The Melting Pot Restaurants

I'm not one of those people who write reviews, but for The Melting Pot... I just had to. \t\n\t\nMy boyfriend and I have always liked to think we were spontaneous in everything we do...especially when it came to food! ;) So when I heard about The Melting Pot and how the...y do fondues and all this what not, I was just confused...but mostly intriqued by all the reviews with the help of research and friends. Knowing that it was our 2 year anniversary coming up, I got excited and booked a reservation for the two of us last night. \t\n\t\nKnowing how he was, I knew he wasn't happy that the surprise was in Downtown Portland (one way streets) but we made it in a super convienent parking lot right across from where The Melting Pot was.\t\n\t\nThe minute we stepped into the door, the front desk was very welcoming and warming. The whole front desk had mentioned "Happy Anniversary" which really showed us they cared. The host lead us to cozy table which had a rose for us set up in the corner where we could have our alone time which was nice as well and also got a picture taken and framed. I thought that was super sweet.\t\n\t\nWe were greeted by our server, Caitlynn, who was spectacular. Very well spoken and clear about everything. Helped us customise our entrees and over all experience which is great for my indicisive personality! We were then greeted by general manager, Sean...who was just hilarious and very intuituve about his work place and the environment. He interacted with us about what he was doing with the mixing of the cheese fondue, and about how he loves working at the Melting Pot. I found it refreshing and I could tell in the staff themselves. Even going to the restroom, I ran into 5 employees and they all greeted me with warm smiles and one stopped to show me to the bathroom. I really could tell this staff were like a family and I could feel it. \t\n\t\nThe food was amazing. I mean, it was well presented, and delicious. Not too over whelming. The cheese fondue was mouth watering, the main entree was just enough to keep us full and right when we thought we couldn't fit anymore food in, we HAD to get in the smore's chocolate fondue. oh...my... goodness. I'm just letting you guys know, i'm going to say it, it was orgasmic. I recommend that one to anyone!\t\n\t\nOverall, it was a wonderful experience. \t\nMy boyfriend and I had a great Anniversary and not only did we connect again and laugh...but we connected with the place and the people. Read More

I wasn't sure what to have, so the server recommended the overall favorite: Cheddar fondue. \t\n\t\nThe fondue itself was ok. Just ok. The bread was this overly gourmet artisan bread, which had zero taste. It also came with apples. Apples? I was hoping that maybe... they knew something that I didn't. No, it tasted just like what it was, cheese on apples. \t\n\t\nI also ordered those little lobster/caviar appetizers. They were ok. They tasted kind of fattening. \t\n\t\nFor happy hour, it was ok. For anything else, it would be a complete ripoff. The quality didn't match the cost. Read More

My girlfriend and I went there last night for our anniversary. It was my first time there, and was very skeptical about fondue in general, let alone an entire restaurant devoted to it. However, I was very impressed with my experience.\t\n\t\nTo start, the service was ...excellent. Even when I made my reservations, it was immediately clear that they genuinely want to help you have a personal and memerable time. They had options to add balloons, champagne (or cider), or flowers, and they all come with a picture and a frame (though it's just a simple cardboard). They asked what the occassion was and catered to it. The hostess was very polite and helpful.\t\n\t\nWhen we arrived, we did have to wait for a table despite the restaurant being virtually empty. But when seated, we were taken to a secluded corner where there was only one other booth next to us (I'm sure this was because they knew it was our anniversary). Waiting was a single red rose in a vase (which I added on, and was kind of spendy at $22), as well as a card (which I was not expecting). The hostess immediately took a GREAT picture of us and promptly returned with it in a frame.\t\n\t\nThe waiter, Tom, was extremely helpful and knowledgable. He explained the menu (which can be a little overwhelming), recommended drinks and was very professional. \t\n\t\nThe cheese/starter fondue was awesome. It came with bread, sliced apples and vegetables and everything tasted very good. It was also cool watching him prepare the cheese. The salads were very good, and the dessert was amazing. We got the flaming turtle, which is milk chocolate, caramel and pecans. It's called that because the waiter lit some 151 on fire and poured the flames into the fondue, which was way cool. They served a plate of fruits and little desserts (like oreo covered marshmallows) which were great. The fondue was a little rich, but so good.\t\n\t\nThe main course was good, but I found the red meat (sirloin and filet mingon) to be bland and without much flavor. They are slightly seasoned, and they do bring you a plethora of different sauces; but after cooking it in vegetable broth, the meat ended up tasting like vegetble broth. They do offer different flavors of broths to cook in, though. The lobster and shrimp were excellent.\t\n\t\nIt's definitely a different dining experience, and if you want to go somewhere for conventional steak or seafood, this isn't it. Plan on being there for awhile; we were there for 2 1/2 hours and left right after dessert. It's also very expensive, and I wouldn't recommend going there unless it's a special occasion. Read More

We've came here twice for our anniversary. It's fun to do the whole fondue thing and the service was great as was the food. I especially liked the choclate fondue dessert platter and the cheese fondue. I didn't like so much dipping the raw meat into the broth but my hus...band did. It's very expensive. Bring around $100 for a couple if you want to do the full meal with dessert, best to save for special occasions if on a budget. Read More

A couple people suggested this place as "one of the best places I've ever been"...apparently, they haven't been out much! To start off, clearly the employees hate their jobs there; they were wreaked of forced enthusiasm. We reserved the $200 "romantic lover's package"...; online it shows a private seating area behind a red velvet curtain...which is not where we were seated. We got crammed in a small corner booth next to some obnoxious couple and were greeted at the table by a hideous floral arrangement which took up the half the space. \t\nAfter the confusing orientation of the menu, we picked out our food. The appetizers were pretty decent, but the rest was a disappointing surprise. WARNING: you cook your own food! They brought out dishes of raw meat, vegetables, and a dozen sauces. Apparently, you have to have a culinary education to know what you're doing; every meat cooks a different amount of time and dips in a certain sauce. Everything just tasted like boiled meat (oh, wait...that's exactly what it was!). \t\nBy the end of the evening we smelled like we came out of a soup kitchen due to the boiling broth. We couldn't wait till they got that off of our table; my wife was starting to feel nauseous. Out came the dessert; it was pretty decent but un-enjoyable after sitting in front of that crock of stew. We hardly ate anything and started to think about Taco Bell as we were preparing to leave.\t\nTo conclude, my wife broke out in tears as we drove home hungry and disappointed after dropping $250 in that pit. To make it worse, we realized that the overpriced "romantic package" was nothing more than their $80 meal for two accompanied by a poor excuse for a bouquet and a cheesy aluminum picture frame (to remind us never to come back). We strongly advise anyone looking for a nice evening to go to Ruth's Chris, Morton's, or El Gaucho. We never paid more at those places than we did at the MP that evening, and their service and food is always unbelievably great. Read More

My husband and I have eaten here several times for "date night". There are many reasons why we choose this for the coveted free time. This is not a kid friendly establishment as they could easily burn themselves and would be too impatient to withstand the duration of ...the dining experience. Yes it does take at least two hours to eat your meal and yes it is expensive, but if you go in knowing those two factors you should not count them as negatives. Dining here, you have to appreciate the overall experience. The booths are very private and allow you and your dining companion(s) to converse with minimal interruption. The wine list is pretty extensive. We always order the lobster "big night out" like a previous reviewer had stated. It is a four course meal which consists of a cheese fondue course, salad course, main course (lobster, shrimp, steak, chicken, pork, veggies), and a desert course. We think it's a lot of fun to cook our meal and try to get the timing perfected. If you are on a first date, this is beneficial as it is a natural conversation topic. The wait staff has always been friendly and helpful and we have always been seated immediately upon arrival. I have not experienced a long wait between courses and the food has always tasted superb. My husband and I consider ourselves "foodies" and rate this restaurant near the top of our favorates. Read More