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Melting Pot, The, a fondue restaurant

MY REVIEW: Had never been, but, decided to try out this place - to experience/splurge on expensive restaurant with good reviews.

Impressions: Wife and I both thought the food quality and experience was top-notch. Many more plusses, than negatives - but, here's the negatives.

1) Many tables were designed for 2, at most 3 people. But, for two people to sit close together - someone would get seat on awkward curve of the seat. I tried, couldn't even begin to imagine sitting in the awkward curve space.

2) The drinks were not as cost effective as we've seen advertised by other reviewers. We tried two differing drinks a-piece. The drinks ranged in price from $9-$11 each.

3) The Yin-Yang drink was good-looking, but not very functional as a drink. (powdered cocoa mix does not go well with items that are to be drunk).

4) Martini's in general were a bit confusing. Our drinks had large chunks of ice in them - indicating to us that the drink was not strained apart from the ice. (cost-cutting measure by the restaurant, ensuring ice part of the drink - for cheap filler space?). All drinks did seem to be potent - except the Yin-Yang.

5) Price tag was high. (We got out of there with $150 bill - for two, before tip. [that includes the drinks]). But, for the experience, did not feel disappointed. Would do again someday - if I don't get into the whole Fondue attempts at home - which I'm already researching.

6) Restaurant itself is not very inviting - from the outside. Side of bldg is kind of dark- bordering a dark-ish street. As I was about to park, wife made me go find other parking spot a distance away, nearer to general parking lot lamp-lights (because she felt a bit scared, and worried about vandalism, etc if we were to park right next to restaurant, in what seems to be typical parking locations). This, from a woman who doesn't like walking.

7) We dressed up, as one might expect for such an expensive eating place. Was disappointed to see most customers wore blue jeans, as well as several 'kids' in just shorts. Did not contribute to fine dining experience. Would recommend restaurant actually enforce the dress-code they told me over the phone when I called for reservation. (business casual). Must note - after being seated, we could not see any other patrons, as most seats seemed to be secluded. This is nice. (so, dress not so important once seated).

Overall - recommended Date Place. I wouldn't believe that it'd be a fun experience for more than two people (such as a family, or 2-3 couples). But, we didn't try this - so, you probably shouldn't listen to me here.

Highlights: 2 1/2 hour meal. Once we settled in, had to remind ourselves to relax and not try to eating according to typical hustle and bustle dining experiences (where get 'em in, and get 'em out with customers is typical). (We had the Big Night Out meal plan [4 course meal]). They seemed to wait till you were completely done with one course, before bringing on the next.

Dessert tray was fantastic. We tried Chocolate/Peanut Butter dipping mix. Probably could've picked any mix - and been just as good. Note: we did Run Out of the chocolate dipping mix, with several items left to still eat from dessert plate. This was not the case for other courses of the meal.

Salad course was excellent, (not skimpy).

Martini drinks were excellent in taste.

Variety of Main Course dipping sauces was well-appreciated. After trying them all, we each tended to gravitate to our favorites. Waiter indicated he'd bring more if needed.

Food quantity - plenty for two people. We were both well over-stuffed from the dining experience (cause we couldn't stop eating).

Final comment - If I go again, I'd still do the 4 course meal - because I loved enjoying the slow-paced quality time with my wife, and didn't want it to end. Also, despite their costs, would probably still 'try-out' more of their fun drinks.

NAME: FZ
SUBMITTED: 1/30/2011   LAST VISIT WAS: 01/29/2011
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: It seems as though everyone has varying opinions on The Melting Pot. I personally enjoy this place more than most. Yes, you have to cook your own food but for me it's the whole experience that makes this place fun. The seasoned cheddar has a beer base and it overpowered the cheese too much. I would recommend the bacon cheddar fondue, my boyfriend and I fought over that the last time we went. Their salads are very fresh and tasty. I am very picky about my salads and I will eat the whole salad here. The teriyaki steak is my absolute favorite meat to cook. The other meats are good, but I could have a whole platter of teriyaki steak and be fine. Lastly, the dessert is what I anticipate the most. Luckily, the boyfriend is stuffed by the time dessert comes so all the goodies (cheesecake, brownie bits, strawberries, bananas, etc.) become mine. I would go to The Melting Pot just for dessert if my boyfriend would agree to it.

While this place is a little pricey, I go for special occasions where splurging on a meal is okay. Oh and be sure to shower when you get home, you will smell like the broth!

NAME: foodie freak
SUBMITTED: 1/24/2011   LAST VISIT WAS: 1/11
FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times

MY REVIEW: I guess I just don't get it. It was interesting, the food was ok. It was basically cheese dip appetizer,(very good) a main course of (hors d'oeuvre size portions) you cook (boil) yourself, and a chocolate dip in a pot for dessert, served with a hefty check.

NAME: RustyNail
SUBMITTED: 12/28/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: 12/10
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: I thought the fondue's were good. The concept of cooking the food was cool for my 13 year old. There was not enough space in the normal sized booth for a group of 4. I spent 260.00, I orderd two of the loster feasts and 5 lemonades at 5.00 each. It was cool for my 13 year old but somewhat pricy. The chocolate fondue the ying yang specifically was awesome. I guess for the money I wanted a better setting (I don't mind spenging top dollar for great food). I would go back but with me and my son only.

NAME: ceneone
SUBMITTED: 7/27/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: 7/19/10
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: Eh. . . just ok. Nothing exciting. I thought a bit over priced seeing as I had to cook it myself. The wait staff was just so-so. There is so much information, they need to give cheat sheets on how long to cook everything. Meat was medium quality at best, it wasn't high end cuts like I expect for the price. Might try again in a year or so to see if it gets any better.

NAME: MedicMan
SUBMITTED: 5/25/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: 05/15/10
FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times

MY REVIEW: My boyfriend and I went for the first time a couple of weeks ago and had a fabulous time. All the ingredients were fresh and everything tasted wonderful! If you don't mind spending a little extra cash, your dinner will most likely come close to $100, this is a AWESOME place to go on a date. There were kids nearby there for prom and I thought, "Wow, this definitely is a place that would be fun for prom."

The hands on fun of choosing what meats and veggies you will cook makes the meal entertaining. Just make sure you have your cellphone or watch handy. You're responsible for cooking your raw meat for the appropriate time: 2 minutes if it walked on land and about a 1 and half minutes if it swims. For dessert, we hada chocolate and crunchy peanut butter fondue with fruit, marshmallows, and other treats for dipping. IT WAS WONDERFUL!!! We were still wishing we had more the next day!

NAME: MKF823
SUBMITTED: 5/23/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: 5/2010
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: I am surprised to see a SINGLE negative response to this restaurant!!! If you want a BIg Ol' steak and some potatoes and bread, go somewhere else. The quality of the food is outstanding. You pay for ALL fresh food. So fresh, it isn't even cooked yet!!! You are paying for fresh, quality food and ambiance. It takes a MAXIMUM of 3 minutes for the broth to heat up to cooking temp once the server adds the wine (If that's the cooking style you choose.) Of the people I've ever talked to that DIDN'T like it, they were usually people that did not respect or appreciate fine dinning. This place rules! It is a little pricey but by the time you leave somewhere nice like B*onefish Grill, you're spending the same or just under!!!

The Valentine's and New Year's dinners are a set menu that's higher priced but you get TONS of extras that you don't get on a normal day INCLUDING keeping your complimentary glasses of champagne, flowers for the table and extra appetizers such as shrimp cocktail.

This place RULES!!!

NAME: forest
SUBMITTED: 3/25/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: 03/2010
FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name...

MY REVIEW: I'm a fondue fan, so my girlfriend and I go here all the time. Hands down the best fondue I've ever had, and I've had my fair share. If you have never had fondue before, it might take some time getting used to the idea. But if you go in with an open mind you should be fine. The staff is friendly and always there in case you need something. The food is delicious, everything from the cheese to the dipping sauces to the chocolate fondue dessert.

As for the pricing, I think it's all about just looking carefully through the menu. Even though they suggest the Big Night Out, you don't have to get it, and it's usually cheaper if you order the cheese, meat and chocolate separately. They do serve a lot of food, so me and my girlfriend usually order cheese for two, chocolate for two and we share an individual entree, which also comes with a salad. We usually end up paying about 60 dollars for everything, including tip, and have some food left over most of the time. It's a really cool experience, with great food, ambiance and service, and I'd recommend it to anyone.

NAME: q.b.
SUBMITTED: 9/18/2009   LAST VISIT WAS: August 2009
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times

MY REVIEW: Took our family of 5 and were excited as it is basically the only fondue type restaurant we know about. We thought it was way over-priced at $204.00 with 20% gratuity and the food was just so-so...next time we'll stick with our Katy hibachi grill place for 1/2 this price.

NAME: tomtam
SUBMITTED: 8/31/2009   LAST VISIT WAS: 08/2009
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: So you bring me raw food that I have to cook? Then I pay you how much? This place is great for as a getting-to-know-you-date place, but not a fine meal.

NAME: FonduShmoo
SUBMITTED: 1/29/2009   LAST VISIT WAS: 01/ 2009
FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times

MY REVIEW: We went to the melting pot to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday. The wait staff was friendly and the whole experience was really fun. We got a four course meal that consisted of cheese fondue, a salad, a main course of a bunch of different types of "sampler" sized meats that you cook in your pot, and of course the delicious chocolate fondue at the end. This may be a drawback for some people, but because of cooking time for the fondue and food we were there for over an hour. This was actually great to us because we were able to relax and have great conversation over a romantic type dinner.

This is not for the person who wants to get in and out quickly or does not like to cook or will feel ripped off because of it. It's all about the experience and fun of fondue.

All in all we had a great time and the food was decent. I would definitely recommend for someone who wants a fun night with friends or a date. The only thing that made me cringe was the price, but it really wasn't that bad.

NAME: Sarah
SUBMITTED: 10/18/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: July 2008
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: I love the Melting Pot! The entire experience is perfect for a date and the food is excellent. I suggest Coq au vin for a cooking style--the wine really cooks into the meats well.

My only complaint: Melting Pot needs an age policy or needs to start throwing out people with ill behaved little ones. During my last visit, one couple allowed their two small children (younger than 6) to run around the restaurant like it was M*cDonalds. Hello people..there are hot pots of oil abound!

NAME: Percy
SUBMITTED: 5/26/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 5/2008
FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name...

MY REVIEW: This was my first time here & I enjoyed it so much! The restaurant was a little dark but it was neat. I Was with a group of girls for their monthly Girls Night Out. That was a bargain-it was $26 for the entire meal-a real bargain!

The dessert part was of course my favorite! We had dark chocolate & milk chocolate & all the ymmu things to dip in the chocolate! It was a chocolate dream! The entree part was fun too & so good. I enjoyed cooking the meats. It thought it was fun! The cheese was all good but not my favorite of the meal! It was fun to watch them make the cheese fondue & it was fun interacting with your eating companions & eating off skewers. I cant wait to go back!

The only thing I didnt like was that you smell like fried food when you leave if anyone in your area is cooking with the oil. Thats the only bad thing I can think of.

NAME: tammyf
SUBMITTED: 4/23/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 04/2008
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: Yes fondue is not just cheese and chocalate- at this restaurant your main course will be boiled- thus leaching the best flavors of steak, lobster and vegetables. We had an 8 pm reservation but did not receive the main course until 10:30 pm and when it arrived to be boiled in the chicken broth, the waiter dumped in the red wine causing another delay of a half hour waiting for it to regain a boil. A couple bites and no one wanted any more. Felt so ripped off that no one wanted to stay for dessert. Luckily our snailish waiter had the gaul to say "fondue is not for everyone" my estimation is "fondue is for no one in the Woodlands" as we were the only table there on a Friday night. The melting Pot is a remake of a 70's fad as bad as disco that should not last long. Go to K*irbys, F*lemings for the same money and enjoy food prepared properly. They also add in gratutity (no doubt from a history of dissatisfied customers) so be prepared for the worst from food to service.

NAME: SCOTT V
SUBMITTED: 3/28/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 03/08
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: All I can say is wow. One of the best dining experiences I have had in a long time. Our waiter, Mike, was extremely helpful and friendly, the food was delicious and the atmosphere was wonderful. Our visit was for a one year anniversary, and they made sure to make it special, the card and roses they placed on the table went over wonderfully and I plan to make another appearance in the near future.

The coq au von (sp?) was wonderful, the big night out was well worth the time and money.

NAME: Kyle
SUBMITTED: 2/13/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: February 2008
FREQUENCY: Visited once

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