The Melting Pot

We have been Melting Pot fans for years. We returned at the request of the owner after a bad experience last time. We didn’t tell him we were coming; we wanted to judge the service without special treatment. This time, the service was friendly, and we saw our waiter far more often, and our drinks remained full and the mushrooms and green goddess kept coming. It appears last time was an anomaly. The owner was out of town last time, and I wonder if that affected our service. The service this time was what I expected from a melting pot, and the food was excellent. The service moved quickly enough that our 6 year olds didn’t grow restless. We will definitely go back.

Our server was delightful! She had a sweet demeanor, covered all the bases insofar as what the selections and ingredients are, and checked on us frequently to make sure everything was going well.
The cheese was a delicious blend of smooth creamy loveliness! The breads, fruits and veggies that came with it to dip were fresh and perfect match for it. The salads were equally as fresh and tasty as were the toppings and the dressings.
The only thing not to our liking was the floor beneath our table. It was sticky everywhere and no matter where we put our feet they stuck to it. It was definitely annoying and in need of a good mopping with lots of elbow grease behind it!

This location is very unique and different from the other melting pots I have been to. The restaurant has a great set up. We had a private booth, which made us feel like we were the only ones in the restaurant even though it was a full house. All of the food was incredible. The pure milk chocolate was my favorite. We got the enhanced dippers and the cream puffs were great. I wish they were part of the regular dippers! Our server was quick, friendly and attentive. He never left us waiting to switch courses. I will most definitely be back!

This was the first time I had gone to this melting pot location. Kind of a weird spot, almost looks like a doctors office or just an office building so that threw me off at first. After getting in and being seated it makes sense why it’s in this building, they use all the turns and places that were probably once cubicles for private seats around the burners, which also allow you to close curtains with your party if you’d like. All that being said the food was amazing, the service here is great and do NOT skip desert here.

Despite living about 2 miles away from this location for the past 6 years, this was my first ‘The Melting Pot’ experience, which I know sounds crazy– don’t get me wrong– I’ve eaten plenty of fondue, just not chain restaurant fondue. I don’t live over in middle earth or anything. I assumed it would be crowded, cheesy and over-​done, like The Cheesecake Factory with hotplates on the table, but I was wrong– at least for this visit.
I came here on a Sunday late afternoon with a small group (6?) of girl friends for dessert fondue. The place was quiet but we were seated right away and our server was super friendly. We explained that we were going to do dessert and he directed us to all the gooey delicious chocolate selections. I wanted THEM ALL, so I deferred to my friends to make good decisions. The chocolate bowls came out and were served with small plates stacked high with various things to dip in said chocolate– rice crispy treats, marshmellows, brownies, cookies, strawberries, pineapple. Needless to say, it was pretty amazing.
I noticed when I went to the restroom that there were a lot of private booths which I assume are designed for romantic evenings with your boo thang. That could be cute, so I may come back and see what that’s all about another time.

I have been to multiple Melting Pots in the past and this location twice! I won’t go through how the restaurant works because PLENTY of reviews here already do that.
As many have mentioned, this place is pricey, especially if you’re doing a full 4 course meal. It is surprisingly, incredibly filling, and I often struggle to get to the dessert course! It’s a great special occasion restaurant, especially if you want to spend LOTS of time with your date. Most people take at least 2+ hours. Another great option is to come here JUST for 1 or 2 courses, particularly the cheese fondue and dessert fondue. Those are my favorite fondue courses here and they won’t eat up your time or wallet!
What I will also say is that this location doesn’t have seating that is quite as nice as some other Melting Pot locations, but does offer some great seating options like the «Lover’s Lanes» tables, which are curtained and private booths. You might be able to control how dim the lights are too, I don’t quite remember. You can request this table at time of reservation or even when you walk in, and if available they’ll give it to you. However these are highly popular tables so they do offer a package where you can pay extra for a guaranteed table as well as extras (like wine etc). I was very lucky and requested it on walk in and the staff made it happen for me!
All in all, the place can be romantic and intimate or more casual and open depending on what kind of experience you want. Service has never been bad. Melting Pot is what you make of it!
Tip: I usually only go during Restaurant Week! They always participate and it’s a great way to get the experience for a little less money!

Wonderful experience. The food was great as always.
Brittany was a prefect server. She explained everything, was patient with our newcomer friends, brought everything out in a timely manner, & made my girlfriend feel special while we were celebrating her birthday.
Will definitely be coming back.

This is my absolute favorite chain restaurant of all time. I usually tend to gravitate and favor local restaurants but they deserve my stars. The fondues are delicious and the deserts are even better. I usually go here on big occasions such as New Years, birthdays, and etc. Make sure you plan your night accordingly because the fondue does take time, but trust me the time and money is worth it.
Ambiance ****
Food. *****
Service ****
Fun. ****

We went to the Melting Pot to celebrate our anniversary. (We took advantage of the free childcare at the drop-​in center — which was a great advantage!) We did one of the special occasion packages and sat in the «Lovers Lane» booths. It was comfortable and a very nice presentation with the flowers and all. Service was prompt and the food was great — as we’ve come to expect from our other Melting Pot experiences.
I would highly recommend the restaurant and we plan to go back. I gave 4 stars instead of 5 for two very small reasons. First, we did have to remind our server about the chocolate strawberries included in the package. And second, the pewter frame that was to be included in the package was out of stock. That being said, we had an opportunity to meet the owner who ensured they had our information so that this can be provided when they come in. (And it’s worth noting that the chat we had with him was very pleasant, and he provided us with a coupon for a future visit.)
In summary, can I give it 4 ½ stars? We will be very happy to go out to this restaurant again.

The quality ingredients is top notch, service is good and the overall experience is great for a social family meal. The only thing surprising was the portions for the salads and dessert chocolate seemed much smaller than before; cost cutting?

Fun family anniversary celebration. (First year, included the 7 year old in this celebration, adult celebration next when she is at her dad’s house). She got to pick the restaurant and of course picked Melting Pot. Her favorite restaurant. This was our first visit to Durham location and we enjoyed it much more than Raleigh locations. Nicer restaurant. But owner is here assuring everyone’s visit is nice. Our wait staff was excellent as well. Dinner was fun and yummy. Ate way too much cheese and chocolate of course. Restaurant does great job separating families from complies so everyone is happy. Thanks for a great night!

This was my first visit here. We came with another couple. We had to wait a little while to be seated which was odd as there were probably about 8 tables open.
I had my groupon and our friends had their living social. Our friend was told prior to arrival that we could use both of these coupons at the same table — just not 2 groupons. While when we were seated we were informed that that wasn’t the case and after some discussion, the owner came over and had a little exchange with us about it. He honored both as one of his staff misinformed my friend but it was a little downer to the beginning of the evening.
On to the food — The concept is kind of neat and the food was decent but for the price, I know I would have enjoyed spending it elsewhere. I thought there were too many dipping options and we had to have our server write down the instructions so that things cooked for the appropriate time. I wasn’t expecting the meat to come out raw. I was more expecting the meat to come out cooked and then you would have a few options to dip it in. Dessert was the best part. We had the Flaming Turtle. I will say that I left feeling full.
Our server Brittany was great. Very personable. However, it seemed they might have been a little short staffed tonight. Our dining experience was 3 hours which seemed a little lengthy. I have another groupon but not sure if I’ll give it away or come back just for the dessert.

Last weekend me and my wife decided to venture out to explore Durham since we live 15 mins away from the Melting Pot. Let me say we went inside and first the hostess said reservations were needed so we were like Ugh oh but low and behold we got in within 30 mins so we took a drive around the plaza to kill time. So me and my wife decided on the 4 course meal and OMG… incredible and our waiter Jules was amazing… he was very well detailed in going over our selections and offered his recommendations. We will be back in the very near future. And the owner even took time at the end to introduce himself too. 5 stars plus!!!

Wish I could give this a rave review as I have loved every other Melting Pot experience I’ve had but alas I couldn’t even get a table for my birthday on a Wednesday night. My husband (home had never been here before) tried to reserve a table in «Lovers Lane», which are semi-​private two person booths. He has made this reservation online, so the next day he receives a surprising phone call from the staff. They informed him that to get these «special VIP» tables that he would need to purchase a «Lovers Lane Romance Package», which comes with things like champagne, a rose, and a photo. (I can’t even drink because I’m 6 months pregnant) These packages were from $ 75-​$ 200 dollars, the $ 75 one mind you did not include food. He was so taken aback by the scam and attempt to gouge before he walked through the door that he decided to ruin the surprise and tell me what happened. I was shocked as well, I have never been told those tables were so «VIP» that they were reserved for people more willing to empty their pockets. Every other Melting Pot that I have been to both in California and Florida it was always a first come fist serve basis. I wrote to corporate Melting Pot and they said this is not their protocol but that this location is a franchise and they would email my concerns to the owner. The owner reiterated what my husband was told over the phone. That if we want a reservation on «Lovers Lane», we gotta pay up.
Lame. Won’t be dining at this location ever.

Made a reso for a date night at this wonderful establishment. it was clean it was easy it was not a lot of bs that I get a lot of other restaurants on date night. it was a wonderful table with a private curtain and the food was excellent. I don’t know if you have ever done fondue but it is a lot of fun. our server Maranda was absolutely amazing if you get a chance to ask for her you should. we will return.

I’ve been to a few different Melting Pots over the years, and this location is my least favorite (my fave being St. Louis/​U City). The booth we were in here felt sterile — not at all romantic or intimate. I like my fondue spots with more wood paneling and more of a vintage vibe. Call me crazy, but when I’m having fondue I want to feel like I’m in the 70s! The Classic Alpine cheese course with apples and bread was yummy as always, but sadly the spinach salad is no longer on the menu; that used to be a favorite of mine. Their wines are insanely overpriced.

Tonight was my first visit to the Melting Pot and I have to say it pretty awesome!
The food was satisfactory but I will say out of the four course experience the cheese fondue course was our least favorite. The four of us shared the Brie & Bacon and the Classic Alpine and neither really left us dying for more but that may be just a taste preference. I am curious to try the cheddar option in the future though.
Next was the salad, most of us had the California salad except for one person enjoying the Strawberry salad and all were excellent! I particularly enjoyed the candied pecans in the California salad and how they worked with the raspberry vinaigrette! Yum!
The main course was a mixture of pork tenderloin, steaks, chicken and shrimp and a myriad of dipping sauce that were each unique and tasty!
The star of the evening was the dessert! We shared the flaming turtle and the Strawberry Mascarpone Shortcake and each were decadent and perfect, pairing well with the assortment of dipping options such as strawberries, pound cake, bananas, etc.
All in all it was a great experience only made better by our server Christian who was charismatic, attentive, funny, and to our surprise new! He made the experience so much more enjoyable and when we go back we definitely will be sitting in his section for sure!

I’d never had fondue before, so this was definitely a special treat for me. I went for an anniversary dinner with my boyfriend, and reservations were easy to make and fulfilled quickly. We were seated about 5 minutes after checking in at the front desk, and because my boyfriend had made a reservation just for the two of us, we had gotten this special seating area in the back that had private curtains and everything. It was definitely a very intimate feel, and it made our dining experience feel that much more special.
Upon looking at the menu, things may seem a bit confusing, but out server, Landon, was so wonderfully kind and helpful that we actually got a hang of things pretty quickly. We went for the four course meal, and hopefully this will help you if you decide to try this as well (keep in mind that #1, #3, and #4 pertains to the number of fondue pots you have on your table, so if you have more than one, you can repeat the process for those):
1) You choose one fondue for each pot you have on your table, and your whole table shares it. I went with the Baked Potato Fondue, and it was really fun to watch them make it at our table. They pour in a little oil, the cheese, and for us, baked potato pieces with sour cream and bacon and chives, and then everything just melts to gooey perfection. Our fondue came with bread, apples, carrots, and cauliflower. All the veggies and fruits were extremely fresh as they only source out fresh ingredients for the fondue, and the bread was made in house and great. It was really fun to take whatever you’d like and just dip it in and watch the cheese coat every piece of it.
2) Each member of the party chooses a salad of their choice. I had the caesar, and it had this wonderful candied nut on top of it which i’d never had before in a caesar salad, but thoroughly enjoyed.
3) The table chooses one cooking style for the table. I feel like this may seem confusing, but a cooking style is basically a hot flavored broth, or an oil, that you cook your own dinner with. The proteins you choose come raw, and its up to you to cook it yourself. For this night we chose the bourguignonnne, which is hot oil that is served with a tempura and a sesame batter. The tempura batter is light and flaky, while the sesame batter is thicker and crunchier. We both chose the Classic, which is Certified Angus Beef® sirloin, Memphis-​style BBQ pork medallion, Pacific white shrimp, herb-​crusted all-​natural breast of chicken, and teriyaki-​marinated sirloin, because it seemed to be the option with the most diversity. You dip your proteins in one of the batters and then fry it up yourself. Although this may seem daunting at first, our server gave us a list of times as to how long we should cook each of the meats for, and it was really helpful! We were also served a TON of wonderful dipping sauces, and I thought they were all great. My favorite protein was either the teriyaki-​marinated sirloin or the pork medallion, because I loved the marinades they were in. They were both so flavorful and tender, but everything else was good as well!
4) Lastly, and most importantly haha, you choose a chocolate fondue for the table. I went with the Caramel Toffee Crunch which was the heavenly semi-​sweet chocolate mixed with caramel sauce and heath bar, and I cannot rave about it enough. It was so creamy and chocolatey and the little pieces of crunchy toffee in it gave a beautiful textural component that I really enjoyed. The dippers we were given were banana, chocolate coated marshmallows, graham cracker coated marshmallows, strawberries, blondies, and brownies. I will say though that things can get really sweet really fast, so if you like sweets but don’t like to be overpowered by them, I would suggest asking for an all fruit plate.
To finish off our meal, Landon surprised my boyfriend and I with some sparkling juice (we’re underage haha) that had cute little heart shaped strawberries on top. The food was great, and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal, but I think that some of this 5 star rating definitely goes to Landon, because he was beyond kind and he made us feel like we were some of the most special people that night. It was really nice to see someone else want to help us commemorate such a special day, and he made sure every last detail was perfect. If you do decide to go, I would highly highly recommend asking for him, because he’s the perfect combination of charisma and professionalism.

I come here once a year to celebrate my anniversary with my husband, 5 years and counting. I love our tradition and this place always delivers. Located across the street from Southpoint there is plenty of parking and you can make reservations on Open Table. The concept of fondue is appealing to me and I think it makes for a fun dining experience. With the 4-​Course Experience you can mix and match your options and if you have never been before I suggest ordering that. You can choose individual items as well and just come for dessert if that’s your thing. With the 4– Course Experience you– 1. Select one cheese fondue per cooktop. 2. Select your individual salad. 3. Select your individual entrée 4. Select one chocolate fondue per cooktop. Cheese options range from Cheddar, Classic Alpine, and Spinach Artichoke. They only have three salad options, house, Caesar, and the one I always get, California Salad– Mixed baby salad greens, Roma tomatoes, candied pecans and Gorgonzola cheese with Raspberry Black Walnut Vinaigrette. For Entrees you can get individual or a combo of the following: Teriyaki-​Marinated Sirloin, Honey Orange Duck Breast, Salmon Filet, Andouille Sausage, Pacific White Shrimp, Chicken Potstickers, Spinach And Artichoke Ravioli, Memphis-​Style BBQ Pork Medallion, Filet Mignon, Sesame-​Crusted Ahi Tuna, All-​Natural Breast Of Chicken, Wild Mushroom Sacchetti, Certified Angus Beef® Sirloin, Good Earth Vegetarian (Edamame or onion rings, artichoke hearts, baby Portobello mushrooms, asparagus, Thai peanut-​marinated tofu, spinach and artichoke ravioli and wild mushroom sacchetii) Everything is always fresh and high quality. One of the best parts of the main meal is the sauces! Curry, Green Goddess, Teriyaki Glaze, Gorgonzola Port, and a Ginger Plum. Take note that you can always order extra. The Green Goddess and the Gorgonzola are my two favorites. The main course does have cooking times depending on the item (1 – 4 minutes). If you are like me and get to drinking some wine and forget its helpful to use your phone to time items so they are cooked the way you like it. After all of that comes the Chocolate!!! You can choose from milk, dark, white, they even do a Flaming Turtle. Lots of options here and they all come with fresh strawberries, blondies, bananas, pineapple, marshmallow treats, pound cake, and brownies. Oh, its heaven I tell you. The 4-​course can run from $ 36-​$ 43 per person and be prepared to spend around 1.5−2 hours to dine. If you want some privacy for a special occasion ask to be sat in «Lovers Lane» when you make reservations. They are cute little booths for two that are very private and they can even draw the curtains for you, xoxo.

Nice food okay service. The one in Raleigh has really nice service.
If you want nice fondues near Durham, try Little Dipper in downtown Durham.