The Melting Pot

I went here with 6 friends for my birthday at 8pm on a Saturday night. Food and service were great. We were laughing and having a great time. The table next to us was filled with young adults and 1 child. They asked us to change our dinner conversation because of the child they had in tow. (We were talking about birth control pills). At this point it was 9:30pm and we spent almost $ 1000. We brought it to the attention of our waiter who did nothing. In fact he said we weren’t creating a disturbance and were quite well behaved. Ruined our dining experience. Staff did nothing. Suffered through the rest of the meal. So, I won’t be returning to a family restaurant that puts the needs of one child patron over those of couples without children looking to celebrate. We will take our money elsewhere.

WE LOVE the Melting Pot — we always go there for special occasions. We have never been disappointed in anything we have chosen. We usually get the four course meal… love the Gorgonzola/​Blue Cheese cheese dip; ALL of the salads; and my husband loves steak lovers and I love the surf and turf entrees… as for the dessert — of course, it is Bananas Foster — we first had that on our honeymoon 48 years ago and we recently celebrated our 48^th at Melting Pot. Natalie, our server, and Hollie, the manager, were awesome as was Andrea who greeted us with «Happy Anniversary!» When our children and grandchildren go with us, it is a lot of fun and the dessert is white chocolate and milk chocolate choices and if the fondue pot could be licked — the white chocolate would be licked. Go and enjoy yourselves!

I went there for lunch yesterday with my mother and sister. The service was wonderful, the food was delicious, and the price was incredibly reasonable. I highly recommend this location. It was a good experience.

This place is so awesome! My boyfriend surprised me for my birthday and they made it specially unique by placing a dozen roses on the table with two wrapped champaign glasses, not to mention a slice of cake with a candle lit after dinner. There food is beyond amazing! Like no other! Service was excellent! We always make it a point to go at least once every other month.

We visited them for my birthday, being that it was our first time here I would say the experience was definitely what you pay for. The food was definitely delicious but the dessert was my all time favorite! We got complimentary champagne since we were celebrating my birthday. Definitely will be back for our next romantic night out!

The Melting Pot is a great place to go and have fun cooking your own food, sampling the wines on offer and generally enjoying yourself!
Make sure you have a timer on your phone otherwise you may overcook the food

It’s one of our favorite standby places for special occasions. the staff is always cheerful and accommodating and the food is delicious.

I must start this by saying that I am a Melting Pot regular, just not this location. I know what the service is supposed to be, and I am generally a huge fan. That is why this experience was so frustratingly disappointing. We were also the victim of credit card fraud at this location. Avoid it at all costs.
The service was terrible. We couldn’t get any refills on our drinks by halfway through the entrée, despite promises from the server. We had to wait nearly 20 minutes to get our credit card picked up, and when it returned to us, the server had added $ 6.50 to the total on the original bill. He also failed to include the original itemized bill or a new copy to explain the charges. He had apparently forgotten an item, but instead of letting us know up front, he never mentioned it, as if it could fly under the radar. If I had not had so much time waiting to get the card picked up in the first place, I may not have noticed that he charged us more than what we were originally presented on the check.
As the extra special ending, the next day, I discovered the server had added an extra $ 5.00 tip to our bill. When I called to report this, I was told they would refund the $ 5.00 to me and have a «sit down» talk with him. This is two separate instances of credit card fraud. I strongly recommended avoiding this location!
The manager tried to make it right by offering a $ 25 gift certificate for a future visit — valid only for this location. Since we don’t live in the same state, that is unhelpful, and I do not trust them to ever touch my credit card again. Stay far far away.

Went here last night for a friend’s birthday. It was my first time here, but there were some in our group who had been before. We waited a while for our waiter (he apologized for the wait) before he took our drink order. A few of us ordered the Ladies Night special, but a few wanted just a salad and cheese/​dessert. Those in our group who ordered salads (4 people) never got their order. When explaining the various broth options to cook in, the waiter suggested two of them. Assuming they were part of the special, we agreed. When the bill came, I was charged for a cooking method. When I asked why, I was told «I didn’t know how to split it. And since you had two, it was extra.» Now, I didn’t care about the small charge, but I was more bothered that we were not told there was an extra charge. The name of the drink I ordered was different than what was on my bill. Not sure if they were the same price and I was too tired to ask. The icing on the cake was when we ended up grabbing our own pitcher of water from a nearby table because we weren’t offered refills.
Overall:
— The waiter kept apologizing for the wait,
— The bills were given to us without explanation as to why some were charged for things but others weren’t,
— Salads that were ordered were never brought out,
— Had to get our own pitcher of water for refills,
— It took three hours from start to finish because the waiter would disappear and not check on our group.
Can’t say I’ll go back.

This was my first melting pot experience I will for sure be back! The food was amazing and our server Lance was amazing! We had our own room due to it being a larger party and we were catered to just as expected. There was plenty of food to go around, so if anyone left hungry it was their own fault. All of the drinks we tried were amazing as well! I can’t wait to come back and try a whole different menu!

I just wanted to thank Andrea the manager for a wonderful experience for my wife and my sixth anniversary. We walked to our table to find the table showered with rose pedals. Our server provided top notch service. With our chocolate fondue we were given a champagne toast, complements of the Melting Pot. Thank you all so much for a wonderful evening.

My best dining experience ever, quiet and the waiter isn’t constantly asking if everything is alright. Had the three course meal and it was awesome. Wish I could afford to eat here more often.

Been a few years since I have been here but I will definitely be returning for a wonderful evening. Every aspect was fantastic from the beginning course of cheese to the end with chocolate.
The entrees from the Surf and Turf to the Asian cuisine. Joe showed us how to bread the meats and showed us which sauces paired the best.
I was absolutely blown away with the great service and the attention to detail. I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone looking for something different. Will be back very soon

I went here with a friend for a cheer me up dessert. Turns out, not only was it happy hour with half off prices, but when I checked in here they gave us extra dessert items to dip into the beautiful chocolate fondue. We ended up walking out filled to the brim with sweets and only paid $ 9!

I’ve eaten here several times only because my kids love it and so we treat them occasionally to this mediocre and overpriced food. Came in on a Tuesday night when the place was deserted to take advantage of the happy hour they advertise (and did not want to disturb diners with our 3 kids on a busier night). What the ad doesn’t say is that specials are only available at the bar.
Both the hostess and bartender called the manager to ask if we could sit at a table in the bar area since the stools were a bit precarious for our youngest, and this mysterious manager who never showed their face said no both times. All the tables in the front end were empty and devoid of patrons. What’s wrong with you? Have you no common sense or, at minimum, concern for your customers’ safety? The only reason I’m giving 2 stars instead of one is because the bartender was fantastic and provided excellent service. If you’re trying to put off families coming to your restaurant, you just succeeded. Happy to spend my money elsewhere.

meh.
I’ll preface this with stating that if you’ve never had fondue of any kind then I’d definitely suggest coming here and getting all 3 fondue courses. It’s quite a fun experience.
That being said, how much you’ll enjoy it varies a lot depending on who you’re with, who your server is, how used to fine dining you are, and exactly what’s ordered. Quite a lot of possible variation considering all of those variables…
Some of the cheese fondues can be a little too bitter sometimes, and others have too much white wine still present in them. The meat courses are fun but the sauces included with them are easily the best part of the course. The dessert fondue is my favorite (I’d highly suggest the peanut butter one).
This is a «fancy» place for people who don’t often spend much on meals, a decent option for a special occasion meal if most of your meals are eaten at home. And it serves that purpose well, especially for the price. If you’re used to things like Congress, Barley Swine, Carillon, or the late Jezebel then you’ll probably not appreciate Melting Pot quite as much.

I love when there is a special of some kind. It makes it a bit cheaper. :)
We were here for Teachers Appreciation Week for my teacher friend. The meal was sublime like always. For 29.95/person, we got a cheese fondue, salad, entrée (Land and Sea), and a chocolate fondue.
We picked the spinach and artichoke cheese fondue, it was yummy like always.
For our entrée, we went with mojo. Its tangy and delicious.
Dulce de Leche for our chocolate. They were a bit skimpy on our caramel. :(
Overall, it was great. Melting pot always does a great presentation for the meal and the meal is always yummy.

I’ve heard people rave about this restaurant for years now and wanted to find out for myself what the craze was all about. This was my first time at any of their locations, as well as the first time I’d ever had fondue. I’ve had melted chocolate from a fountain before at a wedding, but this was a little different.
I signed up online to be part of their Club Fondue, so I receive emails when they have specials and also coupons for 6 free chocolate covered strawberries on my birthday and anniversary. If you are redeeming your strawberry coupon they ask that you call in ahead of time (I would do so when making your reservation) to ensure they will have them ready for you.
Currently during Lent they are offering Friday specials of endless seafood and pasta for $ 35 a person. This price includes a cheese fondue of your choice, a salad of your choice, your entrée, and a dessert fondue of your choice. Normally this meal is about $ 50 a person, so I figured this was as good a time as any to try them out.
I fully admit that going in my expectations were way too high. Austin has spoiled me with truly phenomenal food at inexpensive prices, so when I sit down knowing our bill is going to be over $ 100 I expect to be wowed. Sadly I wish my rating was higher because in terms of service, ambiance, and effort made, all of it was 5 stars easily. We had Gabriel as our server and he was delightful. He took his time to go over the menu and make recommendations for us, and was always near to refill our drinks or ask if we needed more of anything.
We started with cocktails and both were amazing. I got the fizzy Bellini ($ 7.95) which had champagne, peach schnapps, and a splash of fresh orange juice. I could have easily blown through a pitcher of those! My husband got the sailor’s punch ($ 8.75) which had rum, orange and pineapple juices, and is garnished with 3 maraschino cherries.
For our cheese fondue we picked the classic Alpine. The menu described it as a mix of aged Gruyère, raclette, and fontina. They start by building the base for you and letting it simmer before they add the cheeses. Our base had white wine, fresh garlic, and nutmeg and the smell was intoxicating. It was very good but heavy. Probably best to order if you are in a larger group and can share.
We both picked Cesar salad and then anxiously waited for our main meals to arrive. Gabriel recommended the mojo base with citrus and garlic for our dinners as the flavors pair nicely with seafood. He gave us each a plate with raw shrimp, scallops, salmon, ahi tuna, marscapone and sun dried tomato ravioli, spinach and artichoke ravioli, and a vegetable bowl with mushrooms, potatoes, and broccoli.
There were plenty of dipping sauces as well including spicy plum, yellow curry, sweet teriyaki, cream cheese herb, and blue cheese. It’s a little overwhelming at first since you cook all your own food but fun once you get the hang of it. What lacked to us was the taste. The seafood tasted as if it came straight from the Wal Mart freezer section and was not at all fresh or worthy of its price tag. To be honest, most items tasted that way.
Dessert was good (we chose the plain dark chocolate fondue), but the dippers tasted like they were from a grocery store’s few days old bakery department. The strawberries, bananas, and rice krispy treats were fine, but the angel food cake, chocolate chip blondies, and brownies were straight from a box. I should want to eat those items on their own before dipping them in chocolate, but I didn’t.
Eating here was like seeing a play in a gorgeous theater with beautiful actors who simply lacked talent. The effort was made, but the quality of the food didn’t match.
I would highly recommend coming here for drinks and doing either the cheese or dessert fondue with a bunch of friends. But I would most likely skip doing a full dinner here again.

I’ll try to boil it down for you (wait, was that a pun?):
* It’s dark and romantic and expensive. We’re talking at least $ 50 a person if you get the full treatment. The booths are very cramped, so don’t sit there if you’re claustrophobic. Eating here takes a lot of time, and you will suffer.
*You cook it yourself at the table. Except it’s like sitting around a campfire, so it’s more fun than doing it yourself in the kitchen. It’s primal, baby.
*You probably don’t need an entire portion per person, except for the salads, unless everyone is a big eater. We usually order three four-​course servings per four people and walk away full. This saves a considerable amount of money and avoids leftovers, which you also have to cook to take home with you.
*You have to make reservations. Just do it.
*They have an emailing list that sends you coupons for specific events and days.
*They’ve recently changed their menu so you can design your own four-​course meal, and they now have a non-​meat entrée option. The waitstaff is used to explaining the ordering and cooking process to everyone.
*Nothing on the menu specifies that it’s locally-​sourced or organically grown or grass-​fed or sustainably harvested. Therefore, I’m assuming none of it is. Some of it could actually be fresher, as well.
*There are several varieties of chocolate fondue, and some of the dishes come flaming. Like the S’mores. My favorite kind.
And finally, this is a great special occasion restaurant, except if you have babies or small kids. Not only is there a hot pot boiling in the center of the table for the entire meal, but there is a large hot plate embedded in the middle of the table as well. And multiple sharp metal skewers, which you use to cook and eat with.
Without fail, each time I’m there, I hear a baby or small child crying at someone’s table, and it’s heartbreaking. If your kids are small or especially wild, please pick someplace less dangerous and that takes less time. You’ll all enjoy yourselves more.

Although this was my first visit to the Austin location, I used to frequent the one in Addison, TX often «way back in the day» and it was always a blast; albeit the food, service, and décor were often lacking.
Perhaps that’s why I was SO blown away by Melting Pot Austin — I didn’t have very high expectations. Located in a strip mall, the exterior is very unassuming. Then, you open the door and enter the dimly lit, very warm, and surprisingly large dining space.
It was a date night. My husband and I were quickly greeted by a host and seated in less than 5 minutes of our reservation time. Seems like they run a pretty tight ship as the place was pretty full and no wait. Great! Theeeeen, as we were led to our table (adorably cozy half booth with cooktop table) the gentleman asked if he could take our coats — yes, please. I mean, $ 500 meal treatment! Our waitress quickly arrived, asked if we had been before (so she could explain «the process» if we hadn’t — so don’t be scared or embarrassed newbie’s — they will eagerly walk you through everything) and took our drink order. Voila! Cocktail and beer — decision from menu made — place order — sip and chat — food delivered — eat salad and wait for food to «cook.» Easy cheesy [pun intended — snork snork]!
The grub:
Cheese fondue: Skipped it on this visit. Too heavy if having entrée (s) as well. Cheese fondue is great when shared with a few friends and some wine.
Salad: Special seasonal with mixed greens, Gorgonzola, pecans, dried cranberries and apple cider vinaigrette. Great flavor combos. Ideal fresh start to an indulgent meal.
Several shared entrées: Chose to cook all in house bouillon (no up-​charge) — Lobster Tail; Filet Mignon; Sesame Crusted Seared Tuna; Chicken Dumpling; Chicken Breast; Orange Duck Breast. Served with plenty of fresh veggies including broccoli, mushrooms, etc. and an overwhelming number of dipping sauces. All items were perfectly cooked (er hum — ;) — for those of you born after 1985 you may not know fondue involves «self-service»)…the bouillon lent a nice hint of seasoning. Everything was wonderfully tasty, but no surprises that the lobster tail and filet were the major standouts. Highly recommend.
Dessert: Way too full!
Overall: Absolutely outstanding service!!! Great place for an intimate date night or an evening out with friends. Plenty enough menu options to be able to please all diners — even vegetarians. Not an everyday meal for sure, but quite the bang for the buck. Don’t limit Simple Fondue to special occasions. But, be aware it is a dining «experience.» Bring patience, a big appetite, and topics for good conversation and I promise you will have a grand time. Simply put. Simply fondue.
TIPS:
*If you join their Club Fondue email you will receive notices of special offers and a voucher for 6 complimentary chocolate covered strawberries on a subsequent visit.
**Not an ideal place for the kiddos. :/​Very adult oriented.