The Melting Pot

I am the type that reads a lot of reviews before going to a new place. Due to the mixed reviews I can admit I was a bit uncertain how my first experience at a fondue restaurant would be. Overall it was great.
We (a group of 4) had a 7:45 reservation. We arrived around 7:30 and were greeted by a young lady who checked us in. I could tell they were a bit overwhelmed by the amount of people in the small waiting area (many of whom did not make a reservation). I will admit the manager Mark or Mike (I can’t remember his name) truly knows how to work a crowd. We were seated around 8:30 and due to the wait the manager gave us a round of drinks in the house.
We all did the 4 course experience. Brie and Bacon cheese fondue was wow simply wow (had leftovers), the salads were very good (just a tip ask for the Garlic and Wine seasoning — it will elevate everything you eat), the entries were pretty good we had a blast cooking everything. All the sauces are amazing, for dessert we got the snickerdoodle chocolate (it’s on the secret menu — you didn’t hear that from me) — once again we were blown away with how good it tasted.
I wanted to take this last part to comment on our waitress (christyn) she was absolutely amazing. She is very confident in her job and knows how to engage the table in the fondue experience. I love the fact, she shared all the training they have to go through and how making a fondue is an art/​skill. She kept our table laughing and shared many tips and tricks of melting pot. I hope your organization rewards members like her for truly going above and beyond. The part that hit all of us is when I handed her the tip — you could tell she was about to cry as she said thank you.
I would definitely come back to visit again.

I was very curious to try this restaurant for some time and while visiting friends this weekend I AM HAPPY THAT I DID!!! We had a table filled with some of the best cuts of filet mignon and chicken that were cooked perfectly by ourselves in a perfectly seasoned broth. The appetizer cheese fondue was also amazing and a MUST TRY! The service was excellent and our waiter (damned that i forgot his name) was incredible and helped us out when needed. The manager, Mark, was extremely polite and energetic. Im glad a have another reason to visit my friends in NJ!!!

I’d be surprised if they’re around much longer…
So it was a Tuesday evening to be fair but it was dead. We came in based on a special we received as a member of their club fondue. We used to go a couple 3 or 4 times a year and loved it. However we stopped going for probably 2 years and in coming back it has not kept up.
Despite it being dead inside we had pretty bad service. It’s not that the server wasn’t good it’s that we never saw her.
1. Seated late because the server wasn’t ready for us
2. The hostess took our order and served us the first course because our server was so busy.
3. Probably 30 minutes into the meal Our server finally arrived dropped off a course and we almost never saw her again for the entire two hours we were there.
Having to flag down people to get our server and what ever we might need during the meal left me rather annoyed. I get it when places are slammed but it was so dead inside I couldn’t quite believe the poor service.
If this is how the place is run I would not be surprised it it’s not around much longer.
The meal was decent, nothing special, but I couldn’t get past the service. Try it at your own risk — for the money you can certainly find better.

I enjoyed my time there with my daughter and husband. But the prices are really out of control for cooking your own food and we were still hungry so bigger potions for the price.
The waiter was great. He was on top of everything. Really nice guy. Answered all our questions.
The best part was the whole process of the night. The flow from the cheese to the oil to the chocolate.
If the prices weren’t so high we’d go back often!

Came here on Sunday night with my parents and sister. The server was very attentive, but we actually felt bad for her because the table next to us was so annoying! They kept complaining about everything, calling her over any chance they got; and it wasn’t even her table. I think her name was Julia – she was great!
Anyways, the bill wasn’t that bad because we got two 4 course meals. We doubled up on the appetizers. Reason being that we all love the appetizers and dessert more than the entrees.
This was my second time at the Melting Pot. The first time at the Somerville location with a friend. From what I remember, parking is more convenient in Whippany, but the food is pretty much the same.
Also, the caesar salad was super cheesy and delicious!

Expensive and again odd experience they send people to the bar until table is ready but the funny thing is a lot of the tables were empty the whole duration of our meal. Front desk w three people working it seems a bit unorganized. We wound up spending $ 50 pp for cheese and chocolate fondue w a sangria. Food was good and service was good but again it’s not one of my top choices.

I have been wanting to come to The Melting Pot for years and was excited to finally have the opportunity on Halloween. There was a four course special, so I would have an opportunity to try a variety of offerings. The staff was friendly and the location was way to get to. The inside is modern looking and they had it decorated nicely for the holiday. Sadly I was really disappointed with the food. The cheese fondue was nothing special… the alcohol, though it burns off, still left a strong flavor. The meat, especially the chicken, was chewy and not flavorful. They did provide a variety of sauces to dip, but none of them were all that great. The chocolate fondue was delicious, but you can’t go wrong with melted chocolate! Unless it was for dessert, I wouldn’t go back.

Ambiance and service was decent. I was beyond disappointed with the price to cook your own food, not to mention the tiny portions. The cheese was nothing special and the breads almost tasted stale. The only highlight of this place is the dessert, good chocolate. For more than $ 300, our group left disappointed and still hungry.

I wasn’t really looking forward to going to this restaurant. But my daughter had her heart set on it, so I was happy to oblige. When we arrived we didn’t have a reservation, that wasn’t really a problem for them although it did seem to confuse the hostess a little bit… We were seated, and the menus placed in front of us then drink order taken… Perfect so far.
When the waitress approached the table she had the drinks that the hostess had ordered at the bar for us. She introduced herself, and asked around the table whose name is who. I thought that was a pleasant touch (not just spouting off her name as our server).
Going to a fondue restaurant is not typical, she took a lot of time to explain all the permutations of the menu.
Part of the service of this restaurant, is to manufacture the cheese fondue (our appetizer) right at the table. While she was stirring the broth and whisking in the cheese, and seasoning it, she was engaging in conversation both explaining what she was doing, and asking us about ourselves.
Later, the restaurant manager came over, and introduced himself. He also knew all our names and knew a little about us from our conversation with the server. I like that he took the time to do that.
The food was good, and the fondue process lends itself to. conversation and laughter. I haven’t had that much fun at a meal in a long time.
I did think it was a little pricy. The amount of protein (for example) for the entrée price is… Smaller… than I expected. The food is good and I left full, so that wasn’t the problem…

This was definitely not a place I would go back to. The staff was very nice, however that does not justify the waste of time. You kind of cook your own food, don’t go there if you are hungry because it would be a while before you get to eat. I would have preferred make food at home better taste, faster and definitely cheaper cooking experience at home then at this place.

Love the food here. Our server Dan P. was very patient and helpful! The spinach and artichoke cheese fondue was to die for and the kids loved the chocolate toffee fondue. Can never have enough of this stuff :)

Awful experience! Had to wait almost 40 minutes for my drink and when it finally came it was the wrong drink. Waiter was very slow. I completed something on line to get free chocolate covered strawberries but was told you had to order in advance and that I could get them next time but waiter would check into it, which he never did. When my bill came it was one amount but the copy to sign was $ 10 more.
Overall not a good experience. Will not go back.

Heard it was pricey here but found a Groupon, and glad I did. Service was excellent from start to finish. Hannah, our server, was very professional but also personable enough to add to the experience.
Started with the Top Shelf Fiesta cheese fondue. Came with tortilla chips, bread, veggies and apples. The cheese was really good and she assembled everything in front of us.
For the main course, they let you choose three items I’d you’d like, which I definitely suggest as they give you four pieces of each and is a good amount of food. The filet mignon was terrific and I was able to cook it to my liking. Also got andouille sausage and garlic shrimp.
The cocktails and beers are actually well priced and they even have wine flights which I’ll probably try next time. Overall, great service and good food made the experience very enjoyable.

Fondue? Fon-don’t. We went here with a Groupon special for two. It was a rare date night, where we parked the kids with the grandparents, and we were excited to try a new experience.
The staff and management at Melting Pot in Whippany are first rate — friendly, attentive and helpful. It was my birthday weekend and they had my name on the welcome screen of their monitors, and they gave me a birthday card. The manager came over independently from our sever to thank us for coming and to welcome us. Very nice people.
We did not like the food at all though. We started with a cheese fondue that was overdone with wine (not a good wine). The food to dip was equally as disappointing. Cherry tomatoes and celery? The bread, which you would expect to be killer in a fondue place, was barely OK.
The main course was a disaster though. We went with the hot oil based fondue that includes two batters to dip first (to essentially deep fry your fondue). Yuck. First the oil was too cool and it yielded slimy, gooey batter covered food. I instructed the server to turn up the heat. That improved things but not by much. I ordered the filet mignon, and quite honestly, the meat itself was excellent quality. My significant other ordered pasta pockets with wild mushrooms, though, and they were dreadful. Really really awful, and we both like wild mushroom ravioli usually. They are a terrible choice for fondue, and I have no idea why they would ever offer them. They paired terribly to the oil, and the sever neglected to mention this.
We switched mid meal to their basic «free» fondue (the oil was a $ 7 up charge), which a broth-​based. It was better, but still not great. I wished I could have wrapped up my filet to take home and cook properly on my Weber.
Others dining behind us were grossed out by being served raw chicken and pork to dip in their pot. I think they also ordered the oil — poor souls.
To be clear, it isn’t that I don’t get the concept of fondue. I get it. I’ve had it in Paris and in Quebec City, and the cheese in both places was mind blowing, and the items to dip equally as extraordinary. Melting Pot does not live up to that standard. It’s very very expensive with a coupon or groupon — dinner for two could easily be $ 200. There are much better choices for a date night.
Two stars because the premises were clean, with a cool intimate vibe. The staff as mention earlier were really great. The food, not so much.

Ok to me a place where you cook your own food that costs almost $ 50+ a person is just not my thing. The portions are also very small for the price. I’d rather buy a fondue set and make my own for a lot less. The atmosphere is nice though and our waiter Michael was very friendly and funny. I’ll not repeat though as price is just too high for what you ultimately get.

Awkward. That pretty much sums up the experience my boyfriend and I had at this location.
It was his birthday so we figured to try out a «fancy» place and made reservations for the Melting Pot which I had never been, he a long long time ago. It’s located in quite possibly the strangest plaza ever. We got there a little early and decided to walk around the time warp that is this plaza.
Our reservation was for 8:30 but we got there early and so we walked in and figured to just try and ask if they could take us a bit early. Manager gave us this long-​winded response about how they couldn’t because the servers need to follow a schedule to pace themselves. Whatever. So they offer us to sit at the bar that’s literally right by the front desk. No big deal. Oddly enough my boyfriend and the bartender shared the same unique sense of humor so they got along well.
I notice that 8:30 comes and goes. I wasn’t about to make a big fuss. But then 8:50 hits and we’re starting to get hungry. THENNNN my boyfriend gets a call from guess who? The Melting Pot! Telling us that we’re late and they are going to have to cancel our reservation. My boyfriend gets up and walks to the desk with his phone in his hand saying «You just called me when we’ve been sitting over there for 20 minutes». Five minutes later some hostess sits us and they gave him a birthday card. It was a nice gesture that didn’t really matter at that point since we were pretty damn annoyed.
First off, if you’ve never been here before, the menu is incredibly convoluted. We read it over ten times while we were waiting and our server Dave explained and we still didn’t get the process. So we just took the approach to point at things and see what happens.
We ordered the Quatro Formaggio fondue and that was nice enough. Then we got the sun dried tomato and mascarpone ravioli as our entrée. It was alright. Did not expect to have cook my own dinner but what the hell. The food was alright. With small portions (you will be hungry later it’s just a fact) like that it was kind of a downer that the food was mediocre. Dave our server was really sweet and didn’t do anything wrong.
At some point, some younger manager comes by and tells us to let him know if we need anything. My boyfriend and I just rolls our eyes as he walks away.
We aren’t douchebags who are going to make a big scene but yeah, this was a once and a lifetime trip. I could sense a lot of back of house tension and lack of communication between everybody. It really ticked me off that the front desk manager was really condescending about the reservation thing and then they totally screwed that up. So it’s obvious that they use that as a way to make excuses for certain things to customers when they mess up. It’s soooo important to follow reservation schedules except oh wait! You totally forgot about this couple you shooed away that wanted to be sat 5 minutes early.
Conclusion: Don’t bother!

Making the reservations over the phone was great. They asked about allergies so thought it was a good sign.
Went there on a Saturday night. Tried to move up the time by calling earlier that day and they couldn’t accommodate. So got there a bit earlier than our seating time but they still made us wait even though the place was half empty. Even the tables that serviced the same amount of people in our party. If they are trying to give the illusion that they are a busy restaurant, it’s not working, made me more annoyed which impacts whether I’ll return.
Server told us how the menu worked. He did not acknowledge our allergies so I surprised since it was a big conversation during the reservation. I made sure he knew. I would recommend that you do they same just to cover off. Don’t assume they know if you have a bad server. Btw– we had a bad waiter. The other servers were much more attentive to their customers. We got unlucky. He was super slow.
Food was very expensive, but you’re paying for the experience, so I get it. We had the 4 course experience. 3 adults, 2 teens, and 1 child.
Cheese fondue — everything had alcohol but the Spinach Artichoke dip. We also ordered the Quattro Formaggio since it didn’t list alcohol as an ingredient on the menu. We found out when it got to our table that there’s wine in it. They said the alcohol burns out but we could still taste the bitterness. We had kids with us. Server offered to replace but it was too late since he checked on us after the course was completed.
We felt rushed during the salad course. Entrees came out before we were finished. Bad pacing by the server.
During the entrée course, waiter gave us the dessert menu b/​f we were finished. He said to take our time, but he came back a few minutes later to ask again.
Then it took a long time to get the dessert and the check. Unbelievable!
We won’t be returning. The food is good, but the service, including the no-​reason-​for-​waiting when we got there and the bad waiter, was all we needed to make this easy we-won’t-be-returning decision.

I love it.
You’re paying for the experience. Don’t expect to be stuffed.
I love the combination of dipping sauces and seasonings. So many flavors to try.
We did the entire full meal. Everything was great, and service was awesome.
Highly recommend you make a reservation and check this place out.

My wife and I wanted to get out on a Friday night. I always heard of people say that The Melting Pot was a great place to eat or just go for dessert. Being that we’ve never gone before, I decided to take my wife there for dessert.
I always heard that you had to make a reservation, so I called. I asked if they could take me tonight and they told me that usually you have to make reservations 3 days in advance. I told them I just wanted dessert for 2 and asked if there was any way to squeeze us in. They said they do walk ins, but there’s no guarantee they could sit us. They also said they have a few tables dedicated for people who just want dessert. I then asked if there’s a long wait for walk ins. After a brief hold, they said they had a few tables available at that moment, but that could change at any second. Being that it was 8:45pm on a Friday, I took that chance and went with my wife.
When we got there, I gave them my info and within a few minutes, we were seated towards the back in a booth for two. It was intimate and cozy. It was nice to sit next to my wife and not across from her. The music was also fun, pleasant and low key, perfect for the atmosphere.
Our waiter, Evan, greeted us and being that we were first time diners, he told us about the menu. We choose the Melted Turtle. The food came out and looked delicious. With our first taste, we knew this was going the be a superb dessert. Everything was amazing. The baked goods were moist and rich and the fruits were juicy. At the end of our meal, we were stuffed. It was the perfect amount of food and fondue.
Our experience was perfect. The atmosphere, music and food were spot on. The perfect date night. My wife and I are excited for out next visit. Rated it ⁴⁄₅ for now being that we did just dessert.

Be prepared to sit down for 3 ½ hours if you want the 4 course meal.
We started off with the lobster cheese fondue appetizer. That happened to be excellent. You get bread, apples, grapes, cauliflower, carrots and celery to dip with. We got the portion for two but was more than enough to share with our daughter.
The salad, which was a wedge of lettuce with the tiniest amount of dressing and bacon could have been better if they put more. The blue cheese was nice though.
For the main course, I had the classic, which was a mixture if all the meats, my husband had the steak lovers and our daughter had the artichoke and spinach ravioli. She enjoyed the ravioli, but we were not impressed with our entrees. The flavors were just not good and in the beginning the waiter took so long to come to us with our meats the stock was sitting for about 20 minutes getting cold so it took a very long time for the meat to cook. I’m surprised we didn’t get sick, as my husband came back from the bathroom and said the man next to him in the bathroom had massive diarrhea.
The ying and yang fondue was very good. The brownie, blondie, poundcake and strawberries were our favorite.
If we were to come back again for our daughter we would only come back for appetizer and dessert.
This place isn’t cheap. Be prepared to pay about $ 130 for 3 people and that’s when you choose to buy the 2 person portion for appetizer and dessert