- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
La Fondue
Categories: Restaurants French Restaurants Fondue French, Fondue [Edit]
14550 Big Basin WaySaratoga, CA 95070
(408) 867-3332
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 5 pm - 9:30 pm
Fri 5 pm - 10:30 pm
Sat 4 pm - 10:30 pm
Sun 4 pm - 9:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot, Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
1131 reviews for La Fondue
Review Highlights
-
"ALWAYS get extra bananas and cream cheese balls." In 33 reviews -
"Black angus filet mignon - YUM." In 20 reviews -
"Cheese: the stinking rose, cognac and pesto." In 60 reviews
Loading...
1131 reviews in English
-
Review from Karla V.
San Mateo, CA
5/24/2012
I have been here 15-30 times every year since 2002. If you come here for thee entire purpose of the restaurants, FONDUE!, then you will not pay $$$$ for anything. Cheese and chocolate are the entire point to this place, so if you refrain from the swamp and jungle creatures, you will leave here paying what you would at any other decent restaurant $60 tops, unless you are an alcoholic.
I have brought everyone I have known and that's local to Fondies and I have never met a person who didn't love it. Ambiance is stellar, like a cool and hip West Hollywood venue, service is always above and beyond, and the fondue is always exactly what we needed. We leave stuffed and happy and have for the past 10 years. The Melting Pot is a joke by comparison.
The attire here beckons for dressy, but the patrons typically dress like they are going to a beerfest with their buddies. I rarely see patrons dressed for the beautiful ambiance here. -
Review from Bree W.
Santa Clara, CA
5/24/2012 2 Check-ins Here
A very pricey treat, but worth the experience. My hubby and I brought some key friends who went way above and beyond to help us for our wedding.
It's truly an experience of decadence (in the true meaning of the word), but a wonderful treat for a special celebration. -
Review from Samantha H.
Pomona, CA
So the bf had a friend that worked here and decided to take me along with his friend. Definitely seemed like a place for couples but we didn't mind going in as a three-some lol. We had reservations but waited a little bit because the bf wanted his friend as our server.
The food was was magically delicious, the lobster is a must. The meat and lobster all seemed to melt in my mouth. We went with the cajun cheese, very flavorful as well and it came with cute little vegetables to dip with. Our server Ben was great, he consistently checked up on us and gave us an amazing experience. There are many sauces to choose from with the meat as well. Personally for me I opted out of the sauce because the meat and seafood was delicious by itself. (that's how you know it's that good) As far as dessert went we went with a milk chocolate with toffee. Those cream puffs they served were addicting. Ahhh I probably gained 10 lbs. that night from all the great food.
Service was a plus for us and the whole ambiance of the restaurant was delighting. I enjoyed the modern yet sophisticated look, along with the beading between some tables to give it a more romantic secluded feel.
LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! Will be going here again :) -
Review from Aileen C.
Cupertino, CA
5/17/2012
flaming tortuous!
Go during their dessert time (10-1030?) it is about $10 per person (I know, it is still kinda pricey). I don't go there often; I only go when my friends come back to visit and what not.
They give us a good amount of samplers of fruits (bananas, strawberries, grapes, and apples), creme puffs( LOVEEEE..but I think you could just buy them from Costco), wafer cookies, cheesecake, rice crispy, pound cake, and some cinnamon thing (veryyy sweeet). Then, they come back and ask us which three we liked the most and would give us another round of our favs.
On my first visit, I thought the ambiance was kinda weird/ freaky. They have a skull lamp, blown up pictures of ppl staring at chuu, did not have ppl in the restaurant, and the lighting was very dark.
I feel like you could tooootally do this at home (at a cheaper price): buy some chocolate and melt it in a pot over hot water, buy your favorite fruits, cakes, candy, and whateverelse you want to dip in chocolate. -
Review from Fiona V.
Saratoga, CA
5/20/2012
As a local Saratogan, I go to La Fondue for the delicious cheese fondues and the subdued ambience. Self-cooking the Wagyu beef is tedious, as the pan never seems to garner enough heat for searing. Combining seafood and blood meats is not very pleasant either, as there is just one frying recipient per table.
Disappointing for me, but then again, I regularly have grass-fed beef fondues at home... Sorry guys; if you need a béarnaise recipe...
Step it up, please =-) -
Review from robert k.
5/16/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Great food, great service, great Yelp! deal!!
While their "Freak" sampling menu was a little expensive, the Yelp dealer that gave me more than half off was a godsend. I had been wanting to try this place for a while but never got around to it, but now I finally had a good excuse.
I started off with one of their signature cocktails, "Pliney The Elder", and wow it was strong!! Great blend of vodka and some fruit juices to make for a pink, slightly tart drink.
We got the Stinking Rose, which was good. Very cheesy, and we could not finish it. The fruit and cheese isn't all that great, but of course it goes well with the bread.
The big meat platter was nice, and of course we got the grill option. I had fun grilling the meat tableside, but quite frankly most of the meat was not thrilling. You get a great selection of chicken, fish, lobster tail, shrimp, beef, and of course, wild game, like alligator, wild boar, and kangaroo. But all the flavors kind of blend together after a while, and there is really nothing to write home about (or to write Yelp! about!). The biggest problem I had was that the plate is not labeled, and after a while you forget what's what. All that being said, the meat was good, and the dipping sauces and butters, and experimenting with them, was fun.
And then came the chocolate... Yes, this is the best part of your dining experience. I am not a huge chocolate eater, and I didn't think I'd be all that excited about it, but wow, it was so good! Something about dipping fresh fruit pieces and delicious puff pastries and cream cheese balls into hot, melted chocolate... Soooo good!! We got half milk chocolate, half dark chocolate, with added Irish Creme. Everything was amazing in it, notably the apples, bananas, and little cream cheese balls. I had to pull myself from the table so I wouldn't completely overload.. But man, it was delicious!!!
So, long story short, great theme restaurant. Obviously a fun date or family night, although not super kid friendly. The patio is a great setting on a beautiful day, and the whole experience was memorable and fun. However, next time I go back, I will likely just go light on the cheese and meat, or I may even do just their chocolate only option, paired with a nice bottle of wine and some of their excellent signature cocktails.
Great service too, considering I think they were tired of Yelp deal tables by the time we dined. A+! -
Review from Steph C.
5/7/2012 Seated via OpenTable
It was good but not spectacular. The stinking rose cheese fondue was very salty and the bread was a little stale. The meat choices were excellent though. My boyfriend and I decided to go with the fondue feast and choose: Pacific catch, duck, alligator tail, buffalo, filet mignon and wild boar for our meal options. We also decided to cook it on the grill. It was fun cooking it on the grill but it took away from the 'fondue' experience. Next time I go I'm definitely going to cook it via fondue goodness.
My top two choices of meat definitely had to be the buffalo and duck. They were DELICIOUS!!!
Our server Nate was attentive. The ambiance was perfect for our little date. They gave us a coupon for a free bottle of wine if we come back for the fondue feast again.
I think I'll go back (only for the bottle of wine). If it wasn't for that coupon, I probably would wait a long time before coming back.... but wine is wine right?! -
Review from Eilrama B.
Santa Monica, CA
5/14/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Simply perfect. From the great and knowledgeable staff, to the quality of the food. The wait staff was attentive without crowding us. The food was absolutely delicious, the desert menu is perfect.
We ordered the La Fondue combo and the everything was perfectly marinated without being over-powering. The sirloin was juicy and sweet, the chicken slices were juicy and the sauces were excellent (yes I know I technically cooked it and I'm giving myself credit for it, but still)
You have to get the chocolate fondue, I would absolutely recommend this place. -
Review from Dina Z.
Campbell, CA
4/30/2012
This place is my all time favorite. I've been dining here since 1995. This is fine dining at its best. Prices are high since it is, after all, fine dining but they are very generous with their portions. They are very generous by giving extras! The ambiance is elegant, sophisticated, and romantic! Guys take your ladies there and romance her and eat fondue together romantically. Get the Fondue Feast, it's ssoo worth it. You will have plenty of food so save your appetite that day! Girls you will love, love, love, the chocolate fondue!
The Fondue Feast includes:
Salad
Cheese Fondue
Meat Fondue
Chocolate Fondue
I go to La Fondue at least 3 times a year, every time it's great. This place is a must visit for fine dining! -
Review from Mo M.
San Jose, CA
5/21/2012 Seated via OpenTable
La Fandu was amazing food a great experience for me and my son it was different and great, Alexis our waitress was patient and ilnformative and walked us through dinner. Highly recommend this restaurant!
-
Review from Angel B.
San Jose, CA
4/26/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
I've been a resident of the south bay for about 18 years now. Yet, I have never set foot inside this establishment. Everyone and their mom has been here but me *insert sad face here* I pretty much know a super awesome dude who has been here before. I don't know if he went with his mom, but none the less, he enjoyed it. We had a short conversation about it in passing and he made a mental note. That note stated, "Angel has not been to La Fondue."
So while we were high fiving ourselves for an awesome month of knowing each other's awesomeness, he made an awesome suggestion to celebrate the epic awesomeness of this awesome occasion. The last sentence is a run on sentence full of ridiculousness that only he and I would understand.
To speak in lame man's terms - he offered to take me to a nice dinner, to a place I have never been to before, in order to celebrate a special occasion. He's very thoughtful.
So we booked the reservation and the only one we could grab was at 4:15PM. Crazy. That's okay though, we planned accordingly and ate a very light breakfast and considered it a late lunch ... that or magically turned into senior citizens.
We got there and the hostess sat us at our table.
The décor was very eclectic ... however it was right up my alley. I want a machine gun lamp!!!!!!!!!! The ambiance was pretty mod and hip. It was nice to look at.
We had three waiters that night. All pleasant, attentive, and cordial. The service was a-ok in my book.
Awesomeman and I decided to order the 4 course meal, with the La Romantique meat selection. If I am going to put meat in my mouth, I want to be romanced first.
We started off with the chef salads. I ordered my salad with sweet and sour dressing. It was really good! I loved the dressing and the little meat cheese rolled things (I don't know the name). However, I was caution not to eat too much of it, so I ate a little bit. It was so big though, that it didn't even look like I touched it.
He let me select the Stinking Rose cheese fondue. The waiter demonstrated how to make it and it was super delicious and garlicky. All the items to dip went well with it! Oddly enough, my favorite thing to dip in it was the grapes. I loved how the cheese had a nice creamy texture and the sweetness of the grapes countered the saltiness of the fondue.
Our La Romantique platter came. It came with safe but delicious meat selection. It included chicken, filet mignon, lobster, and tiger shrimp. We chose the grilling option to cook our meal per the recommendations of Yelper reviews. It was perfect and also it helped that I am well verse in knowing when something is cool well via touch and sight. My favorite dipping sauces was the teriyaki and the other with a hint of wasabi. I can't recall the names, but all of the dipping sauces were delicious. I got more lobster cause I am special ... not in a short yellow bus kind of way.
By the end of the third course, I was stuffed. However, there is always room for dessert. I wouldn't be American if I didn't overeat.
So, we decided on a compromise. I like milk chocolate, he liked dark. However, I love toffee. So we got the dark chocolate fondue with toffee. OMG!!! That thing is soooo heavenly!!!!! I am glad we chose dark chocolate because it had this silky deep rich flavor that wasn't overly sweet contrasted with sweet crunchy toffee chunks. The best thing to dip it in was made by a straw wearing hat man whom apparently either ran or owned La Fondue, it was the frozen cream puffs. I love contrast, the hot temperature of the fondue and the cold cream puff was the perfect balance! I dipped everything I could in that chocolate fondue. A dirty gym sock would have been edible dipped in that concoction!
Note, that while the waiters were attentive, they were smart enough to give us space so that the boyfriend and I can have fun conversations. We have really silly conversations, so it was nice not to have to censor ourselves every other minute.
I have to give La Fondue five stars. If not for the food and service, then for the new and awesome memories. -
Review from Shifty M.
Los Gatos, CA
5/18/2012
I have been to La Fondue countless times, and in all honesty, it is usually great.
This last time, after making reservations with OpenTable, we called in to ensure we were going to get an inside table, and if possible, get a earlier reservation. They offered us an earlier reservation, but only if we sat outside, so we declined, specifically to retain an inside seat.
After we arrived, we ended up waiting about 5-10 minutes past our reservation time and were then escorted to - no joke - an outside table. I mentioned to the host that I called about siting inside, and having declined the offer of an earlier reservation in favor of the inside table, expected that we would still being sitting inside.
The host said there was nothing we could do. We even asked to wait a bit longer for our inside table, but in a rather dismissive tone he told us "even waiting an hour wouldn't be enough" - which after waiting tables for 8 years in my youth, was complete BS...we just left.
Way to upset a consistent customer; really disappointing, because I enjoy La Fondue very much. -
Review from Tanya T.
San Jose, CA
4/29/2012
My boyfriend and I had a wonderful experience here!
The ambiance of the restaurant was very intimate and service was fast and everyone was very kind.
We did the Fondue Feast and left very full, but in a good way :). I like how they offer meats you are familiar with and out of the ordinary ones too. My favorite parts of the meal were probably the cheese fondue appetizer and of course, the dessert :). Mmm, I'm craving those cream cheese balls again....
A quick recap of what we ordered --
Salad - Spinach with Lemon Tarragon dressing & Chef with Honey Mustard dressing
Cheese - Stinking Rose (Swiss with Roasted Garlic)
Feast - Chicken Japonaise, Pacific Catch, Alligator Tail, Free Range Buffalo, Filet Mignon, and Dungeness Crab
Dessert - Danger Mix (White Chocolate with English Toffee bits)
SO MUCH FOOD! But really good, especially the cheese and chocolate. The entree meats were good too, it was nice to be able to try something new like alligator tail and buffalo but those ended up being the two we didn't really enjoy as much.
Will come back again! -
Review from George L.
Saratoga, CA
5/14/2012
Being that yesterday was Mother's Day, I went to La Fondue to celebrate. This is a great spot for celebrations, occasions or expensive dates.
We ordered the Fondue Feast combination, which comes with a salad course in addition to the entree, cheese and chocolate fondues. The meal begins with the salad course which gives you a choice of a chef's salad or a spinach salad. We each elected for the chef's salad. Given that it was only the beginning of the meal, we each ended up having the rest of our salads to go. Then came the cheese course. For the cheese course we chose the Schweitz. In the past we usually have elected to go with the Cajun, but for tonight we decided to branch out a little bit. The cheese was very good, although it was a bit bitter and that the alcohol flavor ended up being a bit strong. We also did joke a little bit that it was almost possible to get drunk off the cheese course without ordering any alcoholic beverages. One of the great things about the cheese and chocolate fondue courses is that you can have unlimited refills of the included accompaniments. I really enjoyed their bread along with their pearl onions.
For our entree our meat choices were Savage Duck, Bronze Turkey, Alligator Tail, Free Range Buffalo, Wild Antelope and Wild Boar. For our cooking method we ended up choose the lobster bisque. The broth was fairly light, but flavorful and ended up imparting good flavor to each of the meats to a point where. in some cases, the dipping sauces were unnecessary. Each meat was very good, which was well accompanied by each the 6 dipping sauces that were provided.
The chocolate fondue came last and for that we chose the decadent one. It was fantastic and I especially enjoyed the Snicker's Bars, the cookie dough as well as the marscapone choose balls.
With respect to the service, it could have been better, but in their defense they were relatively busy. While our water glasses were constantly topped off, it was a bit of a wait to get out refills for our cheese and chocolate fonfues to the point where our chocolate fondue was turned off, as we had immediately paid the check before actually completing the meal.
All in all, while La Fondue is pricey, it is a fun experience and I would gladly return. -
Review from Jeff G.
San Jose, CA
5/6/2012 Seated via OpenTable
In a word, perfect! My wife and I were here celebrating a night away from our new baby. Friendly service, fun waiter, everything was fantastic. He recommended a fantastic wine that I promptly bought a case of when I winery online. Not much else to say, if you know fondue, you know what to expect and they exceeded expectations all night.
Tip: don't get the crab claws, they break apart too easily, stick with the meats/shrimp.
Tip: you get unlimited extras of your favorite desserts, so try not to fill up too much on bread and cheese! -
Review from Judy E.
Campbell, CA
5/13/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
We enjoyed the atmosphere and the food at La Fondue. Our experience was marred by the service. The server was curt and condescending to my companion. She should have coached my friend who had never been there on avoiding what was really disastrous combination of type of Fondue and meats. My friend had asked for the advice, and the server could not be bothered. She was even a bit sarcastic. I would give it one more try based on the atmosphere and cuisine, hoping this experience was an aberration.
-
Review from Todd E.
San Jose, CA
5/24/2012
Great food, but the service is truly exceptional!
-
Review from Raphael K.
Saratoga, CA
5/5/2012
The cheese fondue wasn't as good as I thought it would be...
The chocolate fondue was good though -
Review from Dominic S.
San Jose, CA
4/20/2012
Whaaat the F?! Whaaat the F?! F..standing for Fondue!! Cajan cheese was amazing. I will save you from the embarrassment of asking if you can take the 60% leftover cheese for take home. Well the answer is 'NO', 'cause the styrofoam containers.
Now if there is anything worst in the world, it's knowing innocent people are being killed everyday, and having to throw away cheese. It's even worst that it's La Fondue cheese. So if you're determined enough, try bringing your own container, or you could pour the cheese out to a plate to let it cool off so that it doesn't burn the styrofoam.
Now the first option, might seem a little ghetto, considering this place is a bit high end. So perhaps a very elegant container will be necc - one that looks like the wall padding of this restaurant -a container with leather and embedded diamonds casing?
I'll try the second option next time and let you know if it works... -
Review from Bebe D'hala D.
San Jose, CA
Fun food?! What?... Pick up your mini pitch fork and prepare to dip away your courses! La Fondue is a whimsical delight. The place is always busy so RSVP! The service is excellent knowledgable, timley, and friendly. Perfect for a couple, anniversary, groups, even first dates what better way to break the ice then through bread and a pot of Ooh so delicious melted cheese blend. If dipping fruit into Chocolate for dessert doesn't win over your dinner date with sheer childhood delight, you may want to check them for a pulse.
Review update :Thanks to the recent Yelp deal with La Fondue I've been back twice for the la freak cest chic. We had the stinky rose cheese fondue , it was pretty tasty but had a bitter after taste( I prefer the 4 cheese and wild mushrooms more.) I went with my sis it was her first time, and she loved the salad she is also pescipalan so she conquered the seafood and I wiped out the exotic animals. We had the XXX milk chocolate am toffee for our chocolate fondue. The deal is awesome because you get the whole shabang and a bottle of wine, we chose champagne to go with our meal. I asked her how it was compared to other fine dining places and she agreed that La fondue tops the list. We planning on comig back for the chocolate fondue! If you want a place to splurge this is the place to go all in, for your self or to share with a loved one. La fondue gets my vote, n money.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
1/31/2011
Fun food?! What?... Pick up your mini pitch fork and prepare to dip away your courses! La Fondue is… Read more »
-
-
Review from Ingrid C.
Berkeley, CA
4/18/2012
This is an interesting restaurant and I kind of miss it. I did not like the cheese fondue though as much as I liked the grill and the chocolate at the end. The salad was also pretty delicious.
In the future I would love to come here on a date because the lighting and the ambience is pretty much perfect for that and the chocolate fondue in the end.
They had so many different options that you can choose from for the dishes and it's definitely a fun place for dinner. I'm coming back soon! -
Review from Jen W.
Santa Clara, CA
4/4/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal 1 Check-in Here
Yum! What a great $99 deal from Yelp! If they have another, I will grab it!
We started with Chef Salads,
1) Appetizer - Choose any Cheese Fondue, served with assorted breads, fruits & vegetables
2) Salad - Each person may choose one of our salads
Fondue Feast (15 oz.)
3) Le Freak C'est Chic which included
(includes Schweitz (Kirschwasser, 4 Cheese, Champagne)
And
Court Bouillion - Vegetable broth, lightly seasoned, low calorie and cholesterol free:
Garden Vegetable
Wild Boar
Tiger Blue Shrimp
Alligator Tail
Swiss Chicken
Pacific White Shrimp
Black Angus Filet Mignon
Chicken Japonaise
Tuna Saku
Colossal Shrimp
Teriyaki Sirloin
Sea Scallops
Himalayan Beef
Lobster Tail
Free Range Buffalo
Wild Antelope
Savage Duck
Kangaroo
Kobe Wagyu
Free Range Venison
4) Chocotastic: Dark Chocolate, Hazelnut Mousse, Mascarpone (SO RICH and THICK!)
OH YES!!! I love the place. I SO wnat to go back sometime soon. :) We were stuffed when we were done! I will go back!!
-J -
Review from Dave S.
4/17/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
Wacky decor is the first thing I noticed. From the outside, it looks like every other cookie-cutter building along the row. Perhaps that's why they go out of their way to make the inside not-match. I'm not sure how to describe it other than Andy Warhol meets the set designer for classic era James Bond--the light stand at our booth was literally a Golden Gun!
Our server was great and had an awesome personality. He clearly knew what he was doing, even though he did spill a drink during a tricky maneuver with a tray. We got the game meat special, which includes Alligator, Antelope, Buffalo, Venison, and Wild Boar. It was expensive, but very tasty. They let you have two different fondue pots for the main course so you can try different cooking methods. We ended up with a grill and the court bouillon--awesome combo because they're so different from each other.
I proposed to my future wife here--she said yes--so this place automatically gets extra kudos from me. -
Review from Leanne P.
4/16/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal 2 Check-ins Here
I've gone to fondue places before--I've even come to La Fondue before (see Chris Z's review from 7/12/2011), but this was truly my first "La Fondue experience".
My brother and I had purchased the Yelp Deal ($99 for the Le Freak meal for 2 + a bottle of Cuvee--unbeatable!) and had finally worked out a day where Bro + gf and Hubs + me could all go together. Not a minute to spare--our deal expires on the 21st! Our previous experiences were at the Melting Pot (closed now) so we had a rough idea of what was going to happen... but La Fondue definitely surpassed our expectations.
First of all, since we had purchased 2 of the deals (and they didn't think we'd want 2 bottles of bubbly) they offered to swap one of our bottles for a different bottle... definitely! We were able to enjoy a bottle of cab with our meal. Our first course was choice of salad. The three of them got the spinach salad with the vinaigrette but the rebel in me chose the chef salad with the sweet & sour dressing. I totally won, btw... the chef salad had these awesome things called "chefs rolls' (basically cheese and meat wrapped in a hye-roller type thing)... SO YUMMY. The salad didn't look too big, but once we were munching, that thing was HUGEEEEEEEEEE! Hint for next time: Ask for this to go or make sure I stop eating at the halfway point... this killed me for the rest of the meal.
Second course: cheese fondue! The great thing about purchasing two of these deals--we got to try two cheese fondues! After perusing the menu, we ended up with the stinking rose (cheese and garlic) and the four cheese (I can't remember what the 4 cheeses were, but it was amazing!). We got a bunch of bread and veggies to dip into the cheeses. Yum yum!
Third course: Le Freak meats! So the "Le Freak" menu is 2 pieces of each meat that they have on their menu. You've got the classic yummies like steak, chicken, shrimp, etc... but you've also got some unique stuff like lobster, wagyu, thinly sliced meat wrapped around cheese... you've even got the crazy stuff (that I may have never tried had I not gotten this yelp deal) like wild boar, kangaroo, antelope, venison, etc! I definitely got to check a few things off my list of "100 foods to try before you die". We cooked our meats on the grill which gave everything a yummy bbq taste... My surprising favorite was the kangaroo meat which was wonderfully flavored and tender!
Fourth course: Dessert! At this point we felt like we couldn't eat another bite, but for dessert I will roll myself out of the restaurant if I have to! We got our bottle of cuvee at that point and chose our two chocolate fondues. We decided to get the Flaming Tortoise (Milk Chocolate, Caramel, Pecans, Flambe) and the Butter Bab (White Chocolate, Butterscotch, Pecans, Flambe). Soooooooooo good! I love the dessert fondue here, they give you such a selection! I think my favorites are still the fresh strawberries, the rice krispie balls, and the cream cheese balls. So yummy! I think if I found out that I was dying, the dessert fondue at La Fondue would be one of my last meals.
So enough about the awesome food. This is a five star review because not only was the food FANTASTIC, but the service was STUPENDOUS. I forget our server's name but he checked on us often throughout the night. Our water glasses were never empty and he was always on hand to give us advice (he suggested the grill which I had never heard of before and he helped us pick our cheeses and dessert).
Overall, I'd love to come back (if I had the moolah or another yelp deal :P) but this place is definitely a treat! -
Review from Lauren B.
San Jose, CA
4/25/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
We took advantage of the $99 Yelp deal and had an early anniversary dinner at La Fondue a couple weeks ago. This restaurant is great if you are looking for a fun dining experience, and even greater if you are in to trying more exotic foods. As the Yelp deal allowed us to try the Le Freak C'est Chic, we were able to try things like kangaroo, wild boar, antelope, alligator, and so many more.
The cheese fondue course was delicious. We tried the Schweitz with the shot of Kirschwasser and it had a nice kick. We chose to grill our main course and enjoyed the wide variety of dipping sauces. For dessert, we went with the classic XXX chocolate fondue and were supplied with an endless array of treats to use for dipping.
The staff is delightfully courteous and always accommodating and attentive. The atmosphere was warm and inviting and made for an all-around wonderful dining experience. -
Review from Matt V.
Sunnyvale, CA
Updated - 4/15/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal 4 Check-ins Here
Made my fourth visit to La Fondue; it's as wonderful as it's ever been!
We were served by Ashlynn tonight, who was kind and friendly. Although she's worked for other restaurants, she mentioned that her favorite thing about working for La Fondue is that she gets some time to meet and chat with the customers while she's preparing the fondues at the tables; it's not like other restaurants where she would just bring the food, and then walk away.
Super friendly young lady; it was nice to have her as our server!
As for our food this time around, we started with the Schweitz, which is one that we've had several times before. It's made from four different cheeses (emmenthaler, gruyère, fontina, and a gruyère surchoix); this is mixed with two different kinds of alcohol, kirschwasser and champagne. It's a milder, and much more traditional fondue than some of the others on their menu.
That said, for my buck, I really prefer their Stinking Rose. I heard two different waiters talking to two different tables also say that their Stinking Rose is the most popular; I'm not even a little bit surprised!
Following that, I got my favorite salad, their spinach salad with lemon tarragon dressing. I reviewed this in my previous review of La Fondue, but it's just excellent. They give you a healthy portion of feta cheese, which they add to several vegetables: spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, cucumbers, and carrots. The lemon tarragon dressing is amazing, and the feta really is a nice touch to the salad.
After that, we got the "Le Freak, C'est Chic," which is a taste of all the meats that they have. If you order this one, make sure that you are ready to EAT, as it comes with a whopping 23 ounces of meat! It's an insane amount that certainly will leave you as full as you've ever been, especially when you pile on a cheese and/or dessert fondue in addition to the meats!
We got it with the punsch cooking oil, which truly is the best of their cooking oils; it's a red wine cooking oil spiced with cloves and rosemary. It's just brimming with flavors, making their meats so flavorful and rich.
The meats are truly amazing. Some of my favorites are their lobster tail, kobe wagyu, antelope, filet mignon, venison, tuna saku, buffalo, Himalayan beef, and their sirloin wrapped around cheese (they have two types, one wrapped around Swiss cheese and one wrapped around cheddar cheese). Golly, all of these meats are so incredibly tasty.
Quick tip: their tuna is sashimi grade, so you don't have to cook it if you don't want to! I just dip it quickly in the cooking oil to give it a bit of flavor, and then pop it in my mouth!
For dessert, we tried a new item that we hadn't had before, and it was exceptional, my favorite of all their desserts I've tried so far (and I've tried just about all of their dessert fondues now!). We got the "Butter Baby," which was a flambéed white chocolate and butterscotch with pecans on top of it. The waitress told us we could keep the pecans on top if we wanted them caramelized, or we could mix them into the fondue if we'd prefer for them not to be caramelized.
The Butter Baby had a really good, sweet flavor to it. I just loved it. You can even roast your marshmallows over the flambé.
My favorite dipper is their cream cheese balls, which is cream cheese dipped in cinnamon and crumbled graham crackers. Amazing! Also good dippers include the marshmallows, rice krispie treats, snicker bars, cream puffs, and pirouette cookies.
It certainly makes for a very good end to a very good meal!
Overall, La Fondue is just to die for. Definitely one of my favorite restaurants in the Bay, or anywhere else for that matter! I highly recommend the place, and will certainly be coming back for a fifth visit in the future!1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
1/28/2012
This is the Mac Daddy of fondue places, and everything on the menu is just spectacular.
La Fondue has… Read more »
-
-
Review from Quynh M.
San Jose, CA
5/21/2012
Went here for dinner on Valentines and I was blown away! I could've done without the salad but the cajun cheese fondue was delicious! Blank angus beef was delicious, lobster literally melts in your mouth and the diver scallops which we ordered on the side were super fresh! The best part of the meal was dessert. Cream puffs dipped in caramel chocolate fondue that's been lit on fire? To die for! Ambiance is very French, but romantic. You almost feel like you're dining in the dungeon of a castle, but I understand why they're so booked now! Every single table is spaced out so that patrons can dine intimately. Everyone can hav their own experience instead of their neighbors! A+ for that. The servers time the food accordingly. You never feel rushed so just take your time to enjoy your company as you cook your own food. Definitely not just dinner, but an experience. They also have valet, which is another plus! I loved everything about la fondue!
-
Review from Jimmy L.
San Jose, CA
4/14/2012
This is such a date place, I never would've come here on my own, though I came here on a whim with a work colleague from out-of-state who had always wanted to try this place.
The ambience is very intimate - low lighting with candles, well appointed, and neutral/muted earth tones. Because of the way they've designed the the layout of their seating/tables with soft room divisions, it almost seems like you're in your own private little world even though you're seated right next to other people; you don't hear any other noise in the restaurant!
Instead of going a la carte, we decided to go with a combo; suffice it to say, my companion usually plays it safe with food, so we played it safe here. We went with the La Fondue combo for two people (at $87), and avoided the game meats.
You have your choice of cheese fondue, so we went with -
Bacon (Buttermilk, Cheddar, Beer). You can't go wrong with bacon and cheese - this was good!
You have your choice of salad, and I went with -
Chef - Romaine, carrots, mozzarella cheese, chef rolls, cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms. Ingredients tasted fresh, and it was a decent-sized salad.
For meats, you have your choice of the way you want it cooked, and we went with a table grill, almost like an iron skillet, so be prepared to smell like a Korean restaurant!
As soon as I saw this option, I swooped on it because most of the time, restaurants don't cook meat exactly the way it should be cooked, or do they cook it exactly the way I want it.
The La Fondue combo gives your the following meats -
Chicken Japonaise, Chicken, Swiss Chicken, Teriyaki Sirloin, Wild Turkey
They also give you a bunch of sauces for you to dip the meat in before grilling. I can't remember what they all were, though I think one of them was like a buttermilk, which is the only one that I really remember, so it must have been good!
I was skeptical of the wild turkey. Unless it's cooked right, and unless it's a young turkey, it could've come out gamey and tough. I was wrong; it was tender; and this was my favorite meat of the evening.
I think that for dessert, we went with a dark chocolate fondue, and it came with fruit and other bite-size pieces of dessert.
To summarize -
You are paying for the exceptional service and decor, and most especially, I don't dispute the high quality of food, which was good, however, for the price, it still wasn't worth it for me - esp $87 in return for mostly chicken (if you go with the LaFondue combo).
If I ever had the opportunity to come here again, I'd probably go with the Feast at $99 and select all game meats.
I don't date; fondue is so-so for me; and I'm not a big fan of chocolate - that's probably why I don't see the return on high investment for a meal - though I can understand if you want the overall experience to impress your date. -
Review from Randy F.
3/16/2012 4 photos
Although I had been to La Fondue for their dessert awhile ago, it had been on my list to check out the full restaurant experience.
Luckily, on a weekend night, we were able to score early reservations at the extremely popular restaurant and sample the full monty.
As soon as I arrived, I had to admit I liked the decor. It was quite different from the dark, small space that I recalled and the waitress informed me that they had actually moved to this larger location several years ago. The decor is hard to describe, but it's very modern, some say James Bondish, and reminds me a lot of my favorite hotel in Las Vegas, the Cosmopolitan.
We were seated in a corner nook and were soon joined by several other patrons. A few had the Yelp deal (how had I missed that!??!) and one table even had a 1 year old and a 4 year old who was celebrating her birthday and loved chocolate fondue. Seeing a table with two little kids might cause some worry, but I'm gonna start out by giving huge props to those parents. Their kids were super well behaved and super polite for an entire MULTI-course meal that took over 2 hours. Amazing.
The menu itself is fairly straightforward and the waitresses (one to each table it seems) are happy to explain it to you. I found the servers to be all very friendly, albeit slightly young, and very attentive. I'm not sure what other reviews are talking about with regard to poor service.
We selected the Fondue Feast and it came with all the following as well as being priced for two:
Chef's Salad - each diner chooses a salad and is given a dressing choice. A very large platter of mixed greens or lettuce with lots of carrots, tomatoes, and cheese wrapped with salami comes to the table. I have to say I thought the salad was unnecessary (kinda like at House of Prime Rib) and while the fresh ingredients are good, I was clever and used them to dip into the fondues.
Cheese Fondue - the first fondue is a cheese one. You are given some fresh vegetables, pickled items, and bread and go to work. We chose the Mushroom Fondue which was fantastic and decadent. Four cheese types, garlic, and mushrooms. If you finish all the dipping items, the waitress is happy to bring more.
Meat/Seafood - this is the course that confused me. La Fondue is known for their meat and seafood and it's an impressive selection including kobe beef, lobster, crab, as well as exotic game like antelope, kangaroo, and alligator. Four cooking styles are offered and most people opt to grill. You are then given an assortment of sauces to dip the meats into.
So this is the confusing part to me. You grill? Isn't this a fondue place? I thought you grilled the meats and then dipped them in cheese. Apparently not. You do have the option of choosing to cook the meat/seafood in oil, broth, or two bisques, but it's really more like a hot pot or a hibachi experience than a fondue one. But that's my take.
As a side note, the quality of the meats (despite whatever method you cook) is fantastic! The alligator, antelope, etc. are super fresh and cut into lean portions perfect for easy cooking. Although the bisque or broth methods take longer, the meats are well prepared and some marinated for excellent flavor.
Also, when I first saw the sauces, I was convinced I wouldn't use them at all as I like to taste the flavor of meat not cover it in sauces. But I was wrong. Each was wonderfully distinct and most were such that they enhanced the flavor. Very impressed by the sauce quality.
Dessert - the dessert course is last and it's one many are familiar with as you can opt to come at later hours and get dessert only at a great price ($22 for 2). They provide some amazing dipping items (cream puffs, cookie dough, super fresh fruits) and they're always happy to bring you more. If you've been to Melting Pot, I'll simply say that the dessert here is a step above.
Overall, we had a great meal here and I'm glad to finally say that I've tried the whole experience here, including trying the exotic meats. It's a pricey place, but I'd say most of that goes toward the excellent quality seafood and meats. If I were to return on a budget, I definitely might just come back for the cheese and dessert experience (a la simply fondue) and I'll definitely be back for just the dessert.
It's easy to see why this is such a fantastic date spot and, if you're particularly ambitious, even a great spot for kids who like dipping chocolate. (our waitress shared she had been going to La Fondue since she was a kid when she saw the cute and well-behaved 4 year old at the next table).
La Fondue accepts credit cards, including American Express. -
Review from David M.
4/2/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal 1 Check-in Here
Made my first trip there on the yelp deal "for 2", which was way more food than 2 people need even after starving ourselves before going. I was a bit disappointed with the ambiance and overall feel of the place. I think my expectations were set by years of people talking this place up like it was some chic exclusive eatery in the south bay when it really felt more like an expensive family "chain" with decent food. The servers were all competent but young and inexperienced and delivering their schpeel about the place like it was a Chilis babyback babyback promotion.
All that said, the food was tasty and unique. I'll probably opt for a lighter meal next time with an obligatory pot o' fondue and a salad to round it out. Not sure if I'll try the kangaroo or alligator tail again though. -
Review from Dave S.
Sunnyvale, CA
4/20/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
When I saw the Yelp deal for La Freak, I pounced on it without a second thought because La Fondue is one of those spots the family has always loved. I then promptly forgot about it until a few weeks ago...
Since so many people have reviewed it, I'll keep it short:
Sit outside in the front patio- you'll be able to see your food, the person you're with, and you can here what they're saying (the person, not the food!).
We had the Ceasar salad (mine with sweet/sour/blue cheese- yummy, and not too sweet), which was almost a meal in itself- after nibbling a but, we had them box the rest up.
We had the 4 cheese fondue, which was an interesting change from the traditional fondues we make at home- probably the best part of the meal for me.
The protein platter could have used a map... All was good, but we thought the teriyaki sirloin was over marinated, and my bit of kobe just wasn't good- not sure what happened, probably a cooking problem. By the time we got to the dark meats section, it all started tasting similar.
By the time we got to the white chocolate for dessert, we were feeling stuffed, and it was just too sweet. We should have taken it to-go also.
Service was great! I think the next time we go we'll just get salads and two different fondues.
Finally, I thought the deal was great, but I would not have been happy spending the full price on the meal. It's just too much for what you get. If they offered the deal again, would I take it? You betcha! -
Review from Angelic L.
San Jose, CA
3/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
Wow, I LOVED La Fondue! It was just an all around great experience that I would recommend to anyone who's celebrating something special. I came here with my most favorite people in the whole wide world: tall, dark, and handsome boyfriend, best girlfriend, and her tall, dark and handsome too!
We had two orders of the Le Freak C'est Chic, and I must say, there was way too much food to eat even though we had 4 people. I wish I had a bigger stomach! Don't take what the server says lightly. The portions are huge, so don't try to eat all of your salad or cheese fondue, and save room for your main course.
What made this place really special and fun for me is that it was everything I've never seen/tasted at any other restaurant. Even the salad was special with those cute little swirly rolls in it. For the cheese fondue, we had both pesto and cajun, which were so yummy and delicious. I definitely wouldn't mind eating only the cheese fondue for dinner...
As for our super exotic meats, we went with the grill option and the lobster bisque. Grilling is definitely the way to go with meats since it'll preserve the actual taste and cook faster. We got the lobster bisque just to dip our seafood in. The server went over the selection on the plates very carefully, so we would know what we were eating. The only problem was that there were way too many things to remember! I wish they had little flags/tags to mark everything. I managed to stomach everything except for the kangaroo meat. It was so gross that I had to spit it back out, but nonetheless, I'm still happy that I can tell all my friends how cool I am for trying kangaroo, venison, alligator, etc... The best part about bringing our men to eat here? They did all that cooking... HAHA...
The dessert fondues were also amazinggggg. The Flaming Tortoise was cool because obviously, it was on fire, but in terms of taste, I'm not sure if it liked that better than the Chocotastic. Either way, you're going to love it, but if you feel like having that extra flare in your meal and you can only have one, I'd recommend the Flaming Tortoise. The dipping options came with pound cake and cookie dough. My favorites!
Of course, the service we received at La Fondue was excellent. Our server was really nice and patient... Funny too! Overall, I was impressed with everything La Fondue has to offer. I would love to come back again, but probably without all the exotic meats this time... -
Review from Elise G.
Cheese and dessert fondue, seafood, grilled exotic meats that you cook yourself. This place has a fun ambiance and it's an interactive dining experience. Great for date night and groups of people.
A couple of friends took us here and treated us to an amazing meal.
Chef Salad:
The best cobb ever! The tarragon dressing and home made ranch were amazing.
Garlic Cheddar Fondue:
Awesome presentation. Our waitress boiled some beer and then slowly added shredded cheese, whipping it like she would as if beating eggs. Slowly the consistency started to churn into a thick, golden, stretchy pot of goodness.
Grilled Meat and Seafood:
Great experience. You take your skewer and say, a cube of say alligator meat, raw prawn, or kangaroo. Sautée it in butter an cook it to your preferred done ness, and then dip it in one of the sauces. Mango chutney was my favorite.
Chocolate Fondue:
So full, but I couldn't stop at dessert!Listed in: Sweet Tooth, Where can I get a good salad?, Top Restaurants
-
Review from DanThu D.
San Jose, CA
3/16/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
We had our anniversary dinner here with the deal I bought from Yelp. Awesome DEAL!!!!
We enjoyed every bit of the night. The waiter started us off with cheese fondue. We chose the 4 cheese option for the fondue. And it was delicious. We had fruits and veggies, and bread with the cheese fondue. My boyfriend had the spinach salad with ranch dressing and I had chef salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. We both liked our salads a lot. The food portions were pretty good.
For the main course, we had the Le Freak C'est Chic which is a taste of everything.
There were so many different types of meat: kangaroo, antelope, alligator, lobster, filet mignon, kobe, spicy fish, tuna, chicken, shrimps, crabs, turkey, wild boar, buffalo,... so so many and carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms... They also gave us 6 different types of sauces: BBQ, Sweet Teriyaki, Mango Chutney, Ranch, Garlic Butter, Wasabi Teriyaki. And we chose "grill" option for cooking our food.
oh, the deal also came with a bottle of Kenwood wine. We were asked to choose between champagne, Cabernet, and Chardonnay. And we chose Chardonnay.
We ended our dinner with chocolate fondue. We had the Chocolate fondue: milk chocolate, pecans, caramel, flambe'
It came with strawberries, bananas, cream puffs, and more, and we got to choose our favorites to have them bring out some more.
The waiter was so nice and friendly and very attentive. He did an excellent job. He checked on us all the time, and he was very helpful in guiding us through the menus and suggestions. He came back several times to name all the meats on our plate because obviously we could not tell which is which and too many to remember..
The decoration is pretty cool.. They have pictures, paintings, objects everywhere. The dimmed light also creates very romantic environment. The seats are very comfortable. We hope to drop by again after our wedding on 7-27-2013.
We absolutely love the food and our experience there. We had the Yelp deal, so it saved a whole lot. Without the deal, it would be very expensive... so yeah, thanks YELP! -
Review from Felicia C.
San Jose, CA
4/15/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Purchased the Yelp deal for the Le Freak C'est Chic meal. It was an amazing deal and we were stuffed! We went for an early dinner, so didn't seem too dark as others have said. Our waiter was helpful and let us mix the 2 different bacon cheese fondues (cheddar/swiss, beer/wine). We like the new location (moved in 2007) and decor better than before. Guess it's been a while since we were here last!
Btw, didn't care for the kangaroo and llama meat. Fish was ok, but wow seafood was super fresh and other meats were tasty! Esp with the Mago chutney dipping sauce...Mmmmm. -
Review from Mike C.
Sunnyvale, CA
4/30/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
My wife and I have been going here for years. Due to the Yelp deal, we finally tried the Le Freak C'est Chic. It was out of control! Very fun to try so many different kinds of meat. As always, the fondue was awesome (both the cheese and the chocolate). Very pleased with the service as well.
-
Review from Karen G.
Redwood City, CA
5/1/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Delicious. Beautiful. An experience. This time, we brought the teens. It was like taking a mini vacation with the family. We loved every bit of our evening. Especially the chocolate! I missed the cantaloupe, but otherwise perfect.
-
Review from Sassygrl W.
Campbell, CA
3/24/2012
Good for dessert NOT for dinner.
Inside was dark, we had to hold the menu to the candlelight at the table to see. We ordered the surf & turf and it was just ok. We sat in the middle and when the two tables on both sides left, a guy came with his bucket and towels, sprayed down the table with really strong cleaning solutions, very unpleasant experience. I would not go back here again. For what we paid, the value just isnt there. Very dissapointed.
If you have never been to this restaurant and want to try it, well DONT BOTHER! -
Review from Julie C.
Mountain View, CA
4/8/2012 Seated via OpenTable Purchased a Yelp Deal
Shared the Le Freak C'est Chic meal for two with my fiance. It was amazing, but way too much food for two! We asked our waiter if people ever finish it, and he told us sometimes people take the salad course to go and finish the rest. I will definitely try that approach for next time!
Anyway, the set meal comes with a Cheese Fondue - we ordered the Wild Mushroom Fondue with Truffle Oil. Delicious!!! The salad was also really good, but in hindsight, kind of made me too full. So my favorite part of the meal was the crazy plate of 30 different meats! There was buffalo, antelope, alligator, kangaroo, lobster, and 25 other animals... We had a choice of cooking methods and decided to grill everything. I love trying new foods, so this was definitely a treat! By the time dessert came I was stuffed, but somehow managed to eat most of the Chocolate Fondue.
We also got a complimentary bottle of wine! Yay! Overall, an incredible dining experience! Love, love, love this place! -
Review from Nancy T.
San Jose, CA
3/8/2012
My husband and I had dinner here for Valentine's Day. We had a Groupon for the Le Freak C'est Chic combination dinner. When we bought it, I thought $100 was a great deal for a meal that was normally $225. Unfortunately, neither one of us was super impressed by the meal. We were very glad we didn't pay full price for dinner. Even at $100 though, it was still disappointing. For one thing, our table was extremely dimly lit. We couldn't even see if our food was done half the time.
We started off with the Wild Mushroom Cheese Fondue. That was really good. There was a hint of bitterness, which cut through all that richness nicely. The bitterness added dimension to all the heaviness. .
Next, I got the Spinach Salad with Lemon Terragon dressing. The salad was huge, but deconstructed. All the items were in little piles on the plate. I like my salads tossed and not compartmentalized. I also do not like having to toss my own salad at a restaurant. My husband's Chef Salad was also deconstructed, but he had the Sweet and Sour dressing with Blue Cheese Crumbles. I liked his dressing better.
For the entree, we decided on the Punsch method. The cloves were very overpowering to me. My husband described it as rustic, and I would agree. It was woodsy and earthy. I was okay at the start, but the cloves and spice got too pungent for me after awhile. As for the meats, I think there were about 23 pieces of different bite size meat for each of us. Each type came in two bites, one for him and one for me. Some meats were better than others. I didn't know which was which though, so it was annoying because I didn't know exactly what I was eating. The server rattled off the names when the plate first arrived, but who can remember it all? They should have the the names of each meat on the serving plate with the meat on top, so you can look underneath the meat to see what it says on the plate. The dipping sauces tasted straight from the bottle. Nothing special there.
Lastly we had the Decadent One Chocolate Fondue. I couldn't taste the espresso, but it was still delicious. They brought out a bunch of things for us to dip, but my favorite were the orange wedges. I liked the contrast between the sweet and sour.
Bottom line, I like variety in my meal. I think sitting there eating chunk after chunk of the same thing over and over is just not my thing. It bored me. i wasn't full, but I lost interest due to the monotony and the lack of variety of flavors.
When we were done eating, we switched to the Grill method and cooked the rest of the meats for take-home. I was surprised that the Grill method only gave you an herb butter to cook in and nothing else. The next night, I turned our leftovers into a "Misc. Meat and Veggie Stir-fry". I used bacon grease and a mixture of different Asian sauces. The stir-fry was so delicious! The flavors made me realize how tender all the meat was. I swear I'm going to have to sneak in my own sauces and bacon grease if we ever go there again.
We did return a few weeks later for chocolate fondue dessert only. I wanted to see what that would be like. They seated us outside. It was cold even with the heat lamps, and our Kmart plastic patio table and chairs/bench were on a slope. One side of the table sat lower than the other side. I hate that. There were 7 of us. We ordered 1 small chocolate fondue and 1 large, 4 hot teas, one specialty coffee, and a mixed drink. It came out to approx. $120. This seemed ridiculously high to me. $3 for a cup of hot water and a tea bag? Seriously?
So overall, I thought the place was overly hyped and overpriced. My husband says we're not going back. I'm glad I got to see what all the hoopla was about, but I am totally fine with not returning.
