Love it!! Great service and the food is good bec u cook it yourself lol :-)
(5)
Linda W.
Great place for a date night or night out with friends. Easy to have conversation while enjoying a four course meal. For dessert, we like the Flaming Turtle option.
(4)
Jeannette R.
My husband and I stopped in on New Year's Eve just for dessert. We called to make sure they could take us and made a reservation for 11pm. We were seated within a few minutes of arriving and was promptly greeted by Shawn, our server. We have been to other locations so we knew the drill and ordered our favorite chocolate fondue, the Flaming Turtle. It was delicious as usual. I enjoy the fruit most, strawberries, pineapples and bananas but you also get brownies, blondes, marshmallows and rice Krispy treats. I haven't been to a Melting Pot in a while but I remembered getting cheesecake before. My husband just told me that he did see it on the menu for additional cost now. The manager came over to check on us midway through which is always appreciated and another lady came by to inform us of a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. We stuck around for that and they also had party favors and hats for everyone. I would definitely return to this location for a full dinner, their customer service is outstanding.
(4)
S G.
I have really enjoyed this location in the past. Melting pot is a very gluten free/celiac friendly restaurant, but tonight I felt singled out because I have to eat gluten free. They typically give us two burners so one can have Gluten and the other one not. Tonight we were offered only one burner and two burner tables seemed available. When they gave us the gluten free bread and deserts they were extremely stingy and brought very few items. This is the whole reason people come to this restaurant - we ended up having half or chocolate left with nothing to dip it in :(
(2)
Mike B.
Great experience, wide variety of food and fondue/cooking choices. My second time here, the service was attentive, food was awesome. Some people bizarrely call this "cooking your own food", but there's a lot of prep work and at-table activity by the staff to make the dining personalized and enjoyable.
(5)
Chris G.
I will never pay that much money again to cook my own food. The only reason 3 stars are awarded is because dessert was off the chain!
(3)
Kalee C.
Not only do I love all melting pots, but this location does beer and wine pairing events that are wonderful. They're not only well organized but the management really turns it into an event and you truly feel like you're getting your money's worth. A friend of mine reserves a large table for 8 every time they ahve an event going on and we never miss it!
(5)
Marisa F.
Is it terrible that when you walk into a place the bartenders already bring you what you want to drink on a platter just after you sit down? Because I sure don't think it is! Maybe it is a sign that I go to Melting Pot too much, but I just think it is evidence of how wonderful the staff is. The best time to go to MP is for happy hour when there is half price cheese and chocolate. You really can't beat that. They also have other great nights where they offer half priced wine or girl's nights out. I really love this location over the Columbia one because of the wonderful people that work here. They have also started offering wonderful special beer dinner nights and have had pairings with dogfishhead, flying dog, victory, flying fish, and heavy seas to name a few. They do this every few months and create a special menu to go with it. All of the beer and a souvenier glass is included in the price and it's always a fun time. I have been to all 7 (I think that's how many there have been, I could have lost count) and have had a great time at every one. They put the information up on their facebook page so go like it and come out next time.
(5)
Katrina W.
I have to say the Annapolis Melting Pot has been quite impressive. This particular Melting Pot hosts Beer Dinners every couple of months. I have attended all of them so far. The beer dinner program has brewers for example from Dog Fish, Star Hill, Flying Dog, and Heavy Seas to name a few they have had. The dinners are amazing they pair up the menu with showcased beers. They tweak the recipes a bit from their normal selections. Service is always great and friendly.
(5)
Jeff P.
Ridiculously expensive! The dining area is nice but come on! For this kinda money they should have made me wear a tie. I wore shorts. The portions are small and you cook it yourself. They give you straws for soda - is that fancy? Seriously, they should pass along the savings. The waiters are very polite and accommodating. If you really want fondue - do it at home. The cheese, broth and chocolate were not particularly any better than store bought. If you want an experience at a bloated price - go ahead. It would make a nice place for a date but, I don't date anymore - and not because I couldn't...I am committed.
(3)
Kara B.
I've been to the melting pot twice this year. The latest trip was for my birthday. We went Saturday night (of course I made reservations a month in advance). The melting pot is pricey, no doubt about it but it's so worth it. We did the 4 course meal experience. The food is amazing. I have never left the melting pot thinking the food was just okay. The waitress asked in the beginning of our meal if we were celebrating anything. When our desert came she brought me an extra plate of dippers to look like a birthday cake, candle and all. We all left feeling like we were going to explode because of the amount of food we received, and we left food on our plates. Whenever I want a fantastic, special night out we go to the melting pot. If you haven't been make sure to leave at least 2 hours for dinner. There were 4 of us and we were there for 2 and a half hours.
(5)
Katy S.
The service was so bad I very much doubt I will ever go back. One of the pots was not set high enough so the meats were not cooking, that could have easily been taken care of if the waitress ever came back to see how things were going. No one ever came around to see if we needed refills. When we asked for extra napkins and silverware it took at least 15 mins. for someone to bring them. One side of the table was still eating due to the setting on the pot and the waitress was clearing the table all around them.
(1)
Drew B.
Fantastic experience. The food was spot on and the server was very personable and went out of his way to explain the experience and his recommendations. The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is that the interior was a bit worn and seemed dingy in a couple places but it was a minor issue. To address what the one user said about small serving size...I don't know what they ordered but the price fixed menu that includes salad, cheese fondue, main fondue and dessert was almost more than my girlfriend and I could finish. To each their own I suppose.
(4)
Crystal H.
I am definitely a fan of the Melting Pot! I went on this occasion with a friend celebrating her birthday! We had a ball! I really don't have anything bad to say at all! The Melting Pot is pricey for a place that you pretty much prepare your own food! But honestly, you are paying for the experience! And for the experience, it is great! However, some of our party members found the experience overwhelming! The idea of having to pick your cheese fondue, and then your meats...they were overwhelmed and confused! But it isn't really hard and is quite self explanatory! We ordered the bourbon and bacon cheese fondue! They guy will choose anything with bacon! Its a good thing that I, A, eat pork, and B, love bacon as well! However, it was quite tasty even though I was a little hesitant! We also had a pot of the mojo cooking broth. I've never been a fan of this cooking broth before, but this occasion I took a liking to it! I ordered the Land and Sea as my entree which included filet mignon, chicken, and steak. My guy ordered the French Quarter which all came seasoned with cajun spices. His platter had steak, chicken, shrimp and andouille sausage. All of the entrees come with the dipping sauces and veggies such as potatoes, mushrooms and broccoli! We also ordered the white chocolate desert fondue! Needless to say, I was extremely full by the time dinner was over! Overall, we had a great experience! It took a long time for the staff to get us started and keep the courses going! But there were 16 of us and some of them took smoke breaks! LOL! The staff was very friendly and extremely nice! I am def going back with just my Guy the next time! It can be extremely romantic and intimate! Love this place!
(4)
Hope L.
We had reservations for 8:45 and arrived about a hour early so we decided to chill at the bar for drinks before dinner. I started with the Sunshine Sangria which was phenomenal! Excellent balance of sweet and bubbly. Nice twist to the original Sangria! While I was tempted to order another I decided to indulge in a bottle of Kung Fu Girl Riesling. This wine has been my go to wine for the past few weeks and is truly delicious. We ordered the Fusion and Delight so we could taste a little of everything. It included lobster tail, filet mignon, pork, chicken, shrimp, veggies and duck. Spiced things up with the Mojo sauce. OH!! Let me not forget the cheddar fondue appetizer which came with bread, veggies (celery, carrots and broccoli), capicola, mortadella and salami with summer sausage and cornichons. IT WAS DELICIOUS!! You cook all of your food at the table "fondue style" LOVED IT!!! The customer service from the moment we walked in was on point! The Hostess was very nice and told us that she would try to seat us early. While we didn't get seated early the bartender took very good care of us. Nothing beats a bartender that is good at what she does and enjoys it, When it was close to our reservation time the hostess made it a point to come to the bar and let us know that she is working on a nice little spot for us and was appreciative of us being so patient and would seat us ASAP. See little things like that is what makes for a great dining experience and this was definitely it. I really enjoyed my time at The Melting Pot and am looking forward to my next visit!
(5)
Emily H.
This was my first time at The Melting Pot and our waitress - I did not get her name - did very well at explaining the process. They were quick to allow me to substitute duck for the shrimp, since I seem to be part of the 1% of the population that does not think shrimp is the food of the gods. I think our waitress - again not sure of her name - saved my life like 6 or 7 times. She reminded me to cook the meat for at least 2 minutes and to be sure not to stick the hot skewers in my mouth. By the time the desert course rolled around we were still missing our main course wine from the wine flight. Chris, the "manager" happened to come by our table and ask if we needed anything. I told Chris, the "manager", that we were missing our meat wine. Chris was confused, but quickly caught on that we needed the 3rd glass of our wine flight. Chris came back quickly and announced "meat wine!!!" while presenting us with two glasses of decent vino. Chris, the "manager" then told us if we needed anything to let him know. We had to ask Chris for a couple more things, and we're very thankful he was so readily available. I hope he didn't do anything bad to the waitress. Does anyone know if there has been a recent reported disappearance of a young girl that worked at The Melting Pot? Just checking. It's probably fine. The meal concluded with The Manager ... not Chris we are so confused ... coming to our table and saying he was the manager. It was like we were sucked into some sort of worm hole as the the Managers' identities because misconstrued. But that neither here nor there. I liked the cheese. They should sell that stuff to fill oversized bathtubs with. Over all, a great experience. If you go, ask for Chris.
(4)
Susan B.
My family and I went shopping in Annapolis to celebrate my birthday yesterday And came here for dinner. It wasn't my first time here but it was one of the best. They're always very friendly and the food is always amazing. I seriously recommend the special cheese fondue when you go. Every time we go we get the special fondue and it's great. (Currently Lobster Bisque) the red wine broth is amazing with red meat and Mojo is great with everything else. And of course the chocolates are pretty much all awesome. Though I particularly love the bananas foster and original. A MUST try at some point. My favorite restaurant by far.
(5)
Amanda H.
My boyfriend and I make it a tradition to come here for Valentine's day and restaraunt week. We've always had positive experiences. We're taken on time for our reservations and waste time at the bar until our table is ready. The bartender, I believe his name is Chris remembered us and was very friendly. This past valentine's day, he came by our table as the manager to check in and still remembered us. The servers have always been pleasant and go above and beyond.
(4)
Shelby T.
I love this restaurant! Very pricey but super private and romantic or good for fun with friends. More of a special occasion thing for me, but I always enjoy it.
(5)
Samantha P.
This isn't my first time going to the melting pot. I have been a couple of times through out the course of almost 10 years, usually for a special treat since its pricy indeed. Dessert still stands as the best part, however this time I was very confused with the menu and the kids menu. I ordered chicken, salmon, and ravioli for my daughter and yet the waiter messed it up 2 times. She's only 20 months and have yet to have shell fish, yet the waiter kept bringing shrimp as her meal. Not only that but he messed up my nephew's order and my niece. When we told him he went to argue with us. I'm not sure why but I was disappointed it wasn't correct the first time. I'm sure he also charged me for something else because I was only suppose to have steak, lobster, and chicken but there were shrimp and ravioli as well. My parents took the check before I could check, however I paid attention to what was ordered and what was given. He even pushed to have us order more "portions" when we asked how many they would feed. I just didn't walk away satisfied as I have in the past, last time was Dec. 2011 so that should say something. I remember each experience and this time was more on the unhappy side unfortunately. I hope they will think about going back to the menu they had before. I also hope they would not argue when something is wrong. Manager did come over, my parents though are not ones to make a scene.
(3)
Sara D.
The food on a whole was good, the service was great, the drinks were mediocre however the real low blow was that they tried to "fluff" my salad with iceberg lettuce underneath my salad greens! SERIOUSLY?!? The melting pot is definitely not a cheap place to eat, yet they try to fluff my salad of field greens with cheap tasteless iceburg lettuce...what an insult! Once I pointed it out to the waitress and she verified on the menu that it says field greens and she personally remade my salad which was great, however the cheap shot spoiled my rating for this restaurant. You are already over paying, yet they still try to cheapen your meal...unbelievable!
(3)
Ronae B.
Gosh I love this place. Everything taste so amazing. I'm a regular here. I come at least once a month. Every server I've had has always been amazing. And this location, in my opinion, is the best! I've had large 13+ birthday dinners, girls night, date night, and I've even eaten by myself here (Couldn't shake the craving for their amazing caesar salad with pine nuts, so delicious). The four course experience is the best of you love cheese and chocolate. If not, they do have individual entrees which are just as yummy. You fill up very fast, most times I have to save my entree so I can enjoy the chocolate! The drinks are hit or miss depending on the bartender, but when they're good, they're good! Fiesta (if you like spice) is the best cheese! Mojo is THE best cooking style. All of the chocolates are yummy but my favorite is bananas foster :) Oh and if you don't have at least $40-50 just for yourself only, don't come. And stop complaining about the prices. Their prices are just right. If you want a 2 for $10 meal take yourself right across the street to Ruby Tuesday's. Brokey! Lol
It's not often I'm blown away by food. I was freaking amazed! My friends and I popped in a couple of weeks ago as we all wanted to try it. We couldn't have been happier! Our food was amazing! The Cheddar Fondue was just out of this world. I'd recommend getting the Premium Dippers with the Italian Meats. They are high quality meats. I got the Fondue Fusion and my friends got the French Quarter and the Fondue Delight. We used the Oil cooking style. The food was perfectly seasoned and it was amazing in the Oil. There was more than enough food for each of us and we all shared a bit, tasting everyone's dishes. The only one I didn't like was the Duck; the taste of Ginger was too strong and hid the natural taste of the Duck while the other seasonings complimented the meats beautifully. The Dark Chocolate Fondue with Chambord mixed in was like heaven. I put a piece of Strawberry with some of the Cheesecake. OMG, Incredible! The only problem with the dessert portion is that the food is barely enough for three people. We ended up ordering another slice of Cheesecake, Red Velvet Cake, and Strawberries. There was more than enough Chocolate to go around. The Wine list...OMG. The Seven Oaks Cab Sav went perfectly with the Fondue Fusion and the Taylor Fladgate 30 year old Port was just the perfect match to dessert. I will be back constantly. It's my new favorite place to eat.
(5)
Kia D.
I have been here twice - most recently this past Saturday. My experience was AWESOME both times and I love this place. Our waiter Patrick was the best! Very friendly and competent and explained everything in detail for my rookie friends that I brought along. The Bourbon Bacon Cheddar Cheese was so good, I wanted to lick the fondue pot clean. I cannot remember what the name of the chocolate was that we got but it was the one with the flambeed nuts...I am not even gonna elaborate. I am just going to shut my eyes and have a moment of silence cause something that good has to be deadly. As long as your fondue pot has something in it, you get unlimited dippers. So for the cheese, you get apples, veggies and bread and for your chocolate, you get strawberries, rice krispy treats, pound cake pieces, brownies, blondies, pineapples, bananas, marshmallows, oreo marshmallows, cheesecake...the list goes on and on. Definitely wear your elastic waistband pants when you eat here.
(5)
Rob B.
KID Party Notes: We took our nephews and nieces for Christmas tonight, and while they do not have a kids menu, you can order for less people than the group comprises. Two adults, 8 kids from 6-13. Out table had 3 burners. We had the Melting Pot salad with Ranch for all. With the exception of two kids, they ate the entire salad. Then we had the cheddar fondue for 6 people, 2 portions each pot. Then the S'more dessert fondue for 6, again 2 portions per pot. Each kid had one soda and we spend $210 with tip included. Not a terrible deal, it came out quick and we couldn't have eaten more. The kids thought the fondue was a fun treat most had never done it. It kept them busy and the S'more dessert raised our Uncle "cred" massively.
(3)
Nicole S.
We got off to a slow start, but overall had a good experience. The first server told us that he was helping out of server and would take our drink orders. A different server brought out the alcoholic drinks but no water or drink for my son. My drink was tasty so I was ok with him not having a drink right away :-) Yet another server came and took our cheese order, however he didn't fully explain the restaurant week menu. When our server finally came he didn't really explain things either. We heard other tables getting good explanations and questions answered so we learned from them. Overall the food was yummy and the service was ok. Nice place for a special occasion or with a deal as it can get expensive.
(4)
Levi P.
This was the second time my girlfriend and I visited The Melting Pot, but our first time at this location. Our first experience was so good, we were afraid that our future experiences could only be worse, but we were fortunately wrong. The service was excellent. The waitress was very nice and kept the conversation going without making things awkward. We tried a few different things, and were impressed with everything. The price is obviously pretty steep, but if you're willing to fork out the extra cash, you are sure to have a delicious and unique experience!
(5)
Megan W.
Love it. I will definitely go back. We did the 4 course experience we certainly did not leave hungry service was friendly and attentive food was great nice to have something different and very tasty
(4)
Lauren A.
The Melting Pot is my favorite restaurant by far. I've been going here once or twice a year for anniversaries for about 6 years. I alternate between the Columbia location and this one, but I never have a bad experience. Though pricey, you get what you pay for; the food is phenomenal. They change the menu little by little here and there, so my courses are never the same, which is great. You can request extra of pretty much anything at little to no charge, and the staff is always very friendly and very helpful. The atmosphere is very ambient and perfect for an anniversary dinner. I can't praise this place enough. I'd say per couple, plan to spend about $100-$120, especially if you want to partake in some alcohol. I can't wait for my next visit! :)
(5)
Rick W.
This is a restaurant for small children or adults who have had gastric bypass surgery. There's no way an adult male will ever have their hunger satisfied here. Totally not worth the money. I basically paid $100 to cook my own small portions of food then still had to pick up a pizza on the way home. I think I'm safe in saying that the majority of the 4 and 5 star reviews are from women and my wife is one of them. She loved it, I hated it.
(1)
Jen L.
Wow, I can't believe I have not reviewed the Melting Pot! I'm a huge fan and will drag anyone here if they have never been to fondue. It is definitely an experience! Be prepared to eat! So I don't have any thing else to add that hasn't already been covered. This is a favorite all around. It's a very social meal, the full meal takes about 2-3 hours to complete. This is also a great place to head to if you just want dessert. You could get a pot of chocolate for less than $20! If you are not down with paying $50/pp for a meal, you might want to get on their mailing list and go only when they have specials like their Ladies Night where you can get a special for $30/pp for a full meal. They participate in the Annapolis Restaurant Week, so that's also a good time for fondue. This is a place for a good meal and quality bonding time with your friends, family and significant other. If you ask nicely they may let you take home any left over chocolate in their little to-go containers. Chocolate fondue makes excellent left overs. Don't forget to check in to get free garlic seasonings! I love free stuff! FYI..it is way better to ride the mechanical bull at Cadillac Ranch BEFORE you have fondue.....going after fondue is a bad idea.
(5)
Eric H.
Celebrated my wife's birthday here with family. It was a good experience overall. We had excellent and attentive service from our waiter Eric. Food was as expected and the evening was fun and relaxing. A bit pricy but was good for the occasion. My favorite is still the cheese fondue appetizer - cheddar. The dark chocolate orange dessert fondue was a very nice end to the meal. Will be happy to come back again.
(4)
Mo A.
Very expensive for a place that essentially makes you cook your own meal. Plus, I can't cook....DOH! There is a romantic element to the environment and in theory it is a cozy experience to be making and sharing food with someone. Problem is there's nothing special about the ingredients you're provided and limited seasoning options. For my tastes (and capabilities), it's worth one visit for the experience and that's about it.
(2)
T S.
Very good. Enjoyed the food and experience.
(5)
Amaris R.
The Melting Pot is a rip off! Whoever came up with the idea to charge people to cook their own food is really getting over. On top of that they give you like 3 shrimp, 1/4 of a steak and a 1/4 of a chicken breast. I wont be going back.
(2)
Dawn W.
The Quattro Fromaggio ROCKED!! ... As did our service and the entire meal. The recipes on the web for Quattro Fromaggio are very different than what we got. Find me (luvinlif2k) On all recipes.com for my guess On our recipe tonight. Luv The Melting Pot in Annapolis as always.
(5)
Jessica F.
Going here is a tradition for my sister and I and fortunately we came on Ladies' Night Out where it was $30 per person. The meat portions are probably a little smaller than the normal dinners but no matter. You have 2 other courses and a salad to work through so you will be plenty full. I didn't really like the Ceaser salad. The toasted pine nuts are a nice idea but they are a little too sweet for my taste. They are nice enough to work with your special requests without it being a hassle-if you don't like shrimp you can have more chicken or beef. If you don't want the rice crispy treats or marshmallows, you can request more strawberries and pound cake. Everyone walks away happy! A nice place to go for special occasion! As an added bonus, I checked in here and received a free container of the garlic and wine seasoning.
(4)
Sarah O.
This is the 3rd Melting Pot location that I have been to. Like the other 2, this location is very similar in the decor and ambiance. You come here for the experience and to have a good time with your significant other or friends. Our server, Greg, was phenomenal. He explained the menu and concept to the half who hadn't been here before, but it wasn't overly boring for us who had visited before. Service was great and Greg made excellent recommendations from the menu. The drinks are pretty damn good (but slightly expensive). Definitely try the White Chocolate Creme Brulee fondue for dessert; I am not a big fan of white chocolate, but it was exceptional! (Note: this is on the current Big Night Out menu and will change within a couple months.)
(4)
Heather W.
Aside from the fact that you have to cook your own food *which my husband and father always complain about* I am a HUGE fan of this place. If I had to choose a last meal, the cheese and desert here would probably be included. The melting pot is expensive... get over it. Happy hour has drink specials and half price cheese, so there is your price break :) If I had to recommend a meal it would be cheddar cheese fondue, with steak and shrimp in coq au vin boil with green goddess sauce (of course) with turtle chocolate dessert. DELICIOUS! I can't say good enough things about the cheese, heaven sent! I could eat it all day. The wait staff is always helpful and friendly and I've been so often, all the servers come over and ask about the kids and me. This place gets crowded and booked on reservations, even on weekdays. If you have a date, make a reservation a few days in advance, their reservation line opens at noon.
(5)
Juliette S.
The food is fondue. If you aren't into that, you are not going to like it. The quality of the food is always good and you know what to expect when you go there. What makes this place great is the service. We have been here at least 10 times and the waitstaff is always so nice and accommodating. Also, ask for the creme brulee dessert if it is not on the menu. It is the most delicious dessert fondue and if they have all the ingredients for it (which they most of the time do), the will make it for you. You can also customize without an extra charge - so in the dessert portion, we only get fruit (strawberries and bananas) and leave out everything else (cheesecake, rice krispie...). Don't be afraid to ask - the waitstaff is great!
(4)
Laura G.
I've eaten at the Annapolis Melting Pot for 3 of my last 5 birthdays. I am a big fan, huge price tag and all. I recently went back this weekend with two friends for a little girls night. Others have explained the concept pretty well so I'll just let you in on my favorites - spinach artichoke cheese, the caesar salad, the fondue feast and s'mores chocolate. Yum, yum, yummm! I especially like how you can customize your plates of food if there is something you want more or less of. On my recent visit, the meal took 3 hours to complete. This was part due to cooking and talking and part due to a large delay between our cheese course and our salad. You know, salads taking so long to cook and all. Our waiter was also slow with the drink refills, even after I made an effort to really nurse mine during the main course. He seemed to have a large table that required a lot of his attention. I forgave him because it's the melting pot and I just love it too much to get too unhappy. If only there was one burner/pot per couple. A table of 4 can spend $192 and up on their meal, but all have to come to a consensus on one cheese, one broth, and one chocolate. What's up with that?
(4)
Carime R.
The food itself, our server and the happy hour prices were great; however on the occasion I went to the Melting Pot in Annapolis with my mother one of the front of the house staff members was talking with coworkers about an event he had experienced and loudly said something along the lines of 'Get the f*** outta here'. Do not know the exact words; however I definitely know the f word was definitely said....loudly. When my mother and I heard it (only people sitting in the front of the house area) we quickly turned our heads around shocked of what we had just heard. So unprofessional. The man at the hostess stand did not even apologize to us regarding what he said but instead just kept on talking like nothing had happened. The other staff members didn't say anything at all either to this man. This is totally unacceptable and there should've been repercussions for this individual's actions. It totally ruined our experience. I, nor my mom, have ever gone to a restaurant where this has ever happened in all of our years. Food great; professionalism no.
(1)
John G.
I always enjoy the melting pot, no doubt about it. The Annaoplis Melting Pot is the best in our area, and I always try to go to that one if I have a choice. Service is always on point and the food is always really good. Its not somewhere I can go on a regular basis, because I would be huge and broke!! lol
(4)
Wade E.
My wife and I ate here last night for our anniversary, and the only part that we felt was worth it was the chocolate fondue. We did the 4 course meal and since this was our first time we tried everything that was the classic or signature item. The cheddar cheese fondue was pretty good, but the veggies they served with it didn't seem to be a good flavor match, and they were stale. The cubbed bread was okay, but for the price, this definitely wasn't as amazing as I expected. The house salads tasted fine, were really small and unattractive on presentation. The classic selection of meat was okay, but again for the price, I could tell we were eating low quality meat. The turtle chocolate fondue was the only part that we really enjoyed, but the strawberries were a bit too tart. We ordered a bottle of 14 hands wine for 30 bucks but once we got it we ended up recognizing it as a less than $10 bottle from the store. I know you have to mark up wines, but I also know if you spend a little time you can fine inexpensive wines that aren't so common and recognizable as cheap wine that you're now paying 30 bucks for. The whole fondue concept is a cool unique idea, but for the price they could serve higher quality food.
(3)
Ken S.
My wife and I had such a fantastic meal and what a great atmosphere. I have never eaten fondue at a restaurant, but I wanted to try it. Our waiter Shawn was fantastic. He was very personable and took the time to explain everything; you could tell he enjoyed working there. The food was sensational. There are 4 courses and by the end you are absolutely stuffed. We had a bacon cheese fondue to start, then the classic entree, Caesar and portabella salads, and the turtle chocolate desert . There was not one thing we didn't like and we ha not one complaint. The sauces, the meat, everything was great. The staff were extremely courteous and the atmosphere was very relaxed. We will be coming back!
(5)
Elizabeth D.
Have been to a number of Melting Pots, most recently the Annapolis outlet. I've always found their waitstaff to be friendly and helpful, and they were flexible enough to let my boyfriend and I split an "entree" serving and substitute some proteins we preferred. Melting Pot is pricey, but for a fancy dinner out, if you pick your menu thoughtfully, it's worth it.
(4)
C W.
Used to be our favorite restaurant, great staff, location and food. Used to give it 4-5 stars but have had to drop it down 1, then 2 stars over time (for a 2 star rating) as the price has stayed the same but the portions keep shrinking. We still go from time to time but it's a couple of times a year now instead of monthly.
(2)
Cortez W.
My wife and I visited a Melting Pot restaurant when we lived in Florida and thoroughly enjoyed the experience, so when we went to the Annapolis location we thought we knew what we were in for, sadly we didn't we were greeted by two very apathetic and condescending greeters, that asked if we had reservations. After we scanned the place and looked at several empty tables we insisted that we'd sit at the bar, suddenly a table in the back mysteriously opened. After we got our table we were ignored by the waitstaff and when we complained to management he seemed dumbfounded and totally uninterested. Our evening was almost completely ruined until we went to Bonefish Grille, nearby, we ended up saving money and had a great time. I'll never visit this place again.
(1)
Heather G.
My husband and I have been going to the Melting Pot in Annapolis for about 7 years, and it has provided us with consistently fantastic food and service during that time. Even though we go three or four times a year, much of the waitstaff still recognizes us and those we've had as servers will often drop by to say hello when they aren't the ones serving us. We've always been made to feel extremely welcome. The fact that many of the servers have been there for years speaks well of the managers/owners (high turnover in employees is usually a bad sign at a restaurant). The pace of eating is perfect. We've never felt rushed, but we've never had to wait for our food. The choices available for cheese fondue, salad, main fondue, and dessert fondue might appear limited, but the combinations of dippers, cooking styles, and so on means that each dinner can be different from the last. Everything's incredibly flexible, too---for instance, you can have them put together a dessert fondue with your own choices of chocolate type, liqueur, and so on, even if it isn't on the menu. (One server told us people will even bring in their own ingredients they want added!) We typically ask for only the fruit and marshmallows out of the usual array of dessert dippers, and they'll happily load up a plate with exactly what we want. And thanks to the fondue setup, each person can cook their choice of dippers precisely to his or her liking. You can also get only the courses you want, including just the cheese and chocolate courses. The ambience is lovely, and we use the Melting Pot almost exclusively as our special occasion restaurant for anniversary, birthday, etc. Also, if you love chocolate, you simply must try the Yin & Yang cocktail! It's an amazing blend of ice cream, liqueur, and chocolate that we've become addicted to.
(5)
Sarah M.
We went to the Melting Pot to celebrate our 5th anniversary. It was a great time! We were able to sit in a cozy 2-seater booth, our server was extremely attentive and knowledgeable. He made my husband's Arnold Palmer perfectly and was able to recommend a good scotch too. Actually by the end of the night, he was telling us all about the local area, as we are new here, and made friends with my husband! It was a great dining experience- the food (as always!) was amazing, though pricey, and everything was as expected or better. Zack, our server, was so welcoming and it was a very welcome change from the "stellar" Maryland customer service we have so far received!
(5)
Shane N.
When I first heard about The Melting Pot, I said to my SO, "That sounds interesting. We should try that." She quickly gave me a lecture on how she went to one once and it was terrible and expensive and they only have chocolate desserts, blah, blah, blah. All of her criticisms seemed like positives to me. I don't know how she expected to be turned off by explaining it is just melted cheese, meat fried in oil, and melted chocolate. I said, "That sounds awesome." Eventually there came a time when I had to pick where we were going and I picked this joint. Anyway, we roll up on a Wednesday at about 7:30pm. The parking lot is packed. We go inside there is a bar area that is packed. We ask for a table and are told it was about a 45 minute wait. I am beginning to wonder if it is worth the wait when the hostess informs us that she can squeeze us in. About 5 minutes later we are being escorted to our table. Because the booths were full, we were escorted to the back where there was a small table. Despite it not being a booth it was still fairly intimate as there was a divider on one side and it was in a corner. Essentially only one side was exposed to the rest of the room, so it was still pretty cozy. Our waiter (Brad) was excellent. We explained that this was our first time there and he helpfully explained how everything worked. They had something called "the Big Night Out" that was essentially a four course meal. There was a cheese fondue appetizer, a salad, then a main course of meat and vegetables, and finally a dessert course all for $88 per couple. This is what we picked. For our appetizer course we chose a traditional Swiss fondue. This consisted of Gruyere and Swiss cheeses. At your table, Brad the waiter added and mixed the cheeses, wine and seasonings in our fondue pot. Then he brought out a selection of breads, apples, and vegetables to dip in the cheese sauce. The cheese dip was very tasty. The fruits and vegetables were fresh. The dip could have been a little hotter, I imagine they have to keep it at a lower temperature for safety reasons. Still, after the first course I was very pleased and my SO could not complain even though I am sure she wanted to. The next course was the salad course. My SO and I both chose the California salad which was salad greens, walnuts, gorgonzola and a berry vinaigrette dressing. The salad was excellent. I love nuts on my salad (that's what she said) and I love gorgonzola cheese. I love all strong and pungent blue cheeses on my salad. The sharpness of the cheese contrasted with the sweetness of the berry vinaigrette was excellent. My SO raved about her salad. Next was the main course. We chose the fondue feast from "the big night out" menu. It was a selection of several different meats including shrimp, chicken, NY strip, filet mignon, chicken, and bratwurst. In addition, we had some mushrooms, red potatoes and broccoli to add to our broth. Additionally, we had a bout 435 different dipping sauces. The only ones I remember is a blu cheese one and a mustard one. Those are the only two I used. You get to select from various broths or oils to either essentially boil or fry your meats. We choose a broth that was supposed to be Carribean themed and have a little bit of heat (it didn't by the way) and we were to boil our meats in it. Brad prepared our broth for us and told us that the steak and chicken should take about 2 minutes and everything else should take about a minute and a half. Here is where the problem comes in. It is easy to overcook your meats. With the broth you are essentially boiling them anyway, but the problems come from leaving them in to long. You are having a conversation and you have multiple meats in the pot. You don't remember which one is which and how long it has been in. This wasn't really a problem except with the steak and filet. They tended to be rubbery if left in too long. The chicken was fine if you left it in too long. The bottom line is that when a chef is cooking your food the only thing they are paying attention to is your food. Here you are the cook and the diner. Getting distracted in conversation costs you in the quality of your food preparation. Overall, it wasn't bad, but you could get a lot better prepared meat from a real restaurant with a real chef. Now we move on to the desert course. The big show. After looking at the desert menu my SO decided on the banana foster dip. This consisted of white chocolate, brown sugar, bananas and cinnamon. There were strawberries, bananas, cakes, marshmallows, rice crispie treats, brownies, etc. to dip into the chocolate. It was one of the tastier deserts I have ever tried. My SO raved about it. They also have this blackberry lemonade with vodka that was very delicious. It is a great place for salad, appetizer and dessert, but the main course can be problematic unless you are good at boiling your steak. My SO was obviously wrong.
(4)
Dawn P.
Always a fun date night! Thursday nights are half priced wine night at the Annapolis location! I suggest the creme brulee chocolate on the new French menu! YUM! I think Melting Pot is a little overpriced for the amount of food you receive and cook yourself however I am always stuffed.
(3)
Tamika F.
This place is perfect for social events or a date where you really want to get to know someone. I have gone three times and enjoyed every time I've gone. The food and the experience is phenomenal. Even though it's pricy, the atmosphere, the service, and the food options make up for the price.
(4)
Debbie K.
I was really excited when I finally got to go to the melting pot, and the experience did not disappoint. I went with a big group and the fondue setup where everyone shares foods and dipping pots is a very social experience. The decor was very dim but warm and inviting. The servers were extremely friendly and helpful. It was my birthday and I even got a card from the servers! My only issues with the melting pot is that it is very expensive and the fact that since I was in charge of cooking my own food-- it wasn't very good. It was a lot of fun, and great experience, but I would not go back for dinner again solely because I did not feel like I had a great meal. HOWEVER, going back for just dessert... definitely!!! The dessert was the best part! SAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT!!!
(3)
Lisa W.
Went once for Happy Hour with a girlfriend drinks were weak an Swiss cheese app way to much white wine for my liking!
(2)
Angela S.
We went here for our weekly date night. There was so much food! Four people could have shared our dinner and walked away full. They have a good wine list. Thursdays all wine is 1/2 price. Our waitress was very nice and attentive. Great ambiance for couples.
(3)
Gamal H.
Recently went to this restaurant not knowing what to expect. Christen has been there for but this was my first time. The wait was short, the hostess inviting and the server was exceptional. The food was quick, everything was great taste wise and the atmosphere was very romantic. They give you an expectancy time of 2 hrs expecting you want to chat with your spouse and simply enjoy each others company. If its a special occasion they even give you a complimentary pic. Just wish there was a tv to watch games aside from the bar lol...great experience highly recommend bringing your spouse or someone special.
(4)
Jennifer H.
Not as good as the Melting Pot in Columbia when it comes to service, but the food is really good. My only complaint for this location is the waiter not having explained to the newbies in my group how things worked at the melting pot for large parties. He seemed a bit sarcastic and dry to me. Wasn't extremely friendly and it seemed like he was painfully forcing a smile. Other than that, like the Columbia location, expensive but great.
(3)
Joe G.
Ate here once. Did not like the fact that all the food is cooked in same bland liquid. Everything tasted the same and was quite flavorless. Very disappointed. The staff was nice, but does not make up for the price you pay for a meal that has no flavor.
(1)
Kristy B.
If you enjoy fondue then you will definitely enjoy The Melting Pot. It's worth the experience, although imo it's very expensive and not something I'd personally want to do often (I just don't like to work for my food and prefer it served to me ready to eat). I do think it would be a great date restaurant, however. We had solid, friendly service.
(3)
Emily G.
I can't really give The Melting Pot the heartiest of endorsements. Not because the food's bad--it's reasonably tasty, and the concept--in principle and practice--is fun. But for what you're fed, and the relative lack of artistry, complexity, and service involved--the high price about knocks my socks off. The overall cost of the meal falls into the upscale bordering on outrageous category, and the experience doesn't warrant this.
(2)
Cat D.
Food is pretty good, but overpriced for the concept.
(3)
Jamie H.
Went for my 23rd birthday (two yrs ago), great atmosphere for family, friends or a date. I've never done fondue but now I'm in love.
(5)
Mandy J.
We visited the Melting Pot to celebrate the first dinner with our Son Rob and his lovely wife Jacki since their marriage. Being European and loving fondue as well as being very used to serving various sorts at home pre-made and from scratch this was intended to be a total treat with back flashes to Switzerland and Germany. The menu while not limited offers a simple overview of Fondue. Beginning with the Wisconsin Trio with Fontina, Butterkase buttermilk Blue cheese, white wine and the Cheddar Emmenthaler Swiss mixed with lager which were both excellent and served with a vegetable cup of carrots, celery, and cauliflower and bread bowl of pumpernickel, rye and french cubes all very, very fresh. Our second course was an excellent alpine salad, third course included perfectly sized for dipping pieces of beef, fish, vegetables etc, all according to whatever "package" you had selected. Again the quality was super, portions fair to middling. My concern was the selected oil for the course was never changed and eventually impaired the flavor of the foods being speared and cooked by the sheer volume of the people using it. Ratio being one pot of oil per two people thus if one member of the group is a vegetarian they must very eat quickly indeed. If one had fish it could taint your partner's meal if culinary delights are not shared! The proximity of oil to customer is somewhat scary - the heat banks are in the center and this is not a good place for children or handicapped in my humble opinion. It has a certain charm but it is specialty chain restaurant. The servers were very professional non-irritating and went to great measures to ensure there was no eating fish that was not properly cooked. They were very, very gracious to the newly weds and included complimentary photo and champagne, The final course was of course fresh fruit in an assortment of milk, dark and white chocolate and utterly lovely! Then the bill arrived...........Shock of Ages. It was somewhat over four hundred dollars which for six people was estimated around $70.00 per person. Only three of the group drank alcohol and had one cocktail or glass of wine. I found the the cost outrageous! Given the noise level, lack of ambience, general location...this is a pricey place to celebrate in this economy. I'm not usually a cheapskate and can certainly afford to eat out frequently but I was somewhat surprised! Overall this is an OK place on the right night, food is pleasant, but I expect a more upscale environ. at this level of spending.
(3)
Juliet F.
I love cheese, I love fondue, and I love The Melting Pot. My fiance and I went here for Valentine's Day dinner - we had a set menu that included appetizer, dinner and dessert. It was a little pricey but a good experience for what it was. The appetizer is your choice of cheeses with apples, bread, and assorted veggies to dip with. Dinner is actually bite sized pieces of meat or fish (or ravioli) that you cook in the broth (that you again, get to select). Dessert is your choice of which melted chocolate you want, with marshmallows, cheesecake, strawberries and other things to dip with. Like I said, the first time you are there, the set menu seems like a good idea. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful. It is a little pricey, and the next time we go here, we're just having the appetizers and the desserts.
(4)
spiff e.
Great date restaurant. Fun food, tastes great and you definitely will not leave the place feeling the least bit hungry. If you're new to fondue, they'll happily bring you up to speed on proper fondue procedure and etiquette. Cozy seating and safe equipment like the fondue pots with the tops that screw shut --- majorly key in avoiding getting hot oil/wine/broth on someone's lap. You'll start off with a cheese fondue (with bread for dipping). And then you get a salad. And then the main course comes. A mountain of beef, chicken, seafood and ravioli. I'm not quite sure how we finished it. And then! it was time for dessert. I had to have the dark chocolate fondue so we got that. The best were the pound cake cubes and the strawberries for dipping. Oh man, I keep saying I'm going to go back just for the dessert, but still have yet to.
(4)
a b.
I have eaten here several times and love the cheese, chocolate and the salads. The main courses are never good in my opinion - I don't like boiled meat. If you only go for cheese or chocolate it is affordable and fun. Every wine I've tried tastes like dirt. I'm not much of a wine drinker so that doesn't say much. I'm sure they have a fine selection. The water is horrible - even with lemon. Tastes of mold. Working around these couple issues, I always have a great meal.
(4)
Kat G.
We went to eat there because we heard from a few people that the food is good. We left there feeling like we just threw away almost a $100.00 for one of the worst meals we ever had at a restaurant. We did not get the cheese or the dessert and just got the main meal. The coq au vin sauce was almost inedible. We should have known something was going to be wrong when you are told to dump everything from your veggies, to beef, chicken, shrimp..whatever in the same sauce. My son was gagging from the smell of the sauce. I know good food and my family has been in the restaurant business since 1971. So trust me, do not waste your time (cooking your own food...HA) or your hard earned money on this gimmick.
(1)
Kristi E.
The boyfriend and I made reservations here for my Birthday/Valentines day date. We have never been to a Melting Pot- but after this experience we will be back. We fell in love with this place. The service was amazing- food fantastic- and the ambiance was also really quite and perfect for what we were looking for. We also got a bottle of wine with dinner- and they have so many to choose from and if needing recommendations the waiting staff had some great ones (in all different price ranges). Although it was a fixed price/menu for the evening- we got our monies worth. Between the rose /vase, and the framed 4'6 picture they gave us at the end, it truly was a great evening. They also have a cork and carry policy where if you can not finish you bottle of wine- they will cork it up so you can bring it home. It is a GREAT date restaurant. They even run specials for girls night- for desert and drinks. We live here in Columbia and will be trying /comparing the two locations....have fun and enjoy the fondue- they are great at informing you on what to do if you are new to the experience.
(5)
Jessica P.
As you enter this place you go past the hostesses very friendly, the atmosphere is very dim and dark with a mix of jewel tones and monochromatic colors splashed on the walls a mix of brick, wood, metal and drywall and paintings of large martinis and wine bottles and hand blown colorful glass lites on dim. You are sat at your table where the waiter/waitress will do fondue trivia, take your orders and bring with him/her different ingredients which she/he will mix for you at the table and brings dishes of whatever you requested. You give the mixture a few minutes as it heats up on the hot plate in the center of the table- the server comes and turns it down as you begin to eat. The customer service is excellent, great for 2-4 people but a large group of 12-15 food wise not for a big group that includes kids (they will get bored easily) and you will leave hungry so advised you eat ahead- it's more of a social place. Although with the large party I was with for mothers day the waiter was attentive, he was good on food refills/drinks and they were very busy... the perk of coming in a large group is you get to try more. We all got the cut up apples, different breads and veggies- our 1st table got the spinach artichoke and cheese fondue, the second got the fiesta cheese fondue with tortilla chips and our table got the traditional swiss cheese fondue and we all passed our fondue forks around to try everything. Then came desert and it was on fire served flambe' style...I would go there for the desert and wine alone (fyi very large wine list)- the 1st table got the turtle mix, the second got the oreos and cream and our table got the smores - each platter had cheesecake, chocolate covered cherries, pretzel rods, oreo crumb covered marshmellows, cut up strawberries and bananas, toasted marshmellows, graham crackers, rice crispy treat bits, brownies & cut up short cake. They are pricey expect to pay $25-$40 per person (not including drinks) and don't be in a rush to go anywhere fondue and service takes time our large party was there for a couple of hours and make reservations.
(3)
Ann B.
The Melting Pot is a great "event" place. It is pricey, but I wouldn't advocate going every week. Where else can you go and get 3 kinds of fondue in a single meal? It is a lot of food. If you were to do this at home, you would need to wash a lot of dishes or have 3 fondue pots at the ready, and spend a good bit of time prepping the food and sauces. Much easier to splurge - and given the "investment" - maybe not so pricey in the end.
(4)
Merrill F.
Everyone always raves about this place to me...I found the experience fun, but the food not that great. I mean, it was good in that it's melted cheese, and who doesn't love that. But the quality of the food I found to be a bit lacking. I'm not quite sure how to explain it. The whole atmosphere and the table-uniting quality was great...but the food seemed to rest on that, rather than on it's own merits, and I didn't like that. oh, well, I'm sure I'll be back...
(3)
Jonathan T.
The Annapolis location was my introduction to The Melting Pot when my sister-in-law saw it and thought we should check it out. My family had done fondue before, but nothing quite like this! The experience was quite unique. The staff are incredibly delightful and help make the experience all that it is. The food is outstanding and the desert is exquisite (I recommend the S'mores chocolate fondue). The atmosphere is very cozy, romantic, and private. I recently treated a very special young lady to dinner there on her birthday. The Melting Pot helped make that night very memorable!
(4)
Mandy J.
We visited the Melting Pot to celebrate the first dinner with our Son Rob and his lovely wife Jacki since their marriage. Being European and loving fondue as well as being very used to serving various sorts at home pre-made and from scratch this was intended to be a total treat with back flashes to Switzerland and Germany. The menu while not limited offers a simple overview of Fondue. Beginning with the Wisconsin Trio with Fontina, Butterkase buttermilk Blue cheese, white wine and the Cheddar Emmenthaler Swiss mixed with lager which were both excellent and served with a vegetable cup of carrots, celery, and cauliflower and bread bowl of pumpernickel, rye and french cubes all very, very fresh. Our second course was an excellent alpine salad, third course included perfectly sized for dipping pieces of beef, fish, vegetables etc, all according to whatever "package" you had selected. Again the quality was super, portions fair to middling. My concern was the selected oil for the course was never changed and eventually impaired the flavor of the foods being speared and cooked by the sheer volume of the people using it. Ratio being one pot of oil per two people thus if one member of the group is a vegetarian they must very eat quickly indeed. If one had fish it could taint your partner's meal if culinary delights are not shared! The proximity of oil to customer is somewhat scary - the heat banks are in the center and this is not a good place for children or handicapped in my humble opinion. It has a certain charm but it is specialty chain restaurant. The servers were very professional non-irritating and went to great measures to ensure there was no eating fish that was not properly cooked. They were very, very gracious to the newly weds and included complimentary photo and champagne, The final course was of course fresh fruit in an assortment of milk, dark and white chocolate and utterly lovely! Then the bill arrived...........Shock of Ages. It was somewhat over four hundred dollars which for six people was estimated around $70.00 per person. Only three of the group drank alcohol and had one cocktail or glass of wine. I found the the cost outrageous! Given the noise level, lack of ambience, general location...this is a pricey place to celebrate in this economy. I'm not usually a cheapskate and can certainly afford to eat out frequently but I was somewhat surprised! Overall this is an OK place on the right night, food is pleasant, but I expect a more upscale environ. at this level of spending.
(3)
Juliet F.
I love cheese, I love fondue, and I love The Melting Pot. My fiance and I went here for Valentine's Day dinner - we had a set menu that included appetizer, dinner and dessert. It was a little pricey but a good experience for what it was. The appetizer is your choice of cheeses with apples, bread, and assorted veggies to dip with. Dinner is actually bite sized pieces of meat or fish (or ravioli) that you cook in the broth (that you again, get to select). Dessert is your choice of which melted chocolate you want, with marshmallows, cheesecake, strawberries and other things to dip with. Like I said, the first time you are there, the set menu seems like a good idea. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful. It is a little pricey, and the next time we go here, we're just having the appetizers and the desserts.
(4)
spiff e.
Great date restaurant. Fun food, tastes great and you definitely will not leave the place feeling the least bit hungry. If you're new to fondue, they'll happily bring you up to speed on proper fondue procedure and etiquette. Cozy seating and safe equipment like the fondue pots with the tops that screw shut --- majorly key in avoiding getting hot oil/wine/broth on someone's lap. You'll start off with a cheese fondue (with bread for dipping). And then you get a salad. And then the main course comes. A mountain of beef, chicken, seafood and ravioli. I'm not quite sure how we finished it. And then! it was time for dessert. I had to have the dark chocolate fondue so we got that. The best were the pound cake cubes and the strawberries for dipping. Oh man, I keep saying I'm going to go back just for the dessert, but still have yet to.
(4)
a b.
I have eaten here several times and love the cheese, chocolate and the salads. The main courses are never good in my opinion - I don't like boiled meat. If you only go for cheese or chocolate it is affordable and fun. Every wine I've tried tastes like dirt. I'm not much of a wine drinker so that doesn't say much. I'm sure they have a fine selection. The water is horrible - even with lemon. Tastes of mold. Working around these couple issues, I always have a great meal.
(4)
Kat G.
We went to eat there because we heard from a few people that the food is good. We left there feeling like we just threw away almost a $100.00 for one of the worst meals we ever had at a restaurant. We did not get the cheese or the dessert and just got the main meal. The coq au vin sauce was almost inedible. We should have known something was going to be wrong when you are told to dump everything from your veggies, to beef, chicken, shrimp..whatever in the same sauce. My son was gagging from the smell of the sauce. I know good food and my family has been in the restaurant business since 1971. So trust me, do not waste your time (cooking your own food...HA) or your hard earned money on this gimmick.
(1)
Kristi E.
The boyfriend and I made reservations here for my Birthday/Valentines day date. We have never been to a Melting Pot- but after this experience we will be back. We fell in love with this place. The service was amazing- food fantastic- and the ambiance was also really quite and perfect for what we were looking for. We also got a bottle of wine with dinner- and they have so many to choose from and if needing recommendations the waiting staff had some great ones (in all different price ranges). Although it was a fixed price/menu for the evening- we got our monies worth. Between the rose /vase, and the framed 4'6 picture they gave us at the end, it truly was a great evening. They also have a cork and carry policy where if you can not finish you bottle of wine- they will cork it up so you can bring it home. It is a GREAT date restaurant. They even run specials for girls night- for desert and drinks. We live here in Columbia and will be trying /comparing the two locations....have fun and enjoy the fondue- they are great at informing you on what to do if you are new to the experience.
(5)
Jonathan T.
The Annapolis location was my introduction to The Melting Pot when my sister-in-law saw it and thought we should check it out. My family had done fondue before, but nothing quite like this! The experience was quite unique. The staff are incredibly delightful and help make the experience all that it is. The food is outstanding and the desert is exquisite (I recommend the S'mores chocolate fondue). The atmosphere is very cozy, romantic, and private. I recently treated a very special young lady to dinner there on her birthday. The Melting Pot helped make that night very memorable!
(4)
Jessica P.
As you enter this place you go past the hostesses very friendly, the atmosphere is very dim and dark with a mix of jewel tones and monochromatic colors splashed on the walls a mix of brick, wood, metal and drywall and paintings of large martinis and wine bottles and hand blown colorful glass lites on dim. You are sat at your table where the waiter/waitress will do fondue trivia, take your orders and bring with him/her different ingredients which she/he will mix for you at the table and brings dishes of whatever you requested. You give the mixture a few minutes as it heats up on the hot plate in the center of the table- the server comes and turns it down as you begin to eat. The customer service is excellent, great for 2-4 people but a large group of 12-15 food wise not for a big group that includes kids (they will get bored easily) and you will leave hungry so advised you eat ahead- it's more of a social place. Although with the large party I was with for mothers day the waiter was attentive, he was good on food refills/drinks and they were very busy... the perk of coming in a large group is you get to try more. We all got the cut up apples, different breads and veggies- our 1st table got the spinach artichoke and cheese fondue, the second got the fiesta cheese fondue with tortilla chips and our table got the traditional swiss cheese fondue and we all passed our fondue forks around to try everything. Then came desert and it was on fire served flambe' style...I would go there for the desert and wine alone (fyi very large wine list)- the 1st table got the turtle mix, the second got the oreos and cream and our table got the smores - each platter had cheesecake, chocolate covered cherries, pretzel rods, oreo crumb covered marshmellows, cut up strawberries and bananas, toasted marshmellows, graham crackers, rice crispy treat bits, brownies & cut up short cake. They are pricey expect to pay $25-$40 per person (not including drinks) and don't be in a rush to go anywhere fondue and service takes time our large party was there for a couple of hours and make reservations.
(3)
Ann B.
The Melting Pot is a great "event" place. It is pricey, but I wouldn't advocate going every week. Where else can you go and get 3 kinds of fondue in a single meal? It is a lot of food. If you were to do this at home, you would need to wash a lot of dishes or have 3 fondue pots at the ready, and spend a good bit of time prepping the food and sauces. Much easier to splurge - and given the "investment" - maybe not so pricey in the end.
(4)
Merrill F.
Everyone always raves about this place to me...I found the experience fun, but the food not that great. I mean, it was good in that it's melted cheese, and who doesn't love that. But the quality of the food I found to be a bit lacking. I'm not quite sure how to explain it. The whole atmosphere and the table-uniting quality was great...but the food seemed to rest on that, rather than on it's own merits, and I didn't like that. oh, well, I'm sure I'll be back...
(3)
Gamal H.
Recently went to this restaurant not knowing what to expect. Christen has been there for but this was my first time. The wait was short, the hostess inviting and the server was exceptional. The food was quick, everything was great taste wise and the atmosphere was very romantic. They give you an expectancy time of 2 hrs expecting you want to chat with your spouse and simply enjoy each others company. If its a special occasion they even give you a complimentary pic. Just wish there was a tv to watch games aside from the bar lol...great experience highly recommend bringing your spouse or someone special.
(4)
Jennifer H.
Not as good as the Melting Pot in Columbia when it comes to service, but the food is really good. My only complaint for this location is the waiter not having explained to the newbies in my group how things worked at the melting pot for large parties. He seemed a bit sarcastic and dry to me. Wasn't extremely friendly and it seemed like he was painfully forcing a smile. Other than that, like the Columbia location, expensive but great.
(3)
Joe G.
Ate here once. Did not like the fact that all the food is cooked in same bland liquid. Everything tasted the same and was quite flavorless. Very disappointed. The staff was nice, but does not make up for the price you pay for a meal that has no flavor.
(1)
Nicole S.
We got off to a slow start, but overall had a good experience. The first server told us that he was helping out of server and would take our drink orders. A different server brought out the alcoholic drinks but no water or drink for my son. My drink was tasty so I was ok with him not having a drink right away :-) Yet another server came and took our cheese order, however he didn't fully explain the restaurant week menu. When our server finally came he didn't really explain things either. We heard other tables getting good explanations and questions answered so we learned from them. Overall the food was yummy and the service was ok. Nice place for a special occasion or with a deal as it can get expensive.
(4)
Levi P.
This was the second time my girlfriend and I visited The Melting Pot, but our first time at this location. Our first experience was so good, we were afraid that our future experiences could only be worse, but we were fortunately wrong. The service was excellent. The waitress was very nice and kept the conversation going without making things awkward. We tried a few different things, and were impressed with everything. The price is obviously pretty steep, but if you're willing to fork out the extra cash, you are sure to have a delicious and unique experience!
(5)
Megan W.
Love it. I will definitely go back. We did the 4 course experience we certainly did not leave hungry service was friendly and attentive food was great nice to have something different and very tasty
(4)
Lauren A.
The Melting Pot is my favorite restaurant by far. I've been going here once or twice a year for anniversaries for about 6 years. I alternate between the Columbia location and this one, but I never have a bad experience. Though pricey, you get what you pay for; the food is phenomenal. They change the menu little by little here and there, so my courses are never the same, which is great. You can request extra of pretty much anything at little to no charge, and the staff is always very friendly and very helpful. The atmosphere is very ambient and perfect for an anniversary dinner. I can't praise this place enough. I'd say per couple, plan to spend about $100-$120, especially if you want to partake in some alcohol. I can't wait for my next visit! :)
(5)
Rick W.
This is a restaurant for small children or adults who have had gastric bypass surgery. There's no way an adult male will ever have their hunger satisfied here. Totally not worth the money. I basically paid $100 to cook my own small portions of food then still had to pick up a pizza on the way home. I think I'm safe in saying that the majority of the 4 and 5 star reviews are from women and my wife is one of them. She loved it, I hated it.
(1)
Dawn P.
Always a fun date night! Thursday nights are half priced wine night at the Annapolis location! I suggest the creme brulee chocolate on the new French menu! YUM! I think Melting Pot is a little overpriced for the amount of food you receive and cook yourself however I am always stuffed.
(3)
Tamika F.
This place is perfect for social events or a date where you really want to get to know someone. I have gone three times and enjoyed every time I've gone. The food and the experience is phenomenal. Even though it's pricy, the atmosphere, the service, and the food options make up for the price.
(4)
Heather G.
My husband and I have been going to the Melting Pot in Annapolis for about 7 years, and it has provided us with consistently fantastic food and service during that time. Even though we go three or four times a year, much of the waitstaff still recognizes us and those we've had as servers will often drop by to say hello when they aren't the ones serving us. We've always been made to feel extremely welcome. The fact that many of the servers have been there for years speaks well of the managers/owners (high turnover in employees is usually a bad sign at a restaurant). The pace of eating is perfect. We've never felt rushed, but we've never had to wait for our food. The choices available for cheese fondue, salad, main fondue, and dessert fondue might appear limited, but the combinations of dippers, cooking styles, and so on means that each dinner can be different from the last. Everything's incredibly flexible, too---for instance, you can have them put together a dessert fondue with your own choices of chocolate type, liqueur, and so on, even if it isn't on the menu. (One server told us people will even bring in their own ingredients they want added!) We typically ask for only the fruit and marshmallows out of the usual array of dessert dippers, and they'll happily load up a plate with exactly what we want. And thanks to the fondue setup, each person can cook their choice of dippers precisely to his or her liking. You can also get only the courses you want, including just the cheese and chocolate courses. The ambience is lovely, and we use the Melting Pot almost exclusively as our special occasion restaurant for anniversary, birthday, etc. Also, if you love chocolate, you simply must try the Yin & Yang cocktail! It's an amazing blend of ice cream, liqueur, and chocolate that we've become addicted to.
(5)
Sarah M.
We went to the Melting Pot to celebrate our 5th anniversary. It was a great time! We were able to sit in a cozy 2-seater booth, our server was extremely attentive and knowledgeable. He made my husband's Arnold Palmer perfectly and was able to recommend a good scotch too. Actually by the end of the night, he was telling us all about the local area, as we are new here, and made friends with my husband! It was a great dining experience- the food (as always!) was amazing, though pricey, and everything was as expected or better. Zack, our server, was so welcoming and it was a very welcome change from the "stellar" Maryland customer service we have so far received!
(5)
Shane N.
When I first heard about The Melting Pot, I said to my SO, "That sounds interesting. We should try that." She quickly gave me a lecture on how she went to one once and it was terrible and expensive and they only have chocolate desserts, blah, blah, blah. All of her criticisms seemed like positives to me. I don't know how she expected to be turned off by explaining it is just melted cheese, meat fried in oil, and melted chocolate. I said, "That sounds awesome." Eventually there came a time when I had to pick where we were going and I picked this joint. Anyway, we roll up on a Wednesday at about 7:30pm. The parking lot is packed. We go inside there is a bar area that is packed. We ask for a table and are told it was about a 45 minute wait. I am beginning to wonder if it is worth the wait when the hostess informs us that she can squeeze us in. About 5 minutes later we are being escorted to our table. Because the booths were full, we were escorted to the back where there was a small table. Despite it not being a booth it was still fairly intimate as there was a divider on one side and it was in a corner. Essentially only one side was exposed to the rest of the room, so it was still pretty cozy. Our waiter (Brad) was excellent. We explained that this was our first time there and he helpfully explained how everything worked. They had something called "the Big Night Out" that was essentially a four course meal. There was a cheese fondue appetizer, a salad, then a main course of meat and vegetables, and finally a dessert course all for $88 per couple. This is what we picked. For our appetizer course we chose a traditional Swiss fondue. This consisted of Gruyere and Swiss cheeses. At your table, Brad the waiter added and mixed the cheeses, wine and seasonings in our fondue pot. Then he brought out a selection of breads, apples, and vegetables to dip in the cheese sauce. The cheese dip was very tasty. The fruits and vegetables were fresh. The dip could have been a little hotter, I imagine they have to keep it at a lower temperature for safety reasons. Still, after the first course I was very pleased and my SO could not complain even though I am sure she wanted to. The next course was the salad course. My SO and I both chose the California salad which was salad greens, walnuts, gorgonzola and a berry vinaigrette dressing. The salad was excellent. I love nuts on my salad (that's what she said) and I love gorgonzola cheese. I love all strong and pungent blue cheeses on my salad. The sharpness of the cheese contrasted with the sweetness of the berry vinaigrette was excellent. My SO raved about her salad. Next was the main course. We chose the fondue feast from "the big night out" menu. It was a selection of several different meats including shrimp, chicken, NY strip, filet mignon, chicken, and bratwurst. In addition, we had some mushrooms, red potatoes and broccoli to add to our broth. Additionally, we had a bout 435 different dipping sauces. The only ones I remember is a blu cheese one and a mustard one. Those are the only two I used. You get to select from various broths or oils to either essentially boil or fry your meats. We choose a broth that was supposed to be Carribean themed and have a little bit of heat (it didn't by the way) and we were to boil our meats in it. Brad prepared our broth for us and told us that the steak and chicken should take about 2 minutes and everything else should take about a minute and a half. Here is where the problem comes in. It is easy to overcook your meats. With the broth you are essentially boiling them anyway, but the problems come from leaving them in to long. You are having a conversation and you have multiple meats in the pot. You don't remember which one is which and how long it has been in. This wasn't really a problem except with the steak and filet. They tended to be rubbery if left in too long. The chicken was fine if you left it in too long. The bottom line is that when a chef is cooking your food the only thing they are paying attention to is your food. Here you are the cook and the diner. Getting distracted in conversation costs you in the quality of your food preparation. Overall, it wasn't bad, but you could get a lot better prepared meat from a real restaurant with a real chef. Now we move on to the desert course. The big show. After looking at the desert menu my SO decided on the banana foster dip. This consisted of white chocolate, brown sugar, bananas and cinnamon. There were strawberries, bananas, cakes, marshmallows, rice crispie treats, brownies, etc. to dip into the chocolate. It was one of the tastier deserts I have ever tried. My SO raved about it. They also have this blackberry lemonade with vodka that was very delicious. It is a great place for salad, appetizer and dessert, but the main course can be problematic unless you are good at boiling your steak. My SO was obviously wrong.
(4)
S G.
I have really enjoyed this location in the past. Melting pot is a very gluten free/celiac friendly restaurant, but tonight I felt singled out because I have to eat gluten free. They typically give us two burners so one can have Gluten and the other one not. Tonight we were offered only one burner and two burner tables seemed available. When they gave us the gluten free bread and deserts they were extremely stingy and brought very few items. This is the whole reason people come to this restaurant - we ended up having half or chocolate left with nothing to dip it in :(
(2)
Mike B.
Great experience, wide variety of food and fondue/cooking choices. My second time here, the service was attentive, food was awesome. Some people bizarrely call this "cooking your own food", but there's a lot of prep work and at-table activity by the staff to make the dining personalized and enjoyable.
(5)
Kara B.
I've been to the melting pot twice this year. The latest trip was for my birthday. We went Saturday night (of course I made reservations a month in advance). The melting pot is pricey, no doubt about it but it's so worth it. We did the 4 course meal experience. The food is amazing. I have never left the melting pot thinking the food was just okay. The waitress asked in the beginning of our meal if we were celebrating anything. When our desert came she brought me an extra plate of dippers to look like a birthday cake, candle and all. We all left feeling like we were going to explode because of the amount of food we received, and we left food on our plates. Whenever I want a fantastic, special night out we go to the melting pot. If you haven't been make sure to leave at least 2 hours for dinner. There were 4 of us and we were there for 2 and a half hours.
(5)
Katy S.
The service was so bad I very much doubt I will ever go back. One of the pots was not set high enough so the meats were not cooking, that could have easily been taken care of if the waitress ever came back to see how things were going. No one ever came around to see if we needed refills. When we asked for extra napkins and silverware it took at least 15 mins. for someone to bring them. One side of the table was still eating due to the setting on the pot and the waitress was clearing the table all around them.
(1)
Drew B.
Fantastic experience. The food was spot on and the server was very personable and went out of his way to explain the experience and his recommendations. The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is that the interior was a bit worn and seemed dingy in a couple places but it was a minor issue. To address what the one user said about small serving size...I don't know what they ordered but the price fixed menu that includes salad, cheese fondue, main fondue and dessert was almost more than my girlfriend and I could finish. To each their own I suppose.
(4)
Jeannette R.
My husband and I stopped in on New Year's Eve just for dessert. We called to make sure they could take us and made a reservation for 11pm. We were seated within a few minutes of arriving and was promptly greeted by Shawn, our server. We have been to other locations so we knew the drill and ordered our favorite chocolate fondue, the Flaming Turtle. It was delicious as usual. I enjoy the fruit most, strawberries, pineapples and bananas but you also get brownies, blondes, marshmallows and rice Krispy treats. I haven't been to a Melting Pot in a while but I remembered getting cheesecake before. My husband just told me that he did see it on the menu for additional cost now. The manager came over to check on us midway through which is always appreciated and another lady came by to inform us of a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. We stuck around for that and they also had party favors and hats for everyone. I would definitely return to this location for a full dinner, their customer service is outstanding.
(4)
Jeff P.
Ridiculously expensive! The dining area is nice but come on! For this kinda money they should have made me wear a tie. I wore shorts. The portions are small and you cook it yourself. They give you straws for soda - is that fancy? Seriously, they should pass along the savings. The waiters are very polite and accommodating. If you really want fondue - do it at home. The cheese, broth and chocolate were not particularly any better than store bought. If you want an experience at a bloated price - go ahead. It would make a nice place for a date but, I don't date anymore - and not because I couldn't...I am committed.
(3)
Crystal H.
I am definitely a fan of the Melting Pot! I went on this occasion with a friend celebrating her birthday! We had a ball! I really don't have anything bad to say at all! The Melting Pot is pricey for a place that you pretty much prepare your own food! But honestly, you are paying for the experience! And for the experience, it is great! However, some of our party members found the experience overwhelming! The idea of having to pick your cheese fondue, and then your meats...they were overwhelmed and confused! But it isn't really hard and is quite self explanatory! We ordered the bourbon and bacon cheese fondue! They guy will choose anything with bacon! Its a good thing that I, A, eat pork, and B, love bacon as well! However, it was quite tasty even though I was a little hesitant! We also had a pot of the mojo cooking broth. I've never been a fan of this cooking broth before, but this occasion I took a liking to it! I ordered the Land and Sea as my entree which included filet mignon, chicken, and steak. My guy ordered the French Quarter which all came seasoned with cajun spices. His platter had steak, chicken, shrimp and andouille sausage. All of the entrees come with the dipping sauces and veggies such as potatoes, mushrooms and broccoli! We also ordered the white chocolate desert fondue! Needless to say, I was extremely full by the time dinner was over! Overall, we had a great experience! It took a long time for the staff to get us started and keep the courses going! But there were 16 of us and some of them took smoke breaks! LOL! The staff was very friendly and extremely nice! I am def going back with just my Guy the next time! It can be extremely romantic and intimate! Love this place!
(4)
Hope L.
We had reservations for 8:45 and arrived about a hour early so we decided to chill at the bar for drinks before dinner. I started with the Sunshine Sangria which was phenomenal! Excellent balance of sweet and bubbly. Nice twist to the original Sangria! While I was tempted to order another I decided to indulge in a bottle of Kung Fu Girl Riesling. This wine has been my go to wine for the past few weeks and is truly delicious. We ordered the Fusion and Delight so we could taste a little of everything. It included lobster tail, filet mignon, pork, chicken, shrimp, veggies and duck. Spiced things up with the Mojo sauce. OH!! Let me not forget the cheddar fondue appetizer which came with bread, veggies (celery, carrots and broccoli), capicola, mortadella and salami with summer sausage and cornichons. IT WAS DELICIOUS!! You cook all of your food at the table "fondue style" LOVED IT!!! The customer service from the moment we walked in was on point! The Hostess was very nice and told us that she would try to seat us early. While we didn't get seated early the bartender took very good care of us. Nothing beats a bartender that is good at what she does and enjoys it, When it was close to our reservation time the hostess made it a point to come to the bar and let us know that she is working on a nice little spot for us and was appreciative of us being so patient and would seat us ASAP. See little things like that is what makes for a great dining experience and this was definitely it. I really enjoyed my time at The Melting Pot and am looking forward to my next visit!
(5)
Emily H.
This was my first time at The Melting Pot and our waitress - I did not get her name - did very well at explaining the process. They were quick to allow me to substitute duck for the shrimp, since I seem to be part of the 1% of the population that does not think shrimp is the food of the gods. I think our waitress - again not sure of her name - saved my life like 6 or 7 times. She reminded me to cook the meat for at least 2 minutes and to be sure not to stick the hot skewers in my mouth. By the time the desert course rolled around we were still missing our main course wine from the wine flight. Chris, the "manager" happened to come by our table and ask if we needed anything. I told Chris, the "manager", that we were missing our meat wine. Chris was confused, but quickly caught on that we needed the 3rd glass of our wine flight. Chris came back quickly and announced "meat wine!!!" while presenting us with two glasses of decent vino. Chris, the "manager" then told us if we needed anything to let him know. We had to ask Chris for a couple more things, and we're very thankful he was so readily available. I hope he didn't do anything bad to the waitress. Does anyone know if there has been a recent reported disappearance of a young girl that worked at The Melting Pot? Just checking. It's probably fine. The meal concluded with The Manager ... not Chris we are so confused ... coming to our table and saying he was the manager. It was like we were sucked into some sort of worm hole as the the Managers' identities because misconstrued. But that neither here nor there. I liked the cheese. They should sell that stuff to fill oversized bathtubs with. Over all, a great experience. If you go, ask for Chris.
(4)
Susan B.
My family and I went shopping in Annapolis to celebrate my birthday yesterday And came here for dinner. It wasn't my first time here but it was one of the best. They're always very friendly and the food is always amazing. I seriously recommend the special cheese fondue when you go. Every time we go we get the special fondue and it's great. (Currently Lobster Bisque) the red wine broth is amazing with red meat and Mojo is great with everything else. And of course the chocolates are pretty much all awesome. Though I particularly love the bananas foster and original. A MUST try at some point. My favorite restaurant by far.
(5)
Amanda H.
My boyfriend and I make it a tradition to come here for Valentine's day and restaraunt week. We've always had positive experiences. We're taken on time for our reservations and waste time at the bar until our table is ready. The bartender, I believe his name is Chris remembered us and was very friendly. This past valentine's day, he came by our table as the manager to check in and still remembered us. The servers have always been pleasant and go above and beyond.
(4)
Shelby T.
I love this restaurant! Very pricey but super private and romantic or good for fun with friends. More of a special occasion thing for me, but I always enjoy it.
(5)
Samantha P.
This isn't my first time going to the melting pot. I have been a couple of times through out the course of almost 10 years, usually for a special treat since its pricy indeed. Dessert still stands as the best part, however this time I was very confused with the menu and the kids menu. I ordered chicken, salmon, and ravioli for my daughter and yet the waiter messed it up 2 times. She's only 20 months and have yet to have shell fish, yet the waiter kept bringing shrimp as her meal. Not only that but he messed up my nephew's order and my niece. When we told him he went to argue with us. I'm not sure why but I was disappointed it wasn't correct the first time. I'm sure he also charged me for something else because I was only suppose to have steak, lobster, and chicken but there were shrimp and ravioli as well. My parents took the check before I could check, however I paid attention to what was ordered and what was given. He even pushed to have us order more "portions" when we asked how many they would feed. I just didn't walk away satisfied as I have in the past, last time was Dec. 2011 so that should say something. I remember each experience and this time was more on the unhappy side unfortunately. I hope they will think about going back to the menu they had before. I also hope they would not argue when something is wrong. Manager did come over, my parents though are not ones to make a scene.
(3)
Sara D.
The food on a whole was good, the service was great, the drinks were mediocre however the real low blow was that they tried to "fluff" my salad with iceberg lettuce underneath my salad greens! SERIOUSLY?!? The melting pot is definitely not a cheap place to eat, yet they try to fluff my salad of field greens with cheap tasteless iceburg lettuce...what an insult! Once I pointed it out to the waitress and she verified on the menu that it says field greens and she personally remade my salad which was great, however the cheap shot spoiled my rating for this restaurant. You are already over paying, yet they still try to cheapen your meal...unbelievable!
(3)
Ronae B.
Gosh I love this place. Everything taste so amazing. I'm a regular here. I come at least once a month. Every server I've had has always been amazing. And this location, in my opinion, is the best! I've had large 13+ birthday dinners, girls night, date night, and I've even eaten by myself here (Couldn't shake the craving for their amazing caesar salad with pine nuts, so delicious). The four course experience is the best of you love cheese and chocolate. If not, they do have individual entrees which are just as yummy. You fill up very fast, most times I have to save my entree so I can enjoy the chocolate! The drinks are hit or miss depending on the bartender, but when they're good, they're good! Fiesta (if you like spice) is the best cheese! Mojo is THE best cooking style. All of the chocolates are yummy but my favorite is bananas foster :) Oh and if you don't have at least $40-50 just for yourself only, don't come. And stop complaining about the prices. Their prices are just right. If you want a 2 for $10 meal take yourself right across the street to Ruby Tuesday's. Brokey! Lol
(5)
Shao T.
It's not often I'm blown away by food. I was freaking amazed! My friends and I popped in a couple of weeks ago as we all wanted to try it. We couldn't have been happier! Our food was amazing! The Cheddar Fondue was just out of this world. I'd recommend getting the Premium Dippers with the Italian Meats. They are high quality meats. I got the Fondue Fusion and my friends got the French Quarter and the Fondue Delight. We used the Oil cooking style. The food was perfectly seasoned and it was amazing in the Oil. There was more than enough food for each of us and we all shared a bit, tasting everyone's dishes. The only one I didn't like was the Duck; the taste of Ginger was too strong and hid the natural taste of the Duck while the other seasonings complimented the meats beautifully. The Dark Chocolate Fondue with Chambord mixed in was like heaven. I put a piece of Strawberry with some of the Cheesecake. OMG, Incredible! The only problem with the dessert portion is that the food is barely enough for three people. We ended up ordering another slice of Cheesecake, Red Velvet Cake, and Strawberries. There was more than enough Chocolate to go around. The Wine list...OMG. The Seven Oaks Cab Sav went perfectly with the Fondue Fusion and the Taylor Fladgate 30 year old Port was just the perfect match to dessert. I will be back constantly. It's my new favorite place to eat.
(5)
Kia D.
I have been here twice - most recently this past Saturday. My experience was AWESOME both times and I love this place. Our waiter Patrick was the best! Very friendly and competent and explained everything in detail for my rookie friends that I brought along. The Bourbon Bacon Cheddar Cheese was so good, I wanted to lick the fondue pot clean. I cannot remember what the name of the chocolate was that we got but it was the one with the flambeed nuts...I am not even gonna elaborate. I am just going to shut my eyes and have a moment of silence cause something that good has to be deadly. As long as your fondue pot has something in it, you get unlimited dippers. So for the cheese, you get apples, veggies and bread and for your chocolate, you get strawberries, rice krispy treats, pound cake pieces, brownies, blondies, pineapples, bananas, marshmallows, oreo marshmallows, cheesecake...the list goes on and on. Definitely wear your elastic waistband pants when you eat here.
KID Party Notes: We took our nephews and nieces for Christmas tonight, and while they do not have a kids menu, you can order for less people than the group comprises. Two adults, 8 kids from 6-13. Out table had 3 burners. We had the Melting Pot salad with Ranch for all. With the exception of two kids, they ate the entire salad. Then we had the cheddar fondue for 6 people, 2 portions each pot. Then the S'more dessert fondue for 6, again 2 portions per pot. Each kid had one soda and we spend $210 with tip included. Not a terrible deal, it came out quick and we couldn't have eaten more. The kids thought the fondue was a fun treat most had never done it. It kept them busy and the S'more dessert raised our Uncle "cred" massively.
(3)
Jen L.
Wow, I can't believe I have not reviewed the Melting Pot! I'm a huge fan and will drag anyone here if they have never been to fondue. It is definitely an experience! Be prepared to eat! So I don't have any thing else to add that hasn't already been covered. This is a favorite all around. It's a very social meal, the full meal takes about 2-3 hours to complete. This is also a great place to head to if you just want dessert. You could get a pot of chocolate for less than $20! If you are not down with paying $50/pp for a meal, you might want to get on their mailing list and go only when they have specials like their Ladies Night where you can get a special for $30/pp for a full meal. They participate in the Annapolis Restaurant Week, so that's also a good time for fondue. This is a place for a good meal and quality bonding time with your friends, family and significant other. If you ask nicely they may let you take home any left over chocolate in their little to-go containers. Chocolate fondue makes excellent left overs. Don't forget to check in to get free garlic seasonings! I love free stuff! FYI..it is way better to ride the mechanical bull at Cadillac Ranch BEFORE you have fondue.....going after fondue is a bad idea.
(5)
Eric H.
Celebrated my wife's birthday here with family. It was a good experience overall. We had excellent and attentive service from our waiter Eric. Food was as expected and the evening was fun and relaxing. A bit pricy but was good for the occasion. My favorite is still the cheese fondue appetizer - cheddar. The dark chocolate orange dessert fondue was a very nice end to the meal. Will be happy to come back again.
(4)
Mo A.
Very expensive for a place that essentially makes you cook your own meal. Plus, I can't cook....DOH! There is a romantic element to the environment and in theory it is a cozy experience to be making and sharing food with someone. Problem is there's nothing special about the ingredients you're provided and limited seasoning options. For my tastes (and capabilities), it's worth one visit for the experience and that's about it.
(2)
T S.
Very good. Enjoyed the food and experience.
(5)
Amaris R.
The Melting Pot is a rip off! Whoever came up with the idea to charge people to cook their own food is really getting over. On top of that they give you like 3 shrimp, 1/4 of a steak and a 1/4 of a chicken breast. I wont be going back.
(2)
Dawn W.
The Quattro Fromaggio ROCKED!! ... As did our service and the entire meal. The recipes on the web for Quattro Fromaggio are very different than what we got. Find me (luvinlif2k) On all recipes.com for my guess On our recipe tonight. Luv The Melting Pot in Annapolis as always.
(5)
Jessica F.
Going here is a tradition for my sister and I and fortunately we came on Ladies' Night Out where it was $30 per person. The meat portions are probably a little smaller than the normal dinners but no matter. You have 2 other courses and a salad to work through so you will be plenty full. I didn't really like the Ceaser salad. The toasted pine nuts are a nice idea but they are a little too sweet for my taste. They are nice enough to work with your special requests without it being a hassle-if you don't like shrimp you can have more chicken or beef. If you don't want the rice crispy treats or marshmallows, you can request more strawberries and pound cake. Everyone walks away happy! A nice place to go for special occasion! As an added bonus, I checked in here and received a free container of the garlic and wine seasoning.
(4)
Sarah O.
This is the 3rd Melting Pot location that I have been to. Like the other 2, this location is very similar in the decor and ambiance. You come here for the experience and to have a good time with your significant other or friends. Our server, Greg, was phenomenal. He explained the menu and concept to the half who hadn't been here before, but it wasn't overly boring for us who had visited before. Service was great and Greg made excellent recommendations from the menu. The drinks are pretty damn good (but slightly expensive). Definitely try the White Chocolate Creme Brulee fondue for dessert; I am not a big fan of white chocolate, but it was exceptional! (Note: this is on the current Big Night Out menu and will change within a couple months.)
(4)
Heather W.
Aside from the fact that you have to cook your own food *which my husband and father always complain about* I am a HUGE fan of this place. If I had to choose a last meal, the cheese and desert here would probably be included. The melting pot is expensive... get over it. Happy hour has drink specials and half price cheese, so there is your price break :) If I had to recommend a meal it would be cheddar cheese fondue, with steak and shrimp in coq au vin boil with green goddess sauce (of course) with turtle chocolate dessert. DELICIOUS! I can't say good enough things about the cheese, heaven sent! I could eat it all day. The wait staff is always helpful and friendly and I've been so often, all the servers come over and ask about the kids and me. This place gets crowded and booked on reservations, even on weekdays. If you have a date, make a reservation a few days in advance, their reservation line opens at noon.
(5)
Juliette S.
The food is fondue. If you aren't into that, you are not going to like it. The quality of the food is always good and you know what to expect when you go there. What makes this place great is the service. We have been here at least 10 times and the waitstaff is always so nice and accommodating. Also, ask for the creme brulee dessert if it is not on the menu. It is the most delicious dessert fondue and if they have all the ingredients for it (which they most of the time do), the will make it for you. You can also customize without an extra charge - so in the dessert portion, we only get fruit (strawberries and bananas) and leave out everything else (cheesecake, rice krispie...). Don't be afraid to ask - the waitstaff is great!
(4)
Katrina W.
I have to say the Annapolis Melting Pot has been quite impressive. This particular Melting Pot hosts Beer Dinners every couple of months. I have attended all of them so far. The beer dinner program has brewers for example from Dog Fish, Star Hill, Flying Dog, and Heavy Seas to name a few they have had. The dinners are amazing they pair up the menu with showcased beers. They tweak the recipes a bit from their normal selections. Service is always great and friendly.
(5)
Chris G.
I will never pay that much money again to cook my own food. The only reason 3 stars are awarded is because dessert was off the chain!
(3)
Kalee C.
Not only do I love all melting pots, but this location does beer and wine pairing events that are wonderful. They're not only well organized but the management really turns it into an event and you truly feel like you're getting your money's worth. A friend of mine reserves a large table for 8 every time they ahve an event going on and we never miss it!
(5)
Marisa F.
Is it terrible that when you walk into a place the bartenders already bring you what you want to drink on a platter just after you sit down? Because I sure don't think it is! Maybe it is a sign that I go to Melting Pot too much, but I just think it is evidence of how wonderful the staff is. The best time to go to MP is for happy hour when there is half price cheese and chocolate. You really can't beat that. They also have other great nights where they offer half priced wine or girl's nights out. I really love this location over the Columbia one because of the wonderful people that work here. They have also started offering wonderful special beer dinner nights and have had pairings with dogfishhead, flying dog, victory, flying fish, and heavy seas to name a few. They do this every few months and create a special menu to go with it. All of the beer and a souvenier glass is included in the price and it's always a fun time. I have been to all 7 (I think that's how many there have been, I could have lost count) and have had a great time at every one. They put the information up on their facebook page so go like it and come out next time.
(5)
Laura G.
I've eaten at the Annapolis Melting Pot for 3 of my last 5 birthdays. I am a big fan, huge price tag and all. I recently went back this weekend with two friends for a little girls night. Others have explained the concept pretty well so I'll just let you in on my favorites - spinach artichoke cheese, the caesar salad, the fondue feast and s'mores chocolate. Yum, yum, yummm! I especially like how you can customize your plates of food if there is something you want more or less of. On my recent visit, the meal took 3 hours to complete. This was part due to cooking and talking and part due to a large delay between our cheese course and our salad. You know, salads taking so long to cook and all. Our waiter was also slow with the drink refills, even after I made an effort to really nurse mine during the main course. He seemed to have a large table that required a lot of his attention. I forgave him because it's the melting pot and I just love it too much to get too unhappy. If only there was one burner/pot per couple. A table of 4 can spend $192 and up on their meal, but all have to come to a consensus on one cheese, one broth, and one chocolate. What's up with that?
(4)
Carime R.
The food itself, our server and the happy hour prices were great; however on the occasion I went to the Melting Pot in Annapolis with my mother one of the front of the house staff members was talking with coworkers about an event he had experienced and loudly said something along the lines of 'Get the f*** outta here'. Do not know the exact words; however I definitely know the f word was definitely said....loudly. When my mother and I heard it (only people sitting in the front of the house area) we quickly turned our heads around shocked of what we had just heard. So unprofessional. The man at the hostess stand did not even apologize to us regarding what he said but instead just kept on talking like nothing had happened. The other staff members didn't say anything at all either to this man. This is totally unacceptable and there should've been repercussions for this individual's actions. It totally ruined our experience. I, nor my mom, have ever gone to a restaurant where this has ever happened in all of our years. Food great; professionalism no.
(1)
John G.
I always enjoy the melting pot, no doubt about it. The Annaoplis Melting Pot is the best in our area, and I always try to go to that one if I have a choice. Service is always on point and the food is always really good. Its not somewhere I can go on a regular basis, because I would be huge and broke!! lol
(4)
Daniella K.
Love it!! Great service and the food is good bec u cook it yourself lol :-)
(5)
Linda W.
Great place for a date night or night out with friends. Easy to have conversation while enjoying a four course meal. For dessert, we like the Flaming Turtle option.
(4)
Wade E.
My wife and I ate here last night for our anniversary, and the only part that we felt was worth it was the chocolate fondue. We did the 4 course meal and since this was our first time we tried everything that was the classic or signature item. The cheddar cheese fondue was pretty good, but the veggies they served with it didn't seem to be a good flavor match, and they were stale. The cubbed bread was okay, but for the price, this definitely wasn't as amazing as I expected. The house salads tasted fine, were really small and unattractive on presentation. The classic selection of meat was okay, but again for the price, I could tell we were eating low quality meat. The turtle chocolate fondue was the only part that we really enjoyed, but the strawberries were a bit too tart. We ordered a bottle of 14 hands wine for 30 bucks but once we got it we ended up recognizing it as a less than $10 bottle from the store. I know you have to mark up wines, but I also know if you spend a little time you can fine inexpensive wines that aren't so common and recognizable as cheap wine that you're now paying 30 bucks for. The whole fondue concept is a cool unique idea, but for the price they could serve higher quality food.
(3)
Ken S.
My wife and I had such a fantastic meal and what a great atmosphere. I have never eaten fondue at a restaurant, but I wanted to try it. Our waiter Shawn was fantastic. He was very personable and took the time to explain everything; you could tell he enjoyed working there. The food was sensational. There are 4 courses and by the end you are absolutely stuffed. We had a bacon cheese fondue to start, then the classic entree, Caesar and portabella salads, and the turtle chocolate desert . There was not one thing we didn't like and we ha not one complaint. The sauces, the meat, everything was great. The staff were extremely courteous and the atmosphere was very relaxed. We will be coming back!
(5)
Elizabeth D.
Have been to a number of Melting Pots, most recently the Annapolis outlet. I've always found their waitstaff to be friendly and helpful, and they were flexible enough to let my boyfriend and I split an "entree" serving and substitute some proteins we preferred. Melting Pot is pricey, but for a fancy dinner out, if you pick your menu thoughtfully, it's worth it.
(4)
C W.
Used to be our favorite restaurant, great staff, location and food. Used to give it 4-5 stars but have had to drop it down 1, then 2 stars over time (for a 2 star rating) as the price has stayed the same but the portions keep shrinking. We still go from time to time but it's a couple of times a year now instead of monthly.
(2)
Cortez W.
My wife and I visited a Melting Pot restaurant when we lived in Florida and thoroughly enjoyed the experience, so when we went to the Annapolis location we thought we knew what we were in for, sadly we didn't we were greeted by two very apathetic and condescending greeters, that asked if we had reservations. After we scanned the place and looked at several empty tables we insisted that we'd sit at the bar, suddenly a table in the back mysteriously opened. After we got our table we were ignored by the waitstaff and when we complained to management he seemed dumbfounded and totally uninterested. Our evening was almost completely ruined until we went to Bonefish Grille, nearby, we ended up saving money and had a great time. I'll never visit this place again.
(1)
Debbie K.
I was really excited when I finally got to go to the melting pot, and the experience did not disappoint. I went with a big group and the fondue setup where everyone shares foods and dipping pots is a very social experience. The decor was very dim but warm and inviting. The servers were extremely friendly and helpful. It was my birthday and I even got a card from the servers! My only issues with the melting pot is that it is very expensive and the fact that since I was in charge of cooking my own food-- it wasn't very good. It was a lot of fun, and great experience, but I would not go back for dinner again solely because I did not feel like I had a great meal. HOWEVER, going back for just dessert... definitely!!! The dessert was the best part! SAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT!!!
(3)
Lisa W.
Went once for Happy Hour with a girlfriend drinks were weak an Swiss cheese app way to much white wine for my liking!
(2)
Angela S.
We went here for our weekly date night. There was so much food! Four people could have shared our dinner and walked away full. They have a good wine list. Thursdays all wine is 1/2 price. Our waitress was very nice and attentive. Great ambiance for couples.
(3)
Kristy B.
If you enjoy fondue then you will definitely enjoy The Melting Pot. It's worth the experience, although imo it's very expensive and not something I'd personally want to do often (I just don't like to work for my food and prefer it served to me ready to eat). I do think it would be a great date restaurant, however. We had solid, friendly service.
(3)
Emily G.
I can't really give The Melting Pot the heartiest of endorsements. Not because the food's bad--it's reasonably tasty, and the concept--in principle and practice--is fun. But for what you're fed, and the relative lack of artistry, complexity, and service involved--the high price about knocks my socks off. The overall cost of the meal falls into the upscale bordering on outrageous category, and the experience doesn't warrant this.
(2)
Cat D.
Food is pretty good, but overpriced for the concept.
(3)
Jamie H.
Went for my 23rd birthday (two yrs ago), great atmosphere for family, friends or a date. I've never done fondue but now I'm in love.
(5)
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Address :2348 Solomons Island Rd
Annapolis, MD, 21401
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner, Dessert Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Daniella K.
Love it!! Great service and the food is good bec u cook it yourself lol :-)
(5)Linda W.
Great place for a date night or night out with friends. Easy to have conversation while enjoying a four course meal. For dessert, we like the Flaming Turtle option.
(4)Jeannette R.
My husband and I stopped in on New Year's Eve just for dessert. We called to make sure they could take us and made a reservation for 11pm. We were seated within a few minutes of arriving and was promptly greeted by Shawn, our server. We have been to other locations so we knew the drill and ordered our favorite chocolate fondue, the Flaming Turtle. It was delicious as usual. I enjoy the fruit most, strawberries, pineapples and bananas but you also get brownies, blondes, marshmallows and rice Krispy treats. I haven't been to a Melting Pot in a while but I remembered getting cheesecake before. My husband just told me that he did see it on the menu for additional cost now. The manager came over to check on us midway through which is always appreciated and another lady came by to inform us of a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. We stuck around for that and they also had party favors and hats for everyone. I would definitely return to this location for a full dinner, their customer service is outstanding.
(4)S G.
I have really enjoyed this location in the past. Melting pot is a very gluten free/celiac friendly restaurant, but tonight I felt singled out because I have to eat gluten free. They typically give us two burners so one can have Gluten and the other one not. Tonight we were offered only one burner and two burner tables seemed available. When they gave us the gluten free bread and deserts they were extremely stingy and brought very few items. This is the whole reason people come to this restaurant - we ended up having half or chocolate left with nothing to dip it in :(
(2)Mike B.
Great experience, wide variety of food and fondue/cooking choices. My second time here, the service was attentive, food was awesome. Some people bizarrely call this "cooking your own food", but there's a lot of prep work and at-table activity by the staff to make the dining personalized and enjoyable.
(5)Chris G.
I will never pay that much money again to cook my own food. The only reason 3 stars are awarded is because dessert was off the chain!
(3)Kalee C.
Not only do I love all melting pots, but this location does beer and wine pairing events that are wonderful. They're not only well organized but the management really turns it into an event and you truly feel like you're getting your money's worth. A friend of mine reserves a large table for 8 every time they ahve an event going on and we never miss it!
(5)Marisa F.
Is it terrible that when you walk into a place the bartenders already bring you what you want to drink on a platter just after you sit down? Because I sure don't think it is! Maybe it is a sign that I go to Melting Pot too much, but I just think it is evidence of how wonderful the staff is. The best time to go to MP is for happy hour when there is half price cheese and chocolate. You really can't beat that. They also have other great nights where they offer half priced wine or girl's nights out. I really love this location over the Columbia one because of the wonderful people that work here. They have also started offering wonderful special beer dinner nights and have had pairings with dogfishhead, flying dog, victory, flying fish, and heavy seas to name a few. They do this every few months and create a special menu to go with it. All of the beer and a souvenier glass is included in the price and it's always a fun time. I have been to all 7 (I think that's how many there have been, I could have lost count) and have had a great time at every one. They put the information up on their facebook page so go like it and come out next time.
(5)Katrina W.
I have to say the Annapolis Melting Pot has been quite impressive. This particular Melting Pot hosts Beer Dinners every couple of months. I have attended all of them so far. The beer dinner program has brewers for example from Dog Fish, Star Hill, Flying Dog, and Heavy Seas to name a few they have had. The dinners are amazing they pair up the menu with showcased beers. They tweak the recipes a bit from their normal selections. Service is always great and friendly.
(5)Jeff P.
Ridiculously expensive! The dining area is nice but come on! For this kinda money they should have made me wear a tie. I wore shorts. The portions are small and you cook it yourself. They give you straws for soda - is that fancy? Seriously, they should pass along the savings. The waiters are very polite and accommodating. If you really want fondue - do it at home. The cheese, broth and chocolate were not particularly any better than store bought. If you want an experience at a bloated price - go ahead. It would make a nice place for a date but, I don't date anymore - and not because I couldn't...I am committed.
(3)Kara B.
I've been to the melting pot twice this year. The latest trip was for my birthday. We went Saturday night (of course I made reservations a month in advance). The melting pot is pricey, no doubt about it but it's so worth it. We did the 4 course meal experience. The food is amazing. I have never left the melting pot thinking the food was just okay. The waitress asked in the beginning of our meal if we were celebrating anything. When our desert came she brought me an extra plate of dippers to look like a birthday cake, candle and all. We all left feeling like we were going to explode because of the amount of food we received, and we left food on our plates. Whenever I want a fantastic, special night out we go to the melting pot. If you haven't been make sure to leave at least 2 hours for dinner. There were 4 of us and we were there for 2 and a half hours.
(5)Katy S.
The service was so bad I very much doubt I will ever go back. One of the pots was not set high enough so the meats were not cooking, that could have easily been taken care of if the waitress ever came back to see how things were going. No one ever came around to see if we needed refills. When we asked for extra napkins and silverware it took at least 15 mins. for someone to bring them. One side of the table was still eating due to the setting on the pot and the waitress was clearing the table all around them.
(1)Drew B.
Fantastic experience. The food was spot on and the server was very personable and went out of his way to explain the experience and his recommendations. The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is that the interior was a bit worn and seemed dingy in a couple places but it was a minor issue. To address what the one user said about small serving size...I don't know what they ordered but the price fixed menu that includes salad, cheese fondue, main fondue and dessert was almost more than my girlfriend and I could finish. To each their own I suppose.
(4)Crystal H.
I am definitely a fan of the Melting Pot! I went on this occasion with a friend celebrating her birthday! We had a ball! I really don't have anything bad to say at all! The Melting Pot is pricey for a place that you pretty much prepare your own food! But honestly, you are paying for the experience! And for the experience, it is great! However, some of our party members found the experience overwhelming! The idea of having to pick your cheese fondue, and then your meats...they were overwhelmed and confused! But it isn't really hard and is quite self explanatory! We ordered the bourbon and bacon cheese fondue! They guy will choose anything with bacon! Its a good thing that I, A, eat pork, and B, love bacon as well! However, it was quite tasty even though I was a little hesitant! We also had a pot of the mojo cooking broth. I've never been a fan of this cooking broth before, but this occasion I took a liking to it! I ordered the Land and Sea as my entree which included filet mignon, chicken, and steak. My guy ordered the French Quarter which all came seasoned with cajun spices. His platter had steak, chicken, shrimp and andouille sausage. All of the entrees come with the dipping sauces and veggies such as potatoes, mushrooms and broccoli! We also ordered the white chocolate desert fondue! Needless to say, I was extremely full by the time dinner was over! Overall, we had a great experience! It took a long time for the staff to get us started and keep the courses going! But there were 16 of us and some of them took smoke breaks! LOL! The staff was very friendly and extremely nice! I am def going back with just my Guy the next time! It can be extremely romantic and intimate! Love this place!
(4)Hope L.
We had reservations for 8:45 and arrived about a hour early so we decided to chill at the bar for drinks before dinner. I started with the Sunshine Sangria which was phenomenal! Excellent balance of sweet and bubbly. Nice twist to the original Sangria! While I was tempted to order another I decided to indulge in a bottle of Kung Fu Girl Riesling. This wine has been my go to wine for the past few weeks and is truly delicious. We ordered the Fusion and Delight so we could taste a little of everything. It included lobster tail, filet mignon, pork, chicken, shrimp, veggies and duck. Spiced things up with the Mojo sauce. OH!! Let me not forget the cheddar fondue appetizer which came with bread, veggies (celery, carrots and broccoli), capicola, mortadella and salami with summer sausage and cornichons. IT WAS DELICIOUS!! You cook all of your food at the table "fondue style" LOVED IT!!! The customer service from the moment we walked in was on point! The Hostess was very nice and told us that she would try to seat us early. While we didn't get seated early the bartender took very good care of us. Nothing beats a bartender that is good at what she does and enjoys it, When it was close to our reservation time the hostess made it a point to come to the bar and let us know that she is working on a nice little spot for us and was appreciative of us being so patient and would seat us ASAP. See little things like that is what makes for a great dining experience and this was definitely it. I really enjoyed my time at The Melting Pot and am looking forward to my next visit!
(5)Emily H.
This was my first time at The Melting Pot and our waitress - I did not get her name - did very well at explaining the process. They were quick to allow me to substitute duck for the shrimp, since I seem to be part of the 1% of the population that does not think shrimp is the food of the gods. I think our waitress - again not sure of her name - saved my life like 6 or 7 times. She reminded me to cook the meat for at least 2 minutes and to be sure not to stick the hot skewers in my mouth. By the time the desert course rolled around we were still missing our main course wine from the wine flight. Chris, the "manager" happened to come by our table and ask if we needed anything. I told Chris, the "manager", that we were missing our meat wine. Chris was confused, but quickly caught on that we needed the 3rd glass of our wine flight. Chris came back quickly and announced "meat wine!!!" while presenting us with two glasses of decent vino. Chris, the "manager" then told us if we needed anything to let him know. We had to ask Chris for a couple more things, and we're very thankful he was so readily available. I hope he didn't do anything bad to the waitress. Does anyone know if there has been a recent reported disappearance of a young girl that worked at The Melting Pot? Just checking. It's probably fine. The meal concluded with The Manager ... not Chris we are so confused ... coming to our table and saying he was the manager. It was like we were sucked into some sort of worm hole as the the Managers' identities because misconstrued. But that neither here nor there. I liked the cheese. They should sell that stuff to fill oversized bathtubs with. Over all, a great experience. If you go, ask for Chris.
(4)Susan B.
My family and I went shopping in Annapolis to celebrate my birthday yesterday And came here for dinner. It wasn't my first time here but it was one of the best. They're always very friendly and the food is always amazing. I seriously recommend the special cheese fondue when you go. Every time we go we get the special fondue and it's great. (Currently Lobster Bisque) the red wine broth is amazing with red meat and Mojo is great with everything else. And of course the chocolates are pretty much all awesome. Though I particularly love the bananas foster and original. A MUST try at some point. My favorite restaurant by far.
(5)Amanda H.
My boyfriend and I make it a tradition to come here for Valentine's day and restaraunt week. We've always had positive experiences. We're taken on time for our reservations and waste time at the bar until our table is ready. The bartender, I believe his name is Chris remembered us and was very friendly. This past valentine's day, he came by our table as the manager to check in and still remembered us. The servers have always been pleasant and go above and beyond.
(4)Shelby T.
I love this restaurant! Very pricey but super private and romantic or good for fun with friends. More of a special occasion thing for me, but I always enjoy it.
(5)Samantha P.
This isn't my first time going to the melting pot. I have been a couple of times through out the course of almost 10 years, usually for a special treat since its pricy indeed. Dessert still stands as the best part, however this time I was very confused with the menu and the kids menu. I ordered chicken, salmon, and ravioli for my daughter and yet the waiter messed it up 2 times. She's only 20 months and have yet to have shell fish, yet the waiter kept bringing shrimp as her meal. Not only that but he messed up my nephew's order and my niece. When we told him he went to argue with us. I'm not sure why but I was disappointed it wasn't correct the first time. I'm sure he also charged me for something else because I was only suppose to have steak, lobster, and chicken but there were shrimp and ravioli as well. My parents took the check before I could check, however I paid attention to what was ordered and what was given. He even pushed to have us order more "portions" when we asked how many they would feed. I just didn't walk away satisfied as I have in the past, last time was Dec. 2011 so that should say something. I remember each experience and this time was more on the unhappy side unfortunately. I hope they will think about going back to the menu they had before. I also hope they would not argue when something is wrong. Manager did come over, my parents though are not ones to make a scene.
(3)Sara D.
The food on a whole was good, the service was great, the drinks were mediocre however the real low blow was that they tried to "fluff" my salad with iceberg lettuce underneath my salad greens! SERIOUSLY?!? The melting pot is definitely not a cheap place to eat, yet they try to fluff my salad of field greens with cheap tasteless iceburg lettuce...what an insult! Once I pointed it out to the waitress and she verified on the menu that it says field greens and she personally remade my salad which was great, however the cheap shot spoiled my rating for this restaurant. You are already over paying, yet they still try to cheapen your meal...unbelievable!
(3)Ronae B.
Gosh I love this place. Everything taste so amazing. I'm a regular here. I come at least once a month. Every server I've had has always been amazing. And this location, in my opinion, is the best! I've had large 13+ birthday dinners, girls night, date night, and I've even eaten by myself here (Couldn't shake the craving for their amazing caesar salad with pine nuts, so delicious). The four course experience is the best of you love cheese and chocolate. If not, they do have individual entrees which are just as yummy. You fill up very fast, most times I have to save my entree so I can enjoy the chocolate! The drinks are hit or miss depending on the bartender, but when they're good, they're good! Fiesta (if you like spice) is the best cheese! Mojo is THE best cooking style. All of the chocolates are yummy but my favorite is bananas foster :) Oh and if you don't have at least $40-50 just for yourself only, don't come. And stop complaining about the prices. Their prices are just right. If you want a 2 for $10 meal take yourself right across the street to Ruby Tuesday's. Brokey! Lol
(5)Rae M.
I got totally and completely CHOCOLATE WASTED in this place!!!! The Melting Pot is my new favorite restaurant!!! I could kick myself for taking so long to come to this restaurant, but I was going off of complaints from others. The main complaints we heard were about cooking your own food, but my b/f and I ignored the naysayers and stepped out on a limb and went for dinner the other night. We were utterly impressed!!! This isn't just dinner, it's an "EXPERIENCE!" This is the perfect place for a special occasion and definitely an excellent spot for a romantic dinner. The booths are very private and the lighting is dimmed for a romantic vibe. I made reservations, but it wasn't overflowing with people that night, so it was plenty of vacant tables for walk in's. When I made reservations I was asked if we were celebrating anything special and we were, it was 2 year dating anniversary. When we came in, the hostess gave us a Happy Anniversary card signed by the staff (Insert Mushy Awwws here). How sweet was that?!?! I dove right in and ordered the MP Sangria, which I highly recommend. Since we were both fondue virgins, our server, Kathy took her time explaining all of the possible options and the most bang for our buck. We opted for the 4 course experience (cheese fondue, salad of your choice, meat selection and dessert). We ordered the Spinach Artichoke Cheese Fondue and it was soooo delicious! Kathy made it table side for us and we dipped fresh bread, apples and veggies into it. For our salads, I chose the Caesar and he chose the House. They were also delish, but not too many places can mess up a salad. For the main course we chose the Coq Au Vin cooking style (Burgundy wine infused with fresh herbs and spices) for our meat selection, which was The Classic. The Classic includes, shrimp, BBQ pork medallion, herb crusted chicken breast and teriyaki marinated sirloin, with potatoes, mushrooms and all types of herbs and spices. After you choose the cooking style you prefer, you place as many pieces of meat on a skewer poker, (kind of reminds you of a pitch fork) and place it in the fondue pot to cook for a few minutes. Every piece of meat we ate was well seasoned and cooked perfectly...I mean, jump up and smack your mother kind of good! Notice I said your mother, because my mother doesn't play that! The Melting Pot truly saved the best for last because our dessert.......LORD JESUS IT'S A FIRE, was out of this world good! We ordered the Flaming Turtle chocolate fondue and to say that I wanted to fill my empty Sangria glass up with this chocolate and down it like a Tequila shot is and understatement. IT WAS HEAVEN ON EARTH!!!!! (I just had to take a deep breath just thinking about this chocolate!!!) The Flaming Turtle consists of milk chocolate, caramel and candied pecans flambéed tableside. MP served it with cheesecake, rice crispies treats, strawberries, bananas, oreo covered marshmallows, graham cracker covered marshmallows, brownies and pound cake, but like I said, my glass would've been perfectly fine. I even received a bottle of free Wine and Garlic seasoning that is exclusive to MP. Sure this place isn't cheap, but you get what you pay for. I wouldn't want to come here with a big group because it has a more intimate appeal, in my opinion. The staff is very friendly and helpful and our experience here was better than we could've imagined. THIS PLACE IS AWESOMESAUCE or shall I say AWESOMECHOCOLATESAUCE!!!
(5)Shao T.
It's not often I'm blown away by food. I was freaking amazed! My friends and I popped in a couple of weeks ago as we all wanted to try it. We couldn't have been happier! Our food was amazing! The Cheddar Fondue was just out of this world. I'd recommend getting the Premium Dippers with the Italian Meats. They are high quality meats. I got the Fondue Fusion and my friends got the French Quarter and the Fondue Delight. We used the Oil cooking style. The food was perfectly seasoned and it was amazing in the Oil. There was more than enough food for each of us and we all shared a bit, tasting everyone's dishes. The only one I didn't like was the Duck; the taste of Ginger was too strong and hid the natural taste of the Duck while the other seasonings complimented the meats beautifully. The Dark Chocolate Fondue with Chambord mixed in was like heaven. I put a piece of Strawberry with some of the Cheesecake. OMG, Incredible! The only problem with the dessert portion is that the food is barely enough for three people. We ended up ordering another slice of Cheesecake, Red Velvet Cake, and Strawberries. There was more than enough Chocolate to go around. The Wine list...OMG. The Seven Oaks Cab Sav went perfectly with the Fondue Fusion and the Taylor Fladgate 30 year old Port was just the perfect match to dessert. I will be back constantly. It's my new favorite place to eat.
(5)Kia D.
I have been here twice - most recently this past Saturday. My experience was AWESOME both times and I love this place. Our waiter Patrick was the best! Very friendly and competent and explained everything in detail for my rookie friends that I brought along. The Bourbon Bacon Cheddar Cheese was so good, I wanted to lick the fondue pot clean. I cannot remember what the name of the chocolate was that we got but it was the one with the flambeed nuts...I am not even gonna elaborate. I am just going to shut my eyes and have a moment of silence cause something that good has to be deadly. As long as your fondue pot has something in it, you get unlimited dippers. So for the cheese, you get apples, veggies and bread and for your chocolate, you get strawberries, rice krispy treats, pound cake pieces, brownies, blondies, pineapples, bananas, marshmallows, oreo marshmallows, cheesecake...the list goes on and on. Definitely wear your elastic waistband pants when you eat here.
(5)Rob B.
KID Party Notes: We took our nephews and nieces for Christmas tonight, and while they do not have a kids menu, you can order for less people than the group comprises. Two adults, 8 kids from 6-13. Out table had 3 burners. We had the Melting Pot salad with Ranch for all. With the exception of two kids, they ate the entire salad. Then we had the cheddar fondue for 6 people, 2 portions each pot. Then the S'more dessert fondue for 6, again 2 portions per pot. Each kid had one soda and we spend $210 with tip included. Not a terrible deal, it came out quick and we couldn't have eaten more. The kids thought the fondue was a fun treat most had never done it. It kept them busy and the S'more dessert raised our Uncle "cred" massively.
(3)Nicole S.
We got off to a slow start, but overall had a good experience. The first server told us that he was helping out of server and would take our drink orders. A different server brought out the alcoholic drinks but no water or drink for my son. My drink was tasty so I was ok with him not having a drink right away :-) Yet another server came and took our cheese order, however he didn't fully explain the restaurant week menu. When our server finally came he didn't really explain things either. We heard other tables getting good explanations and questions answered so we learned from them. Overall the food was yummy and the service was ok. Nice place for a special occasion or with a deal as it can get expensive.
(4)Levi P.
This was the second time my girlfriend and I visited The Melting Pot, but our first time at this location. Our first experience was so good, we were afraid that our future experiences could only be worse, but we were fortunately wrong. The service was excellent. The waitress was very nice and kept the conversation going without making things awkward. We tried a few different things, and were impressed with everything. The price is obviously pretty steep, but if you're willing to fork out the extra cash, you are sure to have a delicious and unique experience!
(5)Megan W.
Love it. I will definitely go back. We did the 4 course experience we certainly did not leave hungry service was friendly and attentive food was great nice to have something different and very tasty
(4)Lauren A.
The Melting Pot is my favorite restaurant by far. I've been going here once or twice a year for anniversaries for about 6 years. I alternate between the Columbia location and this one, but I never have a bad experience. Though pricey, you get what you pay for; the food is phenomenal. They change the menu little by little here and there, so my courses are never the same, which is great. You can request extra of pretty much anything at little to no charge, and the staff is always very friendly and very helpful. The atmosphere is very ambient and perfect for an anniversary dinner. I can't praise this place enough. I'd say per couple, plan to spend about $100-$120, especially if you want to partake in some alcohol. I can't wait for my next visit! :)
(5)Rick W.
This is a restaurant for small children or adults who have had gastric bypass surgery. There's no way an adult male will ever have their hunger satisfied here. Totally not worth the money. I basically paid $100 to cook my own small portions of food then still had to pick up a pizza on the way home. I think I'm safe in saying that the majority of the 4 and 5 star reviews are from women and my wife is one of them. She loved it, I hated it.
(1)Jen L.
Wow, I can't believe I have not reviewed the Melting Pot! I'm a huge fan and will drag anyone here if they have never been to fondue. It is definitely an experience! Be prepared to eat! So I don't have any thing else to add that hasn't already been covered. This is a favorite all around. It's a very social meal, the full meal takes about 2-3 hours to complete. This is also a great place to head to if you just want dessert. You could get a pot of chocolate for less than $20! If you are not down with paying $50/pp for a meal, you might want to get on their mailing list and go only when they have specials like their Ladies Night where you can get a special for $30/pp for a full meal. They participate in the Annapolis Restaurant Week, so that's also a good time for fondue. This is a place for a good meal and quality bonding time with your friends, family and significant other. If you ask nicely they may let you take home any left over chocolate in their little to-go containers. Chocolate fondue makes excellent left overs. Don't forget to check in to get free garlic seasonings! I love free stuff! FYI..it is way better to ride the mechanical bull at Cadillac Ranch BEFORE you have fondue.....going after fondue is a bad idea.
(5)Eric H.
Celebrated my wife's birthday here with family. It was a good experience overall. We had excellent and attentive service from our waiter Eric. Food was as expected and the evening was fun and relaxing. A bit pricy but was good for the occasion. My favorite is still the cheese fondue appetizer - cheddar. The dark chocolate orange dessert fondue was a very nice end to the meal. Will be happy to come back again.
(4)Mo A.
Very expensive for a place that essentially makes you cook your own meal. Plus, I can't cook....DOH! There is a romantic element to the environment and in theory it is a cozy experience to be making and sharing food with someone. Problem is there's nothing special about the ingredients you're provided and limited seasoning options. For my tastes (and capabilities), it's worth one visit for the experience and that's about it.
(2)T S.
Very good. Enjoyed the food and experience.
(5)Amaris R.
The Melting Pot is a rip off! Whoever came up with the idea to charge people to cook their own food is really getting over. On top of that they give you like 3 shrimp, 1/4 of a steak and a 1/4 of a chicken breast. I wont be going back.
(2)Dawn W.
The Quattro Fromaggio ROCKED!! ... As did our service and the entire meal. The recipes on the web for Quattro Fromaggio are very different than what we got. Find me (luvinlif2k) On all recipes.com for my guess On our recipe tonight. Luv The Melting Pot in Annapolis as always.
(5)Jessica F.
Going here is a tradition for my sister and I and fortunately we came on Ladies' Night Out where it was $30 per person. The meat portions are probably a little smaller than the normal dinners but no matter. You have 2 other courses and a salad to work through so you will be plenty full. I didn't really like the Ceaser salad. The toasted pine nuts are a nice idea but they are a little too sweet for my taste. They are nice enough to work with your special requests without it being a hassle-if you don't like shrimp you can have more chicken or beef. If you don't want the rice crispy treats or marshmallows, you can request more strawberries and pound cake. Everyone walks away happy! A nice place to go for special occasion! As an added bonus, I checked in here and received a free container of the garlic and wine seasoning.
(4)Sarah O.
This is the 3rd Melting Pot location that I have been to. Like the other 2, this location is very similar in the decor and ambiance. You come here for the experience and to have a good time with your significant other or friends. Our server, Greg, was phenomenal. He explained the menu and concept to the half who hadn't been here before, but it wasn't overly boring for us who had visited before. Service was great and Greg made excellent recommendations from the menu. The drinks are pretty damn good (but slightly expensive). Definitely try the White Chocolate Creme Brulee fondue for dessert; I am not a big fan of white chocolate, but it was exceptional! (Note: this is on the current Big Night Out menu and will change within a couple months.)
(4)Heather W.
Aside from the fact that you have to cook your own food *which my husband and father always complain about* I am a HUGE fan of this place. If I had to choose a last meal, the cheese and desert here would probably be included. The melting pot is expensive... get over it. Happy hour has drink specials and half price cheese, so there is your price break :) If I had to recommend a meal it would be cheddar cheese fondue, with steak and shrimp in coq au vin boil with green goddess sauce (of course) with turtle chocolate dessert. DELICIOUS! I can't say good enough things about the cheese, heaven sent! I could eat it all day. The wait staff is always helpful and friendly and I've been so often, all the servers come over and ask about the kids and me. This place gets crowded and booked on reservations, even on weekdays. If you have a date, make a reservation a few days in advance, their reservation line opens at noon.
(5)Juliette S.
The food is fondue. If you aren't into that, you are not going to like it. The quality of the food is always good and you know what to expect when you go there. What makes this place great is the service. We have been here at least 10 times and the waitstaff is always so nice and accommodating. Also, ask for the creme brulee dessert if it is not on the menu. It is the most delicious dessert fondue and if they have all the ingredients for it (which they most of the time do), the will make it for you. You can also customize without an extra charge - so in the dessert portion, we only get fruit (strawberries and bananas) and leave out everything else (cheesecake, rice krispie...). Don't be afraid to ask - the waitstaff is great!
(4)Laura G.
I've eaten at the Annapolis Melting Pot for 3 of my last 5 birthdays. I am a big fan, huge price tag and all. I recently went back this weekend with two friends for a little girls night. Others have explained the concept pretty well so I'll just let you in on my favorites - spinach artichoke cheese, the caesar salad, the fondue feast and s'mores chocolate. Yum, yum, yummm! I especially like how you can customize your plates of food if there is something you want more or less of. On my recent visit, the meal took 3 hours to complete. This was part due to cooking and talking and part due to a large delay between our cheese course and our salad. You know, salads taking so long to cook and all. Our waiter was also slow with the drink refills, even after I made an effort to really nurse mine during the main course. He seemed to have a large table that required a lot of his attention. I forgave him because it's the melting pot and I just love it too much to get too unhappy. If only there was one burner/pot per couple. A table of 4 can spend $192 and up on their meal, but all have to come to a consensus on one cheese, one broth, and one chocolate. What's up with that?
(4)Carime R.
The food itself, our server and the happy hour prices were great; however on the occasion I went to the Melting Pot in Annapolis with my mother one of the front of the house staff members was talking with coworkers about an event he had experienced and loudly said something along the lines of 'Get the f*** outta here'. Do not know the exact words; however I definitely know the f word was definitely said....loudly. When my mother and I heard it (only people sitting in the front of the house area) we quickly turned our heads around shocked of what we had just heard. So unprofessional. The man at the hostess stand did not even apologize to us regarding what he said but instead just kept on talking like nothing had happened. The other staff members didn't say anything at all either to this man. This is totally unacceptable and there should've been repercussions for this individual's actions. It totally ruined our experience. I, nor my mom, have ever gone to a restaurant where this has ever happened in all of our years. Food great; professionalism no.
(1)John G.
I always enjoy the melting pot, no doubt about it. The Annaoplis Melting Pot is the best in our area, and I always try to go to that one if I have a choice. Service is always on point and the food is always really good. Its not somewhere I can go on a regular basis, because I would be huge and broke!! lol
(4)Wade E.
My wife and I ate here last night for our anniversary, and the only part that we felt was worth it was the chocolate fondue. We did the 4 course meal and since this was our first time we tried everything that was the classic or signature item. The cheddar cheese fondue was pretty good, but the veggies they served with it didn't seem to be a good flavor match, and they were stale. The cubbed bread was okay, but for the price, this definitely wasn't as amazing as I expected. The house salads tasted fine, were really small and unattractive on presentation. The classic selection of meat was okay, but again for the price, I could tell we were eating low quality meat. The turtle chocolate fondue was the only part that we really enjoyed, but the strawberries were a bit too tart. We ordered a bottle of 14 hands wine for 30 bucks but once we got it we ended up recognizing it as a less than $10 bottle from the store. I know you have to mark up wines, but I also know if you spend a little time you can fine inexpensive wines that aren't so common and recognizable as cheap wine that you're now paying 30 bucks for. The whole fondue concept is a cool unique idea, but for the price they could serve higher quality food.
(3)Ken S.
My wife and I had such a fantastic meal and what a great atmosphere. I have never eaten fondue at a restaurant, but I wanted to try it. Our waiter Shawn was fantastic. He was very personable and took the time to explain everything; you could tell he enjoyed working there. The food was sensational. There are 4 courses and by the end you are absolutely stuffed. We had a bacon cheese fondue to start, then the classic entree, Caesar and portabella salads, and the turtle chocolate desert . There was not one thing we didn't like and we ha not one complaint. The sauces, the meat, everything was great. The staff were extremely courteous and the atmosphere was very relaxed. We will be coming back!
(5)Elizabeth D.
Have been to a number of Melting Pots, most recently the Annapolis outlet. I've always found their waitstaff to be friendly and helpful, and they were flexible enough to let my boyfriend and I split an "entree" serving and substitute some proteins we preferred. Melting Pot is pricey, but for a fancy dinner out, if you pick your menu thoughtfully, it's worth it.
(4)C W.
Used to be our favorite restaurant, great staff, location and food. Used to give it 4-5 stars but have had to drop it down 1, then 2 stars over time (for a 2 star rating) as the price has stayed the same but the portions keep shrinking. We still go from time to time but it's a couple of times a year now instead of monthly.
(2)Cortez W.
My wife and I visited a Melting Pot restaurant when we lived in Florida and thoroughly enjoyed the experience, so when we went to the Annapolis location we thought we knew what we were in for, sadly we didn't we were greeted by two very apathetic and condescending greeters, that asked if we had reservations. After we scanned the place and looked at several empty tables we insisted that we'd sit at the bar, suddenly a table in the back mysteriously opened. After we got our table we were ignored by the waitstaff and when we complained to management he seemed dumbfounded and totally uninterested. Our evening was almost completely ruined until we went to Bonefish Grille, nearby, we ended up saving money and had a great time. I'll never visit this place again.
(1)Heather G.
My husband and I have been going to the Melting Pot in Annapolis for about 7 years, and it has provided us with consistently fantastic food and service during that time. Even though we go three or four times a year, much of the waitstaff still recognizes us and those we've had as servers will often drop by to say hello when they aren't the ones serving us. We've always been made to feel extremely welcome. The fact that many of the servers have been there for years speaks well of the managers/owners (high turnover in employees is usually a bad sign at a restaurant). The pace of eating is perfect. We've never felt rushed, but we've never had to wait for our food. The choices available for cheese fondue, salad, main fondue, and dessert fondue might appear limited, but the combinations of dippers, cooking styles, and so on means that each dinner can be different from the last. Everything's incredibly flexible, too---for instance, you can have them put together a dessert fondue with your own choices of chocolate type, liqueur, and so on, even if it isn't on the menu. (One server told us people will even bring in their own ingredients they want added!) We typically ask for only the fruit and marshmallows out of the usual array of dessert dippers, and they'll happily load up a plate with exactly what we want. And thanks to the fondue setup, each person can cook their choice of dippers precisely to his or her liking. You can also get only the courses you want, including just the cheese and chocolate courses. The ambience is lovely, and we use the Melting Pot almost exclusively as our special occasion restaurant for anniversary, birthday, etc. Also, if you love chocolate, you simply must try the Yin & Yang cocktail! It's an amazing blend of ice cream, liqueur, and chocolate that we've become addicted to.
(5)Sarah M.
We went to the Melting Pot to celebrate our 5th anniversary. It was a great time! We were able to sit in a cozy 2-seater booth, our server was extremely attentive and knowledgeable. He made my husband's Arnold Palmer perfectly and was able to recommend a good scotch too. Actually by the end of the night, he was telling us all about the local area, as we are new here, and made friends with my husband! It was a great dining experience- the food (as always!) was amazing, though pricey, and everything was as expected or better. Zack, our server, was so welcoming and it was a very welcome change from the "stellar" Maryland customer service we have so far received!
(5)Shane N.
When I first heard about The Melting Pot, I said to my SO, "That sounds interesting. We should try that." She quickly gave me a lecture on how she went to one once and it was terrible and expensive and they only have chocolate desserts, blah, blah, blah. All of her criticisms seemed like positives to me. I don't know how she expected to be turned off by explaining it is just melted cheese, meat fried in oil, and melted chocolate. I said, "That sounds awesome." Eventually there came a time when I had to pick where we were going and I picked this joint. Anyway, we roll up on a Wednesday at about 7:30pm. The parking lot is packed. We go inside there is a bar area that is packed. We ask for a table and are told it was about a 45 minute wait. I am beginning to wonder if it is worth the wait when the hostess informs us that she can squeeze us in. About 5 minutes later we are being escorted to our table. Because the booths were full, we were escorted to the back where there was a small table. Despite it not being a booth it was still fairly intimate as there was a divider on one side and it was in a corner. Essentially only one side was exposed to the rest of the room, so it was still pretty cozy. Our waiter (Brad) was excellent. We explained that this was our first time there and he helpfully explained how everything worked. They had something called "the Big Night Out" that was essentially a four course meal. There was a cheese fondue appetizer, a salad, then a main course of meat and vegetables, and finally a dessert course all for $88 per couple. This is what we picked. For our appetizer course we chose a traditional Swiss fondue. This consisted of Gruyere and Swiss cheeses. At your table, Brad the waiter added and mixed the cheeses, wine and seasonings in our fondue pot. Then he brought out a selection of breads, apples, and vegetables to dip in the cheese sauce. The cheese dip was very tasty. The fruits and vegetables were fresh. The dip could have been a little hotter, I imagine they have to keep it at a lower temperature for safety reasons. Still, after the first course I was very pleased and my SO could not complain even though I am sure she wanted to. The next course was the salad course. My SO and I both chose the California salad which was salad greens, walnuts, gorgonzola and a berry vinaigrette dressing. The salad was excellent. I love nuts on my salad (that's what she said) and I love gorgonzola cheese. I love all strong and pungent blue cheeses on my salad. The sharpness of the cheese contrasted with the sweetness of the berry vinaigrette was excellent. My SO raved about her salad. Next was the main course. We chose the fondue feast from "the big night out" menu. It was a selection of several different meats including shrimp, chicken, NY strip, filet mignon, chicken, and bratwurst. In addition, we had some mushrooms, red potatoes and broccoli to add to our broth. Additionally, we had a bout 435 different dipping sauces. The only ones I remember is a blu cheese one and a mustard one. Those are the only two I used. You get to select from various broths or oils to either essentially boil or fry your meats. We choose a broth that was supposed to be Carribean themed and have a little bit of heat (it didn't by the way) and we were to boil our meats in it. Brad prepared our broth for us and told us that the steak and chicken should take about 2 minutes and everything else should take about a minute and a half. Here is where the problem comes in. It is easy to overcook your meats. With the broth you are essentially boiling them anyway, but the problems come from leaving them in to long. You are having a conversation and you have multiple meats in the pot. You don't remember which one is which and how long it has been in. This wasn't really a problem except with the steak and filet. They tended to be rubbery if left in too long. The chicken was fine if you left it in too long. The bottom line is that when a chef is cooking your food the only thing they are paying attention to is your food. Here you are the cook and the diner. Getting distracted in conversation costs you in the quality of your food preparation. Overall, it wasn't bad, but you could get a lot better prepared meat from a real restaurant with a real chef. Now we move on to the desert course. The big show. After looking at the desert menu my SO decided on the banana foster dip. This consisted of white chocolate, brown sugar, bananas and cinnamon. There were strawberries, bananas, cakes, marshmallows, rice crispie treats, brownies, etc. to dip into the chocolate. It was one of the tastier deserts I have ever tried. My SO raved about it. They also have this blackberry lemonade with vodka that was very delicious. It is a great place for salad, appetizer and dessert, but the main course can be problematic unless you are good at boiling your steak. My SO was obviously wrong.
(4)Dawn P.
Always a fun date night! Thursday nights are half priced wine night at the Annapolis location! I suggest the creme brulee chocolate on the new French menu! YUM! I think Melting Pot is a little overpriced for the amount of food you receive and cook yourself however I am always stuffed.
(3)Tamika F.
This place is perfect for social events or a date where you really want to get to know someone. I have gone three times and enjoyed every time I've gone. The food and the experience is phenomenal. Even though it's pricy, the atmosphere, the service, and the food options make up for the price.
(4)Debbie K.
I was really excited when I finally got to go to the melting pot, and the experience did not disappoint. I went with a big group and the fondue setup where everyone shares foods and dipping pots is a very social experience. The decor was very dim but warm and inviting. The servers were extremely friendly and helpful. It was my birthday and I even got a card from the servers! My only issues with the melting pot is that it is very expensive and the fact that since I was in charge of cooking my own food-- it wasn't very good. It was a lot of fun, and great experience, but I would not go back for dinner again solely because I did not feel like I had a great meal. HOWEVER, going back for just dessert... definitely!!! The dessert was the best part! SAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT!!!
(3)Lisa W.
Went once for Happy Hour with a girlfriend drinks were weak an Swiss cheese app way to much white wine for my liking!
(2)Angela S.
We went here for our weekly date night. There was so much food! Four people could have shared our dinner and walked away full. They have a good wine list. Thursdays all wine is 1/2 price. Our waitress was very nice and attentive. Great ambiance for couples.
(3)Gamal H.
Recently went to this restaurant not knowing what to expect. Christen has been there for but this was my first time. The wait was short, the hostess inviting and the server was exceptional. The food was quick, everything was great taste wise and the atmosphere was very romantic. They give you an expectancy time of 2 hrs expecting you want to chat with your spouse and simply enjoy each others company. If its a special occasion they even give you a complimentary pic. Just wish there was a tv to watch games aside from the bar lol...great experience highly recommend bringing your spouse or someone special.
(4)Jennifer H.
Not as good as the Melting Pot in Columbia when it comes to service, but the food is really good. My only complaint for this location is the waiter not having explained to the newbies in my group how things worked at the melting pot for large parties. He seemed a bit sarcastic and dry to me. Wasn't extremely friendly and it seemed like he was painfully forcing a smile. Other than that, like the Columbia location, expensive but great.
(3)Joe G.
Ate here once. Did not like the fact that all the food is cooked in same bland liquid. Everything tasted the same and was quite flavorless. Very disappointed. The staff was nice, but does not make up for the price you pay for a meal that has no flavor.
(1)Kristy B.
If you enjoy fondue then you will definitely enjoy The Melting Pot. It's worth the experience, although imo it's very expensive and not something I'd personally want to do often (I just don't like to work for my food and prefer it served to me ready to eat). I do think it would be a great date restaurant, however. We had solid, friendly service.
(3)Emily G.
I can't really give The Melting Pot the heartiest of endorsements. Not because the food's bad--it's reasonably tasty, and the concept--in principle and practice--is fun. But for what you're fed, and the relative lack of artistry, complexity, and service involved--the high price about knocks my socks off. The overall cost of the meal falls into the upscale bordering on outrageous category, and the experience doesn't warrant this.
(2)Cat D.
Food is pretty good, but overpriced for the concept.
(3)Jamie H.
Went for my 23rd birthday (two yrs ago), great atmosphere for family, friends or a date. I've never done fondue but now I'm in love.
(5)Mandy J.
We visited the Melting Pot to celebrate the first dinner with our Son Rob and his lovely wife Jacki since their marriage. Being European and loving fondue as well as being very used to serving various sorts at home pre-made and from scratch this was intended to be a total treat with back flashes to Switzerland and Germany. The menu while not limited offers a simple overview of Fondue. Beginning with the Wisconsin Trio with Fontina, Butterkase buttermilk Blue cheese, white wine and the Cheddar Emmenthaler Swiss mixed with lager which were both excellent and served with a vegetable cup of carrots, celery, and cauliflower and bread bowl of pumpernickel, rye and french cubes all very, very fresh. Our second course was an excellent alpine salad, third course included perfectly sized for dipping pieces of beef, fish, vegetables etc, all according to whatever "package" you had selected. Again the quality was super, portions fair to middling. My concern was the selected oil for the course was never changed and eventually impaired the flavor of the foods being speared and cooked by the sheer volume of the people using it. Ratio being one pot of oil per two people thus if one member of the group is a vegetarian they must very eat quickly indeed. If one had fish it could taint your partner's meal if culinary delights are not shared! The proximity of oil to customer is somewhat scary - the heat banks are in the center and this is not a good place for children or handicapped in my humble opinion. It has a certain charm but it is specialty chain restaurant. The servers were very professional non-irritating and went to great measures to ensure there was no eating fish that was not properly cooked. They were very, very gracious to the newly weds and included complimentary photo and champagne, The final course was of course fresh fruit in an assortment of milk, dark and white chocolate and utterly lovely! Then the bill arrived...........Shock of Ages. It was somewhat over four hundred dollars which for six people was estimated around $70.00 per person. Only three of the group drank alcohol and had one cocktail or glass of wine. I found the the cost outrageous! Given the noise level, lack of ambience, general location...this is a pricey place to celebrate in this economy. I'm not usually a cheapskate and can certainly afford to eat out frequently but I was somewhat surprised! Overall this is an OK place on the right night, food is pleasant, but I expect a more upscale environ. at this level of spending.
(3)Juliet F.
I love cheese, I love fondue, and I love The Melting Pot. My fiance and I went here for Valentine's Day dinner - we had a set menu that included appetizer, dinner and dessert. It was a little pricey but a good experience for what it was. The appetizer is your choice of cheeses with apples, bread, and assorted veggies to dip with. Dinner is actually bite sized pieces of meat or fish (or ravioli) that you cook in the broth (that you again, get to select). Dessert is your choice of which melted chocolate you want, with marshmallows, cheesecake, strawberries and other things to dip with. Like I said, the first time you are there, the set menu seems like a good idea. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful. It is a little pricey, and the next time we go here, we're just having the appetizers and the desserts.
(4)spiff e.
Great date restaurant. Fun food, tastes great and you definitely will not leave the place feeling the least bit hungry. If you're new to fondue, they'll happily bring you up to speed on proper fondue procedure and etiquette. Cozy seating and safe equipment like the fondue pots with the tops that screw shut --- majorly key in avoiding getting hot oil/wine/broth on someone's lap. You'll start off with a cheese fondue (with bread for dipping). And then you get a salad. And then the main course comes. A mountain of beef, chicken, seafood and ravioli. I'm not quite sure how we finished it. And then! it was time for dessert. I had to have the dark chocolate fondue so we got that. The best were the pound cake cubes and the strawberries for dipping. Oh man, I keep saying I'm going to go back just for the dessert, but still have yet to.
(4)a b.
I have eaten here several times and love the cheese, chocolate and the salads. The main courses are never good in my opinion - I don't like boiled meat. If you only go for cheese or chocolate it is affordable and fun. Every wine I've tried tastes like dirt. I'm not much of a wine drinker so that doesn't say much. I'm sure they have a fine selection. The water is horrible - even with lemon. Tastes of mold. Working around these couple issues, I always have a great meal.
(4)Kat G.
We went to eat there because we heard from a few people that the food is good. We left there feeling like we just threw away almost a $100.00 for one of the worst meals we ever had at a restaurant. We did not get the cheese or the dessert and just got the main meal. The coq au vin sauce was almost inedible. We should have known something was going to be wrong when you are told to dump everything from your veggies, to beef, chicken, shrimp..whatever in the same sauce. My son was gagging from the smell of the sauce. I know good food and my family has been in the restaurant business since 1971. So trust me, do not waste your time (cooking your own food...HA) or your hard earned money on this gimmick.
(1)Kristi E.
The boyfriend and I made reservations here for my Birthday/Valentines day date. We have never been to a Melting Pot- but after this experience we will be back. We fell in love with this place. The service was amazing- food fantastic- and the ambiance was also really quite and perfect for what we were looking for. We also got a bottle of wine with dinner- and they have so many to choose from and if needing recommendations the waiting staff had some great ones (in all different price ranges). Although it was a fixed price/menu for the evening- we got our monies worth. Between the rose /vase, and the framed 4'6 picture they gave us at the end, it truly was a great evening. They also have a cork and carry policy where if you can not finish you bottle of wine- they will cork it up so you can bring it home. It is a GREAT date restaurant. They even run specials for girls night- for desert and drinks. We live here in Columbia and will be trying /comparing the two locations....have fun and enjoy the fondue- they are great at informing you on what to do if you are new to the experience.
(5)Jessica P.
As you enter this place you go past the hostesses very friendly, the atmosphere is very dim and dark with a mix of jewel tones and monochromatic colors splashed on the walls a mix of brick, wood, metal and drywall and paintings of large martinis and wine bottles and hand blown colorful glass lites on dim. You are sat at your table where the waiter/waitress will do fondue trivia, take your orders and bring with him/her different ingredients which she/he will mix for you at the table and brings dishes of whatever you requested. You give the mixture a few minutes as it heats up on the hot plate in the center of the table- the server comes and turns it down as you begin to eat. The customer service is excellent, great for 2-4 people but a large group of 12-15 food wise not for a big group that includes kids (they will get bored easily) and you will leave hungry so advised you eat ahead- it's more of a social place. Although with the large party I was with for mothers day the waiter was attentive, he was good on food refills/drinks and they were very busy... the perk of coming in a large group is you get to try more. We all got the cut up apples, different breads and veggies- our 1st table got the spinach artichoke and cheese fondue, the second got the fiesta cheese fondue with tortilla chips and our table got the traditional swiss cheese fondue and we all passed our fondue forks around to try everything. Then came desert and it was on fire served flambe' style...I would go there for the desert and wine alone (fyi very large wine list)- the 1st table got the turtle mix, the second got the oreos and cream and our table got the smores - each platter had cheesecake, chocolate covered cherries, pretzel rods, oreo crumb covered marshmellows, cut up strawberries and bananas, toasted marshmellows, graham crackers, rice crispy treat bits, brownies & cut up short cake. They are pricey expect to pay $25-$40 per person (not including drinks) and don't be in a rush to go anywhere fondue and service takes time our large party was there for a couple of hours and make reservations.
(3)Ann B.
The Melting Pot is a great "event" place. It is pricey, but I wouldn't advocate going every week. Where else can you go and get 3 kinds of fondue in a single meal? It is a lot of food. If you were to do this at home, you would need to wash a lot of dishes or have 3 fondue pots at the ready, and spend a good bit of time prepping the food and sauces. Much easier to splurge - and given the "investment" - maybe not so pricey in the end.
(4)Merrill F.
Everyone always raves about this place to me...I found the experience fun, but the food not that great. I mean, it was good in that it's melted cheese, and who doesn't love that. But the quality of the food I found to be a bit lacking. I'm not quite sure how to explain it. The whole atmosphere and the table-uniting quality was great...but the food seemed to rest on that, rather than on it's own merits, and I didn't like that. oh, well, I'm sure I'll be back...
(3)Jonathan T.
The Annapolis location was my introduction to The Melting Pot when my sister-in-law saw it and thought we should check it out. My family had done fondue before, but nothing quite like this! The experience was quite unique. The staff are incredibly delightful and help make the experience all that it is. The food is outstanding and the desert is exquisite (I recommend the S'mores chocolate fondue). The atmosphere is very cozy, romantic, and private. I recently treated a very special young lady to dinner there on her birthday. The Melting Pot helped make that night very memorable!
(4)Mandy J.
We visited the Melting Pot to celebrate the first dinner with our Son Rob and his lovely wife Jacki since their marriage. Being European and loving fondue as well as being very used to serving various sorts at home pre-made and from scratch this was intended to be a total treat with back flashes to Switzerland and Germany. The menu while not limited offers a simple overview of Fondue. Beginning with the Wisconsin Trio with Fontina, Butterkase buttermilk Blue cheese, white wine and the Cheddar Emmenthaler Swiss mixed with lager which were both excellent and served with a vegetable cup of carrots, celery, and cauliflower and bread bowl of pumpernickel, rye and french cubes all very, very fresh. Our second course was an excellent alpine salad, third course included perfectly sized for dipping pieces of beef, fish, vegetables etc, all according to whatever "package" you had selected. Again the quality was super, portions fair to middling. My concern was the selected oil for the course was never changed and eventually impaired the flavor of the foods being speared and cooked by the sheer volume of the people using it. Ratio being one pot of oil per two people thus if one member of the group is a vegetarian they must very eat quickly indeed. If one had fish it could taint your partner's meal if culinary delights are not shared! The proximity of oil to customer is somewhat scary - the heat banks are in the center and this is not a good place for children or handicapped in my humble opinion. It has a certain charm but it is specialty chain restaurant. The servers were very professional non-irritating and went to great measures to ensure there was no eating fish that was not properly cooked. They were very, very gracious to the newly weds and included complimentary photo and champagne, The final course was of course fresh fruit in an assortment of milk, dark and white chocolate and utterly lovely! Then the bill arrived...........Shock of Ages. It was somewhat over four hundred dollars which for six people was estimated around $70.00 per person. Only three of the group drank alcohol and had one cocktail or glass of wine. I found the the cost outrageous! Given the noise level, lack of ambience, general location...this is a pricey place to celebrate in this economy. I'm not usually a cheapskate and can certainly afford to eat out frequently but I was somewhat surprised! Overall this is an OK place on the right night, food is pleasant, but I expect a more upscale environ. at this level of spending.
(3)Juliet F.
I love cheese, I love fondue, and I love The Melting Pot. My fiance and I went here for Valentine's Day dinner - we had a set menu that included appetizer, dinner and dessert. It was a little pricey but a good experience for what it was. The appetizer is your choice of cheeses with apples, bread, and assorted veggies to dip with. Dinner is actually bite sized pieces of meat or fish (or ravioli) that you cook in the broth (that you again, get to select). Dessert is your choice of which melted chocolate you want, with marshmallows, cheesecake, strawberries and other things to dip with. Like I said, the first time you are there, the set menu seems like a good idea. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful. It is a little pricey, and the next time we go here, we're just having the appetizers and the desserts.
(4)spiff e.
Great date restaurant. Fun food, tastes great and you definitely will not leave the place feeling the least bit hungry. If you're new to fondue, they'll happily bring you up to speed on proper fondue procedure and etiquette. Cozy seating and safe equipment like the fondue pots with the tops that screw shut --- majorly key in avoiding getting hot oil/wine/broth on someone's lap. You'll start off with a cheese fondue (with bread for dipping). And then you get a salad. And then the main course comes. A mountain of beef, chicken, seafood and ravioli. I'm not quite sure how we finished it. And then! it was time for dessert. I had to have the dark chocolate fondue so we got that. The best were the pound cake cubes and the strawberries for dipping. Oh man, I keep saying I'm going to go back just for the dessert, but still have yet to.
(4)a b.
I have eaten here several times and love the cheese, chocolate and the salads. The main courses are never good in my opinion - I don't like boiled meat. If you only go for cheese or chocolate it is affordable and fun. Every wine I've tried tastes like dirt. I'm not much of a wine drinker so that doesn't say much. I'm sure they have a fine selection. The water is horrible - even with lemon. Tastes of mold. Working around these couple issues, I always have a great meal.
(4)Kat G.
We went to eat there because we heard from a few people that the food is good. We left there feeling like we just threw away almost a $100.00 for one of the worst meals we ever had at a restaurant. We did not get the cheese or the dessert and just got the main meal. The coq au vin sauce was almost inedible. We should have known something was going to be wrong when you are told to dump everything from your veggies, to beef, chicken, shrimp..whatever in the same sauce. My son was gagging from the smell of the sauce. I know good food and my family has been in the restaurant business since 1971. So trust me, do not waste your time (cooking your own food...HA) or your hard earned money on this gimmick.
(1)Kristi E.
The boyfriend and I made reservations here for my Birthday/Valentines day date. We have never been to a Melting Pot- but after this experience we will be back. We fell in love with this place. The service was amazing- food fantastic- and the ambiance was also really quite and perfect for what we were looking for. We also got a bottle of wine with dinner- and they have so many to choose from and if needing recommendations the waiting staff had some great ones (in all different price ranges). Although it was a fixed price/menu for the evening- we got our monies worth. Between the rose /vase, and the framed 4'6 picture they gave us at the end, it truly was a great evening. They also have a cork and carry policy where if you can not finish you bottle of wine- they will cork it up so you can bring it home. It is a GREAT date restaurant. They even run specials for girls night- for desert and drinks. We live here in Columbia and will be trying /comparing the two locations....have fun and enjoy the fondue- they are great at informing you on what to do if you are new to the experience.
(5)Jonathan T.
The Annapolis location was my introduction to The Melting Pot when my sister-in-law saw it and thought we should check it out. My family had done fondue before, but nothing quite like this! The experience was quite unique. The staff are incredibly delightful and help make the experience all that it is. The food is outstanding and the desert is exquisite (I recommend the S'mores chocolate fondue). The atmosphere is very cozy, romantic, and private. I recently treated a very special young lady to dinner there on her birthday. The Melting Pot helped make that night very memorable!
(4)Jessica P.
As you enter this place you go past the hostesses very friendly, the atmosphere is very dim and dark with a mix of jewel tones and monochromatic colors splashed on the walls a mix of brick, wood, metal and drywall and paintings of large martinis and wine bottles and hand blown colorful glass lites on dim. You are sat at your table where the waiter/waitress will do fondue trivia, take your orders and bring with him/her different ingredients which she/he will mix for you at the table and brings dishes of whatever you requested. You give the mixture a few minutes as it heats up on the hot plate in the center of the table- the server comes and turns it down as you begin to eat. The customer service is excellent, great for 2-4 people but a large group of 12-15 food wise not for a big group that includes kids (they will get bored easily) and you will leave hungry so advised you eat ahead- it's more of a social place. Although with the large party I was with for mothers day the waiter was attentive, he was good on food refills/drinks and they were very busy... the perk of coming in a large group is you get to try more. We all got the cut up apples, different breads and veggies- our 1st table got the spinach artichoke and cheese fondue, the second got the fiesta cheese fondue with tortilla chips and our table got the traditional swiss cheese fondue and we all passed our fondue forks around to try everything. Then came desert and it was on fire served flambe' style...I would go there for the desert and wine alone (fyi very large wine list)- the 1st table got the turtle mix, the second got the oreos and cream and our table got the smores - each platter had cheesecake, chocolate covered cherries, pretzel rods, oreo crumb covered marshmellows, cut up strawberries and bananas, toasted marshmellows, graham crackers, rice crispy treat bits, brownies & cut up short cake. They are pricey expect to pay $25-$40 per person (not including drinks) and don't be in a rush to go anywhere fondue and service takes time our large party was there for a couple of hours and make reservations.
(3)Ann B.
The Melting Pot is a great "event" place. It is pricey, but I wouldn't advocate going every week. Where else can you go and get 3 kinds of fondue in a single meal? It is a lot of food. If you were to do this at home, you would need to wash a lot of dishes or have 3 fondue pots at the ready, and spend a good bit of time prepping the food and sauces. Much easier to splurge - and given the "investment" - maybe not so pricey in the end.
(4)Merrill F.
Everyone always raves about this place to me...I found the experience fun, but the food not that great. I mean, it was good in that it's melted cheese, and who doesn't love that. But the quality of the food I found to be a bit lacking. I'm not quite sure how to explain it. The whole atmosphere and the table-uniting quality was great...but the food seemed to rest on that, rather than on it's own merits, and I didn't like that. oh, well, I'm sure I'll be back...
(3)Gamal H.
Recently went to this restaurant not knowing what to expect. Christen has been there for but this was my first time. The wait was short, the hostess inviting and the server was exceptional. The food was quick, everything was great taste wise and the atmosphere was very romantic. They give you an expectancy time of 2 hrs expecting you want to chat with your spouse and simply enjoy each others company. If its a special occasion they even give you a complimentary pic. Just wish there was a tv to watch games aside from the bar lol...great experience highly recommend bringing your spouse or someone special.
(4)Jennifer H.
Not as good as the Melting Pot in Columbia when it comes to service, but the food is really good. My only complaint for this location is the waiter not having explained to the newbies in my group how things worked at the melting pot for large parties. He seemed a bit sarcastic and dry to me. Wasn't extremely friendly and it seemed like he was painfully forcing a smile. Other than that, like the Columbia location, expensive but great.
(3)Joe G.
Ate here once. Did not like the fact that all the food is cooked in same bland liquid. Everything tasted the same and was quite flavorless. Very disappointed. The staff was nice, but does not make up for the price you pay for a meal that has no flavor.
(1)Nicole S.
We got off to a slow start, but overall had a good experience. The first server told us that he was helping out of server and would take our drink orders. A different server brought out the alcoholic drinks but no water or drink for my son. My drink was tasty so I was ok with him not having a drink right away :-) Yet another server came and took our cheese order, however he didn't fully explain the restaurant week menu. When our server finally came he didn't really explain things either. We heard other tables getting good explanations and questions answered so we learned from them. Overall the food was yummy and the service was ok. Nice place for a special occasion or with a deal as it can get expensive.
(4)Levi P.
This was the second time my girlfriend and I visited The Melting Pot, but our first time at this location. Our first experience was so good, we were afraid that our future experiences could only be worse, but we were fortunately wrong. The service was excellent. The waitress was very nice and kept the conversation going without making things awkward. We tried a few different things, and were impressed with everything. The price is obviously pretty steep, but if you're willing to fork out the extra cash, you are sure to have a delicious and unique experience!
(5)Megan W.
Love it. I will definitely go back. We did the 4 course experience we certainly did not leave hungry service was friendly and attentive food was great nice to have something different and very tasty
(4)Lauren A.
The Melting Pot is my favorite restaurant by far. I've been going here once or twice a year for anniversaries for about 6 years. I alternate between the Columbia location and this one, but I never have a bad experience. Though pricey, you get what you pay for; the food is phenomenal. They change the menu little by little here and there, so my courses are never the same, which is great. You can request extra of pretty much anything at little to no charge, and the staff is always very friendly and very helpful. The atmosphere is very ambient and perfect for an anniversary dinner. I can't praise this place enough. I'd say per couple, plan to spend about $100-$120, especially if you want to partake in some alcohol. I can't wait for my next visit! :)
(5)Rick W.
This is a restaurant for small children or adults who have had gastric bypass surgery. There's no way an adult male will ever have their hunger satisfied here. Totally not worth the money. I basically paid $100 to cook my own small portions of food then still had to pick up a pizza on the way home. I think I'm safe in saying that the majority of the 4 and 5 star reviews are from women and my wife is one of them. She loved it, I hated it.
(1)Dawn P.
Always a fun date night! Thursday nights are half priced wine night at the Annapolis location! I suggest the creme brulee chocolate on the new French menu! YUM! I think Melting Pot is a little overpriced for the amount of food you receive and cook yourself however I am always stuffed.
(3)Tamika F.
This place is perfect for social events or a date where you really want to get to know someone. I have gone three times and enjoyed every time I've gone. The food and the experience is phenomenal. Even though it's pricy, the atmosphere, the service, and the food options make up for the price.
(4)Heather G.
My husband and I have been going to the Melting Pot in Annapolis for about 7 years, and it has provided us with consistently fantastic food and service during that time. Even though we go three or four times a year, much of the waitstaff still recognizes us and those we've had as servers will often drop by to say hello when they aren't the ones serving us. We've always been made to feel extremely welcome. The fact that many of the servers have been there for years speaks well of the managers/owners (high turnover in employees is usually a bad sign at a restaurant). The pace of eating is perfect. We've never felt rushed, but we've never had to wait for our food. The choices available for cheese fondue, salad, main fondue, and dessert fondue might appear limited, but the combinations of dippers, cooking styles, and so on means that each dinner can be different from the last. Everything's incredibly flexible, too---for instance, you can have them put together a dessert fondue with your own choices of chocolate type, liqueur, and so on, even if it isn't on the menu. (One server told us people will even bring in their own ingredients they want added!) We typically ask for only the fruit and marshmallows out of the usual array of dessert dippers, and they'll happily load up a plate with exactly what we want. And thanks to the fondue setup, each person can cook their choice of dippers precisely to his or her liking. You can also get only the courses you want, including just the cheese and chocolate courses. The ambience is lovely, and we use the Melting Pot almost exclusively as our special occasion restaurant for anniversary, birthday, etc. Also, if you love chocolate, you simply must try the Yin & Yang cocktail! It's an amazing blend of ice cream, liqueur, and chocolate that we've become addicted to.
(5)Sarah M.
We went to the Melting Pot to celebrate our 5th anniversary. It was a great time! We were able to sit in a cozy 2-seater booth, our server was extremely attentive and knowledgeable. He made my husband's Arnold Palmer perfectly and was able to recommend a good scotch too. Actually by the end of the night, he was telling us all about the local area, as we are new here, and made friends with my husband! It was a great dining experience- the food (as always!) was amazing, though pricey, and everything was as expected or better. Zack, our server, was so welcoming and it was a very welcome change from the "stellar" Maryland customer service we have so far received!
(5)Shane N.
When I first heard about The Melting Pot, I said to my SO, "That sounds interesting. We should try that." She quickly gave me a lecture on how she went to one once and it was terrible and expensive and they only have chocolate desserts, blah, blah, blah. All of her criticisms seemed like positives to me. I don't know how she expected to be turned off by explaining it is just melted cheese, meat fried in oil, and melted chocolate. I said, "That sounds awesome." Eventually there came a time when I had to pick where we were going and I picked this joint. Anyway, we roll up on a Wednesday at about 7:30pm. The parking lot is packed. We go inside there is a bar area that is packed. We ask for a table and are told it was about a 45 minute wait. I am beginning to wonder if it is worth the wait when the hostess informs us that she can squeeze us in. About 5 minutes later we are being escorted to our table. Because the booths were full, we were escorted to the back where there was a small table. Despite it not being a booth it was still fairly intimate as there was a divider on one side and it was in a corner. Essentially only one side was exposed to the rest of the room, so it was still pretty cozy. Our waiter (Brad) was excellent. We explained that this was our first time there and he helpfully explained how everything worked. They had something called "the Big Night Out" that was essentially a four course meal. There was a cheese fondue appetizer, a salad, then a main course of meat and vegetables, and finally a dessert course all for $88 per couple. This is what we picked. For our appetizer course we chose a traditional Swiss fondue. This consisted of Gruyere and Swiss cheeses. At your table, Brad the waiter added and mixed the cheeses, wine and seasonings in our fondue pot. Then he brought out a selection of breads, apples, and vegetables to dip in the cheese sauce. The cheese dip was very tasty. The fruits and vegetables were fresh. The dip could have been a little hotter, I imagine they have to keep it at a lower temperature for safety reasons. Still, after the first course I was very pleased and my SO could not complain even though I am sure she wanted to. The next course was the salad course. My SO and I both chose the California salad which was salad greens, walnuts, gorgonzola and a berry vinaigrette dressing. The salad was excellent. I love nuts on my salad (that's what she said) and I love gorgonzola cheese. I love all strong and pungent blue cheeses on my salad. The sharpness of the cheese contrasted with the sweetness of the berry vinaigrette was excellent. My SO raved about her salad. Next was the main course. We chose the fondue feast from "the big night out" menu. It was a selection of several different meats including shrimp, chicken, NY strip, filet mignon, chicken, and bratwurst. In addition, we had some mushrooms, red potatoes and broccoli to add to our broth. Additionally, we had a bout 435 different dipping sauces. The only ones I remember is a blu cheese one and a mustard one. Those are the only two I used. You get to select from various broths or oils to either essentially boil or fry your meats. We choose a broth that was supposed to be Carribean themed and have a little bit of heat (it didn't by the way) and we were to boil our meats in it. Brad prepared our broth for us and told us that the steak and chicken should take about 2 minutes and everything else should take about a minute and a half. Here is where the problem comes in. It is easy to overcook your meats. With the broth you are essentially boiling them anyway, but the problems come from leaving them in to long. You are having a conversation and you have multiple meats in the pot. You don't remember which one is which and how long it has been in. This wasn't really a problem except with the steak and filet. They tended to be rubbery if left in too long. The chicken was fine if you left it in too long. The bottom line is that when a chef is cooking your food the only thing they are paying attention to is your food. Here you are the cook and the diner. Getting distracted in conversation costs you in the quality of your food preparation. Overall, it wasn't bad, but you could get a lot better prepared meat from a real restaurant with a real chef. Now we move on to the desert course. The big show. After looking at the desert menu my SO decided on the banana foster dip. This consisted of white chocolate, brown sugar, bananas and cinnamon. There were strawberries, bananas, cakes, marshmallows, rice crispie treats, brownies, etc. to dip into the chocolate. It was one of the tastier deserts I have ever tried. My SO raved about it. They also have this blackberry lemonade with vodka that was very delicious. It is a great place for salad, appetizer and dessert, but the main course can be problematic unless you are good at boiling your steak. My SO was obviously wrong.
(4)S G.
I have really enjoyed this location in the past. Melting pot is a very gluten free/celiac friendly restaurant, but tonight I felt singled out because I have to eat gluten free. They typically give us two burners so one can have Gluten and the other one not. Tonight we were offered only one burner and two burner tables seemed available. When they gave us the gluten free bread and deserts they were extremely stingy and brought very few items. This is the whole reason people come to this restaurant - we ended up having half or chocolate left with nothing to dip it in :(
(2)Mike B.
Great experience, wide variety of food and fondue/cooking choices. My second time here, the service was attentive, food was awesome. Some people bizarrely call this "cooking your own food", but there's a lot of prep work and at-table activity by the staff to make the dining personalized and enjoyable.
(5)Kara B.
I've been to the melting pot twice this year. The latest trip was for my birthday. We went Saturday night (of course I made reservations a month in advance). The melting pot is pricey, no doubt about it but it's so worth it. We did the 4 course meal experience. The food is amazing. I have never left the melting pot thinking the food was just okay. The waitress asked in the beginning of our meal if we were celebrating anything. When our desert came she brought me an extra plate of dippers to look like a birthday cake, candle and all. We all left feeling like we were going to explode because of the amount of food we received, and we left food on our plates. Whenever I want a fantastic, special night out we go to the melting pot. If you haven't been make sure to leave at least 2 hours for dinner. There were 4 of us and we were there for 2 and a half hours.
(5)Katy S.
The service was so bad I very much doubt I will ever go back. One of the pots was not set high enough so the meats were not cooking, that could have easily been taken care of if the waitress ever came back to see how things were going. No one ever came around to see if we needed refills. When we asked for extra napkins and silverware it took at least 15 mins. for someone to bring them. One side of the table was still eating due to the setting on the pot and the waitress was clearing the table all around them.
(1)Drew B.
Fantastic experience. The food was spot on and the server was very personable and went out of his way to explain the experience and his recommendations. The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is that the interior was a bit worn and seemed dingy in a couple places but it was a minor issue. To address what the one user said about small serving size...I don't know what they ordered but the price fixed menu that includes salad, cheese fondue, main fondue and dessert was almost more than my girlfriend and I could finish. To each their own I suppose.
(4)Jeannette R.
My husband and I stopped in on New Year's Eve just for dessert. We called to make sure they could take us and made a reservation for 11pm. We were seated within a few minutes of arriving and was promptly greeted by Shawn, our server. We have been to other locations so we knew the drill and ordered our favorite chocolate fondue, the Flaming Turtle. It was delicious as usual. I enjoy the fruit most, strawberries, pineapples and bananas but you also get brownies, blondes, marshmallows and rice Krispy treats. I haven't been to a Melting Pot in a while but I remembered getting cheesecake before. My husband just told me that he did see it on the menu for additional cost now. The manager came over to check on us midway through which is always appreciated and another lady came by to inform us of a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. We stuck around for that and they also had party favors and hats for everyone. I would definitely return to this location for a full dinner, their customer service is outstanding.
(4)Jeff P.
Ridiculously expensive! The dining area is nice but come on! For this kinda money they should have made me wear a tie. I wore shorts. The portions are small and you cook it yourself. They give you straws for soda - is that fancy? Seriously, they should pass along the savings. The waiters are very polite and accommodating. If you really want fondue - do it at home. The cheese, broth and chocolate were not particularly any better than store bought. If you want an experience at a bloated price - go ahead. It would make a nice place for a date but, I don't date anymore - and not because I couldn't...I am committed.
(3)Crystal H.
I am definitely a fan of the Melting Pot! I went on this occasion with a friend celebrating her birthday! We had a ball! I really don't have anything bad to say at all! The Melting Pot is pricey for a place that you pretty much prepare your own food! But honestly, you are paying for the experience! And for the experience, it is great! However, some of our party members found the experience overwhelming! The idea of having to pick your cheese fondue, and then your meats...they were overwhelmed and confused! But it isn't really hard and is quite self explanatory! We ordered the bourbon and bacon cheese fondue! They guy will choose anything with bacon! Its a good thing that I, A, eat pork, and B, love bacon as well! However, it was quite tasty even though I was a little hesitant! We also had a pot of the mojo cooking broth. I've never been a fan of this cooking broth before, but this occasion I took a liking to it! I ordered the Land and Sea as my entree which included filet mignon, chicken, and steak. My guy ordered the French Quarter which all came seasoned with cajun spices. His platter had steak, chicken, shrimp and andouille sausage. All of the entrees come with the dipping sauces and veggies such as potatoes, mushrooms and broccoli! We also ordered the white chocolate desert fondue! Needless to say, I was extremely full by the time dinner was over! Overall, we had a great experience! It took a long time for the staff to get us started and keep the courses going! But there were 16 of us and some of them took smoke breaks! LOL! The staff was very friendly and extremely nice! I am def going back with just my Guy the next time! It can be extremely romantic and intimate! Love this place!
(4)Hope L.
We had reservations for 8:45 and arrived about a hour early so we decided to chill at the bar for drinks before dinner. I started with the Sunshine Sangria which was phenomenal! Excellent balance of sweet and bubbly. Nice twist to the original Sangria! While I was tempted to order another I decided to indulge in a bottle of Kung Fu Girl Riesling. This wine has been my go to wine for the past few weeks and is truly delicious. We ordered the Fusion and Delight so we could taste a little of everything. It included lobster tail, filet mignon, pork, chicken, shrimp, veggies and duck. Spiced things up with the Mojo sauce. OH!! Let me not forget the cheddar fondue appetizer which came with bread, veggies (celery, carrots and broccoli), capicola, mortadella and salami with summer sausage and cornichons. IT WAS DELICIOUS!! You cook all of your food at the table "fondue style" LOVED IT!!! The customer service from the moment we walked in was on point! The Hostess was very nice and told us that she would try to seat us early. While we didn't get seated early the bartender took very good care of us. Nothing beats a bartender that is good at what she does and enjoys it, When it was close to our reservation time the hostess made it a point to come to the bar and let us know that she is working on a nice little spot for us and was appreciative of us being so patient and would seat us ASAP. See little things like that is what makes for a great dining experience and this was definitely it. I really enjoyed my time at The Melting Pot and am looking forward to my next visit!
(5)Emily H.
This was my first time at The Melting Pot and our waitress - I did not get her name - did very well at explaining the process. They were quick to allow me to substitute duck for the shrimp, since I seem to be part of the 1% of the population that does not think shrimp is the food of the gods. I think our waitress - again not sure of her name - saved my life like 6 or 7 times. She reminded me to cook the meat for at least 2 minutes and to be sure not to stick the hot skewers in my mouth. By the time the desert course rolled around we were still missing our main course wine from the wine flight. Chris, the "manager" happened to come by our table and ask if we needed anything. I told Chris, the "manager", that we were missing our meat wine. Chris was confused, but quickly caught on that we needed the 3rd glass of our wine flight. Chris came back quickly and announced "meat wine!!!" while presenting us with two glasses of decent vino. Chris, the "manager" then told us if we needed anything to let him know. We had to ask Chris for a couple more things, and we're very thankful he was so readily available. I hope he didn't do anything bad to the waitress. Does anyone know if there has been a recent reported disappearance of a young girl that worked at The Melting Pot? Just checking. It's probably fine. The meal concluded with The Manager ... not Chris we are so confused ... coming to our table and saying he was the manager. It was like we were sucked into some sort of worm hole as the the Managers' identities because misconstrued. But that neither here nor there. I liked the cheese. They should sell that stuff to fill oversized bathtubs with. Over all, a great experience. If you go, ask for Chris.
(4)Susan B.
My family and I went shopping in Annapolis to celebrate my birthday yesterday And came here for dinner. It wasn't my first time here but it was one of the best. They're always very friendly and the food is always amazing. I seriously recommend the special cheese fondue when you go. Every time we go we get the special fondue and it's great. (Currently Lobster Bisque) the red wine broth is amazing with red meat and Mojo is great with everything else. And of course the chocolates are pretty much all awesome. Though I particularly love the bananas foster and original. A MUST try at some point. My favorite restaurant by far.
(5)Amanda H.
My boyfriend and I make it a tradition to come here for Valentine's day and restaraunt week. We've always had positive experiences. We're taken on time for our reservations and waste time at the bar until our table is ready. The bartender, I believe his name is Chris remembered us and was very friendly. This past valentine's day, he came by our table as the manager to check in and still remembered us. The servers have always been pleasant and go above and beyond.
(4)Shelby T.
I love this restaurant! Very pricey but super private and romantic or good for fun with friends. More of a special occasion thing for me, but I always enjoy it.
(5)Samantha P.
This isn't my first time going to the melting pot. I have been a couple of times through out the course of almost 10 years, usually for a special treat since its pricy indeed. Dessert still stands as the best part, however this time I was very confused with the menu and the kids menu. I ordered chicken, salmon, and ravioli for my daughter and yet the waiter messed it up 2 times. She's only 20 months and have yet to have shell fish, yet the waiter kept bringing shrimp as her meal. Not only that but he messed up my nephew's order and my niece. When we told him he went to argue with us. I'm not sure why but I was disappointed it wasn't correct the first time. I'm sure he also charged me for something else because I was only suppose to have steak, lobster, and chicken but there were shrimp and ravioli as well. My parents took the check before I could check, however I paid attention to what was ordered and what was given. He even pushed to have us order more "portions" when we asked how many they would feed. I just didn't walk away satisfied as I have in the past, last time was Dec. 2011 so that should say something. I remember each experience and this time was more on the unhappy side unfortunately. I hope they will think about going back to the menu they had before. I also hope they would not argue when something is wrong. Manager did come over, my parents though are not ones to make a scene.
(3)Sara D.
The food on a whole was good, the service was great, the drinks were mediocre however the real low blow was that they tried to "fluff" my salad with iceberg lettuce underneath my salad greens! SERIOUSLY?!? The melting pot is definitely not a cheap place to eat, yet they try to fluff my salad of field greens with cheap tasteless iceburg lettuce...what an insult! Once I pointed it out to the waitress and she verified on the menu that it says field greens and she personally remade my salad which was great, however the cheap shot spoiled my rating for this restaurant. You are already over paying, yet they still try to cheapen your meal...unbelievable!
(3)Ronae B.
Gosh I love this place. Everything taste so amazing. I'm a regular here. I come at least once a month. Every server I've had has always been amazing. And this location, in my opinion, is the best! I've had large 13+ birthday dinners, girls night, date night, and I've even eaten by myself here (Couldn't shake the craving for their amazing caesar salad with pine nuts, so delicious). The four course experience is the best of you love cheese and chocolate. If not, they do have individual entrees which are just as yummy. You fill up very fast, most times I have to save my entree so I can enjoy the chocolate! The drinks are hit or miss depending on the bartender, but when they're good, they're good! Fiesta (if you like spice) is the best cheese! Mojo is THE best cooking style. All of the chocolates are yummy but my favorite is bananas foster :) Oh and if you don't have at least $40-50 just for yourself only, don't come. And stop complaining about the prices. Their prices are just right. If you want a 2 for $10 meal take yourself right across the street to Ruby Tuesday's. Brokey! Lol
(5)Shao T.
It's not often I'm blown away by food. I was freaking amazed! My friends and I popped in a couple of weeks ago as we all wanted to try it. We couldn't have been happier! Our food was amazing! The Cheddar Fondue was just out of this world. I'd recommend getting the Premium Dippers with the Italian Meats. They are high quality meats. I got the Fondue Fusion and my friends got the French Quarter and the Fondue Delight. We used the Oil cooking style. The food was perfectly seasoned and it was amazing in the Oil. There was more than enough food for each of us and we all shared a bit, tasting everyone's dishes. The only one I didn't like was the Duck; the taste of Ginger was too strong and hid the natural taste of the Duck while the other seasonings complimented the meats beautifully. The Dark Chocolate Fondue with Chambord mixed in was like heaven. I put a piece of Strawberry with some of the Cheesecake. OMG, Incredible! The only problem with the dessert portion is that the food is barely enough for three people. We ended up ordering another slice of Cheesecake, Red Velvet Cake, and Strawberries. There was more than enough Chocolate to go around. The Wine list...OMG. The Seven Oaks Cab Sav went perfectly with the Fondue Fusion and the Taylor Fladgate 30 year old Port was just the perfect match to dessert. I will be back constantly. It's my new favorite place to eat.
(5)Kia D.
I have been here twice - most recently this past Saturday. My experience was AWESOME both times and I love this place. Our waiter Patrick was the best! Very friendly and competent and explained everything in detail for my rookie friends that I brought along. The Bourbon Bacon Cheddar Cheese was so good, I wanted to lick the fondue pot clean. I cannot remember what the name of the chocolate was that we got but it was the one with the flambeed nuts...I am not even gonna elaborate. I am just going to shut my eyes and have a moment of silence cause something that good has to be deadly. As long as your fondue pot has something in it, you get unlimited dippers. So for the cheese, you get apples, veggies and bread and for your chocolate, you get strawberries, rice krispy treats, pound cake pieces, brownies, blondies, pineapples, bananas, marshmallows, oreo marshmallows, cheesecake...the list goes on and on. Definitely wear your elastic waistband pants when you eat here.
(5)Rae M.
I got totally and completely CHOCOLATE WASTED in this place!!!! The Melting Pot is my new favorite restaurant!!! I could kick myself for taking so long to come to this restaurant, but I was going off of complaints from others. The main complaints we heard were about cooking your own food, but my b/f and I ignored the naysayers and stepped out on a limb and went for dinner the other night. We were utterly impressed!!! This isn't just dinner, it's an "EXPERIENCE!" This is the perfect place for a special occasion and definitely an excellent spot for a romantic dinner. The booths are very private and the lighting is dimmed for a romantic vibe. I made reservations, but it wasn't overflowing with people that night, so it was plenty of vacant tables for walk in's. When I made reservations I was asked if we were celebrating anything special and we were, it was 2 year dating anniversary. When we came in, the hostess gave us a Happy Anniversary card signed by the staff (Insert Mushy Awwws here). How sweet was that?!?! I dove right in and ordered the MP Sangria, which I highly recommend. Since we were both fondue virgins, our server, Kathy took her time explaining all of the possible options and the most bang for our buck. We opted for the 4 course experience (cheese fondue, salad of your choice, meat selection and dessert). We ordered the Spinach Artichoke Cheese Fondue and it was soooo delicious! Kathy made it table side for us and we dipped fresh bread, apples and veggies into it. For our salads, I chose the Caesar and he chose the House. They were also delish, but not too many places can mess up a salad. For the main course we chose the Coq Au Vin cooking style (Burgundy wine infused with fresh herbs and spices) for our meat selection, which was The Classic. The Classic includes, shrimp, BBQ pork medallion, herb crusted chicken breast and teriyaki marinated sirloin, with potatoes, mushrooms and all types of herbs and spices. After you choose the cooking style you prefer, you place as many pieces of meat on a skewer poker, (kind of reminds you of a pitch fork) and place it in the fondue pot to cook for a few minutes. Every piece of meat we ate was well seasoned and cooked perfectly...I mean, jump up and smack your mother kind of good! Notice I said your mother, because my mother doesn't play that! The Melting Pot truly saved the best for last because our dessert.......LORD JESUS IT'S A FIRE, was out of this world good! We ordered the Flaming Turtle chocolate fondue and to say that I wanted to fill my empty Sangria glass up with this chocolate and down it like a Tequila shot is and understatement. IT WAS HEAVEN ON EARTH!!!!! (I just had to take a deep breath just thinking about this chocolate!!!) The Flaming Turtle consists of milk chocolate, caramel and candied pecans flambéed tableside. MP served it with cheesecake, rice crispies treats, strawberries, bananas, oreo covered marshmallows, graham cracker covered marshmallows, brownies and pound cake, but like I said, my glass would've been perfectly fine. I even received a bottle of free Wine and Garlic seasoning that is exclusive to MP. Sure this place isn't cheap, but you get what you pay for. I wouldn't want to come here with a big group because it has a more intimate appeal, in my opinion. The staff is very friendly and helpful and our experience here was better than we could've imagined. THIS PLACE IS AWESOMESAUCE or shall I say AWESOMECHOCOLATESAUCE!!!
(5)Rob B.
KID Party Notes: We took our nephews and nieces for Christmas tonight, and while they do not have a kids menu, you can order for less people than the group comprises. Two adults, 8 kids from 6-13. Out table had 3 burners. We had the Melting Pot salad with Ranch for all. With the exception of two kids, they ate the entire salad. Then we had the cheddar fondue for 6 people, 2 portions each pot. Then the S'more dessert fondue for 6, again 2 portions per pot. Each kid had one soda and we spend $210 with tip included. Not a terrible deal, it came out quick and we couldn't have eaten more. The kids thought the fondue was a fun treat most had never done it. It kept them busy and the S'more dessert raised our Uncle "cred" massively.
(3)Jen L.
Wow, I can't believe I have not reviewed the Melting Pot! I'm a huge fan and will drag anyone here if they have never been to fondue. It is definitely an experience! Be prepared to eat! So I don't have any thing else to add that hasn't already been covered. This is a favorite all around. It's a very social meal, the full meal takes about 2-3 hours to complete. This is also a great place to head to if you just want dessert. You could get a pot of chocolate for less than $20! If you are not down with paying $50/pp for a meal, you might want to get on their mailing list and go only when they have specials like their Ladies Night where you can get a special for $30/pp for a full meal. They participate in the Annapolis Restaurant Week, so that's also a good time for fondue. This is a place for a good meal and quality bonding time with your friends, family and significant other. If you ask nicely they may let you take home any left over chocolate in their little to-go containers. Chocolate fondue makes excellent left overs. Don't forget to check in to get free garlic seasonings! I love free stuff! FYI..it is way better to ride the mechanical bull at Cadillac Ranch BEFORE you have fondue.....going after fondue is a bad idea.
(5)Eric H.
Celebrated my wife's birthday here with family. It was a good experience overall. We had excellent and attentive service from our waiter Eric. Food was as expected and the evening was fun and relaxing. A bit pricy but was good for the occasion. My favorite is still the cheese fondue appetizer - cheddar. The dark chocolate orange dessert fondue was a very nice end to the meal. Will be happy to come back again.
(4)Mo A.
Very expensive for a place that essentially makes you cook your own meal. Plus, I can't cook....DOH! There is a romantic element to the environment and in theory it is a cozy experience to be making and sharing food with someone. Problem is there's nothing special about the ingredients you're provided and limited seasoning options. For my tastes (and capabilities), it's worth one visit for the experience and that's about it.
(2)T S.
Very good. Enjoyed the food and experience.
(5)Amaris R.
The Melting Pot is a rip off! Whoever came up with the idea to charge people to cook their own food is really getting over. On top of that they give you like 3 shrimp, 1/4 of a steak and a 1/4 of a chicken breast. I wont be going back.
(2)Dawn W.
The Quattro Fromaggio ROCKED!! ... As did our service and the entire meal. The recipes on the web for Quattro Fromaggio are very different than what we got. Find me (luvinlif2k) On all recipes.com for my guess On our recipe tonight. Luv The Melting Pot in Annapolis as always.
(5)Jessica F.
Going here is a tradition for my sister and I and fortunately we came on Ladies' Night Out where it was $30 per person. The meat portions are probably a little smaller than the normal dinners but no matter. You have 2 other courses and a salad to work through so you will be plenty full. I didn't really like the Ceaser salad. The toasted pine nuts are a nice idea but they are a little too sweet for my taste. They are nice enough to work with your special requests without it being a hassle-if you don't like shrimp you can have more chicken or beef. If you don't want the rice crispy treats or marshmallows, you can request more strawberries and pound cake. Everyone walks away happy! A nice place to go for special occasion! As an added bonus, I checked in here and received a free container of the garlic and wine seasoning.
(4)Sarah O.
This is the 3rd Melting Pot location that I have been to. Like the other 2, this location is very similar in the decor and ambiance. You come here for the experience and to have a good time with your significant other or friends. Our server, Greg, was phenomenal. He explained the menu and concept to the half who hadn't been here before, but it wasn't overly boring for us who had visited before. Service was great and Greg made excellent recommendations from the menu. The drinks are pretty damn good (but slightly expensive). Definitely try the White Chocolate Creme Brulee fondue for dessert; I am not a big fan of white chocolate, but it was exceptional! (Note: this is on the current Big Night Out menu and will change within a couple months.)
(4)Heather W.
Aside from the fact that you have to cook your own food *which my husband and father always complain about* I am a HUGE fan of this place. If I had to choose a last meal, the cheese and desert here would probably be included. The melting pot is expensive... get over it. Happy hour has drink specials and half price cheese, so there is your price break :) If I had to recommend a meal it would be cheddar cheese fondue, with steak and shrimp in coq au vin boil with green goddess sauce (of course) with turtle chocolate dessert. DELICIOUS! I can't say good enough things about the cheese, heaven sent! I could eat it all day. The wait staff is always helpful and friendly and I've been so often, all the servers come over and ask about the kids and me. This place gets crowded and booked on reservations, even on weekdays. If you have a date, make a reservation a few days in advance, their reservation line opens at noon.
(5)Juliette S.
The food is fondue. If you aren't into that, you are not going to like it. The quality of the food is always good and you know what to expect when you go there. What makes this place great is the service. We have been here at least 10 times and the waitstaff is always so nice and accommodating. Also, ask for the creme brulee dessert if it is not on the menu. It is the most delicious dessert fondue and if they have all the ingredients for it (which they most of the time do), the will make it for you. You can also customize without an extra charge - so in the dessert portion, we only get fruit (strawberries and bananas) and leave out everything else (cheesecake, rice krispie...). Don't be afraid to ask - the waitstaff is great!
(4)Katrina W.
I have to say the Annapolis Melting Pot has been quite impressive. This particular Melting Pot hosts Beer Dinners every couple of months. I have attended all of them so far. The beer dinner program has brewers for example from Dog Fish, Star Hill, Flying Dog, and Heavy Seas to name a few they have had. The dinners are amazing they pair up the menu with showcased beers. They tweak the recipes a bit from their normal selections. Service is always great and friendly.
(5)Chris G.
I will never pay that much money again to cook my own food. The only reason 3 stars are awarded is because dessert was off the chain!
(3)Kalee C.
Not only do I love all melting pots, but this location does beer and wine pairing events that are wonderful. They're not only well organized but the management really turns it into an event and you truly feel like you're getting your money's worth. A friend of mine reserves a large table for 8 every time they ahve an event going on and we never miss it!
(5)Marisa F.
Is it terrible that when you walk into a place the bartenders already bring you what you want to drink on a platter just after you sit down? Because I sure don't think it is! Maybe it is a sign that I go to Melting Pot too much, but I just think it is evidence of how wonderful the staff is. The best time to go to MP is for happy hour when there is half price cheese and chocolate. You really can't beat that. They also have other great nights where they offer half priced wine or girl's nights out. I really love this location over the Columbia one because of the wonderful people that work here. They have also started offering wonderful special beer dinner nights and have had pairings with dogfishhead, flying dog, victory, flying fish, and heavy seas to name a few. They do this every few months and create a special menu to go with it. All of the beer and a souvenier glass is included in the price and it's always a fun time. I have been to all 7 (I think that's how many there have been, I could have lost count) and have had a great time at every one. They put the information up on their facebook page so go like it and come out next time.
(5)Laura G.
I've eaten at the Annapolis Melting Pot for 3 of my last 5 birthdays. I am a big fan, huge price tag and all. I recently went back this weekend with two friends for a little girls night. Others have explained the concept pretty well so I'll just let you in on my favorites - spinach artichoke cheese, the caesar salad, the fondue feast and s'mores chocolate. Yum, yum, yummm! I especially like how you can customize your plates of food if there is something you want more or less of. On my recent visit, the meal took 3 hours to complete. This was part due to cooking and talking and part due to a large delay between our cheese course and our salad. You know, salads taking so long to cook and all. Our waiter was also slow with the drink refills, even after I made an effort to really nurse mine during the main course. He seemed to have a large table that required a lot of his attention. I forgave him because it's the melting pot and I just love it too much to get too unhappy. If only there was one burner/pot per couple. A table of 4 can spend $192 and up on their meal, but all have to come to a consensus on one cheese, one broth, and one chocolate. What's up with that?
(4)Carime R.
The food itself, our server and the happy hour prices were great; however on the occasion I went to the Melting Pot in Annapolis with my mother one of the front of the house staff members was talking with coworkers about an event he had experienced and loudly said something along the lines of 'Get the f*** outta here'. Do not know the exact words; however I definitely know the f word was definitely said....loudly. When my mother and I heard it (only people sitting in the front of the house area) we quickly turned our heads around shocked of what we had just heard. So unprofessional. The man at the hostess stand did not even apologize to us regarding what he said but instead just kept on talking like nothing had happened. The other staff members didn't say anything at all either to this man. This is totally unacceptable and there should've been repercussions for this individual's actions. It totally ruined our experience. I, nor my mom, have ever gone to a restaurant where this has ever happened in all of our years. Food great; professionalism no.
(1)John G.
I always enjoy the melting pot, no doubt about it. The Annaoplis Melting Pot is the best in our area, and I always try to go to that one if I have a choice. Service is always on point and the food is always really good. Its not somewhere I can go on a regular basis, because I would be huge and broke!! lol
(4)Daniella K.
Love it!! Great service and the food is good bec u cook it yourself lol :-)
(5)Linda W.
Great place for a date night or night out with friends. Easy to have conversation while enjoying a four course meal. For dessert, we like the Flaming Turtle option.
(4)Wade E.
My wife and I ate here last night for our anniversary, and the only part that we felt was worth it was the chocolate fondue. We did the 4 course meal and since this was our first time we tried everything that was the classic or signature item. The cheddar cheese fondue was pretty good, but the veggies they served with it didn't seem to be a good flavor match, and they were stale. The cubbed bread was okay, but for the price, this definitely wasn't as amazing as I expected. The house salads tasted fine, were really small and unattractive on presentation. The classic selection of meat was okay, but again for the price, I could tell we were eating low quality meat. The turtle chocolate fondue was the only part that we really enjoyed, but the strawberries were a bit too tart. We ordered a bottle of 14 hands wine for 30 bucks but once we got it we ended up recognizing it as a less than $10 bottle from the store. I know you have to mark up wines, but I also know if you spend a little time you can fine inexpensive wines that aren't so common and recognizable as cheap wine that you're now paying 30 bucks for. The whole fondue concept is a cool unique idea, but for the price they could serve higher quality food.
(3)Ken S.
My wife and I had such a fantastic meal and what a great atmosphere. I have never eaten fondue at a restaurant, but I wanted to try it. Our waiter Shawn was fantastic. He was very personable and took the time to explain everything; you could tell he enjoyed working there. The food was sensational. There are 4 courses and by the end you are absolutely stuffed. We had a bacon cheese fondue to start, then the classic entree, Caesar and portabella salads, and the turtle chocolate desert . There was not one thing we didn't like and we ha not one complaint. The sauces, the meat, everything was great. The staff were extremely courteous and the atmosphere was very relaxed. We will be coming back!
(5)Elizabeth D.
Have been to a number of Melting Pots, most recently the Annapolis outlet. I've always found their waitstaff to be friendly and helpful, and they were flexible enough to let my boyfriend and I split an "entree" serving and substitute some proteins we preferred. Melting Pot is pricey, but for a fancy dinner out, if you pick your menu thoughtfully, it's worth it.
(4)C W.
Used to be our favorite restaurant, great staff, location and food. Used to give it 4-5 stars but have had to drop it down 1, then 2 stars over time (for a 2 star rating) as the price has stayed the same but the portions keep shrinking. We still go from time to time but it's a couple of times a year now instead of monthly.
(2)Cortez W.
My wife and I visited a Melting Pot restaurant when we lived in Florida and thoroughly enjoyed the experience, so when we went to the Annapolis location we thought we knew what we were in for, sadly we didn't we were greeted by two very apathetic and condescending greeters, that asked if we had reservations. After we scanned the place and looked at several empty tables we insisted that we'd sit at the bar, suddenly a table in the back mysteriously opened. After we got our table we were ignored by the waitstaff and when we complained to management he seemed dumbfounded and totally uninterested. Our evening was almost completely ruined until we went to Bonefish Grille, nearby, we ended up saving money and had a great time. I'll never visit this place again.
(1)Debbie K.
I was really excited when I finally got to go to the melting pot, and the experience did not disappoint. I went with a big group and the fondue setup where everyone shares foods and dipping pots is a very social experience. The decor was very dim but warm and inviting. The servers were extremely friendly and helpful. It was my birthday and I even got a card from the servers! My only issues with the melting pot is that it is very expensive and the fact that since I was in charge of cooking my own food-- it wasn't very good. It was a lot of fun, and great experience, but I would not go back for dinner again solely because I did not feel like I had a great meal. HOWEVER, going back for just dessert... definitely!!! The dessert was the best part! SAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT!!!
(3)Lisa W.
Went once for Happy Hour with a girlfriend drinks were weak an Swiss cheese app way to much white wine for my liking!
(2)Angela S.
We went here for our weekly date night. There was so much food! Four people could have shared our dinner and walked away full. They have a good wine list. Thursdays all wine is 1/2 price. Our waitress was very nice and attentive. Great ambiance for couples.
(3)Kristy B.
If you enjoy fondue then you will definitely enjoy The Melting Pot. It's worth the experience, although imo it's very expensive and not something I'd personally want to do often (I just don't like to work for my food and prefer it served to me ready to eat). I do think it would be a great date restaurant, however. We had solid, friendly service.
(3)Emily G.
I can't really give The Melting Pot the heartiest of endorsements. Not because the food's bad--it's reasonably tasty, and the concept--in principle and practice--is fun. But for what you're fed, and the relative lack of artistry, complexity, and service involved--the high price about knocks my socks off. The overall cost of the meal falls into the upscale bordering on outrageous category, and the experience doesn't warrant this.
(2)Cat D.
Food is pretty good, but overpriced for the concept.
(3)Jamie H.
Went for my 23rd birthday (two yrs ago), great atmosphere for family, friends or a date. I've never done fondue but now I'm in love.
(5)