or worry about disturbing other guests that were there for the intimate setting. The manager even made my wife a surprise plate with happy birthday written in chocolate and a candle in one of the deserts. My only issue with the place is that they don't have any beer on draft. Not local, not domestic. Nothing. I did enjoy a fountain square preachers daughter, but I would have preferred a local beer on tap. Overall, the melting pot is a great location for any special occasion. Just make sure you have a reservation.
(4)
Sabrina S.
I'll start out by saying I LOVED the cheese fondue appetizer. That gets 5 stars. However, I feel like boiling a filet and lobster tail is a culinary injustice. It just ruins it! I will probably go back and just sit in the bar and enjoy the cheese fondue at some point. I wish they offered a better craft beer selection. It was almost nonexistent. Side note: My hair, skin and clothing absolutely reeked like their mojo broth. Continuing to smell that scent throughout the night and into the morning just made this place unappetizing for the future. I guess that is just part of the "experience."
(3)
T Q.
Fondue and entree were great,salad was average, dessert was below average(too much sugar and too little chocolate). Without groupon,it's a little bit overpriced, if possible, try to get a deal from Groupon (50 for 30).
(4)
Leann P.
The Melting Pot is one of my favorite places to eat when I want to just take time for good food and good friends! I love the peaceful ambiance that is conducive to a nice, long meal. The waiters and waitresses are helpful and never make you feel rushed. If you make reservations ahead of time and tell them about a special event you'll be in for, they write you a card. It's personal touches like this that make me willing to pay the extra money for a special, incredibly delicious meal!
(5)
Natalie M.
I loved this place was the best meal I've tried in years.. Don't leave without having desert ! Loved the YING YANG chocolate..great service very different than any other placed I've been too! Defiantly coming back with my son!
(5)
Tommy M.
Has a habit of turning guests away under the guise of no tables when clearly they were not close to being full. Former long term patron.
(1)
John H.
Go with a few cheese fondues, and then a dessert. The big night out and other main course meals are overpriced for what you get, are a pain in the ass to cook, and just not that good. Expensive, and you could do it at home cheaper, but if it's date night, it's romantic.
(3)
Allie M.
I loved dining at the melting pot, it is the perfect restaurant for celebrating an occasion with someone special. They offer special booths for couples and it is very romantic. I've had reservations each time I've dined at the melting pot. My ex boyfriend took me here for the first time for prom and it was fun to try something completely different. I had never had fondue before and I was very impressed. I have also gone to the melting pot for dessert with some girlfriends and it was fun because they were able to accommodate for a large party and the desert menu is fabulous.
(4)
Elli V.
To tell you the truth, the value for the money is not worth it. There was 4 of us last night, each had the 4-course dinning experience the total (without alcohol was $190). The cheese was good, but compare to last time when my husband and i went by ourselves, they gave us the same amount which seemed unfair, but their pot is one size so its limited. The salad was good, also very small. The dinner also very small. I had three 1-inch squares of mahi, 3 squares of filet, 3 shrimp and lobster. Its just very sad looking when you see it, like, thats it? Sigh...ok. They switched their menu and for some reason, and last time I remember thinking: wow, thats a lot of food, after getting the Big Night Out. I was still a bit hungry until we got the dessert which was very good Flaming Turtle chocolate. Overall: we probably won't go back, not often people have a few hundred buck to waste, if you do, be my guest, its fun, slow (for some reason there was ALOT of waiting between courses, at least 10 to 15 min, which feels like an eternity when you're hungry) but its an experience. And our waitress did not keep my water filled, I finished my class, then my husbands and another 20 min later she offered water for the first time. So $200 and 2 hours later we wished we would have went to Ruth's Chris or Benihana.
(3)
Tran T.
Went here the other night with my boyfriend and two friends. It was a spontaneous trip therefore we did not make a reservation. We were there on a Sunday at 6pm. The restaurant didn't seem busy at all. The hostess asked if we had a reservation and I said no. We had no idea it we had to make a reservation. The hostess tells us we can either sit in the bar area or wait until 730 for dinner. She made it sound like they were filled with reservations for the night and that we HAVE to make a reservation. Since it was a spontaneous trip, the bar area worked for us. We weren't picky, just happy to try it out since none of us have ever been there. Food was good. It was a fun way to do dinner. My boyfriend and I split the four course meal. It filled us up. My friend and her boyfriend did the same and they said they were full at the end too. Our total at the end was around $55 with tip. The bartender, Dean, was also our server, he was very helpful and nice. Dinner lasted about 2 hours and it was a fun experience. Just be prepared to sit and enjoy the process. Throughout dinner, I noticed the restaurant was not busy at all. On my way to the bathroom, I noticed that the majority of the restaurant had empty tables. I'm still confused as to why the hostess made it seem like they did us a favor by letting us sit in the bar area for dinner like they were over booked. After she told us about the bar, she had us wait about 10 minutes... Not sure why. But she did. I would totally understand if they were understaffed but that was not mentioned. It's easier to tell customers that they are understaffed rather them making them feel stupid about not making reservations on a Sunday night. The reason I'm giving the restaurant three stars is because the hostess had an attitude and made us feel stupid for not making a reservation. What a terrible way to treat new customers. The food and bartender made our experience a lot better.
(3)
Ashley M.
In my opinion, I've never been to a better date night restaurant. Perfect for birthdays and anniversaries but also very accommodating to families and groups. I have no disappointment with this place other than I wish I could eat there every day. Not only is the food so fresh and perfect, the sauces they bring out are absolutely wonderful. I recommend getting extra green goddess dip to stuff your mushrooms with. The house salad dressing is soooo good and you must buy their Garlic and Wine seasoning to take home with you. It goes on everything at home from chicken to steaks and we have even put it on popcorn! :-)
(5)
Alex G.
It took 30 minutes to get our order in. After waiting 15 minutes for the first salad course that hadn't arrived, we opted to go elsewhere. I've visited the melting pot before and understand that it's a slower pace, but staring at a burning empty pot for 45 minutes while seeing your server twice gets old pretty fast.
(2)
Ronnie L.
My wife and I had never been here, and she surprised me on my birthday. First thing I noticed is the overall not-so-clean vibe about the place. Like how if they brought the lights up the hard crusted cheese on the built in table - stove, the dingy carpet, the smudged paneling, etc would really stand out. Second thing was the hostesses. Dressed more for a night of clubbing than a night of working in a supposedly moderately upscale restaurant. The two girls at the front had attitude to match their attire as they seated us and rather rudely informed us about how we'd have to choose the same cheese, cooking style, and desert. Not that we had an issue with having to share, the issue was with her delivery. Third, the manager's attire matched the worn down feeling of the restaurant. In a place where a check for two can break $100 without much effort, I don't expect wrinkled shirt and tie on the manager, nor matching wrinkled uniforms on the staff, but there they were. When our cheese course came out the waiter put the wrong cheese in so he had to get a new bowl. A bowl that hadn't had time to heat up. Cheese took 15 minutes to get to what you'd call fondue. The waiter also said they'd had problems with the burner at our table. If that's the case, then why the hell are we sitting there when the restaurant was 80-90% empty? Also, the "fresh" fruit and vegetables contained brown cauliflower, which was as good as you'd expect. Salad course was ok. Again, questionably fresh vegetables used. Entree was ok. I typically expect more out f a $50 plate in terms of flavor, but it was decent. The filet was on part with what you'd get at a hibachi restaurant for 1/5 the price. Desert was pretty good. We got the Dark & Dolce. Kinda tasted like Ghirardelli chocolates that had been melted. Again, fruit wasn't very appealing in appearance and lacked any kind of notable flavor. We spent $122 (we had 2 drinks and 1 beer) and felt like we've easily had better for half the price. Neither of us really get what the hype is with this place. Would've given another star if their staff didn't consist of a bunch of people that belong in a Steak N Shake instead of a "fancy" restaurant.
(2)
S B.
Very nice restaurant for date nights with my wife! Cozy atmosphere with staff that is attentive without being intrusive.
(4)
Janet V.
First time coming here with my boyfriend for dinner (he made reservations to celebrate my birthday) and it was a fun experience, but it was noisy. When we entered the restaurant, the hostess made us wait a bit as if they were filled, and we were seated at a table next to three booths and a table that were all full. I was upset that the environment was more awkward than romantic. It wasn't until I got up to use the restroom that I saw that there was a huge section of the restaurant that had empty seating! $100+ for dinner for the two of us, and it was not what I expected. Tip: Get the cheese fondu and chocolate fondu, skip the main course. Unless you like to see raw food and cook it yourself one at a time which takes a while and isn't even good.
(3)
Meredith S.
Hmm... Melting Pot... Bought a Living Social voucher so my boyfriend and I thought we'd give it a try. I'd been, but not for several years and he'd never been before, so it was like a new experience for both of us. I probably would have given Melting Pot three stars if I was just basing my experience on the food, but unfortunately I just can't excuse poor service.. ESPECIALLY at a place where I'm paying big bucks and just know they're making a profit based on the amount of food we're given. But.. back to the bad customer service in a minute. We opted for the four courses because we're rabid pigs. We got the Wisconsin cheese fondue first and I'd say it was the best course. Very good cheese and who doesn't like bread dipped in cheese? Seriously.. everyone likes carbs and cheese. After the cheese fondue, we got salads. Blech. This tasted like a salad from McDonald's or something. I mean, would it kill you to not use iceburg lettuce? Blech! For the main course, boyfriend got chicken/steak/shrimp and I got the vegetarian. Neither of us were impressed. I thought it had minimal taste-thank god for all the dipping sauces they give us which are obviously there to disguise the lack of taste in the food. Ended the meal on a high note with dessert ... because just like cheese and bread, who doesn't like a giant pot of melted chocolate with rice krispies, fruit and brownies? The answer: everyone likes this. So, the food. I'd give it 3/5. Two good courses, two meh courses. Customer service though: BOO! As I said, we bought a Living Social voucher. We weren't aware that you weren't able to split the bill after using the voucher and waitress didn't tell us either (benefit of the doubt.. maybe she didn't know). Anyway, brought back our bills and were shocked at what we were paying without the Living Social voucher. Waited forever for the manager to show up and when she finally did we explained what happened. She was very rude about us trying to split the bill and seemed to be unable to come up with any solutions. Finally, she said she'd TRY to fix it for us and walked away in a huff. I'm sorry, but EVEN if we were the ones who made a huge mistake, we're still the paying customer. You should be gracious and apologize for the inconvenience.. not make us feel bad and then proceed to make us wait for an additional 35 minutes while you "try to correct our mistake". Blah. If the mediocre food wasn't enough, the ridiculous customer service is. Won't be back. Ever.
(1)
Brittany Y.
My husband and I came here for my birthday and left FULL and satisfied! It was a really fun/unique experience and the food was delicious. We did the four course meal experience and got the Classic cheddar cheese, the California and Melting Pot salads, a few different meats to try, and the original chocolate (milk chocolate and crunchy peanut butter) fondue. WOW. YUM. I heard mixed reviews about this place, but we really enjoyed it and will definitely be back--even if it's just for the dessert.
(4)
Tom W.
It has been several years since the last visit to the Melting Pot. I always remember is being a pleasant and tasty experience, and this was not different. First of all, the venue is much lighter and more appealling since the move and remodel. The service was spot on. We had the four course dinner starting with an outstanding lager and cheese fondue. I am a sucker for any restaurant that prepared a dish at the table. The main course was more than enough food and we shared the classic meat platter with well seasoned meats and seafood, as well as the vegetarian platter. Dessert was a chocolate fondue again prepared at the table. Every bite delicious.
(5)
J. K.
My husband and I tried The Melting Pot for the first time recently on my birthday, and LOVED it. It was a wonderful dining experience, even better than I had imagined or hoped for. Our server was very personable, timed everything right, and encouraged us to take our time and just enjoy our evening. Perfect. We had the Classic Cheese Fondue, it came with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, granny smith apples, and assorted wedges of bread. Uh...yum! We scraped the bowl clean. We decided on two entrees that covered nearly the entire spectrum of proteins they offer so we could share a lil' bit of everything. We had: duck breast, sirloin steak, filet mignon, chicken, shrimp, and chicken potstickers. We also decided on the pot of oil to cook our entrees in and it came with two different batters to dip stuff in. Oh was this fun! We tried different combinations of everything, battered or "naked", you can even make your own cream cheese stuffed mushrooms, which is a big nom-nom for both of us. Oh, there's also a salad in between there, which is nice 'cause I like me a salad, especially if I'm gonna be dipping stuff in cheese and deep frying my food. You know, lettuce somehow magically cancels out some of those calories, right? Right?! Then there was dessert. I was really looking forward to this, but we were pretty full by then. We had the Turtle Chocolate fondue, it was crazy delicious, and came with brownies, blondies, marshmallows, pound cake, rice crispie treats, strawberries, and pineapple. I was in heaven, but also really full, and the chocolate was so rich we could only eat a couple bites and ended up taking the rest home. Overall, this place exceeded my expectations, and my husband and I left very happy and satisfied. I read the reviews before going and I did not experience any problems or negatives at all. We were very full, so they give you more than enough food. The price was great if you get the four course meal, I mean c'mon, appetizer, salad, entree, and dessert for $35 a person? And good quality food as well, we had duck, shrimp, and filet mignon for this price. It was fun, it was a intimate setting, we enjoyed our 2 1/2 hour meal together very much, and we really are excited to go back again soon.
(5)
Debra C.
Nicki went above and beyond to explain everything and make this experience amazing. She made sure we were always taken care of, always had a smile on her face and always made sure we had as mile on our faces ! We will be returning because of her !
(5)
El F.
We have been coming to this Melting Pot for many years now and I would say that this visit didn't disappoint. Tim, our server was great. Probably one of the best we've had. And although one doesn't go to the MP for a quick meal, there wasn't any kind of lag between courses as we've previously experienced. You know, when you juuuust get to the point where you think you've been forgotten and your server shows up? None of that this time. Also, he made me some kick**s cocktail sauce for my shrimp. My only objection to the meal is this: the prices have noticeably increased over the last couple years, to the point that you might start to question if two hours of "entertainment" of/with dinner is worth it for the rate you pay. And--the DIVINE chocolate course was NOTICEABLY smaller. Please don't shortchange the chocoholic!!!
(4)
C D.
Went there for the first time tonight to celebrate our 20th anniversary. There were several disappointing parts. I agree with the reviewers who mentioned the hostess - it seems like she really hates her job. Not even a single smile or warm hello! For our anniversary, we were supposed to receive a scroll with 'this day in history' facts. It seems they forgot about it. When we were seated (they don't seat you a minute before your reservation time), we were taken to the couples area. Unfortunately we were seated next to the doorway to the main dining area. Lots of traffic by our table, and noise from the other area made this a less than desirable location. Since there were other tables available, they should have seated us elsewhere and only used that table when filled to capacity. We ordered the 4-course dinner, with cheddar fondue, house salad, Cajun spiced combination - French quarter and Land and Sea combination, with flaming turtle dessert fondue. It was interesting that each server gave different instructions and cooking times to the tables around us. I would have thought that they would have this exact. Our items took almost 50% more cooking time than some of the servers were saying - not good when you are dealing with raw meat! The cheese fondue was good, although the bread was a little tough. The salad was nothing special. I wouldn't bother ordering it a la carte. The French quarter meats were nicely spiced. It isn't an enormous amount of food, so we weren't stuffed. The only sauces we really liked were the green goddess (sour cream) and plum. The dessert fondue was a big mess. It was very runny and ended up all over. We had a club coupon for free strawberries. Good thing they were free because they were rotten. :( Overall, it was okay, but I doubt that we will be back.
(2)
Sarah H.
Walked in on a Wednesday night at 6:20 pm. The hostess said she wouldn't seat us until 7:00 since we didn't have reservation. It didn't say on the door that reservations were required, nor that they are "strongly recommended." The manager tried to help us but I'm not feeling the love. My hubby always tells me to call, but I always say that's not necessary during the week. Did I mention that the place is nearly empty? I understand the concept well of not having staffed for unforseen customers, but not the attitude. Depending on the meal I may change my rating, but it's sub par at the moment.
(2)
Sal W.
Good food, cool idea. Usually about $80 a person. It's tasty but not sure it's quite worth it. Great service. Not a huge issue but your clothes and hair end up smelling like cooking oil.
(3)
Torrey R.
If it wasn't for the price, this place would be five stars. However most of those stars come from the ambiance and the efforts made by staff to make the evening wonderfully. They really do try to meet every request made while making a reservation all the way down to the booth preference. They excel at special events such as birthdays and anniversary's. It is hard to give stars on food that we cook ourselves and since we have always ordered the fondue, I can't comment on how the food is prepared. I can say that if you order fondue for two people the way they have it set up, you will never eat it all. We ordered only one plate for the entree and dessert but ordered two servings of the cheese and salads and we were stuffed. Certainly give this place a try but come with a full wallet.
I took my boyfriend here for his birthday. I had let the place know it was a special occasion. When we were seated there was a birthday card for him! It only got better from there! We ended up doing the four course deal and started with the cheddar cheese fondue. It was AMAZING. They mix up the fondue right in front of you! They had breads and pears and vegetables to dip in the cheese and all were great. Next was the salad course and we both had the Caesar. It had the most delicious Parmesan crusted pine nuts on it. For the main course I got a mix of teriyaki sirloin, orange duck breast, citrus pork, and chicken potstickers. They were all fab. My boyfriend got chicken, filet, shrimp and lobster. Everything was delicious cooked in a hot oil and then dipped in one of the delicious sauces. Finally we had our chocolate fondue for dessert and it was phenomenal! Above all, the service was outstanding. Our waitress was above and beyond anything I would expect.
(5)
Kara F.
Do you want to pay an arm and a leg to cook small portions of your own food in a bland atmosphere with lackluster service? Then Melting Pot is for you! I went there last night with friends - my 2nd ever visit - and have decided I won't be back. Seriously, this place is a rip-off. Sure, cooking food yourself is the point of a fondue restaurant, and it's kind of fun, but what they charge you for raw food is ridiculous. Though tasty, portions for salads, cheese, and meats are tiny. When ordering, we were struggling to understand how much food we would get with the different options, and our waiter was very unhelpful with that. He was nice overall, but didn't have a manner that matched the expense of the restaurant. Also, he blazed ahead with putting mustard powder in the cheese fondue - barely giving our mustard-loathing friend a chance to stop him, so we had to ask him to start over. That turned out fine, but was a little awkward, and waiters should ask before doing this because not everyone likes mustard! Also, service was supremely slow. We picked a bad restaurant to go to when we were very hungry and thirsty. We waited probably 15 minutes just to get waters after asking for them. One of our friends was about to eat the menu when our tiny salads finally arrived. When the meats arrived, only one set of vegetables arrived too, and the waiter said the kitchen had to "make more." ... They are RAW vegetables - no "making" is involved! Then, the whole payment process at the end took about 20 minutes. One thing I have to give props for is that the woman who bussed the table turned out to be a manager. Ending the experience with someone who can actually address any issues you might have had is a smart move. Finally, I'm surprised people think of this restaurant as romantic. It is embarrassing for Indianapolis that this was voted as the most romantic restaurant in city. The decor is uninspired at best. Save your money for somewhere with more character.
(3)
Crystal M.
I made a reservation for Melting Pot the night I was proposing to my girlfriend, when we arrived for a celebratory dinner the restaurant had no record of our reservation. Luckily for me, I had taken a screen shot of my confirmation and was able to prove the reservation had been made for that night. We ended up waiting a short time for a table, instead of seating us in a private booth-as requested in the confirmation, we were stuck at a table in the middle of a large dinning room. Not exactly the atmosphere I was hoping for the night of my engagement. We ordered the yin yang desert and as always the desert and chocolate was phenomenal, our server took very good care of us and even provided complimentary beverages for us to celebrate with. Over all, the food and table service was exceptional but I was very disappointed with their accommodations. Two stars for table service and complementary beverages.
(2)
Libby B.
The Melting Pot is probably best as a special occasion visit. However, the more you go, the better it is! You get more familiar with the cooking times on the main course, and you can experience more of their varieties! If you sign up for their email list, you get some great coupons and notification of special events and pricing! The atmosphere is great, and the service is excellent. Every server I've had has been friendly and very nice to talk to while making our cheese fondues. The green goddess spread for the meat is my favorite sauce they have! I think anyone could find something they like here. The drink selection is excellent as I'm a big martini drinker.
(5)
Patricia N.
This is a "once in a blue moon kind of place," especially for the price. I recently enjoyed a surprise anniversary dinner at The Melting Pot. We had late reservations for 9:00pm. We got there at 8:45, but weren't seated until 9:15, even behind people that had reservations at 8:30 but came after us. We had the "Big Night Out America" : Boston Lager Cheddar Cheese Fondue, Wisconsin Wedge Salad, Caesar Salad, "Lobster Indulgence" w/ Old Bay Shrimp, Buffalo Chicken, Memphis BBQ Pork Tenderloin, and wild mushrooms Coq au Vain style, Chocolate Wildberry Crunch Fondue, and a bottle of bubbly Moscato. The ambiance was nice, but the decor was a bit outdated. We were seated in a romantic booth, which I wasn't expecting. The service was terrific! Late in the evening, the manager, stopped by to check on us and even offered us a complimentary champagne toast with dessert. Sadly, there must've been a miscommunication because we never received it. Although it was delicious, I'm not sure it was exactly worth the price: $94 for four courses, and a $30 bottle of wine. Add tip onto that it's a whopping $160 for a nice dinner date.
(4)
Mike H.
WOW, had heard alot about The Melting Pot. Some good, some bad. I have to say that the people that can't enjoy this place are looking for something that can't be found. We went for our 22nd anniversary, and surprised the wife as she had wanted to go for a long time. Well its well worth the cost. I can't believe I gut stuffed on the food as it seemed the portions were soo small, but with several courses and drinks you get filled up quick. The explosion of individual flavors was worth it and was an excellent experience. Would recommend to anyone.
(4)
Balaguruprasad N.
My wife and my birthday are pretty close and so we decided to go midway between the two days. We made a reservation about 4 days prior and arrived a few minutes early. We were seated on time, and were served by very courteous waitress. We went for the four course meal for 2 and started off with the Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue and we then had the California salad and the house salad. For the entree, we had the good earth vegetarian, both of being vegetarian. I had it as offered, but my wife substituted the Thai peanut marinated tofu for more artichokes. We had it Bourguignonne style where we fried our entree at the table. The entree was served with 2 batters and 5 sauces. The mushroom sachetti was particularly good. We did not eat all the entree as we were starting to get satiated and wanted to save space for dessert. We had the traditional pure milk chocolate fondue with strawberries, bananas, pound cakes, brownies and marshmallows. Overall the ambiance and the experience were great. There was one guest seated next to us who was particularly inebriated when he entered, but the management was very polite, prompt and decisive in making sure that the guest was not a nuisance for others. The food, ambiance and service were all great.
(5)
Stacy Q.
My husband and I celebrated our one year anniversary at this restaurant. Very romantic! The food was delicious and it was fun to cook it ourselves, with ample directions from the servers -of course. Plenty of food! We were even given a little bottle of champagne in celebration of our little event. The booths make the atmosphere very personal and romantic, the lightening is dim and candles are lit! Very nice!
(5)
Amy D.
Go hungry if you come here! Thirsty too! Wonderful food and drinks. If you get to pick, have Chris as your waiter. He made our dining experience that much better with his wonderful attitude.
(5)
Nikki B.
Yes we were celebrating a special occasion. Me & my ex went here last month. I decided to write a review about it. So we dressed up of course I ordered the "Love Martini" I'm not a drinker so it had me a little happy after one sip. I ended up giving him the rest & ordered the "Blackberry Sage Lemonade." this stuff was totally delicious. You can get is spiked or non-spiked. After the first drink I decided to keep it non alcoholic. This was a bitter sweet because this was technically our first and last date because he moved out of town the next day. We ordered the four course meal for two priced at $89 bucks. This place is not fit for a recession budget, so I would only recommend it for a special occasion or anniversary. Maybe also if you're just into impressing that special someone. I ordered chicken with some type of fiesta cheese fondue sauce. The "Wisconsin Wedge salad was pretty good as well. The dessert was delicious, I selected the bananas, strawberries with pound cake with chocolate fondue. I have to be honest although it was good the serving portions for everything was rather small. Besides this, I still think that it was a bit over priced. Overall, I tested it out, I liked it, I would do it again however I will be moving in a couple of months. so this may be my last review for Indianapolis.:) So glad that I will have a place to come back to, that I like when I visit home.
(4)
Katie C.
After constantly hearing how awesome The Melting Pot was, I was excited that we actually live near one now. We planned a date night and went on the Sunday after Valentine's Day. We spent some time in the bar while we waited (Not their fault, we were crazy early for the reservation in our excitement to be on a date and without the kids), I had some martini with espresso in it and it was so good. The bar tender was adorable. She looked exhausted, but she was friendly and efficient and had full tables when we walked in. She was great at getting our orders and helping the couple next to us with their fondue. When we were seated, our server could not have been more charming. I suppose you have to be a people person to be a server there since you spend so much time at one table. He was so sweet and very helpful since it was our first time there. We had whatever the Big Night Out has been changed to. Our booth was so nice and quiet. The atmosphere was perfect for date night. We had the spicy queso, I had the house salad and my husband had what I think was the California Salad or something similar. We both loved our salads. I don't remember what my entree was called but it had peppered steak and that was amazing. For dessert, we had their special White Chocolate Creme Brulee- SO delicious. I loved everything about my experience there and can't wait to go again.
(5)
Morgan J.
I really enjoy this place! The whole setting is very intimate. The servers are friendly and helpful. The food is yummy and plentiful. This is more than just dinner-- it's a complete fondue experience! My only complaint is that cocktails are kind of pricey for their quality, but the rest that The Melting Pot has to offer far outweighs that. I'm looking forward to my next visit and recommend this place to anyone looking for a neat, romantic dinner.
(5)
Julie D.
The first chain restaurant I've been to in many many months. And I like it! And I helped! Lol Seriously, I actually left here feeling full but didn't need to roll myself out to the car afterwards. I wasn't even doing the post-Melting Pot waddle! As expected, everything tasted exactly as it should and was satisfying. The new Beer Cheese Fondue is a must for anyone who hasn't been in awhile. Great flavor, you could really taste the beer and the seasonings but not so much as to overpower the main ingredient CHEESE! Mushroom salad could use more mushrooms but that's a purely personal opinion. We opted for 2 orders of the Surf and Turf in the red wine bouillon. (I've had the Pacific Rim before and it's not up to par for food quality). The Bouillon is the key to avoiding the post-dinner waddle, btw! I didn't care for them trying to sell me their brand of a spice blend I can get myself at Penzey's Spices. The Chocolate Cookies 'n Cream desert again just as yummy as the last time. I loved that they added rice crispies to the desert plate! Like pretty much all chain restaurants I got consistency and decent service. Although the food quality may not be of the highest caliber it's certainly good enough. Yes, it's a romantic atomsphere....for the general public. But don't take a Foodie here for romance. There are far better options. But if you just want some Fondue (damn it!) there's no better place to go.
(3)
Tim G.
It's a nice place to eat still. You cook yourself so there is no-one to blame. My wife, son (4yrs), mother and father-in-law ate here recently. We were seated in a separate area for families with small children. This area is the same as the rest of the restaurant. Our waitress was nice but the service was a little slow. It was a Thursday night and was not very busy, only about 30% occupied from the time we arrived and left. The only thing I have to say is it is a little expensive for what you get. Our server didn't remove empty drinks and plates in a timely way, in fact we had to put them on the table next to us because our table was way to cluttered!! I think they need to hire extra staff for the amount they are charging. She acted very busy, and she may have been, but I just didn't see much business to warrant this. I think it was a little inattentiveness,... and may have been much for "her" particularly. I had to ask her 3 times to dim the light because it was so bright reflecting off of our plates we couldn't look down. Finally another waiter dimmed them. It was my wife's favorite place to eat, but not really anymore. Service is slow, menu can be confusing, when the food arrives some of the meat types should be pointed out on the plate, when it arrives. Yes,... We can tell the difference! But some of the different seasonings make it hard to tell. ( I know turn up the lights!) it use to be really fun to go here the first few years they opened, but it seems now they have slacked off on trying to do a terrific job, now you barely get a good job. I spent $350 + $65 tip. The tip made me angry because I want to tip,.. but we received $5 service. I can't knock the food or portions but the service has gone down hill. Oh ya, the little maitre'd "chick" thinks she's really fabulous, ..she's not. Last thing thing we want to deal with when we relax and open up our wallet is a more deserving adolescent.
(3)
Jill W.
Met two friends there and while I had been there before, we did not make reservations - so after moving us around a bit, we were seated at the bar. Our server (bartender) was terrific, but it was a bit difficult to share the fondue the way we were seated. Seeing empty tables in the restaurant, we wondered if it was a shortage of staff and not tables that meant we were at the bar. It can be pricey but you might as well go for the whole experience and get the four courses. And relax, the nice thing about having courses that our served more leisurely - is that you do not get full too fast, and you have time to relax and enjoy your company. We had the traditional Cheese fondue which was mostly Swiss, a selection of sirloin, shrimp, tuna, and chicken and ended with the cookies&creme chocolate fondue.
(4)
Wendy L.
I was disappointed with the Melting Pot. The food was ok. The bread was stale with no flavor. I think for what it cost the 2 of us ($95 tip included)and that's without ordering alcohol , it should've been better. The only reason I gave it 2 stars, was because the waiter was excellent! That's it!
(2)
Double-Dash C.
I like it. We come with the whole family and always have a great time. It is pricey, and I recommend getting fewer courses. Cheese and dessert is win. Cheese and salad and meats and dessert is overkill sometimes.
(4)
E B.
Anyone who doesn't like probably didn't try the drinks!! Black and white is my favorite.
(4)
Fi H.
I recently visited this location for a business dinner. I wouldn't recommend it for this type of event, as it took about 4 hours for 6 of us to eat and we all agreed we smelled so badly we all needed to shower upon leaving (since very fragrant food is cooked at the tables). I unfortunately had an entire glass of wine spilled in my lap at the beginning of our meal by a server. I was soaked completely through all my clothes and was only given a new glass of wine as compensation. I definitely won't be returning. I may have considered if they had tried luring me back with a complementary gift certificate or special offer as compensation for my evening I spent in wet clothes. For those of you who are brave enough to take the adventure to this restaurant, I would recommend not ordering a "package menu" with all courses included, most everyone in our group agreed the mix of food and variety of strong spices and flavors proved to be too much for our stomachs.
(2)
Mike T.
This is a fondue restaurant. Your table has a burner in the middle, and this is where your meal will be cooked, by you. The pace of the meal will be leisurely. Your experience begins with an appetizer, such as a cheese mixture prepared at your table by the server - ours included Budweiser, cheddar, worchester, Parmesan, and ground pepper. You're give skewers with colored handles - each person gets their own color. You're served a bowl of bread chunks, veggies, and apple slices to dip in the melted cheese. You move on to a tasty salad, followed by an entree. Your entree is a selection of raw meat that you skewer and cook in a pot of boiling broth. The server also brings a bowl of veggies, and several sauces - terryaki, Ginger plum, curry, ranch, etc. I highly recommend ordering a desert. A pot of melted chocolate and bananas, strawberries, cheesecake, and more to dip in it! The price is on the high side - about $50 per person for entree, appetizer, desert, and soft drinks. They have a huge selection of wines, so if you order drinks, plan to pay more.
(5)
Jenny K.
This fondue thing is just not my cup of tea. I was really excited to try it since I've never had fondue before, but I realize that it's just not for me. The 2 rating is not indicative of anything the restaurant really did, but more of a personal preference. The service was actually pretty good. We ordered a big night out special with the lobster. I am just not good at cooking my own food hence why I go out to eat. The lobster was either always undercooked or overcooked. The same went with all the other food we put in the fondue. I just wasn't that great at doing it and at the end of the night, I just did not feel that it was worth the money spent on the meal. I could have spent $125 at a nice restaurant where the food was prepared perfectly. I will most likely not give it a try again unless it was for the dessert fondue, which is not that bad. Also, I do agree with the other reviewers, the portions are small, but one thing I have to say is that you will get full from the meal.
(2)
Barry M.
Good service but you need to plan on 2 hours plus for the meal. One of the more expensive places but is neat for a special occasion. Food is very good. Plan on 50 dollars a person if you want to have plenty to eat.
(3)
E P.
If you wanna fondue. Fondue here. Excellent food. Romantic type atmosphere. Doesn't have to be but it can be. If you don't have a lot of money to spend just go there for dessert. $100 for 2. Must Eat!!!!!!!!!
(5)
Kyle H.
This is a place you have to visit. I enjoyed the atmosphere, the staff was awesome. The fondue is the best i've ever had. My visit for Valentine's was special. If your visiting Indy, check this place out. I can't wait until my next visit.
(5)
Jarrett V.
This place is definitely great at what it does, but I'm just not a big fan of the whole fondue thing. It takes a very long time, is very messy, and it isn't all that filling for the price. The items that I "fondued" were very tasty, as was the cheese and chocolate fondues, so as far as this genre of food, this place is top notch.
(3)
Todd R.
Just to let Cody know. My previous review was not fake, I did go to the restaurant and I was absolutely insulted that I had to cook tiny portions of my own food. I was hungry and was not about to cook with inferior equipment to that of my fully equipped kitchen/grill at home. Boo to you for defending a useless chain. If you want to pay $80 to starve, that's your option, but state your opinion, and don't attack mine, jerk (or jerkette if that's they case with such a androgynous name!)
(1)
Kasey J.
Want to go to THE MOST OVERRATED RESTAURANT IN INDY? Then head to The Melting Pot, where you'll practically starve to death while waiting to cook tiny pieces of meat that don't even seem all-that-fresh. Best fondue ever? Maybe to some, but I'm not sure I'm that into this fondue craze--if there is a fondue craze. Maybe I'm being harsh, but I felt like the only thing melting here was the money from my pockets. Way overpriced for what we got--which was supposed to be a deal for large groups. I'm not sure about spending $80 per couple to eat tiny pieces of hard bread and cheese. The drinks were $10 each, and I got a Screwdriver when I ordered a Fuzzy Navel. NOT THE SAME THING. I truly WANTED to like this place. It seems like everyone else does for some reason. Or does everyone simply like it because they think they're supposed to? I'm not sure. But if you want to spend 2-3 hours to cook your own chunks of meat in hot water, by all means, head to The Melting Pot. I admit the chocolate was good ... but the marshmallow chunks we were given to dip in the chocolate were stale. Do yourself a favor and buy a bag of baking chocolate and stay home. Melt it over your own stove. Way cheaper and way more romantic.
(1)
Jared S.
Excellent fondue and great service. The 4 course dinner is the way to go.
(5)
Jamison R.
We went to the Melting Pot last night to celebrate a friend's birthday. It was fine. Not great, not bad. The reason for the two stars is that I think it's expensive for what you get. I agree with Kasey about money melting from pockets. There were 4 of us and we ordered two of the 3 course fondue experiences for 2. It was $60 a couple and included cheese fondue, a salad and then an assortment of fish, beef, chicken & veggies to cook in broth (by the way the broth we picked -- coq au vin -- cost us an extra $6 per couple). I have no idea why. Maybe because there was wine inthe broth? Anyway, the food was fine. In addition, we'd done a little research prior to getting there & found out from their website that Wednesdays were 1/2 price bottles of wine for those under $50/bottle. When we got our bill, I noticed the discount wasn't taken off. I asked the waiter & he said "I don't think we're doing that anymore but I'll check with the manager". Lo & behold they actually were still offering the deal. So we did get our wine at a discount. Overall I wasn't impressed. The food was so so and the atmosphere kind of blah (& the place was quite empty). Over $200 for the 4 of us with our wine discount as well as a $25 off coupon.
(2)
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Address :5650 E 86th St,Ste A
Indianapolis, IN, 46250
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Ashley M.
In my opinion, I've never been to a better date night restaurant. Perfect for birthdays and anniversaries but also very accommodating to families and groups. I have no disappointment with this place other than I wish I could eat there every day. Not only is the food so fresh and perfect, the sauces they bring out are absolutely wonderful. I recommend getting extra green goddess dip to stuff your mushrooms with. The house salad dressing is soooo good and you must buy their Garlic and Wine seasoning to take home with you. It goes on everything at home from chicken to steaks and we have even put it on popcorn! :-)
(5)Ronnie L.
My wife and I had never been here, and she surprised me on my birthday. First thing I noticed is the overall not-so-clean vibe about the place. Like how if they brought the lights up the hard crusted cheese on the built in table - stove, the dingy carpet, the smudged paneling, etc would really stand out. Second thing was the hostesses. Dressed more for a night of clubbing than a night of working in a supposedly moderately upscale restaurant. The two girls at the front had attitude to match their attire as they seated us and rather rudely informed us about how we'd have to choose the same cheese, cooking style, and desert. Not that we had an issue with having to share, the issue was with her delivery. Third, the manager's attire matched the worn down feeling of the restaurant. In a place where a check for two can break $100 without much effort, I don't expect wrinkled shirt and tie on the manager, nor matching wrinkled uniforms on the staff, but there they were. When our cheese course came out the waiter put the wrong cheese in so he had to get a new bowl. A bowl that hadn't had time to heat up. Cheese took 15 minutes to get to what you'd call fondue. The waiter also said they'd had problems with the burner at our table. If that's the case, then why the hell are we sitting there when the restaurant was 80-90% empty? Also, the "fresh" fruit and vegetables contained brown cauliflower, which was as good as you'd expect. Salad course was ok. Again, questionably fresh vegetables used. Entree was ok. I typically expect more out f a $50 plate in terms of flavor, but it was decent. The filet was on part with what you'd get at a hibachi restaurant for 1/5 the price. Desert was pretty good. We got the Dark & Dolce. Kinda tasted like Ghirardelli chocolates that had been melted. Again, fruit wasn't very appealing in appearance and lacked any kind of notable flavor. We spent $122 (we had 2 drinks and 1 beer) and felt like we've easily had better for half the price. Neither of us really get what the hype is with this place. Would've given another star if their staff didn't consist of a bunch of people that belong in a Steak N Shake instead of a "fancy" restaurant.
(2)S B.
Very nice restaurant for date nights with my wife! Cozy atmosphere with staff that is attentive without being intrusive.
(4)Janet V.
First time coming here with my boyfriend for dinner (he made reservations to celebrate my birthday) and it was a fun experience, but it was noisy. When we entered the restaurant, the hostess made us wait a bit as if they were filled, and we were seated at a table next to three booths and a table that were all full. I was upset that the environment was more awkward than romantic. It wasn't until I got up to use the restroom that I saw that there was a huge section of the restaurant that had empty seating! $100+ for dinner for the two of us, and it was not what I expected. Tip: Get the cheese fondu and chocolate fondu, skip the main course. Unless you like to see raw food and cook it yourself one at a time which takes a while and isn't even good.
(3)Alex G.
It took 30 minutes to get our order in. After waiting 15 minutes for the first salad course that hadn't arrived, we opted to go elsewhere. I've visited the melting pot before and understand that it's a slower pace, but staring at a burning empty pot for 45 minutes while seeing your server twice gets old pretty fast.
(2)Russell J.
I go to this melting pot quite often. I had a really bad experience with the managers a few weeks ago. However I filled out what happened on their website and the big manager gave me a call to say he was sorry and to turn a right into a wrong. We were invited back for a free meal this time and given a few extras. Before this I was really done with the place as I was that offended. I'm not the person to complain so you have to do something wrong to make me feel that way. The manager invited us back in for a free meal and a few extras. I was really impressed. I applaud them for listening to my bad experience and turning it into a great one.
(4)Preston S.
Great place for my wife's birthday dinner. We brought our little one and everybody was so nice and respectful. I had never been before and I had no clue what I was going to order or even what fondue was to begin with. Our waitress was amazing and talked us through every process and what each food was. I ended up having the entrée with Duck, Sirloin, Shrimp, and Chicken pot stickers. The duck was strange since I had never had anything like it before. The price was a little steep but it was because of the amazing food and service that you get for it. I will deffinitaly be returning here for another celebration in the future.
(5)Eric F.
We went there for a birthday celebration and left disappointed. Service was slow. Less than satisfied with the quality of food for the price.
(2)Meredith S.
Hmm... Melting Pot... Bought a Living Social voucher so my boyfriend and I thought we'd give it a try. I'd been, but not for several years and he'd never been before, so it was like a new experience for both of us. I probably would have given Melting Pot three stars if I was just basing my experience on the food, but unfortunately I just can't excuse poor service.. ESPECIALLY at a place where I'm paying big bucks and just know they're making a profit based on the amount of food we're given. But.. back to the bad customer service in a minute. We opted for the four courses because we're rabid pigs. We got the Wisconsin cheese fondue first and I'd say it was the best course. Very good cheese and who doesn't like bread dipped in cheese? Seriously.. everyone likes carbs and cheese. After the cheese fondue, we got salads. Blech. This tasted like a salad from McDonald's or something. I mean, would it kill you to not use iceburg lettuce? Blech! For the main course, boyfriend got chicken/steak/shrimp and I got the vegetarian. Neither of us were impressed. I thought it had minimal taste-thank god for all the dipping sauces they give us which are obviously there to disguise the lack of taste in the food. Ended the meal on a high note with dessert ... because just like cheese and bread, who doesn't like a giant pot of melted chocolate with rice krispies, fruit and brownies? The answer: everyone likes this. So, the food. I'd give it 3/5. Two good courses, two meh courses. Customer service though: BOO! As I said, we bought a Living Social voucher. We weren't aware that you weren't able to split the bill after using the voucher and waitress didn't tell us either (benefit of the doubt.. maybe she didn't know). Anyway, brought back our bills and were shocked at what we were paying without the Living Social voucher. Waited forever for the manager to show up and when she finally did we explained what happened. She was very rude about us trying to split the bill and seemed to be unable to come up with any solutions. Finally, she said she'd TRY to fix it for us and walked away in a huff. I'm sorry, but EVEN if we were the ones who made a huge mistake, we're still the paying customer. You should be gracious and apologize for the inconvenience.. not make us feel bad and then proceed to make us wait for an additional 35 minutes while you "try to correct our mistake". Blah. If the mediocre food wasn't enough, the ridiculous customer service is. Won't be back. Ever.
(1)Brittany Y.
My husband and I came here for my birthday and left FULL and satisfied! It was a really fun/unique experience and the food was delicious. We did the four course meal experience and got the Classic cheddar cheese, the California and Melting Pot salads, a few different meats to try, and the original chocolate (milk chocolate and crunchy peanut butter) fondue. WOW. YUM. I heard mixed reviews about this place, but we really enjoyed it and will definitely be back--even if it's just for the dessert.
(4)J. K.
My husband and I tried The Melting Pot for the first time recently on my birthday, and LOVED it. It was a wonderful dining experience, even better than I had imagined or hoped for. Our server was very personable, timed everything right, and encouraged us to take our time and just enjoy our evening. Perfect. We had the Classic Cheese Fondue, it came with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, granny smith apples, and assorted wedges of bread. Uh...yum! We scraped the bowl clean. We decided on two entrees that covered nearly the entire spectrum of proteins they offer so we could share a lil' bit of everything. We had: duck breast, sirloin steak, filet mignon, chicken, shrimp, and chicken potstickers. We also decided on the pot of oil to cook our entrees in and it came with two different batters to dip stuff in. Oh was this fun! We tried different combinations of everything, battered or "naked", you can even make your own cream cheese stuffed mushrooms, which is a big nom-nom for both of us. Oh, there's also a salad in between there, which is nice 'cause I like me a salad, especially if I'm gonna be dipping stuff in cheese and deep frying my food. You know, lettuce somehow magically cancels out some of those calories, right? Right?! Then there was dessert. I was really looking forward to this, but we were pretty full by then. We had the Turtle Chocolate fondue, it was crazy delicious, and came with brownies, blondies, marshmallows, pound cake, rice crispie treats, strawberries, and pineapple. I was in heaven, but also really full, and the chocolate was so rich we could only eat a couple bites and ended up taking the rest home. Overall, this place exceeded my expectations, and my husband and I left very happy and satisfied. I read the reviews before going and I did not experience any problems or negatives at all. We were very full, so they give you more than enough food. The price was great if you get the four course meal, I mean c'mon, appetizer, salad, entree, and dessert for $35 a person? And good quality food as well, we had duck, shrimp, and filet mignon for this price. It was fun, it was a intimate setting, we enjoyed our 2 1/2 hour meal together very much, and we really are excited to go back again soon.
(5)Debra C.
Nicki went above and beyond to explain everything and make this experience amazing. She made sure we were always taken care of, always had a smile on her face and always made sure we had as mile on our faces ! We will be returning because of her !
(5)El F.
We have been coming to this Melting Pot for many years now and I would say that this visit didn't disappoint. Tim, our server was great. Probably one of the best we've had. And although one doesn't go to the MP for a quick meal, there wasn't any kind of lag between courses as we've previously experienced. You know, when you juuuust get to the point where you think you've been forgotten and your server shows up? None of that this time. Also, he made me some kick**s cocktail sauce for my shrimp. My only objection to the meal is this: the prices have noticeably increased over the last couple years, to the point that you might start to question if two hours of "entertainment" of/with dinner is worth it for the rate you pay. And--the DIVINE chocolate course was NOTICEABLY smaller. Please don't shortchange the chocoholic!!!
(4)C D.
Went there for the first time tonight to celebrate our 20th anniversary. There were several disappointing parts. I agree with the reviewers who mentioned the hostess - it seems like she really hates her job. Not even a single smile or warm hello! For our anniversary, we were supposed to receive a scroll with 'this day in history' facts. It seems they forgot about it. When we were seated (they don't seat you a minute before your reservation time), we were taken to the couples area. Unfortunately we were seated next to the doorway to the main dining area. Lots of traffic by our table, and noise from the other area made this a less than desirable location. Since there were other tables available, they should have seated us elsewhere and only used that table when filled to capacity. We ordered the 4-course dinner, with cheddar fondue, house salad, Cajun spiced combination - French quarter and Land and Sea combination, with flaming turtle dessert fondue. It was interesting that each server gave different instructions and cooking times to the tables around us. I would have thought that they would have this exact. Our items took almost 50% more cooking time than some of the servers were saying - not good when you are dealing with raw meat! The cheese fondue was good, although the bread was a little tough. The salad was nothing special. I wouldn't bother ordering it a la carte. The French quarter meats were nicely spiced. It isn't an enormous amount of food, so we weren't stuffed. The only sauces we really liked were the green goddess (sour cream) and plum. The dessert fondue was a big mess. It was very runny and ended up all over. We had a club coupon for free strawberries. Good thing they were free because they were rotten. :( Overall, it was okay, but I doubt that we will be back.
(2)Sarah H.
Walked in on a Wednesday night at 6:20 pm. The hostess said she wouldn't seat us until 7:00 since we didn't have reservation. It didn't say on the door that reservations were required, nor that they are "strongly recommended." The manager tried to help us but I'm not feeling the love. My hubby always tells me to call, but I always say that's not necessary during the week. Did I mention that the place is nearly empty? I understand the concept well of not having staffed for unforseen customers, but not the attitude. Depending on the meal I may change my rating, but it's sub par at the moment.
(2)Sal W.
Good food, cool idea. Usually about $80 a person. It's tasty but not sure it's quite worth it. Great service. Not a huge issue but your clothes and hair end up smelling like cooking oil.
(3)Torrey R.
If it wasn't for the price, this place would be five stars. However most of those stars come from the ambiance and the efforts made by staff to make the evening wonderfully. They really do try to meet every request made while making a reservation all the way down to the booth preference. They excel at special events such as birthdays and anniversary's. It is hard to give stars on food that we cook ourselves and since we have always ordered the fondue, I can't comment on how the food is prepared. I can say that if you order fondue for two people the way they have it set up, you will never eat it all. We ordered only one plate for the entree and dessert but ordered two servings of the cheese and salads and we were stuffed. Certainly give this place a try but come with a full wallet.
(4)Stephanie T.
An okay place if you have a lot of time...& money or if you are feeling a little nostalgic for the 1970's, as this is a fondue restaurant The menu is divided up into three courses, the first consists of dipping bread and vegetables in cheese. Second course, is comprised of an arrangements of vegetables and meat that are dipped in hot oil that you cook yourself. Third course is what they were famous for which consists of pieces of cheesecake, brownies, rice crispies, cookies and strawberries dipped in chocolate. Some people come just for dessert or dessert and cheese. I would highly recommend this as we were totally stuffed after the second course entrée. Service was... less than... okay. We had a reservation and were seated right away. We had to rely on that waiter because we really didn't know but we were ordering. I would have liked him to be more help in the area of suggesting, as we ordered way too much food for my husband, three children and me. I would also recommend looking at the menu on-line before going so you get an idea of what you would like and prices. Problems started when I noticed the burner on our table kept turning off and the waiter was repeatedly restarting it, which caused for a problem because the cheese, oil or chocolate we ere eating needed to be hot.... The waiter also seemed a little discombobulated as he served us the cheese w/out fondue forks. As my children started dipping the bread in hot cheese, with no forks, it caused for a hazardous situation. I tried to flag down another waiter but was ignored. Finally another customer was able to tell their waiter who came to our rescue. I usually try to stay away form chain restaurant but I thought this would be fun for our children ages 9-15, which despite the flaws.... it was fun for them. Be prepared to stay awhile, as the entire experience took about 3 hours.
(3)Bethany V.
I took my boyfriend here for his birthday. I had let the place know it was a special occasion. When we were seated there was a birthday card for him! It only got better from there! We ended up doing the four course deal and started with the cheddar cheese fondue. It was AMAZING. They mix up the fondue right in front of you! They had breads and pears and vegetables to dip in the cheese and all were great. Next was the salad course and we both had the Caesar. It had the most delicious Parmesan crusted pine nuts on it. For the main course I got a mix of teriyaki sirloin, orange duck breast, citrus pork, and chicken potstickers. They were all fab. My boyfriend got chicken, filet, shrimp and lobster. Everything was delicious cooked in a hot oil and then dipped in one of the delicious sauces. Finally we had our chocolate fondue for dessert and it was phenomenal! Above all, the service was outstanding. Our waitress was above and beyond anything I would expect.
(5)Ben B.
Your paying a lot for the fondu experience...so if you like dipping your food in fondu its worth it, but the price does not match the quality of food. I would rather spent a little more at a finer restaurant then eat here...i bet you wouldn't have to spend a little more. If my friends see this review, I'm sorry...they love this place, but more so for the memories than the food.
(3)Amanda S.
Wonderful, fun dining experience. Great service.
(4)Haley B.
If you want a girls night out, date night, or birthday celebration... This is the right place to be. They have delicious fondues, but I would personally only come here for 1 meal. Either do dessert only, or do the dinner fondue. The dessert fondue is chocolate fondue served with a variety of fruits and candies. So far a positive review, but the real reason I am taking off two stars is because of pricing. Ridiculously overpriced if you asked me. For just a little platter of items, it can be 20+ dollars. Other than cost, if this item was somehow given to me for free I would say that their food is spot on. Delicious taste, but not delicious pricing. Only go here if you really want to do something special with your friends or family at a gathering. Come on your birthday and hey, they give you free cheesecake! Who can beat free cheesecake? Anyway, I would say that you should go here. Very nice employees and very clean. So all and all, way to go melting pot! But PLEASE bring down your pricing.
(3)Patricia N.
This is a "once in a blue moon kind of place," especially for the price. I recently enjoyed a surprise anniversary dinner at The Melting Pot. We had late reservations for 9:00pm. We got there at 8:45, but weren't seated until 9:15, even behind people that had reservations at 8:30 but came after us. We had the "Big Night Out America" : Boston Lager Cheddar Cheese Fondue, Wisconsin Wedge Salad, Caesar Salad, "Lobster Indulgence" w/ Old Bay Shrimp, Buffalo Chicken, Memphis BBQ Pork Tenderloin, and wild mushrooms Coq au Vain style, Chocolate Wildberry Crunch Fondue, and a bottle of bubbly Moscato. The ambiance was nice, but the decor was a bit outdated. We were seated in a romantic booth, which I wasn't expecting. The service was terrific! Late in the evening, the manager, stopped by to check on us and even offered us a complimentary champagne toast with dessert. Sadly, there must've been a miscommunication because we never received it. Although it was delicious, I'm not sure it was exactly worth the price: $94 for four courses, and a $30 bottle of wine. Add tip onto that it's a whopping $160 for a nice dinner date.
(4)Mike H.
WOW, had heard alot about The Melting Pot. Some good, some bad. I have to say that the people that can't enjoy this place are looking for something that can't be found. We went for our 22nd anniversary, and surprised the wife as she had wanted to go for a long time. Well its well worth the cost. I can't believe I gut stuffed on the food as it seemed the portions were soo small, but with several courses and drinks you get filled up quick. The explosion of individual flavors was worth it and was an excellent experience. Would recommend to anyone.
(4)John H.
Go with a few cheese fondues, and then a dessert. The big night out and other main course meals are overpriced for what you get, are a pain in the ass to cook, and just not that good. Expensive, and you could do it at home cheaper, but if it's date night, it's romantic.
(3)Allie M.
I loved dining at the melting pot, it is the perfect restaurant for celebrating an occasion with someone special. They offer special booths for couples and it is very romantic. I've had reservations each time I've dined at the melting pot. My ex boyfriend took me here for the first time for prom and it was fun to try something completely different. I had never had fondue before and I was very impressed. I have also gone to the melting pot for dessert with some girlfriends and it was fun because they were able to accommodate for a large party and the desert menu is fabulous.
(4)Elli V.
To tell you the truth, the value for the money is not worth it. There was 4 of us last night, each had the 4-course dinning experience the total (without alcohol was $190). The cheese was good, but compare to last time when my husband and i went by ourselves, they gave us the same amount which seemed unfair, but their pot is one size so its limited. The salad was good, also very small. The dinner also very small. I had three 1-inch squares of mahi, 3 squares of filet, 3 shrimp and lobster. Its just very sad looking when you see it, like, thats it? Sigh...ok. They switched their menu and for some reason, and last time I remember thinking: wow, thats a lot of food, after getting the Big Night Out. I was still a bit hungry until we got the dessert which was very good Flaming Turtle chocolate. Overall: we probably won't go back, not often people have a few hundred buck to waste, if you do, be my guest, its fun, slow (for some reason there was ALOT of waiting between courses, at least 10 to 15 min, which feels like an eternity when you're hungry) but its an experience. And our waitress did not keep my water filled, I finished my class, then my husbands and another 20 min later she offered water for the first time. So $200 and 2 hours later we wished we would have went to Ruth's Chris or Benihana.
(3)Balaguruprasad N.
My wife and my birthday are pretty close and so we decided to go midway between the two days. We made a reservation about 4 days prior and arrived a few minutes early. We were seated on time, and were served by very courteous waitress. We went for the four course meal for 2 and started off with the Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue and we then had the California salad and the house salad. For the entree, we had the good earth vegetarian, both of being vegetarian. I had it as offered, but my wife substituted the Thai peanut marinated tofu for more artichokes. We had it Bourguignonne style where we fried our entree at the table. The entree was served with 2 batters and 5 sauces. The mushroom sachetti was particularly good. We did not eat all the entree as we were starting to get satiated and wanted to save space for dessert. We had the traditional pure milk chocolate fondue with strawberries, bananas, pound cakes, brownies and marshmallows. Overall the ambiance and the experience were great. There was one guest seated next to us who was particularly inebriated when he entered, but the management was very polite, prompt and decisive in making sure that the guest was not a nuisance for others. The food, ambiance and service were all great.
(5)Nikki B.
Yes we were celebrating a special occasion. Me & my ex went here last month. I decided to write a review about it. So we dressed up of course I ordered the "Love Martini" I'm not a drinker so it had me a little happy after one sip. I ended up giving him the rest & ordered the "Blackberry Sage Lemonade." this stuff was totally delicious. You can get is spiked or non-spiked. After the first drink I decided to keep it non alcoholic. This was a bitter sweet because this was technically our first and last date because he moved out of town the next day. We ordered the four course meal for two priced at $89 bucks. This place is not fit for a recession budget, so I would only recommend it for a special occasion or anniversary. Maybe also if you're just into impressing that special someone. I ordered chicken with some type of fiesta cheese fondue sauce. The "Wisconsin Wedge salad was pretty good as well. The dessert was delicious, I selected the bananas, strawberries with pound cake with chocolate fondue. I have to be honest although it was good the serving portions for everything was rather small. Besides this, I still think that it was a bit over priced. Overall, I tested it out, I liked it, I would do it again however I will be moving in a couple of months. so this may be my last review for Indianapolis.:) So glad that I will have a place to come back to, that I like when I visit home.
(4)Katie C.
After constantly hearing how awesome The Melting Pot was, I was excited that we actually live near one now. We planned a date night and went on the Sunday after Valentine's Day. We spent some time in the bar while we waited (Not their fault, we were crazy early for the reservation in our excitement to be on a date and without the kids), I had some martini with espresso in it and it was so good. The bar tender was adorable. She looked exhausted, but she was friendly and efficient and had full tables when we walked in. She was great at getting our orders and helping the couple next to us with their fondue. When we were seated, our server could not have been more charming. I suppose you have to be a people person to be a server there since you spend so much time at one table. He was so sweet and very helpful since it was our first time there. We had whatever the Big Night Out has been changed to. Our booth was so nice and quiet. The atmosphere was perfect for date night. We had the spicy queso, I had the house salad and my husband had what I think was the California Salad or something similar. We both loved our salads. I don't remember what my entree was called but it had peppered steak and that was amazing. For dessert, we had their special White Chocolate Creme Brulee- SO delicious. I loved everything about my experience there and can't wait to go again.
(5)Morgan J.
I really enjoy this place! The whole setting is very intimate. The servers are friendly and helpful. The food is yummy and plentiful. This is more than just dinner-- it's a complete fondue experience! My only complaint is that cocktails are kind of pricey for their quality, but the rest that The Melting Pot has to offer far outweighs that. I'm looking forward to my next visit and recommend this place to anyone looking for a neat, romantic dinner.
(5)Julie D.
The first chain restaurant I've been to in many many months. And I like it! And I helped! Lol Seriously, I actually left here feeling full but didn't need to roll myself out to the car afterwards. I wasn't even doing the post-Melting Pot waddle! As expected, everything tasted exactly as it should and was satisfying. The new Beer Cheese Fondue is a must for anyone who hasn't been in awhile. Great flavor, you could really taste the beer and the seasonings but not so much as to overpower the main ingredient CHEESE! Mushroom salad could use more mushrooms but that's a purely personal opinion. We opted for 2 orders of the Surf and Turf in the red wine bouillon. (I've had the Pacific Rim before and it's not up to par for food quality). The Bouillon is the key to avoiding the post-dinner waddle, btw! I didn't care for them trying to sell me their brand of a spice blend I can get myself at Penzey's Spices. The Chocolate Cookies 'n Cream desert again just as yummy as the last time. I loved that they added rice crispies to the desert plate! Like pretty much all chain restaurants I got consistency and decent service. Although the food quality may not be of the highest caliber it's certainly good enough. Yes, it's a romantic atomsphere....for the general public. But don't take a Foodie here for romance. There are far better options. But if you just want some Fondue (damn it!) there's no better place to go.
(3)Tim G.
It's a nice place to eat still. You cook yourself so there is no-one to blame. My wife, son (4yrs), mother and father-in-law ate here recently. We were seated in a separate area for families with small children. This area is the same as the rest of the restaurant. Our waitress was nice but the service was a little slow. It was a Thursday night and was not very busy, only about 30% occupied from the time we arrived and left. The only thing I have to say is it is a little expensive for what you get. Our server didn't remove empty drinks and plates in a timely way, in fact we had to put them on the table next to us because our table was way to cluttered!! I think they need to hire extra staff for the amount they are charging. She acted very busy, and she may have been, but I just didn't see much business to warrant this. I think it was a little inattentiveness,... and may have been much for "her" particularly. I had to ask her 3 times to dim the light because it was so bright reflecting off of our plates we couldn't look down. Finally another waiter dimmed them. It was my wife's favorite place to eat, but not really anymore. Service is slow, menu can be confusing, when the food arrives some of the meat types should be pointed out on the plate, when it arrives. Yes,... We can tell the difference! But some of the different seasonings make it hard to tell. ( I know turn up the lights!) it use to be really fun to go here the first few years they opened, but it seems now they have slacked off on trying to do a terrific job, now you barely get a good job. I spent $350 + $65 tip. The tip made me angry because I want to tip,.. but we received $5 service. I can't knock the food or portions but the service has gone down hill. Oh ya, the little maitre'd "chick" thinks she's really fabulous, ..she's not. Last thing thing we want to deal with when we relax and open up our wallet is a more deserving adolescent.
(3)Jill W.
Met two friends there and while I had been there before, we did not make reservations - so after moving us around a bit, we were seated at the bar. Our server (bartender) was terrific, but it was a bit difficult to share the fondue the way we were seated. Seeing empty tables in the restaurant, we wondered if it was a shortage of staff and not tables that meant we were at the bar. It can be pricey but you might as well go for the whole experience and get the four courses. And relax, the nice thing about having courses that our served more leisurely - is that you do not get full too fast, and you have time to relax and enjoy your company. We had the traditional Cheese fondue which was mostly Swiss, a selection of sirloin, shrimp, tuna, and chicken and ended with the cookies&creme chocolate fondue.
(4)Wendy L.
I was disappointed with the Melting Pot. The food was ok. The bread was stale with no flavor. I think for what it cost the 2 of us ($95 tip included)and that's without ordering alcohol , it should've been better. The only reason I gave it 2 stars, was because the waiter was excellent! That's it!
(2)Double-Dash C.
I like it. We come with the whole family and always have a great time. It is pricey, and I recommend getting fewer courses. Cheese and dessert is win. Cheese and salad and meats and dessert is overkill sometimes.
(4)E B.
Anyone who doesn't like probably didn't try the drinks!! Black and white is my favorite.
(4)Fi H.
I recently visited this location for a business dinner. I wouldn't recommend it for this type of event, as it took about 4 hours for 6 of us to eat and we all agreed we smelled so badly we all needed to shower upon leaving (since very fragrant food is cooked at the tables). I unfortunately had an entire glass of wine spilled in my lap at the beginning of our meal by a server. I was soaked completely through all my clothes and was only given a new glass of wine as compensation. I definitely won't be returning. I may have considered if they had tried luring me back with a complementary gift certificate or special offer as compensation for my evening I spent in wet clothes. For those of you who are brave enough to take the adventure to this restaurant, I would recommend not ordering a "package menu" with all courses included, most everyone in our group agreed the mix of food and variety of strong spices and flavors proved to be too much for our stomachs.
(2)Mike T.
This is a fondue restaurant. Your table has a burner in the middle, and this is where your meal will be cooked, by you. The pace of the meal will be leisurely. Your experience begins with an appetizer, such as a cheese mixture prepared at your table by the server - ours included Budweiser, cheddar, worchester, Parmesan, and ground pepper. You're give skewers with colored handles - each person gets their own color. You're served a bowl of bread chunks, veggies, and apple slices to dip in the melted cheese. You move on to a tasty salad, followed by an entree. Your entree is a selection of raw meat that you skewer and cook in a pot of boiling broth. The server also brings a bowl of veggies, and several sauces - terryaki, Ginger plum, curry, ranch, etc. I highly recommend ordering a desert. A pot of melted chocolate and bananas, strawberries, cheesecake, and more to dip in it! The price is on the high side - about $50 per person for entree, appetizer, desert, and soft drinks. They have a huge selection of wines, so if you order drinks, plan to pay more.
(5)Jenny K.
This fondue thing is just not my cup of tea. I was really excited to try it since I've never had fondue before, but I realize that it's just not for me. The 2 rating is not indicative of anything the restaurant really did, but more of a personal preference. The service was actually pretty good. We ordered a big night out special with the lobster. I am just not good at cooking my own food hence why I go out to eat. The lobster was either always undercooked or overcooked. The same went with all the other food we put in the fondue. I just wasn't that great at doing it and at the end of the night, I just did not feel that it was worth the money spent on the meal. I could have spent $125 at a nice restaurant where the food was prepared perfectly. I will most likely not give it a try again unless it was for the dessert fondue, which is not that bad. Also, I do agree with the other reviewers, the portions are small, but one thing I have to say is that you will get full from the meal.
(2)Jarrett V.
This place is definitely great at what it does, but I'm just not a big fan of the whole fondue thing. It takes a very long time, is very messy, and it isn't all that filling for the price. The items that I "fondued" were very tasty, as was the cheese and chocolate fondues, so as far as this genre of food, this place is top notch.
(3)Maggie B.
I went here with some friends and really enjoyed myself. Its very interesting to watch them make the fondue and how to cook in the broth (so Ive seen how to do it and can do it at home with friends for obviously a lot cheaper.) It was last month, but our (i split it with a friend) cheese foudue started with sauteed garlic (probably in oil and with some other stuff), then the shredded cheese (half swiss and chedder?) and they added about a cup of Sam Addams Boston Lager. I had no idea it was that easy. Cooking my food in the broth (i got the vegetarian - veggies and tofu) was fun to do too. (But if your a veggie you could be sharing broth with the meats.) The dessert was a chocolate fondue that we dipped various cubes of sweets into. My friends ordered cocktails ($10), and I meant to try it, but there was this one that had muddled basil! Why didnt i try it!? It might have been some sort of mojito. It looked really good. So without cocktails or wine, I spent $45 after spliting the 3 course meal with a friend. I enjoyed the atmosphere, learning how the pros make fondue, and hanging with a big group of friends. Totally worth it.
(3)Jamison R.
We went to the Melting Pot last night to celebrate a friend's birthday. It was fine. Not great, not bad. The reason for the two stars is that I think it's expensive for what you get. I agree with Kasey about money melting from pockets. There were 4 of us and we ordered two of the 3 course fondue experiences for 2. It was $60 a couple and included cheese fondue, a salad and then an assortment of fish, beef, chicken & veggies to cook in broth (by the way the broth we picked -- coq au vin -- cost us an extra $6 per couple). I have no idea why. Maybe because there was wine inthe broth? Anyway, the food was fine. In addition, we'd done a little research prior to getting there & found out from their website that Wednesdays were 1/2 price bottles of wine for those under $50/bottle. When we got our bill, I noticed the discount wasn't taken off. I asked the waiter & he said "I don't think we're doing that anymore but I'll check with the manager". Lo & behold they actually were still offering the deal. So we did get our wine at a discount. Overall I wasn't impressed. The food was so so and the atmosphere kind of blah (& the place was quite empty). Over $200 for the 4 of us with our wine discount as well as a $25 off coupon.
(2)Barry M.
Good service but you need to plan on 2 hours plus for the meal. One of the more expensive places but is neat for a special occasion. Food is very good. Plan on 50 dollars a person if you want to have plenty to eat.
(3)Todd R.
Just to let Cody know. My previous review was not fake, I did go to the restaurant and I was absolutely insulted that I had to cook tiny portions of my own food. I was hungry and was not about to cook with inferior equipment to that of my fully equipped kitchen/grill at home. Boo to you for defending a useless chain. If you want to pay $80 to starve, that's your option, but state your opinion, and don't attack mine, jerk (or jerkette if that's they case with such a androgynous name!)
(1)Steve W.
Historically I have only come to the melting pot for a date night, romantic experience. My wife loves it, so I planned a surprise birthday dinner for her with family on Easter. I made a reservation for a party of 11, including 3 children. To my surprise, they had a children's menu. It is only a scaled down version of normal, but it is lower cost. They also allowed the parents to just share their food with the children. We were seated in the large party room which was nice. We didn't need to be quiet or worry about disturbing other guests that were there for the intimate setting. The manager even made my wife a surprise plate with happy birthday written in chocolate and a candle in one of the deserts. My only issue with the place is that they don't have any beer on draft. Not local, not domestic. Nothing. I did enjoy a fountain square preachers daughter, but I would have preferred a local beer on tap. Overall, the melting pot is a great location for any special occasion. Just make sure you have a reservation.
(4)Jennifer V.
Went to try to enjoy an impromptu dessert with my family. Despite being able to count 6 empty tables from walking past the windows upon entry and standing in the lobby, we were denied a table as the hostess said they were full. We won't be returning.
(1)Ron R.
My first time to the Melting Pot. I was taken here for my B-day since we both love Fondue so much. Honestly, I've avoided this place for a while because I've heard it was really expensive for fondue. We decided to get a cheese fondue as well as entree fondue. We started off with the Alpine Classic cheese Fondue for 2 and it was great. Just like a traditional Fondue should taste. They provide you with french bread, honey wheat bread, apples and vegetables. I can firmly say, we loved this portion of our meal. Next we had our oil fondue for entrees. I had a mixed plate which was Ahi Tuna, Duck Breast and Pork Medallions. She had the "Summer catch" which was scallops, crab claw, shrimp and Ahi Tuna. The entree comes with mushrooms and broccoli as well as sauces on the side to mix and match different flavors. Everything here was very good in my opinion, but there were 2 stand-outs. The Ahi Tuna was phenomenal and the Pork Medallions were also amazing. The only thing that holds me back from giving this place the full 5 star is the fact that you do not get a large portion of meat in your entree for the price. This is the reason I think people call this place expensive. An entree is roughly $25 and you get about 6-7oz of meat roughly. That is basically $50-55 a pound which is brutal for a non-steakhouse. We both agreed that we would come back, but just for the cheese fondue next time as it really was our favorite part of the night.
(4)Shane D.
I was taken here for a date night surprise. Having my doubts I would enjoy a fondue restaurant and doubting the exterior appearance of the building I began my meal doubtful I would enjoy the experience. As being seated I noticed each booth to be a private and romantic setting so I opened my mind to the experience. While being greeted by a very kind wait service it was explained to me for the first time that I would be cooking my own meal which turned me off on the venue once again. Keeping an open mind, I watched as the servers prepared a fondue pot for us to cook each of our courses. The prep work and instruction made it very simple and intimate to cook and/or enjoy each course. Every menu item I tasted was delicious! I would definitely recommend doing the four course experience to minimize cost and maximize the experience. As a one time guest I would recommend you allow 2-3 hours for this, but you won't regret it!
(5)Shelly R.
Romantic private setting. A little confusing for our first time as there are 4 ways to prepare your food. It was a little pricey. We got a 3 course dinner for two with one beer and 1 mixed drink and it was $80. The dessert was the best part. The other entrees were average. It Completely filled us up. We finished eating at 4 pm and didn't need to eat again until lunch the next day. Would consider going back with a groupon or promotion.
(3)Sabrina S.
I'll start out by saying I LOVED the cheese fondue appetizer. That gets 5 stars. However, I feel like boiling a filet and lobster tail is a culinary injustice. It just ruins it! I will probably go back and just sit in the bar and enjoy the cheese fondue at some point. I wish they offered a better craft beer selection. It was almost nonexistent. Side note: My hair, skin and clothing absolutely reeked like their mojo broth. Continuing to smell that scent throughout the night and into the morning just made this place unappetizing for the future. I guess that is just part of the "experience."
(3)T Q.
Fondue and entree were great,salad was average, dessert was below average(too much sugar and too little chocolate). Without groupon,it's a little bit overpriced, if possible, try to get a deal from Groupon (50 for 30).
(4)Leann P.
The Melting Pot is one of my favorite places to eat when I want to just take time for good food and good friends! I love the peaceful ambiance that is conducive to a nice, long meal. The waiters and waitresses are helpful and never make you feel rushed. If you make reservations ahead of time and tell them about a special event you'll be in for, they write you a card. It's personal touches like this that make me willing to pay the extra money for a special, incredibly delicious meal!
(5)Natalie M.
I loved this place was the best meal I've tried in years.. Don't leave without having desert ! Loved the YING YANG chocolate..great service very different than any other placed I've been too! Defiantly coming back with my son!
(5)Tommy M.
Has a habit of turning guests away under the guise of no tables when clearly they were not close to being full. Former long term patron.
(1)Andrew M.
The ambiance and lighting make for a romantic dinner. If you go with a larger group, there are big tables too. For the amount of money this place costs, I expected a more professional server. Ours forgot ingredients and brought us the wrong food a couple of times. He was friendly enough, but took a long time to serve each course correctly.
(4)Nic J.
I really wanted to love this place. I really did. But it just wasn't that great. It was good, but for the price it should be so much better. I mean, come on, for over $100 for 2 I would like more than some measly little pieces of meat and raw veggies. Oh boy, I get to cook it myself- whoop-tee-doo! However, our service was great and I liked the dessert. But it just wasn't worth the cost.
(2)Tom W.
It has been several years since the last visit to the Melting Pot. I always remember is being a pleasant and tasty experience, and this was not different. First of all, the venue is much lighter and more appealling since the move and remodel. The service was spot on. We had the four course dinner starting with an outstanding lager and cheese fondue. I am a sucker for any restaurant that prepared a dish at the table. The main course was more than enough food and we shared the classic meat platter with well seasoned meats and seafood, as well as the vegetarian platter. Dessert was a chocolate fondue again prepared at the table. Every bite delicious.
(5)Kara F.
Do you want to pay an arm and a leg to cook small portions of your own food in a bland atmosphere with lackluster service? Then Melting Pot is for you! I went there last night with friends - my 2nd ever visit - and have decided I won't be back. Seriously, this place is a rip-off. Sure, cooking food yourself is the point of a fondue restaurant, and it's kind of fun, but what they charge you for raw food is ridiculous. Though tasty, portions for salads, cheese, and meats are tiny. When ordering, we were struggling to understand how much food we would get with the different options, and our waiter was very unhelpful with that. He was nice overall, but didn't have a manner that matched the expense of the restaurant. Also, he blazed ahead with putting mustard powder in the cheese fondue - barely giving our mustard-loathing friend a chance to stop him, so we had to ask him to start over. That turned out fine, but was a little awkward, and waiters should ask before doing this because not everyone likes mustard! Also, service was supremely slow. We picked a bad restaurant to go to when we were very hungry and thirsty. We waited probably 15 minutes just to get waters after asking for them. One of our friends was about to eat the menu when our tiny salads finally arrived. When the meats arrived, only one set of vegetables arrived too, and the waiter said the kitchen had to "make more." ... They are RAW vegetables - no "making" is involved! Then, the whole payment process at the end took about 20 minutes. One thing I have to give props for is that the woman who bussed the table turned out to be a manager. Ending the experience with someone who can actually address any issues you might have had is a smart move. Finally, I'm surprised people think of this restaurant as romantic. It is embarrassing for Indianapolis that this was voted as the most romantic restaurant in city. The decor is uninspired at best. Save your money for somewhere with more character.
(3)Crystal M.
I made a reservation for Melting Pot the night I was proposing to my girlfriend, when we arrived for a celebratory dinner the restaurant had no record of our reservation. Luckily for me, I had taken a screen shot of my confirmation and was able to prove the reservation had been made for that night. We ended up waiting a short time for a table, instead of seating us in a private booth-as requested in the confirmation, we were stuck at a table in the middle of a large dinning room. Not exactly the atmosphere I was hoping for the night of my engagement. We ordered the yin yang desert and as always the desert and chocolate was phenomenal, our server took very good care of us and even provided complimentary beverages for us to celebrate with. Over all, the food and table service was exceptional but I was very disappointed with their accommodations. Two stars for table service and complementary beverages.
(2)Libby B.
The Melting Pot is probably best as a special occasion visit. However, the more you go, the better it is! You get more familiar with the cooking times on the main course, and you can experience more of their varieties! If you sign up for their email list, you get some great coupons and notification of special events and pricing! The atmosphere is great, and the service is excellent. Every server I've had has been friendly and very nice to talk to while making our cheese fondues. The green goddess spread for the meat is my favorite sauce they have! I think anyone could find something they like here. The drink selection is excellent as I'm a big martini drinker.
(5)Mike H.
The Melting Pot was very, very, very, very, very, very bad. If you're looking for mediocre, overpriced food in a pseudo-hip, pseudo-clean atmosphere then The Melting Pot is for you! It started with the clueless front area host staff...not sure if you need to practice being that disinterested in accommodating guests as they walk in, but they must have advanced training in how to cop an attitude in a strip mall franchise restaurant. After traversing a maze of empty tables (should have been a warning to us) the absurdly snooty server quickly became annoyed after we needed simple clarification regarding the menu. Once we finally understood how to order, I elected the "4 Course" option involving a starter course of cheese fondue accompanied with bits of green apple, bread and pieces of broccoli, cauliflower and those little baby carrots we feed our 7 year old. The vegetables were obviously not fresh, because my wife couldn't tell if the broccoli was yellow or if the dimmed lighting just made it look a few days past prime. One taste confirmed it wasn't the lighting. At best that was completely average - at least the cheese covered up the anemic yellowish color. I've had much better cheese-based appetizers at any number of area brewpubs. My poor wife elected the "individual entrée" option and missed out on the cheese fondue first course as well as the obviously pre-made borderline frozen salad right out of Shoney's playbook. The pace of the service was beyond slow...it was down-right ridiculous. The bullion fondue cooking liquid tasted suspiciously like a Raman noodle flavor packet with some green scallions thrown in so it wouldn't look like a Raman noodle flavor packet. The entrées looked OK and it was sort of a novel experience cooking the little chunks of chicken, beef and pork in the fondue. The Captain D's reject shrimp was a joke and I recalled one of David Spade's best lines from "Tommy Boy" - some were obviously netted right after they had dined on Thanksgiving feast! Beware beer lovers...bottles only, and a scant selection at that. After receiving the bill, we had $191.00 reasons never to go back...and that's with all of us drinking water. (I did have one luke-warm bottled Sam Adam's with dinner...). Restaurants like The Melting Pot make you feel strangely good about yourself since you can look forward to having a great story when you're discussing things that suck with your friends.
(1)Brian M.
My wife and I decided it would be a good idea to take our two preschoolers to fondue. (As I type this, I am calling myself nuts!). We called for a reservation and the only one available was 3:30 - we took it. First off - a tip for dining here with young children- if you are going to do it, this is a good time. The restaurant is not crowded. It takes a couple hours, so we were leaving at 5:30. We got cheese, dinner, and Chocolate. They offer kids portions of everything, but for us, there was enough food by only ordering for the two of us and letting them share. Cheese: we loved it. It was fun. The kids could do the cheese on their own. They mostly just ate the items without dipping in the cheese though. Main dish: we ordered a trio for each of us. This let each of us order three smaller portions. We ordered: chicken, shrimp, tuna, spinach ravioli, chicken pasta, and something else (I can't remember because the kids are it all :)). Since we ordered two, we got one with oil and one with broth for cooking. Then we could cook any with either style. We liked the broth better. The kids liked everything- except the tuna - fine with me! Chocolate: we got one dark and one milk with peanut butter. Of course we all liked this! It really is better to wait a while for it to melt, but that's difficult. On this I don't care for all the sweets that come with it to dip in chocolate. I would prefer to only have fruit. That may be an option- I didn't think about it until just now... Drat All in all it was a fun trip. Two hours in a restaurant with preschoolers- it wasn't all fun. But, the staff helped and was great. The gave them paper and pens to color. The gave us to-go boxes (my wife asked: good idea sweetie!). The boxes were good so we could pack up extras as we needed it and didn't have to wait. The bill - $150 with tip. We only had water to drink. Seems a bit steep for a lunch. We knew what we were getting into, but I didn't think it'd be that much. I think there is probably a way to have made that cheaper and still had enough food. Que' sera. No regrets, I'd do it over, but probably won't do it again for a while.
(4)Kyle R.
Pros +Nice for groups who want to hang out for a bit +main entrées +dessert Cons -the front staff was very awkward, they all seemed to not know what was going on, and they had very poor people skills. Luckily waitress was just fine -venue isn't all that, look old and beat up on the inside -if you don't reserve they seem to really not care for your service. Walk ins don't feel as welcomed -the bread and cheese part was not good at all. Boring all around and really didn't start the night out well Overall: It was nice to try something different. I feel this idea could be better realized. The 4 course meals is 50/50, with the opening being weak, (the cheese part with bread and vegetables), salad was very plain, then finally entrée, now this was some very nice tasting food! And dessert (stingy on the dippables) but overall it was an "ok" experience.
(3)Ryan C.
Everything I ordered from my salad to my beer was pretty much suggested by my server drew. He was by far the most fantastic server I've ever had.
(5)Hannah S.
Our waitress changed our minds from confused to excited when we came to the melting pot for not only our first time but our anniversary, a young blonde woman named Tierra helped us. The food was awesome and the service was impeccable! Thank you for a wonderful dinner, it means the world!
(5)Matt K.
I love the idea. Fondue is fun and I would love to see a real competitor arise in Indy (though fondue can be had elsewhere...see the end of this review). I know this can be done better. The hostesses and the seating procedure at this Melting Pot consistently disappoint. This was our third visit and they are not friendly and, as others have mentioned, they have a weird policy about seating where they won't seat you a minute before you reservation no matter how empty the place is and when we came in without a reservation she actually rolled her eyes and said it would be a 45 minute wait despite the restaurant being less than half full. Here's the most recent scenario: There are three girls behind the desk and lots of people standing just inside the door, away from the cold wanting their attention. We approached. We have a reservation this time. Barely eye contact, unfriendly tone and told me we would have to wait until all of my party got here. Not a big deal, maybe she's having a rough night. Instead of jostling for space in the crowded lobby, we made my way over to the empty bar for a drink. We start to pull the stool back and the bartender is already rushing me to take my order. She has me my receipt before I even have my jacket off and then ran off to chat with one of the servers in the corner. It's not the worst service in Indy, it's just not great either. The fondue is tasty, but far too expensive for a strip mall chain restaurant. There are so many restaurants in Indy that the standards are set high. In my opinion, a restaurant really has to, at the very least, have good food for reasonable prices with good service to be worthwhile for a visit, because, if not, there are a dozen other places already doing just that. If you're OK with indifferent to unpleasant service for higher than reasonable prices, then you'll probably enjoy yourself here. If not, Broad Ripple Brewpub, Corner Wine Bar, Northside Social, Ocean Prime and Trader's Point Creamery are all options where you can satisfy your fondue craving.
(2)Joe L.
I think this place is not worth the money, the desert was the only reason I gave it 3 stars. The staff was very helpful, but for 3 of us to eat there, $136.00 is not worth it. Could have went somewhere else and got a lot better dinner for half the price.
(3)John H.
I went to the Melting Pot for the first time yesterday with my girlfriend to celebrate our anniversary. I went, not really knowing what to expect. I realized shortly after I arrived, that it was going to be an experience! The friendly staff there really made my first time at this establishment an experience, rather that a traditional sit down and just order something. They made sure to recognize that we were there for an event by giving us a hand written note and even candles on our desert! We will definitely being going back!
(5)Heath M.
I went to the Melting Pot on a date with my girlfriend for the "North Side Nights" festival that is going on currently (which I highly recommend checking out). First off, I have to give kudos to their reservations; I originally had reservations for 5:45 but I ended up getting called into work and they were able to bump them back to 7:45 and totally saving our date night. We showed up and were curious about the dress code (we were dressed business) and we saw people dressed in gym shorts and sweatshirts to suits and dresses, so I am not sure what the actual dress code is here. We were seated quickly and the initial staff members were very nice. We were seated in the back corner, quite romantically (that was pretty cool). Our server Nicki was phenomenal throughout the entire meal. We started off with a bottle of wine and the Cheddar Cheese fondue with bread, apples, and veggies. Nicki said there was garlic mixed in with the fresh cheddar and it was absolutely delicious. We then ordered the Land and Sea (chicken, shrimp, steak) and the French Quarter (same except with Andouille Sausage and spicier) with a type of wine based broth (sorry, I cannot remember what it was exactly). It came out and had mixed veggies in it and was very good. This is the first time I had been at a restaurant like this and I really enjoyed cooking my own meal. Nicki was very informative in how to cook and spice and sauce everything correctly, along with giving her own personal descriptions of what she likes to mix and match, which is always appreciated. For desert we had the original chocolate and peanut butter melt with Rice Krispies (I was sold right there), cake, cookie, and brownies. It was seriously delicious and so sweet that Wilford Brimley could make a commercial just off of this meal The manager, Keith came out checked on us and asked how our visit was. He was very polite and genuinely courteous. I would definitely recommend checking out the Melting Pot for a date night. It also seemed that they handled large groups as well! I will definitely be back! Overall, on the price it was around $90, which I thought was maybe a little high, but not enough to deter me from going back.
(4)Jennifer S.
Service was great, food was really good! Our server Devyn was very on top of it. Explained everything very well and was very friendly and pleasant. Great little place to celebrate any occasion.
(5)Naser A.
My family loves this place. It was the first to go there. We got the chocolate pot, and the spinach artichoke pot too. All I can tell you that its so delicious!!! Make sure, each one gets a serving, or two because its amazing. The dips are refills, so as long your pot is filled you can ask more for dips. I'd say this place would be amaIng for a special celebration, graduation or anniversary. The waitress, and staff are really friendly.
(5)Tran T.
Went here the other night with my boyfriend and two friends. It was a spontaneous trip therefore we did not make a reservation. We were there on a Sunday at 6pm. The restaurant didn't seem busy at all. The hostess asked if we had a reservation and I said no. We had no idea it we had to make a reservation. The hostess tells us we can either sit in the bar area or wait until 730 for dinner. She made it sound like they were filled with reservations for the night and that we HAVE to make a reservation. Since it was a spontaneous trip, the bar area worked for us. We weren't picky, just happy to try it out since none of us have ever been there. Food was good. It was a fun way to do dinner. My boyfriend and I split the four course meal. It filled us up. My friend and her boyfriend did the same and they said they were full at the end too. Our total at the end was around $55 with tip. The bartender, Dean, was also our server, he was very helpful and nice. Dinner lasted about 2 hours and it was a fun experience. Just be prepared to sit and enjoy the process. Throughout dinner, I noticed the restaurant was not busy at all. On my way to the bathroom, I noticed that the majority of the restaurant had empty tables. I'm still confused as to why the hostess made it seem like they did us a favor by letting us sit in the bar area for dinner like they were over booked. After she told us about the bar, she had us wait about 10 minutes... Not sure why. But she did. I would totally understand if they were understaffed but that was not mentioned. It's easier to tell customers that they are understaffed rather them making them feel stupid about not making reservations on a Sunday night. The reason I'm giving the restaurant three stars is because the hostess had an attitude and made us feel stupid for not making a reservation. What a terrible way to treat new customers. The food and bartender made our experience a lot better.
(3)Kasey J.
Want to go to THE MOST OVERRATED RESTAURANT IN INDY? Then head to The Melting Pot, where you'll practically starve to death while waiting to cook tiny pieces of meat that don't even seem all-that-fresh. Best fondue ever? Maybe to some, but I'm not sure I'm that into this fondue craze--if there is a fondue craze. Maybe I'm being harsh, but I felt like the only thing melting here was the money from my pockets. Way overpriced for what we got--which was supposed to be a deal for large groups. I'm not sure about spending $80 per couple to eat tiny pieces of hard bread and cheese. The drinks were $10 each, and I got a Screwdriver when I ordered a Fuzzy Navel. NOT THE SAME THING. I truly WANTED to like this place. It seems like everyone else does for some reason. Or does everyone simply like it because they think they're supposed to? I'm not sure. But if you want to spend 2-3 hours to cook your own chunks of meat in hot water, by all means, head to The Melting Pot. I admit the chocolate was good ... but the marshmallow chunks we were given to dip in the chocolate were stale. Do yourself a favor and buy a bag of baking chocolate and stay home. Melt it over your own stove. Way cheaper and way more romantic.
(1)Jared S.
Excellent fondue and great service. The 4 course dinner is the way to go.
(5)Stacy Q.
My husband and I celebrated our one year anniversary at this restaurant. Very romantic! The food was delicious and it was fun to cook it ourselves, with ample directions from the servers -of course. Plenty of food! We were even given a little bottle of champagne in celebration of our little event. The booths make the atmosphere very personal and romantic, the lightening is dim and candles are lit! Very nice!
(5)Amy D.
Go hungry if you come here! Thirsty too! Wonderful food and drinks. If you get to pick, have Chris as your waiter. He made our dining experience that much better with his wonderful attitude.
(5)E P.
If you wanna fondue. Fondue here. Excellent food. Romantic type atmosphere. Doesn't have to be but it can be. If you don't have a lot of money to spend just go there for dessert. $100 for 2. Must Eat!!!!!!!!!
(5)Kyle H.
This is a place you have to visit. I enjoyed the atmosphere, the staff was awesome. The fondue is the best i've ever had. My visit for Valentine's was special. If your visiting Indy, check this place out. I can't wait until my next visit.
(5)Ben B.
Your paying a lot for the fondu experience...so if you like dipping your food in fondu its worth it, but the price does not match the quality of food. I would rather spent a little more at a finer restaurant then eat here...i bet you wouldn't have to spend a little more. If my friends see this review, I'm sorry...they love this place, but more so for the memories than the food.
(3)Amanda S.
Wonderful, fun dining experience. Great service.
(4)Preston S.
Great place for my wife's birthday dinner. We brought our little one and everybody was so nice and respectful. I had never been before and I had no clue what I was going to order or even what fondue was to begin with. Our waitress was amazing and talked us through every process and what each food was. I ended up having the entrée with Duck, Sirloin, Shrimp, and Chicken pot stickers. The duck was strange since I had never had anything like it before. The price was a little steep but it was because of the amazing food and service that you get for it. I will deffinitaly be returning here for another celebration in the future.
(5)Eric F.
We went there for a birthday celebration and left disappointed. Service was slow. Less than satisfied with the quality of food for the price.
(2)Haley B.
If you want a girls night out, date night, or birthday celebration... This is the right place to be. They have delicious fondues, but I would personally only come here for 1 meal. Either do dessert only, or do the dinner fondue. The dessert fondue is chocolate fondue served with a variety of fruits and candies. So far a positive review, but the real reason I am taking off two stars is because of pricing. Ridiculously overpriced if you asked me. For just a little platter of items, it can be 20+ dollars. Other than cost, if this item was somehow given to me for free I would say that their food is spot on. Delicious taste, but not delicious pricing. Only go here if you really want to do something special with your friends or family at a gathering. Come on your birthday and hey, they give you free cheesecake! Who can beat free cheesecake? Anyway, I would say that you should go here. Very nice employees and very clean. So all and all, way to go melting pot! But PLEASE bring down your pricing.
(3)Maggie B.
I went here with some friends and really enjoyed myself. Its very interesting to watch them make the fondue and how to cook in the broth (so Ive seen how to do it and can do it at home with friends for obviously a lot cheaper.) It was last month, but our (i split it with a friend) cheese foudue started with sauteed garlic (probably in oil and with some other stuff), then the shredded cheese (half swiss and chedder?) and they added about a cup of Sam Addams Boston Lager. I had no idea it was that easy. Cooking my food in the broth (i got the vegetarian - veggies and tofu) was fun to do too. (But if your a veggie you could be sharing broth with the meats.) The dessert was a chocolate fondue that we dipped various cubes of sweets into. My friends ordered cocktails ($10), and I meant to try it, but there was this one that had muddled basil! Why didnt i try it!? It might have been some sort of mojito. It looked really good. So without cocktails or wine, I spent $45 after spliting the 3 course meal with a friend. I enjoyed the atmosphere, learning how the pros make fondue, and hanging with a big group of friends. Totally worth it.
(3)Kyle R.
Pros +Nice for groups who want to hang out for a bit +main entrées +dessert Cons -the front staff was very awkward, they all seemed to not know what was going on, and they had very poor people skills. Luckily waitress was just fine -venue isn't all that, look old and beat up on the inside -if you don't reserve they seem to really not care for your service. Walk ins don't feel as welcomed -the bread and cheese part was not good at all. Boring all around and really didn't start the night out well Overall: It was nice to try something different. I feel this idea could be better realized. The 4 course meals is 50/50, with the opening being weak, (the cheese part with bread and vegetables), salad was very plain, then finally entrée, now this was some very nice tasting food! And dessert (stingy on the dippables) but overall it was an "ok" experience.
(3)Ryan C.
Everything I ordered from my salad to my beer was pretty much suggested by my server drew. He was by far the most fantastic server I've ever had.
(5)Hannah S.
Our waitress changed our minds from confused to excited when we came to the melting pot for not only our first time but our anniversary, a young blonde woman named Tierra helped us. The food was awesome and the service was impeccable! Thank you for a wonderful dinner, it means the world!
(5)Matt K.
I love the idea. Fondue is fun and I would love to see a real competitor arise in Indy (though fondue can be had elsewhere...see the end of this review). I know this can be done better. The hostesses and the seating procedure at this Melting Pot consistently disappoint. This was our third visit and they are not friendly and, as others have mentioned, they have a weird policy about seating where they won't seat you a minute before you reservation no matter how empty the place is and when we came in without a reservation she actually rolled her eyes and said it would be a 45 minute wait despite the restaurant being less than half full. Here's the most recent scenario: There are three girls behind the desk and lots of people standing just inside the door, away from the cold wanting their attention. We approached. We have a reservation this time. Barely eye contact, unfriendly tone and told me we would have to wait until all of my party got here. Not a big deal, maybe she's having a rough night. Instead of jostling for space in the crowded lobby, we made my way over to the empty bar for a drink. We start to pull the stool back and the bartender is already rushing me to take my order. She has me my receipt before I even have my jacket off and then ran off to chat with one of the servers in the corner. It's not the worst service in Indy, it's just not great either. The fondue is tasty, but far too expensive for a strip mall chain restaurant. There are so many restaurants in Indy that the standards are set high. In my opinion, a restaurant really has to, at the very least, have good food for reasonable prices with good service to be worthwhile for a visit, because, if not, there are a dozen other places already doing just that. If you're OK with indifferent to unpleasant service for higher than reasonable prices, then you'll probably enjoy yourself here. If not, Broad Ripple Brewpub, Corner Wine Bar, Northside Social, Ocean Prime and Trader's Point Creamery are all options where you can satisfy your fondue craving.
(2)Joe L.
I think this place is not worth the money, the desert was the only reason I gave it 3 stars. The staff was very helpful, but for 3 of us to eat there, $136.00 is not worth it. Could have went somewhere else and got a lot better dinner for half the price.
(3)John H.
I went to the Melting Pot for the first time yesterday with my girlfriend to celebrate our anniversary. I went, not really knowing what to expect. I realized shortly after I arrived, that it was going to be an experience! The friendly staff there really made my first time at this establishment an experience, rather that a traditional sit down and just order something. They made sure to recognize that we were there for an event by giving us a hand written note and even candles on our desert! We will definitely being going back!
(5)Ron R.
My first time to the Melting Pot. I was taken here for my B-day since we both love Fondue so much. Honestly, I've avoided this place for a while because I've heard it was really expensive for fondue. We decided to get a cheese fondue as well as entree fondue. We started off with the Alpine Classic cheese Fondue for 2 and it was great. Just like a traditional Fondue should taste. They provide you with french bread, honey wheat bread, apples and vegetables. I can firmly say, we loved this portion of our meal. Next we had our oil fondue for entrees. I had a mixed plate which was Ahi Tuna, Duck Breast and Pork Medallions. She had the "Summer catch" which was scallops, crab claw, shrimp and Ahi Tuna. The entree comes with mushrooms and broccoli as well as sauces on the side to mix and match different flavors. Everything here was very good in my opinion, but there were 2 stand-outs. The Ahi Tuna was phenomenal and the Pork Medallions were also amazing. The only thing that holds me back from giving this place the full 5 star is the fact that you do not get a large portion of meat in your entree for the price. This is the reason I think people call this place expensive. An entree is roughly $25 and you get about 6-7oz of meat roughly. That is basically $50-55 a pound which is brutal for a non-steakhouse. We both agreed that we would come back, but just for the cheese fondue next time as it really was our favorite part of the night.
(4)Jennifer V.
Went to try to enjoy an impromptu dessert with my family. Despite being able to count 6 empty tables from walking past the windows upon entry and standing in the lobby, we were denied a table as the hostess said they were full. We won't be returning.
(1)Jennifer S.
Service was great, food was really good! Our server Devyn was very on top of it. Explained everything very well and was very friendly and pleasant. Great little place to celebrate any occasion.
(5)Naser A.
My family loves this place. It was the first to go there. We got the chocolate pot, and the spinach artichoke pot too. All I can tell you that its so delicious!!! Make sure, each one gets a serving, or two because its amazing. The dips are refills, so as long your pot is filled you can ask more for dips. I'd say this place would be amaIng for a special celebration, graduation or anniversary. The waitress, and staff are really friendly.
(5)Mike H.
The Melting Pot was very, very, very, very, very, very bad. If you're looking for mediocre, overpriced food in a pseudo-hip, pseudo-clean atmosphere then The Melting Pot is for you! It started with the clueless front area host staff...not sure if you need to practice being that disinterested in accommodating guests as they walk in, but they must have advanced training in how to cop an attitude in a strip mall franchise restaurant. After traversing a maze of empty tables (should have been a warning to us) the absurdly snooty server quickly became annoyed after we needed simple clarification regarding the menu. Once we finally understood how to order, I elected the "4 Course" option involving a starter course of cheese fondue accompanied with bits of green apple, bread and pieces of broccoli, cauliflower and those little baby carrots we feed our 7 year old. The vegetables were obviously not fresh, because my wife couldn't tell if the broccoli was yellow or if the dimmed lighting just made it look a few days past prime. One taste confirmed it wasn't the lighting. At best that was completely average - at least the cheese covered up the anemic yellowish color. I've had much better cheese-based appetizers at any number of area brewpubs. My poor wife elected the "individual entrée" option and missed out on the cheese fondue first course as well as the obviously pre-made borderline frozen salad right out of Shoney's playbook. The pace of the service was beyond slow...it was down-right ridiculous. The bullion fondue cooking liquid tasted suspiciously like a Raman noodle flavor packet with some green scallions thrown in so it wouldn't look like a Raman noodle flavor packet. The entrées looked OK and it was sort of a novel experience cooking the little chunks of chicken, beef and pork in the fondue. The Captain D's reject shrimp was a joke and I recalled one of David Spade's best lines from "Tommy Boy" - some were obviously netted right after they had dined on Thanksgiving feast! Beware beer lovers...bottles only, and a scant selection at that. After receiving the bill, we had $191.00 reasons never to go back...and that's with all of us drinking water. (I did have one luke-warm bottled Sam Adam's with dinner...). Restaurants like The Melting Pot make you feel strangely good about yourself since you can look forward to having a great story when you're discussing things that suck with your friends.
(1)Nic J.
I really wanted to love this place. I really did. But it just wasn't that great. It was good, but for the price it should be so much better. I mean, come on, for over $100 for 2 I would like more than some measly little pieces of meat and raw veggies. Oh boy, I get to cook it myself- whoop-tee-doo! However, our service was great and I liked the dessert. But it just wasn't worth the cost.
(2)Russell J.
I go to this melting pot quite often. I had a really bad experience with the managers a few weeks ago. However I filled out what happened on their website and the big manager gave me a call to say he was sorry and to turn a right into a wrong. We were invited back for a free meal this time and given a few extras. Before this I was really done with the place as I was that offended. I'm not the person to complain so you have to do something wrong to make me feel that way. The manager invited us back in for a free meal and a few extras. I was really impressed. I applaud them for listening to my bad experience and turning it into a great one.
(4)Brian M.
My wife and I decided it would be a good idea to take our two preschoolers to fondue. (As I type this, I am calling myself nuts!). We called for a reservation and the only one available was 3:30 - we took it. First off - a tip for dining here with young children- if you are going to do it, this is a good time. The restaurant is not crowded. It takes a couple hours, so we were leaving at 5:30. We got cheese, dinner, and Chocolate. They offer kids portions of everything, but for us, there was enough food by only ordering for the two of us and letting them share. Cheese: we loved it. It was fun. The kids could do the cheese on their own. They mostly just ate the items without dipping in the cheese though. Main dish: we ordered a trio for each of us. This let each of us order three smaller portions. We ordered: chicken, shrimp, tuna, spinach ravioli, chicken pasta, and something else (I can't remember because the kids are it all :)). Since we ordered two, we got one with oil and one with broth for cooking. Then we could cook any with either style. We liked the broth better. The kids liked everything- except the tuna - fine with me! Chocolate: we got one dark and one milk with peanut butter. Of course we all liked this! It really is better to wait a while for it to melt, but that's difficult. On this I don't care for all the sweets that come with it to dip in chocolate. I would prefer to only have fruit. That may be an option- I didn't think about it until just now... Drat All in all it was a fun trip. Two hours in a restaurant with preschoolers- it wasn't all fun. But, the staff helped and was great. The gave them paper and pens to color. The gave us to-go boxes (my wife asked: good idea sweetie!). The boxes were good so we could pack up extras as we needed it and didn't have to wait. The bill - $150 with tip. We only had water to drink. Seems a bit steep for a lunch. We knew what we were getting into, but I didn't think it'd be that much. I think there is probably a way to have made that cheaper and still had enough food. Que' sera. No regrets, I'd do it over, but probably won't do it again for a while.
(4)Andrew M.
The ambiance and lighting make for a romantic dinner. If you go with a larger group, there are big tables too. For the amount of money this place costs, I expected a more professional server. Ours forgot ingredients and brought us the wrong food a couple of times. He was friendly enough, but took a long time to serve each course correctly.
(4)Shane D.
I was taken here for a date night surprise. Having my doubts I would enjoy a fondue restaurant and doubting the exterior appearance of the building I began my meal doubtful I would enjoy the experience. As being seated I noticed each booth to be a private and romantic setting so I opened my mind to the experience. While being greeted by a very kind wait service it was explained to me for the first time that I would be cooking my own meal which turned me off on the venue once again. Keeping an open mind, I watched as the servers prepared a fondue pot for us to cook each of our courses. The prep work and instruction made it very simple and intimate to cook and/or enjoy each course. Every menu item I tasted was delicious! I would definitely recommend doing the four course experience to minimize cost and maximize the experience. As a one time guest I would recommend you allow 2-3 hours for this, but you won't regret it!
(5)Shelly R.
Romantic private setting. A little confusing for our first time as there are 4 ways to prepare your food. It was a little pricey. We got a 3 course dinner for two with one beer and 1 mixed drink and it was $80. The dessert was the best part. The other entrees were average. It Completely filled us up. We finished eating at 4 pm and didn't need to eat again until lunch the next day. Would consider going back with a groupon or promotion.
(3)Heath M.
I went to the Melting Pot on a date with my girlfriend for the "North Side Nights" festival that is going on currently (which I highly recommend checking out). First off, I have to give kudos to their reservations; I originally had reservations for 5:45 but I ended up getting called into work and they were able to bump them back to 7:45 and totally saving our date night. We showed up and were curious about the dress code (we were dressed business) and we saw people dressed in gym shorts and sweatshirts to suits and dresses, so I am not sure what the actual dress code is here. We were seated quickly and the initial staff members were very nice. We were seated in the back corner, quite romantically (that was pretty cool). Our server Nicki was phenomenal throughout the entire meal. We started off with a bottle of wine and the Cheddar Cheese fondue with bread, apples, and veggies. Nicki said there was garlic mixed in with the fresh cheddar and it was absolutely delicious. We then ordered the Land and Sea (chicken, shrimp, steak) and the French Quarter (same except with Andouille Sausage and spicier) with a type of wine based broth (sorry, I cannot remember what it was exactly). It came out and had mixed veggies in it and was very good. This is the first time I had been at a restaurant like this and I really enjoyed cooking my own meal. Nicki was very informative in how to cook and spice and sauce everything correctly, along with giving her own personal descriptions of what she likes to mix and match, which is always appreciated. For desert we had the original chocolate and peanut butter melt with Rice Krispies (I was sold right there), cake, cookie, and brownies. It was seriously delicious and so sweet that Wilford Brimley could make a commercial just off of this meal The manager, Keith came out checked on us and asked how our visit was. He was very polite and genuinely courteous. I would definitely recommend checking out the Melting Pot for a date night. It also seemed that they handled large groups as well! I will definitely be back! Overall, on the price it was around $90, which I thought was maybe a little high, but not enough to deter me from going back.
(4)Steve W.
Historically I have only come to the melting pot for a date night, romantic experience. My wife loves it, so I planned a surprise birthday dinner for her with family on Easter. I made a reservation for a party of 11, including 3 children. To my surprise, they had a children's menu. It is only a scaled down version of normal, but it is lower cost. They also allowed the parents to just share their food with the children. We were seated in the large party room which was nice. We didn't need to be quiet or worry about disturbing other guests that were there for the intimate setting. The manager even made my wife a surprise plate with happy birthday written in chocolate and a candle in one of the deserts. My only issue with the place is that they don't have any beer on draft. Not local, not domestic. Nothing. I did enjoy a fountain square preachers daughter, but I would have preferred a local beer on tap. Overall, the melting pot is a great location for any special occasion. Just make sure you have a reservation.
(4)Sabrina S.
I'll start out by saying I LOVED the cheese fondue appetizer. That gets 5 stars. However, I feel like boiling a filet and lobster tail is a culinary injustice. It just ruins it! I will probably go back and just sit in the bar and enjoy the cheese fondue at some point. I wish they offered a better craft beer selection. It was almost nonexistent. Side note: My hair, skin and clothing absolutely reeked like their mojo broth. Continuing to smell that scent throughout the night and into the morning just made this place unappetizing for the future. I guess that is just part of the "experience."
(3)T Q.
Fondue and entree were great,salad was average, dessert was below average(too much sugar and too little chocolate). Without groupon,it's a little bit overpriced, if possible, try to get a deal from Groupon (50 for 30).
(4)Leann P.
The Melting Pot is one of my favorite places to eat when I want to just take time for good food and good friends! I love the peaceful ambiance that is conducive to a nice, long meal. The waiters and waitresses are helpful and never make you feel rushed. If you make reservations ahead of time and tell them about a special event you'll be in for, they write you a card. It's personal touches like this that make me willing to pay the extra money for a special, incredibly delicious meal!
(5)Natalie M.
I loved this place was the best meal I've tried in years.. Don't leave without having desert ! Loved the YING YANG chocolate..great service very different than any other placed I've been too! Defiantly coming back with my son!
(5)Tommy M.
Has a habit of turning guests away under the guise of no tables when clearly they were not close to being full. Former long term patron.
(1)John H.
Go with a few cheese fondues, and then a dessert. The big night out and other main course meals are overpriced for what you get, are a pain in the ass to cook, and just not that good. Expensive, and you could do it at home cheaper, but if it's date night, it's romantic.
(3)Allie M.
I loved dining at the melting pot, it is the perfect restaurant for celebrating an occasion with someone special. They offer special booths for couples and it is very romantic. I've had reservations each time I've dined at the melting pot. My ex boyfriend took me here for the first time for prom and it was fun to try something completely different. I had never had fondue before and I was very impressed. I have also gone to the melting pot for dessert with some girlfriends and it was fun because they were able to accommodate for a large party and the desert menu is fabulous.
(4)Elli V.
To tell you the truth, the value for the money is not worth it. There was 4 of us last night, each had the 4-course dinning experience the total (without alcohol was $190). The cheese was good, but compare to last time when my husband and i went by ourselves, they gave us the same amount which seemed unfair, but their pot is one size so its limited. The salad was good, also very small. The dinner also very small. I had three 1-inch squares of mahi, 3 squares of filet, 3 shrimp and lobster. Its just very sad looking when you see it, like, thats it? Sigh...ok. They switched their menu and for some reason, and last time I remember thinking: wow, thats a lot of food, after getting the Big Night Out. I was still a bit hungry until we got the dessert which was very good Flaming Turtle chocolate. Overall: we probably won't go back, not often people have a few hundred buck to waste, if you do, be my guest, its fun, slow (for some reason there was ALOT of waiting between courses, at least 10 to 15 min, which feels like an eternity when you're hungry) but its an experience. And our waitress did not keep my water filled, I finished my class, then my husbands and another 20 min later she offered water for the first time. So $200 and 2 hours later we wished we would have went to Ruth's Chris or Benihana.
(3)Tran T.
Went here the other night with my boyfriend and two friends. It was a spontaneous trip therefore we did not make a reservation. We were there on a Sunday at 6pm. The restaurant didn't seem busy at all. The hostess asked if we had a reservation and I said no. We had no idea it we had to make a reservation. The hostess tells us we can either sit in the bar area or wait until 730 for dinner. She made it sound like they were filled with reservations for the night and that we HAVE to make a reservation. Since it was a spontaneous trip, the bar area worked for us. We weren't picky, just happy to try it out since none of us have ever been there. Food was good. It was a fun way to do dinner. My boyfriend and I split the four course meal. It filled us up. My friend and her boyfriend did the same and they said they were full at the end too. Our total at the end was around $55 with tip. The bartender, Dean, was also our server, he was very helpful and nice. Dinner lasted about 2 hours and it was a fun experience. Just be prepared to sit and enjoy the process. Throughout dinner, I noticed the restaurant was not busy at all. On my way to the bathroom, I noticed that the majority of the restaurant had empty tables. I'm still confused as to why the hostess made it seem like they did us a favor by letting us sit in the bar area for dinner like they were over booked. After she told us about the bar, she had us wait about 10 minutes... Not sure why. But she did. I would totally understand if they were understaffed but that was not mentioned. It's easier to tell customers that they are understaffed rather them making them feel stupid about not making reservations on a Sunday night. The reason I'm giving the restaurant three stars is because the hostess had an attitude and made us feel stupid for not making a reservation. What a terrible way to treat new customers. The food and bartender made our experience a lot better.
(3)Ashley M.
In my opinion, I've never been to a better date night restaurant. Perfect for birthdays and anniversaries but also very accommodating to families and groups. I have no disappointment with this place other than I wish I could eat there every day. Not only is the food so fresh and perfect, the sauces they bring out are absolutely wonderful. I recommend getting extra green goddess dip to stuff your mushrooms with. The house salad dressing is soooo good and you must buy their Garlic and Wine seasoning to take home with you. It goes on everything at home from chicken to steaks and we have even put it on popcorn! :-)
(5)Alex G.
It took 30 minutes to get our order in. After waiting 15 minutes for the first salad course that hadn't arrived, we opted to go elsewhere. I've visited the melting pot before and understand that it's a slower pace, but staring at a burning empty pot for 45 minutes while seeing your server twice gets old pretty fast.
(2)Ronnie L.
My wife and I had never been here, and she surprised me on my birthday. First thing I noticed is the overall not-so-clean vibe about the place. Like how if they brought the lights up the hard crusted cheese on the built in table - stove, the dingy carpet, the smudged paneling, etc would really stand out. Second thing was the hostesses. Dressed more for a night of clubbing than a night of working in a supposedly moderately upscale restaurant. The two girls at the front had attitude to match their attire as they seated us and rather rudely informed us about how we'd have to choose the same cheese, cooking style, and desert. Not that we had an issue with having to share, the issue was with her delivery. Third, the manager's attire matched the worn down feeling of the restaurant. In a place where a check for two can break $100 without much effort, I don't expect wrinkled shirt and tie on the manager, nor matching wrinkled uniforms on the staff, but there they were. When our cheese course came out the waiter put the wrong cheese in so he had to get a new bowl. A bowl that hadn't had time to heat up. Cheese took 15 minutes to get to what you'd call fondue. The waiter also said they'd had problems with the burner at our table. If that's the case, then why the hell are we sitting there when the restaurant was 80-90% empty? Also, the "fresh" fruit and vegetables contained brown cauliflower, which was as good as you'd expect. Salad course was ok. Again, questionably fresh vegetables used. Entree was ok. I typically expect more out f a $50 plate in terms of flavor, but it was decent. The filet was on part with what you'd get at a hibachi restaurant for 1/5 the price. Desert was pretty good. We got the Dark & Dolce. Kinda tasted like Ghirardelli chocolates that had been melted. Again, fruit wasn't very appealing in appearance and lacked any kind of notable flavor. We spent $122 (we had 2 drinks and 1 beer) and felt like we've easily had better for half the price. Neither of us really get what the hype is with this place. Would've given another star if their staff didn't consist of a bunch of people that belong in a Steak N Shake instead of a "fancy" restaurant.
(2)S B.
Very nice restaurant for date nights with my wife! Cozy atmosphere with staff that is attentive without being intrusive.
(4)Janet V.
First time coming here with my boyfriend for dinner (he made reservations to celebrate my birthday) and it was a fun experience, but it was noisy. When we entered the restaurant, the hostess made us wait a bit as if they were filled, and we were seated at a table next to three booths and a table that were all full. I was upset that the environment was more awkward than romantic. It wasn't until I got up to use the restroom that I saw that there was a huge section of the restaurant that had empty seating! $100+ for dinner for the two of us, and it was not what I expected. Tip: Get the cheese fondu and chocolate fondu, skip the main course. Unless you like to see raw food and cook it yourself one at a time which takes a while and isn't even good.
(3)Meredith S.
Hmm... Melting Pot... Bought a Living Social voucher so my boyfriend and I thought we'd give it a try. I'd been, but not for several years and he'd never been before, so it was like a new experience for both of us. I probably would have given Melting Pot three stars if I was just basing my experience on the food, but unfortunately I just can't excuse poor service.. ESPECIALLY at a place where I'm paying big bucks and just know they're making a profit based on the amount of food we're given. But.. back to the bad customer service in a minute. We opted for the four courses because we're rabid pigs. We got the Wisconsin cheese fondue first and I'd say it was the best course. Very good cheese and who doesn't like bread dipped in cheese? Seriously.. everyone likes carbs and cheese. After the cheese fondue, we got salads. Blech. This tasted like a salad from McDonald's or something. I mean, would it kill you to not use iceburg lettuce? Blech! For the main course, boyfriend got chicken/steak/shrimp and I got the vegetarian. Neither of us were impressed. I thought it had minimal taste-thank god for all the dipping sauces they give us which are obviously there to disguise the lack of taste in the food. Ended the meal on a high note with dessert ... because just like cheese and bread, who doesn't like a giant pot of melted chocolate with rice krispies, fruit and brownies? The answer: everyone likes this. So, the food. I'd give it 3/5. Two good courses, two meh courses. Customer service though: BOO! As I said, we bought a Living Social voucher. We weren't aware that you weren't able to split the bill after using the voucher and waitress didn't tell us either (benefit of the doubt.. maybe she didn't know). Anyway, brought back our bills and were shocked at what we were paying without the Living Social voucher. Waited forever for the manager to show up and when she finally did we explained what happened. She was very rude about us trying to split the bill and seemed to be unable to come up with any solutions. Finally, she said she'd TRY to fix it for us and walked away in a huff. I'm sorry, but EVEN if we were the ones who made a huge mistake, we're still the paying customer. You should be gracious and apologize for the inconvenience.. not make us feel bad and then proceed to make us wait for an additional 35 minutes while you "try to correct our mistake". Blah. If the mediocre food wasn't enough, the ridiculous customer service is. Won't be back. Ever.
(1)Brittany Y.
My husband and I came here for my birthday and left FULL and satisfied! It was a really fun/unique experience and the food was delicious. We did the four course meal experience and got the Classic cheddar cheese, the California and Melting Pot salads, a few different meats to try, and the original chocolate (milk chocolate and crunchy peanut butter) fondue. WOW. YUM. I heard mixed reviews about this place, but we really enjoyed it and will definitely be back--even if it's just for the dessert.
(4)Tom W.
It has been several years since the last visit to the Melting Pot. I always remember is being a pleasant and tasty experience, and this was not different. First of all, the venue is much lighter and more appealling since the move and remodel. The service was spot on. We had the four course dinner starting with an outstanding lager and cheese fondue. I am a sucker for any restaurant that prepared a dish at the table. The main course was more than enough food and we shared the classic meat platter with well seasoned meats and seafood, as well as the vegetarian platter. Dessert was a chocolate fondue again prepared at the table. Every bite delicious.
(5)J. K.
My husband and I tried The Melting Pot for the first time recently on my birthday, and LOVED it. It was a wonderful dining experience, even better than I had imagined or hoped for. Our server was very personable, timed everything right, and encouraged us to take our time and just enjoy our evening. Perfect. We had the Classic Cheese Fondue, it came with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, granny smith apples, and assorted wedges of bread. Uh...yum! We scraped the bowl clean. We decided on two entrees that covered nearly the entire spectrum of proteins they offer so we could share a lil' bit of everything. We had: duck breast, sirloin steak, filet mignon, chicken, shrimp, and chicken potstickers. We also decided on the pot of oil to cook our entrees in and it came with two different batters to dip stuff in. Oh was this fun! We tried different combinations of everything, battered or "naked", you can even make your own cream cheese stuffed mushrooms, which is a big nom-nom for both of us. Oh, there's also a salad in between there, which is nice 'cause I like me a salad, especially if I'm gonna be dipping stuff in cheese and deep frying my food. You know, lettuce somehow magically cancels out some of those calories, right? Right?! Then there was dessert. I was really looking forward to this, but we were pretty full by then. We had the Turtle Chocolate fondue, it was crazy delicious, and came with brownies, blondies, marshmallows, pound cake, rice crispie treats, strawberries, and pineapple. I was in heaven, but also really full, and the chocolate was so rich we could only eat a couple bites and ended up taking the rest home. Overall, this place exceeded my expectations, and my husband and I left very happy and satisfied. I read the reviews before going and I did not experience any problems or negatives at all. We were very full, so they give you more than enough food. The price was great if you get the four course meal, I mean c'mon, appetizer, salad, entree, and dessert for $35 a person? And good quality food as well, we had duck, shrimp, and filet mignon for this price. It was fun, it was a intimate setting, we enjoyed our 2 1/2 hour meal together very much, and we really are excited to go back again soon.
(5)Debra C.
Nicki went above and beyond to explain everything and make this experience amazing. She made sure we were always taken care of, always had a smile on her face and always made sure we had as mile on our faces ! We will be returning because of her !
(5)El F.
We have been coming to this Melting Pot for many years now and I would say that this visit didn't disappoint. Tim, our server was great. Probably one of the best we've had. And although one doesn't go to the MP for a quick meal, there wasn't any kind of lag between courses as we've previously experienced. You know, when you juuuust get to the point where you think you've been forgotten and your server shows up? None of that this time. Also, he made me some kick**s cocktail sauce for my shrimp. My only objection to the meal is this: the prices have noticeably increased over the last couple years, to the point that you might start to question if two hours of "entertainment" of/with dinner is worth it for the rate you pay. And--the DIVINE chocolate course was NOTICEABLY smaller. Please don't shortchange the chocoholic!!!
(4)C D.
Went there for the first time tonight to celebrate our 20th anniversary. There were several disappointing parts. I agree with the reviewers who mentioned the hostess - it seems like she really hates her job. Not even a single smile or warm hello! For our anniversary, we were supposed to receive a scroll with 'this day in history' facts. It seems they forgot about it. When we were seated (they don't seat you a minute before your reservation time), we were taken to the couples area. Unfortunately we were seated next to the doorway to the main dining area. Lots of traffic by our table, and noise from the other area made this a less than desirable location. Since there were other tables available, they should have seated us elsewhere and only used that table when filled to capacity. We ordered the 4-course dinner, with cheddar fondue, house salad, Cajun spiced combination - French quarter and Land and Sea combination, with flaming turtle dessert fondue. It was interesting that each server gave different instructions and cooking times to the tables around us. I would have thought that they would have this exact. Our items took almost 50% more cooking time than some of the servers were saying - not good when you are dealing with raw meat! The cheese fondue was good, although the bread was a little tough. The salad was nothing special. I wouldn't bother ordering it a la carte. The French quarter meats were nicely spiced. It isn't an enormous amount of food, so we weren't stuffed. The only sauces we really liked were the green goddess (sour cream) and plum. The dessert fondue was a big mess. It was very runny and ended up all over. We had a club coupon for free strawberries. Good thing they were free because they were rotten. :( Overall, it was okay, but I doubt that we will be back.
(2)Sarah H.
Walked in on a Wednesday night at 6:20 pm. The hostess said she wouldn't seat us until 7:00 since we didn't have reservation. It didn't say on the door that reservations were required, nor that they are "strongly recommended." The manager tried to help us but I'm not feeling the love. My hubby always tells me to call, but I always say that's not necessary during the week. Did I mention that the place is nearly empty? I understand the concept well of not having staffed for unforseen customers, but not the attitude. Depending on the meal I may change my rating, but it's sub par at the moment.
(2)Sal W.
Good food, cool idea. Usually about $80 a person. It's tasty but not sure it's quite worth it. Great service. Not a huge issue but your clothes and hair end up smelling like cooking oil.
(3)Torrey R.
If it wasn't for the price, this place would be five stars. However most of those stars come from the ambiance and the efforts made by staff to make the evening wonderfully. They really do try to meet every request made while making a reservation all the way down to the booth preference. They excel at special events such as birthdays and anniversary's. It is hard to give stars on food that we cook ourselves and since we have always ordered the fondue, I can't comment on how the food is prepared. I can say that if you order fondue for two people the way they have it set up, you will never eat it all. We ordered only one plate for the entree and dessert but ordered two servings of the cheese and salads and we were stuffed. Certainly give this place a try but come with a full wallet.
(4)Stephanie T.
An okay place if you have a lot of time...& money or if you are feeling a little nostalgic for the 1970's, as this is a fondue restaurant The menu is divided up into three courses, the first consists of dipping bread and vegetables in cheese. Second course, is comprised of an arrangements of vegetables and meat that are dipped in hot oil that you cook yourself. Third course is what they were famous for which consists of pieces of cheesecake, brownies, rice crispies, cookies and strawberries dipped in chocolate. Some people come just for dessert or dessert and cheese. I would highly recommend this as we were totally stuffed after the second course entrée. Service was... less than... okay. We had a reservation and were seated right away. We had to rely on that waiter because we really didn't know but we were ordering. I would have liked him to be more help in the area of suggesting, as we ordered way too much food for my husband, three children and me. I would also recommend looking at the menu on-line before going so you get an idea of what you would like and prices. Problems started when I noticed the burner on our table kept turning off and the waiter was repeatedly restarting it, which caused for a problem because the cheese, oil or chocolate we ere eating needed to be hot.... The waiter also seemed a little discombobulated as he served us the cheese w/out fondue forks. As my children started dipping the bread in hot cheese, with no forks, it caused for a hazardous situation. I tried to flag down another waiter but was ignored. Finally another customer was able to tell their waiter who came to our rescue. I usually try to stay away form chain restaurant but I thought this would be fun for our children ages 9-15, which despite the flaws.... it was fun for them. Be prepared to stay awhile, as the entire experience took about 3 hours.
(3)Bethany V.
I took my boyfriend here for his birthday. I had let the place know it was a special occasion. When we were seated there was a birthday card for him! It only got better from there! We ended up doing the four course deal and started with the cheddar cheese fondue. It was AMAZING. They mix up the fondue right in front of you! They had breads and pears and vegetables to dip in the cheese and all were great. Next was the salad course and we both had the Caesar. It had the most delicious Parmesan crusted pine nuts on it. For the main course I got a mix of teriyaki sirloin, orange duck breast, citrus pork, and chicken potstickers. They were all fab. My boyfriend got chicken, filet, shrimp and lobster. Everything was delicious cooked in a hot oil and then dipped in one of the delicious sauces. Finally we had our chocolate fondue for dessert and it was phenomenal! Above all, the service was outstanding. Our waitress was above and beyond anything I would expect.
(5)Kara F.
Do you want to pay an arm and a leg to cook small portions of your own food in a bland atmosphere with lackluster service? Then Melting Pot is for you! I went there last night with friends - my 2nd ever visit - and have decided I won't be back. Seriously, this place is a rip-off. Sure, cooking food yourself is the point of a fondue restaurant, and it's kind of fun, but what they charge you for raw food is ridiculous. Though tasty, portions for salads, cheese, and meats are tiny. When ordering, we were struggling to understand how much food we would get with the different options, and our waiter was very unhelpful with that. He was nice overall, but didn't have a manner that matched the expense of the restaurant. Also, he blazed ahead with putting mustard powder in the cheese fondue - barely giving our mustard-loathing friend a chance to stop him, so we had to ask him to start over. That turned out fine, but was a little awkward, and waiters should ask before doing this because not everyone likes mustard! Also, service was supremely slow. We picked a bad restaurant to go to when we were very hungry and thirsty. We waited probably 15 minutes just to get waters after asking for them. One of our friends was about to eat the menu when our tiny salads finally arrived. When the meats arrived, only one set of vegetables arrived too, and the waiter said the kitchen had to "make more." ... They are RAW vegetables - no "making" is involved! Then, the whole payment process at the end took about 20 minutes. One thing I have to give props for is that the woman who bussed the table turned out to be a manager. Ending the experience with someone who can actually address any issues you might have had is a smart move. Finally, I'm surprised people think of this restaurant as romantic. It is embarrassing for Indianapolis that this was voted as the most romantic restaurant in city. The decor is uninspired at best. Save your money for somewhere with more character.
(3)Crystal M.
I made a reservation for Melting Pot the night I was proposing to my girlfriend, when we arrived for a celebratory dinner the restaurant had no record of our reservation. Luckily for me, I had taken a screen shot of my confirmation and was able to prove the reservation had been made for that night. We ended up waiting a short time for a table, instead of seating us in a private booth-as requested in the confirmation, we were stuck at a table in the middle of a large dinning room. Not exactly the atmosphere I was hoping for the night of my engagement. We ordered the yin yang desert and as always the desert and chocolate was phenomenal, our server took very good care of us and even provided complimentary beverages for us to celebrate with. Over all, the food and table service was exceptional but I was very disappointed with their accommodations. Two stars for table service and complementary beverages.
(2)Libby B.
The Melting Pot is probably best as a special occasion visit. However, the more you go, the better it is! You get more familiar with the cooking times on the main course, and you can experience more of their varieties! If you sign up for their email list, you get some great coupons and notification of special events and pricing! The atmosphere is great, and the service is excellent. Every server I've had has been friendly and very nice to talk to while making our cheese fondues. The green goddess spread for the meat is my favorite sauce they have! I think anyone could find something they like here. The drink selection is excellent as I'm a big martini drinker.
(5)Patricia N.
This is a "once in a blue moon kind of place," especially for the price. I recently enjoyed a surprise anniversary dinner at The Melting Pot. We had late reservations for 9:00pm. We got there at 8:45, but weren't seated until 9:15, even behind people that had reservations at 8:30 but came after us. We had the "Big Night Out America" : Boston Lager Cheddar Cheese Fondue, Wisconsin Wedge Salad, Caesar Salad, "Lobster Indulgence" w/ Old Bay Shrimp, Buffalo Chicken, Memphis BBQ Pork Tenderloin, and wild mushrooms Coq au Vain style, Chocolate Wildberry Crunch Fondue, and a bottle of bubbly Moscato. The ambiance was nice, but the decor was a bit outdated. We were seated in a romantic booth, which I wasn't expecting. The service was terrific! Late in the evening, the manager, stopped by to check on us and even offered us a complimentary champagne toast with dessert. Sadly, there must've been a miscommunication because we never received it. Although it was delicious, I'm not sure it was exactly worth the price: $94 for four courses, and a $30 bottle of wine. Add tip onto that it's a whopping $160 for a nice dinner date.
(4)Mike H.
WOW, had heard alot about The Melting Pot. Some good, some bad. I have to say that the people that can't enjoy this place are looking for something that can't be found. We went for our 22nd anniversary, and surprised the wife as she had wanted to go for a long time. Well its well worth the cost. I can't believe I gut stuffed on the food as it seemed the portions were soo small, but with several courses and drinks you get filled up quick. The explosion of individual flavors was worth it and was an excellent experience. Would recommend to anyone.
(4)Balaguruprasad N.
My wife and my birthday are pretty close and so we decided to go midway between the two days. We made a reservation about 4 days prior and arrived a few minutes early. We were seated on time, and were served by very courteous waitress. We went for the four course meal for 2 and started off with the Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue and we then had the California salad and the house salad. For the entree, we had the good earth vegetarian, both of being vegetarian. I had it as offered, but my wife substituted the Thai peanut marinated tofu for more artichokes. We had it Bourguignonne style where we fried our entree at the table. The entree was served with 2 batters and 5 sauces. The mushroom sachetti was particularly good. We did not eat all the entree as we were starting to get satiated and wanted to save space for dessert. We had the traditional pure milk chocolate fondue with strawberries, bananas, pound cakes, brownies and marshmallows. Overall the ambiance and the experience were great. There was one guest seated next to us who was particularly inebriated when he entered, but the management was very polite, prompt and decisive in making sure that the guest was not a nuisance for others. The food, ambiance and service were all great.
(5)Stacy Q.
My husband and I celebrated our one year anniversary at this restaurant. Very romantic! The food was delicious and it was fun to cook it ourselves, with ample directions from the servers -of course. Plenty of food! We were even given a little bottle of champagne in celebration of our little event. The booths make the atmosphere very personal and romantic, the lightening is dim and candles are lit! Very nice!
(5)Amy D.
Go hungry if you come here! Thirsty too! Wonderful food and drinks. If you get to pick, have Chris as your waiter. He made our dining experience that much better with his wonderful attitude.
(5)Nikki B.
Yes we were celebrating a special occasion. Me & my ex went here last month. I decided to write a review about it. So we dressed up of course I ordered the "Love Martini" I'm not a drinker so it had me a little happy after one sip. I ended up giving him the rest & ordered the "Blackberry Sage Lemonade." this stuff was totally delicious. You can get is spiked or non-spiked. After the first drink I decided to keep it non alcoholic. This was a bitter sweet because this was technically our first and last date because he moved out of town the next day. We ordered the four course meal for two priced at $89 bucks. This place is not fit for a recession budget, so I would only recommend it for a special occasion or anniversary. Maybe also if you're just into impressing that special someone. I ordered chicken with some type of fiesta cheese fondue sauce. The "Wisconsin Wedge salad was pretty good as well. The dessert was delicious, I selected the bananas, strawberries with pound cake with chocolate fondue. I have to be honest although it was good the serving portions for everything was rather small. Besides this, I still think that it was a bit over priced. Overall, I tested it out, I liked it, I would do it again however I will be moving in a couple of months. so this may be my last review for Indianapolis.:) So glad that I will have a place to come back to, that I like when I visit home.
(4)Katie C.
After constantly hearing how awesome The Melting Pot was, I was excited that we actually live near one now. We planned a date night and went on the Sunday after Valentine's Day. We spent some time in the bar while we waited (Not their fault, we were crazy early for the reservation in our excitement to be on a date and without the kids), I had some martini with espresso in it and it was so good. The bar tender was adorable. She looked exhausted, but she was friendly and efficient and had full tables when we walked in. She was great at getting our orders and helping the couple next to us with their fondue. When we were seated, our server could not have been more charming. I suppose you have to be a people person to be a server there since you spend so much time at one table. He was so sweet and very helpful since it was our first time there. We had whatever the Big Night Out has been changed to. Our booth was so nice and quiet. The atmosphere was perfect for date night. We had the spicy queso, I had the house salad and my husband had what I think was the California Salad or something similar. We both loved our salads. I don't remember what my entree was called but it had peppered steak and that was amazing. For dessert, we had their special White Chocolate Creme Brulee- SO delicious. I loved everything about my experience there and can't wait to go again.
(5)Morgan J.
I really enjoy this place! The whole setting is very intimate. The servers are friendly and helpful. The food is yummy and plentiful. This is more than just dinner-- it's a complete fondue experience! My only complaint is that cocktails are kind of pricey for their quality, but the rest that The Melting Pot has to offer far outweighs that. I'm looking forward to my next visit and recommend this place to anyone looking for a neat, romantic dinner.
(5)Julie D.
The first chain restaurant I've been to in many many months. And I like it! And I helped! Lol Seriously, I actually left here feeling full but didn't need to roll myself out to the car afterwards. I wasn't even doing the post-Melting Pot waddle! As expected, everything tasted exactly as it should and was satisfying. The new Beer Cheese Fondue is a must for anyone who hasn't been in awhile. Great flavor, you could really taste the beer and the seasonings but not so much as to overpower the main ingredient CHEESE! Mushroom salad could use more mushrooms but that's a purely personal opinion. We opted for 2 orders of the Surf and Turf in the red wine bouillon. (I've had the Pacific Rim before and it's not up to par for food quality). The Bouillon is the key to avoiding the post-dinner waddle, btw! I didn't care for them trying to sell me their brand of a spice blend I can get myself at Penzey's Spices. The Chocolate Cookies 'n Cream desert again just as yummy as the last time. I loved that they added rice crispies to the desert plate! Like pretty much all chain restaurants I got consistency and decent service. Although the food quality may not be of the highest caliber it's certainly good enough. Yes, it's a romantic atomsphere....for the general public. But don't take a Foodie here for romance. There are far better options. But if you just want some Fondue (damn it!) there's no better place to go.
(3)Tim G.
It's a nice place to eat still. You cook yourself so there is no-one to blame. My wife, son (4yrs), mother and father-in-law ate here recently. We were seated in a separate area for families with small children. This area is the same as the rest of the restaurant. Our waitress was nice but the service was a little slow. It was a Thursday night and was not very busy, only about 30% occupied from the time we arrived and left. The only thing I have to say is it is a little expensive for what you get. Our server didn't remove empty drinks and plates in a timely way, in fact we had to put them on the table next to us because our table was way to cluttered!! I think they need to hire extra staff for the amount they are charging. She acted very busy, and she may have been, but I just didn't see much business to warrant this. I think it was a little inattentiveness,... and may have been much for "her" particularly. I had to ask her 3 times to dim the light because it was so bright reflecting off of our plates we couldn't look down. Finally another waiter dimmed them. It was my wife's favorite place to eat, but not really anymore. Service is slow, menu can be confusing, when the food arrives some of the meat types should be pointed out on the plate, when it arrives. Yes,... We can tell the difference! But some of the different seasonings make it hard to tell. ( I know turn up the lights!) it use to be really fun to go here the first few years they opened, but it seems now they have slacked off on trying to do a terrific job, now you barely get a good job. I spent $350 + $65 tip. The tip made me angry because I want to tip,.. but we received $5 service. I can't knock the food or portions but the service has gone down hill. Oh ya, the little maitre'd "chick" thinks she's really fabulous, ..she's not. Last thing thing we want to deal with when we relax and open up our wallet is a more deserving adolescent.
(3)Jill W.
Met two friends there and while I had been there before, we did not make reservations - so after moving us around a bit, we were seated at the bar. Our server (bartender) was terrific, but it was a bit difficult to share the fondue the way we were seated. Seeing empty tables in the restaurant, we wondered if it was a shortage of staff and not tables that meant we were at the bar. It can be pricey but you might as well go for the whole experience and get the four courses. And relax, the nice thing about having courses that our served more leisurely - is that you do not get full too fast, and you have time to relax and enjoy your company. We had the traditional Cheese fondue which was mostly Swiss, a selection of sirloin, shrimp, tuna, and chicken and ended with the cookies&creme chocolate fondue.
(4)Wendy L.
I was disappointed with the Melting Pot. The food was ok. The bread was stale with no flavor. I think for what it cost the 2 of us ($95 tip included)and that's without ordering alcohol , it should've been better. The only reason I gave it 2 stars, was because the waiter was excellent! That's it!
(2)Double-Dash C.
I like it. We come with the whole family and always have a great time. It is pricey, and I recommend getting fewer courses. Cheese and dessert is win. Cheese and salad and meats and dessert is overkill sometimes.
(4)E B.
Anyone who doesn't like probably didn't try the drinks!! Black and white is my favorite.
(4)Fi H.
I recently visited this location for a business dinner. I wouldn't recommend it for this type of event, as it took about 4 hours for 6 of us to eat and we all agreed we smelled so badly we all needed to shower upon leaving (since very fragrant food is cooked at the tables). I unfortunately had an entire glass of wine spilled in my lap at the beginning of our meal by a server. I was soaked completely through all my clothes and was only given a new glass of wine as compensation. I definitely won't be returning. I may have considered if they had tried luring me back with a complementary gift certificate or special offer as compensation for my evening I spent in wet clothes. For those of you who are brave enough to take the adventure to this restaurant, I would recommend not ordering a "package menu" with all courses included, most everyone in our group agreed the mix of food and variety of strong spices and flavors proved to be too much for our stomachs.
(2)Mike T.
This is a fondue restaurant. Your table has a burner in the middle, and this is where your meal will be cooked, by you. The pace of the meal will be leisurely. Your experience begins with an appetizer, such as a cheese mixture prepared at your table by the server - ours included Budweiser, cheddar, worchester, Parmesan, and ground pepper. You're give skewers with colored handles - each person gets their own color. You're served a bowl of bread chunks, veggies, and apple slices to dip in the melted cheese. You move on to a tasty salad, followed by an entree. Your entree is a selection of raw meat that you skewer and cook in a pot of boiling broth. The server also brings a bowl of veggies, and several sauces - terryaki, Ginger plum, curry, ranch, etc. I highly recommend ordering a desert. A pot of melted chocolate and bananas, strawberries, cheesecake, and more to dip in it! The price is on the high side - about $50 per person for entree, appetizer, desert, and soft drinks. They have a huge selection of wines, so if you order drinks, plan to pay more.
(5)Jenny K.
This fondue thing is just not my cup of tea. I was really excited to try it since I've never had fondue before, but I realize that it's just not for me. The 2 rating is not indicative of anything the restaurant really did, but more of a personal preference. The service was actually pretty good. We ordered a big night out special with the lobster. I am just not good at cooking my own food hence why I go out to eat. The lobster was either always undercooked or overcooked. The same went with all the other food we put in the fondue. I just wasn't that great at doing it and at the end of the night, I just did not feel that it was worth the money spent on the meal. I could have spent $125 at a nice restaurant where the food was prepared perfectly. I will most likely not give it a try again unless it was for the dessert fondue, which is not that bad. Also, I do agree with the other reviewers, the portions are small, but one thing I have to say is that you will get full from the meal.
(2)Barry M.
Good service but you need to plan on 2 hours plus for the meal. One of the more expensive places but is neat for a special occasion. Food is very good. Plan on 50 dollars a person if you want to have plenty to eat.
(3)E P.
If you wanna fondue. Fondue here. Excellent food. Romantic type atmosphere. Doesn't have to be but it can be. If you don't have a lot of money to spend just go there for dessert. $100 for 2. Must Eat!!!!!!!!!
(5)Kyle H.
This is a place you have to visit. I enjoyed the atmosphere, the staff was awesome. The fondue is the best i've ever had. My visit for Valentine's was special. If your visiting Indy, check this place out. I can't wait until my next visit.
(5)Jarrett V.
This place is definitely great at what it does, but I'm just not a big fan of the whole fondue thing. It takes a very long time, is very messy, and it isn't all that filling for the price. The items that I "fondued" were very tasty, as was the cheese and chocolate fondues, so as far as this genre of food, this place is top notch.
(3)Todd R.
Just to let Cody know. My previous review was not fake, I did go to the restaurant and I was absolutely insulted that I had to cook tiny portions of my own food. I was hungry and was not about to cook with inferior equipment to that of my fully equipped kitchen/grill at home. Boo to you for defending a useless chain. If you want to pay $80 to starve, that's your option, but state your opinion, and don't attack mine, jerk (or jerkette if that's they case with such a androgynous name!)
(1)Kasey J.
Want to go to THE MOST OVERRATED RESTAURANT IN INDY? Then head to The Melting Pot, where you'll practically starve to death while waiting to cook tiny pieces of meat that don't even seem all-that-fresh. Best fondue ever? Maybe to some, but I'm not sure I'm that into this fondue craze--if there is a fondue craze. Maybe I'm being harsh, but I felt like the only thing melting here was the money from my pockets. Way overpriced for what we got--which was supposed to be a deal for large groups. I'm not sure about spending $80 per couple to eat tiny pieces of hard bread and cheese. The drinks were $10 each, and I got a Screwdriver when I ordered a Fuzzy Navel. NOT THE SAME THING. I truly WANTED to like this place. It seems like everyone else does for some reason. Or does everyone simply like it because they think they're supposed to? I'm not sure. But if you want to spend 2-3 hours to cook your own chunks of meat in hot water, by all means, head to The Melting Pot. I admit the chocolate was good ... but the marshmallow chunks we were given to dip in the chocolate were stale. Do yourself a favor and buy a bag of baking chocolate and stay home. Melt it over your own stove. Way cheaper and way more romantic.
(1)Jared S.
Excellent fondue and great service. The 4 course dinner is the way to go.
(5)Jamison R.
We went to the Melting Pot last night to celebrate a friend's birthday. It was fine. Not great, not bad. The reason for the two stars is that I think it's expensive for what you get. I agree with Kasey about money melting from pockets. There were 4 of us and we ordered two of the 3 course fondue experiences for 2. It was $60 a couple and included cheese fondue, a salad and then an assortment of fish, beef, chicken & veggies to cook in broth (by the way the broth we picked -- coq au vin -- cost us an extra $6 per couple). I have no idea why. Maybe because there was wine inthe broth? Anyway, the food was fine. In addition, we'd done a little research prior to getting there & found out from their website that Wednesdays were 1/2 price bottles of wine for those under $50/bottle. When we got our bill, I noticed the discount wasn't taken off. I asked the waiter & he said "I don't think we're doing that anymore but I'll check with the manager". Lo & behold they actually were still offering the deal. So we did get our wine at a discount. Overall I wasn't impressed. The food was so so and the atmosphere kind of blah (& the place was quite empty). Over $200 for the 4 of us with our wine discount as well as a $25 off coupon.
(2)