I have to agree with Andrew R. that you come here for the experience, not necessarily for the food itself. It is a bit confusing for first time diners to navigate through their menu. Group Consensus (there was 3 of us) was needed since there can only be 1 pot on our burner (though 2 dessert pots can fit). We just went with the Big Night Out for simplicity sake. I actually thought the meat items were nicely marinated; the taste of the marinade was quite strong after cooking in the pot. My sister and SX really liked the pasta purses and chicken in particular. The one thing we didn't like was the cheese fondue we had chosen (the Big Night out one). The taste just wasn't very pleasing for some reason. Also, I would recommend not getting any of the white chocolate dessert fondues (get it only if you are a white chocolate lover, or else you would be disappointed). Milk and dark chocolate based fondues were definitely the favorites of the table compared to the white chocolate one. It's a fun dining experience. It's definitely a place to go if you haven't seen a friend in awhile, have a special occasion to celebrate or romantic evening. The service wasn't too bad.
(3)
stewie h.
here is a place where all your food tastes the same. you cook it all in the same over spiced powdered broth, and your cooking it! If you brought top ramen to this place your meal will greatly improve. This place is crap and so is the food! Stay home and learn how to make real fondu with friends.
(1)
Monique P.
Host - Very Welcoming and accomodating Drinks - Michelle took very good care of us! Food - for a group of 11 ladies we did the classic big night out... spinach dip - wonderful house salad - yum meats and veggies - Great and I need to remember to ask for more green goddess and veggies!!!! Chocolate dessert - can't reallly go wrong with any of them! Monica took great care of my ladies and Sam was awesome as well! Thanks for helping my ladies night turn into a great evening!
(5)
Kris F.
This place is absolutely amazing. EVERYTHING is great, except it is a bit expensive, but its WELL worth it. This is a place most people would probably only go to 1-2 times a year, as for two people you can easily spend $100 after tip. Many different variaties of fondu....and the cheese.... oh my god. Lets just say I would pay an obscene amount of money to know how to get cheese this good. Service is absolutely outstanding, though it better be if two people can top $100 easily.
(5)
Standards H.
I have had a great time at other melting pot locations, but this place is TERRIBLE. OK, maybe we just got a horrible server but when we went back a few months later to give them a second chance, it was just as bad. For the price, they need to have staff that are on the ball. Our server was very slow and knew nothing about their wine selection. We ended up spending over 2 hours dining, not by choice but because our server was so slow. We went on a Tuesday evening so it was slow and she has no excuse. Once she realized we were annoyed with her, she avoided us even more, only making the situation worse.
(2)
Robert K.
I dont know how I feel about the new burners, but the food is so good here every time I go. I recommend this place. A bit pricey but perfect for special occasions
(4)
John S.
I have been to the Melting Pot a few times for really nice dinners, including my post college graduation celebration. The experience alone is worth 3 stars in my opinion. Very fun, and much less of a hassle than doing your own fondue. Trust me, I have home fondue and it is a lot of work. This place offers a nice arrange of fondue styles, with a 3 course possibility: cheese appetizer fondue, oil/wine dinner fondue, and a chocolate dessert fondue. I mostly posted this to tell those complaining about having to cook their own food that they are idiots. IT IS FONDUE! What the hell did you expect?! That's how it works. Seriously, how dense can you be? Additionally, I find it funny that people are complaining about the price (especially in Columbia of all places). Yeah, I could go and buy my own steak and mashed potatoes and make a meal for cheap, but that doesn't mean it is going to be as good as Ruth's Chris or any other steak house's cut. Also, I'm pretty sure my GF would slap me if I tried to pass that off as a nice evening. Anyway, my only complaint is the smell left on your clothes when you are done. DO NOT take a nice jacket, because it is hard to get that smell out.
(4)
Kat V.
Noisy, babies crying the whole time,nothing romantic about the place. Server was rushed and could not get our orders straight. Manager was helpful and accommodating at least. They obviously need more wait staff. For the price, we could have gone to a much nicer restaurant with real romantic ambiance. Everything about the place was run down. The food was fine, fresh and not large portions with plenty of options for everyone in the party. It would be fine if it was less expensive - it costs nearly $150 for two if you get drinks. The meal and atmosphere are just not worth it for that price point. With the loud noise level, poor service, we might as well have been at a low end restaurant.
(2)
Jennifer Y.
This is my all time favorite restaurant. It's a splurge for sure, not only because of the cost, but also because wheat, dairy, and sugar are all very limited in my regular diet. It's worth the not-so-great feeling that I might get afterwards though!! How can you go wrong with melted cheese, tasty meats, and luscious dark chocolate??? I kind of wish we didn't have to get the salad (in my mind it just takes up valuable stomach room and they are all just "eh" and nothing special), but other than that, the food is amazing. I love that you cook it yourself, because it's a fun experience, and it takes a long time, which spreads the meal out. You won't be taking less than 2 hrs to eat here, and plan on 3 just to be safe. It's a great place to go for a special occasion, or on a double date. I go pretty much every year for my birthday or our anniversary (or both), and I always have a great time. I've also been to the one in Atlantic City and in Annapolis, and both were great too. If you've never had fondue, spend the time and money and go to The Melting Pot. The one here in Columbia is great and always is concerned about your experience and making sure it is great. LOVE IT!! :)
(5)
Michele M.
This place is amazing!!! It's a little expensive but was perfect for a date night. The food was great and we had a great server that made the experience fantastic! And the chocolate fondue dessert was enough to make us want to go back again. And if you go on a weekend ask for Sam!
(5)
Stacey M.
I LOVE Melting Pot! It's such a great place to spend an romantic evening with your significant other wining and dining. The lighting and booths create such a cozy feel. You can spend a quality evening together talking and enjoying each others company without any distractions. I LOVEEEE the ambiance and hands down worth 5 stars. The experience alone is unlike other restaurants that can be full of distractions. It feels like you've been taken away for a exclusive dinner, just the two of you. As for the food, it's definitely tasty and fresh. I've only gone for my birthday so I've always ordered the Big Night Out. Be warned that the Big Night Out is big! You have to have the perfect balance between being really hungry (to eat everything) but not starving (since there are 4 courses and the main course takes time to cook). Cheese course: Who doesn't love cheese?? That's all I have to say. Salad course: a nice way to hold you over till the entree but light enough to not fill you. California salad is my favorite! Entree: This takes the most time because you have to cook everything. You can never overcook your food and it comes out very flavorful. Some people hate that they're going out and cooking their own food, but I love this. It's my favorite part because while you wait for the food to cook, you're not starving anymore (due to courses 1 & 2) and can focus and converse with each other. Dessert course: by the time you get here you might pretty full. I can never say no because I love a little chocolate to finish off my meal (if you're super full, I believe they let you take this course to go). It is a bit pricey so save this one for a romantic special occasion.
(5)
Anne H.
The Columbia restaurant is one of the better Melting Pots I have been to. The servers are usually wonderful (I've been 7 or 8 times to the one in Columbia and got only one crappy server), the food is great, and the owners are so nice. Of course the concept is fun. Go with people you like spending time with, because you'll be there for an hour and a half to two hours. Try the spinach artichoke cheese fondue and the Flaming Turtle chocolate fondue. Definitely get the coq au vin cooking style for the main course, but let it simmer for longer than the server says. Otherwise you'll have a strong red wine taste permeating your food. I like to let it simmer about 10 minutes. You'll want some time to digest your cheese and salad courses anyway. You can see the menu on their website, and it changes every spring and fall. Melting Pot is about the experience AND the food, and both are awesome!
(5)
Ms B.
Dinner here is always my favorite. I love this place. Thanks goodness this was not my first visit or I would have walked out. My waitress was new and she might want some more training. The bill was wrong. She got the order wrong. I had to order a drink to keep my cool. The food is always fun. Next time I will avoid the chocolate covered marshmallow, rice crispy treats and brownies. Just give me the bananas, strawberries and cheesecake to dip in the chocolate. My mouth is watering up just thinking about this delicious treat. This place is sexy fun.
(4)
Kelli S.
Not as expected, the one I remember in Colorado was much better. Too pricey, bland food that you cook yourself, nice gimmick, but slower than slow service, we will not go back (to this location specifically, but may not go back to any, too expensive for what it is). In my opinion, I'd rather spend the money to have quality food, prepared well, not on a gimmick.
(2)
Alph G.
The food at the Melting Pot really isn't bad. The desserts are actually pretty good. Why two stars? Because it. is. so. overpriced. The desserts are like $25 bucks. For that, I could buy a cheap fondue set, a bag of chocolate chips, a box of strawberries, and a pack of oreo cookies and do it myself! The dinners are not cheap either. I will say that the experience is pretty fun but in my opinion it is just not worth it.
(2)
Louis G.
I'm a great fan of this place. At first I didn't think Id like fondue and didn't know there is more then just cheese fondue. Well, this place is awesome. You get cheese appetizer fondue, salad (awesome house dressing) a main course with shrimp, meats, etc cooked in seasoned oil and chocolate fondue to finish it off. Expensive, so not for everyday dining, but very romantic and private for nice occasions. Also the staff are great, and may offer something for free for your special occasion.
(5)
Kristi O.
Definitely a fonDO. I always enjoy myself here. The fondue (cheese & chocolate) is sinfully delicious and the whole experience is a lot of fun. The service has always been excellent.
(4)
Anthony M.
How can you go wrong with fondue? The cheese melted on bread, veggies and apples is so damn tasty!! I love this restaurant. I always get fillet mignon and lobster and am never unsatisfied. The staff is friendly and efficient. Prices are high, but not so bad if you don't drink alcohol there. Again, with places like this, you get what you pay for, the food is very fresh and delicious. The M.Pot is perfect for a celebratory dinner with family or friends. Excellent food here, and I've never heard anything negative.
(5)
Nicholette P.
So overpriced. I mean. It's fondue!!!! Been here a few times, huge wine selection.... It was a fun experience, I was totally scared of my meat not being cooked though... It was cute, maybe go here again if we want to drop $100 for two people.. Im a dessert person, and the dessert was OK...
(3)
Justin M.
I am a big fan of Melting Pot; this was the second time that I've been to one and I really like both the food and the experience. I want to give it 5 stars but I can't. Why? The service started out great and then the waitress seemed to forget about us. It became a longer and longer wait for anything (including refills on our water). I am consistently disappointed with service lately, and, especially for the price, this bothered me. Be warned, there is an 18% auto-grat here.
(4)
Andrew R.
The first thing you have to understand about this place is that you go for the experience, not for the food. I took my wife here for her birthday dinner and we were very happy with our experience. The food is very good, but it comes in little bite-sized pieces that are meant to help you try a wide variety of different flavors. Remember, the whole point of fondue is to slow down the meal so you have time to talk while you're trying each new meat with each new sauce. Fondue means everything centers around the pot on the table. For the appetizer cheese fondue and the dessert chocolate fondue there's a seperate insert so the boiling water keeps the cheese or chocolate hot without burning it. For the main course instead of boiling water the pot is full of a boullion-based soup-type broth full of delicious spices and flavors. The point is to cook each bite-sized piece of meat (beef, chicken, shrimp, lobster, etc) in the flavored broth for a minute or two. Then you dip it in one of many different sauces and eat it. So like I said, it's an experience. It's pretty fun if you're into trying new things and tastes. My brain kept telling me there wasn't much food there, but we were surprisingly full by the end. The place is supposed to be romantic and have an ambiance, but it seems just kind of dark instead. I would classify this place as a "special occasion" restaurant. I wouldn't go here just because I'm hungry. It's much better suited to special occasions like birthday, anniversaries, visiting friends, etc. At most I only see us going back a few times a year because of this and the cost. My only real complaint is the cost. It's very true that doing fondue at home is a total pain, so they're doing a lot of work behind the scenes with cutting everything into small pieces and such, but even so, it just seemed overpriced for what we got. You're definately paying for the experience, and just like expensive name brands, they charge more because it's "supposed" to be expensive, but you need to understand that before you go. You're paying for the food itself, the behind-the-scenes work, and the experience, not just a meal. This is why I say it's really only a good place for special occasions. If they lowered the cost to be a better value we might consider going again on our own just for fun. Bottom line: You need to really understand what fondue means, it's much more than a cheese or chocolate dip. If fondue as a meal doesn't work for you, than this place is not a good idea. Not good for kids, not good for "guys night out," not good for large groups unless they all love fondue (the pots get really crowded when you have too many people trying to cook in them). Great for a special occasion for people who like to try new things and are looking for a dining experience rather than just a meal. If you just want a good meal, you can go to Ruth's Chris and spend around the same.
(4)
Ja'Bette L.
Finally patronized the Melting Pot. It's romantic, you'll leave stuffed, and with a skinny wallet. I'm not sure I totally get why it's so expensive, but otherwise enjoyed myself. No plans to become a regular, but see it's potential to make it's way into the yearly rotation in the not-so-distant future.
(3)
Jennifer H.
I've gone here several times and it's always been wondefful. The wait staff is very friendly and they are always checking to make sure you have everything you need. The cheese fondues are wonderful. Creamy, gooey, warm with bread and tortilla chips. Fresh salads and their vinaigrettes/dressings were fantastic!!! The broth fondues are very good. Best dippers for the broth fondues are the beef and the shrimp. Chicken tends to be extremely bland no matter what sauces you dip them into. The beef is wonderfully marinated and tender after cooking. It's perfect when coming out of the pot. Excellent food! The cookies n cream fondue was my favorite!!! Chocolate fondue for two at $14 isn't bad at all. Overall, my only complaint is that the melting pot is extremely expensive. The bread they provide as dippers for the cheese comes out as a bit stale. If they gave their customers fresh crusty bread (like a french baguette or italian ciabatta) or a better variety of vegetables, then I'd say it was worth it. also, I wish they gave us more simple dippers for the chocolate fondue like fruit and cookies.....cheesecake and brownies are great, but it's too much after having eaten a cheese fondue, a salad and an entree.... Their drinks are also extremely expensive, but I hear they're really good. If you're looking for a good time, cheap drinks and beer, you will need to head to a bar. If you want something fun, a little elegant and great for conversations, Melting Pot is the way to go.
(4)
Pete M.
Ahh the Melting Pot, the first time I went there we had a party of 7. My jaw dropped after I saw the bill, but the second time was just my wife and I. Not as bad that time but still a little pricey! Its a very cozy atmosphere and you get a four course meal. A great place if you're not in a hurry, plenty of time to visit and talk! They start you with a cheese fondue, after that they bring out your salad. The main course is next with your pick of a variety of different meat combos. After you're all nice and stuffed, they bring out the chocolate fondue! I would recommend but only a once every other month kind thing. It is kindof pricey but worth it for a Birthday, Anniversary, etc.
(4)
Sara J.
It's pricey if you do the Big Night Out, but it's really worth it. Service is great. No one hovers so you can relax and enjoy your meal.....but if you need something, the servers are always available. They do have some great specials now and then so join their e-mail list.
(5)
Kristi E.
The evening we went to the melting pot in Columbia the service was poor and the ambiance was no where near what we expected since going to the Melting Pot in Annapolis. My boyfriend and I live 10 minutes from this restaurant but drive to the one in Annapolis for the service and more romantic setting. It only took once for us to be turned off from this location, but nonetheless we will continue to fondue it up in Annapolis.
(3)
Danny J.
Turn the lights on already! This is the darkest restaurant I've ever been to; it was kind of depressing. The food was great, but it just wasnt worth the price.
(2)
Danny L.
Bland food. Service is S-L-O-W. Which I don't get since you have to cook all the food yourself. What in the world is the wait staff doing?
(2)
Kathy U.
this place was terrible, service was extremely bad. food yes good but worse service ever. we had a group of 6. our server was extremly slow. complained he was very busy. we seen him but a couple times. we had to keep getting up asking for water and service. manager would give us water but didnt seem concern about our complaints. then they tried to add an extra meal on our bill. then when server came back finally all he said was "did you miss me". when we ask for water we never seen him. when asked to explain things to the group abt what to do, he talked so fast you couldnt understand him. needless to say we didnt leave a tip. the next day i called to speak to higher up and when spoke to john i guess higher up than manager he said that server was one of his best. and maybe because we kept asking for water we was requesting too much from him. water really? i will say annapolis is alot nicer and friendlier than this one and i was even told before not to go to columbia but figure i try it anyway. well needless to say it was a mistake.
(1)
Jennifer P.
The food was good but it's the atmosphere that will bring me here. Very warm and cozy. I had never been to a Melting Pot but my husband went as a kid. I was lost as to what to do but not worried as I'd overheard some amazing waiters explaining everything so figured our waiter would make sure we were good to go. WRONG! Don't know if we got the new hire but he was nervous, didn't explain the menu or what to do with the things he placed on the table, how long to cook our meat, etc. he kept us waiting for way too long between courses and was all around terrible. And I usually am very patient and forgiving, but this was a special occasion I planned for my husband so I was pissed! However the amazing managers/owners listened to my complaints and made me forget the bad part of my experience. We truly enjoyed the food and atmosphere and will return, however we will graciously request a new table if seated with the same waiter! Overall I would recommend and think it makes a good date night or even after dinner for desert with wine
(4)
Natalie F.
LOVE THIS PLACE! I could eat here once a month for the rest of my life. It is definitely an event. There are an assortment of cheese fondues to choose from and they come with carrots, celery, green apples, cauliflower and different types of bread. The entree I could do without, it's a lot of work. Different broths with raw meat, seafood or vegetables. eh... The dessert is the most incredible part. White, Dark, Milk, Sm-ore, Turtle and I think there's like 2 other kinds of CHOCOLATE fondue!!!! Served with a platter of mini cheesecake, pound cake, chocolate covered marshmallows, Bananas, pineapple, strawberries and anything else you can find to eat with. By the end of the dessert we were using the dinner mints, which actually is really good, It's like a peppermint patty. Hands down probably my favorite place to eat for a special event.
(5)
Mike B.
Wow some people really have no idea what Fondue is , and if you have ever done it at home it is a huge pain in the ass, buying the equipment, keeping the pot warm and at the right temp, buying all the different meats, cutting all the veggies and meat, dishing all the sauces, cleaning up the mess, disposing of the leftover liquid/cheese/choclate. There is a lot of factors that are all removed by going to the Melting Pot and having fun. The whole point of Fondue is to relax, talk with you friends and family, eat at a slow pace, and enjoy yourself. Maybee you should just go to McDonalds drive through next time so you can be by yourself if your worried about cooking your own food, paying too mutch money for good food, and actually having conversation with real people.
(5)
Audrey W.
Great for a few couples or a group of friends to sit around and enjoy something new and different. While we had reservations, we still had a wait (mildly annoying but we just had drinks in the bar). Our waiter was fantastic and the manager made a point to come by several times. Probably NOT a good pick for people with varying tastes (as you do share one central pot for the appetizer, then the main course, then the dessert dipping). Drinks were superb and the wine list nice. Everything served was VERY good. No one had favorites as it was all across the board excellant.
(4)
Jenn S.
I love the Melting Pot. First of all I cannot for the life of me figure out why the hell you would go to a fondue place and then complain about cooking your own food. As my husband said, you wouldn't go out for bbq and complain your fingers got messy. Another common complaint I hear about this place is the price. I think the one dinner is around $50 for 2 people. For that you get the cheese fondue appetizer, 2 salads (which are delicious) and the main course which includes seafood. For what amounts to about $25 a person, I think it's actually a pretty good deal. The drinks on the other hand ARE ridiculously overpriced (about $10 a piece) and can definitely drive up your bill in a hurry. If you do like the Melting Pot, make sure to get on their email list. I've gotten a bunch of coupons in the past and they also have different events, including a monthly girls night out where you can save some dough.
(5)
Jameka C.
Great atmosphere, and great food. Our waiter was really attentive and had a good attitude. It was our first time trying this place out and we were not disappointed. There was a small wait time, but we sat at the bar to kill time. We didn't even realize until after we sat at our table that it was restaurant week. We were both able to get a four course meal for a really good price, and it was a lot of food!!! The sirloin was amazing!!
(4)
David H.
The Melting Pot is a relaxed and different dining experience, great for slow conversations over a meal. My wife and I keep going back. That said, the prices seem a bit high for the quality, and on our last visit our waitress appeared just a few times over the course of 2 hours. Almost walked around to find her one time.
(3)
A L.
*melting pot has dessert* If you only want dessert, you can ask for it! It was my birthday past week so my close friend took me to melting pot for some soul food, chocolate. We got the one with pecan and nuts in it, and it was so delicious! They give you little cakes, fruits, and sweets to dip into the chocolate and gosh it was so heavenly. One thing I appreciated is that the waiter was so pleasant and so grateful to talk to. The price isn't bad either, only 8.50 and I was almost full from one dessert plate that I shared with another friend. Will return for dessert:)
I came here with my mother for a fun mom-daughter night with a Living Social deal. I'll start with that first- that is the ONLY way I'd come here. The deal is $34 online, and then you something like $75 off your bill when you're there. Without this deal, you're looking at a $90 meal for the 3 course fondue w/ salad, and then a tip on top of that. it gets expensive fast- this is only for two people. We enjoyed the food, but our burner was having problems, and it took a while to get fixed by the manager. I assume this is because we came in on a Friday night (note: they require reservations for the living social deal). Drinks were okay, a little pricey for my liking. Our waiter was happy to accommodate us for the dessert portion and make us one that was not featured on their menu, since they are a "tester" store. Unfortunately, although our waiter was friendly, he admitted to working with puppy mill company in Columbia. As huge animal lovers and rescue advocates, we were disappointed to hear that, and it kind of sat in the back of our minds for the night. While this does not necessarily pertain to the restaurant, it was something that he volunteered and I wish the Melting Pot cared more about what their workers did as a second job. Puppy mills are awful.
(3)
Joanna K.
Came here for Valentine's dinner.. And another occasion with 3 other friends.. The atmosphere is little lighting/dark kind of like Cheesecake Factory. They offer course meal and entrees separately but most people end up getting the course because it seems most simple. Of the appetizer fondues, entree, and desserts, hands down desserts is the best fondue.. I personally do not loooovvvee fondue and the idea of dipping everything in different sauce still doesn't make much sense to me.. The entree almost feels like a Shabu-Shabu.. maybe this is exactly what it is because you cook your meat/fish in broth.. The Pot gets changed with every course and although the pot may look small, you may not find your piece of meat in there so be careful! When I came back the third time, I wasn't impressed with deco/atmosphere anymore and at one point, waiting for food to cook and waiting for the next course got little boring.. I would take my friends here who have never been here but I wouldn't go back for myself..
(3)
Ann P.
I love melting pot because I love fondue. This place is romantic and perfect for a Valentine's date dinner. I recently went with my sorority little sister. We got great service and great food. I usually order the four course dinner. It comes with a bread and cheese dip, a salad, a choice of three different meats or raviolis, and the best part, a chocolate fondue. It's about 40$ per a person. It's a pretty good deal considering the amount of food you get! I don't like their wine base fondue so I ask for vegetable stock. For the main course ask for mojo. Mojo is a vegetable stock base and it tastes savory with loads of herbs and zest. The atmosphere is dim but romantic and tasteful. There is a good selection of wine by the glass or bottle. The only pitfall is once I found a piece of hair in my napkin. And for me that is a big turn off. I lost my appetite :( and they did not apologize in my opinion. It was just a quick we are sorry.....
(4)
Kerri M.
So I have been curious about the melting pot for quite some time but was never really interested in going. A friend invited me to join for dinner, so off we went. Finding this place was kinda tough because of the construction. And parking is valet but free. Initial thoughts upon entering the restaurant - very nice, intimate space. Loved the cozy booths. Waiter was really nice but lacking on water refills. Menu was confusing. Appetizer was eh. I didn't find it to be that good. I've made better cheese dip at home. Salad was decent. Really liked the black walnut raspberry vinaigrette. I got the vegetable entree. My friend got the classic. At this point I didn't realize you cooked your own food. Didn't like the idea of cooking my vegetables in the same pot as chicken. The vegetable entree was disappointing. I got very little for 34 dollars. Talk about rip off. My friend seemed satisfied with their choice, but to me it looked like they didn't really get a lot either for 38 dollars. It was quite annoying with the vegetables in the pot because they would just fall off and forever be lost. It was just mediocre. The dessert was decent, I will give them that, but again I can do this at home for way cheaper. Bleh. This place is just awful. Never again.
(2)
Jessie J.
I totally forgot to do a review on this place. I've been to the melting pot a good amount of times. I love this place! The service is always spectacular! The menu has so much variety! I usually end up getting the same thing every time, my friends are the ones that usually try something new and always like are satisfied at the end of the night. I've never had an issue with food or service here. I think the melting pot is great for romantic dinners and chill birthdays. This place is set up beautifully! I can't wait to go back.
(5)
David B.
Wow!! We caught on fire. No seriously. This place should be condemned. The waitress dropped the heating unit that is connected to the hot pot and it literally caught on fire and burned me and my wife. You can tell when you walk in the restaurant that the place is managed terribly and I feel bad for the staff. I am seriously concerned that this place is not safe. We were told by other patrons that the management knew about this problem and did nothing about it. At first, the owner would not come out and speak to us because he was too busy. He then came out and seemed very incompetent and did not seem like he was going to do anything about it. THIS PLACE IS NOT SAFE!! BEWARE!
(1)
Rebeca F.
SO GOOD! I know you pay a lot, but you leave full for sure! The vegetarian option is pretty good. Usually have pretty good service and friendly waiters. I'd go a lot more often if it was more affordable, but it's a nice treat for a special occasion!
(4)
Emily K.
The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because of the price! I love melting pot. It is a fondue restaurant and it is fabulous. End of story. This location is tucked away in a small shopping center down the street from the mall in columbia. It is usually not very busy and is a very intimate, quiet atmosphere in here. I love just getting cheese fondue and the chocolate dessert fondue. It's a bit cheaper than ordering a full course here but still ends up being $40+ Great for special occasions or dates.
(4)
Scarlett H.
So I went on a double date to this Melting Pot location. The other 3 had been the one in Towson, and I just had never been to a Melting Pot before. Well, it was restaurant week in Howard County and unsurprisingly there were families with annoying children and the poor waiters were all harried, so while I do have complaints, I'm sure the majority of them were due to the fact that we came at a really busy time. So it was good that we had a reservation, but even then, we had to wait while the hostess was seating a bunch of people and we weren't seated for 15 min. Ordering! Ironically, though we came for restaurant week, we decided not to do the restaurant week menu anyway, partly because we were really hungry, partly because our friend had a gluten allergy. So we decided on Big Night Out (the other couple went for the 4 Course Experience) and as a group decided to share the classic alpine for the cheese course, the Coq au Vin broth, and the milk chocolate for dessert. And that's where things got hairy. First, the poor waiter didn't even notice that there wasn't a secondary bowl over the primary boiler bowl and started putting all the cheese ingredients in the primary bowl (and had to reset it several times before the cheese starting melting). Second, the family in the booth behind us left 30 min into our dinner, but no one noticed that the stove had been left on until I smelled the burning and literally the pot at that booth had been burned black. Third, the gluten allergy friend and I both ordered the same salad, his without dressing which had gluten in it, mine with, but both of ours came without dressing. Fourth, the waiter neglected to tell us how long to cook each type of meat/veggie. So that was all the complaints, but there are good things to be had. One, the restaurant actually has gluten free options like gluten-free bread and gluten-free brownies. Second, we were stuffed by the end of the meal (om nom nom). 3rd, the sauces provided were delicious and also you had the option to mix and match those flavors (at one point, it seemed like painting). And the chocolate fondue was melted pretty smoothly. Now for things that I didn't prefer out of personal preference. One, it is pricey! Indulge but be prepared to pay for it. Second, the coq au vin didn't really stick out to me. Like I didn't notice anything different or special about having cooked my meat in it. The sauces helped. Third, not enough chocolate fondue for four people! So sad. There had been so much cheese fondue, but the chocolate fondue bowl was like half filled. Maybe if it was a two person thing, it would have been fine. Fourth, more veggies please. Fifth, it just doesn't compare to Asian hotpot - quality, price, taste, variety-wise. True, you can't have cheese fondue in your hotpot, but really it was like Melting Pot tried and failed to imitate it. Anyway, I might go back. I didn't hate my experience, and certainly I left with a full belly. But until I'm making more moolah, you'll have to pay me to go :)
(4)
Carolina S.
This food and the set ups were incredible. This is a good place to go out and have a nice birthday dinner.
(5)
Amberley J.
WOW! Just WOW! My husband brought me here for my birthday. Not always or every time does everything go perfectly, it doesn't even matter as much when things go wrong, what truly matters is how they fix it! This location not only had friendly waitstaff but the owner was genuine. I highly recommend this place, ask for Jeremy or Matt, and request Dana, the owner! They all rock. Food was so good, I can't wait to go back! Our expectations were not only met but they went well above what they needed to do! Everyone should eat here!
(5)
EmilyGrace D.
This place is amazing! My boyfriend and I have gone four times since November when we went for our first time for our anniversary. We had table 12 which is rather secluded and sets a very romantic mood. Our server Katie was absolutely amazing! She was very personable and overall just perfect! Every time we make reservations we ask for her and are NEVER disappointed! She's memorized our order everything from our drinks to the fact that I don't like much garlic in the mojo (very impressive). We met the owner as well. The only downside to tonight was I didn't get the chance to tell him what an amazing restaurant he runs! Highly recommend this place. And Katie, best waitress I've ever had!
(5)
Diana M.
By far the best restaurant experience I have had in a long time! Excellent service by our waiter and entire staff. Who served us as a birthday night dinner and then later prepared us for our group table drinks and dessert setting. Just outstanding. I highly recommend the Chocolate S'mores Fondue!
(5)
Puneet M.
Just as the 3 star states, Ok. I enjoy the Melting Pot, they offer Fondue, but not just meat, but also for chocolate and fruit which is nice. The selection is decent and food is ok, nothing amazing but nothing bad. I prefer the dessert but that's just me. The one thing I do recommend is if you go on a week day sit at the bar for their happy hour and you get a good discount on the fondue, but it's only during happy hour so make sure to call and verify their HH times! So overall not bad but nothing to write home about, but watch out for your hugest neighbors they have weapons in their hands!
(3)
Kira B.
First off my husband and I really do enjoy the melting pot. However we may stick to the Annapolis locale. The only reason we didn't go to that location was because they were booked solid. Columbia had alllllllll the times open. Should have been a hint. We got there and we were seated. I like Columbias layout over annapolis. Its seems a little more updated. We ordered everything we wanted. We didn't really care for the faflct that duck wasn't part of any of they prefabbed courses. We found the hostesses to be a bit on the louder side. My husband made the comment that we were kind of close to the door and i said nonsense. Any restaurant you're in you never hear them that loudly. Also we found the experience to be on the rushed side. Not sure if our waiter was off or not. At the other location items aren't brought to the table unless the course is finished by all parties. Like i said, we love coming to the melting pot. We do it one to two times a year and its usually worth it. This time was just OK.
(3)
Ulrike R.
I love the Melting Pot. We go every year for our wedding anniversary, usually to the one to Towson but tonight we went to this one and the food was delicious as always and our server Jeremy did a fantastic job. Can't wait to go back.
(5)
Scott G.
Enjoyed the food as usual but the hostess appeared as we came in and was dressed in an old grey sweater, yoga pants and combat boots. A number of staff were similarly in clothes too small for their size or plain not cared for. Just surprised at how unprofessional the staff was dressed for the Melting Pot.
(2)
Ben H.
I brought my family of 4 (w/ 2 kids ages 6 and 9) last weekend. We had a reservation. It was one of the worst dining experiences I have ever had. We were brought to a room toward the back of the building which was freezing cold and reeked of spilled drinks and cleaning solution. We asked to switch tables and were promptly given a better spot in the front. We were thoroughly confused by the menu however this was our first experience dining at a "fondue place" so that may go with the territory. Our server did a lousy job clearing up our confusion and became pretty snappy with us from the get-go. Our first course was a spinach and artichoke cheese fondue. The server had to make it all in front of us on the fondue burner. This was a very awkward experience as it took her about 8 minutes to make it, while leaning over the table in front of us and struggling to make chat-chat conversations. We kept peeking in the fondue pot, concerned about how long it was taking and the server snapped at us "I know what I am doing!". Needless to say, when she was done, the fondue was still so watery that she ended up going back to the kitchen to get more cheese to add and claimed that she had put in too much bouillon. The cheese fondue ending up being very tasty but that was the END of anything positive to come of our experience. While we waited for the second course we asked the server for a couple of waters. She returned with a tray of 4 waters and we asked for her to leave just 2 (our kids are known to spill and the table was pretty small). She responded "well, I poured 4 so you're going to get 4!". Ok then. Next, my wife's sangria was all ice and tasted like water. She asked to return it after just a sip and requested a simple glass of wine instead. We were then brought a pot of broth for our main course and it began heating up. We sat there for the next 45 minutes without seeing our server and without getting any food or my wife's glass of wine. During this time, the pot of broth continued to boil in front of us until there was almost no broth left at all. We finally got up and complained to other staff members. A manager came over and assured us the food and wine were coming. He re-filled the broth in our pot and we waited until it began boiling again. 10 minutes later the manager and our server arrived with the food and the glass of wine. It took almost an hour to get ONE glass of wine and 2 plates of RAW, unprepared meat!! So, by now we're starving. But we listened to the lecture about our raw food and how long to cook each type of meat. Cooking the food in front of you, with kids, at a small table with plates containing raw meat (especially chicken and steak) is a REALLY gross and awkward experience. Juggling 8 fondue forks and managing various cook times was just plain annoying and frustrating. We were already ticked off so this made things worse. The food quality was barely average. They gave us a bunch of different sauces but it was hard to discern what sauce should go with what. Also the quantity of meats (given the price) was low. We finally got our dessert at exactly 2 hours after we arrived at the restaurant. It was good. Chocolate fondue is pretty hard to get wrong. However, after the experience and then getting a bill north of $140 with nothing comped given how long we waited this was a bad experience and I will never go back. I hope this review helps save another family some frustration and their hard-earned cash.
(1)
Mike W.
This place is great! We went here for our one year anniversary and we loved it. All the different types of food you can get is great. Being able to cook it right on the table and enjoy a peaceful environment is really great. We felt like we were the only ones in there since we were tucked away in the corner. You have to get desert it's amazing and you are allowed to ask for more desert and I would highly suggest that you do that. It is expensive so be prepared to drop some cash but it's well worth it.
(5)
Focus M.
Not at alI expected. Service was shabby and very slow. Food was fine only thing is that is all had the same taste/ flavor. Wonderfully set up for elegance. Will not try again.
(2)
Mark E.
We took our kids, and a friend each, to The Melting Pot to celebrate a successful end of another school year. The kids (high school age) loved it. Our expectations were fulfilled but MP cannot and will not be a frequent destination. Pros - Energetic and helpful waitress; friendly manager; delicious dipping sauces and a relaxed pace that did not make me feel that MP (on a Tuesday night) was overtly trying to turn the table. Amazing salads also were a real plus. The relaxed pace helped to ward off a feeling of being full. Cons - Portions and value. To properly enjoy MP, one must suspend any and all pretense that an evening at this restaurant is a wise expenditure. For this simple reason, MP remains only a very occasional, special destination. Six of us eating the "four course meal", with tax and tip (20%) came to $300. FInal note: With care, the ala-carte menu of this restaurant probably works reasonably well for the diet conscious. Small portions help with that.
(3)
Soo O.
Love this place!!! Come here at least once a year. Worth the price!!
(5)
Alisa I.
Great place for a romantic, different experience! Had fun dipping everything. The vegetarian entree was varied and flavorful. We used the coq au vin base. Perhaps a bit pricey, but it was worth it.
(5)
Ariel H.
Great atmosphere, really cozy for a date, or fun for a group outing, too. I've been here for a birthday, and then for a few Valentine's Days (I'm not huge celebrator of the Valentine's Day but still, it was really nice). Be prepared to spend some money on it, though!
(4)
K Sera S.
My distaste for Melting Pot is based less on the quality of their food or service (adequate, both) but for the fact that damn it, if I'm going out to dinner I want YOU to cook my food. I just hate the whole do-it-yourself concept, particularly the meats. I can support the notion of a cauldron of melted cheese, but when it comes to actual dinner...I don't get it. You order a "flavor" and they bring you meat and spices and you do your own thing. What's the attraction? I can deep fry meat at home and pay 12 times less for it.
(2)
Starr C.
*3.5 stars rounded up I celebrated my 2 year anniversary with my boyfriend because I had heard a decent amount about the Melting Pot but had not experienced it myself. A quick note about our server: He was very friendly and nice, but in my opinion, he was just a little too pushy for my liking? I felt like he was pushing his opinion of what was good on us a little bit without us asking for recommendations. Often, this would lead to miscommunication. For example, he asked us what broth we wanted, and I said we were fine with the plain what (court bouillon). He then suggested the mojo, but I said no thank you. Next thing you know, we're being brought a mojo broth, even though I asked him not to bring it. Even after we had the court bouillon brought out, he added mojo citrus and spices to it and I was a bit put off by this. I was a little bothered by him giving us his suggestions without us prompting him? HOWEVER, he was definitely very friendly and nice, and overall, I had no problem with him at all. My boyfriend got the Speakeasy Smash, off their special 1920s drinks menu, which was mint, vodka, lime juice, simple syrup, & sweet & sour. It wasn't too strong but it was quite tasty. ONTO THE FOOD. I got the 4-course deal, but I do NOT like cheese. I know, I know, but no cheese fondue for Starr. I got a California salad (with no cheese!) and our server also brought out the cold cuts that would've come with our cheese course. (Instead, we just doubled up on chocolate, but more on that at the end.) The salad was delicious and got my tummy ready for the main course. Entrees come with veggies (and we got ours refilled because we love veggies!) My entree was the classic: seasoned choice Angus sirloin, Memphis-style BBQ pork medallion, Pacific white shrimp, herb-crusted all-natural breast of chicken, and teriyaki-marinated sirloin. Yum! I wish there was a little bit more food here, but everything was super yummy. I got some great recommendations from our waiter including: - Put the potatoes in as soon as you get them, they're going to take a whiiiile to get nice and soft - If you "stuff" the mushrooms with the green goddess dressing, it's pretty freaking delicious - If you use the curry sauce on your teriyaki, you get a delicious "curryaki" (I don't like curry but even I was tempted!) My food was great and the recommended times suggested worked out well for me. I left some things in longer if I wanted them more well-done or for sliiiiiiightly less if I wanted my steak medium rare, since he gave us times to get things about medium or medium well. Okay so. The dessert. We started with the bananas foster BUT with dark chocolate instead of the white, another great recommendation from our server. This was SO YUMMAY. Bananas and a bit of cinnamon and then the ooh-ahh flambe. Dipping the marhsmallows and pound cake and Rice Krispie treats and ughhhh it was so decadent man. AND THEN WE GOT POT #2 Y'ALL. We got the s'mores, flambeed with marshmallow and graham crackers, and it was just so yummy and delightful. If it wasn't for dessert, I think I would've left hungry. But I was definitely in a food coma after finishing my food, wow.
(4)
Jody Z.
Solid meal at Melting Pot....just not a place I personally want to visit more than once every 2 years or so and it's pretty pricey. But it's a fun experience. The cheese dip appetizer and melted chocolate dessert are definitely the highlights. The meat course is decent, but definitely doesn't blow me away by any means. Spinach dip was excellent and served with bread, chips, veggies, and apples. Loved the salty sweet combo with apples. Salads were good. Four course meal meats were two types of steak, shrimp, chicken, and pork tenderloin. My favorite was the teriyaki steak by far. The meats come with a bunch of dipping sauces, veggies, and potatoes. Then dessert, of course! We had dark chocolate, which came with brownies, cheesecake, pound cake, strawberries, bananas and marshmallows for dipping!! I would've never known where the location was in Columbia before looking at a map. But the inside is nice, dark, and pretty romantic with lots of booths. Totally different than what you would expect from the outside. Booths were nice and private, but a little like a maze when you're trying to find your way out of there or to the bathroom! Service was good, but a little slow. We were there for 3 hours. Some of the servers seemed a little overly cheesy, but I guess they have some moments when they're preparing your fondue pot and they need to fill the awkward silence.
(3)
Matthew W.
We took a party of nine to the melting pot. Our service was amazing. Most of our party had never been to this restaurant, and the server's recommendations were wonderful. I would definitely go to this restaurant again and I would recommend this restaurant to friends and family. Don't go if you are short on cash. This restaurant will easily set you back $100 per couple.
(4)
Jake T.
Food is amazing. But when we wanted more, I swear the waiter went to go rub one out in the restroom sink. Which would not seem odd since we are used to absolute insane awkwardness at the MP. You see, the MP is a place where all the colorful rejects of the server world end up. Everytime we go to the MP, my wife and I make a promise to ourselves that it will be dif, but it never is. Food is great, staff are weird. They charge way too f*****g just for the a set of silverware to eat with.
(3)
Lyndsey P.
This was my first experience with The Melting Pot, back when I was in graduate school. My boyfriend at the time took me here and I fell in love with the food (not the boyfriend). I went back to this location with my father for his birthday and since moving to NOVA, I have gone to the Reston location, also delicious.
(5)
Courtney C.
I'll keep this short. They now offer a wine flight with the big night out. It's worth the $15 and then some. The servers do so much that it can get a little slow. Don't plan on a quick meal. We've noticed the portion sizes get smaller each time we dine here. The blackberry margarita was surprisingly delicious. It's not strong and very sweet. Reliable and unique.
(4)
Mark M.
I've seen this movie before...but its still pretty good.
(3)
Shiopei C.
Ahh...The Melting Pot. Just the name for me conjures up images of awkward prom teens attempting a classy meal before they put on the moves on the gym floor to Avicii. Despite it's rather dorky reputation, I was pleasantly surprised when we walked into this (oddly located) restaurant. A beautiful, fully stocked, floor to ceiling wine room is the first thing you see, after being greeted by a friendly hostess. Husband and I were sat in a quiet booth to celebrate my birthday, and our server was very good at explaining the options to us. The menu is a little confusing, but he was able to walk us through it. We ended up choosing a coq au vin broth and picked our own meats to cook. I remember having the shrimp and teriyaki beef. Husband had duck. It was actually a really fun and engaging experience to sit there holding our meats in the broth to cook, and then sampling all the different dipping sauces that accompanied the meats. that broth was delicious. It made everything taste amazing. The process of fondue forces you to slow down, take your time, have a conversation and maybe a glass or two of wine over your food. It allows you to savor the taste and texture of what you are eating, because you can't just shovel it into your mouth, forkful over forkful, like you would any other day. For this alone I give high praise. Definitely worth a visit for a special occasion to reconnect with your loved ones when maybe it's gotten a little too busy for your own good.
(4)
Emily L.
Every once in awhile, you feel like doing something fancy on a Tuesday. To celebrate our first week back at school (we're both teachers) my husband and I made a reservation for dinner at the Melting Pot. Why do we like it here? It's a fun gimmick, for sure. Something about being in charge of cooking your own food provides entertainment, fodder for conversation and a sense of power all rolled into one. (Actually, come to think of it, this would be a great first-date outing!) The food really is good, relying on fresh ingredients and time-tested combinations like beer / cheddar and bleu cheese / steak. We've tried just about all of their options, from cheeses to chocolates, and never had a bad one, though we're partial to the new iceberg-wedge salad and the coq au vin cooking broth. What would I change? The lighting is just too low, past "romantic" into "fumbling." The servers are almost always oversharers (we've heard moving stories and seen baby pictures.) For the love of God, stop with the "have you ever been here before?" spiel, or at least modify it when we say we understand the concept of fondue. We're here to enjoy ourselves, not hear the bit about the search-and-rescue spoon ONE MORE TIME. For all that, though, we do like coming here, especially with friends who don't have super-adventurous palates: it's fancy but customizable for plain-Jane types. And although it is pricey, I think it's definitely worth it for the amount of food served: we always leave stuffed, and we usually leave food behind too. Dress up, come hungry and you'll have a great time!
(3)
W L.
I really love coming here. I've been here twice with my girlfriend and we've always had a good experience. The servers have been attentive, really nice and good at explaining all of the menu options. The manager came by to check on us as well. Both times we each got the four course options. I remember getting the surf and turf with the lobster tail but can't remember what I got the other time... Anyway it all came out great. Both times we ordered a bottle of the Decoy Merlot- which is one of our favorites. The restaurant just has a really relaxed atmosphere where you feel you can sit and take time to enjoy your meal. For a date spot, or even a place to get some quick dessert after a movie or something, I highly recommend this location.
(5)
Jessica F.
Yum yum yum yum yum yum! I love that there is a Melting Pot tucked away in the burbs of Columbia. I got to come here for my combined Bday/Mother's day celebration and as usual, I ate way too much but did not regret it at all. We got the Mother's day special which was only $35.00 per person and definitely provided more than enough food. I normally come here with only one other person but with a set menu price I would recommend getting a bigger group if you can. Since we were a party of six, we got to choose two cheeses, two cooking styles and two chocolates without changing the price. It was easy to ask for extra items to dip in the chocolate or cheese. All of us walked (more like lumbered) away plenty full.
(5)
Linda D.
Been to this location before and had good service. Took a friend last night who had never been to the Melting Pot before. We told the waitress that. The menu was new (it had been about 2 years since I had been there) and I found it confusing. The waitress did not help at all. No explanation whatsoever. Asked if the cooking styles were extra if we got the 4 courses-she did not know and had to ask another waitstaff walking by. Usually the waitstaff at the MP explain what they are doing with the fondue...part of the experience...we got none of that. When are entrees arrived, she threw our vegetables in the pot! I thought perhaps she was in training...then she commented that she has been there TEN years!!! I think it will be awhile until I go back...
(2)
Andy B.
Expensive. The desserts are amazing. The food is good. A good date place.
(4)
Brent F.
Good food. Our server was very slow. Will return.
(4)
Jon M.
Food was good, service was outstanding! We've been to a couple melting pots and always enjoyed them; this is definitely the best one. The service was some of the best we've ever had, at any kind of restaurant, and the food was also better (our server indicated that they're a 'testing restaurant', so maybe some are to come elsewhere later?
(5)
Allison K.
Until tonight this was one of my favorite restaurants. You basically have to cook your own food so you should only be going here for the dessert and/or drinks. Our server was a douche! He encouraged us to pick things off the menu that were not included in a coupon we had...we were unknowingly surprised by the bill at the end! Then we gave us severe pressure about donating money to a charity and adding it to our bill. When we said we weren't interested he wouldn't let it go...bringing it up several more times!!! Is the wait staff getting a kickback from this?!? Am I allowed to go anywhere anymore and not be hassled for money?!? Too many good places in Columbia to deal with the melting pots overpriced hassle
(2)
Donna Y.
The food was mediocre and way too pricy in my opinion. The dessert is the best part of course. I tried the ying yang which is half white chocolate and half dark chocolate. The dipping included some sponge cake, strawberries, bananas and cheesecake. Careful when you get close to the bottom it gets hot. I see myself coming back for the dessert portion but definitely not for any meals.
(3)
Gwyneth W.
My boyfriend, his co-workers and I all went there this past Thursday for a nice after-work meal. This restaurant came highly recommended and we were pretty stoked to go (one of the guys coming with us had raved about it, and my sister has mentioned this place to me lots of times as one of her favorites in Columbia.) What a let-down. The food was passable (really neat presentation, and it's hard to dislike a bowl of melted cheese or well-seasoned meats), but not the best fondue I've had even in the past year. The four-course meal wasn't terribly priced given the amount of food (cheese fondue appetizer, salad plate, main course meat-or-veggie dish, and dessert chocolate fondue, all for around $35-40.) If the rest of the experience had been even as, "Well, perhaps a little over-priced but still enjoyable,) this review would have been at least four-stars. Where the restaurant entirely failed was the service. I'm not sure if our server was brand new, or banking on the fact that since we were a party of nine, she was guaranteed an 18% gratuity (a policy I'm typically very much in favor of, as it prevents large parties from short-changing a hard-working server.) We arrived the restaurant at 6:30, and didn't get out of there until 10:45 (and even that time was largely because our party, after waiting unsuccessfully for half an hour for our server to come back and pick-up our check, eventually just got up and went to their little bar area to ask the bartender to either run our cards or fetch our waitress.) Every course took more than an hour. Even when we had finished something (and were sitting with dirty, empty plates for 20+ minutes), the next course might still be another 15-30 minutes in arriving. In the restaurant's defense, for our dessert course we did debate for 15 or so minutes on which types of chocolate we wanted -- but the other three courses were ordered at the beginning of our meal. Our water glasses, during these lengthy waits, were never refilled (eventually, we became a little more adept at flagging down random passing servers and begging for water, but across the entire meal I don't remember an instance where a glass was refilled without a plaintive request on our part.) The drinks were good (for example, a blackberry-sage-lemonade was tasty,) but we never saw our server at ALL unless she was dropping off the next course (and then we had to really quickly beg for a drink before she disappeared again.) This type of service would have been a little more excusable if the restaurant had been busy -- but outside of our little room, where our table and three other parties were seated, it appeared that there were at most two or three other tables filled in the entire restaurant. As our two-person share of the meal was $135 in total (which did include the taxes and gratuity), I feel as though the service speed and attentiveness was completely out of sync with the price. In particular, for roughly 20 minutes of total time spent at our table, our waitress walked away with roughly $100 in gratuity. We weren't a particularly demanding table (during the cheese course, when someone who I'm assuming was an assistant manager of some sort came over to ask if we needed anything, and we may have asked for more bread.) We were pretty calm, sober, and having a lovely time -- but then the hours stretched on, the water glasses stayed empty, and the dirty plates stayed present, and much of the loveliness of the time became overshadowed by annoyance. I won't be back -- and I would specifically ANTI-recommend the Melting Pot if you have a large group. In fairness, many people I know who have gone as pairs-trios-or-foursomes have LOVED this place... But I'm not among that number, and will spend my money elsewhere.
(1)
Amy P.
I bought a LivingSocial deal for 3 course meal for 2. The location of the restaurant is a bit hidden and so was the entrance. But once you entered the restaurant the atmosphere was nice and warm. Our waiter was super friendly and helped us out a lot in making our selections. First course, you get to choose type of cheese and it comes with cubes of bread, apples and veggies. Second course was the salad. You get to choose your salad from the menu. Both of them were delicious. Third course was the main dish. Main dish comes with 3 piece each of filet mignon, ribeye, shrimp, chicken, ravioli. You cook the food yourself by sticking it on a skewer and putting it into a seasoned broth. It was definitely an interesting expereince. After the main dish, we were both stuffed and couldn't try out their dessert, so I can't really say anythign about it. We're definitely going back to try the dessert next time.
(4)
Krissy K.
Overall ok food but way too expensive. You have to fricken cook your own food- lame. It was about $40 per person. I would not recommend this restaurant. Meh.
(3)
Emily P.
Great service, fun food concept, and not to mention tasty food: Boston Lager Cheddar Cheese Fondue - fingerlickin' good Wedge salad - must try Main entree - I dont remember the name but I loved the pork - perfectly juicy and tender. Tried it with the mojo sauce as recommended by the waitress - it was a little too salty for my taste. Dessert - im in love with the turtle chocolate batter.
(4)
Maria H.
My husband and I absolutely love the food! It is perfect for a date night without the kids! (Please don't bring kids to this restaurant, it's not only dangerous for them since your table is also your stove, but also annoying for others!) :-) Some waitresses/ waiters are a bit odd,(like the waitress that loves singing opera or the waiter that was super friendly and couldn't stop talking to my husband), but this just make it more of a fun experience. We try to go there as often as we can, which is not too often since it's so expensive. But so worth it!
(5)
Joshua K.
OK First off, EXPENSIVE. But beyond that, this place is great for date night. I've gone there for anniversaries and dates with my wife, and it's fantastic every time. Once I had to wait about half an hour for my table, even though I had made a reservation in advance. The staff was super nice about it and the manager gave us all free drinks. I have a great experience every time we go there.
(5)
Jason M.
This is the second time I have been to this place and they continue to impress me every single time! You must get any of the 4 course combos to really experience fondue! Pick a cheese, salad, meats, and dessert for a not so cheap price. Expect to spend at least $150 bucks easy for a couple. The California Salad is delicious!
(5)
Jack R.
Poor service, waiter made a mess of our table mixing cheese and he didn't know the recipe. Our table was broken and the burner controls fell and hit my g/fs legs, 3 times. We had to beg for another table! After explaining to the manager how the waiter was rushing in every aspect he admitted he was inexperienced. The manager also did not offer any comps for our troubles. Save yourself the headache, go to another location. This one needs help.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Accepts Bitcoin : No Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Yaka H.
I have to agree with Andrew R. that you come here for the experience, not necessarily for the food itself. It is a bit confusing for first time diners to navigate through their menu. Group Consensus (there was 3 of us) was needed since there can only be 1 pot on our burner (though 2 dessert pots can fit). We just went with the Big Night Out for simplicity sake. I actually thought the meat items were nicely marinated; the taste of the marinade was quite strong after cooking in the pot. My sister and SX really liked the pasta purses and chicken in particular. The one thing we didn't like was the cheese fondue we had chosen (the Big Night out one). The taste just wasn't very pleasing for some reason. Also, I would recommend not getting any of the white chocolate dessert fondues (get it only if you are a white chocolate lover, or else you would be disappointed). Milk and dark chocolate based fondues were definitely the favorites of the table compared to the white chocolate one. It's a fun dining experience. It's definitely a place to go if you haven't seen a friend in awhile, have a special occasion to celebrate or romantic evening. The service wasn't too bad.
(3)stewie h.
here is a place where all your food tastes the same. you cook it all in the same over spiced powdered broth, and your cooking it! If you brought top ramen to this place your meal will greatly improve. This place is crap and so is the food! Stay home and learn how to make real fondu with friends.
(1)Monique P.
Host - Very Welcoming and accomodating Drinks - Michelle took very good care of us! Food - for a group of 11 ladies we did the classic big night out... spinach dip - wonderful house salad - yum meats and veggies - Great and I need to remember to ask for more green goddess and veggies!!!! Chocolate dessert - can't reallly go wrong with any of them! Monica took great care of my ladies and Sam was awesome as well! Thanks for helping my ladies night turn into a great evening!
(5)Kris F.
This place is absolutely amazing. EVERYTHING is great, except it is a bit expensive, but its WELL worth it. This is a place most people would probably only go to 1-2 times a year, as for two people you can easily spend $100 after tip. Many different variaties of fondu....and the cheese.... oh my god. Lets just say I would pay an obscene amount of money to know how to get cheese this good. Service is absolutely outstanding, though it better be if two people can top $100 easily.
(5)Standards H.
I have had a great time at other melting pot locations, but this place is TERRIBLE. OK, maybe we just got a horrible server but when we went back a few months later to give them a second chance, it was just as bad. For the price, they need to have staff that are on the ball. Our server was very slow and knew nothing about their wine selection. We ended up spending over 2 hours dining, not by choice but because our server was so slow. We went on a Tuesday evening so it was slow and she has no excuse. Once she realized we were annoyed with her, she avoided us even more, only making the situation worse.
(2)Robert K.
I dont know how I feel about the new burners, but the food is so good here every time I go. I recommend this place. A bit pricey but perfect for special occasions
(4)John S.
I have been to the Melting Pot a few times for really nice dinners, including my post college graduation celebration. The experience alone is worth 3 stars in my opinion. Very fun, and much less of a hassle than doing your own fondue. Trust me, I have home fondue and it is a lot of work. This place offers a nice arrange of fondue styles, with a 3 course possibility: cheese appetizer fondue, oil/wine dinner fondue, and a chocolate dessert fondue. I mostly posted this to tell those complaining about having to cook their own food that they are idiots. IT IS FONDUE! What the hell did you expect?! That's how it works. Seriously, how dense can you be? Additionally, I find it funny that people are complaining about the price (especially in Columbia of all places). Yeah, I could go and buy my own steak and mashed potatoes and make a meal for cheap, but that doesn't mean it is going to be as good as Ruth's Chris or any other steak house's cut. Also, I'm pretty sure my GF would slap me if I tried to pass that off as a nice evening. Anyway, my only complaint is the smell left on your clothes when you are done. DO NOT take a nice jacket, because it is hard to get that smell out.
(4)Kat V.
Noisy, babies crying the whole time,nothing romantic about the place. Server was rushed and could not get our orders straight. Manager was helpful and accommodating at least. They obviously need more wait staff. For the price, we could have gone to a much nicer restaurant with real romantic ambiance. Everything about the place was run down. The food was fine, fresh and not large portions with plenty of options for everyone in the party. It would be fine if it was less expensive - it costs nearly $150 for two if you get drinks. The meal and atmosphere are just not worth it for that price point. With the loud noise level, poor service, we might as well have been at a low end restaurant.
(2)Jennifer Y.
This is my all time favorite restaurant. It's a splurge for sure, not only because of the cost, but also because wheat, dairy, and sugar are all very limited in my regular diet. It's worth the not-so-great feeling that I might get afterwards though!! How can you go wrong with melted cheese, tasty meats, and luscious dark chocolate??? I kind of wish we didn't have to get the salad (in my mind it just takes up valuable stomach room and they are all just "eh" and nothing special), but other than that, the food is amazing. I love that you cook it yourself, because it's a fun experience, and it takes a long time, which spreads the meal out. You won't be taking less than 2 hrs to eat here, and plan on 3 just to be safe. It's a great place to go for a special occasion, or on a double date. I go pretty much every year for my birthday or our anniversary (or both), and I always have a great time. I've also been to the one in Atlantic City and in Annapolis, and both were great too. If you've never had fondue, spend the time and money and go to The Melting Pot. The one here in Columbia is great and always is concerned about your experience and making sure it is great. LOVE IT!! :)
(5)Michele M.
This place is amazing!!! It's a little expensive but was perfect for a date night. The food was great and we had a great server that made the experience fantastic! And the chocolate fondue dessert was enough to make us want to go back again. And if you go on a weekend ask for Sam!
(5)Stacey M.
I LOVE Melting Pot! It's such a great place to spend an romantic evening with your significant other wining and dining. The lighting and booths create such a cozy feel. You can spend a quality evening together talking and enjoying each others company without any distractions. I LOVEEEE the ambiance and hands down worth 5 stars. The experience alone is unlike other restaurants that can be full of distractions. It feels like you've been taken away for a exclusive dinner, just the two of you. As for the food, it's definitely tasty and fresh. I've only gone for my birthday so I've always ordered the Big Night Out. Be warned that the Big Night Out is big! You have to have the perfect balance between being really hungry (to eat everything) but not starving (since there are 4 courses and the main course takes time to cook). Cheese course: Who doesn't love cheese?? That's all I have to say. Salad course: a nice way to hold you over till the entree but light enough to not fill you. California salad is my favorite! Entree: This takes the most time because you have to cook everything. You can never overcook your food and it comes out very flavorful. Some people hate that they're going out and cooking their own food, but I love this. It's my favorite part because while you wait for the food to cook, you're not starving anymore (due to courses 1 & 2) and can focus and converse with each other. Dessert course: by the time you get here you might pretty full. I can never say no because I love a little chocolate to finish off my meal (if you're super full, I believe they let you take this course to go). It is a bit pricey so save this one for a romantic special occasion.
(5)Anne H.
The Columbia restaurant is one of the better Melting Pots I have been to. The servers are usually wonderful (I've been 7 or 8 times to the one in Columbia and got only one crappy server), the food is great, and the owners are so nice. Of course the concept is fun. Go with people you like spending time with, because you'll be there for an hour and a half to two hours. Try the spinach artichoke cheese fondue and the Flaming Turtle chocolate fondue. Definitely get the coq au vin cooking style for the main course, but let it simmer for longer than the server says. Otherwise you'll have a strong red wine taste permeating your food. I like to let it simmer about 10 minutes. You'll want some time to digest your cheese and salad courses anyway. You can see the menu on their website, and it changes every spring and fall. Melting Pot is about the experience AND the food, and both are awesome!
(5)Ms B.
Dinner here is always my favorite. I love this place. Thanks goodness this was not my first visit or I would have walked out. My waitress was new and she might want some more training. The bill was wrong. She got the order wrong. I had to order a drink to keep my cool. The food is always fun. Next time I will avoid the chocolate covered marshmallow, rice crispy treats and brownies. Just give me the bananas, strawberries and cheesecake to dip in the chocolate. My mouth is watering up just thinking about this delicious treat. This place is sexy fun.
(4)Kelli S.
Not as expected, the one I remember in Colorado was much better. Too pricey, bland food that you cook yourself, nice gimmick, but slower than slow service, we will not go back (to this location specifically, but may not go back to any, too expensive for what it is). In my opinion, I'd rather spend the money to have quality food, prepared well, not on a gimmick.
(2)Alph G.
The food at the Melting Pot really isn't bad. The desserts are actually pretty good. Why two stars? Because it. is. so. overpriced. The desserts are like $25 bucks. For that, I could buy a cheap fondue set, a bag of chocolate chips, a box of strawberries, and a pack of oreo cookies and do it myself! The dinners are not cheap either. I will say that the experience is pretty fun but in my opinion it is just not worth it.
(2)Louis G.
I'm a great fan of this place. At first I didn't think Id like fondue and didn't know there is more then just cheese fondue. Well, this place is awesome. You get cheese appetizer fondue, salad (awesome house dressing) a main course with shrimp, meats, etc cooked in seasoned oil and chocolate fondue to finish it off. Expensive, so not for everyday dining, but very romantic and private for nice occasions. Also the staff are great, and may offer something for free for your special occasion.
(5)Kristi O.
Definitely a fonDO. I always enjoy myself here. The fondue (cheese & chocolate) is sinfully delicious and the whole experience is a lot of fun. The service has always been excellent.
(4)Anthony M.
How can you go wrong with fondue? The cheese melted on bread, veggies and apples is so damn tasty!! I love this restaurant. I always get fillet mignon and lobster and am never unsatisfied. The staff is friendly and efficient. Prices are high, but not so bad if you don't drink alcohol there. Again, with places like this, you get what you pay for, the food is very fresh and delicious. The M.Pot is perfect for a celebratory dinner with family or friends. Excellent food here, and I've never heard anything negative.
(5)Nicholette P.
So overpriced. I mean. It's fondue!!!! Been here a few times, huge wine selection.... It was a fun experience, I was totally scared of my meat not being cooked though... It was cute, maybe go here again if we want to drop $100 for two people.. Im a dessert person, and the dessert was OK...
(3)Justin M.
I am a big fan of Melting Pot; this was the second time that I've been to one and I really like both the food and the experience. I want to give it 5 stars but I can't. Why? The service started out great and then the waitress seemed to forget about us. It became a longer and longer wait for anything (including refills on our water). I am consistently disappointed with service lately, and, especially for the price, this bothered me. Be warned, there is an 18% auto-grat here.
(4)Andrew R.
The first thing you have to understand about this place is that you go for the experience, not for the food. I took my wife here for her birthday dinner and we were very happy with our experience. The food is very good, but it comes in little bite-sized pieces that are meant to help you try a wide variety of different flavors. Remember, the whole point of fondue is to slow down the meal so you have time to talk while you're trying each new meat with each new sauce. Fondue means everything centers around the pot on the table. For the appetizer cheese fondue and the dessert chocolate fondue there's a seperate insert so the boiling water keeps the cheese or chocolate hot without burning it. For the main course instead of boiling water the pot is full of a boullion-based soup-type broth full of delicious spices and flavors. The point is to cook each bite-sized piece of meat (beef, chicken, shrimp, lobster, etc) in the flavored broth for a minute or two. Then you dip it in one of many different sauces and eat it. So like I said, it's an experience. It's pretty fun if you're into trying new things and tastes. My brain kept telling me there wasn't much food there, but we were surprisingly full by the end. The place is supposed to be romantic and have an ambiance, but it seems just kind of dark instead. I would classify this place as a "special occasion" restaurant. I wouldn't go here just because I'm hungry. It's much better suited to special occasions like birthday, anniversaries, visiting friends, etc. At most I only see us going back a few times a year because of this and the cost. My only real complaint is the cost. It's very true that doing fondue at home is a total pain, so they're doing a lot of work behind the scenes with cutting everything into small pieces and such, but even so, it just seemed overpriced for what we got. You're definately paying for the experience, and just like expensive name brands, they charge more because it's "supposed" to be expensive, but you need to understand that before you go. You're paying for the food itself, the behind-the-scenes work, and the experience, not just a meal. This is why I say it's really only a good place for special occasions. If they lowered the cost to be a better value we might consider going again on our own just for fun. Bottom line: You need to really understand what fondue means, it's much more than a cheese or chocolate dip. If fondue as a meal doesn't work for you, than this place is not a good idea. Not good for kids, not good for "guys night out," not good for large groups unless they all love fondue (the pots get really crowded when you have too many people trying to cook in them). Great for a special occasion for people who like to try new things and are looking for a dining experience rather than just a meal. If you just want a good meal, you can go to Ruth's Chris and spend around the same.
(4)Ja'Bette L.
Finally patronized the Melting Pot. It's romantic, you'll leave stuffed, and with a skinny wallet. I'm not sure I totally get why it's so expensive, but otherwise enjoyed myself. No plans to become a regular, but see it's potential to make it's way into the yearly rotation in the not-so-distant future.
(3)Jennifer H.
I've gone here several times and it's always been wondefful. The wait staff is very friendly and they are always checking to make sure you have everything you need. The cheese fondues are wonderful. Creamy, gooey, warm with bread and tortilla chips. Fresh salads and their vinaigrettes/dressings were fantastic!!! The broth fondues are very good. Best dippers for the broth fondues are the beef and the shrimp. Chicken tends to be extremely bland no matter what sauces you dip them into. The beef is wonderfully marinated and tender after cooking. It's perfect when coming out of the pot. Excellent food! The cookies n cream fondue was my favorite!!! Chocolate fondue for two at $14 isn't bad at all. Overall, my only complaint is that the melting pot is extremely expensive. The bread they provide as dippers for the cheese comes out as a bit stale. If they gave their customers fresh crusty bread (like a french baguette or italian ciabatta) or a better variety of vegetables, then I'd say it was worth it. also, I wish they gave us more simple dippers for the chocolate fondue like fruit and cookies.....cheesecake and brownies are great, but it's too much after having eaten a cheese fondue, a salad and an entree.... Their drinks are also extremely expensive, but I hear they're really good. If you're looking for a good time, cheap drinks and beer, you will need to head to a bar. If you want something fun, a little elegant and great for conversations, Melting Pot is the way to go.
(4)Pete M.
Ahh the Melting Pot, the first time I went there we had a party of 7. My jaw dropped after I saw the bill, but the second time was just my wife and I. Not as bad that time but still a little pricey! Its a very cozy atmosphere and you get a four course meal. A great place if you're not in a hurry, plenty of time to visit and talk! They start you with a cheese fondue, after that they bring out your salad. The main course is next with your pick of a variety of different meat combos. After you're all nice and stuffed, they bring out the chocolate fondue! I would recommend but only a once every other month kind thing. It is kindof pricey but worth it for a Birthday, Anniversary, etc.
(4)Sara J.
It's pricey if you do the Big Night Out, but it's really worth it. Service is great. No one hovers so you can relax and enjoy your meal.....but if you need something, the servers are always available. They do have some great specials now and then so join their e-mail list.
(5)Kristi E.
The evening we went to the melting pot in Columbia the service was poor and the ambiance was no where near what we expected since going to the Melting Pot in Annapolis. My boyfriend and I live 10 minutes from this restaurant but drive to the one in Annapolis for the service and more romantic setting. It only took once for us to be turned off from this location, but nonetheless we will continue to fondue it up in Annapolis.
(3)Danny J.
Turn the lights on already! This is the darkest restaurant I've ever been to; it was kind of depressing. The food was great, but it just wasnt worth the price.
(2)Danny L.
Bland food. Service is S-L-O-W. Which I don't get since you have to cook all the food yourself. What in the world is the wait staff doing?
(2)Kathy U.
this place was terrible, service was extremely bad. food yes good but worse service ever. we had a group of 6. our server was extremly slow. complained he was very busy. we seen him but a couple times. we had to keep getting up asking for water and service. manager would give us water but didnt seem concern about our complaints. then they tried to add an extra meal on our bill. then when server came back finally all he said was "did you miss me". when we ask for water we never seen him. when asked to explain things to the group abt what to do, he talked so fast you couldnt understand him. needless to say we didnt leave a tip. the next day i called to speak to higher up and when spoke to john i guess higher up than manager he said that server was one of his best. and maybe because we kept asking for water we was requesting too much from him. water really? i will say annapolis is alot nicer and friendlier than this one and i was even told before not to go to columbia but figure i try it anyway. well needless to say it was a mistake.
(1)Jennifer P.
The food was good but it's the atmosphere that will bring me here. Very warm and cozy. I had never been to a Melting Pot but my husband went as a kid. I was lost as to what to do but not worried as I'd overheard some amazing waiters explaining everything so figured our waiter would make sure we were good to go. WRONG! Don't know if we got the new hire but he was nervous, didn't explain the menu or what to do with the things he placed on the table, how long to cook our meat, etc. he kept us waiting for way too long between courses and was all around terrible. And I usually am very patient and forgiving, but this was a special occasion I planned for my husband so I was pissed! However the amazing managers/owners listened to my complaints and made me forget the bad part of my experience. We truly enjoyed the food and atmosphere and will return, however we will graciously request a new table if seated with the same waiter! Overall I would recommend and think it makes a good date night or even after dinner for desert with wine
(4)Natalie F.
LOVE THIS PLACE! I could eat here once a month for the rest of my life. It is definitely an event. There are an assortment of cheese fondues to choose from and they come with carrots, celery, green apples, cauliflower and different types of bread. The entree I could do without, it's a lot of work. Different broths with raw meat, seafood or vegetables. eh... The dessert is the most incredible part. White, Dark, Milk, Sm-ore, Turtle and I think there's like 2 other kinds of CHOCOLATE fondue!!!! Served with a platter of mini cheesecake, pound cake, chocolate covered marshmallows, Bananas, pineapple, strawberries and anything else you can find to eat with. By the end of the dessert we were using the dinner mints, which actually is really good, It's like a peppermint patty. Hands down probably my favorite place to eat for a special event.
(5)Mike B.
Wow some people really have no idea what Fondue is , and if you have ever done it at home it is a huge pain in the ass, buying the equipment, keeping the pot warm and at the right temp, buying all the different meats, cutting all the veggies and meat, dishing all the sauces, cleaning up the mess, disposing of the leftover liquid/cheese/choclate. There is a lot of factors that are all removed by going to the Melting Pot and having fun. The whole point of Fondue is to relax, talk with you friends and family, eat at a slow pace, and enjoy yourself. Maybee you should just go to McDonalds drive through next time so you can be by yourself if your worried about cooking your own food, paying too mutch money for good food, and actually having conversation with real people.
(5)Audrey W.
Great for a few couples or a group of friends to sit around and enjoy something new and different. While we had reservations, we still had a wait (mildly annoying but we just had drinks in the bar). Our waiter was fantastic and the manager made a point to come by several times. Probably NOT a good pick for people with varying tastes (as you do share one central pot for the appetizer, then the main course, then the dessert dipping). Drinks were superb and the wine list nice. Everything served was VERY good. No one had favorites as it was all across the board excellant.
(4)Jenn S.
I love the Melting Pot. First of all I cannot for the life of me figure out why the hell you would go to a fondue place and then complain about cooking your own food. As my husband said, you wouldn't go out for bbq and complain your fingers got messy. Another common complaint I hear about this place is the price. I think the one dinner is around $50 for 2 people. For that you get the cheese fondue appetizer, 2 salads (which are delicious) and the main course which includes seafood. For what amounts to about $25 a person, I think it's actually a pretty good deal. The drinks on the other hand ARE ridiculously overpriced (about $10 a piece) and can definitely drive up your bill in a hurry. If you do like the Melting Pot, make sure to get on their email list. I've gotten a bunch of coupons in the past and they also have different events, including a monthly girls night out where you can save some dough.
(5)Jameka C.
Great atmosphere, and great food. Our waiter was really attentive and had a good attitude. It was our first time trying this place out and we were not disappointed. There was a small wait time, but we sat at the bar to kill time. We didn't even realize until after we sat at our table that it was restaurant week. We were both able to get a four course meal for a really good price, and it was a lot of food!!! The sirloin was amazing!!
(4)David H.
The Melting Pot is a relaxed and different dining experience, great for slow conversations over a meal. My wife and I keep going back. That said, the prices seem a bit high for the quality, and on our last visit our waitress appeared just a few times over the course of 2 hours. Almost walked around to find her one time.
(3)A L.
*melting pot has dessert* If you only want dessert, you can ask for it! It was my birthday past week so my close friend took me to melting pot for some soul food, chocolate. We got the one with pecan and nuts in it, and it was so delicious! They give you little cakes, fruits, and sweets to dip into the chocolate and gosh it was so heavenly. One thing I appreciated is that the waiter was so pleasant and so grateful to talk to. The price isn't bad either, only 8.50 and I was almost full from one dessert plate that I shared with another friend. Will return for dessert:)
(5)Jim S.
My wife loves this place. We come here for her. I like the appetizer fondue, it is warm and flavorful. It does what an appetizer should do... get you ready to eat. I (who do not really like desserts) like the dessert fondue. Melted chocolate and fruit go very nicely. Their mixed drinks are ok, very over priced, but not a bad drink. The entrée thing is clunky and goofy. My wife finds it fun and exciting; I find it irritating and troublesome. It would be better if the pot with the broth was clear so I could see how done things are. It is also pretty pricey considering, I have to cook my own food.
(3)Erin B.
I came here with my mother for a fun mom-daughter night with a Living Social deal. I'll start with that first- that is the ONLY way I'd come here. The deal is $34 online, and then you something like $75 off your bill when you're there. Without this deal, you're looking at a $90 meal for the 3 course fondue w/ salad, and then a tip on top of that. it gets expensive fast- this is only for two people. We enjoyed the food, but our burner was having problems, and it took a while to get fixed by the manager. I assume this is because we came in on a Friday night (note: they require reservations for the living social deal). Drinks were okay, a little pricey for my liking. Our waiter was happy to accommodate us for the dessert portion and make us one that was not featured on their menu, since they are a "tester" store. Unfortunately, although our waiter was friendly, he admitted to working with puppy mill company in Columbia. As huge animal lovers and rescue advocates, we were disappointed to hear that, and it kind of sat in the back of our minds for the night. While this does not necessarily pertain to the restaurant, it was something that he volunteered and I wish the Melting Pot cared more about what their workers did as a second job. Puppy mills are awful.
(3)Joanna K.
Came here for Valentine's dinner.. And another occasion with 3 other friends.. The atmosphere is little lighting/dark kind of like Cheesecake Factory. They offer course meal and entrees separately but most people end up getting the course because it seems most simple. Of the appetizer fondues, entree, and desserts, hands down desserts is the best fondue.. I personally do not loooovvvee fondue and the idea of dipping everything in different sauce still doesn't make much sense to me.. The entree almost feels like a Shabu-Shabu.. maybe this is exactly what it is because you cook your meat/fish in broth.. The Pot gets changed with every course and although the pot may look small, you may not find your piece of meat in there so be careful! When I came back the third time, I wasn't impressed with deco/atmosphere anymore and at one point, waiting for food to cook and waiting for the next course got little boring.. I would take my friends here who have never been here but I wouldn't go back for myself..
(3)Ann P.
I love melting pot because I love fondue. This place is romantic and perfect for a Valentine's date dinner. I recently went with my sorority little sister. We got great service and great food. I usually order the four course dinner. It comes with a bread and cheese dip, a salad, a choice of three different meats or raviolis, and the best part, a chocolate fondue. It's about 40$ per a person. It's a pretty good deal considering the amount of food you get! I don't like their wine base fondue so I ask for vegetable stock. For the main course ask for mojo. Mojo is a vegetable stock base and it tastes savory with loads of herbs and zest. The atmosphere is dim but romantic and tasteful. There is a good selection of wine by the glass or bottle. The only pitfall is once I found a piece of hair in my napkin. And for me that is a big turn off. I lost my appetite :( and they did not apologize in my opinion. It was just a quick we are sorry.....
(4)Kerri M.
So I have been curious about the melting pot for quite some time but was never really interested in going. A friend invited me to join for dinner, so off we went. Finding this place was kinda tough because of the construction. And parking is valet but free. Initial thoughts upon entering the restaurant - very nice, intimate space. Loved the cozy booths. Waiter was really nice but lacking on water refills. Menu was confusing. Appetizer was eh. I didn't find it to be that good. I've made better cheese dip at home. Salad was decent. Really liked the black walnut raspberry vinaigrette. I got the vegetable entree. My friend got the classic. At this point I didn't realize you cooked your own food. Didn't like the idea of cooking my vegetables in the same pot as chicken. The vegetable entree was disappointing. I got very little for 34 dollars. Talk about rip off. My friend seemed satisfied with their choice, but to me it looked like they didn't really get a lot either for 38 dollars. It was quite annoying with the vegetables in the pot because they would just fall off and forever be lost. It was just mediocre. The dessert was decent, I will give them that, but again I can do this at home for way cheaper. Bleh. This place is just awful. Never again.
(2)Jessie J.
I totally forgot to do a review on this place. I've been to the melting pot a good amount of times. I love this place! The service is always spectacular! The menu has so much variety! I usually end up getting the same thing every time, my friends are the ones that usually try something new and always like are satisfied at the end of the night. I've never had an issue with food or service here. I think the melting pot is great for romantic dinners and chill birthdays. This place is set up beautifully! I can't wait to go back.
(5)David B.
Wow!! We caught on fire. No seriously. This place should be condemned. The waitress dropped the heating unit that is connected to the hot pot and it literally caught on fire and burned me and my wife. You can tell when you walk in the restaurant that the place is managed terribly and I feel bad for the staff. I am seriously concerned that this place is not safe. We were told by other patrons that the management knew about this problem and did nothing about it. At first, the owner would not come out and speak to us because he was too busy. He then came out and seemed very incompetent and did not seem like he was going to do anything about it. THIS PLACE IS NOT SAFE!! BEWARE!
(1)Rebeca F.
SO GOOD! I know you pay a lot, but you leave full for sure! The vegetarian option is pretty good. Usually have pretty good service and friendly waiters. I'd go a lot more often if it was more affordable, but it's a nice treat for a special occasion!
(4)Emily K.
The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because of the price! I love melting pot. It is a fondue restaurant and it is fabulous. End of story. This location is tucked away in a small shopping center down the street from the mall in columbia. It is usually not very busy and is a very intimate, quiet atmosphere in here. I love just getting cheese fondue and the chocolate dessert fondue. It's a bit cheaper than ordering a full course here but still ends up being $40+ Great for special occasions or dates.
(4)Scarlett H.
So I went on a double date to this Melting Pot location. The other 3 had been the one in Towson, and I just had never been to a Melting Pot before. Well, it was restaurant week in Howard County and unsurprisingly there were families with annoying children and the poor waiters were all harried, so while I do have complaints, I'm sure the majority of them were due to the fact that we came at a really busy time. So it was good that we had a reservation, but even then, we had to wait while the hostess was seating a bunch of people and we weren't seated for 15 min. Ordering! Ironically, though we came for restaurant week, we decided not to do the restaurant week menu anyway, partly because we were really hungry, partly because our friend had a gluten allergy. So we decided on Big Night Out (the other couple went for the 4 Course Experience) and as a group decided to share the classic alpine for the cheese course, the Coq au Vin broth, and the milk chocolate for dessert. And that's where things got hairy. First, the poor waiter didn't even notice that there wasn't a secondary bowl over the primary boiler bowl and started putting all the cheese ingredients in the primary bowl (and had to reset it several times before the cheese starting melting). Second, the family in the booth behind us left 30 min into our dinner, but no one noticed that the stove had been left on until I smelled the burning and literally the pot at that booth had been burned black. Third, the gluten allergy friend and I both ordered the same salad, his without dressing which had gluten in it, mine with, but both of ours came without dressing. Fourth, the waiter neglected to tell us how long to cook each type of meat/veggie. So that was all the complaints, but there are good things to be had. One, the restaurant actually has gluten free options like gluten-free bread and gluten-free brownies. Second, we were stuffed by the end of the meal (om nom nom). 3rd, the sauces provided were delicious and also you had the option to mix and match those flavors (at one point, it seemed like painting). And the chocolate fondue was melted pretty smoothly. Now for things that I didn't prefer out of personal preference. One, it is pricey! Indulge but be prepared to pay for it. Second, the coq au vin didn't really stick out to me. Like I didn't notice anything different or special about having cooked my meat in it. The sauces helped. Third, not enough chocolate fondue for four people! So sad. There had been so much cheese fondue, but the chocolate fondue bowl was like half filled. Maybe if it was a two person thing, it would have been fine. Fourth, more veggies please. Fifth, it just doesn't compare to Asian hotpot - quality, price, taste, variety-wise. True, you can't have cheese fondue in your hotpot, but really it was like Melting Pot tried and failed to imitate it. Anyway, I might go back. I didn't hate my experience, and certainly I left with a full belly. But until I'm making more moolah, you'll have to pay me to go :)
(4)Carolina S.
This food and the set ups were incredible. This is a good place to go out and have a nice birthday dinner.
(5)Amberley J.
WOW! Just WOW! My husband brought me here for my birthday. Not always or every time does everything go perfectly, it doesn't even matter as much when things go wrong, what truly matters is how they fix it! This location not only had friendly waitstaff but the owner was genuine. I highly recommend this place, ask for Jeremy or Matt, and request Dana, the owner! They all rock. Food was so good, I can't wait to go back! Our expectations were not only met but they went well above what they needed to do! Everyone should eat here!
(5)EmilyGrace D.
This place is amazing! My boyfriend and I have gone four times since November when we went for our first time for our anniversary. We had table 12 which is rather secluded and sets a very romantic mood. Our server Katie was absolutely amazing! She was very personable and overall just perfect! Every time we make reservations we ask for her and are NEVER disappointed! She's memorized our order everything from our drinks to the fact that I don't like much garlic in the mojo (very impressive). We met the owner as well. The only downside to tonight was I didn't get the chance to tell him what an amazing restaurant he runs! Highly recommend this place. And Katie, best waitress I've ever had!
(5)Diana M.
By far the best restaurant experience I have had in a long time! Excellent service by our waiter and entire staff. Who served us as a birthday night dinner and then later prepared us for our group table drinks and dessert setting. Just outstanding. I highly recommend the Chocolate S'mores Fondue!
(5)Puneet M.
Just as the 3 star states, Ok. I enjoy the Melting Pot, they offer Fondue, but not just meat, but also for chocolate and fruit which is nice. The selection is decent and food is ok, nothing amazing but nothing bad. I prefer the dessert but that's just me. The one thing I do recommend is if you go on a week day sit at the bar for their happy hour and you get a good discount on the fondue, but it's only during happy hour so make sure to call and verify their HH times! So overall not bad but nothing to write home about, but watch out for your hugest neighbors they have weapons in their hands!
(3)Kira B.
First off my husband and I really do enjoy the melting pot. However we may stick to the Annapolis locale. The only reason we didn't go to that location was because they were booked solid. Columbia had alllllllll the times open. Should have been a hint. We got there and we were seated. I like Columbias layout over annapolis. Its seems a little more updated. We ordered everything we wanted. We didn't really care for the faflct that duck wasn't part of any of they prefabbed courses. We found the hostesses to be a bit on the louder side. My husband made the comment that we were kind of close to the door and i said nonsense. Any restaurant you're in you never hear them that loudly. Also we found the experience to be on the rushed side. Not sure if our waiter was off or not. At the other location items aren't brought to the table unless the course is finished by all parties. Like i said, we love coming to the melting pot. We do it one to two times a year and its usually worth it. This time was just OK.
(3)Ulrike R.
I love the Melting Pot. We go every year for our wedding anniversary, usually to the one to Towson but tonight we went to this one and the food was delicious as always and our server Jeremy did a fantastic job. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Scott G.
Enjoyed the food as usual but the hostess appeared as we came in and was dressed in an old grey sweater, yoga pants and combat boots. A number of staff were similarly in clothes too small for their size or plain not cared for. Just surprised at how unprofessional the staff was dressed for the Melting Pot.
(2)Ben H.
I brought my family of 4 (w/ 2 kids ages 6 and 9) last weekend. We had a reservation. It was one of the worst dining experiences I have ever had. We were brought to a room toward the back of the building which was freezing cold and reeked of spilled drinks and cleaning solution. We asked to switch tables and were promptly given a better spot in the front. We were thoroughly confused by the menu however this was our first experience dining at a "fondue place" so that may go with the territory. Our server did a lousy job clearing up our confusion and became pretty snappy with us from the get-go. Our first course was a spinach and artichoke cheese fondue. The server had to make it all in front of us on the fondue burner. This was a very awkward experience as it took her about 8 minutes to make it, while leaning over the table in front of us and struggling to make chat-chat conversations. We kept peeking in the fondue pot, concerned about how long it was taking and the server snapped at us "I know what I am doing!". Needless to say, when she was done, the fondue was still so watery that she ended up going back to the kitchen to get more cheese to add and claimed that she had put in too much bouillon. The cheese fondue ending up being very tasty but that was the END of anything positive to come of our experience. While we waited for the second course we asked the server for a couple of waters. She returned with a tray of 4 waters and we asked for her to leave just 2 (our kids are known to spill and the table was pretty small). She responded "well, I poured 4 so you're going to get 4!". Ok then. Next, my wife's sangria was all ice and tasted like water. She asked to return it after just a sip and requested a simple glass of wine instead. We were then brought a pot of broth for our main course and it began heating up. We sat there for the next 45 minutes without seeing our server and without getting any food or my wife's glass of wine. During this time, the pot of broth continued to boil in front of us until there was almost no broth left at all. We finally got up and complained to other staff members. A manager came over and assured us the food and wine were coming. He re-filled the broth in our pot and we waited until it began boiling again. 10 minutes later the manager and our server arrived with the food and the glass of wine. It took almost an hour to get ONE glass of wine and 2 plates of RAW, unprepared meat!! So, by now we're starving. But we listened to the lecture about our raw food and how long to cook each type of meat. Cooking the food in front of you, with kids, at a small table with plates containing raw meat (especially chicken and steak) is a REALLY gross and awkward experience. Juggling 8 fondue forks and managing various cook times was just plain annoying and frustrating. We were already ticked off so this made things worse. The food quality was barely average. They gave us a bunch of different sauces but it was hard to discern what sauce should go with what. Also the quantity of meats (given the price) was low. We finally got our dessert at exactly 2 hours after we arrived at the restaurant. It was good. Chocolate fondue is pretty hard to get wrong. However, after the experience and then getting a bill north of $140 with nothing comped given how long we waited this was a bad experience and I will never go back. I hope this review helps save another family some frustration and their hard-earned cash.
(1)Mike W.
This place is great! We went here for our one year anniversary and we loved it. All the different types of food you can get is great. Being able to cook it right on the table and enjoy a peaceful environment is really great. We felt like we were the only ones in there since we were tucked away in the corner. You have to get desert it's amazing and you are allowed to ask for more desert and I would highly suggest that you do that. It is expensive so be prepared to drop some cash but it's well worth it.
(5)Focus M.
Not at alI expected. Service was shabby and very slow. Food was fine only thing is that is all had the same taste/ flavor. Wonderfully set up for elegance. Will not try again.
(2)Mark E.
We took our kids, and a friend each, to The Melting Pot to celebrate a successful end of another school year. The kids (high school age) loved it. Our expectations were fulfilled but MP cannot and will not be a frequent destination. Pros - Energetic and helpful waitress; friendly manager; delicious dipping sauces and a relaxed pace that did not make me feel that MP (on a Tuesday night) was overtly trying to turn the table. Amazing salads also were a real plus. The relaxed pace helped to ward off a feeling of being full. Cons - Portions and value. To properly enjoy MP, one must suspend any and all pretense that an evening at this restaurant is a wise expenditure. For this simple reason, MP remains only a very occasional, special destination. Six of us eating the "four course meal", with tax and tip (20%) came to $300. FInal note: With care, the ala-carte menu of this restaurant probably works reasonably well for the diet conscious. Small portions help with that.
(3)Soo O.
Love this place!!! Come here at least once a year. Worth the price!!
(5)Alisa I.
Great place for a romantic, different experience! Had fun dipping everything. The vegetarian entree was varied and flavorful. We used the coq au vin base. Perhaps a bit pricey, but it was worth it.
(5)Ariel H.
Great atmosphere, really cozy for a date, or fun for a group outing, too. I've been here for a birthday, and then for a few Valentine's Days (I'm not huge celebrator of the Valentine's Day but still, it was really nice). Be prepared to spend some money on it, though!
(4)K Sera S.
My distaste for Melting Pot is based less on the quality of their food or service (adequate, both) but for the fact that damn it, if I'm going out to dinner I want YOU to cook my food. I just hate the whole do-it-yourself concept, particularly the meats. I can support the notion of a cauldron of melted cheese, but when it comes to actual dinner...I don't get it. You order a "flavor" and they bring you meat and spices and you do your own thing. What's the attraction? I can deep fry meat at home and pay 12 times less for it.
(2)Starr C.
*3.5 stars rounded up I celebrated my 2 year anniversary with my boyfriend because I had heard a decent amount about the Melting Pot but had not experienced it myself. A quick note about our server: He was very friendly and nice, but in my opinion, he was just a little too pushy for my liking? I felt like he was pushing his opinion of what was good on us a little bit without us asking for recommendations. Often, this would lead to miscommunication. For example, he asked us what broth we wanted, and I said we were fine with the plain what (court bouillon). He then suggested the mojo, but I said no thank you. Next thing you know, we're being brought a mojo broth, even though I asked him not to bring it. Even after we had the court bouillon brought out, he added mojo citrus and spices to it and I was a bit put off by this. I was a little bothered by him giving us his suggestions without us prompting him? HOWEVER, he was definitely very friendly and nice, and overall, I had no problem with him at all. My boyfriend got the Speakeasy Smash, off their special 1920s drinks menu, which was mint, vodka, lime juice, simple syrup, & sweet & sour. It wasn't too strong but it was quite tasty. ONTO THE FOOD. I got the 4-course deal, but I do NOT like cheese. I know, I know, but no cheese fondue for Starr. I got a California salad (with no cheese!) and our server also brought out the cold cuts that would've come with our cheese course. (Instead, we just doubled up on chocolate, but more on that at the end.) The salad was delicious and got my tummy ready for the main course. Entrees come with veggies (and we got ours refilled because we love veggies!) My entree was the classic: seasoned choice Angus sirloin, Memphis-style BBQ pork medallion, Pacific white shrimp, herb-crusted all-natural breast of chicken, and teriyaki-marinated sirloin. Yum! I wish there was a little bit more food here, but everything was super yummy. I got some great recommendations from our waiter including: - Put the potatoes in as soon as you get them, they're going to take a whiiiile to get nice and soft - If you "stuff" the mushrooms with the green goddess dressing, it's pretty freaking delicious - If you use the curry sauce on your teriyaki, you get a delicious "curryaki" (I don't like curry but even I was tempted!) My food was great and the recommended times suggested worked out well for me. I left some things in longer if I wanted them more well-done or for sliiiiiiightly less if I wanted my steak medium rare, since he gave us times to get things about medium or medium well. Okay so. The dessert. We started with the bananas foster BUT with dark chocolate instead of the white, another great recommendation from our server. This was SO YUMMAY. Bananas and a bit of cinnamon and then the ooh-ahh flambe. Dipping the marhsmallows and pound cake and Rice Krispie treats and ughhhh it was so decadent man. AND THEN WE GOT POT #2 Y'ALL. We got the s'mores, flambeed with marshmallow and graham crackers, and it was just so yummy and delightful. If it wasn't for dessert, I think I would've left hungry. But I was definitely in a food coma after finishing my food, wow.
(4)Jody Z.
Solid meal at Melting Pot....just not a place I personally want to visit more than once every 2 years or so and it's pretty pricey. But it's a fun experience. The cheese dip appetizer and melted chocolate dessert are definitely the highlights. The meat course is decent, but definitely doesn't blow me away by any means. Spinach dip was excellent and served with bread, chips, veggies, and apples. Loved the salty sweet combo with apples. Salads were good. Four course meal meats were two types of steak, shrimp, chicken, and pork tenderloin. My favorite was the teriyaki steak by far. The meats come with a bunch of dipping sauces, veggies, and potatoes. Then dessert, of course! We had dark chocolate, which came with brownies, cheesecake, pound cake, strawberries, bananas and marshmallows for dipping!! I would've never known where the location was in Columbia before looking at a map. But the inside is nice, dark, and pretty romantic with lots of booths. Totally different than what you would expect from the outside. Booths were nice and private, but a little like a maze when you're trying to find your way out of there or to the bathroom! Service was good, but a little slow. We were there for 3 hours. Some of the servers seemed a little overly cheesy, but I guess they have some moments when they're preparing your fondue pot and they need to fill the awkward silence.
(3)Matthew W.
We took a party of nine to the melting pot. Our service was amazing. Most of our party had never been to this restaurant, and the server's recommendations were wonderful. I would definitely go to this restaurant again and I would recommend this restaurant to friends and family. Don't go if you are short on cash. This restaurant will easily set you back $100 per couple.
(4)Jake T.
Food is amazing. But when we wanted more, I swear the waiter went to go rub one out in the restroom sink. Which would not seem odd since we are used to absolute insane awkwardness at the MP. You see, the MP is a place where all the colorful rejects of the server world end up. Everytime we go to the MP, my wife and I make a promise to ourselves that it will be dif, but it never is. Food is great, staff are weird. They charge way too f*****g just for the a set of silverware to eat with.
(3)Lyndsey P.
This was my first experience with The Melting Pot, back when I was in graduate school. My boyfriend at the time took me here and I fell in love with the food (not the boyfriend). I went back to this location with my father for his birthday and since moving to NOVA, I have gone to the Reston location, also delicious.
(5)Courtney C.
I'll keep this short. They now offer a wine flight with the big night out. It's worth the $15 and then some. The servers do so much that it can get a little slow. Don't plan on a quick meal. We've noticed the portion sizes get smaller each time we dine here. The blackberry margarita was surprisingly delicious. It's not strong and very sweet. Reliable and unique.
(4)Mark M.
I've seen this movie before...but its still pretty good.
(3)Shiopei C.
Ahh...The Melting Pot. Just the name for me conjures up images of awkward prom teens attempting a classy meal before they put on the moves on the gym floor to Avicii. Despite it's rather dorky reputation, I was pleasantly surprised when we walked into this (oddly located) restaurant. A beautiful, fully stocked, floor to ceiling wine room is the first thing you see, after being greeted by a friendly hostess. Husband and I were sat in a quiet booth to celebrate my birthday, and our server was very good at explaining the options to us. The menu is a little confusing, but he was able to walk us through it. We ended up choosing a coq au vin broth and picked our own meats to cook. I remember having the shrimp and teriyaki beef. Husband had duck. It was actually a really fun and engaging experience to sit there holding our meats in the broth to cook, and then sampling all the different dipping sauces that accompanied the meats. that broth was delicious. It made everything taste amazing. The process of fondue forces you to slow down, take your time, have a conversation and maybe a glass or two of wine over your food. It allows you to savor the taste and texture of what you are eating, because you can't just shovel it into your mouth, forkful over forkful, like you would any other day. For this alone I give high praise. Definitely worth a visit for a special occasion to reconnect with your loved ones when maybe it's gotten a little too busy for your own good.
(4)Emily L.
Every once in awhile, you feel like doing something fancy on a Tuesday. To celebrate our first week back at school (we're both teachers) my husband and I made a reservation for dinner at the Melting Pot. Why do we like it here? It's a fun gimmick, for sure. Something about being in charge of cooking your own food provides entertainment, fodder for conversation and a sense of power all rolled into one. (Actually, come to think of it, this would be a great first-date outing!) The food really is good, relying on fresh ingredients and time-tested combinations like beer / cheddar and bleu cheese / steak. We've tried just about all of their options, from cheeses to chocolates, and never had a bad one, though we're partial to the new iceberg-wedge salad and the coq au vin cooking broth. What would I change? The lighting is just too low, past "romantic" into "fumbling." The servers are almost always oversharers (we've heard moving stories and seen baby pictures.) For the love of God, stop with the "have you ever been here before?" spiel, or at least modify it when we say we understand the concept of fondue. We're here to enjoy ourselves, not hear the bit about the search-and-rescue spoon ONE MORE TIME. For all that, though, we do like coming here, especially with friends who don't have super-adventurous palates: it's fancy but customizable for plain-Jane types. And although it is pricey, I think it's definitely worth it for the amount of food served: we always leave stuffed, and we usually leave food behind too. Dress up, come hungry and you'll have a great time!
(3)W L.
I really love coming here. I've been here twice with my girlfriend and we've always had a good experience. The servers have been attentive, really nice and good at explaining all of the menu options. The manager came by to check on us as well. Both times we each got the four course options. I remember getting the surf and turf with the lobster tail but can't remember what I got the other time... Anyway it all came out great. Both times we ordered a bottle of the Decoy Merlot- which is one of our favorites. The restaurant just has a really relaxed atmosphere where you feel you can sit and take time to enjoy your meal. For a date spot, or even a place to get some quick dessert after a movie or something, I highly recommend this location.
(5)Jessica F.
Yum yum yum yum yum yum! I love that there is a Melting Pot tucked away in the burbs of Columbia. I got to come here for my combined Bday/Mother's day celebration and as usual, I ate way too much but did not regret it at all. We got the Mother's day special which was only $35.00 per person and definitely provided more than enough food. I normally come here with only one other person but with a set menu price I would recommend getting a bigger group if you can. Since we were a party of six, we got to choose two cheeses, two cooking styles and two chocolates without changing the price. It was easy to ask for extra items to dip in the chocolate or cheese. All of us walked (more like lumbered) away plenty full.
(5)Linda D.
Been to this location before and had good service. Took a friend last night who had never been to the Melting Pot before. We told the waitress that. The menu was new (it had been about 2 years since I had been there) and I found it confusing. The waitress did not help at all. No explanation whatsoever. Asked if the cooking styles were extra if we got the 4 courses-she did not know and had to ask another waitstaff walking by. Usually the waitstaff at the MP explain what they are doing with the fondue...part of the experience...we got none of that. When are entrees arrived, she threw our vegetables in the pot! I thought perhaps she was in training...then she commented that she has been there TEN years!!! I think it will be awhile until I go back...
(2)Andy B.
Expensive. The desserts are amazing. The food is good. A good date place.
(4)Brent F.
Good food. Our server was very slow. Will return.
(4)Jon M.
Food was good, service was outstanding! We've been to a couple melting pots and always enjoyed them; this is definitely the best one. The service was some of the best we've ever had, at any kind of restaurant, and the food was also better (our server indicated that they're a 'testing restaurant', so maybe some are to come elsewhere later?
(5)Allison K.
Until tonight this was one of my favorite restaurants. You basically have to cook your own food so you should only be going here for the dessert and/or drinks. Our server was a douche! He encouraged us to pick things off the menu that were not included in a coupon we had...we were unknowingly surprised by the bill at the end! Then we gave us severe pressure about donating money to a charity and adding it to our bill. When we said we weren't interested he wouldn't let it go...bringing it up several more times!!! Is the wait staff getting a kickback from this?!? Am I allowed to go anywhere anymore and not be hassled for money?!? Too many good places in Columbia to deal with the melting pots overpriced hassle
(2)Donna Y.
The food was mediocre and way too pricy in my opinion. The dessert is the best part of course. I tried the ying yang which is half white chocolate and half dark chocolate. The dipping included some sponge cake, strawberries, bananas and cheesecake. Careful when you get close to the bottom it gets hot. I see myself coming back for the dessert portion but definitely not for any meals.
(3)Gwyneth W.
My boyfriend, his co-workers and I all went there this past Thursday for a nice after-work meal. This restaurant came highly recommended and we were pretty stoked to go (one of the guys coming with us had raved about it, and my sister has mentioned this place to me lots of times as one of her favorites in Columbia.) What a let-down. The food was passable (really neat presentation, and it's hard to dislike a bowl of melted cheese or well-seasoned meats), but not the best fondue I've had even in the past year. The four-course meal wasn't terribly priced given the amount of food (cheese fondue appetizer, salad plate, main course meat-or-veggie dish, and dessert chocolate fondue, all for around $35-40.) If the rest of the experience had been even as, "Well, perhaps a little over-priced but still enjoyable,) this review would have been at least four-stars. Where the restaurant entirely failed was the service. I'm not sure if our server was brand new, or banking on the fact that since we were a party of nine, she was guaranteed an 18% gratuity (a policy I'm typically very much in favor of, as it prevents large parties from short-changing a hard-working server.) We arrived the restaurant at 6:30, and didn't get out of there until 10:45 (and even that time was largely because our party, after waiting unsuccessfully for half an hour for our server to come back and pick-up our check, eventually just got up and went to their little bar area to ask the bartender to either run our cards or fetch our waitress.) Every course took more than an hour. Even when we had finished something (and were sitting with dirty, empty plates for 20+ minutes), the next course might still be another 15-30 minutes in arriving. In the restaurant's defense, for our dessert course we did debate for 15 or so minutes on which types of chocolate we wanted -- but the other three courses were ordered at the beginning of our meal. Our water glasses, during these lengthy waits, were never refilled (eventually, we became a little more adept at flagging down random passing servers and begging for water, but across the entire meal I don't remember an instance where a glass was refilled without a plaintive request on our part.) The drinks were good (for example, a blackberry-sage-lemonade was tasty,) but we never saw our server at ALL unless she was dropping off the next course (and then we had to really quickly beg for a drink before she disappeared again.) This type of service would have been a little more excusable if the restaurant had been busy -- but outside of our little room, where our table and three other parties were seated, it appeared that there were at most two or three other tables filled in the entire restaurant. As our two-person share of the meal was $135 in total (which did include the taxes and gratuity), I feel as though the service speed and attentiveness was completely out of sync with the price. In particular, for roughly 20 minutes of total time spent at our table, our waitress walked away with roughly $100 in gratuity. We weren't a particularly demanding table (during the cheese course, when someone who I'm assuming was an assistant manager of some sort came over to ask if we needed anything, and we may have asked for more bread.) We were pretty calm, sober, and having a lovely time -- but then the hours stretched on, the water glasses stayed empty, and the dirty plates stayed present, and much of the loveliness of the time became overshadowed by annoyance. I won't be back -- and I would specifically ANTI-recommend the Melting Pot if you have a large group. In fairness, many people I know who have gone as pairs-trios-or-foursomes have LOVED this place... But I'm not among that number, and will spend my money elsewhere.
(1)Amy P.
I bought a LivingSocial deal for 3 course meal for 2. The location of the restaurant is a bit hidden and so was the entrance. But once you entered the restaurant the atmosphere was nice and warm. Our waiter was super friendly and helped us out a lot in making our selections. First course, you get to choose type of cheese and it comes with cubes of bread, apples and veggies. Second course was the salad. You get to choose your salad from the menu. Both of them were delicious. Third course was the main dish. Main dish comes with 3 piece each of filet mignon, ribeye, shrimp, chicken, ravioli. You cook the food yourself by sticking it on a skewer and putting it into a seasoned broth. It was definitely an interesting expereince. After the main dish, we were both stuffed and couldn't try out their dessert, so I can't really say anythign about it. We're definitely going back to try the dessert next time.
(4)Krissy K.
Overall ok food but way too expensive. You have to fricken cook your own food- lame. It was about $40 per person. I would not recommend this restaurant. Meh.
(3)Emily P.
Great service, fun food concept, and not to mention tasty food: Boston Lager Cheddar Cheese Fondue - fingerlickin' good Wedge salad - must try Main entree - I dont remember the name but I loved the pork - perfectly juicy and tender. Tried it with the mojo sauce as recommended by the waitress - it was a little too salty for my taste. Dessert - im in love with the turtle chocolate batter.
(4)Maria H.
My husband and I absolutely love the food! It is perfect for a date night without the kids! (Please don't bring kids to this restaurant, it's not only dangerous for them since your table is also your stove, but also annoying for others!) :-) Some waitresses/ waiters are a bit odd,(like the waitress that loves singing opera or the waiter that was super friendly and couldn't stop talking to my husband), but this just make it more of a fun experience. We try to go there as often as we can, which is not too often since it's so expensive. But so worth it!
(5)Joshua K.
OK First off, EXPENSIVE. But beyond that, this place is great for date night. I've gone there for anniversaries and dates with my wife, and it's fantastic every time. Once I had to wait about half an hour for my table, even though I had made a reservation in advance. The staff was super nice about it and the manager gave us all free drinks. I have a great experience every time we go there.
(5)Jason M.
This is the second time I have been to this place and they continue to impress me every single time! You must get any of the 4 course combos to really experience fondue! Pick a cheese, salad, meats, and dessert for a not so cheap price. Expect to spend at least $150 bucks easy for a couple. The California Salad is delicious!
(5)Jack R.
Poor service, waiter made a mess of our table mixing cheese and he didn't know the recipe. Our table was broken and the burner controls fell and hit my g/fs legs, 3 times. We had to beg for another table! After explaining to the manager how the waiter was rushing in every aspect he admitted he was inexperienced. The manager also did not offer any comps for our troubles. Save yourself the headache, go to another location. This one needs help.
(1)