La Fondue
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 5:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Fri 5:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
Sat 4:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
Sun 4:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m. - Price Range: $$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
265 Reviews for La Fondue
One of La Fondue's Favorite Reviews
I loooooooooooove La Fondue! Fo some reason it feels healthy, even though I'm downing a pot of cheese, a plate of meat, and a pot of chocolate. But everything is SO fresh and well cooked and just YUM YUM!! The option with all the exotic meats is a little too gamey but kind of fun to try ostrich and alligator. And OH the carmel turtle chocolate dessert!
I actually kind of miss all the over the top kitschy decorations but its much classier now. The service is usually a little, eh... but you can easily distract yourself with the food while you wait for them to come around again. I think La Fondue is WAY better than the Melting Pot. GET IN MAH BELLEH!
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Way too much money only to have you cook your own food. =P
It's decor resembles an Arabian night theme which is both beautiful and strange for a fondue restaurant. Nonetheless, if you are looking for a new dinner experience, this place will do. However, for some real good quality fondue- ing, I'd much rather go to the Melthing Pot.
I recently went here with my bf and two other friends, and we all had a wonderful time.
It gets 4 stars because, yup it's true, the food just isn't that amazing. In particular, the salad and cheese were disappointing, and the dipping sauces weren't the greatest. The salad had way too much stuff on it- too much dressing, too much cheese, and not enough lettuce. I like salads because they're tasty and light, not bloated and drenched in dressing. The cheese fondue was good but unremarkable, but then again I eat various cheeses on a daily basis. Also, ignore the statement that the dinners serve 2 people; you can easily feed 3 with a meal.
We had two orders of Le Freak Ceste Chic, which is a taste of everything they offer. We had a lively and interesting conversation going, but once the meats arrived it was all about the food. It was so much fun to try all sorts of meats, such as wild boar and alligator (both of which were good), and also indulge my love of seafood. It was about 1/3 seafoods, including lobster and 3 kinds of shrimp, about 1/3 various kinds of steaks and chicken, and 1/3 exotic meats.
The absolute best part of the meal was the chocolate. We ordered milk chocolate with Godiva, and then another one with milk chocolate and caramel with flambe'd pecans (turtle dessert). The turtle was amazing. I can't afford this place (my friends and bf picked up the tab) but I can surely afford another pot of the delicious chocolate turtle! If you get it, try it with the oranges, it's wonderful.
Extra fyi's: if you like a particular item with the cheese or chocolate, just ask for more of that item and they'll bring you some. The grill spatters, but I'm not sure how the meats tasted when boiled in the fondue pot. Plan on being there for 2-3 hours; we took 3 hours and it didn't even seem like it. Finally, fondue is a wonderful experience, if you can afford it, it's a really fun way to spend an evening!
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This place is fun but we enjoy Melting Pot in downtown San Jose much more. We came here because a friend gave us a $50 gift card so really we paid $70 at the end of the night for the rest of the meal and tip. We left still hungry sadly and stopped at Taco Bell on the way home. I was sad since I was hoping it would be the perfect night out with my sweetie. Downtown Saratoga is a cute little place to walk around and shop before eating here.
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They moved down the street to what seems like a more spacious location in the corner. We ordered the Fondue feast.
Chef Salad - Good but I made the mistake of getting the tarragon dressing which wasn't so great. I took the advice of fellow yelpers and didn't finish it to save some room for the rest of the food.
Stinkin Rose - I am a garlic lover, but when the bf and I saw how much garlic goes into it, we both gave each other a weird look. I liked the flavor, but I wish the cheese was hotter. My favorite thing with the cheese was the bread.
Grill - I made the decision to grill our meat which was a mistake. To get the full La Fondue experience, it probably would have been better to opt for the Lobster Bisque. I don't know what I was thinking. And, we were too chicken to try the exotic meats. I thought the bf would be more adventurous than me, but disappointingly he wasn't. We chose spiced fish, calamari steak, himalayan beef, scallops, filet mignon & shrimp. The spiced fish was gross, the himalayan beef was tough, the scallops were simply scallops, the shrimp were simply shrimp, the filet mignon & calamari steak were my favorite. When our waiter first brought our meets, it didn't look like a lot of food. But we were already full after cooking 3/4 of the plate.
Dessert - Milk chocolate w/ godiva. I expected it to be better. The strawberries were kinda good. The bf's favorite was the cookie dough, I guess that was my favorite too. I was so full. We only finished half of our dessert, weird considering the size of my sweet tooth.
+ 1 star = 4 stars because the waiter misunderstood me and thought it was our anniversary. He brought the dessert to our table with a candle. It was cute bc the bf and I blew it out together.
I ordered a pina colada before the meal as my cocktail, I know, stupid foo foo drink that doesn't go with La Fondue food. Well, everytime I order a pina colada at Benihana it gives me a slight buzz (yes I am a lightweight) that makes me even hungrier. That is what I was going for. However, the alcohol content was so minimal that it didn't make me buzzed at all and instead it was like drinking a smoothie which contributed to my fullness. Bad plan, o well.
-1 star = 3 stars because when I used the ladies room after our meal, they didn't have a hook for my not so cheap designer purse. I put it on the door handle and it fell on the filthy fecal matter infested floor, GROSS!
Overall, I had a nice experience with the bf, it was fun to fondue. However, the food was just okay. We probably won't be back for 2 years, but I'm glad I finally tried it.
I've been here twice and I've liked it both times--but it has never been anything special like I hoped.
Pros--
-Bigger location with more sophisticated decor (than the previous one)
-AMAZING chocolate fondue
-Refills on the yummy "dippers" for fondue
-Love the "cook it yourself" meat
Cons--
-Waitstaff always seems kinda snobby--mostly the hostesses at the front, but some of the waiters/waitresses too**Feels like its difficult to get good service unless you showcase your wealth/high status
-can you say EXPENSIVE!! especially for the size of the portions
-No complimentary refills on soda (Seriously??)
-It is noisy in the kitchen and you can hear it out in the restaurant
-low lighting makes for romantic ambiance, but difficult to see (I couldn't tell if my sirloin was cooking or not!)
Tips for visiting--
-Make sure to book reservations way in advance
-if you only want dessert (chocolate) fondue you can only go Sunday-Thursday
This review is solely based on the dessert.
Came here late for dessert just to compare it to Melting Pot and MP wins hands down.
The place is a little hard to find so drive slow.
Delicious.... you simply have to go here to try it before you die.
A very interesting experience. This was probably the most expensive restaurant I've ever been to, only because it was a special occasion. The decor is kinda dark and dimly lit but the lamps are.... interesting.
The food. My god was it so good. Honestly I've never eaten fondue before, but it was so gooood. The salad was relatively huge, and had a lot of cheese and chicken, which I liked, but might not cater to some. You can choose what meats and which cheeses you want, which will help keep things different. It was also the first time I tried ostrich, alligator and crocodile, which aren't that great but at least now I can saw I've tried it.
I'll agree with another Yelper.... the servers seem kinda snobby, or at least not exactly friendly. They weren't bad or anything, it just seems like they're not satisfied about something; they hardly smile.
The dessert might have been the best part. Snickers dipped in white chocolate, yum. They have an assortment of sweets, fruits and crackers to try. There were even a couple of parties who got there really late, and apparently all they got was the dessert. It was a great ending to a great meal.
As good as it was, the tab made my jaw drop. The real reason why we went here was because it was Mother's Day and we wanted to try something different, so my sister, who lives quite an affluent lifestyle, suggested it.... again, it was a great experience and very delicious food, but I can't see myself going here that often. I don't really give a crap about my diet but those who do might want to stay away.... lots of cheese and chocolate (for dessert).
I'm even tempted to give it 3 stars, but it was just too good. Trying it once won't kill you, or at least I hope not (I'm not responsible for intentional or unintentional food-related injuries)
Dining here was a great experience. Decor is chic, seating is open yet very private, lighting is perfect, ambiance is comparable to Mc Donalds [jk].
Came in for the cheese and dessert fondue. Dude, they got pickles so tiny they can fit into your nostrils!!! I've never seen anything cuter than that...
Service was excellent. I mean, it gets kinda awkward when the server is there for like 5 minutes mixing the cheese and is totally just silent- but other than that, I'd definitely come here again.... as long as I ain't payin! ;)
Take your date here if you want to impress her with your impeccable taste. pimp playa status, knawmsayin!??
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La Fondue in Saratoga recently re-opened down the street from the old location. The restaurant is much bigger and the dark medieval theme is gone :-) . When you walk in you will not recognize the place. I think the only thing they kept from the old spot were the fondue pots. The new decor is modern with a touch of crazy.
Our usual order is the Fondue Feast. The food is always outstanding.
Coming to La Fondue is a fun and entertaining way to spend an evening. Although your body can really only handle visiting once a year. If you haven't been in a while, it's worth going just to see the renovations.
Huzzah! I got my fondue fix this weekend and I am so happy about it. I did forget to mention that if you are over 21 they greet you with not only your bottled Fiji water, but also a complimentary shot of pear schnapps to get the taste buds flowin'. Doesn't get better than cheap as free!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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06/18/2008
La Fondue is an aphrodisiac in the form of a restaurant. I love love love this place. While we… Read more »
Unfortunately, I'm not a huge fan of cheese. The taste, the smell - everything. I've never actually ate dinner here or anything, but I have had dessert here, which was scrumptious and a great deal!
La Fondue offers chocolate fondue dessert every Sun-Thurs on a first come, first serve basis. My best friend and I decided to give it a try with our dandy 25% off coupon, I think. I can't exactly remember. We both got a coupon, but we couldn't stack coupons, so we just split the bill at the end and used the coupon.
The servers were nice and knowledgeable about the dessert, especially since there were so many different types of chocolates! It costs only $10/person and came in with a perfect amount of fruit and goodies to dip into the luscious chocolate.
Overall, it was a good experience. La Fondue is perfect for couples - the typical candlelit dinner and dark, romantic aura. haha. The only thing I didn't like about the place is that it reeked terribly of cheese...
This place is VERY expensive, however if you're into trying something new and exotic, this is definitely the place to go!
You can try all sorts of exotic meat such as: buffalo, alligator, crocodile, ostrich, etc.
I've only been here once with my family for my birthday and my experience was great.
It was a little hard to selected the hot liquid i wanted to dip my raw food in however, that was all part of the fun.
The decoration was over-the-top gorgeous.
The service was really nice however, it was a little intimidating because I had no idea what to expect or what to order.
Next time i go, i'll probably just order the desserts, a full course meal would be too expensive for a student like me to order.
I expected La Fondue to be geared for high school version of "classy place to bring your date." I was right as far as the decor was concerned - it's kind of like Disney meets King Arthur's court. But hey you dip stuff into cheese and chocolate - how could it be bad?
The thing that got me really excited though was when I saw they had game on the menu. I always want to try "weird" things so when I saw that I could order alligator, buffalo, ostrich and some other stuff as my "food dipped in sauce" option I was pretty thrilled. I gotta say, the food did not let me down, and I found some new favorites.
The chocolate and cheese fondues were decent also.
I did see a bunch of 16 year olds on dates, and some giggly girls came in to share chocolate fondue, but it somehow made the place endearing.
It was expensive, but given its Saratoga location and some of the options of the menu (like game) it was to be expected.
I've dined here with a group of friends for the chocolate only fondue which starts at 10pm on Sunday - Thursdays. There is a line outside the restaurant so come early for this dining experience. It's the first time I've had to wait in line outside of a restaurant.
Their ambiance is extremely romantic. It's a great fun experience with friends.
There's only one stall for the female restroom so if you go with the usual group of gals be prepared to wait.
I'm not sure if I'm digging the new atmosphere of the new location. It's not as quaint and cozy as the old location. I think it's a cool experience, but after 'experiencing' it a few times, it doesn't deserve the hype. I don't think I'll be dining there for a meal anymore... but definitely wouldn't mind going for just dessert!
I've ALWAYS wanted to go to La Fondue, in Saratoga, CA. If you're a Rider then you know its on the way to Hwy 9.
First, I made a reservation at 8:30 on Friday evening. 8:30 was the only time available. Most days are packed, we had to wait an entire week because they had crappy times left. I took 2 lovely ladies, Myra and Juana, who are dear to me.
So, the night went pretty well. I found a cool song that they played there and asked the hostess if she could get the name for me and it was called. Kissing - Bliss... Pretty relaxing lounge music. Also, Myra kept getting hit on by one of the servers, HAhaha!
As with all downtown areas, parking sucks! So, get there a little early to find parking. Once actually finding the entrance (because it was blocked off by curtains).
Once entering the doors I noticed the beautiful decor. The seats in the lobby were all facing the same direction (I don't know why I think that's cool, it just is). The wallpaper of some chicks face was all over the place. It was very dim and that's all I could remember upon entering... And the smells.. It made my stomach growl and I told it "SHUT UP!"... Just like that one commercial.... Burger King?
We were then greeted by some super cheesy hosts. They were VERY HAPPY to see us. Like they just dropped some E or something. I had my camcorder rolling. And one hostess was just a sweety about it. She had a nice booty!
We got seated at a corner booth with a lamp and handed 3 menu's. In the middle of the table was a pot for the fondue. It was damn difficult reading the menu's because it was so dim. But, your eyes will adjust! Don't worry and keep your pants on ok?!
After a few minutes, a server brings us the finest of waters. Water from Figi! It must have been filtered a million times! Because that water would just fall down your throat. No cheap stuff here! No siree-bob! Then another few minutes our main server comes by. Gives us a spiel about the dinner and a breakdown of the menu. I had no idea what the hell she was saying but kept nodding my head. At the very end, I just asked if she would go through it again with us and she said sure.
I then took out my free bottle of wine coupon! I got it from my buddy at work who's name is also Ken. Austin comes by and serves us the wine and peach schnapps. In Sweden, it is customary to have a shot of peach schnapps before fondue. Or was it before the meal? I forget... Oh! Austin is the male server who kept hitting on Myra.
So, this is how you order...
1) Pick a salad.
Nothing interesting here, just pick a salad.
2) Pick a cheese fondue
We decided as a group to get the swiss, wine and spices fondue. It was an interesting taste! It was served with cut up, cubed sourdough bread. You dip the bread into the fondue and it just tasted interesting. I liked it, but if you know me, I like everything! The girls tried it a little and they didn't like it too much.
3) Pick your main course
We chose the Fruit De Mer, not only because it sounded sexy. Because it had a lot of seafood and my girls weren't eating meat for Lent. The Fruit De Mer consisted of: tiger shrimp, sea scallops, tuna saku, large shrimp and 3 lobster tails. This was good! OH, MY, MY!!! The whole thing was tasty. Especially the lobster tails and tuna saku. It was slightly difficult grilling the food because of the dim light. But, it was goooooood.
4) You gotta pick a cooking method. We chose to grill it, our hostess said the other ways were all basically like boiling our food.
5) Pick a desert fondue
Too many freaking choices. I always ask the server for a recommendation if I don't feel like picking something. And they usually come through! She said, "I prefer to keep my fondue simple. So, I would recommend in the milk chocolate and irish creme." And I said, "LET'S DO IT!". WOW! This was ultimate sexy, lol. We were served with fresh strawberries, marshmallows and other stuff to dip into our fondue. It was great. Very tasty!
Conlusion:
I enjoyed my dinner date with my 2 fabulous hons. The experience was great and will never be forgotten. Our dinner lasted from 8:30pm to 11:30. We then went to Club Solitas in Daly City. Would I go back to La Fondue? Yes, I'm interested in trying the alligator, crocodile and ostrich. This evening cost $200 with a $25 tip and was worth every penny. Of course, everything is worth every penny when you have the right company.
REALLY PRICEY and the food was mediocre. Service was good. You might as well do your own grocery shopping and cook at home, because that's similar to what you'll be doing at La Fondue. I had more fun throwing my own fondue party with a chocolate fountain and making a cheese fondue.
Love it. The best place for Fondue. So much better than Melting Pot as it is not a mass chain. I believe they have two locations, one in San Juan Capistrano as well. The Saratoga one is in the cute little downtown Saratoga. The cheese and chocolate are the best part, but grilling your own meat is fun too. Perfect date/anniversray place.
Pricey, but delicious and unique. A great place for a fun decadent night out.
P.S. Tuesdays are bring your own wine nights. (no corkage fee!)
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My boyfriend and I went here for Valentine's day, and we loved it. On Valentine's day, they have the whole pre-set four course meal, but we still got a choice of what cheese fondue, what kind of salad, and what method of cooking for our main course.
It was awhile ago, so I can't quite remember the specifics, but I know we got the cheddar fondue, and for our main course, we chose the lobster bisque method... So... The salad was friggin HUGE, and there was hardly anything qualifying as SALAD in it... But that was okay, because I don't actually LIKE salad, normally.. Haha.
We absolutely LOVED our fondue. It was sooo delicious. We could have done without some of the veggies they gave us to dip in, because they seemed to take away from the overall flavor.. But we ended up getting seconds for the bread. :) It was so hilarious watching my boyfriend try to navigate the stringy fondue to his plate or mouth... For some reason, I just didn't have the same issue. Haha.
Like I said, for our main course, we chose to cook our meats in the lobster bisque. The bisque was really good... BUT, everything tasted like lobster bisque... The chicken, the steak, the shrimp, etc.. The table next to us chose the grilling method, and I think that's probably the way to go.
For dessert, we got something that I think was called a flaming turtle... I know it had pecans in it, and our waitress lit the top on fire with 151 while it was cooking.. This was absolutely orgasmic (I tried to think of a more appropriate word that got the message across in the same way, but nothing came to mind... sorry.).. My favorite dipping items were... Okay, actually, EVERYTHING. This was unbelievable. Oh man.
We also were given a complimentary shot of pear schnapps and a glass of champagne. We bought a couple other drinks that I know we enjoyed, because we left a little loopy. :)
So, overall, we had an excellent time. The only thing that you have to expect when you come here is a LONG meal. We had an 8:00 reservation, and we were planning on seeing a movie at 10:15... We almost missed it, and had to rush the end of our meal. It really wasn't a big deal, and service was great.... That's just how long the meal takes.
Also, we really liked the decor of the place. We never went to the old location, but we loved the whole gothic-ish theme of the restaurant. It's really pretty.
We're definitely going to go back here sometime soon, if not for a full meal, then just for the AMAZING fondue.
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love LF!
it's gluttony central. the menu is a little overwhelming so you tend to go for a package, which recommends you have salad, cheese, meat and dessert. sure, that's four courses, but what the hell. they bring you the salad, which you eat because you feel guilty that the rest of the meal is going to shorten your life. but the salad is enormous, and you feel like you have to eat enough so that there is visible evidence that you did damage. then the fondue course appears. you've got your fruits, your veggies, your breads, to dip into the melted bliss that is your pot of cheese. it's so good you eat it all except maybe those little mini pickles, because that seems a little weird. then comes the meat. you're stuffed already and about to slip into a carb coma, but you soldier on bravely, taking one for the fondue team. the meat, oh my god it's delicious and you argue with your dining companions about which sauce is which, and which is best. you eat it all and think you won't be able to support the weight of your dinner when it's time to leave....and then? it's time for dessert. and even if you don't really love desserts or typically eat sweets you will make an unprecedented pig out of yourself because HOW OFTEN do you get to do something this decadent? dipping snickers bars and rice krispy treats and pound cake and banana slices and strawberries into delicious chocolately goodness and gobbling it all down? yeah, can't pass that up. CAN. NOT. so even though your salad, cheese fondue and meat compartments are simultaneously so full you may need to buy new pants on your way home, you reach deep down, find room in your chocolate fondue compartment and somehow cram it down your gullet. and it's quite expensive and you feel horrible afterwards due to the cubic mass you ingested but it was so amazingly delicious you would do it again in a heartbeat.
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GREAT date spot!! The ambiance inside is super romantic. I have been here a number of times, both on dates and with friends.
Depending on what you order it can get a bit pricey. You can go for just cheese and chocolate fondue or you can get the meals where it comes with salad, cheese fondue, meat fondue, and chocolate fondue. For the complete experience, you gotta splurge the meals! It seems like a lot of money, but you leave completely stuffed and you are basically there at least 2 hours because of the dipping/cooking time. I've gotten the "Fondue Feast" a couple of times. It's great because you can choose a variety of meats. I've done both the grilling and the cooking in oil/broth. I recommend the latter....its more fun/unique!
This place is WAY better than The Melting Pot by far. I will never go back to that place. And La Fondue has these yummy cinnamon covered cream cheese balls for the chocolate fondue that I love oh-so-much!
Service has generally been good, but varies with your waiter/waitress. Both times I've gone on dates, they took our picture and put it on a little La Fondue thingy for us to take home....nice touch!
I'm looking forward to my next visit!
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-great service (constantly refilled on the water and vino)
-picked the fondue feast for my girlfriend and I
-chef's salad and the meditterean tomato cheese fondue
-tons of fresh meats and veggies that we grilled up
-and finally the chocolate fondue with grand marnier
I would definitely go back!
Price is a little high but if the lady wants chocolate fondue then you give her chocolate fondue!
Four of us went to La Fondue in May. It was the first time for me and I really didn't know what to expect other what I heard from fellow yelpers. The first thing I thought was that the decor was a little confused and that the restaurant lacked a clear identity. There should be more to a restaurant than just fondue. We had reservations and were seated in a booth in the back where it was dark and very warm. Our server seemed disinterested and though there were many opportunities for fun interactions, he never really engaged.
One nice feature is that diners get to pick from lots of menu options. We started with salads and the cheese fondue appetizer that our server put together on pots on burners at our table. The course included two kinds of cheese fondue and bread cubes and pieces of fruit for dipping. I am not a fondue expert or anything but I have had cheese fondue on several occasions and found both fondues to average in flavor. Did I mention it was very warm in the room? We opted for chicken and beef for our meat course with casks of boiling broth and sizzling griddles as cooking options. The meat was served with a variety of dipping sauces and some of the meats were marinated. The meat course also included a very small portion of vegetables. The marinated beef (teriyaki?) was salty without being particularly flavorful and in general, we all found this course rather disappointing. Did I mention it was very warm?
By now, our foreheads and upper lips beaded with sweat, (not flattering but i wanted you to have the visual-did I mention it was very warm?) we selected our dessert course (dark and rocky road chocolate fondues). Mother lode! The fondues were served with dishes of dippers (apples, bananas, candy bar chunks, marshmallows, cheesecake hunks, cookie dough, etc.) and we all wished that we had skipped the meat course and gone straight to the dessert!. The more gluttonous (you know who you are!) among us kept eating pieces dipped in chocolate way past the point at which we should have stopped because it was sooo good.
So, in general, fun place to take a date, if you get a good server, it can really be an engaging experience, a bit pricey but probably unique enough to warrant it. I wouldn't want to go back any time soon but I am glad i went.
Holy Moly where do I start? This place is so good if it didn't cost a bajillion dollars I would go here all the time. Please do yourself a favor and order the stinking rose and cajun cheese fondues and:
1. when it comes to chocolate you gotta go dark
2. you must order the grill to cook the meat/seafood
The chef salad is like a meal in itself....huge and delicious. I have only been here for the full 4 course dealio but I would really like to just go and have cheese fondue followed by chocolate fondue so I don't feel like death afterwards. I liked the decor at the old location better but evs.
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I really love this restaurant. It's our special occasion go-to (or just cause we haven't been in a while) and totally worth getting a Zipcar and driving down from San Francisco for.
I went to their old location many times, and I really love the new location too. This place just gets better and better.
I always order the same thing. I really want to try something else, but I'm afraid that it won't be as totally perfect as what I usually order. So I never do.
I'll get the spinach salad, and my wife will get the chef. We'll eat about half and then ask for the rest to be packaged up. (Hint for novices: don't eat too much salad!) Then, we get the cheddar & beer fondue. I've replicated this at home fairly successfully, but it's never quite as good. We'll get the fondue feast with an assortment of beef, chicken & seafood cooked old school in the broth. Finally, milk chocolate with amaretto. The cheesecake balls are the best dipper. They'll bring more of a particular dipper if you ask.
The service is always great, and I always leave really happy, full, and satisfied.
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Very happy with La Fondue after 3 long years for a 2nd visit. As soon as we sat down, we were offered a little cup of complimentary cocktail and Fiji water. We had the Fruits de mer for 2 (but the portion is more than enough for 3 asian ladies). The starting cheese fondue was just ok. But the lobster bisque for the main course is delicious. They also offer 6 diff dipping sauce but I like them original! The chocolate decedent fondue at the end is a little too rich for my taste. Overall, it's quite satisfactory of a meal. The only complaint I have is with the mojito - taste too much alcohol in it.
I went for the first time with one of my close friends on June 17th. I tried to make reservations but the earliest was 5:45 and the latest was 8:30pm so I decided to take a chance and be a "walk-in" at around 7:00pm and got a seat within about 5 minutes of waiting.
I loved the atmosphere, don't get me wrong I love children but this is a place where children should be left with the baby sitter. The lighting was perfect, candles at the table. Tables were a bit iffy to me as it seemed I was a bit far from my friend but I can't be too picky.
Service is excellent, it was a bit awkward when our waiter started to mix the cheese but he started making light conversation which made it interesting since he was explaining what he was putting in and what we needed to do. For a restaurant like this, I do expect service like this but their service was not just good service it was friendly which made me feel comfortable.
Food.
We ordered the Fruit De Mer combination dinner which was mainly seafood with the grilling option.
We started with the salad and it was hardly a salad. Thank fully I read the reviews and didn't finish my salad as I wouldn't have been able to finish the main course. Salad was awesome. I ordered Chef Salad with olive oil.
Appetizers: We ordered the cajun cheese with a beer base (I was skeptical). What I liked about this was it had a unique taste, the fire burned most of the alcohol away so it gave it a unique but tasteful fondue. At first I thought the portions that was given were small but it was just a sample to see what we liked. Waiter would come back to ask if we liked anything specific and bring our favorites out. Awesome.
Main Course: Lobster Tail and the scallop were probably the best in my opinion. The rest of the seafood was a bit.. normal. For instance the shrimp really didn't taste any different than shrimp I cook at home, I probably don't have that acquired taste for it. Nonetheless it was fun cooking.
Dessert: I normally don't eat dessert but this was truly unique for us at a restaurant. We went with the White Chocolate+Butterscotch which was very tasty. But towards the end it got a bit too sweet for my liking.
If I come here again I would get the one with the hazelnut.
Overall:
This restaurants atmosphere was awesome. It's a bit pricey for what they offer. I feel like if I were to pay that much I want a professional chef to make it for me but my friend enjoyed it so that actually made it worth every penny. I probably would not come here unless I want to celebrate something AND that person I'm taking is special!
We had trouble deciding on which cheese to choose and which chocolate to choose.
The way we decided was to pick 3 fondues to see which were in common. Unfortunately, we picked the same exact ones. So then we numbered them 1 through 3. Number 3 was the same so we discarded that. Our 1 and 2 were different so basically we just did rock paper scissor to determine which one to get.
Aside from everything, I enjoyed it very much. My first time here was very memorable.
I have been coming here for many years, but this was my first time in the new location (they moved a year ago). It was a bit dissapointing in that our server brought out 2 chipped wine glasses, they didn't have a booster seat or high chair for our daughter (who has successfully eaten there with us before), and the bathroom is tiny.
The food, however, is never dissapointing. Love that they added cookie dough to the selection of chocolate dippers. Also, I love that they bring you a shot of Pear Schnapps when you sit down and give you a coupon for a free bottle of wine on your next visit.
It is not that expensive when you consider that the meals are priced for two and include cheese fondue, a HUGE salad, main course fondue, and dessert.
Since they moved recently, I was concerned that this place was no longer the same. What would it be like without the medieval theme? Well I'm glad to say that it's just as good if not better. We enjoyed the new cheese fondue and chocolate fondue selections on the menu. When we sat down at our table, we were immediately served complimentary pear schnapps shots as well as a liter bottle of Fiji water! Wow! The food and the service were excellent. So if you've been anxious about trying out La Fondue's new location, don't worry, make some reservations and get ready for a great time!
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Been to La Fondue on previous occasions... this was my first time at their new location. The minute I walked in the door I could feel my pores clogging. I know, it sounds strange, but it musta been the oil that some people were using to cook their entree... I don't really know. Regardless, the food is always fun and yummy; however, the feeling of grease in the air was really distracting me and preventing me from fully enjoying my food. I even commented to my friend that I was clearly going to be needing a facial upon leaving. Bummer. I'm truly hoping that won't be an issue next time I go... I really don't consider myself too picky, so I'll give them another shot and we'll see if it's better next time.
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My date and I went to La Fondue on a quiet week night. I called the day before to make reservations for a late seating. It didn't seem too busy but there were a few tables of diners.
It was a first time for both of us so we just went with the Fondue Feast combination. I can confirm the salad was huge and had lots of shredded cheese on it. The cheese fondue was interesting. My special lady friend (SLF) and I were both captivated by how our server mixed and melted the cheese. Like I said, it was our first time and we amuse easily. Our server even called us out on staring too intently as she stirred the mixture with a large spoon. I think I could've eaten a bit more of the cheese fondue. There was quite a variety of bread but I maintained my self control because of all the warnings about pacing yourself. For meats, we had the tuna, filet mignon, chicken, and scallops. The quality of the meats was very good. The grilling is fun but does keep you busy. No one wants to eat raw chicken but you also don't want it too dry, same with the seafood though it was all supposed to be sushi grade. The chocolate fondue was our favorite. I don't remember all the items but there were plenty including pieces of a Snickers bar and our server offered to bring us more of our favorites.
We had a great dining experience. Our server was wonderful. She was friendly and efficient. We felt very well taken care of. It's probably not something we'll do often but I can see us coming back to enjoy a bottle of wine and chocolate fondue. The restaurant is dimly lit and I can confirm the romantic ambiance. My SLF enjoyed the amenities in the women's bathroom. There were a couple items in the men's bathroom like mouthwash and lotion but I passed.
This is my FAVORITE restaurant and where my husband and I go to celebrate events like birthdays, anniversaries, job promotions, etc. We've been going here for a few yrs now.
The food is amazing. Our usual meal:
1. Chef salad - so good that we need to stop ourselves from finishing it because it's only the first course. I blame all the cheese and salami.
2. Cheese fondue - we get the one with beer and sun dried tomato, really wonderful and not too cheesy at all, served with bread, fruit, and veggies
3. Meats - we usually get steak and shrimp and choose the grilling method. You can grill, cook in oil, cook in broth, and a new method is cook in lobster bisque which supposedly works good with seafood.
4. Chocoloate, the grand finale - we get Godiva served with pound cake, fruit, and other sweets. Not sure why they give little Snicker pieces - dip chocolate in chocolate??
Ambiance - I preferred the old place. They just remodeled a brand new location and the interior decoration is really bold and frankly, a little weird. Lamps with a machine gun base, weird wall paper, I dunno, just not my thing.
The food is so so so so good that we will still come here for our special occasions. Another thing to do note - make sure to budget a lot of time and $$$ for this meal. But it's worth every minute and penny!!
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This place is really good...HOWEVER very pricey, and the last few times we went we all had to rush to the bathroom shortly after eating!!
I will probably still go again since the food is so good. We only go on special occasions since the cost is so high though!
The chocolate fondue is excellent here!
I also really love their salad, it is huge and complete with everything including meats and it is just the best. *edit-went to try it at their new location, still a great salad, but seemed a little bit smaller. Oh well at least it leaves room for everything else!
I also like how they serve different meats, such as ostrich, alligator, and boar. *Last night we tried the filet mignon(highly recommend), both shrimps, ostrich, alligator and crocodile. . i loved the filet mignon and then ostrich and shrimp were very good too. The rest was just okay.
Service is excellent, they serve a pear shnopps shot before your meal, and you must try the palm breeze or whatever they call it if you like a fruity alcoholic drink. Pear martini also very good.
When ordering the chocolate fondue we got the milk chocolate/chocolate fudge one, and it was heavenly. One tip is to wait until the chocolate is really hot, and leave your rice crispee balls in there, they taste so good hot!
They have bazooka joe gum in a little tray when you leave! I thought it was interesting how the decor and setting was so pricey, but they have these little kid candies there too!
This is absolutely one of my favorite restaurants. Price may be steep, but definitely worth every dollar. My bf and I usually get the second set which comes with two chef's salads, choice of a cheese fondue (pick any, all of them are orgasmic), grilled meat, and a dessert fondue. I luv luv luv dipping the bread with a piece of garlic in a massive amount of cheese whether it's the Swiss, cheddar, or the Mediterranean. The grill meats are just okay, but everyone comes here for the cheese and chocolate fondue. The chocolate fondue is the best I've had (melting pot doesn't even come close with its chemical-like syrup of a joke for chocolate). The chocolate fondue (has several flavors, but are all equally fabulously delicious) comes with rice krispies, cream cheese balls (i'm salivating just writing this), snickers, pound cake, bananas, strawberries, kiwis, pineapples, and orange to dip and are all refillable (we usually ask for seconds and thirds of the fruits). The service is excellent and the interior and ambience looks like as if you stepped into a masquerade. Check out their restrooms (very clean and nice as well). This place could be romantic, but I don't see how romantic or sexy you'd look after having a pot of cheese with garlic, then meat, and chocolate ( i look like i should come in sweats to eat this) and let it all out with an ugly ass burp while grabbing for seconds. And ladies, be forewarned, don't cry over the extra cellulite on your thighs the next day from all that yummy good cheese ( i sure don't. It's absolutely worth it!).
For those of you who think saratoga and san juan capistrano is too far, they are hoping to open one up in hollywood soon.
Ever wonder what alligator tastes like? Or ostrich? You can find out if you come to La Fondue. I went here with a boyfriend and his mom one night just to go because none of us had been there yet, but had heard really good things. We ordered the Wild Thing, and La Romantique dinner choices..and it is a LOT of food. I don't know that we finished anything. It was all really good. Although the only thing there that is really fondue style is the cheese and the dessert. The meat portion is kind of like..cook it yourself.
When I came here the owner dropped a shot off for everyone who was of age.. It happened to be peach schnapps free of charge. I enjoyed the experience overall, but our waitress was a little bit slow..I guess she had a lot of tables.
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