The Melting Pot

[Eeyore's Tailfinder]

I have heard good things about this place, and think there is one just off I Drive, however I'm not at all familiar with the States therefore some opinions and thoughts would be nice

 

[Amity 3]

I haven't been to the one off I Drive, just the one here in Tampa, but I assume they're all the same. it's unique, very good and pretty expensive. the 'big night out' is a good choice, it's four or five courses, and about $90.00 per couple.

 

[kissy]

I love love love this place! We got the big night out and it was amazing!

 

[ppiew]

We were at the one on Sand Lake Road and it was good but VERY expensive - especially for a chain!

 

[Todd&Copper]

I went to the one in Annapolis, MD and thought it was just OK and WAY too overpriced. And my coat smelled like fries/oil for a week after dining there.

 

[Eeyore's Tailfinder]

Thank you

I'd like to go as it is something different, and not a type of place you'd usually find in the UK...

PLUS I absolutely love cheese and chocolate - so this seems like a match made in dairy heaven to me


However I guess $90 is pretty steep - are the entrees big though? I've had a look at the menu, and you get a selection of lobster tail, chicken, filet, strip steak, shrimp, pasta, etc... so it sounds like you get your fill?

 

[Mari annie]

We took our kids last year to the melting pot, not again!
Nice decor, that's what you are paying for, they try to upsell you, they make their money on the wine bar, etc, meals.
Don't opt for it.
Not worth it.
We were so dispointed, even my kids were, they are teens!
Over 50.00 for a chocolate fondue and a couple of sodas!
We got the chocolate turtle one (like 12 pecans) big disapointment!
save your money!
If you have a car................
There is another place that was on the Food Network we are planning to go, it's the suburbs of Orlando in the Casselberry area (4o minutes outside WDW) , It's called Colorado Fondue Company.
www.coloradofondue.com
lists everything and prices.
says it's an "Authentic Swiss and American Resteraunt".
We are going in Feb, so I ll post to let everyone know.

 

[Eeyore's Tailfinder]

Thank you for the heads up - I suppose it is after all just a chocolate fondue

However I won't have a car in Orlando - never mind though, I might try it next time!

 

[caribear]

We love the Melting Pot and usually go for our Anniversary and Birthdays. For 2 adults...including all courses ( cheese fondue, salad, entree and chocolate fondue) plus a soda, alcoholic drink and coffee...our total is around $100. We go about twice a year. It is alot of food!! We have been to the Orlando, Casselberry and Tampa locations....they are all basically the same.

If you join their Club Fondue online you receive a coupon for a free chocolate fondue for 2...expires within 2 weeks though. They usually send out the same thing for your birthday/anniversary. You can purchase the "Big Night Out" and they will apply the price of the fondue as a discount on your bill.

 

[pcgmom]

We have only eaten at The Melting Pot two times, but we love it. You cook your own food in the fondue pot, so be prepared to have a long dinner. It took us 2-3 hours to eat each time, but it flew by. The "Big Night Out" is a great option to sample everything (salad, cheese, meats, and dessert), and it does run around $90 per couple. Most of their entrees are sold in douple portions, but you can order individually, or they can split the price of one of the double portions. You get a ton of food. Because it is such a long dining experience, we haven't taken our children there, but we did consider taking them there just for dessert (around $15 per pot). We tried the chocolate/caramel combination, and it was wonderful. We definitely couldn't eat here on a regular basis, but it is a good special occasion restaurant.

 

[Eeyore's Tailfinder]

Thanks once again.... it might be back on the cards now

 

[Motherofboys]

Make sure you make reservations in advance if you are going, and allow plenty of time for the meal. The average dinner takes 3 hours.

 

[stczt]

We eat at the Melting Pot for my B-day/valentines day (4 days apart) and our annivasary and dh's b-day (same day). It's around 70.00 w/out tip. I always jole we have to pay a fortune to cook our own food. I cook everyday. He gets the steak and I have to get the veggies since I vegtarian and only eat a few of the veggies I dont eat mushrooms, asparagus or squash. but I fill up on the cheese and choc. the kids were begging to go so I bought a fondue pot.

 

[MickMick]

The Melting Pot is excellent. The quality of the meal is great. The desserts are awesome. It is a very romantic and fun place. I enjoy it. Go and have fun!

 

[Oldironsides]

Go for the cheese starter, go to different restaurant for steak, return for chocolate fondue. The whole cooking the main course is for the birds. First a raw plate of chicken, beef and lobster sitting in front of me was a turn off. Second each has to be cooked for different times. Third the vegetables are not worth the effort. And lastly, stuff falls off and then a search and rescue has to be launched. Plus they charge you entirely too much. It was nice to go with 3 other couples and take our time eating.

 

[gradtchr]

We went to the Melting Pot for the first time New Years Eve and we cannot wait to go back! Yes it was expensive but it was so relaxing and we had so much fun with our friends that we can't wait to do it again.

 

[Goofy4]

In Indy, they have always let our kids share a plate. We get one of the specials for 2 (which contains the cheese and bread, a variety of meats and a salad) and order a single plate of meat more to the kids liking. With dessert (one of the $26 ensembles to die for), it's plenty. Plenty expensive too, but their servers are usually excellent and it's a fun, unique experience.

If you get on their mailing list at http://www.meltingpot.com/, they periodically send out dessert coupons.

Go Colts!

 

[CPM]

personally, I don't see the attraction of this place. It's so over-priced for what you get. Plus, you are cooking your own food on a stick! The food drops in the pot, falls apart, it all tastes like boiled food.
I think the cheese and dessert courses are the only tasty ones.
I swear, $300.00 later we were still hungry.

I'll give it that it's a novelty. But, it's more fitting for a young couple that want to sit there with playing with their sticks romantically.

Sorry.

 

[tea4sanity]

It is more relaxing than going to the local chain places. Cost is around $100 (+tip) that is with appetizer, salad, main course (shrimp/fish/poultry/beef &veggies) and dessert. Its not cheap, but I have seen more expensive meals.

The cheese course is great and you can ask for more bread, veggies & fruit to dip(carrots, cauliflower, celery & apples). The salad course good. The main course is interesting. You cook your own food in the broth. The meat/fish takes between 1 - 4 min and the vegies vary(red potatoes, mushrooms, squash & broccoli). You can get more veggies if you want (usually)

The desserts are great. I have noticed in the last 6m they have decreased the amount of dippers. We have gone and left out the meat course and just went with the cheese, salad & dessert and been full.

We were there in August for our 17th anniversary. They had balloons & a bar of chocolate waiting for us. They were going to take our picture while we were dining. Right after they brought the cheese course out we had to leave for an emergency (DS broke his nose in football). When we were able to go back again 3m later they remembered and had the balloons etc waiting for us. That was a very nice touch and something they surely didn't have to do..

 

[hmp2z]

We like to go there for the cheese course & then the chocolate course. I don't care for the main courses there at all. Very blah, and sometimes downright gross.

We were at the Melting Pot for New Year's Eve one year, and they had a 2 pound lobster as part of the entree. It tasted like nothing more than a foot. We giggled a bit about it, and moved on to something else. After our entrees were removed & we'd started on our desserts, the table near us had their entrees brought to them. We heard one of the kids say (no joke), "Mom, this lobster tasted like my shoe smells." We cracked up.

Bottom line, if you like high quality food, I'd skip the entree, but the cheese & dessert courses are fun. If you're not huge eaters, you will probably get enough with these 2 courses. The cheese course has bread, fresh veggies, and green apple slices. The dessert course has a variety of cheesecake, brownies, and fruits to dip in the chocolate.

Cheers!
Heather W