We had a party of 7 on a Saturday night to celebrate my mom's birthday, and they put us in a private room. It was great! This was our first time at the melting pot and it was all we hoped it would be. We had the full course to include Cheese Fondue, salads, main course and chocolate fondue dessert. Everything was delicious! We even had one dairy free cheese pot and one dairy free chocolate. Both delicious! Yes, it is pricey, but it's a special occasion place and totally worth it! Our server was over the top good. Very funny and nice! Highly recommend!
Unfortunately my son was physically assaulted when he went to the bathroom by security who proceeded to curse scream and physically try to restrain him claiming he had no right to use the restroom! The restaurant shares a restroom with 2 other businesses that have a pattern of harrassing anyone they think shouldn't be there. This person aka security of the nightclub verbally and physically abused my son refused to listen to him and his dad that they were actually paying customers of the Melting Pot. Needless to say we will be seeking legal on Monday over this. Outrageous.
EvanF
It was a good evening. Excellent service and nice servers. The food was unique and being Celiac, it was gluten free and safe for us. The drinks were well made a delicious, I had a simple martini that was made to order and my wife had the Sangria, which was delicious. The good was very good, and the experience was fun. Our server, Lexi, was attentive and friendly, she guided us through our meal perfectly. The chocolate desert fondue was to die for. Perhaps a little on the pricey side, but, we did enjoy ourselves and left full, and with leftovers that made for a nice little lunch the next day.
Greg Creech
We arrived just before our dinner 7pm reservation. My Wife and I were celebrating our 26th Anniversary. We sat at the bar and had a drink while waiting to be seated. Quaint little bar. We were promptly seated at 7pm. We were surprised to find out that the Bartender would be serving our 4 course meal. He was outstanding considering he was waiting on upstairs diners and the bar. The food was good and the service was the best it could be under the circumstances. Again, he added some touches to our experience that made a difference. Back to paid parking, they tell you to allow 1.5 hours for the meal. Our meal took 2.5 hours. I was hit for an extra $60. We would definitely go again.Parking: Pay lot one block south east. $20 for two hours. $60 fine if you go over. Dinner took almost three hours.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dipping Sauces, Strawberry Almond, The Melting Pot, Yin and Yang Chocolate Fondue
Amanda
I have been coming here for years have rented out different rooms and enjoyed myself plenty of times so it is very hard to write this review. We booked the ultimate experience for 2 and no flowers on the table like it states when making the reservation and then they only give you 3 flowers in a tiny milk glass carton. They didn't make the cheese in front of us like they used to... There were 4 tables in the restaurant and they served us all right next to each other. We could hear everyone's conversations. The server we had seemed preoccupied. The manager had to keep helping us out and had no idea what we ordered. Asked us about the cooking style. We received our meal 2 bites each of the main (2 shrimp, 2 chicken, 2 some kind of meat teriyaki maybe) then a steak (maybe 8 pieces) and a lobster tail (4 pieces) to share. Lastly, we received our desert and the server broke the whole cake inside the melted chocolate and it just soaked up all the chocolate we did not have any left to eat our deserts. Like I said I love this place and this was extremely hard to write but I've been a couple times in the last few months and let's just say things have changed for the price you pay here at the melting pot these days. PS our bill with this deal and 1 drink each was right under $300 plus a tip.
Our waiter, Annalisa was beyond marvelous and the food was delicious! Annalisa added so very much to our dining pleasure! Thank You, Annalisa and The Melting Pot for a lovely Anniversary!! XOX
Anton C
The atmosphere is amazing, the building is over 100 years old, and they give you a semi-history story about it.One thing you might not like is that the bathrooms are a bit complicated to get to (you have to take an elevator), but it's all right.Service and atmosphere was both excellent. My only gripe is that there really isn't enough food (especially the chocolate) for the price paid. We had a party of two, and the amount of chocolate was very underwhelming, maybe an inch (or even less) of chocolate in the pot. The chocolate tasted amazing, but there wasn't enough. At other fondue places, there is usually more chocolate.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Caesar Salad, Strawberry Salad, Yin and Yang Chocolate Fondue
Israel Gratrix
A quick review of my worst experience at any of The Melting Pot locations...Last Tuesday, my fiancee and I showed up to the downtown San Diego location at 6:40pm for our 6:45pm reservation to celebrate a birthday. We walked in and checked in with the hostess, who let us know they were working on the table and that it should be ready shortly. The next time we were spoken to was at 7:15, 30 minutes after our reservation was set for.The hostess then apologizes, and walks us to our table upstairs. At this point we are a little irritated with the wait, but hey that happens. We were just focused on the delicious food that was to come. Sadly that did not happen on this trip.We sit down and have to wait about 10-15 minutes for our server to come introduce himself. He was very nice and again apologized for the delay.We then ordered two cocktails and let our waiter know what courses we wanted when it came to the cheese, salad, meat, and chocolate.After placing the initial order, it took about another 25-35 minutes to receive the first round of food. This trend continued for almost all of the courses and when trying to get another drink we ran into a headache just trying to get someone's attention.When the cheese came out for the bread, vegetables, and fruit, it was nearly room temperature and seemed like it had been sitting in the back for some time before being brought out.By the time we were wrapping up the meat portion of the night it was nearly 9:15 pm!It took almost 2 1/2 hours from the time we showed up, until the time we finished what we thought was going to be the second to last course of the evening.However, because it was now so late and the restaurant was now closed, we didn't feel comfortable making the waiter or anyone else stay any later for our chocolate course. Which is, if we're honest, mainly the reason we come to The Melting Pot!We were very disappointed with our experience overall, and if the service had just been faster, than the food would've been more appetizing (warm) and we would've felt comfortable ordering our last and favorite course!I know things happen and certain nights can just be rough and i am not sure if they were understaffed as i do think our waiter himself was trying his best. But my Fiancee and I have been going to the Colorado locations for over a decade and every time it is absolutely superb.This last trip at the San Diego location fell way short of our expectations and past experiences and we are not sure if we would return at this point.Which is very disappointing as we just moved down the street!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 2
Matthew Wilson
My wife and I had been wanting to go here for a long time and finally got around to it, doing their "Thursdate" dinner package to get a full experience. Though this was severely hampered because of how late we got there (I think reservations were for like, 8?). The quality of the food was good, and the service was nice, though sparse, and it was an interesting experience. Though cooking your own food in the pot is a lot more challenging than the BBQ where you fry your own meat.The main issue with having a late reservation, which I didn't realize until after it started, was that the night clubs all start to open up while you are still working on your meal. Booming base from nearby clubs could easily be felt from our booth and it was really annoying.Then after we were done, it took forever for an Uber/Lyft to get to us because of all the one-way roads with closures around the area, so we kept getting drivers who canceled after getting nearby and then getting lost.We hesitate to go here again, but may do so in the future if it's an earlier reservation (5-6pm?).
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 5
Service: 3
I took my daughter here for her birthday. It's been a long tradition. They brought out a beautiful lit birthday desert & gave us the best table in the place. In our opinion...was very appreciated!! It's expensive but worth it for a special occasion!
The food is good but not really worth the price. $190 for dinner for two. You are really paying for the experience. It was fun to do once but I'd rather get better food somewhere else. Also, they add a surprise 5% service fee to the bill at the end for "increased costs" - this is unethical, unacceptable, and should be illegal. If the costs go up, raise the prices on the menu.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Kristen Grant
If you want a truly unique and special dining experience, look no further!!! The service was exceptional, and each of our selected/recommended fondue options were amazing. Make sure to give yourself enough time to sit back, relax and savour the entire meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kenneth Harmon
I used to go to the Melting Pot OFTEN but after 2020, went out less. Went there last night and had an AMAZING meal experience. I'd forgotten how great that place truly is. The foot was fantastic. I got the Pacific Rim with MoJo cooking style. Also the Strawberry Almond salad and Classic Alpine cheese sauce. Both were scrumptious. The highlight was the service. I had Analise attending our table and she was Fantastic! Her humor and recommendations were on point. I highly encourage you to go to the Melting pot. I will!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: The Classic, Dipping Sauces, Salad, Sesame-Crusted Ahi Tuna, Beef, Strawberry Almond, Melting Pot
KevinT
Our table was dirty when we sat down, which was not a good start to the evening. We were drawn in by the Restaurant Week menu but upon a closer look, it didn't include dessert, which is a primary reason to go. As a result, the regular menu for two was a better deal than the Restaurant Week. Finally, this location tacks on a 5% surcharge on top of your meal and the only acknowledgement was a very fine print text hidden on the menu. I hate hidden charges.
Booked reservations for restaurant week and when we got to the restaurant we were promptly greeted and seated in a timely manner. Our server Devin was phenomenal and explained the menu in detail and provided top notch service
We had a party of 7 on a Saturday night to celebrate my mom's birthday, and they put us in a private room. It was great! This was our first time at the melting pot and it was all we hoped it would be. We had the full course to include Cheese Fondue, salads, main course and chocolate fondue dessert. Everything was delicious! We even had one dairy free cheese pot and one dairy free chocolate. Both delicious! Yes, it is pricey, but it's a special occasion place and totally worth it! Our server was over the top good. Very funny and nice! Highly recommend!
Unfortunately my son was physically assaulted when he went to the bathroom by security who proceeded to curse scream and physically try to restrain him claiming he had no right to use the restroom! The restaurant shares a restroom with 2 other businesses that have a pattern of harrassing anyone they think shouldn't be there. This person aka security of the nightclub verbally and physically abused my son refused to listen to him and his dad that they were actually paying customers of the Melting Pot. Needless to say we will be seeking legal on Monday over this. Outrageous.
It was a good evening. Excellent service and nice servers. The food was unique and being Celiac, it was gluten free and safe for us. The drinks were well made a delicious, I had a simple martini that was made to order and my wife had the Sangria, which was delicious. The good was very good, and the experience was fun. Our server, Lexi, was attentive and friendly, she guided us through our meal perfectly. The chocolate desert fondue was to die for. Perhaps a little on the pricey side, but, we did enjoy ourselves and left full, and with leftovers that made for a nice little lunch the next day.
We arrived just before our dinner 7pm reservation. My Wife and I were celebrating our 26th Anniversary. We sat at the bar and had a drink while waiting to be seated. Quaint little bar. We were promptly seated at 7pm. We were surprised to find out that the Bartender would be serving our 4 course meal. He was outstanding considering he was waiting on upstairs diners and the bar. The food was good and the service was the best it could be under the circumstances. Again, he added some touches to our experience that made a difference. Back to paid parking, they tell you to allow 1.5 hours for the meal. Our meal took 2.5 hours. I was hit for an extra $60. We would definitely go again.Parking: Pay lot one block south east. $20 for two hours. $60 fine if you go over. Dinner took almost three hours.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dipping Sauces, Strawberry Almond, The Melting Pot, Yin and Yang Chocolate Fondue
I have been coming here for years have rented out different rooms and enjoyed myself plenty of times so it is very hard to write this review. We booked the ultimate experience for 2 and no flowers on the table like it states when making the reservation and then they only give you 3 flowers in a tiny milk glass carton. They didn't make the cheese in front of us like they used to... There were 4 tables in the restaurant and they served us all right next to each other. We could hear everyone's conversations. The server we had seemed preoccupied. The manager had to keep helping us out and had no idea what we ordered. Asked us about the cooking style. We received our meal 2 bites each of the main (2 shrimp, 2 chicken, 2 some kind of meat teriyaki maybe) then a steak (maybe 8 pieces) and a lobster tail (4 pieces) to share. Lastly, we received our desert and the server broke the whole cake inside the melted chocolate and it just soaked up all the chocolate we did not have any left to eat our deserts. Like I said I love this place and this was extremely hard to write but I've been a couple times in the last few months and let's just say things have changed for the price you pay here at the melting pot these days. PS our bill with this deal and 1 drink each was right under $300 plus a tip.
Our waiter, Annalisa was beyond marvelous and the food was delicious! Annalisa added so very much to our dining pleasure! Thank You, Annalisa and The Melting Pot for a lovely Anniversary!! XOX
The atmosphere is amazing, the building is over 100 years old, and they give you a semi-history story about it.One thing you might not like is that the bathrooms are a bit complicated to get to (you have to take an elevator), but it's all right.Service and atmosphere was both excellent. My only gripe is that there really isn't enough food (especially the chocolate) for the price paid. We had a party of two, and the amount of chocolate was very underwhelming, maybe an inch (or even less) of chocolate in the pot. The chocolate tasted amazing, but there wasn't enough. At other fondue places, there is usually more chocolate.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Caesar Salad, Strawberry Salad, Yin and Yang Chocolate Fondue
A quick review of my worst experience at any of The Melting Pot locations...Last Tuesday, my fiancee and I showed up to the downtown San Diego location at 6:40pm for our 6:45pm reservation to celebrate a birthday. We walked in and checked in with the hostess, who let us know they were working on the table and that it should be ready shortly. The next time we were spoken to was at 7:15, 30 minutes after our reservation was set for.The hostess then apologizes, and walks us to our table upstairs. At this point we are a little irritated with the wait, but hey that happens. We were just focused on the delicious food that was to come. Sadly that did not happen on this trip.We sit down and have to wait about 10-15 minutes for our server to come introduce himself. He was very nice and again apologized for the delay.We then ordered two cocktails and let our waiter know what courses we wanted when it came to the cheese, salad, meat, and chocolate.After placing the initial order, it took about another 25-35 minutes to receive the first round of food. This trend continued for almost all of the courses and when trying to get another drink we ran into a headache just trying to get someone's attention.When the cheese came out for the bread, vegetables, and fruit, it was nearly room temperature and seemed like it had been sitting in the back for some time before being brought out.By the time we were wrapping up the meat portion of the night it was nearly 9:15 pm!It took almost 2 1/2 hours from the time we showed up, until the time we finished what we thought was going to be the second to last course of the evening.However, because it was now so late and the restaurant was now closed, we didn't feel comfortable making the waiter or anyone else stay any later for our chocolate course. Which is, if we're honest, mainly the reason we come to The Melting Pot!We were very disappointed with our experience overall, and if the service had just been faster, than the food would've been more appetizing (warm) and we would've felt comfortable ordering our last and favorite course!I know things happen and certain nights can just be rough and i am not sure if they were understaffed as i do think our waiter himself was trying his best. But my Fiancee and I have been going to the Colorado locations for over a decade and every time it is absolutely superb.This last trip at the San Diego location fell way short of our expectations and past experiences and we are not sure if we would return at this point.Which is very disappointing as we just moved down the street!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 2
My wife and I had been wanting to go here for a long time and finally got around to it, doing their "Thursdate" dinner package to get a full experience. Though this was severely hampered because of how late we got there (I think reservations were for like, 8?). The quality of the food was good, and the service was nice, though sparse, and it was an interesting experience. Though cooking your own food in the pot is a lot more challenging than the BBQ where you fry your own meat.The main issue with having a late reservation, which I didn't realize until after it started, was that the night clubs all start to open up while you are still working on your meal. Booming base from nearby clubs could easily be felt from our booth and it was really annoying.Then after we were done, it took forever for an Uber/Lyft to get to us because of all the one-way roads with closures around the area, so we kept getting drivers who canceled after getting nearby and then getting lost.We hesitate to go here again, but may do so in the future if it's an earlier reservation (5-6pm?).
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 5
Service: 3
I took my daughter here for her birthday. It's been a long tradition. They brought out a beautiful lit birthday desert & gave us the best table in the place. In our opinion...was very appreciated!! It's expensive but worth it for a special occasion!
Restaurantji Recommends
The food is good but not really worth the price. $190 for dinner for two. You are really paying for the experience. It was fun to do once but I'd rather get better food somewhere else. Also, they add a surprise 5% service fee to the bill at the end for "increased costs" - this is unethical, unacceptable, and should be illegal. If the costs go up, raise the prices on the menu.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
If you want a truly unique and special dining experience, look no further!!! The service was exceptional, and each of our selected/recommended fondue options were amazing. Make sure to give yourself enough time to sit back, relax and savour the entire meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I used to go to the Melting Pot OFTEN but after 2020, went out less. Went there last night and had an AMAZING meal experience. I'd forgotten how great that place truly is. The foot was fantastic. I got the Pacific Rim with MoJo cooking style. Also the Strawberry Almond salad and Classic Alpine cheese sauce. Both were scrumptious. The highlight was the service. I had Analise attending our table and she was Fantastic! Her humor and recommendations were on point. I highly encourage you to go to the Melting pot. I will!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: The Classic, Dipping Sauces, Salad, Sesame-Crusted Ahi Tuna, Beef, Strawberry Almond, Melting Pot
Our table was dirty when we sat down, which was not a good start to the evening. We were drawn in by the Restaurant Week menu but upon a closer look, it didn't include dessert, which is a primary reason to go. As a result, the regular menu for two was a better deal than the Restaurant Week. Finally, this location tacks on a 5% surcharge on top of your meal and the only acknowledgement was a very fine print text hidden on the menu. I hate hidden charges.
Booked reservations for restaurant week and when we got to the restaurant we were promptly greeted and seated in a timely manner. Our server Devin was phenomenal and explained the menu in detail and provided top notch service